6:30 AM, Bed.
How bad can things get any way? What's the worst case
scenario? I mean, I guess, I could die due do all the blushing. But..but... maybe
it's like what Priya said. He's just going to pretend nothing happened. In fact
he's (probably) already doing that! Right.. Right? I mean that's the only reason
he sent this perfectly normal text message.
If you're done hating,
I'll pick you up at 7.
I'll just re-read my impossibly long lists. That's right,
what's there to fear? Just two perfectly normal friends hanging out together.
We are just going to do some photography and then I'll be on
my way after a cordial wave. I can live my life and he can live his. Separately.
7:03 AM, Bus Stop.
I knew it. He just wanted to make fun of me. That ass hat. I
hate him. I hate him so much right now. I bet he gets some sort of sick
satisfaction from making me feel like a fool.
Poor, innocent Khushi Kumari Gupta, let me kiss her and
ditch her. That stupid oaf. He doesn't know what he has gotten himself into.
I HATE HIM.
7:30 AM, Arnav's car.
Yeah. *ahem* A little bit of mild over reaction. Gosh, why
am I so paranoid? More importantly, why the hell am I the only one feeling
awkward in this car?
Stupid pounce, sitting there with his perfect blue shirt and
perfect shades and perfect everything.
There I was having a mild panic attack and he comes in that pristine car
of his, all high-mighty, and faintly mutters a 'hi Khushi' in that stupid low tone of his. I think I stopped
breathing at that point. Before anyone asks- No it wasn't because of him, it
was just the mild panic attack. Sheesh, as if he could ever affect me. No way
hosay.
I got in without acknowledging his pleasantry. If I
pretended he didn't exist, everything will be better. But of course that was
never to be.
I think me glaring daggers at him combined with the
metaphorical steam coming out my ears, prompted him to say the next few words.
"Are you alright?"
I'll let him know just how alright I am, by punching his nose into his face. Then I'll push
him out of his own car and laugh maniacally when I drive away.
"Fine as fine can be."
"You don't look fine." Came the swift response.
No of course I'm not fine. I'm fuming and embarrassed and I
want to kill you.
"Why would you say that? I've never been better." I let out
pathetically nervous giggle. Someone please
kill me.
"Oh really?"
Oh really? Oh, I'll
show him how real I can get. I'll really step
on his feet with my pointed heels and enjoy as he jumps about like a crazy
person holding his feet.
"Yup." Can anyone lend me a gun? Please and thank you.
"Then why are you blushing?"
Shit caught. Abort mission. Abort mission. Think fast.
"It's mighty hot today."
"Khushi it's October, remember? Try again."
Oh, so he wanted to see me squirm. And I was falling for his
silly little plan. Damn, I hate him.
"In the car I mean."
"The Air conditioner is switched on. Third time's the charm
Khushi. Go on"
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"I had this horrible experience yesterday." Finally, my
brain acknowledges that it has some grey cells. Go on Raizada, I dare you to
react. And react he did.
After a slight pause he said,
"Horrible, was it?"
Success! Finally an edge in his voice. I bet his eyes were
flashing under those shades.
"The worst ever. It made me cringe on so many levels."
"Cringe worthy, was it?" His extremely calm voice unnerved
me. I knew that that Laad Governr was planning something.
"Yup."
"Interesting. That's a first." And cue more blushing. How
the hell does he do that? Every. Single. Time.
Now I get why he wears those damn shades. I turned to the
other side and pretended to look outside, waiting for the eternally long ride
to come to an end.
After one light year and 23 days, the car finally stopped. I
shuffled with the seat belt and reached for the door handle, wanting nothing
more than to put some space between us. It was getting stuffy and the proximity
was increasing my acidic levels.
Just as the door clicked open his hand shot out, covering
mine and pulled it shut. The thud resonated
with in the small space. I was startled and all my breath left me. His shades,
as I faintly noticed, were discarded on his seat.
He leaned over his seat and gear box, his hands over mine
and his face alarmingly close to mine. His uneven breath washed over my face.
His eyes were completely strained on me and everything else just sort of faded
out as his nose brushed against mine causing more blood to rush up to my
cheeks.
"Horrible, was it?"
"Ye..yes.."
His hands reached forward and brushed off my fringe,
lingering on my cheeks, forcing my eyes to snap up to his.
They were dark, really dark. Dark like melted chocolate.
Hot, burning, melted chocolate. Smouldering.
My chest heaved as I tried to get some air back into my
lungs.
"Well you know what they say."
"Wa..What?"
A slight smirk lined his face.
"Practice makes perfect."
He then reached forward, his hands tightened over mine for a
second. The door sprung open and he moved away, back to his seat and then
outside, through his door.
"Aren't you coming?" He looked back me.
So I sit here, still in his damned car, writing furiously
and whishing Arnav Singh Raizada to an early grave.
What the hell have I gotten myself into? (If I was a movie,
this would be my subtitle.)
8:45 AM, History.
I.. I.. I..
9:46 AM, Political
Science
In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In
out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In
out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In
out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In out. In
out. In out. In out. In out. In out.
10:45 AM, Creative
writing.
