Khushi finally woke up from a very uncomfortable sleep when she heard a knock on the door. She rubbed her swollen eyes and looked around.
Suddenly she realized where she was and flashes of the incident that happened a few hours back dawned to her.
She shut her eyes tightly to stop the flashes but they only increased. Her eyes started to tear again and she could still feel his lips on hers , his essence lingering around...
Brutally stolen from her was The Kiss - Her First Kiss - Which was nowhere near how she had imagined it to be. Being an ardent reader of romance novels, she had always wished to save her first kiss for the person she fell in love with...
Only if wishes were supposed to be true!
As she shook her head and tried to clear her head, her mind finally registered the vigorous knocks on her door along with her mother's loud shouting from the other side.
'Khushi! Bitiya! Are you asleep? Why is the door closed? Open the door! Khushi!' Garima sounded worried.
Khushi hastily got up , rubbed her eyes and brushed her fingers through her hair to look presentable.
She wanted to speak to her mother about the recent happening, but not at the moment. She wanted to throw it out of her mind...and not think of it ! Maybe she would speak about it to her parents eventually. But now was definitely not the time.
Only If Jiji was here.
Khushi took a deep breath before finally unlocking the door.
"Bitiya , why weren't you opening the door? I was so worried?" Garima exclaimed as soon as the door opened.
Khushi faked a yawn before smiling forcefully.
'Arre mumma ! You get worried so easily. I was just sleepy and you weren't home , so I dosed off! Chalo now, I am hungry...Let's have lunch' Khushi smartly changed the topic and pulled her mother to the kitchen.
Garima was somewhat suspicious but then got distracted by Khushi's nonstop chatter...
The day passes, and Khushi tried to forget about the Kiss busying herself in the kitchen with her mother. She talked with her father and tried involving herself in anything and everything she could. She attempted to behave as normal as possible, but only she knew how difficult it was to erase certain things from her mind.
xxx
Just one floor above, at apartment 307, From the moment NK had spoken to Arnav about Khushi, and he had stormed into the bedroom, he still hadn't come out.
Arnav Singh Raizada had locked himself in his room. Even after the continuous request from his cousin NK, who asked him to come out and speak, he didn't open the door.
NK, who right now was sitting in the living room was surprised to say at least.
But why was he surprised??
The reason was simple! Arnav Singh Raizada was not drinking tonight!
Now how come did NK have this knowledge?
Well, from the day Arnav Singh Raizada had shifted to NK's flat, his evening and nights were always indulged in drinking, and the only reason he did that was to get some alcohol induced sleep because otherwise, a normal sleep was never so kind to be a part of his life.
And this drinking had always taken place here, right in this living room! Arnav sat on that particular green couch, right in the center of the room and the liquor bottles were kept on the class table in front. And after hours of drinking, he would finally get to do the thing that was the only way to shut himself from every other thing in the world - he would sleep like the dead.
NK from the past 3 months had been having night duties, but early in the morning when he came home, the scene of a sleeping Arnav Singh Raizada on the couch with glass and liquor bottles around him welcomed him. On weekend NK would himself get to see his brother's supposed daily chore.
And not a single day had passed when Arnav had broken this ritual.
Thus he very well knew the routine of his enigma of a cousin. He also knew that there was no liquor in the bedroom as Arnav always stored the bottles in the little cabinet in the kitchen and nowhere else.
So today, at 3am in the morning when there was no sign of his cousin, he had now began to worry. He even checked the liquor cabinet only to find that it was full which meant Arnav definitely had no alcohol with him tonight.
So if not drinking or sleeping what was he doing there in the room??
Today NK had been late. He as usual was supposed to come home early in the morning, but after his duty, he had gone to one of his colleague's house to collect some important documents. Exhaustion taking over, he had decided to rest there for some time at his friend's advice. He had woken up early in the afternoon and come home only to see Khushi running away from his apartment, and then we all know what followed.
NK sighed.
There was no point in waiting now. Maybe he would have to talk to Arnav only in the morning and yes, not to forget to Khushi too. He had been so busy with his cousin the entire evening that he had completely forgotten about her. But now that he remembered , he definitely had to talk to Khushi because Nikhil Kapoor was not so dumb not to understand that this sudden change in his cousin's behavior involved his friend-cum-sister.
NK laid on the couch and instantly fell asleep.
xxx
Arnav had not slept a wink that night. He had laid on the bed all night thinking of the grave mistake he had committed and had decided to make amends...by apologizing to the person he had wronged...because no matter what people thought he was , Arnav Singh Raizada was not an Animal.
Did he expect to be forgiven?
No! Absolutely Not!
~~~
3 Hours later, Arnav was found in his black track suit, tying his sneakers at the doorstep of the house by a visibly flabbergasted Nikhil Kapoor.
NK looked at his cousin, and then at the clock.
6 am in the morning...
'Arnav Bro! Are you...what are you...what is...' NK wasn't even able to form a coherent sentence. Half due to his still-sleepy state and half due to the shock.
