CHAPTER 03(A): “Dhak-Dhak! Dhak-Dhak!”
It was one hectic day. The official ritual preparations had now officially started and Garima was running around here and there trying to control everything. It was 3 full day’s before the Gupta’s arrival to Delhi and they were finding it hard to manage.
Garima: “How are we going to manage all of this? I mean so much work and so little time” She said anxiously.
Suraj: “Don’t worry, just calm down. Let Khushi come home and she will assist you”
Khushi: “I’m homeee!” She jumped into the house with excitement but stopped seeing that her house was a tip “What is going on? Why is the house such a mess?”
Garima: “Your wedding preparations, na?”
One sentence. 3 words. And her mood had officially turned around.
Khushi: “Don’t remind me” She spoke coldly.
Garima: “Khushi are you not happy with this marriage?” She said hesitantly.
Khushi: “Mumma, it’s not that I’m not happy. It’s just that...you know...I’m going to marry someone who I’ve never met or spoken to! And on top of this my friends won’t even be able to attend my wedding! I mean it’s all the way in Delhi!”
Suraj: “Beta, don’t worry so much. We will arrive in Delhi a week earlier so you have plenty of time to get to know each other. Here, take his number? Speak to him. Will that make you feel better?” patting her head softly.
Garima: “No, no, no. Khushi can’t ring first, she’s the girl!”
Suraj: “Fine, how about I text Arnav, I mean if I send him Khushi’s number; he may choose to ring her?” He laughed
Garima: “Hmm that sounds better! Happy Khushi?” Khushi fake smiled in return. She was wondering why all this was needed? I mean couldn’t he take the first step instead?
.....................
AR OFFICE
Those eyes, Oh! How her eyes shined, the light brown of the winter trees at twilight. Her eyes reflected the innermost spark of brilliance. It was as if he could see the gears of her mind turning to reveal pure elation and that moment changes every time he looks into them. Every moment he gazes at them, they tell a different story than the last time. Her eyes told him her story in bits and pieces with what words cannot always succeed in communicating. Her eyes captivated his heart leaving him wondering how that is possible...
Arnav: “What am I thinking? Oh I just can’t concentrate. What is happening to me?” His thoughts were interrupted by a beep on his phone. He picked it up to check whose text it was. He was elated to see he had been sent Khushi’s number.
Arnav: “Shall I ring her or not? Why not? I mean we’re going to get married! No no no, what am I saying? I’m in office...” He just couldn’t concentrate on any work, so he picked up his bag and blazer and headed off home. He needed some peace of mind...
..........................
RAIZADA MANSION
Dadi: “Manorama, you order the sweets. Anjali, you and Maya go shopping. Payal and Akash you both speak to the caterers. Everything needs to be perfect and we haven’t got much time left” She said worryingly.
Arnav: “What’s happening Dadi? Wedding Preparations? Already?” He said as he was walking into the house.
Dadi: “Arnav Beta? Oh I can’t believe I forgot to tell you! The wedding is in 14 days. Actually there isn’t another auspicious date until next year. The Gupta’s shall be arriving in Delhi in 3 days... No problem, na?” She asked hesitantly. She was just hoping for the best. Arnav had nothing to say, he simply left for his room. Dadi took his silence as an agreement and smiled.
***
As soon as Arnav entered him room, his face broke out in a smile. His heart gleamed with joy thinking about how his life was going to change in the next 14 days.
Arnav: “Shall I call her now? But what do I say? I mean, what if she asks why I rang? Why is this so difficult?”
-------------
02 DAYS LATER
It is now one day before the Gupta’s leave for Delhi, and both houses were very much suffocating. Preparation was now in full swing and everyone was just praying it went well...
Meanwhile, in Arnav’s room; he still couldn’t figure out what to say to Khushi when he would ring her. That has been the only thing on his mind since he received that text. Who would have thought the great Arnav Singh Raizada would be at a loss for words?
Dadi: “Arnav...Arnav, where are you?” She said as she walked into his room. “Your here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you”
Arnav: “Well you haven’t been looking very hard, Dadi”
Dadi: “Don’t act smart” She laughed. “I need you to call the Gupta’s. Ask them how many people are coming and if they’ve made any travelling arrangements. After that, make the hotel bookings” With that she exited the room without giving a chance for Arnav to deny.
