ARSHI FF: Meant to Be...

CHAPTER 14: Tera Intezaar Hai...

“Phir kahin dil ne mehsoos kiya tha
Ik dafa phir se zinda ye huaa tha
Nazar jo aaya tu toh jeena aaya
Nazar se phir kyun tu gum ho gaya
Pal mein hi…”
                                               - Interzaar by Arijit Singh










RAIZADA VILLA, MORNING - 06:30 A.M







Khushi whines loudly feeling something jumping on their bed: "Arnie, get the stupid Cat off the bed." she says, blindly hitting his husband's shoulder.





The three years old exclaimed: "I no cat, I Hiya." belly flopping in between her parents. 






Arnav sleepily mumbles: "It's too early baby." stuffing his face in his pillow to sleep.

Hiya whines pouting: "But zoo..." 






Khushi somehow manages to give an answer: "Okay let's sleep for a little while and then we'll get ready." and then herself went back to sleeping.

Being the cute baby Hiya is, replies: "Otay.” lying limp between her parents where she had flopped down. When they had gone back to sleep Hiya sat playing with the blanket and after a while, she gently slides off the tall bed, stumbling a little when she gets on the ground. She waddles out going to her room and quickly went to the drawers taking out her giraffe onesie, "I got to see g’raffe today." muttering to herself excitingly.







Hiya walks back to her parent's room after an hour of playing in her room with her dolls, to see that they’re awake: "Zoo!" exclaims loudly making Arnav chuckle.

He says: "Let's make breakfast and we'll get your outfit together." getting out the bed to pick her up walking out of the room.






Khushi called out: "Don't burn anything!" 







Arnav shouts back playfully: "No promises!" already half way down the steps.








................









03 HOURS LATER






Khushi asks: "How long do you think she was up?" looking back at the three-year-old sleeping heavily.






Arnav: "Probably long, we've only been on a road for an hour, maybe she couldn't sleep because of the excitement?" laughing a little.






She smiles: "Probably Hiya woke us up at 6:30 I hope she has fun. And she looks damn adorable in that giraffe onsie, I just want to cuddle my cute baby." 

HIYA'S OUTFIT

He too smiles back saying: "Same” as they reach, he drives to parking lot to park the car.






Khushi unbuckles her seat-belt getting out the car: "And it's a nice day out too!" exclaimed, opening the back door to get Hiya.






Arnav comes around watching his wife pick up the sleeping three-year-old: "I can't wait to see the look on her face."






She grins too, following behind him as they walk up the entrance and soon, they get their wrist bands. Then Khushi shook Hiya gently: "Baby wake up, were at the zoo..." making the sleeping baby whine loudly. 






Arnav moves Hiya's hood out the way poking her cheek: "If you don't wake up, you won't be able to see the giraffes."





Hiya lifts her head up slightly: "’Raffes?" 






He replied smiling fondly: "Yeah kiddo, were at the zoo."






She blinked slightly disoriented frowning looking around questioned: "Zoo?" he sets her down watching her look around properly blinking a couple times before exclaiming, "Zoo!" pointing to the statue of the elephant in the middle of the whole park bouncing happily, "Yay!” which made them smile. 






Arnav asks: "What animal do you want to see first?" grabbing a map.






Hiya says: "G’raffie Dadda..." pulling at Arnav's black jeans. 






Khushi: "Okay let's go see the giraffes first." as Hiya grabs her hand excitingly.








It took about ten minutes for them to find the habitat; surprisingly there weren't a lot of people inside. Hiya exclaims: "G’raffies!" rushing over to the large fence separating her and the giraffes on the other side munching leaves from a tall tree or roaming around in their designated space.







Arnav crouches behind her: "Look there's one coming now." pointing to one walking over.






She backs away into Arnav's chest commenting: "Big."






He tells her: "That's okay, look he won't touch you." 






Hiya puts her hand on the wire fence unsure: "Weally?" 






He reassures her: "Yeah, that would be dangerous if he did." 






Believing her Dadda’s words she gets closer says: "I wan pet g’raffie..." waving at the giraffes walking around. 






Amused by his daughter’s proclamation, he replies: "That's costs a lot of money Hiya."






She questions back: "A lot?"






Khushi replies this time: "Oh yeah" snapping pictures. 






The curious toddler questions back: "Like million?" 






Arnav replies with mock seriousness: "More than that." 






Hiya gasps: "I need money so I buy g’raffie..." looking back them.






Arnav says chuckling: "Good luck with that." earning a smack in the arm by his beloved wife.







Khushi asks: "What do you want to see next Hiya?" 






