"Khushi, Di said no such thing."
She huffed in frustration, blowing hair out of her eyes as she glared at the phone in her hand. Then it was back to her ear.
"Di told you that Aakash-ji was distracted. That he wasn't eating properly. That he accompanies her to the Laxmi Nagar temple every chance he gets!"
"Aannddd?" her fiancé drawled.
"And who else goes to the temple? My Jiji!"
Arnav-ji groaned. She imagined him running his hand through his hair and was suddenly struck by the desire to feel the strands against her own fingertips.
Concentrate, Khushi.
"When you came to me with this maddened scheme," Arnav-ji began, "I asked Aakash. Trust me, if he felt something, I would know."
"I know you. You probably asked Aakash-ji in a roundabout and secretive way. How was he to know what you were saying?"
"Uhh ... I ..."
"And anyway, what would a Laad Governor such as yourself know about this?"
"Laad -- What the hell does that even mean!?"
"It means that you should listen to me," she replied reasonably, "I'm right about this."
"What crap!"
"Look, if you aren't going to help me then I'll just do it myself."
"Go ahead," Arnav-ji invited,"I give up."
Then his tone lowered intimately, "But don't forget that the conditions of our bet were that the loser would do anything the winner asked. Anything."
Khushi shivered as she issued her challenge, "I'll win. You'll see. They like each other."
"Such confidence. I'll see you soon, be ready for dinner."
"You promised ice cream this time."
"I haven't forgotten."
Khushi made to end the call, but then ...
"Arnav-ji!"
"... yeah?" he sounded distracted.
"I ... uh ..."
I love you.
"I ... you see ... I ..."
I love you. I love you. I love you.
"Yes?"
Oh Devi Maiyya, why is this so hard?
"... I ... B-Bua-ji needs to sp-speak to you."
"Ohk-kaay," confusion suffused his tone.
"Yes. Bye."
Disconnecting, Khushi closed her eyes and pressed a palm to her temple.
Three words Khushi. Why can't you say those three little words?
Her phone buzzed again.
"I thought Bua-ji needed to speak to me," Arnav-ji greeted when she answered it.
"N-no. Not now. Wh-when you come la-later."
"Ahh."
"Bye."
She buried the phone within her clothes in the almari, muttering to the statue of Devi Maiyya that sat on her small table, "This is all his fault! He should have said it a long time ago!"
YOU ARE READING
RISHTAA: An Arranged Love (IPKKND AU) **ON HIATUS**
Fanfiction**ON HIATUS** (IPKKND AU) This is no longer the story of a girl who crashed a fashion show and a man who thought she was a corporate spy. It's her last year of college, and Khushi's family are looking for a husband for their youngest daughter. S...
