I Love You, Hamesha

"We two make banquets of the plainest fare

In every cup we find the thrill of pleasure...

For us life always moves with lilting measure

We two, we two, we make our world, our pleasure"

? Ella Wheeler Wilcox

She was bubbling with happiness. Surely one person wasn't expected to take in this much happiness? She can't remember the last time she felt such ecstasy.


She was seated on the windowsill, looking up at the night sky. Her knees were tucked in, trying to keep in the warmth as the cold autumn wind blew past. The night was too beautiful to keep the windows closed ' the stars were shining extra brightly, the moon's glow was ethereal and the trees were dancing in the ceaseless tune of the winds.


The perfect night for a perfectly happy bride-to-be.


But, alas, where there is happiness, there is reflection and where there is reflection, there is regret.


Whose grand idea was all this 'nafrat' and 'fighting'? Such a waste of time when there'sbadtameez and 'I love, you damn it' proclamations.


No more, for khushi's sake, no more.


Now was the time for silly pranks and endless phone calls, for blushing and down cast eyes, for wall cornering and intense eye locks, for all the mohabath in the world.


Speaking of mohabath.


Her cell beeped almost on cue.


What are you doing?


What do people normally do at 12 in the night, Arnav-ji?


A variety of things Khushi, none of which is appropriate for an innocent text conversation.


Besharam. I meant sleeping.


No you're not.


And how would you know that?


I always know what you're doing.


She took a second longer to reply as the wind caused her hair to flutter onto her face, and the phone rang. Patience, as everyone knows, was never Arnav Singh Raizada's forte.


"Hi."


One person 'simply- wasn't allowed to seduce with a single word, that too of very little importance. That was unfair.


"Arnav-ji."


Why did her voice always sound breathless when she spoke to him?


"Yes?"


The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop.


"Something's not right."


"What?"


"I mean everything is right, right. Too right, right. But that's why it feels like something is notright. Because things are never right, right with us."


"You're saying something is wrong since everything is right.. .. .. right?"


"Right."


"You're barking mad Khushi."


Aren't husbands-to-be supposed to be loving and caring and sucking up to their fiancee's? Apparently Arnav Singh Raizada was, as always, an exception.


"Laad Governor."


She was serious and he was making fun of her. She heard him sigh.


"We deserve this Khushi.. After..After everything. You deserve to be happy. Why can't you grasp that?"


There was silence. He sighed again, in a fashion that only a true husband-to-be can.
"Keep the back door open."


"What?"


But he had already cut the call.


Now she dad done it ' worried him for no reason, over something as silly as the right, right.
Why couldn't she just hold her tongue for longer than five minutes without incessantly blabbering? Poor Arnav-ji, he's the one who's going to have to put up with that annoying habit for the rest of his life.


There was that bubbly giddy happiness again.


Forever.


He was going to be hers forever. What could possibly be better than that? She would spend every day waking up in his arms and tangled up around him and he would say 'what the' but still indulge her. He would, of course, use up all the hot while she would let him keep that galling trait because he would hug her after his shower ' all warm and cosy.


Simply put; she couldn't wait to be married to Arnav Singh Raizada.


Mr Raizada, as it would seem, couldn't wait either.


She heard the low rumble of an SUV outside. To be exact ' a white SUV.


He was here!


Keep the back door open.


She closed her eyes. He would come to her. He always did. The one person who alwayscame to her and not the other way round. He came to her when he hated her; he came to her when he loved her.


It was only a matter of time.


One.


A smile overtook her face.


Two.


Her heart swelled with anticipation.


Three.


Warm hands snaked around her waist pulling her into warmth ' her favourite kind of warmth. His cheeks rested against hers and their breaths mingled.


"Hi."


She couldn't possibly be expected to reply, not when he was completely engulfing her without even a semblance of space. Surely not then.


She closed her eyes instead, letting herself be swept away by the feel of him all around her. It was the best feeling in the world- being in his arms. Nothing could harm her here not even the darkest of nights or fastest of cars.


"Khushi."


"Hmm." She hummed in response.


"We're getting married tomorrow."


