2 Lies
Part 2 Lies
After seeing Arnav, Khushi underwent a complete transformation. Her gloominess disappeared, and she became lively. The sadness in her eyes was replaced by brightness and happiness. A constant smile graced her face. Even though Arnav didn't look at her directly, he noticed it.
As the class ended, Arnav walked out, leaving her behind. Khushi hurried after him and stepped in front of him with a bright smile. He looked at her sharply because he expected her to do it.
"Hi... How are you?" She asked smilingly.
He nodded in response.
"You didn't expect me here, right?" She asked, suppressing her smile.
He looked away.
"Neither did I. You have no idea how happy I am!" She hopped cutely.
Arnav tried to speak, but Khushi continued.
"I like your name so much, Arnav," she said delightfully.
He knew why she had mentioned that specifically.
"How should I call you? Varu? Arnie?"
"Sir... Call me Sir... I'm your professor." He said rigidly.
"Even before you became my professor, you became my sweetheart..." She winked.
Arnav rolled his eyes.
"You refused to tell me your name. You weren't even willing to share it with me. You silently left me after writing a letter. Do you know how many times I read it? You wrote in that letter that 'our relationship was like a train journey; it could never last.' Look at us now! We've met again. Now, I know not only your name but your entire history. Ours isn't a train journey; it will be continued."
He cut her off. "For only two years... Only as a professor and student."
"Yes, and that's what excites me. If just TWO DAYS with you made me so crazy about you, imagine how amazing the next TWO YEARS will be!" She literally hopped.
Arnav gulped hard.
"I heard you are unmarried!" She asked with a teasing smile.
Arnav looked at her intently. She smiled, raising her eyebrows.
"Listen,"
Cutting him off,
"What a liar you are! Being a professor, how could you lie to a girl and break her little heart?"
"You should understand why I lied. It's because I don't like you."
If he had expected her to be disappointed, she surprised him with her sharp question.
"Don't lie again. If you don't like me, why did you save me?"
"I saved you by mistake. I wouldn't have done it if I had known you would become a headache for me..."
"Headache? Really? So you can't even forget me for a second!" she cheered, hopping in joy.
He sighed wearily.
"Why don't you understand?"
Without listening to him, she said, "Do you know how thrilled I was to find out you are my professor?"
"Khushi, stop it..."
"Wow, my name is so sweet when you utter it!"
"Leave your romantic ideas at the door. I'm your professor now."
"Now, you are my professor. What about before that? We spent TWO nights together."
"Shut up... We just stayed together. What if someone hears you? What will people think of me?"
"People will think we know each other. By the way, I said we spent two nights together—not in the same bed..." she said thoughtfully.
"You spoiled brat! I will complain to your parents!" He warned.
"Yeah, I heard that's your way of controlling students. Please meet my parents. They are eagerly waiting to meet you." She said with a sparking smile.
Arnav was shocked.
"But why are they eager? What did you tell them about me?"
"I told them everything about you, as well as about my feelings for you."
"Did you really tell them everything?" he asked in disbelief.
"Long ago..."
Arnav rolled his eyes.
"Unbelievable..." he murmured.
"I, too, can't believe you are in front of me, and I'm behind you AGAIN."
"Why are you behind me?" He frowned.
"Don't you know why I'm behind you...?"
"Khushi, listen. I'm your professor..."
"When I asked about you, why didn't you tell me you were a professor? I might not have developed feelings for you if you had told me, but you didn't. That's your mistake."
"Don't make me regret saving you."
"Haven't you regretted it yet? Wow..." She sighed.
Arnav shook his head from left to right as he walked away, leaving a cheerful Khushi behind.
Khushi returned to the classroom.
"May I come in, sir?" she asked the professor, who was chatting with some students.
He nodded in response. Khushi walked over and sat beside Jane in the first bench, who was waiting for her.
"Why did you run after Arnav, sir? What did you talk to him about?" Jane asked.
"He seemed familiar to me. That's why I went behind him. He is a relative of mine, but he denied it," Khushi explained.
"He might not be..."
"No, he stammered when I asked about his father. I'm certain he is close to me, but he didn't accept it."
"Didn't I tell you about him? He might think his respect will diminish if you start talking to him casually..."
"That's illogical. His respect would increase if he treated me like other students even though I'm his relative. Don't you think?"
Jane nodded in agreement.
"I will definitely make him acknowledge our relationship."
"Be careful, Khushi. He doesn't hesitate to shout at students who irritate him. Make sure you don't annoy him," Jane warned.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks..."
Jane noticed a significant change in Khushi. After talking to Arnav, she seemed more energised.
"It looks like you really like him," Jane said teasingly.
Khushi paused for a moment and nodded.
"I can tell from your face. You were so gloomy until lunch break."
Khushi became alert.
'Khushi, be careful... Don't make it too obvious. Don't give anyone a chance. Arnav might take it seriously...' she thought to herself.
"Yes, Jane, I came to Dehradun alone. I told you about my strict aunt. That's why I'm excited to see Arnav here. It feels like someone's here for me."
"Did you really call him by his name?" Jane asked, surprised.
