BTL - Chapter 18

Khushi tried to stretch her arms over her head when she realized that one of them was being held in a death grip by someone...as her sleep riddled brain came out of slumber, she looked on her left to find Arnav holding her hand tightly in his while his other arm was possessively thrown over her midriff

She smiled at the innocent look on his face as he slept deeply, completely oblivious to everything around him...his mouth was open slightly making her remember what all those lips had been up to the night before...the thoughts making her blush profusely as she reminded herself of her uber bold avatar...she gently pulled her arm from his grip before sitting up in bed

She knew he had put an alarm for 6am, but when she checked the clock by his bedside, it read 5:30...she quickly got up and padded towards his side of the bed to cancel the alarm...since she was already up, she thought that might as well go to her room...looking down once again at his sleeping form, she bent down to kiss him lightly on his cheek before pulling back and adjusting the quilt on him properly.

As she turned around to leave, her hand knocked down a diary of sorts from the table she was passing by...she looked over quickly to check if Arnav had woken up because of the noise but sighed in relief that he hadn't...she picked up the book that had fallen face down and was about to close it before placing it on the table when she saw her name written on top of one of the pages

As curiosity got the better of her, she flipped to the page she had seen her name on and was beyond amused to find a list of her likes and dislikes written down...she looked once at arnav as a small smile lit her face wondering what this man was up to...he really was working hard on impressing her if he was making notes on her instead of doing his work...she was just about to flip to the next page when she saw arnav stir in his sleep

She quickly placed the book back on the table, making up her mind to tease him later about his newly discovered secret...giving one last look to the man she was deeply falling for, she swiftly turned around and left the room...she wanted to make breakfast for him today and obviously had to wake him up with the customary cup of coffee later!

...

"Smitha...did you grate the cheese?" Khushi asked as she went about beating the eggs to a fluffy state "yes babyji...everything is done...capsicum, onions and tomatoes are also chopped and ready" smitha said with a smile as she kept the pan to heat up on the stove...she looked on with interest as khushi meticulously went about placing the bread and preparing it to be toasted with the masala cheese omelet and toast she was preparing for breakfast.

"Why are you making all this today? I can make it...you go and sit down" smitha said once again to see khushi's reaction "N..no...I just thought of cooking today...it gives me a sense of peace" she said as smitha nodded knowingly "off course...let me set up the table and see if sir has woken up" smitha said, turning around to leave the kitchen when a loud 'No' from khushi made her stop in her tracks

"No...I mean...don't wake him up yet...I mean...he works all night...let him sleep I suppose for some more time" Khushi said as smitha raised an eyebrow and walked back towards her "Let him sleep or someone wants to wake him up themselves" smitha said with a sly smile as khushi felt flustered

"What do you mean? I just thought it would...never mind...you go and wake him up ok!" Khushi said in a huff when Smitha poured some freshly filtered coffee in a cup "Here...why don't you go and give this to him? VK is busy outside and I won't feel very comfortable going to his room" she said as Khushi looked on wide eyed at her "Me? How can I go to his room?" Khushi asked with an faux uninterested face as Smitha shook her head and headed out "Just the way you came out today morning" she said as Khushi felt her face flush in embarrassment...she had seen me?

"Smitha...wait..." Khushi said as she picked up the cup and rushed after her "Look, its nothing like that...we were just talking and did not realize it was morning already" Khushi said as smitha turned around and smirked "I was young too sometime back babyji...you need not explain anything to me...and don't worry...I won't say anything to anyone till you don't want me to" smitha said with a wink as Khushi's blush deepened

She smiled at Smitha's retreating back as she made her way to Arnav's room..she quickly knocked on Arnav's door to find him open it up just a second later "Hey! I was just about to come out...when did you leave?" he asked her in a softer voice as she giggled and pushed him back inside the room "at 5:30...I left cause I had anyways woken up...so cancelled the alarm...here have your coffee, breakfast will be ready in 10 mins...see you then.." she said as she kept the cup down and turned to leave only to find herself ensconced in Arnav's arms