She opened her eyes and twisted in his arms so that she was looking at him. Her face was dazzling with her perfectly content smile.


"Yes we are."


She looked into his chocolaty-smouldering-eyes. They were intently fixed on hers. It was like as if she was the only thing that mattered in his world. Arnav wanted her. How could she not melt from the sheer knowledge of that?


"You shouldn't be here; it's unlucky to see the bride before the wedding." Even as she said this her arms went about him, resting over his shoulders.


"How can it ever be unlucky to look at you?"


There was that dazzling smile again.


"Have you become a mushy romantic Mr Raizada?"


"Only to my wife."


"And where is this wife of yours?"


"Somewhere.. probably with a really dashing man."


"Well you really shouldn't be cheating on your wife Mr Raizada."


It was getting real hard to keep a straight face.


He let his arms slide away from her waist and slowly trail up her arms, leaving goosebumps in its path.


"I shouldn't be doing a lot of things, Miss Gupta"


She closed the non-existent space between them, stood on her tip toes and hugged him tight.


"What are you doing here Arnav-ji?"


"I just wanted to see if you were fine.."


"I am fine. We're getting married. How can I be anything but fine?"


He pulled away and his eyes roamed over her face, as if trying to read her thoughts.


"Then why are you over thinking things?"


How did he always know?


"Ever since I was kid I always wanted the fairytale wedding with the prince charming."


A peculiar expression overtook his face.


"I am not Prince Charming Khushi."


"No you're not."


"And this isn't the perfect wedding by a long shot."


"No it isn't."


"Khu.."


Her eyes were wide with determination.


"But in spite of it, I perfectly happy and content. Don't you see it? This.. you.. that's all I want."


"Then what was all that about the right right?"


"That was nothing.. just something silly."


"Tell me." His eyes looked deep into her, coaxing her to speak.


She let out a long breathe as her cheeks turned red.


"The balance of the universe."


"What the?" The disbelief was clear in his voice.


She pushed him away, huffing and turned the other way.


"You're laughing at me."


"No Khushi.. Really? The 'balance of the universe?' How did you even come with that?"


She turned around with her eyebrows' scrunched up.


"Because that's how it's always been, okay?"


His expression immediately sobered up as understanding dawned over him.


He closed the distance between them once again and clasped her hands, letting it rest in between them.


"I have some shocking news for you Miss Gupta."


Her eyes widened and eyebrows went swoosh upwards.


"You're just going to have to get used to it. There's really no other option."


"What?"


He rolled his eyes.


"You're going to be happy for the rest of our life together. No 'universe' can take away your happiness, not if I can help it."


Her eyes moistened, how could this man possibly belong to her? How could this perfectly imperfect man be all hers?


"Shh.. Khushi. You don't have to say anything."


He wrapped his arms about her and tucked her under his chin.


"I love you."


She turned her chin upwards, their eyes met.


"Hamesha."

Love/Hate

"We're all islands shouting lies to each other across seas of misunderstanding."
Rudyard Kipling, The Light That Failed

He smirked.


She blushed.


He did 'badtameez'.


Her eyes widened.


They were lovers, joined by their souls (as the romantics say). They had this aura, a little bubble, about them that everyone wanted to be a part of. It was an over flowing - even overbearing even, for some - love. It was beautiful and pure but at the same time it was suffocating and consuming. Their love was unique but entirely their own. Their own brand of love, if one wishes to call it that.


With this kind of love one would expect them to be acutely aware of every feeling that the other goes through. They were expected to be fully in-synch with each other.


Khushi was, of course, convinced of this romantic notion as she skipped along the corridors of AR in her brightly coloured saree and her head firmly in the clouds.


Arnav-ji had proclaimed to 'Lover her, damn it', after all. How could she simply not swoon at the possessive smouldering of his eyes and the rustic honesty of his voice? Ever since that portentous night her dhak-dhak hadn't seized!


She walked diligently up the staircase that led to his cabin thinking about jelebis and luncheons. Little did she expect the horror that awaited her. She wanted to ask him if he wanted to have lunch together. But everything faded as she took in the scene in front of her.
Arnav-ji holding the hands of Lavanya-ji.


