SS: 6 Din, Ladki In! - Part 7

Read all previous parts of this SS over here.

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Part 7


When Khushi walked into her office she saw a packet of Indian Teabags on her desk which she assumed was where the solitary teabag that had been in the smallest packet yesterday originated from. Khushi had been unable to enjoy her tea last night as it had gone cold long before she remembered to drink it but seeing this packet, sitting so innocuously on her desk made all her resolve from last night melt in an instant.She quickly backed out of the room, thrust Arnav's coffee cup into the hands of some faceless employee with instructions to deliver it to him and ran back down to reception where she accosted Payal who was just coming in and dragged her to the bathroom.

'What... Khushi? What are you doing?'


'They said yes.'


'What? Who said yes? Where have you been Khushi? You haven't called me in over a week and...'


'I met them on Friday and they said yes. They're interested. No not just interested, super interested.'


'Oh my god! Do you mean...? They said...? Khushi I'm so happy for you!'


Khushi found herself engulfed in a strong hug and instantly felt guilty again. Her friends and family were all so happy for her while she could hardly seem to muster up any enthusiasm.


Khushi's subdued reaction surprised Payal since the last time they'd talked about it nearly a month ago Khushi had been practically bursting with excitement. 'Khushi? What's wrong? Is it your Babuji? You know he'll be fine without you and I promised you I'd check on him every once in a while didn't I?'


Khushi nodded and hugged Payal again; unable to fully explain why she was feeling so conflicted. 'So how about you Payal? How have you been? I've been so busy I haven't had a moment to myself, I'm so sorry.'


'I've been... good,' Payal replied cautiously.


Khushi narrowed her eyes at Payal's measured response, 'just good? That's it? Well I've been amazing! Guess what? I saw Shahrukh Khan! You know on Thursday? When Akash sir took me to Rainbow Delhites? He was there! Can you believe it?'


'Erm.. I should go back to work, we'll talk later. Okay?' Payal began to walk away and then turned around and smiled at Khushi as if it was an afterthought, 'unlike you, I still need my job,' she added.

---

'Welcome back Miss Gupta.'


Khushi raised her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation, 'my name is Khushi!'


There was a brief pause and she could tell Arnav was taken aback by her outburst but he soon recovered.


'I see you're feeling yourself again. In that case I want you to get down to the hotel as fast as possible and watch the rehearsal. Make a note of any mistakes, anything that needs to be altered and any delays in running time and get them to fix it immediately! I want the show to be absolutely perfect for tomorrow.'


Khushi stood up and gathered her files and diary muttering her usual curse words for him as he stood at her doorway and watched her in that daunting way that he had. At the last moment on an impulse she snatched up the envelope on her desk that she'd propped up against the photo frame of her and her Babuji and shoved it into his hand as she walked past.

---

'Khushi! Wait!'


Khushi looked over her shoulder to see Akash running towards her and she smiled as he came to a stop next to her. She would miss him when she left. 'Hey sir, how's it going?'


'Don't even talk about it, I've been so busy! I'm sure you are too. I can't even wait for this launch to be over with so we can all go back to a semblance of normalcy. Right?'


Khushi nodded along and began walking towards the doors and Akash fell in step with her.


'Are you feeling better now?'


'Oh yes of course, it was nothing.'


'Anyway, what I wanted to ask is what do I do today? With Payal I mean.'


Khushi stopped and looked up at him with a frown. 'What do you mean?'


'Err... '6 din, ladki in' remember? Are you sure you're feeling alright Khushi?'


'Sir! It's Day 6. The launch is tomorrow so today you..?' She waited for Akash to fill in the blanks but shook her head regretfully when he just continued to look bewildered. 'You ask her out obviously!'


'Oh! Oh... I suppose, right... That would make sense...'


Khushi patted his arm supportively, 'you'll be fine. I think Payal's still annoyed at me because of that date we went on so just go and ask her and put her out of her misery.'


'Just ask her? Just like that?'


'Yep! If you don't do it, I will.'

---

Khushi had just set down all her stuff on a makeshift desk and was about to find out the status of the rehearsal when a vicelike hand clamped over her arm and she found herself being dragged out of the large hall.


'SIR?! What are you doing?!'


She was practically pushed into a dark closet and then Arnav followed closing the door behind him. 'What the f**k is this?'


The room was lit by a tiny yellow bulb but Khushi could clearly make out the envelope and piece of paper he was brandishing in front of her. She straightened her back and looked at him defiantly, 'I wasn't aware that you'd lost your ability to read sir but it is my official notice of resignation. My contract states I have to inform you in writing 2 weeks prior to my leaving date but I've given you one month just in case you want me to train somebody new.'


'What the... you...Khushi! Why are you quitting?! Is this because I won't make your position official? Fine, you're now officially my executive assistant, pay rise, additional holidays and benefits effective immediately. Are you happy now?'


Khushi scoffed, if only she'd known it was this simple she would have given in her resignation a long time ago. 'I don't want to be your Executive Assistant sir.'