Arnav: “I’ll ring Khushi. Yaa, this way I will have something to talk about?” He then stops dialing her number. “But I don’t want our first conversation to be formal; I mean what if she feels bad? No, I’ll ring her dad instead” With that he rang Suraj...
..................
GUPTA HAVELI
Khushi (In Thoughts): “It’s been two days. Two full days and he haven’t even ringed me. I definitely will not ring him. I mean why should I bother? He’s the boy! He obviously doesn’t want to speak!” She said to herself in anger as she washed the dishes in the kitchen...
(LIVING ROOM)
Suraj (On Call): “Oh Arnav Beta. How are you? Hold up I’ll just give the phone to Khushi” with that he walked to the kitchen and handed Khushi the phone. “A call for you...”
Khushi picked up the phone and put it to her ears: “Hello? Urm... Hellooo?” She was repeatedly saying hello when she heard the phone get disconnected. Arnav cut the phone in nervousness and had no courage to ring her again...
Khushi: “Papa, who was it? The call got disconnected”
Suraj had a cheeky smile on his face and said “Arnav”. Immediately a blush rose up on her face and she ran to her room with the phone. She sat on the floor and hesitantly redialed his number. Arnav picked up on the first ring and Khushi heard him scream at someone, which made her jump.
Arnav (to HP): “Out. I’m on an important call!” His husky like voice made her heart beat faster. She could simply hear nothing but her ‘Dhak-Dhak!’
She was elated hearing his sentence. She was glad he was giving her so much importance. She was surprised at the rate of her heartbeat so she held the phone to her chest. He could very clearly make it out that it was her heartbeat.
She then realizes that he is still on the phone, so she brought the phone to her ear again. He could hear the movement of her bangles and the sound brought music to his ears.
Khushi (In Thoughts): “Why is he not talking?”
Arnav (In Thoughts): “What do I say? Think Arnav, Think!”
She could in return hear his deep breaths and the rhythm of his heart. She could easily figure out that he was just as nervous as her, which made her relax.
Arnav was just about to start the conversation when he hears a voice in the background.
Ruhi: “Di, Di...”
It was one hectic day. The official ritual preparations had now officially started and Garima was running around here and there trying to control everything. It was 3 full day’s before the Gupta’s arrival to Delhi and they were finding it hard to manage.
Garima: “How are we going to manage all of this? I mean so much work and so little time” She said anxiously.
Suraj: “Don’t worry, just calm down. Let Khushi come home and she will assist you”
Khushi: “I’m homeee!” She jumped into the house with excitement but stopped seeing that her house was a tip “What is going on? Why is the house such a mess?”
Garima: “Your wedding preparations, na?”
One sentence. 3 words. And her mood had officially turned around.
Khushi: “Don’t remind me” She spoke coldly.
Garima: “Khushi are you not happy with this marriage?” She said hesitantly.
Khushi: “Mumma, it’s not that I’m not happy. It’s just that...you know...I’m going to marry someone who I’ve never met or spoken to! And on top of this my friends won’t even be able to attend my wedding! I mean it’s all the way in Delhi!”
Suraj: “Beta, don’t worry so much. We will arrive in Delhi a week earlier so you have plenty of time to get to know each other. Here, take his number? Speak to him. Will that make you feel better?” patting her head softly.
Garima: “No, no, no. Khushi can’t ring first, she’s the girl!”
Suraj: “Fine, how about I text Arnav, I mean if I send him Khushi’s number; he may choose to ring her?” He laughed
Garima: “Hmm that sounds better! Happy Khushi?” Khushi fake smiled in return. She was wondering why all this was needed? I mean couldn’t he take the first step instead?
.....................
AR OFFICE
Those eyes, Oh! How her eyes shined, the light brown of the winter trees at twilight. Her eyes reflected the innermost spark of brilliance. It was as if he could see the gears of her mind turning to reveal pure elation and that moment changes every time he looks into them. Every moment he gazes at them, they tell a different story than the last time. Her eyes told him her story in bits and pieces with what words cannot always succeed in communicating. Her eyes captivated his heart leaving him wondering how that is possible...
Arnav: “What am I thinking? Oh I just can’t concentrate. What is happening to me?” His thoughts were interrupted by a beep on his phone. He picked it up to check whose text it was. He was elated to see he had been sent Khushi’s number.