'Erm...NK, I need some fresh air, so thought of going for a jog...didn't mean to wake you up..' Arnav said as he continued tying the laces.
NK felt as if he was imagining things. He pinched himself to confirm that it was indeed his cousin who was ready and was going out for a jog.
In the 3 months that Arnav had lived here, he never for once had stepped out of the house. Never even had he been to the balcony. Seriously never! He had stopped meeting people completely living in his own suffocating shell.
NK had asked him to go out of the house, in the fresh air several times, but he never relented...
Then how was it happening today?
NK came out of his reveries when he heard the door open, but before Arnav could step out , he said -
Bro wait, I'll also come for a jog. Just give me 2 minutes, I'll change and come.'
And before Arnav could retort, NK ran into his bedroom to get changes leaving Arnav no other option than to wait.
~ ~ ~
After a n our and half, Arnav and NK sat panting on one of the benches of the jogger's park which was right in front of the building where they lived.
As their breathing got under control, they sat in companionable silence watching the few people in the park walking , jogging , exercising ect..
Arnav inhaled the fresh cool early morning air...It was very soothing and refreshing. It had been ages since Arnav had stepped out of the four walls of the house and now that he was finally out, he couldn't help but feel somehow at peace after a very long time.
Suddenly something popped into Arnav's mind.
He turned towards NK who was leaning back with his palms flat on the bench and eyes closed.
'NK, you didn't go to office last evening ?' Arnav asked.
NK opened his eyes and sat up straight...
'Arnav, I...actually , yesterday...erm...you locked yourself up in the room and I was worried, so I decided to stay home.' Nk said, the concern for his cousin clear in his eyes.
Arnav sighed.
'NK , i...you didn't have to...i'm fine...its just...leave it!' Arnav shrugged and stood up.
NK was about to probe Arnav further to tell him the matter when his phone rang.
'Arnav I'll just take this call , you walk home , I'll come in a few minutes' NK said as he answered the call.
Arnav nodded and started walking towards their building..
xxx
Khushi couldn't sleep last night. All she did was twist and turn in her bed...
There were several questions in her mind.
Who was that person?
What was he doing at NK Bhai's apartment?
And the most important one -
Why did he kiss her when she didn't even know him ?
And In wee hours of the morning had slept for just about an hour.
Now as she woke up, and found the house silent, she understood her parents were still asleep.
And thus she decided to go for a walk in the park below...maybe it would help her clear her mind.
10 minutes later , she was absolutely ready in her blue T-shirt and white trackpants. Her earphones connected to the i-pod as she put them in her ears.
She kept a note on the table so that her parents don't get worried if they wake, and left the house.
- - -
Khushi was furiously shuffling through her playlist as she walked down the stairs and failed to notice the person in front of her and right then she bumped into that Hard figure.
She was about to fall , but a pair of utterly masculine hands held her waist and prevented the fall.
Expecting to hit the ground , her eyes had scrunched up in fear and her breathing was heavy.
After a few seconds she realized she was safe and slowly opened her eyes to thank the person who saved her, and then she saw him and it was his hand on her waist as he was the person who saved her.
To her horror , his face was extremely close to hers and his eyes were looking directly into wide ones.
Fear gripping her like wildfire, she immediately straightened herself and pushed him away.
She looked here and there and found the place to be empty...yet again.
This was time - Arnav decided. To talk to her. To apologize for his mistake.
He took a step towards her only to see her eyes grow wide as she stepped back.
Was she scared that he would do the same thing again?
Probably !
His answer was clear when he saw her furiously looking around...maybe looking for something or someone to save her.
Arnav stopped. He knew stepping towards her would scare her even more. So he decided to talk.
I..i'm..listed...Khu...'
But he couldn't complete because just as he was about to speak , the girl in question turned and dashed up the stairs and yet again he was left gaping at her running figure.
He could have easily ran behind her and would have stopped her in no time, but he didn't because he didn't have the courage to look into those eyes again which screamed of fear and loathing for him...
Well today was a day of yet agains'...
As yet again , NK had witnessed the scenes from a few stairs below...and now all he knew was that he had to know what was up with his cousin and Khushi , so he did what he had to.
He marched towards his cousin who was still looking lost , held him from his elbow tightly and almost dragging him up the stairs , he all but pushed him inside the apartment.
Once they were inside , NK turned to him and asked with all authority.
'Arnav what was that?? And don't you dare lie or turn your bloody back to me this time, because I have witnessed the entire scene below.' NK's usual jovial voice had turned stern and clipped and he was determined not to let his cousin escape this time.
----------
Hello People !
First of all A BIG SORRY for the delay. I was suffering from Viral fever and had no energy or time to write. And after recovering , all my time was spent in completing my assignments.....
I tried to make this chapter as good as possible but am really anxious about the response it'll get .
Also follow me on twitter for updates :)
Zoobie_doobie
