Chapter 36 Frozen hearts..will they melt by Deepti

Chapter 36

After sending off the last guest, the family finally  found the time to relax. Except for Arnav, they all assembled in the living room to discuss how the event went.

“I’m glad that everything happened just as it was planned”, said Aarthi opening the conversation.

“Ya..good that we went with Madhumati’s suggestion and ordered the food from this caterers. Everyone liked the food”, said Aakash.

“Ya, especially the chat section. Me and my friends thoroughly enjoyed it”, said Kushi.

“Then ,let’s book the same caterers for the wedding too”, suggested Devyani.

” We can go with them for the sangeet, mehndi and the other rituals.But for the wedding…I don’t think so. Since the Oberios want their hotel to be the venue for the wedding, they might want to go with their own caterers. We still have  a lot of time for the wedding. We can talk with them and  decide”, said Aakash for which the others agreed.

“Looks like everyone whom we invited made it to the event. Isn’t it Aakash?”,  asked Devyani.

“Ya Maa..most of them. Couple of my friends couldn’t make it due to other commitments. But they sent their greetings”, replied Aakash.

“I wish buaji was here. She missed my engagement”, said Anjali, sulkily.

“Hmmm…she didn’t want to miss it either. But what to do? Just before her travel, Madhav got diagnosed with  typhoid. She can’t leave her husband and come to us, right?? So she had to stay back. But don’t worry. She said she will make up to you by coming well in advance for the wedding”, said Devyani cheering up Anjali.

“I can’t wait for that day. It’s been almost five months since I last saw her. Missing her badly”, said Kushi  as she played with her necklace.

“Hey Kushi..come here…let me have a look at your pendant”, said Sakshi whose eyes fell on Kushi’s pendant. She had been waiting to have a better look at it from the moment she had seen her daughter wearing it. But among the many other important things, she totally forgot about it.

As Kushi came to her and sat on her haunches, Sakshi took the pendant in her hand and admired it.

“Isn’t it beautiful”, said Aarthi who was sitting beside Sakshi, impressed with the cut and polish of the diamonds and the sapphire.

“Hmm.. It is. But where did you get it from?”, asked Sakshi looking straight at Kushi.

“Dhadhi gave it to me”, replied Kushi putting Devyani in a fix.

“It’s very pretty, Maaji. Haven’t seen this model in any of the stores which we normally visit.Where did you get it from?”, came the next question from Aarthi.

“Hmmm I think it’s Asmi. No no, Nakshatra. No . Actually, I don’t remember properly. It’s been a long time since I bought it and this  absent-mindedness of mine is giving me a hard time. Anyways, I’m very tired. Will talk to you all in the morning”, said Devyani, raising from the couch. Without giving any chance for further interrogation, she escaped from there, leaving the others behind.

“I guess more than my dress it was Kushi’s pendant that caught the attention of many”, said Anjali with her sweet smile.

“Ya Di. Have seen many staring at it. In fact, some of them took their time to come to me, just to inquire  about it. Where did you get it? How much did it cost? Blah blah blah!! Oh my God! Women and their interest in jewelry”, said Kushi rolling her eyes.

Anjali giggled and said, “Then you have to accept that there is someone in our home, who has a better choice than you “, just to tease Kushi.

Kushi stood up on her feet and turning towards Anjali she said, ” No way! My choice is the best in our home and you always agree with it, Di. Now you can’t change the party like this”, placing her hands on either side of her waist.

Meanwhile, Arnav who  entered the house after settling the amount for the caterers and decorators, joined the group in the living room. He took the seat which Kushi vacated and sat next to Anjali.

“I’m not changing any party. First, you just  listen to me and answer my questions. Who selected my engagement dress???”, asked Anjali.

“Me”, replied Kushi, not understanding what Anjali wanted to prove by asking that question.

“Who selected your diamond pendant?”, asked Anjali.

Though Arnav jerked hearing that question he was instantly relived hearing Kushi’s answer.

“Dhadhi”, came the reply from Kushi.

“Which drew more attention??? Dress or pendant?”, asked Anjali.

“Hmmmm I think it’s the pendant”, replied Kushi after giving it a thought.

“Which one did YOU like the most??Dress or pendant??”, asked Anjali wisely.

“You might not like the answer. But, it’s my pendant ,Di”, replied Kushi as she gave a wide grin, checking her pendant.

Arnav just stared at her cute expression while Kushi who was immensely immersed in that pendant discussion, didn’t even acknowledge his presence.

“Now YOU tell me whose choice is the best?? Yours or Dhadhi’s?”, asked Anjali, raising her eyebrows.

“Hmmm..Dhadhi’s”, replied Kushi, sulkily with a pout and Arnav’s attention moved to her lips.

