FF: Temporary Insanity - Part 2

Read all previous parts of this series over here.


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Part 2

Arnav woke up late, having dreamt of Khushi all night. He couldn't believe the change in himself. Yesterday morning he probably wouldn't have admitted to even having feelings for Khushi and today he'd been dreaming of marrying her? The most unbelievable thing was that his dreams didn't even scare or worry him, instead he felt a sort of nervous excitement at the thought of making them true.

He went downstairs to find Di and Akash listening to Nani as she spoke. 'Akash, I've asked Khushi to come today and then you can go out and pick a ring and some outfits for the engagement. I want everything sorted as soon as possible.'

Arnav noted the look of shy excitement on Akash's face and felt a twinge of regret at the disappointment his brother would experience once he learned the truth. 'Erm.. Nani, when Khushi comes, can you ask her to speak to me first?'

Nani looked at him with a warning look 'Okay but Chote, don't say or do anything to Khushi that might ruin your brother's relationship. We're all looking forward to Khushi being an actual member of our family and I won't let your petty fights with her stop that from happening.'

'I don't fight with her, she fights with me! Besides I don't want to argue with her, I just need to talk to her. And erm... Akash, I want to talk to you as well, come on.'

Sensitivity wasn't one of Arnav's strong points but he knew he had to be tactful and calm in his conversation with Akash. Once they got to Arnav's room he closed the door and invited Akash to sit on the bed before sitting next to him. 'Akash, this whole wedding thing... why didn't you tell me before how you felt?'

Akash suddenly gripped Arnav in a bear hug, shocking him 'Sorry bhai, I was just so scared she wouldn't feel the same. You know ever since the first time I saw her I think I've been a little bit in love with her but I didn't know how she felt, if she even thought about me in that way.' Akash moved back as his expression changed from shy to embarrassed to proud as he spoke.

Arnav tried to remember the first time Khushi and Akash had met. Maybe that time she had worn the red saree? He recalled how beautiful she had looked that day and he also remembered Akash's concern for Khushi when she'd been standing in the rain later that night. Hadn't Akash even gone to the trouble of dropping Khushi home? This was worse than Arnav had thought. Akash had been in love with Khushi all this time?

'You know bhai, I can't believe how lucky I am after everything that's happened, after the way Mom's treated her and all the things she's said to her I just can't believe she doesn't hate me.'

Arnav sat in silence feeling uncomfortable and unsure as to how to proceed. Akash had been in love with Khushi for so long whereas he had only been able to properly admit his feelings that morning. How could he ask his brother to give that up? But then, it wasn't fair to Khushi either. Arnav couldn't expect her to marry Akash just to avoid hurting his feelings.

Arnav knew he had to speak to Khushi and admit his feelings and then just let her make her own decision which if he was honest he suspected would swing in his favour. Akash would definitely be gallant and do the right thing by stepping aside once he knew about Arnav and Khushi but Arnav still didn't want to be the one to break his brother's heart.

'Bhai? Are you okay? You haven't said anything. Look I know how you feel about Khushiji and Payalji and their family but honestly bhai we love each other and I thought you'd be happy for us.'

'You what? You love each other? You mean she's told you that?' Arnav's head was starting to pound, Khushi was in love with Akash? No, no of course not.

'Yes, well she hasn't exactly said it but when I proposed she said yes. I think that counts for an admission of love, don't you?'

This couldn't be happening. What was Khushi thinking? Stringing Akash along? Or maybe... it was him that she'd been stringing along. Maybe Arnav had just imagined all those moments with Khushi? No. Khushi wouldn't do that, she couldn't lie. He knew what he'd seen in her eyes whenever he got too close to her, he knew she felt the same as him. Then why would she agree to marry Akash? Why didn't she say no?

Arnav realised what he was thinking. Khushi and the word 'no' just didn't go together. When had she ever said no to anyone except him? She spent her whole life trying to please everybody and obviously hadn't been able to say no to Akash either. 'I'm going to strangle her when I see her,' he thought to himself. One simple word and this whole mess wouldn't be occurring. But no, she had to try and make everybody happy all the time.