"Arnav...not now...I really have to finish making breakfast...don't know about you but i'm starving" she said with a cheeky smile as he tightened his hold on her "Oh i'm starving too...and I need my morning fix" he said seductively in her ears making her legs go all mushy...she not so gently pushed him back making him stagger a bit "That's what the coffee is for..." she said before making her way out of his room to his utter disappointment "Don't worry Gupta...i'll get you later!" he said as she turned back and stuck her tongue out "We'll see! Now come for breakfast quickly!" she said as he did a mock salute and went to pick up his cup of coffee

As he sipped on the hot brew, he remembered the night before...he should really get an award for self control...if only they had some protection on them...he sighed as he mentally reminded himself of getting the same asap...he was also thinking of taking Khushi to some nice place for a day or two...he wanted everything to be special for her...he picked up his phone to check for any good resorts or something nearby when his phone started ringing making his face break into a smile

He picked it up quickly before hearing his best friend's voice from the other end "Where are you Mr Raizada? Looks like you forgot about us in your distractions?" Manav asked him as arnav chuckled and went to the balcony to speak to his friend "Nothing like that man...have been too busy here...and yes, the distraction has been one of the reasons!" he said gaily as he heard Manav hoot from the other end

"Finally! I was wondering when you will accept it...Good...at least now you will be saved from Parul's ugly cousins!" he said as Arnav laughed out "yes, that I will be...cause there is no other woman I would ever look at after getting Khushi in my life...she is perfect...and she feels the same for me too" he said in a dreamy voice as Manav grinned "I'm so happy for you Arnav...now quickly bring her to mumbai to meet us...Parul will be over the moon that you finally found someone" he said as Arnav smiled

"Soon...Im planning on doing something special for her...there are still many things undecided between us...we want to take things slow but I don't know how I can live without her" he said as Manav agreed with him "yes, that's true...i'm sure you guys will work it out...but what I want to know is how she took your secret about being the elusive Mr Pike? I bet she freaked out!" Manav said as Arnav felt a fresh stab of guilt slice him

"Yeah...that...I haven't told her yet" Arnav said as Manav screamed "What! You moron! You need to tell her...you seriously can't keep it a secret anymore!" he said as Arnav nodded "yes, I know...and that's why i'm planning this trip...i'm nearly done with my book and I was thinking of taking the print of the first chapter of the manuscript and presenting it to her...that's when i'll tell her who I am...I can't wait to see her face" he said as Manav sighed in relief

"Thank god! Good you are planning something like that...just don't blast her with an 'Hey!, I am Crispin Pike'...she'll never believe you!...and man that's great about the book...never thought you could finish it this soon!" Manav said as Arnav chuckled...he did not realize that his door had opened up and someone had walked in to hear his next words "yeah me too...but with Khushi here, I could easily do it...my entire character is based on her...the more I observed her, the more easier it became to imagine her as the central character...this book will rock...you just wait and watch...so glad I met her here and my book just glided along" he said as he heard a loud crash behind him

He quickly turned around to find Khushi standing in front of him with tears running down her cheeks...her hands were trembling as she limply held the tray that had their breakfast on it a second ago...he watched her stiffen as he walked towards her and took the tray from her...he had cut Manav's call as soon as he had seen Khushi's state...he placed a hand on her shoulder to ask her what was wrong when she forcefully shrugged it away and stepped two steps away from him...her entire body shaking while her eyes kept tearing up

"Khushi...what's wrong?...why are you...?" he started saying when she looked up suddenly...her eyes were no more the warm hazels...they looked cold and dark...something similar to how things were shaping up right now "What's wrong? You dare to ask me what's wrong after what I just heard you speak?" she asked him as he looked on in confusion before he realized that she must have heard him speak to Manav...he gave her a small smile before walking towards her "That...listen Khushi...I wanted to tell you.." he said putting his hand forward when Khushi held her palm up

