Chapter Ten- B

A while later the dance floor was opened. The music flooded in the party hall.

Arnav walked to the only lady he had his eyes for all evening and who for some reason was hell bent on not reciprocating any of his gesture.

But he is not ASR if he did not break her walls and make her.

"Dance with me"

Khushi gasped at the sudden husky drawl near her ear and warm breath fanning the skin of her nape. Knowing very well the owner of the voice, she turned calmly and looked up into his eyes.

She was mesmerized by the intensity of his gaze. As if he could see right through her soul. At the same time she was aware that what he said wasn't a request neither was it an order but it was stated as an obvious, like they were mutual partners to do such things often,like dance in a party when the music played was the most natural thing to do among them like a couple.

And it feared her, the strange feeling that arose with the realization, it thrilled her for the anticipation it made her feel. She felt a foreign kind of flutter in her heart and stomach and that made her nervous.

Nervous!! Amidst of her tensed state, she felt like laughing, imagining her mother's face. If she would have heard that her Khushi was nervous to dance then God forbid she might have had a heart attack. And her brother, he would have rolled on the floor laughing clutching his stomach.

The thought made her smile and knowing that denying wasn't an option she put her a shaky hand in his firm grip and let him lead her to the dance floor.

**

Look around

There's no one but you and me

Right here and now

The way it was meant to be

There's a smile on my face

Knowing that together everything that's in our way

We're better than alright

The song vibrated around the dance floor and an unmistakable shine in his eyes caught Khushi's attention. She questioned him through her eyes for this undecipherable gleam in his orbs and he shook his head chuckling before he said in her ear for her to be able to hear him in the loud music, "The song. Last year,  Akash played this song almost all the time for a week inside the study while at work with me. That time I didn't pay any heed to the lyrics. All I know,  I was so frustrated with his peculiar fascination with this song that even hearing the beginning music only I used to want to pull my hair. But now, when I am listening to the song after so long I think I am liking this song, or," he paused to look directly in her questioning eyes as he said  "is it you making me..." he trailed off but his eyes did not leave hers.

Khushi's eyes widen, ready to pop out of their socket... and then more, if it was even possible seeing the outrageous flirt side of Mr. ASR. The sight was so comical that he burst out laughing.

Walking between the raindrops

Riding the aftershock beside you

Off into the sunset

Living like there's nothing left to lose

Chasing after gold mines

Crossing the fine lines we knew

Hold on and take a breath

I'll be here every step

Walking between the raindrops with you

A laugh from the heart, a laugh most natural, a laugh that made him look much younger than the person she knew, a laugh, that revealed the man behind the mask of ASR to Khushi and she will be lying if she did not accept that the sight was so captivating that she forgot to breathe for a moment. She herself started to chuckle shaking her head.

Take me now

The world's such a crazy place

When the walls come down

You'll know I'm here to stay

There's nothing I would change

Knowing that together everything that's in our way

We're better than alright

**

They have no clue how long they had been dancing. Who was watching or gossiping about them. They were just living in the moment, enjoying.

It was not that, that the ASR was a fantastic dancer but you could say he was a decent partner, with whom you can share not your best dance but you can be in best of your spirits. A partner, in whose arms you feel protected and cared, and most importantly respected.

So Khushi was lost in the moment and in the song that was playing, A thousand years when she suddenly felt that ASR's hold on her was loosening and his head bobbling a little. Feeling something was odd she searched his eyes and found his focus little disoriented. Her hand which was still in his hold felt cold and clammy.

She looked upon his face confused but the suddenly her eyes grew wide as she remembered something. She asked urgently in his ears, "when did you have your last meal?"

First, it seemed, that he hadn't heard her and then his face showed sign of confusion but he answered nevertheless, "I don't remember".

Khushi though did not wait until he replied. She was already dragging him softly by his elbow, careful that he did not fall or got imbalanced because of his wobbly steps, out of the dance floor. On the way she fished her mobile out of her clutch and called Mathur, "Mathur sir wherever you are meet me at the exit and ask our chauffer to bring the car there as soon possible." Not waiting for Mathur's response she cut the call and walked Arnav to the bar supporting him all the way.

"One orange juice here with extra sweet and make it fast please." She orders the bartender in a hurry while making Arnav sit on one of the stools at the bar.

Thankfully the bar was little deserted as all people were either in the dance floor or dining in the dining hall. Hence there was a very little chance of any curious audience.

The order came faster and Khushi held the hem of the glass touching his lips urging him to drink. She watched worriedly as he drank the whole content slowly and thirstily. She kept the glass aside and asked a waiter to bring her some sugar cubes, in case. In the meantime, Mathur confirmed that they were waiting near the other exit. She asked him to come inside and cover ASR's sudden exit  while she took him back to the hotel.

She collected the sugar cubes from the waiter thanking him for his fast service and took, still slightly disoriented, Arnav through a secluded corridor to the exit.

As soon she spotted Mathur she walked to him, and both made a giddy ASR sit in the backseat. Khushi was out of breath by then. It was sure, not an easy task to support a big guy like him for a puny woman like her at the same time maneuvering their way through a lengthy corridor.

She made Mathur understand the situation in short and taking one bodyguard with them in their car they left the place leaving the other car for him.