"I love you."


"Oh ASR."


And she leaned in and hugged him. They didn't see her.


She immediately sprinted off, her eyes clouded with tears.


How could Arnav-ji do this to her? After all that they went though. No this time she would not forgive him. Not this time.


She grabbed an auto and went to Bua-ji's house ' no her house. Damned if she was going back to him.


--


Everything was set. The candles, the roses (from his own garden mind you), the soft music ' the perfect romantic set up for a perfectly romantic evening. Simple but elegant- just the way she wanted it.


He couldn't wait for his wife to turn up and the perfect 'O' shape her mouth would become when she saw the arrangements.


Then he heard it - the slight jiggling of the wind chime and felt a slight wind blow past him, he didn't even have to turn around to know it was her.


But there was no surprise on her face. Odd. Not to loose heart, he was sure the dinner and soft music would set the ambiance right.


"Khushi." Her name left his mouth as a gentle caress.


She stared at him and took her seat without acknowledging his greeting.


"Well?"


Curious.


But he took his seat anyway.


"So Khushi, how was your day?"


Her eyes snapped up to his with a searing emotion.


"Fine. Just fine."


Something was definitely wrong.


"Tum teek ho?" His hands immediately reached out to hers but she pulled it away.


"Bilkul."


He tried another tactic. This had to work.


"This pool side has so many memories attached to it don't you think?"


That's right he would remind her of happy things. That would cheer her up from her unusually gloomy disposition.


She stood up. Her nose flared and her eyes flashed. Something had snapped. He could feel it.
"Haan. Many memories. Like the time you almost kissed me and then left me here while you proposed to Lavanya-ji. Many memories indeed Arnav-ji."


He stood up alarmed and all his thought process left him as she began to talk. She talked and talked as she always did. He couldn't breathe.


"Or perhaps you mean the time where you threw me out in the cold. That was a fond day, wasn't it? The night we got married. Better yet, you mean the time when you told me I lured Shyam into falling for me and that I wanted him to lust after me, don't you? Yes very fond memories I have with this pool side."


She said more. She talked of video tapes and shoulder grabbing's, of threats and hurtful words. It was like he was floating above his body witnessing this scene without participating in it. He still couldn't breathe.


What had he done? He was a monster. This girl ' this beautiful, pure girl ' he had broken her. Only he could have done that. Break the unbreakable sprit of a beautiful, beautiful girl.


It felt like a thousand needles were pricking at his heart. No, this wasn't supposed to be how things turned out. Not again. Again someone he loved would leave him, never to return. Panic gripped his heart, but he couldn't move. He was rooted into place by her hammering words. How could he speak up against the wrathful smouldering of her eyes and crude honesty in her voice?
She finally stopped. And took in a long breath. She gave him a look of ' no it couldn't be, it couldn't possibly be hate, could it? Anger he could bear but not hate. That was too much.


"Ku.." He started.


She brought her finger up putting him to silence.


"Bas."


Was all she said. Then she turned away shutting the pool door behind her and then out of his room.


Out of his life? No it couldn't be. She wouldn't leave him, would she?


Genuine fear pulsed through his entire being. He felt cramped, suffocated.


A sharp pain shot through his hand. He slowly let go of the death hold.


The ring fell. It fell and rolled over- round and round till it fell with a splash into the pool. He watched it fall and then he staggered back trying to find his balance.


--


That had felt good. She hadn't even realised how much she wanted to say those things out loud. So much bottled up frustration. She was sure she had forgotten most of it but all the memories had stayed.


That included the good ones as well.


The way he removed the fairy lights off her. The way he blew the dust off her eyes. The way he kissed her on the cheeks. Hamare dhadkan ek ho jathe hai.


Her eyes slightly moistened.


Her phone rang and she took the call mechanically.


"Chamkili, ASR ne propose kiya kya? Did he do it? It was my training. He's so bad at this.. Khushi.. Khushi..? Are you there?"


No it couldn't be, could it?


What had she done?


The phone fell from her hands breaking into two.

Nafrat paas aane na de, mohabath door jaane na de.
Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon?

