The Learning Curve - Chapter 6

"Every action has an equal and a totally un-opposite reaction...!"

"You can sit down you know.." Anaya said in a sulking tone to khushi who was standing near her table watching her draw.

"Hmm…you draw very well Anaya" khushi said admiring the bold strokes on her art book. She watched as Anaya started mixing water colors filling up the blank spaces in the drawing.

Khushi knew it would be difficult for Anaya to open up to her, so she thought the best way was to make small talk, just to get her involved in some conversation "So tell me…does anyone else in your family pain?" khushi asked kindly trying to gauge her reaction.

Anaya stiffened and stopped painting. She washed her brush and kept her painting to dry out "I guess my mom did…there are some paintings of her in the family room downstairs" she said slowly as she took out her notebooks for homework.

Khush felt a pang as the little girl tried to act brave, she knew how it felt to be without parents and she could only imagine how Anaya must have coped not knowing her mother at all. She smiled as she kneeled down next to her "So..do you need any help with your homework?" she asked winking at her.

Anaya looked at her sideways "no thanks…I can do my own homework…besides it won't be fair to the others" she said lightly as khushi raised her eyebrows impressed with her honesty "Good,…I was only testing you" she said as Anaya rolled her eyes, a ghost of a smile touching her lips.

Khushi mentally patted herself on her back for the small achievement, she had to make her comfortable  enough for her to open up "Ahem.." she cleared her throat as Anaya turned to look at her "uh…I'll just sit by the window…you carry on" khushi said as the bedroom door opened.

"Khushi? I forgot to ask what you'd like to drink?" Maggie asked warmly as she came inside anaya's room , she was glad to find Anaya quietly doing her work while khushi seemed completely at home watching the little girl.

"Oh..some tea would be great" khushi said smiling, Maggie was just about to say something when the bell rang "I'll just go see who it is..hari prakash will bring up your tea" she said as she rushed out of the room.

…………………………

"Mohan..you can leave. I won't be going anywhere today" arnav mumbled as mohan opened the door for him. Arnav loosened his tie as he walked towards the house while talking on the phone, he rang the bell and waited till it opened "Yes Mr Ahuja…I understand completely, we are meeting at the Gala this weekend right? So we'll discuss it then" he spoke as Maggie looked at him with a bewildered expression.

Arnav saw Maggie trying to gesture to something "Uh…Mr Ahuja, Just hold on hold on a minute…Maggie please ask HP to bring up some piping hot black coffee.." he said as he continued to speaking on the phone while climbing the stairs two at a time, leaving a totally confused Maggie who wondered why arnav was back home.

……………………….

Arnav sighed as the hot water cascaded over him, he placed his hands on the opposite wall  hung his head down as  the stream of water hit his back. After the day's events it was just the thing he needed.  He quickly finished his shower and tied a towel around his waist as he stepped out of the bathroom.

He was pulling out his clothes out of the cupboard when he heard some commotion outside his room. He left the clothes on the bed and went to check what was going on outside,  but as soon as he opened the door it took him a minute to adjust to the scenario before being doused in piping hot black coffee…just the way he liked it.

………………………….

Khushi heard the knock and opened the door to a small man carrying a tray with two mugs and a chocolate bar "Madam, your coffee and anu baby's toblerone" he said as he held the tray to her.

 khushi looked at the chocolate bar disapprovingly "What? Why are you giving Anaya a chocolate bar at this time? She should have something nutritious to eat and good glass of milk" she said sternly as the poor man looked at her fearfully.

Khushi toned down as she picked up a mug from the tray " It's bad for her…please go and get some hot chocolate instead…" she said sweetly but firmly to him when she noticed the mug she was holding "Uh…I had actually asked for…" she started speaking when she saw someone's shadow approach, she screamed before splashing the contents of the mug on him.

