Meri Khushi.... MY HAPPINESS!!!

Part 16

Akki stood in front of her office in Delhi. It was just 6months since it was started. But the contribution was great. They had some great talents. She smiled at the huge letters 'NEETHA'S DREAMS'. She stepped into the building looking around the artfully set up clothes. The first 2 floors consisted of the boutique while the top 4 floors formed the office.
"Hello Ma'am.. welcome to Neetha's dreams... What would you like to see?" She turned towards the pleasant voice and smiled at the smiling girl.
Akki: "Hi, I'm Akitha. Can I meet the manager?"
"Manager?"
Akki: "Actually I'm a new staff here..."
"Oh... Hi I'm Anu... I'm in-charge of the  boutique. So you here to be my friend or to the office above?"
Akki liked the girl immediately.
Akki: "Well, it's sort of like a training for me. So will be working half time in both sections."
Anu: "Great... Looking forward to our time together. I guess your first shift is in the designing department. Come meet me when your shift here starts. I will introduce you to the others here."
Akki: "Thank u ma'am."
Anu: "pls... Don't call me ma'am... I told you already... Consider me as a friend and call me Anu..."
Akki nodded at that and Anu asked another girl to accompany her to the manager's cabin upstairs.

Akki: "Good morning ma'am. I'm Akitha."
She forwarded the appointment letter to the regional manager- Sajana Arora.
Sajana scanned her from top to bottom before opening the letter
Saj: "Hmm... Akitha.... Don't you know that you should wear formals to the office...."
Akki: "Ma'am, but.. the others..."
Saj: "How did you know that the others are not wearing formals. You saw them only after coming here right? You are supposed to wear formals. But it's ok. I am a liberal boss. That's why I ask my staff to wear clothes in which they are comfortable. One tend to become more productive when in a comfortable zone."
Akki clenched her teeth at that. Liberal boss. There was no dress code in ND. The staff were free to wear whatever they want. And here the boss was saying that, as if she was breaking the rules for her staff.
"And ha, give your best and I'll recommend you to Neetha. She is a friend you know..."
Akki: "who?"
Saj: "you are in Neetha's dreams and don't even know Neetha?"
Akki: "No... I mean... I know who Neetha is... Just didn't know that she is your friend."

Akki phone convo.
Akki: "what is this yaar? Where did you get that Arora from? She claims to be my Maa's friend... Seriously? My Maa's friend?!"
Os:...
Akki: "I don't know... She doesn't sound genuine.. you sure about her works?"
Os:...
Akki: "hmm... I will see..."

She met a lot of the staff and became friends with a few. She realised that all the designs from the Delhi branch were forwarded to the head office as if they were Sajana's own designs. Now that she started doubting Sajana, she felt that maybe it was the others' work. She just needed to confirm it.

She walked into Shantivan to see the Raizadas except for Arnav, Akash and Manohar, sitting in the living room.
NK: "how was your day, Akitha?"
Akki: "tiring."
NK: "you know, maybe I can help you..."
Akki glared at him hearing that. She had already asked NK to be with Payal, to keep a watch on Anjali, Syam and Sheethal, and here he was offering to come with her. NK immediately realised the slip.
Akki: "it's ok, NK. Everything is almost set. No worries."
The Raizada men too came home in some time.
Arnav: "HP... Is the guest room ready? Lavanya would be coming anytime now."
And door bell rang just as he ended the sentence.
HP went to open the door and Lavanya came in smiling. The way she greeted everyone reminded them of Khushi, while Akki just looked on. La stopped in front of Akki staring at her.
Akash: "This is Akitha..." She looked at him hearing that. "We do business with her family." He turned to NK. "And this is my cousin, NK."
NK forwarded his hand: "Nandkishore Mehra."
She took his hand, shaking it.
Anjali: "And this is Sheethal, Chote's friend."
Arnav's anger flared at that.
Arnav: "She is not my friend."
Anjali: "Chote!"
Arnav: "HP, take Lavanya to her room."

