JOURNEY OF LOVE (COMPLETED)

15 Jealous

"Let's do it," he said.

All the members gathered around Arnav's table but Khushi didn't move. Arnav looked at Priyanka and gestured for her to call Khushi.

"You are the team head... so, you should call her" Priyanka smiled.

Arnav looked at Aman.

"Yeah, she is right"

"Your crown won't get down from your head if you call her, Nannav"

"Khushi" Arnav called her.

Khushi looked at him jerking.

"You can also join. Bhashyam sir will question me" he said not wanting her to refuse.

Khushi thought for a while and nodded ok. She came and stood next to Priyanka. She keenly observed the project. She was all ears to Arnav but she didn't look at him like before. Arnav felt a lot of difference in her LOOK. At the same time, he could not say she CHANGED her MIND. She was plainly looking at him without any expression on her face and Arnav knew she was listening to him. When he looked at her, she averted her gaze.

They got back to their respective seats. Arnav saw Khushi working without looking at him. She was doing something so sincerely that she didn't even raise her head. She was working on the same project Arnav was working on. As she understood what was it about, she started programming in her own way. The program was not so easy at the same time, it was not harder than her college project. She picked a tough project in her college to score high marks. That helped her to became a TOPPER of IIT. She applied the same skill in developing the project. She wanted to show that to Arnav and make him speechless. Of course, she worked only for him. Others were not her concern.

Tea break

"Guys, take a break," Arnav said.

Everyone started going to the canteen to have snacks and tea. Khushi didn't have the mood to go to the canteen. So she continued her work. Arnav came to her table and tapped it slightly. Khushi lifted her head and looked at him.

"Are not you coming?"

Khushi was silent.

"I'm asking you only"

"I don't know what to say. You may get irritated if I reply" she said.

"What will be your reply?" he asked frowning.

She nodded her head from left to right.

"I just asked, are not you coming?"

"Do you want me to come?" She asked.

Arnav was stuck.

"Why are you so sensitive?" he asked.

"I don't know... I was not like this. This is not my nature" she said wearily.

Arnav was about to say something, they heard,

"Khushiiii"

They saw Lavanya heading towards them. Khushi smiled at her.

"Come... we will go to the canteen"

"No, Lavanya. I'm not coming. You go"

"Nothing doing" clutching Khushi's hand, Lavanya started dragging her to the canteen.

Arnav followed them smilingly.

Khushi had tea with Lavanya. That was when Sheetal came to the canteen with her friend Sonia. She saw Khushi sitting with Lavanya, a table away from Arnav.

Sheetal stood in front of her table and gestured to Sonia.

"Sonia, I wanted to tell you something very important about me"

Khushi and everyone around her looked at her, including Arnav and Aman.

"What's that Sheetal?" Sonia asked.

"Do you know, who I was in my previous birth?" Sheetal asked, glancing at Khushi from the corner of her eyes.

"Who?" Sonia asked excitedly.

"Princess Diana" Sheetal said and a few people chuckled.

"I can't believe this..." Sonia said.

"Trust me, Sonia... you should trust me because this is a new TREND. We can say anything about our previous birth and force people to trust us" Sheetal mocked Khushi.

Lavanya looked at Khushi who was looking at her tea cup silently.

"Am I right, Khushi?" Sheetal asked.

"Sheetal, just mind your business instead of mocking others," Lavanya said furiously.

"Oh, La... I thought you were a modern girl but modern is only your outfit... you are so OLD..." Sheetal said with attitude.

"Let me be OLD... I'm happy because I'm not arrogant like you"

"La, mind your tongue. Why are you getting angry with me for someone?"

"Why are you mocking someone who is not related to you? Don't you have any other work?"

"What to do, this is my nature. I can't tolerate such a drama" Sheetal was about to go, and she felt a tug in her hand. She looked at her hand and then at Khushi who was clutching her hand.

"You don't trust me... it doesn't mean you are right and I'm wrong. It's your perception. I'm not forcing anyone to trust me" She said looking at Arnav who was looking at her.

"No one will trust you," Sheetal shrugged her hand.

"TIME will decide it..." Said Khushi confidently.

Sheetal left the place with Sonia.

Khushi sat again.

"Why do you give heed to that witch, Khushi?" Lavanya asked angrily.

"I didn't give heed to her but to the person who is watching me," she said and Arnav stopped sipping tea, hearing that.

"I don't want him to think, she shut my mouth because I'm fake"

Arnav looked at her gulping down. He could not understand how to handle Khushi because he didn't believe in REBIRTH.

"Why is Sheetal always rude to everyone? Why is she behind Khushi now?" NK asked.

"I think the same. So what if Khushi lies? What's Sheetal's problem?" Aman said.

Arnav became thoughtful.

"She thinks she is the superior" NK said.

"She just selects employees for our company. What's there to be superior?" Aman asked.

"It's her perspective"

"No... she is jealous of Khushi" Said Arnav.

Aman and NK looked at him.

"She was disappointed as Bhashyam sir appointed Khushi without her consent"

"Whaaat? This is not done. What does she think of herself? Bhashyam sir is the owner of this company. Why would he get her permission?" Aman asked wearily.

"She thinks only the HR head would appoint the employee"

"I think she would be fired soon if she has this attitude," NK said.

"Yeah, it will surely happen," Aman said.

"Let's go to the seat" Arnav stood up. Aman and NK followed him.

Ranjith saw them with a smirk.

*They knew much more than me. Let me see... people who knew much more than me would do TOMORROW* he thought.

To be continued...