FF: It's Not Right - Chapter 42

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Chapter 42

'Dhruv, can I come in?'

Dhruv looked up from where he was sitting on the end of his bed playing a handheld game and eyed him warily but didn't speak. Arnav figured that was as close as he was going to get to a 'yes' and walked into the room. He stood next to the bed for a minute before sitting down awkwardly next to Dhruv who continued to look at him, almost without blinking.

Arnav looked around the room at the suitcases still full of clothes even after a week, but lying open on the floor, their top few layers of clothes in a mess. There were a couple of books on the bedside table but the rest of the room looked exactly as it did throughout the year when Dhruv was at school. 'Tell Hari Prakash to unpack your clothes for you properly tomorrow.'

There was a brief moment of silence and then, 'I like it this way.'

'Look Dhruv I know I haven't been the best br... brother in the past but this is... this is your room, your house. You can do whatever you like in here, decorate how you like. Make it a mess if you want but your clothes shouldn't be in a suitcase, you're not... not here for one or two weeks. You're here forever.'

Dhruv looked up at him with one eyebrow raised sceptically, 'what?'

Arnav cleared his throat, 'what I mean is you can stay here and go to school next year. If you want that is.'

'Oh.'

Another awkward silence followed before Dhruv spoke again. 'Right well, I'll erm... I'll let you know what I... what I decide.'

Arnav was struck by how grown up Dhruv's speech was. He was only 13 but already spoke like a world-weary adult. 'And... I want to say sorry. For before. I shouldn't have shouted.'

Dhruv shrugged and resumed his game, 'it's okay, you always shout. You were trying to impress Khushiji, I get it.'

Arnav had stood up prepared to leave but sat down again quickly at Dhruv's statement. 'What the...?'

Dhruv paused his game again and looked up, 'you have the hots for her. I get it, she's a babe but I don't think she likes you very much.'

'Babe?' Arnav spluttered at the quick regression from world-weary adult to a teenage boy clearly schooled in a single-sex environment. 'Did you just call Khushi a babe? And what do you mean she doesn't like me?'


Dhruv shrugged again and Arnav almost wanted to grip his shoulders and stop him doing that ever again. 'I don't want to ever hear you call Khushi that again. Understood?' Although Arnav's remark to Dhruv earlier in the day had in essence been the same regarding respect towards Khushi his tone was considerably changed and softer.

The response he received from Dhruv was significantly different as well. Instead of retreating and becoming quiet Dhruv muttered 'whatever' and shrugged once again.

Arnav decided it was prudent to leave Dhruv's room then before he did something reproachable to stop Dhruv constantly shrugging his shoulders like that.

---

'Khushi, are you awake?'

'Hmmm?' Khushi faked a sleepy voice trying to disguise the fact that she was unable to sleep for thinking about Dhruv and Arnav.

'Khushi do you...' Payal sat up on the bed and clutched her pillow on her lap. 'Do you think Amma and Babuji...'

Khushi switched the lamp on next to their bed and hurried into a sitting position herself. 'What? What happened to Amma and Babuji?'

'Nothing happened to them Khushi, calm down! I was just thinking... I was wondering if maybe... do Amma and Babuji think about erm... getting... I mean do they ever think about my wedding?'

'Your wedding? Jiji why are you thinking about that? Are you trying to say you still think Abhishekji...'

'No no Khushi, I didn't mean that. I meant do they think about getting me married now.'

There was a nervous energy in Payal's voice that Khushi recognised and she pounced on Payal, dragging the pillow away from her and taking her hands in hers. 'Jiji is there something you're not telling me?'

Payal squirmed, 'erm... Khushi I... You...'

'Jiji! Hai Devi Maiyya! You want to get married! Who is he Jiji? I can't believe you haven't told me! Come on! Who is he?'

'Akashji,' Payal mumbled although her respectful 'ji' was drowned out by Khushi's squeal of excitement. 'Shhh Khushi! Buaji will wake up!'

Khushi hugged Payal with a whispered squeal this time. 'Who cares? My Jiji is getting married! Tell me everything! How did it happen? What happened?'

'I'm not getting married! Akashji and I... I mean Mamiji... Khushi you know Mamiji doesn't like me and...'

'Oh come on Jiji, that's nothing. Mamiji's just like that. We'll sort that out, don't worry.'

Payal grinned. 'of course you'll sort it out. Akashji says their whole house runs on Your Arnavji's sayings so if you get...'

'What? My what? Why do you say it like that Jiji? He's not my anything,' Khushi bristled and shifted away from Payal awkwardly.

Payal shook her head and laughed, 'of course he is. You only have three topics of conversation. Food, work and Abhi and Arnavji and the Raizadas. Besides did you see the way he shouted at Dhruv for you today?'

'Okay Jiji please forget that. Now tell me what happened. Who proposed to who? How long has this been going on? Have you kissed?! Why didn't you tell me?'

Both sisters settled back down on their pillows hands clasped and facing each other in the darkness although Khushi's eyes gleamed with excitement.

'Calm down Khushi. Of course we haven't ki... I mean come on we're not even engaged or anything!'

Khushi was thankful Payal had turned the lights off again, as she felt her face flame when she thought of just how much she and Arnav had kissed and held each other. As Payal described Akash's shy and awkward methods of declaring his love and how she had eventually expressed her own love Khushi she felt her genuine happiness for her sister obliterate the tiny seeds of jealousy that she couldn't deny had sprung up when she learnt about Akash and Payal.

Khushi's eyes eventually began to feel heavier and Payal's soothing voice had a calming effect. As Payal spoke about a potential wedding to Akash, Khushi found her mental images of the two getting married fading away to be replaced by an image of her and Arnav. She quickly opened her eyes and shook her head, turning again to give her full devotion to Payal and stop thinking about Arnav for one night at least.