SS: 6 Din, Ladki In! - Part 2

Read all previous parts of this SS over here.

AU Office based story. Khushi matchmakes between Akash and Payal. Title and some story inspiration from the scene in Kal Ho Na Ho.

Part 2

Khushi yawned as she bypassed her own office and Arnav's to go into Akash's. Normally she didn't come into work until 9 but she knew that Akash and Arnav both came to work much earlier. In fact she suspected that Arnav never left! He was always the first one there according to the Security Officer Mahesh and stayed until late at night. She had first-hand experience from having to work overtime whenever there was a big show or launch coming up like there was this week. She hadn't left the office until 10 pm last night and he'd still been working away.

Still she'd forced herself to wake up early today so she could get started on her plan! She'd spent all night trying to think about how to fast-track Payal and Akash's relationship which was still stuck at the first platform. 6 days was a very short space of time, not impossible but it would still be difficult.

"I come bearing gifts," Khushi exclaimed as she opened the door with her elbow and used her leg to kick it closed again "the chocolate filled one is mine though."

"You never bring me doughnuts, Miss Gupta."

The tone was oddly accusing and mocking at the same time and Khushi found herself speechless for a few seconds as she tried to work out whether she'd accidentally walked into Arnav's room out of habit. "You're diabetic," she said eventually with a fake smile she reserved only for him letting him know she was irritated but wasn't going to rise to the bait.

"Aah, of course how silly of me to forget," his tone was now entirely mocking. "It's a good thing I have you to remind me all the time isn't it?"

Khushi chose to stay silent and curse him in her head instead as he rolled up the plans he'd been showing Akash. She put down the coffee cups and bag of doughnuts on the desk he'd just cleared, giving Akash a wide smile. "Good morning sir."

"Good morning, Khushi," Akash looked from Khushi to Arnav nervously and could almost feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Miss Gupta, I need you to confirm all the models today and make sure they're all available for their final fittings on Friday. Check with the venue that all the decorations have arrived and confirm that the set-designer has everything in place for the ramp. We need it finished by Sunday ideally so we can do a run-through on Monday and..."

"Sir! I'm not working yet."

"What?"

"It's only 8.30; I don't start work for another half an hour."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Oh I came to help Akash sir, we have a..." she paused as she took in Akash's red face, wide eyes, darting pupils and slightly shaking head. "...I mean I am working but on a... private project for Akash sir. I'll do all those things you mentioned as soon as we're finished here sir," she finished quickly. 

Arnav looked at them both suspiciously but left the room without saying anything else. 

"Khushi! I don't want Bhai to know about your '6 din, ladki in' plan," Akash whispered as if he was afraid Arnav would be standing outside with his ear pressed up against the door.

"I'm sorry, 'my plan'? What am I getting out of this deal?," Khushi picked up her doughnut and took an angry bite of it, causing chocolate sauce to drip down her chin and she hastily wiped it away. "Sir, do you or do you not want Payal to go out with you?"

"Yes but..."

"No. No ifs and no buts. You either want it or you don't!"

Akash shrunk back slightly in fear and nodded quickly, not wanting to anger Khushi any further.

"Okay then," Khushi smiled and took a quick swig of her tea and held out Akash's coffee to him. "First things first, we need to create an air of mystery! Today, I want you to ignore Payal."

"What?!" Akash spluttered, almost dropping coffee all down his pristine white shirt. "What do you mean ignore her?"

"I mean, don't talk to her and if she talks to you don't reply."

"Are you trying to get us together or push us apart? We only have six days and you want me to ignore her? How does that even work?"

"Sir, look every day when Payal comes to work you're there going 'hello P...p...payalji... h...h...how was your n...n...night?' and then at lunch time you say 'whaat a...a...are you h...h...having for l...l...lunch P...p...payalji?' and then when it's time to leave it's 'g...g...good night P...p...payalji'. Can't you see? You're stifling the girl!"

Akash sulked at the almost perfect imitation as Khushi continued.

"If you're in her face 24 hours a day, she'll never miss you. We need to get her thinking about you first. So today, you have to stay away all day! No talking, no listening and if you can avoid it, no looking!"

Akash whimpered but Khushi shot him a stern look and pointed her index finger at him. "Are you in or out?"

"I'm in," he mumbled picking up a doughnut as he thought about going the whole day without seeing Payal. It had already been 14 hours. How was he going to handle another 24?

"Excellent! You're one step closer to getting your date," she stood up and picked up her tea before she left the room with a grin.

---

"Where's my coffee, Miss Gupta?"

Khushi looked up to see Arnav at her door and quickly rushed to hide her sketchbook under her notepad. He almost never came to her office, usually phoning her if he needed something and she'd often wondered if it was because he had bad memories of the room. Had he and Lavanya gotten up to some extracurricular activities in the office? She shuddered as she thought about how scarred her poor desk must be. "Huh?"

"Coffee: a brewed beverage made from coffee beans, that my Executive Assistant usually picks up for me to drink at 9 o'clock daily."

"Firstly, I'm not your Executive Assistant; I'm your temporary Executive Assistant and secondly I... forgot." Khushi usually got herself a tea and Arnav coffee from the cafe down the road on her way to work but she'd given Akash the coffee this morning and hadn't gone out of the office again after that.

"Well go get me one now!"

Khushi stood up and gave a mock salute, "yes boss!" She waited for Arnav to leave but he stood at the doorway, folded his arms and crossed his ankles watching her. She reluctantly picked up her bag, shoving her notepad and sketchbook into it and walked past him.

"Every day for a year, she brings me coffee but today she forgets. Stupid doughnuts," Arnav said under his breath as he turned to walk back to his office.

"Sorry sir? Did you need something else?"

He turned around and said no but Khushi was sure she'd seen the ghost of a smile cross his lips as he did.

"Stupid Laad Governor," she whispered affectionately as she skipped down the stairs.

She'd only gotten a few steps when she thought she heard Arnav mutter something that sounded suspiciously like "pagal."