Chapter 43-Frozen hearts...will they melt by Deepti

Chapter 43

She spent the rest of the day recollecting her previous encounters with him and tried to dig into the details of her new-found interest in the man,  who was the reason behind her constant blushes. Though she was excited  to see him at the dinner table, she was equally shy to face him after what they shared the previous night. But when there was no trace of him during the dinner time, she signed off for the day with a disappointed feeling in her heart.

The very next morning, she was all set to leave home when she was informed that none of the cars were available to drop her off at the college.

“It’s okay Maa. I will take an auto”, said Kushi as she stepped out of the main door.

“Wait a minute!”, Sakshi called out from behind and addressing the man who was coming down the stairs, she said,  “Arnav, are you leaving for work?”

Hearing the name of the person whose thoughts have been disturbing her since the previous day, Kushi stopped in her tracks and turned around. And as soon as her eyes landed on him, a strange feeling bubbled in her heart and the blush was back on her cheeks.

“Yes, Maa. Do you have any work with me??”, asked Arnav who didn’t notice the person who was on the other side of the main door.

“Ya. Can you drop Kushi at her college?”, asked Sakshi coming straight to the point.

Though he was not yet ready to meet the person whose thoughts have made a permanent place in his head, he said, “I need to leave right away, Maa. Can drop her if she is  ready but can’t wait if she isn’t”, hoping that he could escape the situation if Kushi is still in the process of getting ready.

“Oh, don’t worry about that! She is right here, all set and good to go”, replied Sakshi as she turned and looked at her daughter.

As his gaze followed her’s, he was dumbfounded to find the lady of his interest, standing right near the door step. Not understanding how else to react, he simply walked towards the door and after saying bye to Sakshi, he exited from there ignoring the lady who moved aside to give him way. As he hopped down the porch stairs, Kushi hastily bid a farewell to her mother and followed him.  By the time she got into the car, he started the engine and once she shut the door and settled in her seat, he raced the car onto the main road. For the next five minutes silence prevailed between them as both were lost in their own thoughts. While Arnav was preparing himself about how should he clear certain things to her, Kushi was in her own debate about how should she start the conversation.

“Actually!!”, both said at the same instant as their thoughts came to a conclusion and stared at each other hoping that the other person will continue.

As silence prevailed for the next few seconds, “You go ahead”, said Arnav kicking the ball into her court. And when he got no response, he looked at her and asked, ” What is it?”

“Actually, I wanted to ask you about Shriya”, blurted Kushi who had no clue why she was raising that topic. She could  kick herself later for that blunder but now since she had already asked, she just waited for him to answer.

“What about her??”, he asked knotting his eyebrows.

“Nothing much. From her words it’s clear that she is interested in you. Then why didn’t you…”,  paused Kushi as she got a stare from him.

“I mean… she is good looking, seems intelligent and “, she tried to continue but stopped when Arnav interrupted her saying, ” Abhay too is good looking, intelligent, well settled.Then why didn’t you ???”.

“Why are you dragging Abhay here? Moreover, you know why I didn’t consider his proposal.  I didn’t want my focus to shift from my career to anything else”, replied Kushi.

“Seriously?? Then what is that you is doing right now?”, asked the voice in her head, ignoring which she just looked at him, waiting for his answer.

“Same here.Even I didn’t want my focus to shift from my studies, then”, came his reply.

“That was history. I’m talking about present. Now, you have settled.  So if you want you could have..”, she paused as her heart was against her in letting her fulfill that sentence.

Arnav gave a glance to her and as if he read her mind, he said, “Past or present doesn’t make any difference. She is not my type and I have no interest in her. Shriya is just a stubborn girl who wants to get everything that she wishes for. I had to get rid of her permanently and in that process I had to bring you into the picture. Had no choice”, with a shrug.

Kushi nodded her head in response but as her brain tried to process his words, something hit her.” If Shriya is not his type then what is his type?“, she couldn’t help but wonder and unable to hold back her curiosity she asked him the same.

“Then what is your type?”, she asked him coming straight to the point. Though her boldness startled him, “And may I know what is YOUR interest in knowing it?”, asked Arnav.

“I don’t have any interest in knowing it. Was just curious”, replied Kushi who didn’t want him know about her actual interest in learning his answer.

As her reply angered him and as it  was not something which he had expected, “Then listen. My type can be any girl but not someone like you”, said Arnav , in a tone which literally startled her.

While she was still in a state of shock, ” And between, don’t think otherwise about what happened between us at the party.It was just accidental and means nothing to me “, added Arnav shocking her to the core.

Did he have to say that? Here she was weaving colorful dreams around that hug they shared and all he had to say about it was ‘ it meant nothing’??Damn the man!!She felt like someone kicked her in the gut and crumpled the dupatta in her hand in an attempt to control the tears which were all set to dwell in her eyes.

