Curiosity of Love & Friendship (Ongoing)

Chapter 10 - One Step at a Time

Arnav parked his car outside Olive Garden, while Khushi immediately unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out. As he locked his car, Arnav saw Khushi already walking up the steps to the entrance. Arnav simply followed her, thinking that if she is this eager to enter, then she will probably finish her lunch faster and they could leave sooner. But of course, he didn't know Khushi well enough yet.

ASR entered the restaurant to find Khushi already settled in her chair in a corner table, ordering her food. He sat on the chair opposite her, and Khushi turned to him with a smile.

"Do you want to order for yourself or should I order?"

"No. Just chicken soup and green salad with breadsticks, please." Arnav said, while turning toward the waiter. As the waiter left, Arnav looked back at Khushi, who was gawking at him with her eyes wide open.

"What?"

"You're just going to have some soup and green leaves with those bland breadsticks for LUNCH?"

"Yeah, why?"

"But you only had some cake today and didn't even have any breakfast. How do you even survive with that much?"

"Excuse me?" Arnav felt a little offended, since no one had really pointed toward his diet like this. But right at the moment, their table began to fill up with their orders. Arnav just stared at the food piling up in front of him, as his eyebrows rose in astonishment. On their table laid a plate of Brushetta, Caprese Flatbread, Lasagna Fritta, and Smoked Mozzarella Fonduta.

"Sir, Ma'am, please enjoy your appetizers. Main course will be served shortly." The waiter said and left.

Moments later, Arnav just sat still and watched Khushi pile up her plate and eat up almost everything on the table, as if she hadn't been fed from a week. He couldn't understand how such a slim girl can stomach so much without gaining any extra pounds. Khushi, on the other hand, was enjoying her food merrily, being famished since the past four hours. While she did have a quick breakfast, she was too upset to eat properly. She finally looked up at Arnav, to see him watching her.

"Oh, your plate is still empty. You haven't even touched anything. Don't worry, I won't mind if you eat from my order. Here, try this Lasagna Fritta. It's yummy!" She offered with a smile.

"Did you order main course as well?" Arnav said, ignoring her offer.

"What? Yeah. Here, I am offering Lasagna and you are worried about the main course? Oh, now I understand! You don't want me to go hungry!! But, don't worry. I ordered enough for me for the main course as well. I'll be fine. But, c'mon, try this."

Arnav gulped, looking at all the cheese on the Lasagna.

"No, I don't really like it. I'll just have my soup and..."

"Greenery with breadsticks. Yeah, I know. But those are the most common things to be eaten. Don't you like to try new things? Here, try this."

Khushi placed a Fritta on his plate, waiting for him to eat. Arnav looked at the Fritta and Khushi, unable to decide. Not wanting to show any weakness to her, he finally managed to take a small bite. Just seeing the food going in his mouth was enough to make Khushi happy and she resumed her eating. She failed to notice the disgusted expression on Arnav's face, how he was having trouble chewing that thing in his mouth and pushing it down his throat.

Khushi looked up once again to find his face wrinkled in disgust, and her face filled with concern. 

"What happened, Sir? You don't like it? Is something wrong?"

Arnav shot her an angry glare, only being concerned with the thing gliding down his throat. Khushi scrunched back in her seat, slightly scared of what wrong she had committed now.