TC of KG - Chapter Seventeen

"Why is it when you want the ground to swallow you whole, it decides to stop trying?"

6:00 AM, Bed

By 'alone' he doesn't actually mean alone , right? He probably meant 'lets meet alone in a room full of crowded people where I most certainly can't kill you'. Yep that's what he meant.

Oh God, who am I kidding? He's going to find me and then kill me, one way or another.

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

How the hell do I manage to get myself into these situations?

Devi Maiyya, how many more jelabies do you want me to make for you? I'd just like to remind you that I left you a whole box (handmade, BTW) just last week. Care to notice?

I hate my life. Maybe.

7:00 AM, Under the Bed

Where are you? You're late.

Shit.

7:02 AM, Under the Bed

Khushi? What the?

7:10, Under the Bed

Stop being a brat. I assure you I'll find you one way or another.

Not if I can help it.

7:45, College Bus.

After an awkward conversation with amma where I had to explain to her what exactly I was doing under the bed,("No Amma I was just looking for my camera cover for the last half an hour under the bed, not reading po*n. Gosh you should really stop talking to the next door aunty-ji.") I took the college bus like a normal and sane student should.

"Are my eyes deceiving me? Is that actually Khushi?"

"Shut it Priya. If it weren't for you I wouldn't be on Arnav's Most Wanted list."

She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Mature Priya, real mature."

"Calm down Khushi, it's probably not as bad as you think it is. Besides how can you even be sure, he probably just wanted to talk to you about having dinner with Anjalie."

I let out a groan of utter dismay.

"Damn, I totally forgot about that. Which reminds me, I hate you. We can no longer be friends."

"Oh hush, stop being so dramatic."

I rolled my eyes. Dramatically.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who's on a hit list."

"Hit-list? Khushi you really are crazy." She sported her typical Khushi-is-insane-let-me-be-patronizing expression.

"Say's the girl who broke into a house last night. "

"Touche. Technically I just knew their security code. World of difference."

I just gave her a look of pure loathing and buried my head in the seat in front doing what I did best. I whined. Obviously. Nothing a good whine and some hard core over thinking can't cure.

Sigh.

9:30, Political Science.

I love Anil. Period. I swear I am forever indebted to him. WHY can't more guys be like him? Perfect in every single way.

After my over thinking in the bus (whereby I concluded that there are a minimum of 46.5 ways that Arnav could kill me within college campus.) Priya and I innocently walked towards the main building. Minding our own business and avoiding the tennis court by walking on the other side of the pavement.

"Khushi I have to rush to staff room for a bit, you carry on alright?"

"'Kay."

Pray tell me why is she my BBF when she ditches me when I need her the most? The impossibly long list of reasons NOT to have a BFF is getting impossibly longer. Sheesh.

Anywho.

When someone deliberately tries to take the long rout to avoid a certain premises it usually means that that person wants you to leave them alone. It's the norm. But apparently Arnav Singh Raizada wouldn't know a social protocol if it was a tennis racquet and repeatedly hit on his head.

"Stop walking right now and turn around."

That naturally prompted me to walk faster.

"Khushi.. Khushi.. I'm talking to you, damn it don't walk away."

He was following me. Shit. Must find escape route. NOW. Hai Devi Maiyya.

So I disregarded all feelings of self consciousness and broke sprint. Damn if I let him catch me.

I pretty much looked like a cat sprayed with water and running from a murderous dog. Which was actually not that far from the truth. Technically.

Since I was pretty much running blindly I crashed into something, or rather someone. A very nice smelling someone who instantly grabbed me by the shoulder and steadied me.

"Whoa there Simba who's chasing you?"

"Arnav" I replied without thinking.

He let out a bark of laughter which finally prompted me look up and my face lit up with a smile.

"Anil."

"Khushi. Not to be a downer but he's coming your way." Oh God he was still following me. Boy he really did want to kill me.

Anil must have noted my highly panicked facials because he grabbed my hands just as Arnav approached us.

He was looking less than pleased. In fact he looked like he was going to kill both Anil and me because his eyes immediately narrowed when he saw us together.

