BOUND TO BE

Part 23

*****--*****Part 23****--*****And so, two cars travelled from Gupta house to Shantivan. After parking their respective vehicles, walking to the door, while one was hesitant the other was least bothered.

"So, Akash, how come? I didn't expect you there? What's the matter? "

"Oh, Bhai, nothing much, Payal ji had an appointment to discuss about their new business deal, so I met her in the office. You know its winter, gets dark quite early, so I offered a lift." He didn't dare ask the same question to his brother. Moreover, he was aware of the number of times Khushi was dropped.

The rest of the walk was spent in discussing the deal, with Arnav making some critical mental notes about the whole business.

*****--*****

On the other side of the town, Payal sat with her eyes wide open and mouth open too. Even more so.

"Sachi Khuhsi, he proposed." Payal couldn't believe, she blinked. She shook her head. "Khushi just pinch me"

"But Khushi, how can you be so rude? Did you not get scared of him? Tell me, tell me everything in detail. Bol na" Payal took a pillow stuffed it on her lap and sat upright on the bed. All ears.

"Jiji, I am not telling you any story here. Go to bed, and moreover, there is loads of work to be done tomorrow."

"You think I can sleep after you have told me this?" Payal insisted.

Khushi briefly recounted some of the events to see Payal open her eyes even wide, but she was pleased and happy. "Khushi I can't believe Arnav ji is like that. Isn't he the laad governor, Rakshas, shaitan who used to really trouble my sister? But tell me, have you grown to have same feelings for him as well? Do you like him? "

Khushi was scared how serious Payal was. Scared of some of the feelings she had had for him and she didn't want to lie about it. She summed it up, as best as she could.

"Honestly, in the beginning, it was a challenge for me. My beliefs, my ideas, my morals, he always contradicted me. And all my time and energy was spent in trying to prove myself. Then when I started seeing him with his family, I realised, he had similar beliefs, but his grudge against me, his big fat ego didn't like being told anything. Not by me least of all. The thing is nobody dared say things directly to him, and I did nothing but that. In between I too was attracted to him, terribly"

Khushi covered her face with her hands. After a few seconds of thought, Payal gently took her hands. Pressing them to comfort, "Khushi you don't need to be ashamed of it. Sometimes our heart and mind are not in sync." After a brief pause she asked, "do you like him now?" Payal looked on nervously.

"Jiji, now I see him with respect. And because of all the help I have taken from him, I see him in a different light. I have channelled all my thoughts into repaying him. And the fact remains that some of our beliefs are totally opposite."

Payal didn't know what to say. For the moment, both their thoughts and sentiments were towards the heavy debt they had incurred.