FF: Temporary Insanity - Part 6

Read all previous parts of this series over here.


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Part 6


Khushi let go of Dhruv immediately and stood up while he leaned back on his hands lazily.


'Khushi! Go downstairs right now!'


'What?'


Dhruv smirked at the possessive tone in his brother's voice. Yep, he'd definitely been right. There was something going on. He stood up and put a hand on Khushi's back ushering her gently towards the door, 'yes Khushi go down. I'm sure your sister needs you.


'Erm...okay then,' she shuffled past Arnav awkwardly who was glaring at her.


Dhruv watched Khushi leave with what he hoped was an affectionate look before he gave a wistful sigh. 'I'll go down too, Bhai.' He was just near the door when Arnav put a hand on his chest stopping him.


Arnav waited until he heard Khushi's footsteps fade, 'what the hell are you doing Dhruv? Why was the door closed? What were you and Khushi doing?'


Dhruv began to smirk again at Arnav's questions. No matter what Khushi said there was definitely something going on here, now the only thing was to figure out if it was one sided. 'Bhai, I'm not sure I feel comfortable discussing that with you. What's the problem anyway? Khushi and I are practically engaged now.'


Arnav had to clench his fist together to stop himself grabbing Dhruv's collar, 'practically is not actually!'


Dhruv was well versed in his older brother's anger and he could recognise the clenched jaw and the repressed anger but he was having way too much fun to stop. 'Whoa Bhai! What's your damage? We were just hugging! Good thing you didn't walk in on us kissing.'


Arnav couldn't stop himself then, his hand seemed to reach out on its own to grab Dhruv's collar, 'you kissed her?!'


Dhruv reached up and pulled Arnav's hand away, 'Bhai! Seriously, what is your problem?'


Arnav looked down at his hand in shock not believing what he had actually just done. Had he really been practically threatening his younger brother with physical violence? Not that it would work with Dhruv anyway. Arnav had to try a different tactic.



'Look Dhruv,' he said in a softer and what he hoped was a more understanding voice. 'Are you sure that you want to marry Khushi? I mean she's a lot different to the type of girls you're used to. You know, nothing like the American girls you're used to. She's very traditional and religious and I'm not sure you'd really get along well together.'


Dhruv let Arnav talk as he listed the reasons why Khushi was unsuitable for him. There was nothing substantial in it at all but Dhruv continued to nod and pretended he was paying attention. 'Bhai, you're right. Khushi is nothing like the girls I'm used to. She's different, better.  I just know she'll fit right into our family and Nani, Di and everyone will love her.'


Dhruv looked up in time to see a devastated expression on Arnav's face. 100% confirmation of Arnav's feelings, right then and there. How had the rest of the family managed to miss it when it seemed blindingly obvious to Dhruv who had only been home for a month? 'Thanks Bhai. That was a great talk.' Dhruv patted Arnav on the arm almost condescendingly as he walked out of the room grinning to himself.


Arnav watched Dhruv leave in shock. Yes Khushi would fit right into their family; she already was a part of their family. But as Dhruv's wife? No! He'd woken up with a plan, a definitive idea of what he was going to do and what he was going to say but what the hell had this day turned into?


The thought of Akash and Khushi had eaten away at him last night but now the thought of Dhruv and Khushi was positively sickening.  He had to talk to Khushi before it was too late, before Di picked a wedding date and started picking baby names for Dhruv and Khushi's kids. Oh God, that was a horrible thought.


Dhruv stood next to Khushi as everyone looked at the ring that Akash had picked out with one eye on the staircase. As soon as he saw Arnav coming down on them, with his eyes glued on Khushi, Dhruv leant his head towards her to whisper in her ear. 'I'm going to see Suhana, make up an excuse if anyone asks.'


Arnav breathed in deeply trying to control the sudden urge to murder his brother and felt himself breathing out again as Dhruv walked away from Khushi. He rushed over to fill the now empty space beside her lest somebody else should try to take the place. 'Khushi, I need to talk to you.'


'Why?' Khushi looked up at him annoyed. He changed his moods so easily. Half an hour ago he'd been smiling and practically hugging her, then he shouted at her, gave her ridiculous orders and now he was standing next to her whispering in her ear. The fact that he'd suddenly decided he wanted to get married didn't do anything to help her annoyance either.


Arnav pulled Khushi's arm to make them fall back a bit from the rest of the family, 'You have to tell Di you can't marry Dhruv.'


Khushi put her hands on her hips obstinately at his demanding tone, 'what? Who do you think you are? You can't tell me what to do! Tell me where to go, what to say, who to marry. I make my own decisions and I am marrying Dhruv!'


'Khushi!' Arnav called behind her as she walked back towards the family seating herself next to Nani where he had no chance of talking to her at all.


Khushi sat next to Nani and avoided even looking at Arnav for the next hour until Dhruv came back and stood in the doorway motioning with his hand that she should go towards him. She looked at Arnav then briefly to see that he had also noticed Dhruv and gave her a look of disgust as she got up.


'You will not believe what happened,'  Dhruv pulled Khushi into the hallway, having a hard time believing it himself. 'Suhana's parents phoned this morning to speak about a wedding and Nani told them all of her grandsons were spoken for!'


'What? But why...'


'As in Akash and Payal, you and me and Bhai and his... temper I guess. So that's why Suhana wasn't talking to me, she thought I was engaged to you.'


'Oh well that's okay then, you can just tell them the truth and everything will be fine.'


'No, no Khushi, you don't understand. Nani phoned them back later to tell them that actually her eldest grandson was interested in marriage and Suhana's parents have agreed!'


'What?! Arnavji and Suhana?'