"Stay back...and don't you dare come near me...you except me to believe that you were going to tell me that you were only using me for your book? To know me more so that you could shape up some character in your book? That all that you said and made me believe was a lie!" she said as Arnav looked on in horror...she had got it all wrong "Khu.." he started saying when she cut him midway "No Arnav...I don't want to hear anything from you...I think I have heard enough?" she said before quickly making her way out of his room

But Arnav held her hand and pulled her towards him before she could step into her room "That's enough Khushi...you have to listen to me...Yes, I have based my character on you...but only because you inspired me to do so...I was never using you, nor will I ever do Khushi...whatever happened between us was real...my feelings for you are pure and everything I did and said was true...but yes, I have kept something from you...something I should have told you long time back" he said as Khushi twisted her arm and pulled it away

"I don't want to know anything about you Arnav...if you were not using me, then you should have told me about basing your character on me long time back...No wonder you have notes on me...on my likes and dislikes...and God knows what else...and tell me this Mr Raizada...did you also have a sex scene somewhere in the book? Maybe you won't get to finish it since we..." she said as Arnav cut her off with a loud "Khushi!"

"How dare you? How can you demean something so beautiful that happened between us...Please khushi, you are letting your anger speak...you have all the rights to be angry with me...but you are taking this the wrong way...Khushi...khushi, I..." he started saying when she pushed him away once again and turned to walk into her room but the words he spoke next stopped her in her tracks

"I am Crispin Pike, Khushi...its me...the same author whose books you love so much" he said as he waited for her to turn around...but Khushi could not take it anymore "If you are Crispin Pike, then I am bloody Agatha Christie..back from the dead!...this is sick Arnav...just...just go away...leave me alone!" she said before walking in to her room and banging the door closed...she could not believe that he would stoop to such levels to lie about being someone else!

Arnav stood shocked at her door as he heard her sobs from inside...she did not believe him!...obviously she did not...Manav had told him not to blast her with something like this...but he had gone and done just that! This had to be cleared and now...he was about to knock on her door again when Smitha walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder

"I don't know what happened between you both...but I think you need to give her some time...she is like that...she does not talk to anyone and remains locked up till her anger cools down...leave her for now...she'll come around" she said kindly to Arnav as he pursed his lips and nodded...he saw Smitha turn away when an idea came to him "Smitha...what does Khushi like? I mean...what makes her happy?" he asked her as she smiled and gestured him to come close "Honey cake from Iyengar bakery in town...her mother used to always get her that whenever she was angry on something" she said conspiratorially as Arnav smiled

"Thanks" he said as he quickly put on his jacket...he raced outside to get into his car and drive into town to get the cake...there were three Iyengar bakery's in Coorg...and he visited all of them, finally findinf the honey cake that Smitha had told him about...he quickly bought it and stopped to buy some fresh flowers too...he hopped back into his car and smiled on his way back...it had been nearly two hours since he had left and he hoped that Khushi will be on talking terms by now...he had to show her his manuscript...only then she will believe him...and then everything will be all right!

When he reached back half an hour later...he saw Smitha standing outside with a pained face...he gave her the cake and walked straight into the house to look for Khushi...but he could feel a dread somewhere inside him...he rushed to her room to find it empty...her closet was open with no clothes inside...he walked back out to find both VK and Smitha looked at him in sympathy

"She left Sir...called a taxi and left half an hour after you did...she told us that she had an emergency..." Smitha said as Arnav went back outside to get into his car "She's probably going to Bangalore...i'll meet her there..." he said as Smitha and VK both followed him out "Sir...wait...she left this for you" VK said handing Arnav a neatly folded paper...Arnav's hands trembled as he slowly opened it...and then slumped back into the seat of his car as if his life had been taken away from him...the note simple read 'If you ever felt anything for me...let me go, don't follow me or contact me...I need time.'