FF: OP and JP's Matchmaking Agency - Part 5

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Part 5

'Is this what you call not getting involved? If you didn't want to help me that would be okay but why did you have to ruin it?' Om watched the scene in the kitchen anxiously where nobody seemed to be saying anything.

'I'm so sorry Om, I just wasn't sure Chote Sahib actually loved Khushiji...'

'He does!'

Jai Prakash looked from Om Prakash's anxious face to Arnav's devastated face and decided to forget his doubts. 'I'll fix this somehow Om, just wait. Please don't be angry at me.'

***

Arnav looked from each of the women in his life in shock before stepping forward and grabbing Khushi's hand, 'don't be stupid Khushi!'

Khushi only pulled her arm from his and ran out of the kitchen.

Om Prakash moved out of her way as she ran past him, Jai Prakash had already left to go somewhere. Probably to ruin somebody else's life, thought Om Prakash.

Khushi ran into the living room to get her bag. How could she have done this she wondered? Now she would have no job, no money and... No Arnav. She looked around but her bag wasn't where she had left it on the side table. 'Have you seen my bag?'

Jai Prakash who was just coming down the stairs nodded nervously as he could see Arnav following behind Khushi with a thunderous expression on his face. 'Yes Khushiji, it's in Chote Sahib's room.'

'What? Why is it in there?' Khushi didn't want to go into Arnav's room but she could feel him behind her and the faster she got her bag, the faster she could leave.

Arnav followed behind Khushi silently, his long strides perfectly able to keep up with her hurried pace. He entered his room where she was searching for her bag to no avail and he slammed the door behind him which made Khushi look up at him in shock. Arnav kept looking straight at Khushi as he locked the door behind him and began to walk purposefully towards her.

Khushi walked backwards unable to look away from Arnav's gaze until she reached the wardrobe and had to stop.

Arnav kept walking until he reached her and put an arm out on either side of her trapping her against the wardrobe. 'Khushi, look at me!'

'Please Arnavji, just let me go.'

'No Khushi not until you've heard what I've said. Look at me Khushi, look into my eyes and tell me you don't want to be with me.'

Khushi still refused to speak but Arnav could see the confusion and indecision in her eyes. 'Khushi, I'm not asking you to move in with me! This isn't... you're not Lavanya! I don't want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to...I want you to be my wife!'

Khushi looked at him angrily, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had he really just said that? 'Wife? Wife? Since when did Arnav Singh Raizada ever want a wife?  I can't believe you. I thought... I don't even know what I thought but not this!'

'What are you saying Khushi? You won't be my girlfriend but you don't want to be my wife?! Then what do you want?' Khushi flinched with every sentence he shouted at her but Arnav refused to back away, still only inches away from her with both of them against his wardrobe door. 'Are you seriously trying to tell me you don't have feelings for me? What is all this then? Why did you let me kiss you? Yesterday? In the kitchen today? What was that?'

'Do you really think that I need you to marry over a couple of stupid kisses or do you think you're doing me some sort of favour by wanting to get married?'

Arnav looked at her incredulously, 'favour? What? Khushi, what are you... I don't want to do you a favour, I want to marry you!'

'Only because I won't be your girlfriend!'

'I don't want you to be my girlfriend!'Arnav hit the wardrobe by the side of Khushi's head in frustration. 'Khushi, you're not making any sense nor are you listening to what I'm trying to say!' He stepped back holding onto Khushi's arm and pulled her towards the bed and made her sit down before sitting next to her with one leg folded underneath him so he was facing her directly.

'Okay now, I want you to tell me exactly what the hell is going on in that crazy mind of yours. Why don't you want to marry me?'

'I.. This isn't how I want to get married. I don't want someone to marry me just because it's the only option, because I refuse to be anything else except a wife. I want you... I mean my husband to want to marry me. It's alright with girlfriends because once you're bored you can get rid of them but if we get married, what happens when you're bored of me?'

'What the... You think I'm marrying you by default? Because I know you wouldn't be my girlfriend? Khushi... You...' Arnav took Khushi's hands in his as he tried again to make himself clear as he'd just asked her to be.

'Khushi, I'm not messing around with you or just using you. And I am definitely not going to get bored of you! I want to be with you Khushi! I...' He used his hands to frame Khushi's face and looked into her eyes, 'Khushi, I... I love you. I mean I really love you.' Arnav saw the expression on her face change almost as if she couldn't believe what he was saying.  'I know you probably don't believe me but it's true. I love you, I want to be with you! I can't promise I won't get angry with you sometimes or want you to shut up occasionally and leave me alone but I promise you I will never get bored of you.'

Arnav used his thumbs to wipe away the tears that were now slowly making their way down Khushi's face. 'Besides, how could I ever get bored of you? You're so weird!'

She smiled through her tears making Arnav smile too. 'Khushi, I want to be with you forever. I know for you that means marriage and I... I know what I said about marriage, all those things I thought, I mean... I still do... Khushi, for me marriage has always been two people depending on each other and one person inevitably failing to deliver. But I...you know what, I want to be married to you. Even if you leave me tomorrow, or 5 years later I want to know that there was a period of time where you were just mine. Where you chose to be with me because you couldn't live without me.'

Khushi raised her eyes from their entwined hands to look at Arnav, 'hey Devi Maiyya, what are you saying? Arnavji, I'll never leave you! Not tomorrow, not in 5 years time. Never!

Arnav controlled the happiness that was erupting in his chest at her words and donned his usual serious face. 'Oh so 10 minutes ago in the kitchen, when you ran off, that was you not leaving me, ever? Huh?' Arnav saw her struggling to come up with a response for her previous confusion but he shook his head at her smiling slowly. She didn't have to explain herself anymore. He understood. 