"Hey ASR, I was just about to show Khushi our trophy case. I mean I haven't even got my daily dose of ego boost yet and I thought who better to give me that than Khushi."

Just as Arnav was about to open his mouth.

"Do you mind having your talk later, thanks bro."

And just like that we stalked off in the opposite direction. Somebody please give this boy an award.

"Where are we going?"

"To see the trophies. I would never lie to ASR. We have a motto you see." A boyish grin lit up his face.

"What's the motto?"

"Nothing. What's the motto with you?"

He laughed again and I found myself smiling at his stupid (cute) joke.

"But I have class in five minutes Anil."

He gave me a mock disapproving look.

"Alright, alright. Later sometime then."

"Sure."

He let go off my hands, gave me a wave and walked away. I let out a dreamy sigh and turned around only to meet cold chocolate eyes. Eyes belonging to one Mr Raizada. Eyes that were smoldering with anger.

I couldn't even breathe as he continued to look down at me. Was it a staring contest, because we didn't even blink.

I gulped and wet my lips because it was getting hot. Really hot.

His eyes wavered for a second and then he turned back. Just like that he walked off.

What the hell just happened?

So no confrontation? Success! Where are pom-poms to cheer when you need one?

1:30 PM, Creative writing.

Lunch was fairly normal with Arnav nowhere in sight. Maybe he didn't want to kill me anymore! Or am I being too optimistic?

4:30 PM, Home

Why did I ever assume things were going normal? Because they just never did.

When I was a child my mom always told me to come home the minute the bell went off. Why didn't I ever listen to her?

Just as my last class ended I still sat in my place waiting for the class to clear out. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath stretching my hands.

And when I opened them I really should have guessed what was coming. Because casually standing against the door was none other than Laad Governor. I stood up.

He turned back; just as I thought he was going to leave he closed the door and firmly bolted it in place. And then turned towards me again.

"Wh.. what are you doing? If someone found us, it's going to look so scandalous."

He smirked.

"I haven't even started on the scandalous bit Khushi."

He took slow measured steps towards me.

"Are you done running?"

"No."

"Too bad because I caught you."

"I will scream bloody murder."

He actually had the audacity to laugh at that.

"That'll probably look more scandalous."

"What do you want?"

"Answers."

"You never give me any, why should I bother?"

He now stood in front of me barely a hair's breadth away, I strained to look up at him.

He pushed me onto the wall behind and placed both his hands on either side of my face. Why hell was he doing this. His face was inches away from mine. Quickly reminding me of something I was really trying to forget.

The deserted road.

I'm giving up. He had said.

I quickly reached in front of me and pushed as hard as I could. Not again.

I barely made any impact.

"Let me go Arnav." I said in a deadly calm voice.

"What are you going to do, hit me?" He was mocking me.

"Please." It was a barely above a whisper.

"Why are you avoiding me?" his voice dropped too.

My down cast eyes immediately snapped to his. They were peering down at me with the oddest emotions in them.

His eyes were still planted on mine as if trying to decode something.

"You're just so damn complicated Gupta."

"Hey there pot, I'm kettle."

His hands around me dropped and he moved away a few steps.

"I'll eventually find out why this was in my house last night. " He retrieved a silver anklet from his pocket.

As a reflex I looked down at my feet. Sure enough one of mine was missing. I reached out to get it from him but he immediately pulled away.

"I think I'll keep them until you tell me what you were doing with my sister."

"Give it back."

He smiled infuriatingly and leaned over kissing me on my left cheek.

"Your nose turns red when you're angry."

"I said give it back."

"Only if you tell me what you were doing in my house."

Stupid, flirting, infuriating Laad Governor.

"Your sister invited me to dinner." I blurted out reaching for my anklet. He held it above his head causing me to strain forward and into (on top of) him. His hands went about my waist as he held me in me in place.

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"Why?"

I reached forward some more, my cheeks coming in contact with the slight stubble on his face. I stood on my tip-toes and tried reaching for it again.

"Ask your sister."

He reached up and grabbed my stretched hand, bringing it to rest between us and putting a semblance of space between us.

"Look at me Khushi."

I (adamantly) continued to look at the anklet.

