Sitara

Arnav 1

"So, friends, are we?", he asked.

She didn't reply but just held his gaze for a second before holding his hands in hers and got on her feet and held her little hands to his for support so he could get up.

He smiled at her gesture and got up on his feet too.

"Yes, we are and you should be thankful that I made you as my friend", she said giggling.

"And why is that so?", he asked.

"Because my friend has a lot of benefits, you will get to know later.", she said and started moving forward blabbering,

"I am so excited that today is jiji's wedding with Akashji..."

"Khushi,Khushi, wait ....you didn't tell me what this is?", he asked indicating the burnt papers .

"You said, you are my friend now", she said as if that is the explanation to his question.

"So?", he asked confused.

"So what ? Friends don't ask questions that the other one doesn't want to answer.", she said casually.

"Oh, is it ?", he said scratching the back of his head while she kept moving forward towards the terrace door.

"But Khushi...", he shouted and she turned back just a few steps away from the door.

She halted and he came running towards her.

"Now what Arnavji? ", she asked slightly pissed off.

"But Khushi, friends should know about each other right and moreover you were crying so much", he asked concerned.

"Does it bother you that I was crying?", she asked in a daze looking into his eyes.

"It does.", he said.

He thought of saying,

"It pricks my heart whenever I see your eyes teary"

But before he could say that , Buaji shouted out for Khushi and Khushi ran downstairs but not before saying,

"Good that it does.", she said patting on his chest and Arnav kept smiling all along the wedding ceremony.

It all happened so fast, the wedding, all the post wedding rituals and it was already the time for the Guptas to leave when Payal was in tears.

Seeing her in tears, Naniji asked Khushi to stay back so that Payal would feel a little better and Khushi hesitated a bit but eventually agreed and Arnav, he was over the moon, in a daze, not leaving her sight even for a second and Anjali didn't miss any of this.

Once everyone retired to their rooms, Anjali went to her brother's room and knocked and he opened it immediately. He was lost in thought, but also happy, she could tell that much.

Making her sit on the recliner, he settled himself on the floor keeping his head on her lap and she ruffled his hair and asked,

"So, what did she say", Anjali asked.

"That we are friends now.", he said and there was to need clarify, both were talking about Khushi.

"That's great chote, but I thought that you went to propose her, isn't it?", she asked.

"Yeah, but when she said that we are friends, I couldn't just dare to propose her, I mean..I don't know Di, Its just we had a very rough past and don't want to scare her...I just want to take one step at a time, slowly ..and moreover, even if I propose her, I am not really ready for marriage, I mean, I couldn't even imagine my life without her, but marriage , it something else, I don't believe it yet, I am not saying I wouldn't do this, I will marry Khushi, for sure, but just not now, we need a little time, I need time for myself.", he said and she nodded.

"Ok..take your time chote , but just don't make it too late", she said and left the room.

Arnav nodded and walked her to her room and slept smiling.

It is almost four thirty or five in the morning when someone knocked or what could be rather called as banging the door to Arnav's room.

He ignored it for ten minutes, but when the person at the other end didn't stop, Arnav groaned in frustration and opened the door and was about to shout when he saw Khushi at the other end, dressed in a sky blue saree with golden border, she looked ethereal.

"Khushi...what are you doing at this time?", he asked yawning.

"Woh....thaat....sorry to disturb you, but .....can you take me somewhere now?", she asked, more like pleaded.

"Yeah...but what is the time now? Its just four forty Khushi, where do you ant to go at this time?", he asked.

"Im sorry, but as you see, now with even Nanheji gone back to Sydney, you are the only friend left, whose help I could seek, you will help me, right?", she asked.

"Yeah...but where do you want to go?", he asked.

"Woh..you will not agree if I tell you, but I have to go there, I want to go there, we will come back in four five hours.", she said .

Now this is getting irritating to him.

"Please..", she asked pouting and could he deny that pout.No.Never.

"Ok..give me ten minutes, I will freshen up and come, ok, in the meantime, could you make some coffee?", he asked.

"Yeah...sure, by the way, thank you..and...and", she hesitated.

"What Khushi?", he asked.

"Could you have head bath please?", she asked.

"Okayyyyyy", he smiled and she ran downstairs while he rubbed his face with his palms to rub away the lethargy.

He needs his sleep, no matter what, and anything that comes in way that interrupts his sleep make him go mad, but seeing that blue coloured butterfly run downstairs in excitement, he knew, he could ditch his sleep.

Half an hour later, they both were driving on the highway with the windows open and the early morning breeze hitting their skin.

He didn't know where she was taking him, but wherever she takes him, this journey is just so peaceful, with her by his side.

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