Arnav: “Shall I ring her or not? Why not? I mean we’re going to get married! No no no, what am I saying? I’m in office...” He just couldn’t concentrate on any work, so he picked up his bag and blazer and headed off home. He needed some peace of mind...
..........................
RAIZADA MANSION
Dadi: “Manorama, you order the sweets. Anjali, you and Maya go shopping. Payal and Akash you both speak to the caterers. Everything needs to be perfect and we haven’t got much time left” She said worryingly.
Arnav: “What’s happening Dadi? Wedding Preparations? Already?” He said as he was walking into the house.
Dadi: “Arnav Beta? Oh I can’t believe I forgot to tell you! The wedding is in 14 days. Actually there isn’t another auspicious date until next year. The Gupta’s shall be arriving in Delhi in 3 days... No problem, na?” She asked hesitantly. She was just hoping for the best. Arnav had nothing to say, he simply left for his room. Dadi took his silence as an agreement and smiled.
***
As soon as Arnav entered him room, his face broke out in a smile. His heart gleamed with joy thinking about how his life was going to change in the next 14 days.
Arnav: “Shall I call her now? But what do I say? I mean, what if she asks why I rang? Why is this so difficult?”
-------------
02 DAYS LATER
It is now one day before the Gupta’s leave for Delhi, and both houses were very much suffocating. Preparation was now in full swing and everyone was just praying it went well...
Meanwhile, in Arnav’s room; he still couldn’t figure out what to say to Khushi when he would ring her. That has been the only thing on his mind since he received that text. Who would have thought the great Arnav Singh Raizada would be at a loss for words?
Dadi: “Arnav...Arnav, where are you?” She said as she walked into his room. “Your here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you”
Arnav: “Well you haven’t been looking very hard, Dadi”
Dadi: “Don’t act smart” She laughed. “I need you to call the Gupta’s. Ask them how many people are coming and if they’ve made any travelling arrangements. After that, make the hotel bookings” With that she exited the room without giving a chance for Arnav to deny.
Arnav: “I’ll ring Khushi. Yaa, this way I will have something to talk about?” He then stops dialing her number. “But I don’t want our first conversation to be formal; I mean what if she feels bad? No, I’ll ring her dad instead” With that he rang Suraj...
..................
GUPTA HAVELI
Khushi (In Thoughts): “It’s been two days. Two full days and he haven’t even ringed me. I definitely will not ring him. I mean why should I bother? He’s the boy! He obviously doesn’t want to speak!” She said to herself in anger as she washed the dishes in the kitchen...
(LIVING ROOM)
Suraj (On Call): “Oh Arnav Beta. How are you? Hold up I’ll just give the phone to Khushi” with that he walked to the kitchen and handed Khushi the phone. “A call for you...”
Khushi picked up the phone and put it to her ears: “Hello? Urm... Hellooo?” She was repeatedly saying hello when she heard the phone get disconnected. Arnav cut the phone in nervousness and had no courage to ring her again...
Khushi: “Papa, who was it? The call got disconnected”
Suraj had a cheeky smile on his face and said “Arnav”. Immediately a blush rose up on her face and she ran to her room with the phone. She sat on the floor and hesitantly redialed his number. Arnav picked up on the first ring and Khushi heard him scream at someone, which made her jump.
Arnav (to HP): “Out. I’m on an important call!” His husky like voice made her heart beat faster. She could simply hear nothing but her ‘Dhak-Dhak!’
She was elated hearing his sentence. She was glad he was giving her so much importance. She was surprised at the rate of her heartbeat so she held the phone to her chest. He could very clearly make it out that it was her heartbeat.
She then realizes that he is still on the phone, so she brought the phone to her ear again. He could hear the movement of her bangles and the sound brought music to his ears.
Khushi (In Thoughts): “Why is he not talking?”
Arnav (In Thoughts): “What do I say? Think Arnav, Think!”
She could in return hear his deep breaths and the rhythm of his heart. She could easily figure out that he was just as nervous as her, which made her relax.
Arnav was just about to start the conversation when he hears a voice in the background.
Ruhi: “Di, Di...”
Khushi is waiting 4 arnav's call.Arnav wants 2 call her,but he is shy n nervous.Finally Arshi on phone.But Arnav is too nervous 2 speak.now he gathered strength 2 talk,but ruhi called khushi.wil Arshi b able 2 talk?
ReplyDeleteOMG 😱 how will they get married if they both don’t speak 😅
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
ReplyDelete