“That’s what I said. Now will you agree with me that there is someone in our home who has a better choice than you?”, asked Anjali teasingly.

” What to do!This pendant is compelling me to agree. I have to accept it, Di. Dhadhi is the best”, said Kushi, admiring her pendant. For some strange reason the girl who was not super fond of jewelry, fell madly in love with her pendant.

“Have you settled the amounts, Arnav”, asked Aakash as soon as the girls’ conversation came to an end.

Hearing his name, Kushi noticed him for the first time and as soon as she became aware of his presence she went and sat silently, next to her brother on a couch which was opposite to the one in which Shashi and Aakash were seated.

“Yes, Papa. All set!”, replied Arnav.

Aakash looked at Shashi and noticed that he was lost somewhere. “What happened Shashi? What is it that’s bothering you”, he asked looking at the frown on Shashi’s face.

As everyone’s attention shifted to Shashi, he said, ” It’s nothing. I was just thinking about Arjun Kapoor”.

“What about him??”, asked Aakash, curiously.

“Don’t you think it’s strange that the man who was in a kind of rush for Kushi and Abhay’s alliance  didn’t even bother to raise that topic in these past ten days.”, said  Shashi sharing his doubt with everyone, hearing which Arnav and Kushi looked at each other.

On meeting his gaze, Kushi instantly turned her head in the opposite direction.

“Ya.. that’s right. Even I didn’t hear him bringing this topic”, said Aakash.

“Were you waiting to discuss about Kushi’s wedding with his son?”, asked Aarthi, addressing Shashi, ignoring the stare which  was directed from her husband.

“Actually, I was waiting for him to bring this topic so that I can let him know my decision”, paused Shashi.

“And that is?”, asked Aarthi who had her own inhibitions.

“Sakshi and I have no plans  for Kushi’s wedding at least for the next two years. Giving an excuse of Kushi’s studies, I was waiting to turn down this proposal. But somehow, after they visited us, he never brought this topic again. Something is definitely strange”, said Shashi thinking deeply.

“Did he talk normally to you??”, asked a concerned Sakshi.

“Ya..there was no change in his attitude towards me. We had many conversations but all those were off  the current topic”, replied Shashi.

“Then, there could be only two possibilities behind his silence. Either he is waiting for your response or they must have dropped the proposal all by themselves”, said Aakash after he  analysed Shashi’s words.

“Had he been waiting for my response  he would have given me a hint about it. Nope.. I don’t think that is the case. Like  you said, I think they might have dropped their idea about this alliance”, said Shashi looking at his friend.

“If that is the case, I’m very much glad about it. Anyways I have no plans to get my daughter married so soon”, said Sakshi looking fondly at Kushi, hearing which many souls in that room were relieved.

“Me too…but”, paused Shashi with a frown on his face.

” But? If this is what you wished for, what are you worried about, Shashi?”, asked Aakash.

“Nothing Aakash. If they have dropped this idea all my themselves, I’m glad with it. But, I can’t help but wonder what might be the reason behind this change of plans on the Kapoor’s side”, said Shashi who was in no terms ready to take a rejection for his daughter.

“Hmmm”, reacted Aakash,  who had no answer for that question.

Everyone in the room got lost in their thoughts trying to come up with an answer while the two souls who had all the answers for Shahi’s question remained as the silent spectators.

Seeing Shashi so much worried, Arnav was almost tempted to say the truth.He opened his mouth to talk but zipped it on seeing Kushi shaking her head. As it was something related to her leaving the choice to her,he remained silent.

Though Kushi wanted to ease her father’s tension, she didn’t dare to tell him what she did behind his back. Knowing that her father would never appreciate her faking something, she didn’t want to disappoint him by telling him the truth and thus remained silent.

“Don’t think too much about it. Whatever happens, happens for a reason. Let’s leave this topic here and go to bed. It’s almost half past two”, said Sakshi, putting at end to the discussion.Since everyone was tired by then, they agreed with her and raised from their seats.

While Kushi went to the kitchen to have some water, the others dispersed from there one after the other, leaving Arnav behind, who was still in the process of leaving the couch.

After grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator,  Kushi raised her head to have a sip from it while she continued walking towards the stairs. And as the wire which was in her way completely went unnoticed by her, she tripped over it. She lost her balance and was all set to topple when two strong arms steadied her.And even without looking, she knew who her savior was. She was so familiar with that masculine scent by now and the strong grip which surrounded her tiny waist made her completely aware of his presence there.

Once he steadied her,” You okay!”, he asked moving his hands on to her shoulders.

Kushi nodded and lifted her head to look at the man who was standing just a half feet away from her.