"Is this about Shyam again? Khushi why can't you just let things go?"

"I would let it go if you told me what he wants from me."

He sighed.

"Shyam's psycho Khushi."

"How would you know?"

He let out a frustrated groan.

"You have to take my word for it."

"How could I ever question your word right? You're like Zeus."

"Would you stop poking your nose if I tell you that Shyam isn't after you?"

"Of course he is."

"He really isn't Khushi. He's not after you or anyone else. He's just a stuck up jock with too much time on his hands."

"Then why do you have such a big problem with him?"

"That's none of your business."

He gave me Try-arguing-with-that look. Damn him.

A smirk lined his face again.

"So you're going to have dinner with me? I mean if you wanted a date Khushi all you had to do was ask."

You.. I.. IDIOT.

"I so don't want a date with you. Your sister invited me and I'm having dinner with her NOT you. Got that?"

"The Nile is not just a river in Egypt Khushi."

"Shut up." Was my oh-so-witty response.

"Stop over thinking Gupta or all your hair is going to fall off your pretty little head."

He ruffled me hair and with that he gave me a cordial wave and walked off. I stood there like Rudolph with mussed up hair.

Devi Maiyya. No jelabies for you this week. Humph.

TC of KG - Chapter Sixteen

"Every unfortunate event does not give rise to lawsuit."

12:30 Midnight, Bed    
   

An exchange of texts between KKG and Priya

You asleep, Khushi?

Nope I'm just playing golf in the middle of a sand storm in Antarctica.

Good you're awake, I have a plan.

Just on a dull note- IT'S 12 'O CLOCK IN THE EFFING NIGHT.

But I'm warning you it's probably illegal in all the countries of the world.

Illegal? What are you on about Priya?

I thought you liked sneaking around?

I have awakened a monster.

How good are you in climbing walls?

What?

It's a good thing Arnav's going to play a match outside.

What? Again.

It's all perfect really. Tell your parents you'll be sleeping over at my place tomorrow.

What? Again. Again.

I'll have the battle strategy ready by morning. Sleep tight.

It's not like as if I exist or anything but seriously, WHAT?

Ta!            

8:00 AM, College Bus.

"So are you going to tell me what we're going to do?" I asked the minute I spotted her sitting in our
usual last seat.

"Patience, my little cub, patience."

I'll show her patience, by chewing her off like a nice little cub.

"Come on Priya, the suspense is killing me."

"Do you trust me?"

16 hours later

12:00 MidNight, Priya's bed.

Never trust Priya. Ever. That girl's singular aim in life is to kill me and/or send me to jail. I mean, does one actually need a friend? We can always do without one, right?

The impossibly long list of reasons why KKG DOES NOT need a BFF.

1. They will get you killed.

2. They will ditch you.

3. They will laugh at your misfortunes.

4. They will leave you in empty hall ways. Alone. When they know you don't like the dark.

5. They will ask you to enjoy yourself while doing all of the above.

The impossibly long list of reasons why KKG DOES need a BFF

1. They will get you important information.

2. They will help you climb walls.

3. They know how to talk to mean bitchy people.

4. They make awesome plans.

5. They make life interesting.

I can't believe I did all that. Someone should seriously just make my life into a movie. 
Seriously. It can be called 'The Dramatic Drama of a Drama Queen'.

I guess I should start at the beginning.

After a regular day of classes, Priya and I met outside the college grounds.

"Did you bring your toothbrush?"

"Yes."

"PJ?"

"Yes."

"Your diary?"

"Yes."

"Last question, how the hell did you fit all that in your bag?"

"Skill." I replied duly, still apprehensive about her- quote unquote- 'Master Plan'.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Priya."

"Chill, What could possibly go wrong?"

Oh, I don't know. We could END UP IN JAIL. No biggie.

I gave a raised eyebrow in response.

"Right, everything. But why fear when Priya's here?"

After many eye rolls and plausible death scenarios, we finally ended up in Priya's house. It was nice and cosy. Big but not too big. Nicely decorated but not too lavish. State of the art and yet traditional.

"Wow, looks like some interior decorator designed this house."

