12 Birthday
Part 12 Birthday
Khushi plastered a fake smile as Seema came towards her, smiling.
"It seems she will not leave me until I marry Arnav", she thought inwardly.
"Hi", Seema smiled.
"Good Morning, Ma'am"
Seema extended a paper bag towards Khushi. She knew what that was. A shirt... for Arnav... it was Seema's Birthday gift for Arnav!
"What's this, ma'am?" She asked as if she didn't know, even after understanding that.
"A shirt... didn't I ask you the other day? It's Arnav's birthday tomorrow. Did you forget it?" She smiled.
"How do I forget it? After all, it's Arnav's birthday... but why do you want me to give it to him? Please do it by yourself, ma'am"
"He won't like to get it from me, " she said, embarrassed.
"Do you want me to do what he doesn't like?" Khushi asked.
Seema was speechless. She didn't know what to say.
"Didn't you teach me to be with self-respect? Do you think if I give this to Arnav, he will respect me?"
"Don't tell him I gave this..."
"Are you GUIDING me to lie?"
Seema was again speechless.
"No... I mean... it's his birthday after all..."
"If he doesn't like to get it from you, why are you giving it to him?"
Seema looked somewhere, tightening her jaw. It was clear that Seema was irritated by the question.
"Ma'am, you will lose your self-respect if he gets to know it was your gift..."
"Can't you hide it from him?"
"How could I hide anything from my WOULD-BE-HUSBAND?"
Seema widened her eyes in shock.
"Your wedding has not been fixed yet. It's not wise to fix into a relationship that has not been fixed yet"
"Who said it's not fixed yet? Our parents want it to happen..."
"But, Arnav sir, has not agreed to it, right?"
"He didn't deny either..."
Seema was stuck.
"I know him. If he doesn't like it, he will not give us a single chance to be hopeful and would not let me NEAR him... don't you know that?" she intentionally asked, hinting at his behaviour towards her.
"No, I mean... you too don't like him...and..."
"I like him", Khushi said, cutting her off.
Seema clutched the paper bag tightly, as if it was Khushi's neck.
They saw Arnav going towards the staff room.
"He came... I'm going, Ma'am. I don't know why he hates you so much that he doesn't even want me to talk to you," She intentionally said that and hinted that she knew Arnav's hatred for her. Then she left the place hurriedly.
Seema gritted her teeth and turned around only to find Asha standing, looking at her.
"I told you, don't stoop low by seeking Khushi's help. She is our student. And more than that, there is no use in being behind Arnav sir, anymore. He is going to get married to Khushi. Their parents will do it. Your wish will not come true. You can't get Arnav. Understand that." She left the place.
Seema stood getting mad. She could not take that. She had been in love with Arnav since she joined the college. She fell in love with him at first sight. She tried to hint to him her love many times, even though he didn't pay heed to it. How could someone called Khushi snatch him from her?
Of course, Seema loved Arnav deeply, honestly, and also MADLY. That madness came out and transformed into REVANGE. If she could not get him, she could not let him be peaceful. She knew how to do it. After all, she was a professor.
The next day
Arnav came to the college as usual. He went to the staff room and frowned, not finding anything on his table. That wondered him. Usually, Khushi would keep something on his table, from the time, she visited his house. She used to bring him something that she saw on his dining table. However, he didn't find anything that made him even a little disappointed, as it was his BIRTHDAY. He unintentionally expected something from her. It was not his fault. Khushi might have created such an expectation in his mind. He made up his mind and sat in his seat.
"What, sir, didn't your father's friend's daughter bring anything today?" A professor asked.
"She will come before the bell rings", another one said.
Arnav didn't wait for Khushi, but his eyes glanced at the entrance again and again but she didn't come. Arnav went to the class. He expected her to arrive a little late, as she had come the previous day. He thought.
The first period was over. He came to Khushi's class, and her place was empty. He conducted the regular class test and left the class. Why didn't Khushi come to the college? She knew it was his birthday. Yet, she didn't come. Was she all right? He was thinking about her and expecting her to come to the college late. But she didn't.
Even Seema was confused. She came up with a plan, but dropped it as Khushi didn't come to the college.
............
On the other side, Khushi opened Arnav's house door with a duplicate key that she had got made. She kept the bags on the table that she had brought and started making arrangements. She was fully set to surprise Arnav. She arranged the serial lights that were so attractive in ROBIN blue, stuck a glittering HAPPY BIRTHDAY sticker on the wall, and decorated it by placing dark red roses around it. She smiled with satisfaction as she finished the decoration.
Then she removed the hot-boxes from another bag and arranged them on the table. Pulling another table, she placed the cake and a knife next to it. She kept the scented candles ready to light them when he cut the cake. A pop-up was also prepared to shower glitter paper pieces on Arnav when he would cut the cake.
She hopped gladly as she finished everything as per her plan. She waited for him. However, he would be surprised. If not for the arrangements, he would be surprised to see his house door being opened. She chuckled. She was even ready to get scolded for doing that, but she didn't want to miss the big day to surprise him.