While she was lost in her thoughts, he brought the car to a sudden halt which made her to literally bang against the dashboard. With her hand still on the dashboard, which protected her from taking the blow, she looked at him not understanding what was wrong with him and his driving.

“GET DOWN!!”, he barked, which made her eyes grow wide in her face.

“We reached your college”, he added on a latter note, sensing that there was no kind of movement in the seat beside him.

As she looked around, the familiar surroundings brought her back to her senses and without waiting even for a second, she grabbed her stuff and unbuckling the seat belt, she hopped out of the car. Once her feet touched the ground, she felt like herself and commanding the tears to go back to the duct where they were produced she turned around to give him a piece of her mind.

“For your information, IT MEANT NOTHING TO ME TOO”, said the tigress,looking at him, right in the eye and without waiting for his reaction, she slammed the door and walked away from there, leaving a shocked and speechless Arnav behind.

“WHAT THE”, he said staring at her disappearing back. “Did she just say that it meant nothing to her?? Damn!! But, I was right about her. She hasn’t  changed!! Glad that I didn’t say anything to her which would make me look like a fool and glad that everything got cleared. Now I don’t have to ponder over anything. Everything is settled!!”, mumbled Arnav. Putting his shades back on, he raced his Porsche and left from there.

Kushi went straight to the canteen and looked for an empty table. She felt like she would choke if she didn’t let out the feelings which have been crushing her for the past few minutes. She needed some space and time to clear her head but since she wasn’t that lucky, she was surrounded by her friends the moment she took a seat at an empty table.

“Hey Kushi! You know what, I heard Sangitha Mam discussing about your designs with RK Sir. She was all praises for you girl”, said Pragya as soon as she sat in her chair.

Though she was in no mood to hear anything, Kushi responded to her with a simple nod.

“Aren’t you happy to hear this?”, inquired Preeti.

“Should I be?“, wondered Kushi whose mind was elsewhere.

“Hello madam!! I’m talking to you! Aren’t you happy?”, asked Preeti as she shook Kushi.

Kushi jerked and coming out of her thoughts, she said, “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be? In fact, I’m more than happy now. Was thinking about him for the past two days and was wasting my time like hell. Good that things got cleared. Don’t have to waste my time thinking about that moron”, said Kushi who got carried away.

“Moron??? Which moron?”, asked the three girls in unison.

Realizing the blunder she made, Kushi bit her tongue and in order to cover up she said,
“Who else, other than that Abhishek. Did you girls forget how he boasted in the class that he will beat me in this semester. Now that mam likes my designs more than his, I don’t have to worry about him. Am I right!”.

“Ya…true…”, said Pragya, agreeing with Kushi.

“But now you need to be very careful Kushi. The final show is just in 2 weeks and you have to get your collection ready by then. We all are counting on you girl. You need to top this year!”, said Nisha.

“Yup! You are the best in our gang. And if you win, we three win too”, said Preeti throwing a wink at Kushi.

Glad to have such friends who supported her in everything, ” I know. I have pretty less time and a hand full of work to complete. Should focus on them”, said Kushi, as her focus shifted from Arnav to her work.

She spent the next hour  with her friends, discussing about the grand show where they will be presenting their collection. She checked her friends designs  and gave them some suggestions which could improve their designs.

” Wow! Models wearing the clothes designed by us and walking on the ramp! Doesn’t that sound exciting”, said Nisha, clapping her hands in excitement.

“What’s there to jump in it. This show and all…. means nothing to me”, said Preeti, carelessly.

As her last words brought back the memory of the man who uttered the same words with such an arrogance, Kushi’s mood changed. And now, since she didn’t have to mask her emotions, she let the lid flip. Banging her hands on the table, she yelled at Preeti saying,”WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY IT MEANS NOTHING ???? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF!!!”.

The three girls got  totally shocked seeing the sudden outburst and stared at Kushi, whose face was all red and whose eyes were spitting fire.

“KHU…..SHI”, stammered Preeti  as she tried to open her mouth.

“What Kushi??? First you tell me what you think of yourself?  Why did you say that it means nothing to you?”, demanded Kushi whose anger was clearly evident on her face.

Since they have never seen this form of hers, the girls were dumbstruck. But gathering some courage, Preeti tried to calm her down by saying, ” I said it just like that Kushi….you do know  that I’m not really in to this fashion designing and joined this course just to get some bachelor’s degree. Don’t you?”

“Kushi, what happened? When we all know about Preeti, why did you react like that?”, asked Pragya as she placed her hand on Kushi’s shoulder.

As she came back to her senses with Pragya’s touch, Kushi  became ashamed of her behavior. As she sat there silently, ” Are you okay?”, asked Preeti.

