Passive Aggressive

6 Stunning Ratna

Part 6 Stunning Ratna

Khushi was confused. What did the name Arnav do in her grandmother's prayer? Was ARNAV the one who took place in her grandmother's secret prayer? Why did she pray for someone called Arnav? Who was Arnav to her grandmother? Something kicked her mind. Was this the same Arnav who was studying in her class? She tried to connect the dots. Did her grandmother have a connection with Arnav? The much she knew, her grandmother hadn't come to Ooty ever before. She never talked about it to Khushi.

Something clicked in Khushi's mind. They were in Coimbatore when Khushi was ten years old. It was just three hours ride from Ooty. Was her grandmother related to CBM? Khushi strongly doubted because ARNAV was not a common name like, Raj, Rahul and Rohit. Arnav was a RARE name. She didn't hear it ever before even though she was a north Indian. If it was not CBM, then who was Arnav? She looked at the paper in her hand. It seemed ARNAV would always be confusion to her. She remembered something. She kept it in the box back under Devi Maiya's feet and run to the store room. She searched for her granny's box in which her diary being kept. She didn't find it in the room because Shashi asked the workers to keep it away from Khushi's reach. So, they kept it in the LOFT and hid it keeping other boxes before of that. So, Khushi could not see the box. She sighed wearily.

On the other side,

Ratna was sitting on the bed, not getting sleep. She was thinking about Khushi. She had never seen anyone talking to Arnav so casually as Khushi did. Arnav didn't let it happen ever. She knew a few girls liked Arnav and proposed to him too but they didn't dare talk to him like Khushi did. What surprised her more was Arnav's REACTION to her behavior. He had never let anyone come close to him, forget about letting them touch him. She could not believe he was so submissive to Khushi that too, to the extent of letting her touch him... addressed him as her BOYFRIEND.

What was there in Arnav's mind? She knew him. He was not like this. He cut off the girls immediately who tried to get close to him. Khushi said she was behind him for the notes. If he was really annoyed with her, he should have cut her off by giving her notes, or, by slapping her. He didn't do it. Why? Did he intentionally make her roam behind him? Did he do this to get her attention? What did that mean? Did he like her?

More than everything, the smile she saw on his face after Khushi ran from the place. How blissful a sight it was! Being his mother, she longed to see the smile that he lost many years ago. Did he like her? She again thought.

Arvind, who was tossed in his sleep, saw Ratna sitting on the bed.

"Ratna, haven't you slept yet?"

"I could not sleep"

"Why? Are you alright?" he sat on the bed.

"I'm thinking about Chotte"

"About Chotte?"

"Mmm... I saw a difference in him today."

"What do you mean?"

"Chotte didn't get angry with Khushi"

Arvind was silent.

"This is the first time, I saw him being patient with the girl even after she crossed her limits. She blocked his way, she pulled his shirt, she threatened him, called him boyfriend but he was quiet"

"Did she do all of these with him?"

"Yes, neither was he annoyed nor did he get angry. At the same time, stay stable with no expression... but as I didn't expect, he SMILED when she ran"

"Whaaaaat? Smiled?" he too was surprised.

"Yes... he smiled. I think he likes her...! I'm sure that..."