FF: It's Not Right - Chapter 18

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Chapter 18

Arnav parked up outside of Khushi's house and rang her phone. Apart from that first night she hadn't text him and neither had he. But now whenever he came to pick her up, instead of beeping his horn he usually gave her a missed call.

Arnav saw Khushi coming out of the house but instead of getting in the car she just stood at the door and he raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. Khushi mimed opening the window and he rolled his eyes as he obliged, 'what's wrong?'

She leaned both elbows onto the window and smiled at him, 'nothing's wrong. Jiji's just getting ready but Buaji was being annoying so I said I'd wait here. Is that okay?'

'Jiji? You mean Payal's coming?

Arnav didn't know why but he hated the intrusion Payal would bring to his time with Khushi. He had grown used to Khushi's non-stop chatter during their drives and had occasionally even gone so far as to engage in active conversation with her.

'Yes, Anjaliji asked her to come as well. Do you mind?'

'What? No, I mean... but why are you standing there? Wait in the car,' he leaned over and opened the door from inside and Khushi got in.

'So why does Di want Payal to come too?' He tried to sound nonchalant as if it didn't really matter to him but he wasn't quite sure he managed.

'No idea,' he watched as she took her phone out of her bag and started playing some game. He watched her as she concentrated on the game with her forehead creased and eyes fixed. They both looked up at the same time when he heard a tapping on the window. Payal was standing there looking uncertain and Arnav looked away from Payal feeling awkward about the last time they'd met.

'Jiji! Come in!' Khushi put her phone away and put her seatbelt on as Payal got in too and Arnav began to drive.

Khushi spoke to Payal the whole way and Arnav wondered how she could find so many topics to converse about with someone that she saw on a daily basis. Payal was much quieter in comparison to Khushi's 100 words per minute and this was probably the first time he'd ever actually heard her say more than 5 sentences but she reminded Arnav of Di and he liked her automatically because of it.

***

Arnav looked up as Anjali opened the door slightly and leaned her head through.

'Chote, we're leaving now so can you tell Nani if she asks that I'll be back around 6?'

'What? Going where?' Arnav couldn't believe this. First his morning drive had been interrupted by Payal and now they were leaving to go somewhere so he wouldn't even get to drive Khushi home?

'We're going to the cinema, to watch Ra.One. Remember to tell Nani please.'

Anjali started to close the door when Arnav stood up, 'no wait Di, I'll drive you there.'

Anjali smiled at him as he started to walk towards her, 'No Chote, you don't have to worry, Akash is going with us so he'll drive.'

'Akash is going too?'

'Akash, Khushiji, and Payalji, we're all going.'

Arnav didn't like the way Anjali lumped Khushi and Akash's names together and he quickly spoke 'well then I'll come too.'

Anjali looked at him in shock 'Chote? You want to come to the cinema?'

'Why can't I? If you're all going, then I can come too can't I?' He walked back to his table and switched his laptop off as he grabbed his keys.

'Well yes of course you can come, I just didn't think you would want to that's why I didn't ask.'

***

Arnav held the door open for Khushi to get in feeling annoyed. First Akash had sat in the passenger seat as if that was his place and then Khushi had helped Di get in first before letting her sister get in the car as well so the only available seat was the one behind him. He practically slammed the door shut before he got in himself. This was the first time Khushi had been in the backseat of his car and it didn't feel right.

'Bhai,' Akash spoke nervously as Arnav started to turn the key.

'What?'

'Erm.. I was wondering, if maybe I could drive? I mean you look a bit stressed, so...'

Arnav looked at Akash who was behaving strangely, constantly looking over his shoulder towards the back of the car. He was about to refuse when he looked over his own shoulder and realised the benefits of switching with Akash, 'yeah sure.'

Khushi watched Arnav's strange behaviour with a confused look on her face. First even agreeing to watch a movie with them, which she was sure Anjali must have convinced him to do and now letting Akash drive? Relinquishing control? He sat inside the car, did his seatbelt and immediately turned himself so he was facing her and Anjali rather than the front of the car.