'Khushi, I want to see you every day, talk to you every day, laugh with you, cry with you. I don't want separate bedrooms, separate lives. Everything, I want everything. I want the whole world to know that you picked me! Even after every stupid thing I've ever done you still picked me.' He noticed that Khushi wasn't looking at him again but at their hands with a nervous expression on her face. 'You do... you do want to marry me don't you? '

Khushi had looked down as soon as Arnav mentioned bedrooms feeling shy but she looked up when she heard the uncertainty in Arnav's voice. How could he even think she wouldn't want to marry him? But the anxiety on his face was obvious to Khushi, it was a look she'd never seen on Arnav before. She nodded and looked away again feeling shy.

There was no controlling himself this time and Arnav smiled wider than he probably ever had. He put one hand gently on Khushi's chin and turned her face towards him again. 'Not like that Khushi, I want to hear you say it. Please?'

Khushi smiled nervously before she started to speak, 'I... We... I mean ... Yes, I... I want to m-marry you.'

Arnav practically leapt across the distance between them to kiss her in his happiness but his exuberance and Khushi's nervousness resulted in them both falling backwards on the bed. Khushi's legs were still dangling off the side of the bed and Arnav slowly lifted them up on to the bed before settling himself above Khushi, leaning on his elbows either side of her.

Khushi had already closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss. This would be the first time she could kiss Arnav completely without reservation or guilt but the kiss never came. She opened her eyes hesitantly to find Arnav watching her with a grin on his face.

He raised his eyebrows at her mockingly, 'what? What do you want Khushi?'

'Oh erm, no... nothing.' Khushi tried to get up but Arnav held her shoulder firmly.

'You don't have to feel shy in front of me anymore Khushi. You can say anything to me... do anything to me. So go on, what do you want?'

Khushi shook her head and averted her gaze from his as Arnav moved his hand back to the side of her head. 'Khushi, whatever you want, you have a right to it. You don't even have to ask.' He moved his head closer to hers so their lips were only inches apart and he whispered, 'just take it.'

Khushi wondered how he could be so controlled, she could feel herself becoming breathless purely due to his proximity but Arnav didn't look fazed at all. Nervously she clutched onto the front of his shirt still avoiding his gaze and choosing instead to look at his nose. She pulled on his shirt bringing him closer but he kept his head back and continued to look at her mischievously.

'Arnavji.'

'Hmmm?'

Khushi took a deep breath before looking up directly into Arnav's eyes and slowly reaching a hand up and behind his neck. She could see the expression in his eyes change making her even more nervous than she already was. She lifted her own head slightly as she gently pulled Arnav's head towards her own until she could practically feel Arnav's lips against hers but he continued to remain absolutely still. She hesitated until she felt his breath on her lips and she whispered his name breathlessly before removing all distance between them.

It had taken all of Arnav's control to wait for Khushi to kiss him but once she did, he let go completely. He kissed her with a passion he hadn't thought possible but Khushi only returned his intensity as she dug her hands into his hair pulling them closer to each other.

Arnav collapsed on his elbows with his weight half on her and half on the bed dragging a hand through her hair messing up her neat plait as she had messed up his orderly life. His other hand he pushed under her back causing her chest to push against his further.

After months of trying to avoid each other whenever they could they both wanted to be as close as physically possible.

Eventually Arnav rolled over taking Khushi with him so now he was lying on the bed with Khushi sprawled on top of him. He smiled at the sight of her swollen lips, flushed cheeks and messy hair, 'Khushi, maybe we don't have to get married after all. I mean if we didn't have to get married we could just continue right now...'

Khushi hit him playfully on the shoulder and tried to disentangle her legs from Arnav's but he held onto her waist tightly once again becoming serious.

'Khushi, did you really say yes?'

Khushi smirked inwardly at the thought of the great Arnav Singh Raizada being completely at her mercy. 'Well, I could hardly say no could I? After all, I do owe you a lot of money and as your wife all my debts would be cleared. Wouldn't they?'

'What the..?' Arnav briefly felt the familiar anger in his chest along with a sense of desperation before he registered the teasing expression on Khushi's face. 'Oh really, is that how it is?' He brought his head up to kiss her on the neck and began working his way up to her jaw, 'this is all just about convenience and getting your hands on my money?'

Khushi closed her eyes allowing herself to fully experience the sensations of Arnav grazing her chin so delicately and she held her breath once he reached the corner of her mouth.

Arnav bit Khushi's lower lip lightly and tugged at it before pulling away and leaning back onto the pillow. When Khushi opened her eyes again he raised his eyebrows at her and smiled, 'well?'

Khushi couldn't help but smile back, his smile was so infectious. She shook her head while she bent her head towards his, 'I just want you. I love you Arnav.'

***

Jai Prakash looked at Om Prakash sitting as far as possible on the stairs outside Arnav's room. Normally they would never dare to just sit around in such a public place but Anjali and Lavanya had both gone with Mami to Nani's room most probably to discuss Arnav and Khushi.

'Om? Please talk to me. I did the right thing by hiding Khushiji's bag didn't I?' Jai Prakash continued when Om still refused to look at him 'Look they've been in the room for ages, that must be a good sign right?'

Om Prakash looked at him disdainfully, 'You mean they've decided to get married and live happily ever after? I don't think so. Not after what you did. Why did you even bring Lavanyaji there? Do you think you're the only one that cares about Khushiji? Do you really think I would have done any of this if I thought Chote Sahib was just going to ruin her life? So no, I don't think it's a good sign. What's probably happened is that they've killed each other and I'll be the one that has to clean up the blood.'

There was a harsh cough behind Om Prakash and Jai Prakash who both stood up immediately, alarmed when they saw who was standing there.