She says clapping: "Monkeys" 







Arnav says: "Alright let's go find some monkeys." picking her up, "Can you say bye to the giraffes?"





Hiya waves cheerily: "Bye ‘Raffies, we come back?" looking back at her father.






He replies: "Before we leave, we'll see them again." as they started heading towards monkey habitat. 






The happy toddler cheers: "Yay!" throwing her arms up in air and showing off her little teethes.







..............








Hiya says: "Mommy I wan pet bears!" as they sit down on the bench for a break. 






Khushi questions: "Okay so you want a lion, a monkey, a parrot, elephant, giraffe, a panda and a bear?" raising a brow at her daughter.






Hiya thinks for a while: "Yesh" 






She amused asks next: "Where are they going to stay?" 






Hiya replied nodding: "In ma woom.”






Arnav wrinkles his nose to laugh: "That's a lot of pets." said from the other side where he was sitting on the bench with their daughter between them.

Hiya smiles proudly: "We make zoo!"






Arnav ruffles her curly dark hair: "Maybe one day kiddo." tickling her sides. 







Khushi smiles fondly at them: "Oh look, isn’t that Epsitha ma’am and Kunal sir along with their daughter." catching their eyes too and waved at the family to come over. Hiya turns her head slightly watching them come over and quickly hides her face in Arnav’s chest as they stood up to greet the other family coming towards them.







Coming over, Epsitha speak: "We didn’t know you guys are also going to be here today.” gave Khushi a hug. 







Kia, five-year-old daughter of Epsitha and Kunal, greeted: "Hi Arnie uncle, hi Khushi auntie.” waving cheerfully.







Arnav says: "Hi cutie pie, I like your onesie." smiling at Kia's rabbit onesie. 







Kia smiled happily at the compliment: "Thank you; we saw lions, tigers, bears, birds and rabbits."







Kunal says: "Oh my..." chuckling he smiles at the small girl in Arnav chest, "Aw is this Hiya?" he coos.








Arnav nods: "She's shy at the moment..." says rubbing the toddler’s back to calmly, "Hiya baby can you say hello..." 







The small girl turns to look at them: "Hi.” says quietly. 







Epsitha  asks: "She's so cute! I realize I never asked that how old is she?" 







Khushi replies: "She's three almost.” brushing hair out of Hiya’s eyes.








Nodding Epsitha comments: "She’s cute, I remember when Kia was three and so small. Anyways, Kia baby can you say hi to Hiya."







Kia being the good girl: "Hi Hiya! I Kia." waving enthusiastically. 






Hiya peeps from her father's arms and waves a little staring at her onesie: "You rabbit.” and then wiggles to get down. So puts her down, making her stand in front of Kia.

KIA'S OUTFIT

Kia says back grinning: "You Giraffe." 








Kunal almost gushing over the interaction between the two toddlers: "Aw they're so cute." 






Epsitha asks: "We were going to get something to eat, you want to join us?" fixing Kia's hair.






Khushi replies: "Sure." picking up their bag and camera from the bench. 







Arnav looks down at Hiya, asks: "You are hungry baby?" and receives a nod in answer as she clutches his jeans in her chubby hands, "You want to walk or want me to carry you?"






She seems to consider and then reply cutely: "Wanna walk..." pointing to Kia indicating that she wants to walk with the other little girl. Seeing that Kia happily took hold of the little girl's hand and then both girls were skipping in front their parents giggling.





Smiling at his gigging cute daughter Arnav felt his wife to stand beside him and puts an arm around her, bending to kiss her on those smiling lips. Khushi smiled in the kiss but quickly pulled back, then they both  followed after their friends and kid along the food court.

ARNAV-KHUSHI'S OUTFIT (THOUGH IMAGINE HER HAIR IN A DUTCH BRAID INSTEAD OF OPEN)

 Catching up and reaching the food court, Arnav said to his daughter: "You stay with Mummy while I get the food? And what do you want to eat?"






Hiya nods as Arnav help her sit on the  chair next to Khushi and she immediately leaned over to her Mum replies thinking over: "Wan eat mac n' cheese" so with that Arnav went off with Kunal to get food while the ladies sat with the kids chatting.






Hiya staring at Kia who stared back seriously asked: "You like cheese?"






Kia nodded back: "Love cheese!" then asks her question, "You like my Little Pony?" 







Hiya nods: "Ahuh" 







Kia: "My favorite is Rainbow Dash, what yours?" 







Hiya answered smiling: "Fluttershy ‘cause she likes animals like me." 






Kia’s next question: "You like pizza?" 







Hiya excitedly exclaims: “Peppawoni!” 






Kia brightened up: "I like peppawoni too!" 