As he looked at those eyes which were outlined with  jet black kohl, he was thoroughly mesmerized. And though her heart started pounding, finding him staring at her, she found herself staring into those chocolate orbs, which had some unknown depth in them. They kept staring at each other until seconds rolled into minutes, and finally when Kushi batted her eyelids, the spell was broken as Arnav got distracted.

“Why don’t you use them, when you have two of them?”, he asked huskily with his hands still on her and his gaze fixed on her face.

“Which two??”, she whispered not understanding what he meant and on realizing that her voice didn’t reach her very own ears, she cleared her throat thinking, ” What’s wrong with me? Why am I whispering?”.

His trance was completely broken with the sounds she made and he jerked taking his hands off her shoulders.

“Which two??”, she asked curiously, with her face filled with confusion.

She looked so cute to him at that moment that he decided to play along with her.

“Those two which you prefer not to use. Don’t you know?”, he asked crossing his hands.

“Which two??”, asked  Kushi, who was desperate to know what he was talking about.

“I’m talking about those two which you have right on top of your head”, he replied pointing to the top of her head with a smirk on his face.

“What’s on my head???”,  asked Kushi, as she placed her right hand on top of her head and searching for an alien object over there.

“Your EYES Kushi….search properly…you will find them somewhere there”, he replied trying hard not to smile, looking at her anxious actions.

Realizing that he was pulling her leg, Kushi stopped searching and looking sternly at him she said, ” If that was a joke, let me tell you….IT’S VERY BAD”.

“Who told you  it was a joke??? Do I ever crack jokes??? And that too with YOU? I was just stating the fact”,  replied Arnav coolly.

“Oh really?? So you think I have my eyes on top of my head??”, she asked, pointing her hand to her head.

“Of course….that’s why you keep falling always. Just like you did now”, said Arnav teasing her.

“HELLO…EXCUSE ME….I didn’t fall”, she said putting her hands on either side of her waist.

“Of course you didn’t. And that’s because….I DIDN’T LET YOU”, he said raising his one eye brow.

Though her heart skipped a beat hearing those words she composed herself instantly. “Think whatever you want to. But just for your kind information, my eyes are exactly in place and I have no trouble in using them properly. It’s this wire which came in my way”, she said,  kicking the wire with her legs.

“Oh.. ya… it’s the wire’s mistake.Poor thing. What to do, it doesn’t have eyes”, he remarked with a glint of naughtiness in his eyes.

“Very funny! The day you will have your mighty fall, I will be right there to show you where your eyes are. You just wait and watch”, she said challenging him.

“Me and falling down”, he laughed and declared, ” I guess you have to wait forever then. Because it’s not going to happen”.

“LET’S SEE”, said Kushi.

“Sure!LET’S SEE”, said Arnav.

She was all set to walk away from there when she heard him say, “By the way, wanted to say something to you”.

She stopped in her tracks and looked at him thinking, ” Anyways you won’t say anything nice to me. Spit out whatever you want to”.

“What is it?”, she asked ,showing least interest in the conversation.

” It’s your pendant”, he said as his gaze moved towards her neck.

“My pendant???What’s wrong with it???”,  asked Kushi, checking her pendant.

“Nothing! It’s just PERFECT on you“, he said without letting  the last two words slip from  his mouth.

Kushi just gaped at him hearing those words. It took her a good ten seconds to absorb what he just said and then as a smile lit up her face she said, “Oh my God!!! I can’t believe this!Did you just compliment me !”

“Excuse me??? When did I compliment you??? I was talking about that pendant”, he said pointing his hand  at her pendant.

“Me or my pendant..it’s the same….”, she replied while the smile on her face faded.

“How can it be same? Did you make it?”, he questioned, noticing the shine which vanished from her eyes.

Kushi shook her head with disinterest.

“Was it your selection??”, he asked, trying to make her talk.

“No, it’s Dhadhi’s”, replied Kushi looking at the floor.

“Knew it…how could something this exquisite be your choice”, he taunted, looking straight at her.

She shot up her head saying, ” What do you even know about MY choice? Had I gone to the same showroom, I would have bought this same pendant or even something more elegant than this”.

“Bad luck! Unfortunately, you didn’t and I…. I mean Dhadhi went. So don’t try to take the credit for anything”, said Arnav.

“I’m not taking credit for anything. But why are you bothered about it anyway? What is your interest in it?”, asked Kushi.

“I’m neither interested in YOU or your pendant”, paused Arnav looking at the change of colors in her face.

“I was just trying to make you aware of the fact that your choice is not the best in this house. There is someone who has a better choice than you”,he said, almost whispering the last sentence in her ear.

She knew that he had no interest in her. But does he have to say that to her face. Cad! She was mad at him. What bothered her more? Was it him being vocal about his disinterest in her or was it him trying to prove that her choice is not the best. Whatever it was, she was thoroughly irritated with the man who was standing so close to her.