"She did, my sister. She does interior designing."

"Impressive."

After a frantic phone call with my mother assuring her that I was very much in Priya's house and not in a bar drinking my life away, we settled on Priya's bed and chocked out the finer details of the Master Plan.

"See nobody's allowed to see the Target without Arnav's consent. And obviously that's next to impossible."

Yes we now refer to Anjalie as The Target. Priya goes the whole way when it comes to the dramatics.

"So you decided sneaking into their security system is the next best thing?" I fail to see the logic, I really do.

"Yes, to sum it up."

"You're barking mad."

"Look, you want information and I want to have fun. It's a win-win situation. Besides The Raizadas will never press charges on me. They'll probably tell my mom, but never put me in jail."

"Now let me go bring out the cat-suits."

"WHAT?"

"Kidding Khushi. The look on your face. Oh my God."

Time- 9:30 PM
Master Plan- Stage 1: Sneak out of the house.

*Tip Toe Tip toe*

*Crash into pillar* (KKG)

*swearing* (Priya)

*Tip Toe Tip Toe*

*Door goes creek*

*cringe* (KKG)

*swearing* (Priya)

*Tip Toe Tip Toe*

*Jump off the wall and fall into mud* (KKG)

*swearing* (Priya)

Stage 1- Success.

Time- 9:45 PM
Stage 2- Ride Motorcycle to The Raizada House.

Priya- Vroom Vroom, Lets Paarrtyyy. 1000 KMS/HR

KKG-AHHH! I AM GOING TO DIEEE.

Stage 2- Success.

Time- 10:00 PM
Stage 3- Meeting With Anjalie Singh Raizada.

This is where things get complicated. When I first heard Miss Raizada's name, I expected her to
be a certain way. To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. Not only was I surprised, but so was Priya, whose known the Raizada family her entire life.

After our death defying stunt on the motorcycle. Priya and I stood in front of the gates of Shantivan.

"So what now?" I asked sardonically.

"We type in the security code and then it's open sesame."

"Then what?"

"The usual."

At that point I was ready to strangle her. No joke.

"We throw stones at her window."

"Why the hell will she let us in?"

"Gut feeling."

Great I've pretty much risked getting jailed all because of a queasy feeling in the stomach which could very well have been due to the extra samosa we had during dinner. Lovely.

After many pleas of insanity that radiated from Priya, we grabbed half a dozen pebbles from the garden and chucked them towards what we presumed to be Miss Raizada's bedroom.

One. Two.  

"Is she deaf?"

"Last time I checked, no."

Three. Four.

"Does she hibernate?"

"She more of a kitty cat than a bear cub."

Five.

"This isn't working."

Six.

"OUCH. Will you girls quit it? I was having a perfectly nice dream before you interrupted me."

And there she stood in her all-too-expensive night wear and hair braided in a perfect French plait.
Anjalie Singh Raizada.

"Hey there Anj." Priya said, as if this was perfectly normal occurrence.

"Is that you Priya?"

"The one only and of course Khushi."

"Khushi Kumari Gupta?" Anjalie asked, her tone slightly surprised. That's the only proper reaction she has expressed- mild state of surprise. Woopie, how do I always meet the crazy ones?

"Come on up, I'll just open the door. HP is probably snoring his life away." Her light giggle filled the night air.

And so yes after more tip-toeing and nearly clumsy falls we were perched on Anjalie's bed staring awkwardly at each other.

My wandering eyes took in the crutch placed against the wall and slightly widened.

Anjalie must have noted my expression because she immediately said, "I was a little reckless few month ago. But I'm fine now, just a little limp."Her giggle once again filled the room.

After another round of awkward silence, she finally sighed and spoke up.

"Hello Khushi, my brother had a lot to say about you."

My cheeks instantly pinked.

"um.. I assure you I'm not half as bad."

"He didn't do justice actually, you look even more pretty in real."

I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped open in utter shock. Priya gave me a knowing smile and her ever raised eye-brows. Stupid smug best friends are SO yesterday.

"Let's cut to the chase Anj, we're here to know about Shyam and you."

If that caught her off guard, she didn't show it.

