Something Like Fate

Chapter 09

Arnav drove Khushi back to the house while Akash and Anjali came together. By now Anjali has understood that Arnav will never kick Khushi out of the house. She has seen this unspoken bond they share.

It's definitely not love (yet), but somewhere down the line both Arnav and Khushi have started accepting each other's presence in their lives. Arnav sort of became a support system for Khushi. It's like she can be herself around him.

On the other hand, Arnav also realized Khushi will be a part of their lives for a longer period. Until when, he does not know but he sure doesn't mind having her around anymore. Arnav has understood the manipulation Shyam is doing. He acted like he wants Khushi out just to be in Shyam's good books and to know what is his hidden agenda.

Arnav was asleep when he heard a sound outside his room, by the poolside. He quickly woke up and opened one of the curtains to see where the sounds came from. What he saw caught his eye, his breath, and his soul.

Khushi was outside. She sat on one side of the pool with her legs inside the water. She was wearing a pale white kurta top and her leggings were up to her mid calves. Arnav turned around to go back to bed but he knew he couldn't.

After the breathtaking scene he just saw, how can he go and sleep calmly? Therefore, he opened his side of the door and slowly walked towards Khushi.

"Oh, I am so sorry, did I wake you? I didn't mean to"

"Well, it's a yes and a no"

"What? Did I or didn't I?"

"I woke up because of the sounds of your door closing so technically it was your door, but let's make it easy and blame it on you"

"You never give a direct answer do you?"

"It depends. Tonight, I don't feel like giving a direct answer"

"Hmmm"

She turned her head back to the pool water.

"Mind if I sit here?"

"It's your house, your pool so you don't need my permission"

"I know it's my house but the person sitting here is not mine so..."

This statement caught Khushi off guard. She wanted to be angry at him but at the same time, wanted to laugh at his timing.

"Well, since the second part of your statement is only going to be a statement, why don't you sit here"

Arnav was impressed. He sat next to her leaving a little space and looked at her.

"I must tell you, you are the first girl ever to reject me using my own statement"

"Is that so? Well, you are welcome"

"That wasn't a thank you or a compliment"

"I will take it the way I want to"

"You don't give up easily do you Khushi?"

"I gave up my life so easily and look where am I now? So I am sorry if I learned from my mistake"

"It was hard, wasn't it? To agree on to something just because your parents asked you to?"

"Hard? It's an understatement. It was killing me"

"Well, I don't know what happened between you and Advay bhai for him to ignore you or to treat you badly, but why did you agree to this marriage if you knew this isn't what you want?"

"My elder sister"

"What? You agreed because of her?"

"She fell in love with a middle-class guy and my parents were against their relationship. So one night, she decided to elope with him. She cut all her ties with us and that one incident turned my life upside down"