16 LOVE
Part 16 LOVE
Arnav smiled at Khushi, composing himself.
"With whom are you talking like a BOSS?" she asked, frowning in confusion.
Arnav rolled his eyes and chuckled.
"Whose call was it?" she asked.
"A driver's call. He wants me to take his ride tomorrow as he has to go somewhere. I already helped him once. That time, he didn't send me the proper passenger's details. I called him many times to get it. That's why I talked to him strictly. Why would I run behind him if HE (stressing) wants my help?"
Khushi nodded as his answer was convincing.
"By the way, what are you doing here? Don't you sleep?" he asked.
"I didn't get sleep..."
"It seems I stole your sleep!" he teased.
"Stop flaunting and do your work." She said with a proud smile.
Arnav extended a glass to her.
"What's this?"
"Taste it..."
Khushi sipped it. It was pomegranate juice.
"Did you make it?"
"What question is this? Who would make it other than me?"
"I thought you might have brought it from the shop..."
"Hello, madam, a glass of juice is a hundred rupees, but a pomegranate is sixty rupees... why would I give an extra forty rupees for this juice? And I prepared it with less water. My mother said Pomegranate is good for girls. That's why I brought it."
"But, it's a big process. I feel too lazy to eat it because peeling it was so boring, you know..."
"In fact, I too feel the same. My mother is the one who always peels it for me..."
"But you did that today..."
"Because it's for you..."
Khushi was stunned.
"Means?"
"Means, I love you..."
Khushi became statue... how simply he said the three magical words! The way he said that was EPIC! He did something for her that he didn't like to do for even HIMSELF! How he made her feel special! How beautifully he said she mattered to him, symbolically, and he would do anything for her, even if he didn't like doing it! This was purely love.
Arnav looked at her, who was staring at him.
"What are you looking at? Drink... then you can eat lunch properly. Or else, you will feel your stomach full. Then you can't eat well." He again made her statue.
Of course, he said that normally, but for Khushi, it was so valuable because she had no one to take care of her. No one asked her if she ate. It might sound silly, but it had depth. It could be understood by those who have never heard it from anyone because it was not just a sentence. It included, 'take care of yourself, and you will be fit only if you eat well.' It would show his care for her. Khushi drank the juice, thinking all of these things.
She kept the empty glass on the kitchen table.
"Thanks..." she said.
"Oh..." he chuckled.
"You said you made the juice for me because you love me..."
Arnav looked at her and listened.
"Won't you do this for anyone? For your friends..."
"No way...peeling a pomegranate is a big task, and it makes hands sticky. I can't do it for anyone other than you..." He chuckled.
"Why?"
"It's because it's LOVE, madam..."
Yes, it was LOVE. Without love, we would not do something that we find hard.
"What about your friends? Wont you do that for them?"
"Sorry... I will offer them only coffee or tea..." he laughed.
Khushi adored him with a smile. What a big theory! He explained it with no effort!
He stopped laughing, hearing,
"No one ever asked me if I eat... after my father..."
Arnav looked at her eyes that were teary, but her lips were smiling.
"There is nothing to be emotional... won't you take care of me if I fell sick?" he asked.
She nodded yes.
"That's it..." he turned the stove off.
"Finished... you can have it if you are hungry."
"WE will eat later..." She said.
Arnav nodded smilingly.
That was when they heard a knock on the door. They came out and saw a man standing. Arnav didn't know who he was, but Khushi was horrified. He was Lalan. His eyes spat fire. Arnav frowned and looked at Khushi, who was nervous.
Lalan entered the house without permission, making Arnav sulk.
"Hey, who are you?" he asked.
"He is Lalan," Khushi said nervously.
If she had expected him to be scared, it didn't happen. Arnav stood, looking at Lalan sharply.
"Do you know who she is?" Lalan asked.
"Khushi... she WAS my house owner. We are going to get married soon."
"How dare you! She is my girl... You are new to this area. That's why I leave you. Leave this place." He said and was about to step out, but stopped hearing,
"What will you do if I don't leave?"
Lalan looked at him, stunned.
"I'm Lalan... inquire about me in this area..."
"Whoever you are... why would I bother about it? I'm going to marry Khushi, and that's final."
"Won't you listen to me?" Lalan raised his hand to hit Arnav.
He pushed Lalan out of the house and kicked his stomach. Lalan fell to the ground, losing his balance. Lalan felt insulted as the area people were watching them. He pounced on Arnav and punched on his face. Arnav's cheekbone tore, and blood oozed.
"Arnavvvv..." Khushi shouted.
Arnav managed himself and started fighting with him. The area people surrounded them. That was the first time they saw Lalan getting beaten up. Lalan became tired and could not stand the wounds because it was always he who beat others. He never felt what PAIN was so far. When he got it from Arnav, he learned what was meant by pain. His eyes teared up in pain. Arnav tore his shirt and punched his stomach. Suraj, Akshaya's paying guest, captured the fight on his mobile and telecast it on Facebook Live. Lalan fell to the ground, all exhausted. Arnav flicked his fingers.
"I warn you... If you think of getting close to Khushi, you will feel bad... she is my girl. We're going to get married. Don't try to do anything..." he warned.
Arnav walked to Khushi, who was looking at him with eyes full of tears. Holding his hand, she took him to her portion. She made him sit on the chair and ran to the cupboard. She brought cotton and wiped his wound, gulping down. Her eyes didn't stop. Arnav gazed at her miserable state. She applied medicine to his wound.
"Leave this place..." she said, looking down.
"Ok... if you come with me..." Arnav said.
"Arnav, he is a dangerous man..."
"So? Do you want me to leave, leaving YOU to him?" he asked furiously.
"He will kill you..."
"What do you think, Khushi? Is killing someone easy?"
"For him, it's so easy because that is what his job is."
"There is always someone better than the best..."
"You can't be better than him because he is rowdy."
"But he is also a human. His body was also made up of flesh and blood..."
"but..."
Cutting him off,
"Khushi, listen. I'm not going to leave this place. It will not happen... ever... until you come with me."
"But, how could I come with you without getting married?"
"Then, get married..." he said, making her dumbfounded.
She stared at him, the man who wanted to get his mother's permission to accept her, wanted to marry her immediately? Didn't he want his mother's permission to marry her? Or, did he say that in anger? She could not understand.
To be continued...
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