Listening to the two kids interact, Khushi smiles at the two: "I think they're best-friends already." she says to Epsitha who nods agreeing with her.

.............










LATER AT EVENING 








Overall Hiya had a lot of fun, Kia asked if they could be best-friends and she said yes, happy to have more friends here other than her brothers in India. They were going to be friends forever and ever.







Arnav says: “You okay baby…?" glancing back at the quite three-year-old in her car seat in the rare-view mirror. 






Hiya replies: "Sweepy." rubbing her eyes.






Khushi tells her: "We'll be home soon baby, don't worry and why don’t you take a little nap?" smiling at cute daughter.







Hiya scratched her nose thinks for a while before nodding: "Otay..." laying her head back, "Wuv you Mumma and Dadda.” rubbing her tired eyes again and with a smile fell asleep while her parents smiled at her too.









Khushi looks back at her husband and says: “She had so much fun today Arnav, am glad that we met Kunal sir and Epsitha ma’am in the zoo… Hiya gets new playmate in India though I know Ryan and Zayn don’t mind playing with her, it’s nice she made a new friend here.” 






Arnav nodded in agreement: “Yeah Mahi, it is nice that she has someone to play with, maybe we should arrange a play-date soon for the kids… would be nice for them, what say?” 








She smiles at the suggestion: “That would be nice.” and she turns the radio on in low volume as to not to disturb her daughter, looking out the window as they drove in silence. After a while Khushi turns to look at her husband to note the pensive look on his face as he had eyes on the road but his mind seems miles away. Curiously she asked, “Penny for your thoughts?”

He seemed to come out of clouds and shook his head replying: “Nothing Mahi, just some random thoughts.” avoiding to look at her as he resolutely kept his eyes on the road.







Khushi looked at him few moments than said: “Really, that’s all you have to say… I thought you knew I know you better than that. Come on tell me, what’s on your mind?”







Resigning to himself as he knew better when he can’t escape his wife and answered: “I was remembering the first time I met you, Mahiya.”







She had knowing expression: “Ah I see, I remember our first meeting too, you were… you were…” like not didn’t know if she should say it.







He said out anyways: “I was very rude to you… extremely rude.”







Looking at him she says: “Arnav baby rude is putting it mildly, you were terrible to me… totally extremely terrible.” smiling softly recalling the day.






Arnav too had a reluctant smile: “I was thinking I have come so far since that day, at that time… at that point of my life I could’ve never thought that I’ll be happy or content with my life ever. If I could go back in time and tell that 06-year-old past self that whatever happened for the better… that it was all worth it.”







She put her hand on his leg and said softly: “At that point you were at your lowest and dealing with a lot, especially the unresolved closures you deserved.”








He signed looking a bit lost: “Back than it had been… been so chaotic and I had no idea what happened or how I ended up with such a mess that was my life. First when I woke up and my parents told me that it was over 04 months that I was so shocked, then for the 02 weeks I was in hospital they didn’t tell me anything. And I was so confused as to why my fiancé or any of my friends come to see me once but whenever I asked, they sort of diverted the topic. It was after discharge and when I went home did my parents tell me about Lavanya marrying Samar and other things happening or to happen in my friends’ life. I was so beyond shock and disbelieve, I mean Akash was marrying Payal three days later I woke up but they didn’t once have the time to visit me instead they got married and went off on their honeymoon, without as much as a goodbye. Anjali I always knew was bit selfish types, so no surprise that she went Australia but Aman to get up and leave like that hurt me a lot. He used to say all the time that I was his brother but he didn’t once remember or bothered about me when I needed him. Then Yuvraj and Mayuri, what didn’t I do for them starting with actually get them in relationship to help convincing their parents too… and what did they do, just up and left to New York, just like that. Samar, I understand didn’t have in to face me anymore because he married Lavanya and think it was smart of him, I would have punched him had he been front of me. But Lavanya didn’t bother coming too, she owned me an explanation instead she just went on as if I should also do that because that makes her life easy… I think that’s what made me angry the most at that time.”

Khushi patted his leg to sort of comfort him: “And you were justified to be angry since you were so easily forgotten by the people you deemed important to you. Though I have to say that the time I had joined would be soon after you came out of the coma and the time, I had seen with everyone around before you joining back office was, they all were tensed. They didn’t have any idea how to face you anymore and I think they were so caught up in the complexities of the situation that they forgot the simple thing… that they just had to there for you and the rest would have sorted out with time.”








