Arnav sighed as he put the phone down. It was Khushi, thanking him for his help in Preeto's engagement last week. Yes, Preeto had gotten engaged with the same guy whose alliance had come originally for Khushi. But Arnav was the only one who knew this truth, as he had overheard Garima's conversation with her neighbor. And as much as he was angry about the injustice with Khushi, he somewhere felt happy too that Khushi was not the bride. That incident had made him confront his own feelings for khushi and he had finally realized, what he felt for Khushi was much more than friendship or attraction, it was love, in it's pure, unadulterated form!
And he had been ecstatic since then.
"Hey Mr. Hot chocolate, want to catch dinner together tonight?" Lavanya's voice made him jump out of his happy trance and probably she read the shock of his face, "What is it Arnav? It's been more than a month since you came from the US, but I haven't gotten even one evening with you alone. You are always out somewhere. Where do you even go?" Lavanya complained
Lavanya Kashyap was Arnav's childhood friend above anything and had always been his one of very few friends, given the introvert he was. But ever since he returned from the US, they couldn't spend much time together. He was either in AR or disappeared in thin air during the evenings! Sometimes she wondered whether he feels the same way for her as she did. Given that their families had been teasing them since years, media had been speculating their engagement and he had never been vocal about anything, she had assumed he also accepted it. The fact that he was introvert was anyway well known so she didn't expect big gestures really. But at least some dinner dates?
"No Lavanya, not today, I have something-" Arnav said getting up, noticing the time that he had to reach Lakshmi nagar.
"Please Arnav, you always have something or the other, this is so unfair. At least promise me tomorrow you will be free, it's my birthday tomorrow." she said, pouting and Arnav chuckled at his childhood friend's antics
"Of course I remember it Lavanya, I will be there with all confetti blasts and chocolates and Teddy bears ok?" he teased her like he always used to do, "I am getting late now, bye" he said, keeping his mobile in his pocket and taking car keys(car which he parks a few meter away from Khushi's house of course!)
"I don't want all that Arnav; I want something else. I want you to confess your love for me." she said to his retreating back. He obviously didn't hear a word!
--*--
"Hum soch rahe the bitiya, Saahil accha ladka hain (We were thinking, Saahil is a good boy). kyun na teri aur uski rishte ki baat karein (why don't we propose an alliance)? You will stay near us and we will also get a good son-in-law." Shashank Gupta had given it a serious thought when he proposed this idea. It was actually Garima who suggested it first. After all, khushi was also of marriageable age. Saahil probably wasn't as rich as Preeto's fiancé but so what? He was a nice guy that they all knew.
Khushi looked between her amma and babuji. How did they guess her heart's feelings? Yes, only recently she had started realizing she adored this shy, sweet, caring Saahilji who was not only her friend but also a part of her family now. He had helped her babuji in the bookshop so much, he had helped during Preeto's engagement and above all that, he had become someone she could trust a lot. Also, she hadn't missed how his eyes twinkled with joy whenever he recited his poetry to her, or how he always encouraged her to continue her passion for fashion designing. Sometimes, she couldn't believe she had really found someone so precious, someone so good, and he could be all hers.
.
.
Arnav had found it weird when Khushi's babuji insisted to come to their house for dinner that night. No, he had been invited before, he practically spent more time in their dining room than even Raizada Mansion's. But today, he felt something different. Even Khushi was stealing glances at him.