'So who's in the film anyway?'

Khushi waited for Anjali to answer his question but she was talking to Payal, 'Shahrukh and Kareena.'

'What's it about?'

'Well if I tell you what it's about, what's the point in you watching it?

'Well you know what it's about and you're going to watch it aren't you? Go on, tell me. You know you want to.'

Akash and Payal joined in the conversation and the four of them talked the entire way. Arnav noticed that Anjali wasn't talking much but watching them all intently. 'What's wrong Di?'

Anjali smiled and shook her head, 'nothing's wrong. It's perfect.'

Arnav gave her a quizzical look before he went back to the conversation.

When they got to the cinema Di suddenly became very talkative again, 'Chote, you and Akash buy the popcorn and drinks, we're going to go inside.'

'Why don't we all wait together?' Arnav suggested but Di brushed him off and walked away linking her arms with Payal and Khushi either side of her.

'Isn't Di acting a bit weird?' He asked Akash who was still following the three ladies with his eyes. Arnav hit Akash on the shoulder, 'Akash!'

'Oh sorry Bhai, yes erm... what were you saying?'

Arnav just pushed Akash towards the queue, what was wrong with everyone today?

***

Khushi sighed as she sat down. Every combination that Anjali had suggested always seemed to end with Khushi sitting next to Arnav and Payal sitting next to Akash with Anjali in the middle of them. Anjali was refusing to listen to Khushi's protestations and Payal seemed to agree with Anjali's seating plan.

She was still sulking when Arnav and Akash arrived with their hands full of food and drink. Akash sat down immediately next to Payal before he began to pass over the food in his arms whereas Arnav stood for longer just looking along the line before he walked slowly past Akash, Payal and Anjali and stopped in front of Khushi. Khushi looked up at him nervously, 'do you want me to move?'

She got up to move over one seat so he could sit next to Anjali but the limited space between their seats and the seats in front meant that when she stood up there was almost no space between their bodies. Only the popcorn in Arnav's hand separated them.

Arnav rolled his eyes, 'sit down,' he said as he side stepped her to sit in the seat next to her.

Khushi sat back down sheepishly and began biting her nails. How was she supposed to sit for 3 hours next to him without doing or saying something stupid?

'There's no need to eat your fingers,' Arnav said as he thrust the bag of popcorn in front of her.

'Oh', Khushi took the bag from him, careful not to touch his fingers 'thank you.'

Arnav watched as Khushi began to nervously eat the popcorn, barely chewing and just shoving in mouthful after mouthful. The lights dimmed and Arnav leaned back slightly in his seat as the trailers came on.

He watched as Khushi finally took a break from inhaling her popcorn to watch the trailers but he found himself feeling irritated with her gasps of appreciation for the various actors on the screen. He reached into his own bag of popcorn and put a few in his mouth and coughed as he tasted the popcorn and tried to swallow quickly.

Khushi turned to him immediately, 'are you okay Arnavji? What's wrong? Do you need water?'

Everybody else had turned to look at him too, 'Chote are you okay?'

'No, it's okay. I'm fine Di,' he reassured Anjali clearing his throat before looking at Khushi again and holding out his bag of popcorn 'this is yours.'

Khushi looked at him strangely before holding out her own to him, 'but I already have some.'

Arnav exchanged the bags shaking his head at her, 'no, you've been eating my salty popcorn, this sweet one is yours. How did you not notice?'

Khushi looked shock as she looked from his bag to hers before eating some from the new bag that was now in her hands.

'Oh Khushi never realises what she eats, just as long as it goes into her stomach she's fine,' Payal called over from the other end of the row.

Akash and Anjali laughed as Khushi began biting her nails again 'I'm really sorry Arnavji, I've eaten most of your popcorn, I'll go get you some more!'

Arnav grabbed Khushi's arm before she could even stand up, 'Khushi sit, it's okay.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes. Now stop biting your nails and eat.'

'Sorry,' Khushi said again as she sat down slowly.