"And why would I tell my best friend's baby sister and a total stranger about my personal life?" Okay she wasn't a complete a bimbo.

"Because your personal life aka Shyam and your brother Arnav seems to be very interested in my best friend and that, I'm afraid, really doesn't sit well with me."

At that point I took out my virtual pompoms and started doing a virtual jig. Go Priya, Go Priya, Go Priya.

"So Chotte is bugging you ladies?" She gave an exaggerated eye roll.  "He should really start to get it in that thick skull of his that I'm very much elder to him and can therefore have my own fu*k ups. Okay then girls, go on. I'm in a very revealing mood tonight."

Well that was easy.

She must have noted the Today-is-Christmas look on my face and so immediately amended.

"Not too revealing though."

"Did you and Shyam share a history?" Priya asked tentatively.

"Yes we did."

"Is that why Arnav hates him?" I prodded along.

"More or less."

"You're not being very revealing." I said accusingly.

"Oh but that's because you aren't asking the right questions." She answered off headedly looking at her phone. I was beginning to like her less and less.

"Why does Ar' I mean what does Shyam want with me?"

"How should I know that?"

Priya looked like she was ready to strangle her. Anjalie was cool, too cool. I mean we just barged into her house in the middle of the night and she was acting like as if this was the most normal thing in the world.

"Look Anjalie, this Shyam guy is creeping us out. If you aren't going to tell us anything, then fine.
We'll ask the man himself."

We got up.

The change in her demeanor was instantaneous. Ha bitch take that!

"Wait."

And cue half smirk half smile.

"We're waiting." I said, giving her a perfectly raised eyebrow.

"I'll make you girls a deal. I will tell you my story.. if.."

The ever intimidating 'if'. God I hated it.

".. if Khushi promises to have dinner with Arnav and I tomorrow."

"Done." Priya answered for me.

What the eff? That's all I had to do? Have dinner with them? Well that was easy. Again. I like it when things go my way.

She gave a satisfied nod.

"My brother likes to think I am a perfect angel."

Okay?

"Well I am not."

Okay? Okay?

"Err.. That's all nice Anjalie.. But.." Priya started, with a 'I-Think-She's-Loopy' expression firmly in place.

"I am not finished.. I thought you girls wanted to know about Shyam?"

Beggars can't really be choosers. So we sat down, albeit a little gingerly.

"Right so. About six months ago, I was really into adventure sports. Rock climbing, sky diving, bunging jumping.."

Bet Mr I-will-keep-everyone-safe-'cause-I-own-the-damn-word had a problem with that.

"..That's where I met Shyam. Tall, handsome and adventurous. It was the perfect fairy tale. Arnav.. Arnav he never really understood why I did what I did. Shyam was the only one who did and he became my instant muse. We spent every waking minute together. Climbing mountains or chilling in the bar, he was the only companion I had. We were never really romantically involved. But one night we had few too many drinks and with raging hormones, you can guess what happened. In any case his fiancee found us and well then things went out of control."

Priya and I audibly gasped. Fiancee?

"He cheated on his fiancee? Did you know?" I probed.

"The thing is, I never bothered asking him about his personal life and he didn't either. So I wasn't really affected by that news. But all actions have consequences however unknowing they may be. Shyam and I got in his bike to try and stop her but then well we were both drunk and we ended up crashing.. well that explains my broken leg.."

And I thought my life was dramatic. It isn't even in the same zip code as dramatic compared to Anjali's.

"Now.. Arnav.. Arnav was convinced it was a planned sabotage. Being the nosy person he is decided to make it his mission to probe into Shyam's life, which I never did."

"Then?" I asked with waited breathe.

"Then you have to ask him. His problem with Shyam is none of my concern. You know how guys are. For all I know it could be due to the silly game they play."

So yes that was it. That was the great 'Master Plan'. Psh. Where's a movie camera when you need one?

This time walked out of the front door. Thank God. I was already bruising on my elbow from all the innumerable falls.

So now I sit on Priya's bed trying to gather my racing thoughts. And then this text message came.

We need to talk. Alone.

Shit. He's going to kill me. 

CHAPTER 17

INDEX