” Di already said that to me. You don’t have to harp on about it”, said Kushi turning her face away from him.

“I was just making sure that you don’t forget this vital fact. You are  not the best in this house, Kushi. And the sooner you accept it, the better for you”, he said taunting her.

As her temper reached its top gear hearing his words, “Thank….No…I’m not going to thank you for making me remember this grrrrreat fact because, very soon I’m going to change it. And then,  everyone, everyone including YOU, will come to know… WHO IS THE BEST in this house……VERY SOON”, she said, putting her right hand index finger on his chest when she mentioned about him.

Once done with her declaration, she blew the fringe of her hair which was falling on her face, with her finger still resting on his chest.

He looked into her eyes which were spitting fire at him and then moved his gaze to her finger on his chest. As her eyes followed his gaze, she realized where her finger was and instantly withdrew it. She looked back at him and found the glint of naughtiness back in his eyes. And if she had any doubts, the smirk on his face only confirmed it.

Now what is that smirk for? Weren’t they having an argument? At least from her point of view they were. Then why is he like this? And what should she make out of those looks? Forget about him. What is wrong with her? Just few seconds ago she was unconditionally mad at him. Then why isn’t she now? Why doesn’t she hold the same grudge now? Why the sudden transformation? Is it because of his smirk, or the way he was looking at her or the way her heart suddenly became aware of his close proximity? Too many questions confused her. And between that confusion when his smirk transformed into a smile Kushi became totally blank. Taking a step backwards, she increased the distance between them and turned to the other side to get a hold on herself.

Nothing went unnoticed by the man who was watching her like a hawk. He was kind of amused to see how various emotions played hide and seek on her face throughout their conversation. Poor girl was thoroughly confused. Why wouldn’t she be?

With a faint smile on his face, he took a step towards her and standing right behind her,     “let’s see”, he whispered in her ear.

As his warm breath fanned her neck, Kushi jerked and moved forward. Turning towards him, she asked, “See what?”, totally forgetting about her challenge.

” Just a while ago you were saying something right….very soon you are going to change something….I was talking about that….”, said Arnav walking towards her.

“Ya..you will see”, she answered, walking backwards.

“LET’S SEE”, said Arnav.

“LET’S SEE”, replied Kushi, while her heart started pounding with his each step towards her.

“LET’S SEE”, said Arnav without stopping in his tracks.

“LET’S SEE”,  said Kushi ,crushing her dupatta in her right palm, while tightening her grip on the water bottle in her left one.

As they continued moving, they approached the  stairs and as Kushi  crossed the stairs and moved to the other side of it, he climbed the stairs saying, “LET’S SEE”.

She was relieved to see him take the stairs and stopped in her tracks to take a deep breath.  And then, turning her back towards the stairs, she muttered,  “Good that he left….if not God only knows what would have happened to my heart.”

She uncapped the bottle and gulped down some water to calm herself. And as she filled her mouth once again and got ready to cap the bottle, she felt it being snatched away from her hand.She turned around with a jerk and found him right in front of her. Forgetting to swallow the water in her mouth  she stood still like a statue and blinked her eyes. “Didn’t he just leave?”, she couldn’t help but wonder.

“What?”, he asked raising his eyebrow.

She shook her head as she emptied her mouth and watched him as he lifted the bottle and started drinking water from it. The way his adam’s apple moved interested her and while she was still observing it, ” Cap”, said Arnav.

Feeling silly for getting caught watching him, she opened her hand which had the cap in it.

As he picked up the cap from her palm she waited for him to cap the bottle  and return it to her. But instead, he capped it and took the stairs, with the bottle in his hand.

“It’s mine”, Kushi almost yelled.

Understanding what she meant, ” Is your name written on it??”, he asked, checking the bottle.

“No…but I brought it from the fridge to take it along with me. If you want water by your bedside, go and get another bottle”, she said resuming her fighting spirit.

“From the place where you are standing, the kitchen is not too far. So you go and get another one. There are plenty  in the fridge”, he replied , climbing the stairs.

“You can also do the same”, retorted Kushi.

He stopped and turning towards her he said, “Oh really. Then let me come down and show you what I can do”.

Sensing the threat she was inviting,” No need. You can keep it. I will get another one”, she replied instantly.

“Good…and Kushi…….. one more thing”, said Arnav leaning over the railing.

“What??”, she asked curiously.

“Will not thank you for the bottle”, he said giving a broad smile to her  and waving the bottle, he went into his room.

Though she felt like screaming to vent out her anger, she controlled herself as she didn’t want to wake up all the tired souls in the house.  And thus, stomping her foot she went towards the kitchen cursing the man who was the core reason for all her misery.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2015