TERE DIL KA MERE DIL SE

Chapter Nine

Aron and Pragya came out of their rooms, "There they are, the other two must be coming too."

Payal nodded. "I'll get your snacks and beverages while you wait for the others." She said softly.

Arnav smiled, "You'll never change, will you Mami?" He asked amused.

Payal shrugged. 

Arnav chuckled, "I'll come with you." 

"Me too." Khushi chirped in.

***

Anjali sighed for the nth time since they had entered the kitchen while putting the batter for onion fritters in the oil and frying it. Khushi was doing most of the work while Anjali guided her and made sure that she didn't accidentally end up hurting herself. Arnav was making coffee in the coffee machine.

Khushi turned to her and showed her the plates filled with pakoras, "You know Anjali aunty, back home mum used to make all these Indian snacks for me and Kartik. We used to love it, and now I even got to make them with you." She told Anjali excitedly.

Anjali smiled at her excitement and regarded the snacks with a critical eye. 

"You've never made them before?" Anjali asked curiously.

"I've seen mum do it though, and you were here to help me too." Khushi said as Anjali heard the slight nervousness creep into her voice.

Anjali nodded approvingly. "They're looking very good." She assured her.

"They smell amazing too, Aman is pretty much gobbling them up." Lavanya said seriously.

Khushi blushed. 

"There. Now we know they taste amazing as well. Aman is like a child when it comes to food, there's hardly any pleasing him." Anjali said with an almost proud smile on her face.

Khushi had pretty much became a daughter to the Raizadas ever since they had met her for the first time in the fashion show. The Raizadas had come to fall in love with the girl in the short amount of time that they had gotten to know her in. 

Lavanya took the tray of fritters from Khushi. "Come on, out of the kitchen now, at this rate you'll be stuck here all evening making fritters for everyone. I'm sure you have other plans for today." She said softly.

Khushi nodded her head, looking back at Arnav who had by now laden a huge tray with six mugs of steaming hot coffee. He nodded in her direction and the duo made their way towards the hall where the other four were waiting for them.

Arnav set the tray on the coffee table and took a mug for himself, following his lead the others also took their mugs and settled into a conversation.

"The snacks are yum, aaj mujhe kiske haath choomne hai? Who has made these? (Whose hands should I be kissing today?)" Aron asked in his usually dramatic manner. Arnav rolled his eyes at his little jest. 

"Seriously, these are awesome." Pragya spoke through her full mouth.

"Khushi has made them, you should learn something from her. Ek woh hai, aur ek tum ho. Kabhi kitchen mein per bhi nahi rakha hoga. (There's she and then there are you guys, I bet you haven't even stepped into the kitchen, ever!)" Arnav teased his sisters. 

Pragya and Jane scowled at him, Arnav laughed at their expressions. They pouted cutely causing Khushi to coo at them and pull both their cheeks one after the other.