"From the beginning..." Khushi said with a cheesy smile.
"This is why he acted like he didn't know you. How would he feel if you called him by his first name like that?"
"No, no. I won't call him that, just Varu or Arnie," Khushi replied.
Jane dropped her jaw in disbelief. "I can't believe this. Are you two that close?"
Khushi nodded.
"Then why does he behave that way?"
"It's because he knows how mischievous I can be. He always keeps his distance from me. I'm the one who never let him have peace."
"It sounds like you two have a long history."
Khushi nodded in agreement.
"Why not bring your parents here and end his avoidance?"
"I'm thinking the same. He wouldn't be able to pretend if my father came here. Unfortunately, my dad is a busy man and often travels. I'm not sure which city he is in now," Khushi sighed.
.....
Meanwhile, Arnav entered the staff room. His colleague, Professor Akash, who had seen him talking to Khushi, asked, "Who is the girl, Arnav? She spoke to you casually as if you two are close..."
Arnav was taken aback. All the professors in the room looked at him in surprise.
"Arnav talked to a girl? That's the eighth wonder!" one professor joked, and the others chuckled.
"Who was that girl with the guts to talk to him like that?" a senior professor teased.
A few professors expressed interest in knowing more.
Arnav initially thought no one had seen them talking, but he suspected someone must have noticed him talking to Khushi. His instincts were correct, and he realised he needed to lie to downplay the situation. He was uncertain whether Khushi would listen to him. What if she kept trying to talk to him? He knew her too well; she would definitely persist. He couldn't explain himself to everyone every time she approached him, so he decided to give his colleagues a suitable response instead. He got ready to lie.
"She's my father's friend's daughter... They are too close friends and also distant relatives..." he lied to put an end to their assumptions.
"Oh... I noticed she had a constant smile while talking to you. That surprised me, but you looked as rigid as always. Why? She is your relative, after all..." Akash raised a question.
"She talks too much... She calls me by my first name." He sighed.
"By your first name?" a few murmured in surprise.
"Yeah, she's quite mischievous. I found it hard to keep her in control when we met last time. Now she expects the same from me," he sighed.
One professor suggested, "Maybe you should teach her how you manage students. "
"I don't think you understand. She is his close relative. How can he expect to control her if she calls him by his name? Even if he meets her parents, they will treat him with coffee and biscuits, it seems," Another one teased, and others laughed.
"Yeah, however, their relationship will not change..."
"Most likely, our fathers are friends. My harsh behaviour toward her could hurt them, which stops me. I don't know how I will handle her."
Arnav sighed again.
He was unsure where Khushi's arrival would lead him. He didn't expect her to join the same college where he was a professor.
Last Period
Akash entered Khushi's class, and the students welcomed him. He requested that the students be introduced like the other professors. When it was Khushi's turn, she stood up and said, "I'm Khushi, from Delhi. My father is a businessman," before sitting back down.
"Your father and Arnav's father are friends, right?" he asked.
Khushi looked at him in surprise. What an unexpected revelation! She noticed the other students staring at her in astonishment.
"How do you know, sir?" she questioned.
"Arnav mentioned it," he replied with a smile.
Khushi wondered if Arnav really said that. But why would he bring her into this?
"He is a strict professor. Even though you are his relative, keep your distance from him in college. He has a bad temper," he warned.
Khushi slowly pieced together why Arnav had claimed her as his relative. He must have realised that she wouldn't be easily controlled. He likely thought that having her by his side might raise doubts about him, so to avoid unnecessary controversy, he would have said that.
'Arnie, you are trapped...' Khushi smiled to herself.
She glanced at Jane, who was looking at her intently. Khushi raised her eyebrows.
"What you said is true. He knows you," Jane remarked.
Khushi nodded proudly.
"Are you really that mischievous that even Arnav sir pretends not to know you?"
Khushi chuckled and nodded again.
"I can't believe this," Jane sighed.
Khushi was on cloud nine. Although Arnav had referred to her as his relative to avoid controversy, he didn't expect Akash would directly ask Khushi about it, potentially getting him into trouble.
The final bell rang, and Khushi rushed out, waiting for him. She heard a few students whispering about her and knew exactly what they were discussing. Even some professors glanced at her as they passed by.
Arnav noticed her standing at the main gate and understood she was waiting for him. He stayed in the staff room until the crowd thinned out and the college emptied.
As Khushi spotted Arnav heading to the parking lot, she hurried over to him, ensuring no one else was nearby.
"Am I your relative?" she asked, teasingly.
Arnav looked at her shockingly. How did she know about his lie?
"I heard our fathers are friends..." she chuckled.
"I said that because I don't want people to know what's on your mind," he responded.
"There's nothing on my MIND except for my studies," she said seriously.
"Then why are you following me?" he asked.
"It's because my you are in my HEART," she confessed.
"Khushi, your actions could cause problems for our future..."
She suggested, "We can make it right if our future becomes one..."
Arnav got into his car without replying.
"Bye, Arnie..." she smiled.
He drove off, lost in thought about their first meeting and the following events.
To be continued...
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