FF: It's Not Right - Chapter 26
Read the rest of this series over here.
Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.
Chapter 26
Arnav put his hands on his legs to stop the nervous shaking, this was ridiculous. He'd been on hundreds of dates. Well calling them dates was probably a bit of a stretch, but this wasn't the first time he'd been out with a girl, hell this wasn't even the first time he'd been alone with Khushi so he couldn't understand his anxiety. He got out of the car and leaned against the passenger door to wait for her.
Khushi stopped at the bottom of the stairs and took a moment to calm herself down. This was her first date ever and Abhi had spent the afternoon showing her movie clips of dates on YouTube which had been funny at first until she'd realised most of them ended with the couple kissing or worse!
Arnav straightened up from leaning against his car as he saw her come out of the building looking around nervously before she saw him and paused mid-step. 'Shit,' he thought to himself, he shouldn't have done it. She obviously didn't like it, he could tell by the look on her face.
Khushi realised she'd stopped moving and forced herself to walk towards him. She looked down at her dress as she did wishing she'd listened to Abhi and gone home to change. Arnav had obviously made an effort for the date whereas she looked exactly as she did every day, 'Hello.'
Arnav only nodded in response as he opened the door for her and then got in himself. They'd been driving for about 15 minutes in complete silence before he'd had enough. 'Khushi, stop staring at me!'
Khushi let out a nervous giggle and looked away as she blushed. It was almost like going back in time, as if the whole thing with Shyam had never happened and she felt all her apprehension melt away. 'You hair, it's erm... different and you've erm... your beard...'*
Arnav looked over at her to see that she was more curious rather than displeased as he'd initially thought. 'Yeah, I've been needing a haircut for a while now, so I figured I might as well' he said gruffly not wanting to admit that he'd had it done specially for today.
Khushi continued to look at him, although she made sure to take occasional breaks to look out of the window so he couldn't accuse her of staring again but she found it hard to drag her eyes away from him. Her hands itched to touch his hair, wanting to know how the short strands would feel against her fingers, the shorter cropped hair made him look more dangerous somehow and even more attractive than he usually did. The loss of his beard wasn't as pleasing to her, she preferred him with his usual stubble but the lack of it didn't do anything to detract from his looks. Khushi blushed again as she imagined what Arnav would look like with this newer short hair and stubble.
---
Arnav waited until the waiter had taken their order and brought their drinks before he spoke, 'Khushi, look I just again really want to thank you for...'
'Arnavji, is this a date?'
Arnav blinked rapidly at the interruption before he leaned back on his chair, 'do you want it to be a date?'
Khushi looked around the room trying to avoid his piercing gaze and her own embarrassment at having been so bold, 'I... I mean maybe? I guess?''
'Okay then, it's a date.' Arnav smirked to himself in satisfaction as Khushi picked up a bread roll and tore into it as if she hadn't eaten for days.
---
Arnav fought back a grin as he watched Khushi pour in a fourth sugar sachet into her tea, while still managing to talk a mile a minute. He'd expected the entire date to be awkward and conversation stilted but in fact it had just seemed like an extension of one of the conversations they used to have in his car.
He thought back to his previous dates with other women and Lavanya where there had seemed to be almost no conversation whatsoever. Although he wasn't making a very significant contribution to this conversation either, but Khushi didn't seem to need an active participant half the time, she was more than willing to continue jumping from one topic regardless of his input or lack thereof.
She was engaging, that was the thing that surprised him most. She managed to take ordinary events from her life and re-tell them in such a way that had him hanging onto her every word. He'd known she was funny already but tonight he found himself laughing along with her rather than trying to hide his laughter or indeed laugh at her as he had done when they'd first met.
---
Khushi quickly put away her purse as she realised she was still holding it in her hand. If looks could kill she would definitely be dead after she'd suggested they split the bill. He'd given her a death stare before snatching the bill out of her hand and thrusting his credit card at the oblivious waiter.
Arnav fumed silently as he drove. What had he been thinking, taking Khushi Kumari Gupta out on a date? She was a liability, not fit to be seen out in public with! Did she honestly think he would take her to an expensive restaurant on a date and then expect her to pay for herself?
