Tangled || ArShi FF

Chapter 12 - Does that make sense?

Why! Why! Why!

Khushi repeated this one word on the entire drive to home from office. Why would she go ahead and kiss Arnav when she had given herself time to figure things out? That would only overtly complicate the already confusing situation. Arnav was her stranger, the man she was flirting with, the man she liked. And kissing the real face behind the mask was something that she did without thinking of consequences.

Argh! She groaned to herself and directly fell on the bed, with her face hitting the pillow, once she was back home. She could be so stupid sometimes.

And she would have to face him tomorrow in office. How would she ever gather the courage?

On top of that, she still hadn't texted him for more than a week. Sitting upright, she took out her iphone from her handbag and opened the chat window of the stranger. She began typing with a generic "hey, how are you?" but paused midway to think. If she texted him again, would she still be doing it under the pretense of a stranger? Or should she reveal herself to him? Over sms or in person? Or just wait a few more days to comprehend this crazy situation? Somehow nothing clicked. Sighing, she put her phone back in the bag.

She lay on the bed and turned off the lights but sleep never dawned on her. She tossed and turned on the bed contemplating her next course of action. She had earlier given herself time to mull over things yet after taking a week, she still was at square one.

In the early hours of dawn, when the sky started to change colors, Khushi had made a decision- she would tell Arnav the truth. Figuring things out could happen after that but he needed to know that they were the strangers texting one another. He deserved to know.

Friday morning, just as she entered her cabin with a cup of cappuccino, she was shocked to see Arnav there. Lavanya hadn't come in yet so she couldn't pre-inform about his visit.

"Hi," she cleared her throat, placing the cappuccino on a side table.

Arnav, who had an inscrutable expression on his face, rose from the couch, "We need to talk. About last night." His voice was solemn.

Khushi gulped. She had been dreading this, "I am so sorry." She apologized, "I don't know what came over me. It was rash and stupid."

"Do you like me or something?" he asked, trying to understand.

Khushi bit her lower lip. How could she answer that? Yes, she liked him- the stranger of her texts and this Arnav who was standing right in front of her.

"Umm..." she stammered, looking here and there.

Arnav took a few steps toward her but stopped at a distance, "Khushi," his voice was grave, "If you like me, it's okay. There is no need to be embarrassed. I am flattered," he pressed his right hand on his chest to show gratitude, "I really am. But... I have someone else in my life."

The words made Khushi's ears perk up her. Someone else? Has she been pining over a guy who was two-timing her? The sms-version of her that is?

"Who?" she asked, pointedly.

"It's..." he stuttered, maybe trying to find the right way of explaining. "It's... kind of complicated."

"Is this the person you told me about, a month back, over drinks?" she asked outright referring to the time both had discussed their relationship status, unknown that they were talking about each other.

He nodded, "Yes, that's her. The complicated one."

"What's the complication?" Khushi picked up the cappuccino and swirled the drink with a small wooden stick, trying to act cavalier. Her heart was beating rapidly even though she tried to keep her face calm.