FF: It's Not Right - Chapter 52

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 52

'Bhai I need to talk to you!'

'Not now Dhruv.' Arnav dismissed him with a wave of his hand but Dhruv ignored him and sat down on the bed beside him.

'Bhai what are you doing? I thought you liked Khushiji? Did you know she was crying when she left?'

Arnav scowled. He didn't need another reminder of Khushi crying. What he needed was a plan.

'What you need is a plan!'

'Dhruv! Get lost!' Arnav shoved Dhruv away instinctively, something he had often done to Akash in their teenage years when his other brother was being excessively whiny.

'Fine, fine' Dhruv stood up and brushed imaginary flecks of dust off his shoulder and began to leave the room. 'Well you know where to find me if you need me.'

Five minutes later when Arnav rushed to his door shouting for Dhruv he found the teenager leaning against the wall in the corridor faking a yawn. Arnav grabbed his collar and pulled him inside, 'come here, I need you to do something for me!'

---

'Di I need to talk to you.'

'What is it Chotte? Can't it wait? I have all the flowers to arrange before the mehndi.'

'No Di it can't,' Arnav took the bouquet Anjali was holding and set it down on the table before leading her slowly towards the stairs. 'I need you to give me something.'

'What?'

'Di, I – I've found her.'

Anjali stopped and looked at Arnav, his eyes telling her much more than his words did. Her eyes widened with shock and she touched Arnav's cheek to reassure herself she wasn't dreaming. 'Chotte? Sach?'

---

Khushi was just on her way inside the Raizada house when she found herself accosted once again by Dhruv.

'Khushiji! Our plan didn't work!'

'What? I knew it! I've been waiting two days for that Laad Governer to call me but instead all I get is Anjaliji asking me to help her pick sarees! Who does he think he is?'

Dhruv snapped his fingers in front of Khushi's face in order to bring her speech to an end. 'Focus Khushiji! This is important!'

'What?' Khushi muttered irritably. Her tears had always worked on Arnav before. Ignoring him or shouting at him always got him fired up even more but she had always counted on her tears to melt him when she needed them to.

Before Dhruv could answer however the pair were interrupted by Anjali, looking even happier than usual as she approached them. 'Khushiji! There you are! Has Dhruv told you the good news?'

'News?' Khushi looked at Dhruv who was gesticulating wildly and making discreet hand gestures she couldn't interpret.

'Chotte picked a girl!'

'Wh...?'

'Yes and he's proposing to her today!'

Khushi felt a tightening in her chest and her breath came out in short sharp gasps, 'Wh – Wh –Bu –Dhruv!'

Anjali carried on seemingly oblivious to the silent messages that passed back and forth between Dhruv and Khushi. 'Can you believe it? My Chotte. I never thought I would see the day. I wanted to actually see it but he said he was going to take her to his apartment and do it privately. He wanted it to be romantic. I didn't think he knew what romantic meant!'

'Anjaliji I'm so – I – Bu- I have to go!'

Dhruv stood on his tiptoes and waited until Khushi had run out of the gate before turning back to Anjali and holding his hand up for a high-five. Anjali obliged and returned his high-five before bending down to hug him. 'Can you believe it? Chotte and Khushiji!'

---

The heady scent of roses hit her first even before she had pushed open the door which had been left ajar. There was also music playing; soft, instrumental and unfamiliar to Khushi and flickering candles lined a path of rose petals leading further into the apartment.

Khushi's heart had been crashing against her chest ever since the Guard at the gate had recognised her and waved her through and she could hear the blood rushing through her ears. Her eyes reached the end of the path and met a pair of shoes she recognised. Reluctantly she lifted her gaze, a small voice in the back of her head screaming for attention because it had noticed a detail that the rest of Khushi's brain had overlooked.

The smirk was in place, as usual; Khushi had expected nothing less. The candlelight was making his eyes glitter, the flecks of light brown much more prominent than usual. One eyebrow was higher than the other and his head was slightly tilted as if he was asking a question.

The voice in her head answered his unspoken question.

He was alone.

She ran to him then, leaping into his arms which gathered her close and tightened around her pressing their bodies against each other as much as it was physically possible. 'I love you Arnav!'