Arnav signed taking hold of her hand with one of his, says: “After coming home I had to go through extensive physiotherapy for two months and the entire time there was so much anger and depressing feeling festering inside me. Mom and Dad wanted me to come back England with them but I couldn’t…I just felt like if I left than I’ll forever be restless to have never tried to do… to do something, get some closure or whatever. Then they went back and I had joined the office again. The first day I entered office and there stood Lavanya accusing me of coming back to shatter her perfect life… like she hadn’t hurt me enough that she had to go and be so callous. That saying that sticks and stones may break my bone but nothing hurts more than your words, could be so true I learnt that day… I think that day I had been in the worst mood possible, I could get so I had no idea before that day…”

She prompted further: “But… I can hear a ‘but’ coming…” poking at his side.







His lips twitched in a little secret smile as his eyes lit with mirth: “But I met the strangest girl that day with big owlish eyes…” 










---FLASHBACK---







06 YEARS AGO






G.K. CONSTRUCTION, DELHI 







OFFICE CANTEEN – 01:45 PM











ASR sat fuming in a corner table of the canteen with his food untouched while he started out the window scowling. The black-clouds of rage was so prominent over his that even the nearby tables were empty by other in fear that they might get thunderstruck by fury and also the G.K. Construction office saw the first rage of mighty ASR. The said person was right now in the process of stabbing his chicken salad quite forcefully as he recalled his encounter with his ex-fiancé an hour ago… the downright insulting behavior he has received for his justified question.

ARNAV'S OUTFIT/LOOK

So lost in thoughts that he hadn’t a noticed a person come and occupy the seat in from of him on his table but soon the person made their presence known: “You know if you keep stabbing the salad like that soon everything in it would end up looking like a minced mess… which am sure would be so good to eat.” frowning cutely as she kept her eyes on the salad murder.







Arnav snapped out to see a girl sitting in front of him and seeing her food trey consisting of a extra-large chicken burger, fries and soft-drink placed was clear she made herself very comfortable at his table. He exclaims of outrage soon followed: “WHAT THE FUCK!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING SITTING HERE??!!” the petite girl in front of him in a simple full sleevered dress, black heels and a thick long infinity braid over her left shoulder. 
  

KHUSHI'S DRESS

The locks of hair framed her face was obscuring his view to her face properly as she had her face down watching his hand-actions curiously not answering. He screamed at her frustrated again, “WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NOT ANSWERING, AM ASKING YOU SOMETHING?? WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO SIT AT THIS TABLE WITH ME??” 

Then for the first time she spoke: “I sit here for my lunch every day and just because you’re sitting here now,doesn't mean am not going to sit at my table… and you are still stabbing your salad...” her voice soft and calm like gentle breeze, “…even more furiously now.” she added her astute observation.  







Her response making him even angrier and giving him an outlet let his rage, shouts: “WHAT THE FUCK YOU CARE ABOUT ME STABBING MY SALAD?! AND BLOODY LOOK AT ME WHEN AM TALKING TO YOU!!” even though he knew he was making a spectacle at moment but didn’t give a damn. 







And then the loveliest innocent face looked up at him with peach-milk complexion, pink lips, blushing cheeks and pretty-doe eyes, making him forget his anger for a moment. But then as she keeps staring at him for minute which sort of makes him unnerved, resulting in another bout of rage to start rising and a razor-sharp insult ready to be delivered. But before he could start, she spoke up: “Did you know that anger is believed to originate in the part of our brain known as the amygdala. Perceiving certain stimuli can trigger what is known as the ‘amygdala hijack’, resulting in a fight or flight response.” blinking owlishly her pretty aqua-blue eyes, like she didn't just blubber a random fact at him.

So just like that his rage balloon deflated in flat five seconds and instead of insult came out of his mouth was: “What the fuck!”  






She scrunched her cute-as-button nose adorably, saying: “You curse a little too much, you should stop doing that…it’s not very nice.” then simply picked a French fry and popped in her mouth happily, “So, why are you being Mr. Grumpy Pants… did you also get in a verbal war with the Evil Red Queen?”  





He frowned questioning: “Evil Red Queen?”






She nodded solemnly replying: “Yes, Evil Red Queen otherwise also know as Mrs. Lavanya Khurana too, she is so rude and impolite… and terribly rude.” like badmouthing about someone doesn’t come to this innocent being in front him.







Curiosity spiked enough, made him ask: “What did she do to you?” feeling an urge to avenge for any wrong doing done to her but he pushed that thought for the moment.






