His Hush Hush Girl

Chapter 22

Viren Khanna

There she was standing at the foyer looking absolutely extraordinary. Clothed in beige designer embroidered saree, with hair tied in braid bun, her earrings dangling on each side. I felt no one around me when she started walking. I know this would surely sound cliché, but this the truth. I felt my heart thumping hastily like it wants to pop out of my rib cage.

'Slow down.....it's not good for your health', I heard my mind say. 

'It's absurd to calm down....when she's looking beautiful...hey I think even the word beautiful can't match her today. ', my heart reasoned and I had no other way than to accept it.

( Picture credit - Google images)

With every step she was taking towards us, I felt myself gasping for breath. She was bewitching. Her eyelids painted in a smoky, winged, and natural color. And her lips, they were looking so soft, looking enchanting in their natural pink color.  The moment she arrived and stood near Nila, I felt myself gasping a fortune of oxygen more than the expected percentage.

"Veer are you okay?, You look kinda flushed? Are you okay??", Dadu asked me in a teasing tone, whilst placing his hands on my shoulder in a friendly way. I glanced at the smirking faces of Sharav, Daksh, Preeti, and Dadi, whilst the uncertain faces of Akruti and Nila.

"Um... Y-Yeah. I- I'm alright. I-It's just I'm feeling very hot suddenly. I'll go talk with others, while you guys enjoy yourself.", saying this I promptly excused myself from her, before others can say anything sappy. I released the breath I was holding.  Damn, she's making me, go all nervous around her. I even heard their chuckling sound behind.

'Like hell, I care about it right now!!!', I thought to myself. 

I started talking with my other business associates. I even invited the Aroras, but they refused it saying their daughter's marriage was within three weeks so they need some time to get things done.

While sipping my drink I saw my family talking with Akruti, I can tell you that they adored her. The way dadi's and Preeti's eyes shone while talking to her told me everything. 

I felt myself chuckling at them. Preeti caught me looking at them she smiled and raised her hands making a 'thumbs up' sign implying me that they loved her. Yes loved her. When dadu told about her to the ladies of my family, they started liking her even without seeing her. I wonder what spell she cast on them. I just shook my head at Preeti and continued talking with others.

Daksh, Sharav, and Dadu were enjoying themselves. I found myself turning towards Akruti's way. She was looking a lit bit gloomy. But she was talking with my family happy. She was chatting with them as she knew them for years. I guess Ms. Introvert is not actually an introvert. I saw she was smiling to whatever others were saying, her eyes actually didn't shine like how they actually shine. And her smile, I can bet you that she was just feigning it. 

'Veer what's happening to you? I know that you feel something for her, but I didn't know you that you knew her this well?', my subconscious popped out of nowhere. 

'Because it's a different type of feeling', my heart snapped back.

'Then what about Pari?  What about the things you felt for her?', my subconscious retorted back. This time my heart didn't counter-attack. The thoughts of Pari made uneasy. Glancing at Akruti, for one last time, I headed over to the lawn area of the venue for some fresh air.

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Akruti Arora

From the time arrived at the party all I could do was feigning a smile. My mind was replaying the episode which took place at home. I couldn't make a conversation with my boss' dadi and his sister. I wonder how on earth Mr.Hoity-Toity and Preeti are siblings in the first place.

He's totally a jerk whilst she's an angel. His dadi and his sister both were pleased to see Nila but elated to see me. Like it was they were actually looking forward to meeting me. I wonder why?

Soon Daksh, Sharav Bhai, and Mr.Senior Khanna joined us. All were chatting with each other happily. But I couldn't. I excused myself and went outside. I made myself comfortable on one of the benches. My mind on its own began to replay the things that transpired before an hour I reached here.  

Stepping out of the bathroom in a bathrobe after a long relaxing bath, I went towards my wardrobe to pick out tonight's outfit. Getting myself ready, I was thinking about how something is happening to me when I meet specific black eyes. I feel something that's so foreign to my body. The other side the mystery man still haunts me. I wonder who he is? And last but not least the nightmares. 

These are the three kinds of stuff that endlessly whisks in my mind. But I heard people saying that whatever you reckon about frequently, it only comes to be your dream. I guess I'm thinking too much about these things.  Fixing myself for one last time, I headed out of my room.

'Ooh hoo... so someone is in a mood of impressing someone' my mind said in a song-like manner.

'Yes... I totally agree with you', even my heart joined.

'Traitors'. Saying this I headed downstairs. I heard my family talking, whilst I proceeded to head down. But I stopped on my way when I heard them speaking about me. So I halted myself on the path to hear out what they were whispering about me.

"But Nanu, how can we conceal from her? For how long we'll be hiding it, one or the other day she's going to know about it. We should tell her before it's too late to say", I heard Sahil talking.

"No Sahil, we can't tell her. It's not the perfect term to tell her. She has a medical narrative too. We can't jeopardize her life.", Nanu replied.

'What's it about? Why can't they tell me?', I wondered. This time I heard my Nani speaking.

"He's right. We can't jeopardize her life. Her life is too valuable. You also know Sahil, that two people forfeited their lives to save her. It's meaningful that we hide it from her. We can't let their sacrifice go in vain, just like that". To which Sahil bobbed.

"But Maa what about the diaries and the documents that they left behind for her? Should we not tell her this? ", I heard my mother say. But Nanu's reply shattered me into pieces.

"No Deeksha, we can't. Her life is, was, and will be in threat until those two culprits are exposed and caught. I can't let their sacrifice go in vain. I wish nothing would have occurred that night, else the two children wouldn't be orphan now. ".

'What...no....n-no...it's not true. I couldn't be the cause of someone being orphan. No..they're just bluffing...yeah that's it' 

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