'Then what do you want? Why are you doing this?' His voice was getting higher and panicky, 'do you have another job? Are you... Are you getting married?' He hesitated over asking the second question but it was undeniable that it was the reason for a large percentage of the female employees AR had lost over the years.


Khushi took a deep breath and a step back for her own safety, 'I... yes I have another job.'


'What? Where? With who? Okay, whatever they're offering I'll match it and put another 100,000 on top. Okay, now are we done?'


'Sir it's not about the money! The job I've accepted actually pays less than what I'm on now! A lot less,' she said to herself thinking of all the things she'd have to do without for the next year at least.


'So it's me? You're leaving because of me?'


The look of hurt on his face caused a twist of pain her gut and she spoke quickly, 'oh god, no sir! I'm leaving because I don't want to be an assistant! I want to design!'


'What? So it's not me?'


'Clothes! I want to design clothes, I want my dresses to be made and sold; I want to see people other than my friends and cousins wearing them!'


'You... you design clothes? But you never said anything! And I've never even seen anything you designed. '


'Well you never asked.'


Arnav sighed, 'do you have your designs with you now?'


Khushi nodded hesitantly,.


'Go and bring them to me.'


'Back here? In the closet?'


'Yes!'

---

'Payal, I was w...wondering if erm... you would maybe... Well you know after the fashion show tomorrow there's a party to launch the line...'


'Yes,' Payal nodded trying to hide her smile.


'Would you like to... maybe... wouldyouliketocomewithme?'


'Sorry? I didn't quite catch that Akashji, could you repeat it?'


Akash wiped his clammy hands on his trousers again, 'erm... Payal, would you come with me? To the party. Tomorrow. Erm... Please?'


On hearing him add 'please' to his request Payal could no longer hold onto the burst of laughter that erupted out of her mouth. She laughed for nearly a minute until she caught sight of his mortified face and instantly clasped her hand over her mouth and nodded. 'Yes, yes, I would like to very much.'


Akash had been horrified at seeing her laugh, a red blush creeping up the side of his neck as he realised he would never again be able to look Payal in the face. Then when she'd spoken his heart had done a funny jump and then stopped dead almost as he took in what had just happened. 'I'm s...s...sorry P...p...payalji, I didn't m...mean to make you un...n...ncomfortable. You don't have t..t...to say yes. I understand its f...f...fine.'


He turned around then, hoping to make a swift exit in an attempt at regaining his dignity when he felt her small hand on his shoulder restraining him.


'No, I'm sorry Akashji, I didn't mean to laugh, and I really do want to go out with you I just found it... I mean when you said please you just looked so much like a little boy I couldn't help it!'


Akash scrutinised her face, trying to find any hint of pity in her expression, his heart slowly picking itself up again as he realised she was being honest. 'What do you mean 'little boy'? I'm 6 foot 2!'


Payal put her hand over her mouth again and burst into another fit of giggles.

---

Arnav continued to turn over the pages of her sketchbook, his impassive face revealing absolutely nothing. 'So they accepted you for their three year intern programme in Mumbai?'


She nodded, still trying to see any hint of approval in his face. The low light and his fixed expression making it almost impossible.


'And you never applied to AR's intern programme because...?'


Her hands itched to snatch away her sketchbook from his critical gaze but she just clenched and unclenched her sweaty hands. 'Sir, I don't have a degree or a year's experience in the field to meet the minimum requirements for AR. Besides even if I did have those things I didn't expect to be accepted considering how long you've resisted even doing a simple thing like making my position permanent. Then there's the fact that until last week you never even let me into the design rooms at all!'


Arnav's eyes snapped up, finally full of some expression. 'Do you know how dangerous that would be? You're so clumsy and the design rooms have scissors and needles all over the place! You'd become a bloody mess within minutes!'


She had just begun to open her mouth in retort when he interrupted her.


'Khushi are you stupid? Well obviously you are, I can see that now.' He handed her sketchbook back to her and ran a hand through his hair, 'have you signed a contract with Balani Fashions yet?'


Khushi shook her head, not daring to get her hopes up, 'they're sending it over by the end of the week they said.'


'Good. That's excellent. Okay then, you're coming to the party with me tomorrow as my date. We'll talk more then.'


The abrupt change in discussion made her mouth fall open and her eyes widen in shock, 'What?!'


'There's a party tomorrow after the launch, I'm sure you're well aware of it since you organised it and I'm asking you to accompany me there, Khushi. Does that make sense?'


'But...but...'


'It seems that when I take you for granted you make other plans which don't include me and that doesn't suit me. Therefore you're coming to the party with me tomorrow. Got that? Now get back to work Khushi. You need to make your last month as Executive Assistant count.'


'You called me Khushi,' she called stupidly towards his retreating back.


He turned and gave her a smirk taking a step towards her and leaning in close, 'are you telling me that you've come to like it when I call you Miss Gupta?' He didn't wait for a reply but calmly left the closet leaving Khushi completely perplexed.