 "Aaahh!" arnav screamed as the hot liquid scalded his freshly washed body, he looked up to find two pair of eyes glued to his chest, one looked like he was facing the grim reaper while the other widened in utter disbelief, the hazel green orbs frozen and unmoving.

"What the hell!" arnav shouted as both hari prakash and khushi seemed to have come to their senses, "You psychotic woman! What the hell are you doing in my home? Did you come here to kill me?" he asked as he walked towards her; by this time both Anaya and Maggie had joined the commotion.

"I..I…uh…" khushi stammered, still shocked as to what just transpired a few moments ago, she was wondering what she was more shocked about, the fact that she threw hot coffee  on Mr Raizada or the fact that she threw hot coffee on Mr Raizada's sexy toned half naked body.

 "Arnav…Khushi is here for the sessions with Anaya….I suppose…" Maggie said as arnav turned towards them, realization dawning on him, he looked at khushi wildly before turning towards Maggie "Please take Anaya down with you…and you!" he said pointing towards a shivering hari prakash "get me some ice!" he shouted as the poor man ran down leaving the tray on the side table.

Khushi looked on helplessly as Maggie ushered Anaya towards the stairs, leaving her alone with hades, wait..was there anyone more scarier than hades?…hmm…Freddy Krueger…yes..Perfect...she smiled suddenly, which obviously further irked arnav.

"Ms Gupta! What the hell is your problem? You are here to observe my daughter not prance around my house, destroying everything in your path!" he said icily as khushi looked up realizing he was talking to her.

She was finding it quite hard to look at him for two reasons, one she was thoroughly embarrassed, two he was naked..ok not naked…but nearly there…what if that towel fell? The coffee's soiled it anyways..wait What! Not again! She groaned as arnav again took that as an insult.

"Are you even listening to me? Why are you smiling when you nearly burnt a man alive! Seriously…is that empty brain of yours filled with fluff?!" he shouted as khushi finally came out of her pseudo fantasy world and glared at him.

"Listen Freddy! First of all, It's psychologist, not psychotic! Second I am not a bulldozer..third I rule my own emotions so I don't need to justify why I'm smiling or laughing or screaming , fourth you are absolutely fine! Don't go all drama queen on me..and lastly, if my brain is empty..why would it be filled with a towel? Quite an oxymoron don't you think!" she said in one breath as her eyes flashed at him, her chest heaving at velocity of speed she just spoke with.

"Arnav…" he said as she looked on completely dumbfounded, did he even listen to anything she just said? "My name is Arnav…not freddy…whoever the poor guy is…also I said fluff, not towel" he said carefully observing, as her face went tomato red, 'interesting' he thought as she quickly looked down.

"Um...yeah…that's what I meant….I..I mean…ok fine, I'm s..sorry that I threw the coffee on you…it was just a reflex..and a little bit of burnol will fix you just fine!" she said as arnav leaned onto the frame, crossing his arms "Oh…so you know how to apologize huh? I was wondering where you're sorry got lost while you were teaching me one, two & three!" he asked her mockingly as she continued to look down, now fidgeting with her kurta

"Yes Mr Raizada, it was my fault..so I apologized, unlike some people! Also I know I am here to work on Anaya…it would be best if..uh…if…uh…can you please put on some clothes for Godsake!" she said getting irritated at the superior expression on his face, she turned her face away as hari prakash came in running towards them with a bowl full of ice.

Arnav took it from him and smirked at khushi "Well, since I don't  apologize, and it means so much to you…let's just say we are even" he said as khushi turned around and looked at him "What?" she asked as she willed her eyes to look at his face "Yeah…I saw you half naked..you saw me half naked…we are even" he said as khushi's mouth dropped open.

She narrowed her eyes and was about to say something when he started walking towards her "Though I must say, it's really not fair…" he said smoothly while khushi looked at him and uttered a meek "huh?" arnav smirked as he turned around to go to his room "you got to see a lot more than I did!" he said smirking away leaving a red faced khushi, seething in anger and maybe even shivering in anticipation??