Covering her face with both her hands, Kushi took a deep breathe and calmed herself. Taking her hands off, she looked at Preeti and said, ” Sorry Preeti. I over reacted”.

“That’s okay.But what happened to you suddenly??”, asked Preeti with concern filled in her voice.

“Nothing…it just happened…anyways…let’s forget about it and  get back to work….we hardly have time….have to complete everything in less than two weeks”, said Kushi, diverting the topic.

As Preeti looked  suspiciously at her, ” Now why are you staring at me like that?”, asked Kushi.

“Nothing!! Since I have never seen this shade of yours, just taking my time to digest whatever happened, just a while ago”, replied Preeti.

“True, Kushi. I never thought that you could get that mad. We three survived since we know the bubbly and chirpy girl behind that serious face. Had it been someone else they would have fainted right away looking at that face of yours”, said Nisha.

“Yes Kushi….if your looks had the power…we would have definitely turned into ashes”, added Pragya.

“I wish they had and turned someone else into ashes“, thought Kushi as Arnav’s face formed in her head.

“Okay, I didn’t have my breakfast and I’m quite hungry now.Do you girls want anything to eat?”, asked Nisha, as she raised from her chair.

“I will join you. I too skipped my breakfast”, said Pragya.

“I’m good”, replied Kushi who had no appetite while Preeti ordered a samosa.

But on second thoughts she said, ” Hey! Let me join you girls. Don’t leave me alone with this Kushi. Who knows, by the time you both are back, all you might get to see can be my ashes”.

As the girls walked towards the canteen counter, Kushi found the space she needed. Thinking about the person who ruined her mood, she gritted her teeth. “So it meant nothing to him! HEARTLESS MONSTER!! Anyways, why will it mean something to him? And what else did he say? Don’t think otherwise about what happened at the party. From here on I won’t think about anything which is related to him. Let him go to hell!! I don’t care!! Moron!!! What does he think of himself? He doesn’t deserve to exist even in my thoughts. Grumpy fellow!! Look at the attitude with which he said ‘any type, but not like someone like you! I hope  God created someone exactly like him, exclusively for him. I wish he finds that girl soon who could fix all his loosened nuts and set him straight. Can’t wait to see someone break his attitude and bend him completely.  And when he is getting tortured in that girl’s hands, I will sit and watch the fun. Only then my anger will subside. Or may be not! I might never forgive him for what he said today! Between, why am I still thinking about him when I am so mad at him. I have a lot to take care of. Kushi gear up and focus on what’s ahead of you”.

By the time her friends were back, her self motivation was done and she was back to her usual self, as she pushed the morning incident with him to a corner of her mind.

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Kushi’s work kept her busy for the next few days and she had no time to ponder over any mundane stuff. And since her rival was out of the country, she was at peace having no one else to ruin her mood. For ten days neither of them heard about each other nor saw one another. But on the 11th days when Arnav was back in town and was heading towards the main door to leave for his work, Sakshi asked him the same question which she asked ten days ago.

“Arnav, can you drop Kushi at her college? None of the cars are available”, said Sakshi.

But before he could open his mouth to reply,” No need!”, came the reply from the other side of the main door. And when his eyes tried to look at the owner of that voice all he saw was her disappearing back.

“What’s wrong with this girl? She could have used the ride. Why did she walk away just like that? Without even saying a bye!!”, said Sakshi as if she was talking to herself.

“She must be in some rush. Bye Maa”, said Arnav who stepped out of house.

As he rushed down the porch stairs, he saw Kushi crossing the main gate. And by the time he got into his car and left their premises, she was out on the main road looking here and there for an auto. He stopped the car right near her feet and hearing the screeching sound, Kushi almost jerked from her place. She turned her head and when she saw the  black Porsche 911 Turbo, she knew who was in the car.

As he lowered the glass, he said, “GET IN”. But ignoring his offer and throwing a careless look at him, Kushi restored her search for an auto.

As she continued looking here and there as if he and his car were not existing there, “Didn’t you hear me?? Are you deaf? Come and get in the car. I’ll give you a ride”, said Arnav in a gruff tone.

“Can’t you see or are you blind? Is it not evident  to you that I have no interest in taking a ride from you?’, replied Kushi, with the same gruffness.

Arnav gritted his teeth and saying, “YOUR WISH”, he drove off from there with such a speed that made Kushi  to jerk again.

“Look at her attitude! I offered a ride and she?? Nevermind!!“, thought Arnav as he raced the car.

“Look at his attitude…..was he offering a ride or was he passing orders?? Grumpy fellow!!! Anyways, who asked him for a ride??? Huh!!”, mumbled Kushi who soon found her ride in the form of an auto.

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-All credits goes to Deepti©

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