She was again staring at his hand frowning and then looked up at him, said: “I’ll tell you only if you stop stabbing your salad and start eating it. Though I don’t like all those leafy things but I can’t see them get murdered so brutally…” seeing that cute serious face, he stopped stabbing immediately and puts a forkful inside his mouth. The gesture gets him rewarded with the cutest dimple smile ever as she answers his question, “Mrs. Lavanya Khurana had hit my car and broke my back-light at a red signal which somehow becomes my fault, then she collides with me in the corridor and manages to spill the coffee in her hand on the report files also somehow becomes my fault. She is distracted and forgets to complete her part of the project report I gave her a week ago, too becomes my fault… I tell you she has some serious problems with accepting her fault, it’s like if she does somehow her Ms. Perfect image would get tainted. So rude I tell you!” as she takes a bite of her burger.







Arnav wonders what a astute observation the girl made about Lavanya and her Ms. I-Am-Perfect image, so he says more empathetic to her: “Well I know how you feel, she that to everyone all the time.” his face scowling remembering his ex’s attitude and tendencies.







But before his thoughts could go complete south the sweet voice asked him: “So are you new here? I don’t remember seeing around…” tilting her head to one side like a curious child staring in his silver grey eyes, “I would’ve definitely remembered if I had seen you.” 





He finishes the food in his mouth and replies vaguely: “Well I’m not exactly new here but I joined back today after six months or so, after recovering from an accident.”






Her face brightens up as she exclaims: “Oh so you are ASR that everyone is talking about! Hi, I am Khushi Ahlawat and an intern interior designer here, joined a little over two months ago.” holding her hand out to him.






Arnav smiles a little at her name, so appropriate for such sunny personality person, she indeed looks like happiness personified, says: “It’s nice to meet you Happiness, am Arnav Singh Raizada also known as ASR.” as he takes her little hand to shake and instantly froze at the zing the contact made him feel, quickly leaving her hand asks, “I hear accent when you speak, are you from out of India?”






Khushi smiles eating another bite of her burger and takes a sip of her drink, finishing she replies: “Yes, am from England… am here to do little exploration of India for a few months and this job is just a bonus to get an experience. And I hear your British accent too, you from UK too?” questions him as she eats few more fries.






He wonder where does she put all that food she is eating and shakes his head amused, answers her: “Yes am from England too and it’s been around year-and-half that I came to India for little of my own exploring… been quite an adventure till now.” last bit added sarcastically, more like misadventure of his life, that’s what is happening.  






But the bitterness was totally lost to the bundle of happiness in front of him, who said: “Oh that’s so cool! It would be so nice to have someone around here England, so did you learn Hindi?”







He nodded and said: “Yeah I understand most of it, though am not so good at speaking but I can manage now.” as he continues to eat his salad, not even realizing it is half-finished. She then looks at him and smiles a bit shy which makes him curious as to why, arching an eyebrow in silent question.






Khushi peeps at him from her eyelashes shyly and says: “Ah… hmm actually… no one here actually is… I mean they are nice people and not everyone is like Evil Red Queen… But I actually don’t have any friend here in this office… I mean there are not many new interns and no one is too interested in taking the new intern in their group… the other girls seemed to avoid me and most guys look weirdly at me. Also, I don’t know anyone here much… so I was thinking that… that if you would like to be my friend?” her eyes on her on the table.







She looked so endearing at that moment to him that his heart melted, he is pretty sure the women population avoiding is out of jealousy while men must be drooling after her. He had the protective urge again and smiling indulgently at her replies: “I would very much like to be your friend Happiness, after all who doesn’t want happiness in their life.” 







The blindingly bright dimple smile and the stars shining in those aqua-green eyes was his reward enough for the acceptance of friendship. So, the rest of the lunch hour was spent with Khushi chatting nineteen dozen while he listened to all the office gossips, she had from the trivial to scandalized ones. Their lunch was over in another 20 mins and they got up to get back to there respective work but not before exchanging numbers.  








It was later when Arnav was back in his cabin and working on a project blueprint that he realized that his earlier frustration and anger is nowhere, instead all he felt was a light giddiness. All because of a strange encounter with happiness personified, Khushi indeed, with a small amused smile on his lips as he went back to work again.

---FLASHBACK END---










PRECAP: The journey to the past continues...








[NOTE: Hello lovelies, so finally the awaited MTB update... I got so many requests that instead of 'Gustakh Dil..' updating first, am updating this. So I know many would think from Arnav-Khushi's first encounter that they'll start instantly falling for each other, sorry to be the dumper here... but just because first meeting went good means no beginning of love affair. Arnav is very much heartbroken and hung up at Lavanya at the moment though I'll say he already has a soft-corner of Khushi. He needs a proper closure with Lavanya, has still to acknowledge his broken heart while Khushi needs to face beastly ASR and some ill-tempered manhandling before love-ship comes... for now both are only in getting in the friendship boat.


So until next update, take care and stay safe in this pandemic crisis...


With love,
 Kavya ]