Khushi heard a calling bell sound and hopped. She rushed to the door and opened it, shouting,
"Happy Birthday, Arnie..." and got stuck seeing a man in his late fifties standing.
Both of them got stuck for a while. The man ran his eyes over the decorations. He took a few seconds to make himself up.
"Is Professor Sir not home?" he asked.
"He has not come yet. You?"
"I reside in this area. I saw you coming here..."
"Oh..."
"I know Professor Sir is unmarried. I have never seen any girl visiting his house..."
"Mmm..." she smiled as she understood he wanted to know who she was.
"I would like to tell you something about him"
"What?" she asked curiously as it was about Varanv.
"The more I know, he is not a nice man..."
Khushi widened her eyes in shock.
"Whaaat?"
"I never saw him talking to anyone nicely. He never cared about anyone. He stays alone. I don't think he respects anyone. Don't be here. Save yourself. The man who didn't give heed to anyone will eventually hurt you, too. So, leave him. You look like a good girl. Don't befriend him."
"Hellooooo... mind your words. About whom are you talking? He is Arnav... what do you know about him? Before discussing anything, ensure you are certain about what you are discussing. Do you have a daughter?"
The man was silent.
"If you have, if you want to go somewhere, leave your daughter with him. She will be safe with him, no matter how many days she stays with him. Even his shadow will not touch her"
"But, how are you so sure about it? Who told you abou him?"
"No one needs to tell me about him because I know him very well. He saved me from the goons who chased me."
"He could have done that to get into your good book... who knows what his intention is?"
"He not just saved me... Besides protecting me from the goons, he dropped me off in my city safely. That too, when I was sleeping. Without even bidding bye to me, he left. At that time, I didn't even know his name. You can't find a man with social responsibility like he has. He knew what to do and what not. He avoids unnecessary friendship. Of course, talk less. So what? Do you ever listen to his class? We don't have to reread the lesson if he taught it once. He possesses all the necessary abilities to be a professor and has the required survival skills. So, he doesn't need anyone's help. That's why he would not have interacted with anyone. Don't you dare talk about him again..." She stopped panting hard.
The man was taken aback.
"I just said what I felt..."
"You can't say whatever you feel..." She said without hesitation.
"Yes, I understood that only after hearing about him from you. I'm sorry for talking about him without understanding him." he literally apologized.
Khushi looked somewhere, making an angry face.
"I don't know professor sir would be a nice man. I'm sorry"
"It's ok..." she was still rigid.
"I would like to meet him... I want to apologize to him for misunderstanding him"
"That's ok... you can do it another day... not today"
"Is it his birthday?"
"Mmm..."
"All the decorations look good. Professor sir will be happy. I think you have planned for a surprise to him"
Khushi nodded smiling slightly.
"He will definitely be surprised"
She nodded.
"Ok, I'm leaving... I will meet him later. When I meet him, I will surely tell him about you"
"What?"
"I will tell him what you told me about him"
"Really?" She was excited.
"Definitely... no one would have understood him like you do. I think you like him very much"
Khushi smiled awkwardly while murmuring,
"Hmm... the man who met me a few minutes ago understood me well but Arnie..."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing... I just..."
The man nodded and left. Khushi closed the door and waited. After ten minutes, Arnav reached home. He opened the door with a key. He stood getting stunned, seeing the decorations. He frowned, what jugglery was that? who did that? The key was with him!
That was when someone closed his eyes from behind. Arnav was stuck as he realized who was that. he pulled Khushi before him.
"Happy Birthday, Arnie"
"How did you get my house key? Did you take it when you come here?"
"Do you have another key? Without knowing it, I took its print and spent thousand rupees to make it..." she sighed.
Arnav rolled his eyes.
"What is all this?"
"Your birthday special..."
"I don't like to celebrate my birthday..."
"But I do... this day became one of the most special days in my life. Go and get fresh... let's cut the cake"
"I'm not a kid to cut the cake..."
"This is not about cake but the day you came to the world as a kid..."
Taking a box, she gave it to him.
"Get changed and come..."
"What's this?" He opened it and dropped a jaw seeing a coat and suit in it.
"Have you gone mad?" he asked.
"Yeah, from the time, I met you... Go..." she pushed him.
"Khshviiii..."
"Please, please, see, how effort I have been put to surprise you... please go..." she pleaded.
"Do you want me to wear this suit now?" he asked unbelievably.
She nodded us shrinking her nose. He sighed and went inside. After getting fresh, he came out within a few minutes.
"Wow... you are looking smoking hot..." She said, delightedly.
"See, I wear this only because you spent huge money..."
Cutting him off,
"Whatever the reason be, thank you so much for wearing it...come on, cut the cake" She gave the knife.
Arnav cut the cake making a rigid face. Taking a small piece, she extended it to his mouth.
"No, you eat..." he said.
As he didn't expect, she stuffed it in his mouth.
"Once again happy birthday. I wish you to get all the happiness in the world" She smiled.
"Thanks..." his lips didn't smile but his eyes.
That was when they heard a knock on the door. Khushi opened the door and found the same man. Before she said anything,
"Papa..." Arnav rushed to him and hugged, giving a lifetime shock to Khushi.
To be continued...
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