Khushi chewed her bottom lip nervously, the date had gone so well, Arnav had actually smiled so many times and he'd even talked! Not just listened to her like he used to but actually conversed with her! She tried to think of something to say to lift the atmosphere in the car when she remembered all the women who'd turned to look at her enviously throughout the meal. 'Arnavji, did you see that girl? You know the one in the red dress? Who fell over? You know it's because she was staring at you so much and not looking where she was going.'
Arnav looked over at Khushi sceptically; she really was one weird woman. 'Why are you blaming me? I think it had more to do with those ridiculous shoes she was wearing. Or maybe the fact that you were shooting daggers at her all night?'
'What?! I did no such thing!'
'You did Khushi, come on when she fell over you were almost laughing at first before you began to feel sorry for her.'
'I didn't laugh at her! That would be so mean, laughing at someone when they fall over.'
'Except that you did.'
---
Arnav continued to look straight ahead as Khushi undid her seatbelt and got out.
'Goodbye Arnavji.'
Arnav rolled the window down and leaned over the passenger seat slightly, 'so do you want to go on another date?'
Khushi desperately wanted to say yes immediately but she didn't answer as she remembered her conversation with Abhi. Maybe it was best to just leave it at one night, one practically perfect night. At least she would have that memory, rather than possibly ruining and tainting it with further dates which in all likelihood wouldn't go as well as this one.
Arnav saw the indecision on her face as she held onto her bag with both hands clutched around the strap. Even if she did say no, it didn't matter. Arnav Singh Raizada always got what he wanted and right now he definitely did want a second date. However he still didn't want the night to end on a bad note, 'It's the hair isn't it? You don't like my haircut, I knew it.'
Khushi was shocked. Had Arnav Singh Raizada just made a joke? 'Actually, it's the beard really. You don't look right without it,' she smiled. 'You don't look as much like the Rakshas that you are without it.'
Arnav laughed and nodded, 'okay, so you like it when I act like a Rakshas? Hmm, I'll keep that in mind for our next date.' He rolled up the window before she could reply and drove away.
Khushi stood outside her house watching him drive away when she suddenly realised he hadn't kissed her. Not even on the cheek. Wasn't that what happened on all dates? She prayed silently to Devi Maiyya as she realised that she was actually disappointed that he hadn't even tried to kiss her!
Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own.
Chapter 26
Arnav put his hands on his legs to stop the nervous shaking, this was ridiculous. He'd been on hundreds of dates. Well calling them dates was probably a bit of a stretch, but this wasn't the first time he'd been out with a girl, hell this wasn't even the first time he'd been alone with Khushi so he couldn't understand his anxiety. He got out of the car and leaned against the passenger door to wait for her.
Khushi stopped at the bottom of the stairs and took a moment to calm herself down. This was her first date ever and Abhi had spent the afternoon showing her movie clips of dates on YouTube which had been funny at first until she'd realised most of them ended with the couple kissing or worse!
Arnav straightened up from leaning against his car as he saw her come out of the building looking around nervously before she saw him and paused mid-step. 'Shit,' he thought to himself, he shouldn't have done it. She obviously didn't like it, he could tell by the look on her face.
Khushi realised she'd stopped moving and forced herself to walk towards him. She looked down at her dress as she did wishing she'd listened to Abhi and gone home to change. Arnav had obviously made an effort for the date whereas she looked exactly as she did every day, 'Hello.'
Arnav only nodded in response as he opened the door for her and then got in himself. They'd been driving for about 15 minutes in complete silence before he'd had enough. 'Khushi, stop staring at me!'
Khushi let out a nervous giggle and looked away as she blushed. It was almost like going back in time, as if the whole thing with Shyam had never happened and she felt all her apprehension melt away. 'You hair, it's erm... different and you've erm... your beard...'*
Arnav looked over at her to see that she was more curious rather than displeased as he'd initially thought. 'Yeah, I've been needing a haircut for a while now, so I figured I might as well' he said gruffly not wanting to admit that he'd had it done specially for today.
Khushi continued to look at him, although she made sure to take occasional breaks to look out of the window so he couldn't accuse her of staring again but she found it hard to drag her eyes away from him. Her hands itched to touch his hair, wanting to know how the short strands would feel against her fingers, the shorter cropped hair made him look more dangerous somehow and even more attractive than he usually did. The loss of his beard wasn't as pleasing to her, she preferred him with his usual stubble but the lack of it didn't do anything to detract from his looks. Khushi blushed again as she imagined what Arnav would look like with this newer short hair and stubble.
