FF: It's Not Right - Chapter 40

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 40

Arnav watched in amusement from the dining table as Khushi introduced herself to Dhruv. Even if he wasn't already aware of how nervous she was and how determined she was to make a good impression he could recognise the signs. She'd been twisting her scarf around her fingers the whole time that Di was introducing Dhruv to Payal and now she was talking a mile a minute, barely stopping to breathe.

Dhruv had been quiet and reticent since his arrival last week but as Arnav watched Khushi talk to Dhruv he could see the ghost of a smile appearing on the young boy's face. He couldn't hear what she was saying to Dhruv from this distance but he still strained his ears to try. Arnav's work lay ignored for the next 10 minutes as he sat at the table, one hand cupping his chin and a fond look in his eyes which he would have probably denied vehemently if anyone noticed.

Khushi's palms were sweating and she rubbed them surreptitiously on her trousers as she continued to say anything that popped into her head in an attempt to engage Dhruv. She wondered if this was how one felt when meeting prospective in-laws, having already known the Raizada family before she had never been in a position to feel nervous of their assessment of her.



Since Dhruv was a similar age to Barun, whom she occasionally tutored Khushi soon found herself relaxing. She continued to talk to Dhruv, ignoring Anjali, Payal and Akash determined to draw him out of his shell and make a connection and soon Dhruv began to advance from monosyllabic answers to her questions about his school and friends.

Dhruv looked like a mini-Arnav except for his eyes; they were a dark brown, almost matching the black of his hair and clearly not a feature inherited from the Raizada side of his genes as she knew they all had lighter coloured eyes. Khushi had just finished telling a story about Barun and Nikhil playing a prank on her when Dhruv smirked and said 'unbelievable'. He reminded her so much of Arnav that her eyes shot up immediately to where she knew Arnav was seated only to find him staring at her and Dhruv with a smile on his face.

Khushi blushed and looked away. It was ridiculous to think that she had hugged and kissed Arnav so many times, told him so many stupid things about herself and yet she still blushed when he looked at her.

Arnav had always been a fan of facts and figures. He liked logical explanations and rational reasons behind everything. He understood Di and Khushi's need to believe in a higher power, he just didn't believe himself. Where was the rationale in a God who simply observed as so many tragedies occurred throughout the world on a daily basis? And yet Arnav had still to establish the exact reason behind his attachment to Khushi. Lust and attraction he more than understood but this need to be with Khushi, to talk to her, to see her all the time was beyond him.

He had spent a long time fighting against that same need and they had both suffered for it. Accepting this need even if he didn't quite understand it had enhanced his life in so many more ways than he could ever have imagined. He had learnt to laugh again, to live in the moment and most importantly to not shy away from his emotions.

When Khushi abruptly looked up to where he was seated and smiled at him Arnav felt an odd tightness across his chest and found himself standing up just as abruptly. Like a moth to a flame is how anyone observing his journey into to living room would have described it.