Arnav was in his room, working in his laptop, when someone knocked the door. He looked up to see Lavanya standing at the door.
Arnav: "Come in, Lavanya..."
La: "Hi ASR... It's a long time... I hope we are still friends... I know, I didn't leave in a good note... on the day of our engagement... But that was necessary. Three lives would have been destroyed.."
Arnav: "what..."
La: "I could clearly see that you were in love with Khushi... But you didn't realise it or maybe you were not ready to accept it..."
Arnav: "I'm sorry Lavanya... In my ego I gave you hopes..."
Lav: "it's ok ASR... Even I realised that it was just an infatuation... I just hope to be your friend..."
He smiled at that.
Arnav: "Lavanya..."
La: "I just want someone whom I can count on..." She took his right hand in hers.
Arnav placed his other hand over hers.
Arnav: "I will always be there for you..."
Both turned towards the door hearing a thud. Akki was standing there looking at their​ joined hands. Her mobile at her foot.
La: "Akitha..."
Akki: "ha? Er... I'm... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I just came to discuss something with ASR... I mean... er... I will... I will come later.."
And she immediately left the place taking her mobile. Arnav realised that maybe she heard only the last part and he remembered how irritated she was when she met Lavanya in Mumbai. He excused himself and went to her room.
Lavanya smirked. She had seen Akki at the door and Arnav just said what she wanted him to say. She had noticed how Arnav was behaving around Akki. Just like last time, she wondered why nobody else realised the weird behaviour.

Arnav knocked her room's door. He saw that the door was open and entered the room, but she was not there. He noticed the poolside door open and went to the poolside to see her looking at the stars.
Arnav: "Khushi..."
Akki: "pls leave me alone, Arnav..."
Arnav: "Khushi, let me explain..."
Akki: "I said, leave me alone... I'm not in a mood to listen to your stories Mr. Raizada... I know what I saw... And when I think I need more clarification, I will come to you... after talking to Lavanya..."
Arnav: "what the?! Why do you need to talk to Lavanya... Don't you believe me? You are in love with me, damn it!"
She didn't reply, but simply continued looking at the stars.
He got angry by her attitude and stormed out of the room, towards the study. NK saw him, marching to the study in anger and followed him.
NK: "Hey, Nannav, you ok?"
Arnav: "Leave me alone NK..."
NK: "Tell me, may be I can help?"
Arnav: "There is nothing you can do, NK..."
NK: "that's for me to see... You just tell me what the matter is..."
Arnav: "it's your sister..."
NK: "ha? Bacha? What did she do?"
Arnav: "ha your Bacha... She doesn't trust me..."
NK: "will you just tell me what happened?"
He told him his conversation with Lavanya and how Akki heard just a part of it.
Arnav: "she just came to a conclusion hearing just a part of the conversation. And on top of that she is not even letting me explain... How can she think like that..."
NK: "oh... This is just like the last time..."
Arnav: "last time?"
NK: "ha... Remember the way you misunderstood her at Shyam's time... You forced her to marry you... It's a good thing that you guys are already married... Relax Arnav, she is not you... She will cool down in a day or two..." And he went out saying that.
But Arnav was rooted at his place. Just like last time... Misunderstood her... NK's words were revolving in his head.

NK looked at Akki still gazing the stars.
Akki: "Do you think that I shouldn't have done that... It's not like I don't trust him... I just wanted him to know how I felt... I know he regrets..."
"He regrets but haven't realised... He still don't know the extend to which you were hurt..."
Akki: "I was happy that he married me. I knew that it was not a contract marriage. But I still can't forget the way he mistrusted me. I don't mind the way he behaved with me. But it hurt that he didn't even confront me, when he was in love with me..."
NK patted her head: "it's ok Bacha..."

Hey guys... Hope you liked the update... Not proof read...Sry for typos...
Pls pls... do comment...