---
Arnav waited until the waiter had taken their order and brought their drinks before he spoke, 'Khushi, look I just again really want to thank you for...'
'Arnavji, is this a date?'
Arnav blinked rapidly at the interruption before he leaned back on his chair, 'do you want it to be a date?'
Khushi looked around the room trying to avoid his piercing gaze and her own embarrassment at having been so bold, 'I... I mean maybe? I guess?''
'Okay then, it's a date.' Arnav smirked to himself in satisfaction as Khushi picked up a bread roll and tore into it as if she hadn't eaten for days.
---
Arnav fought back a grin as he watched Khushi pour in a fourth sugar sachet into her tea, while still managing to talk a mile a minute. He'd expected the entire date to be awkward and conversation stilted but in fact it had just seemed like an extension of one of the conversations they used to have in his car.
He thought back to his previous dates with other women and Lavanya where there had seemed to be almost no conversation whatsoever. Although he wasn't making a very significant contribution to this conversation either, but Khushi didn't seem to need an active participant half the time, she was more than willing to continue jumping from one topic regardless of his input or lack thereof.
She was engaging, that was the thing that surprised him most. She managed to take ordinary events from her life and re-tell them in such a way that had him hanging onto her every word. He'd known she was funny already but tonight he found himself laughing along with her rather than trying to hide his laughter or indeed laugh at her as he had done when they'd first met.
---
Khushi quickly put away her purse as she realised she was still holding it in her hand. If looks could kill she would definitely be dead after she'd suggested they split the bill. He'd given her a death stare before snatching the bill out of her hand and thrusting his credit card at the oblivious waiter.
Arnav fumed silently as he drove. What had he been thinking, taking Khushi Kumari Gupta out on a date? She was a liability, not fit to be seen out in public with! Did she honestly think he would take her to an expensive restaurant on a date and then expect her to pay for herself?
Khushi chewed her bottom lip nervously, the date had gone so well, Arnav had actually smiled so many times and he'd even talked! Not just listened to her like he used to but actually conversed with her! She tried to think of something to say to lift the atmosphere in the car when she remembered all the women who'd turned to look at her enviously throughout the meal. 'Arnavji, did you see that girl? You know the one in the red dress? Who fell over? You know it's because she was staring at you so much and not looking where she was going.'
Arnav looked over at Khushi sceptically; she really was one weird woman. 'Why are you blaming me? I think it had more to do with those ridiculous shoes she was wearing. Or maybe the fact that you were shooting daggers at her all night?'
'What?! I did no such thing!'
'You did Khushi, come on when she fell over you were almost laughing at first before you began to feel sorry for her.'
'I didn't laugh at her! That would be so mean, laughing at someone when they fall over.'
'Except that you did.'
---
Arnav continued to look straight ahead as Khushi undid her seatbelt and got out.
'Goodbye Arnavji.'
Arnav rolled the window down and leaned over the passenger seat slightly, 'so do you want to go on another date?'
Khushi desperately wanted to say yes immediately but she didn't answer as she remembered her conversation with Abhi. Maybe it was best to just leave it at one night, one practically perfect night. At least she would have that memory, rather than possibly ruining and tainting it with further dates which in all likelihood wouldn't go as well as this one.
Arnav saw the indecision on her face as she held onto her bag with both hands clutched around the strap. Even if she did say no, it didn't matter. Arnav Singh Raizada always got what he wanted and right now he definitely did want a second date. However he still didn't want the night to end on a bad note, 'It's the hair isn't it? You don't like my haircut, I knew it.'
Khushi was shocked. Had Arnav Singh Raizada just made a joke? 'Actually, it's the beard really. You don't look right without it,' she smiled. 'You don't look as much like the Rakshas that you are without it.'
Arnav laughed and nodded, 'okay, so you like it when I act like a Rakshas? Hmm, I'll keep that in mind for our next date.' He rolled up the window before she could reply and drove away.
Khushi stood outside her house watching him drive away when she suddenly realised he hadn't kissed her. Not even on the cheek. Wasn't that what happened on all dates? She prayed silently to Devi Maiyya as she realised that she was actually disappointed that he hadn't even tried to kiss her!
LOLOL!
ReplyDelete~hugs~
~sri
=))
ReplyDeleteVery sweet
ReplyDelete