As soon she took her seat beside ASR she pressed one of the sugar cubes on his lips. He obeyed silently taking the sweet in his mouth chewing it slowly.

A few moments later she watched with relief as he blinked a few times before his eyes gained their focus back and he sat up looking better than his dazed state.

Arnav opened his mouth to say something but she pushed him back gently shushing him with her eyes. Silently asking him to take rest till they reached their hotel.

**

When the haze cleared completely from his eyes he looked at the girl sitting beside him. He was leaning to his left almost on the door of the car so he had a clear view of her side profile from his position. She was looking out but the worry line on her face was visible to him.

He recollected the time he spent with her sometimes back... he had been dancing, swaying with her, reveling in the moment.

She was the best dance partner he ever had the luck to dance with. There was a feeling of peace while he swayed with her. She was good alright, but good or not you ought to enjoy her spirit while dancing with her. And he had been doing just that.

But in the day's busyness and excitement he had forgotten the fact that he had had next to nothing in the whole day. Therefore what was suppose to happened, had happened. His sugar level had gone below the mark, making him feel tipsy.

He would have fainted and created a ruckus over there if not for her. He could very well imagine the newsflash: "The great business tycoon Arnav Singh Raizada aka ASR faints on the dance floor, in a party in Mumbai" and the aftermath of it, even the imagination made him shudder involuntarily.

Unlike any other person, she had not panicked but like a mature had taken control of the whole situation and him. Speaking of which, how did she know what exactly happened to him? He frowned. Another question added in the list, isn't it?

Well, this one seemed otherwise easy to find the answer of. Akash, off course. These two shared a good bond and seemed like discussed everything and anything under the sun, Maybe he had told her.

But had he told her how to recognize the symptoms and the cure too. He shrugged, may be. What important was , she had taken care of him the best way possible in that moment and was still worried about him.

The whole time, while he had felt like the things around him either were floating or going upside down, she had guided him and he had just followed. He had trusted her in that moment, trusted her with his health, though he could do only so much in his state. But still, he hadn't protested to anything she said or did. He had held her like an anchor. Her grip on his hand and her comfortable hold over his shoulder had felt assuring.

He wondered where this trust came from. Cause ASR had a huge issue to connect this emotion with any third person. Till date the very few he had trusted outside of his family, the number you can count on your finger tips, and that too in only business, never with his personal life or health. But with her it had come naturally. Well, he will ponder over that late; right now he was undoubtedly exhausted. He sighed gaining her attention and she turned to face him. Her face showed her concern making him smile.

"Are you alright ASR?"

He nodded. 

"Thank You."

"You don't need to thank me but you should have been careful."

"Hmm... I guess so, but good that I have you around," he said lightly smiling all the time.

She smiled too.

"I will not be around always" she reminded casually but Arnav could not help the sinking feeling inside him. 

The smile wiped off from his face he nodded curtly.

"I will be careful next time."

That was  all they talked the whole 45 minutes ride back to the hotel.

**

As the car screeched to a halt in front of the entry of the majestic hotel. Both came out from their side of the doors and walked to the direction of the lift after collecting their keys from the reception. 

Khushi swept a glance over ASR and guessing him better she did not go to help him further. But she made sure to walk by his side so that  if needed she could help him. Arnav didn't  fail to notice that.

As the lift reached their floor, Khushi asked him to call her if he needed anything or felt sick again. She waited until he was inside his room.

She allowed herself a silent chuckle after he vanished behind the door. 

Who will believe that in the same day she had seen so many shades of the great ASR, Arnav Singh Raizada? The day had begun with him being the boss she had known for few days, and then he had complemented her almost flirtatiously and had blushed when she had teased him back. Then she had witnessed his jovial side and the next hour she had seen him going red when Gujral had straightly offered her a modeling job in his presence and then she had seen him letting himself loose on the dance floor, not to mention the way he had actually flirted with her and had laughed on her expense. She could not help but think of the infectious laughter again.  

She had also witnessed his vulnerable condition in the same evening when he felt sick due the drop in his sugar level. And now to think of it, even though he was not completely out of his senses, he had let her guide him command him when she did. He had trusted her to do the right thing by him.

Just so not ASR she had heard stories about before she actually met him in person.  

Sighing she made her way to her room.

Another figure also moved away from the peeking hole of his closed door smiling to himself. 

**

Just about 15 minutes later the doorbell rang making Arnav come out from the shower in his robe, frowning to himself. But as he opened the door he saw a waiter with a trolley of food items, waiting on his door.

"Your order Sir..."

"My order", Arnav muttered to himself. As far he remembered he had straight gone to the bathroom after he had returned to his room, never stopping to make a call for any order, then?

"Yes, sir. Madam has ordered and asked us to deliver the order in this room number", the waiter informed. 

Arnav's lips curled up as he guessed rightly who the madam was and let the waiter come in with the order. He dismissed him with a good amount of tip once he set up everything for him. 

As if on the cue, his phone vibrated with a new message...

Please take your medicine after your dinner, good night... sender Ms. Gupta

His smile only grew bigger and changed into a full blown grin after he changed her contact name to Khushi.

Get a grip on yourself man. You're acting like a college kid, he mentally chided himself but the grin refused to disappear from his face even after a long time.

**