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Adam!
Adam who?
Adam if I do and Adam if I don't!
12:40 PM, Lunch.
Priya waved frantically at me, trying to gain my attention.
I gave her a classic not now later look
and walked off. Being alone was the best option in times like this. I could go
and sob into her shoulders in a few hours.
Remember when I said that we'd just do some photography and
then I'd wave cordially and leave? Want to know how wrong I was? I was more
wrong than when the Marauders believed in Wormtail.
After getting my breathing in control I slowly got out the
car and walked tentatively towards the grounds. My mind was a huge mess and I
was sure things couldn't get worse. And boy was I wrong.
He stood in under the shade of some tall trees, amidst some
heavy gear. His equipments of course, not mine. There was this huge tri-pod and
attached to it was a a top-notch camera.
"So, who's shooting a movie?" I asked genuinely curious.
"You." He answered.
"Arnav, I can't even hold my poor excuse of a camera without
dropping it a hundred times. Do you actually
think that I can handle.. handle that?"
I said vaguely gesturing to the monstrous equipment.
"Trust me."
I have no idea what that meant. But I moved forward and
towards the mean-machine.
"Okay then Mr Raizada, it's your choice."
"It always is."
Okay what was up with this guy? Or am I just reading too
much into things?
He instructed me on how to adjust the focus and use the lens
to zoom in and out.
"I could never get my sister to enjoy photography." The
sudden personal comment caught me off-guard.
"Oh.. Hmmm.. It's not everyone's cup of tea."
"Translation, you'd rather be anywhere but here right now?"
His voice was teasing but his face was completely neutral, giving nothing off.
I let out a slight giggle.
"Guilty as charged."
"You'd rather be anywhere else as in away from the camera or
away from me?"
"Both." I replied without thinking.
His eyes immediately hardened. The spark in it giving way to
anger.
"I see. Khushi, loosen your grip, it'll cause the camera to
shake if hold you on too strongly."
And there goes the pleasantly mild tone. How do I always get
myself into these situations?
"I didn't.. Actually what I meant was.."
"Right so gently turn the lens till you can clearly see the
object." He completely ignored me.
I continued stubbornly.
"You're a great teacher Arnav."
He sighed and closed his eyes. And when he opened them, Oh
god, the same look. The soul burning one. I felt like I was naked, under a spot
light and he could read my every thought.
"What do you want from me Khushi?" He took a step closer and
turned me to face him.
"I don't understand what that question means." I answered
truthfully.
"Don't you Khushi?" He move closer but no part of him was
touching me. But the message was loud and clear. The next step would be mine.
Metaphorically and quite literally as well.
"I don't understand anything."
He sighed again and moved away, closing his eyes as if
trying to clear his head.
"Well, then, we're on the same boat."
He instructed me some more and then it started. Initially I
thought they were casual. But the more I noticed, the more deliberate it
seemed.
The slight caress of my hand as instructed me on how to hold
the camera, the grip on my waist as he adjusted my posture, the lingering hands
on my shoulders as he continued his explanations- It was driving me nuts and I
couldn't even call the bloody sod out.
"Bend a little Khushi, angle is very important." His hands
rested on my waist. He spoke innocently enough, but it felt like so much more.
The hands on my waist were slightly drawing circle there, making it impossible
for me to concentrate on what he was saying.
His hands trailed up, slowly and deliberately towards my
shoulders again.
"Gently. It's art. Concentrate." His tone dropped a couple
of octaves and my mind sort of blanked out after that.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?"
"What you're doing."
"What am I doing?"
I didn't answer his question. Enough was enough. I quickly
pushed him off, grabbed my bag and simply walked off. I needed to think. I
needed to stay away from him. I needed to evaluate what the eff I wanted. Did I
even want something?
Who exactly is Arnav Singh Raizada and what the hell did he
want from me? Was he my friend? Did he want more? Am I reading too much into
this? Why is the number of questions piling up without any answers?
4:30 PM, Home.
A phone conversation between Priya and KKG.
We need to find out more about Arnav Singh Raizada.
And hello to you too.
Priya, I am serious. The guy is driving me nuts and if he
thinks he can get away with it, he's so wrong. I'm not one of his silly fan
girls.
Whoa, what exactly
happened Khushi? Calm down and before you ask, murder is not an option.
*A brief re-telling*
What the hell is he doing, Priya?
I.. I.. I honestly don't
know Khushi. This is not at all like Arnav.
Whatever it is, I need to find out more about this guy. All
the mind games and secrets are getting out of hand.
But where to start?
What do you want to know?
We can start with Shyam. He seems to be the link between the
two of us. Whenever Shyam comes up to me, Arnav is there.
I don't know Khushi.
Shyam and Arnav have a pretty deep rivalry. Do you think it's wise to get into
the middle of it?
I'm already in the middle of it Priya.
So what do you
suggest?
I'm going to talk to Shyam. He seems more inclined to share
information than our favourite manipulator.
Don't Khushi. That
doesn't seem wise at all.
So what do you suggest?
There is one other
option. A much safer option.
What's that?
Anjalie Singh Raizada.
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