Part 12 Reaction
Arnav stood with a diabolical expression as if he was the God of wrath. Khushi was looking at him with disbelief, like, was he really Arnav? His face was RED. His bloodshot eyes of him showed him that he was not a HUMAN. It seemed he had not returned to his real self yet.
Khushi slowly walked to him and touched his shoulder. Arnav raised her fist to punch the person who touched him. He thought it was one of the guys as he didn't see Khushi advanced him. Khushi shrieked in fear of getting hurt. Arnav lowered his hand swiftly and Khushi huffed.
She saw people looking at Arnav surrounding him as if he was an alien. Khushi came to the composure. Clutching his hand, she dragged him away. When they came aloof, she removed the water bottle from her bag and forwarded it to Arnav. Arnav didn't take it but looked down. He was scared to face Khushi. He knew she would have sacred, seeing his diabolical side. He slowly raised his eyes and looked at her.
"Drink water to calm your angered nerves down," she said.
Her voice was calm. That gave him courage. Taking the bottle, he drank a few sips and gave it to her back. Khushi walked slowly, making sure that Arnav coming with her.
"What happened to you? How did you become so furious? You were not looking like a HUMAN at all. Are you such an angry man? It looked like, you unchained up the RED-EYED MONSTER that was living inside you..." she said fearfully.
Arnav stopped walking, closing his eyes, and tightening his jaws. He opened his eyes hearing,
"Was that all for ME?"
His eyes softened. He looked at Khushi. She raised her hand and touched his bicep with her fingertip which was like a stone.
"How do you maintain your body so strong? What kind of workouts do you do? How could you uproot the tree in a go? Do you have that much strength?" She asked with amazement.
He didn't answer, not because he didn't have answers to her questions. He just could not. Khushi didn't question him to get answers though. She just asked the questions that rose in her mind.
"You know how horrified I was...! My God...! I thought you would kill those guys...! But, they need that. How dare them...!"
She gritted her teeth.
"By the way, would you always get angry about everything? That's why are you staying aloof from everyone? Who would believe seeing your face that you would behave like a monster?"
Arnav fisted his fingers addressing him as a monster. Something clicked in her mind.
"Did our college guys see you getting angry ever before? Was that why they named you CBM?"
"I never got angry before," he said looking at her sharply.
"Then why today?" Came from Khushi.
Arnav walked not answering. Khushi rushed behind him.
"Was that because they tried to touch me?"
He again stopped and looked at her.
"Will you beat anyone if they tried to touch me?"
Arnav didn't answer and she didn't expect him to answer.
"Every girl should have a friend like you. Then, all the girls will be safe..." She said excitedly.
Arnav stopped walking and asked, reading her expression,
"Are you scared?"
"Scared? Why would I be? I'm so glad to have a friend who gets angry with me"
There was a relaxation on Arnav's face. He smiled softly. Thank God, Khushi didn't think anything differently. In fact, she had no reason to think differently. According to her, he got angry. That was all.
Khushi saw an ice cream shop.
"Let's eat ice cream," she said.
"Ice cream?" he asked frowning.
"Yeah... I wanted to eat hot corn but you are too heated up now. To cool your nerves, let's eat ice cream"
Clutching his hand, she walked to the ice cream shop.
"What flavor would you like to have, madam?" the shopkeeper asked.
Khushi looked at the ice cream variety through the glass door of the freezer.
"Chocolate, pistachio, strawberry, Vanilla, Butterscotch, black current, and then, Coffee"
Arnav was looking at her raising his brows. Khushi laughed at his expression.
"You will catch a cold if you eat all of them in a day. Choose one" He said.
"No sir, you won't catch a cold if you eat our company ice cream. Our Formula is like that. How could we sell it in Ooty then?" the shopkeeper said.
"What's your favorite flavor?" Khushi asked.
Arnav nodded no.
"Don't you like ice cream?"
"I have never eaten ice cream"
Khushi looked at him perplexed.
"Maybe, it's because you belong to Ooty... I suppose"
"I would not like to eat anything... So, I don't know how it tastes"
Khushi didn't know how to react to it. She didn't know what to say. She looked at the shopkeeper and said,
"Give me all the flavors"
He gave seven flavors. Arnav took money from his pocket but before he gave it to the shopkeeper, Khushi paid. Arnav snatched the money and gave it back to Khushi.
"I don't want to be such a girlfriend who takes her boyfriend for granted" she chuckled.
Arnav gave money from his pocket smiling.
"Look, I'm an expensive girlfriend. You can't spend money for me all the time..." She warned.
Arnav walked to the table with the ice cream cups.
"Eat" Said Khushi.
"For me?"
"Yeah... didn't you say you never tasted ice cream? So, do it now"
"No... I don't want..."
Taking a spoonful of ice cream, she extended it to him, making him stuck. Taking the spoon from her hand, Arnav ate it. It was chocolate flavor.
"How is it?"
"Nice..."
"Eat"
He ate the ice cream taking the cup from her hand.
"Hello, won't you give it to me?"
Arnav looked at the cups that were on the table.
"You too eat"
"You taste all the flavor. Then give the remaining" Khushi snatched the chocolate cup from his hand and ate it, making him stuck. She ate the remaining ice cream from the cup with another spoon.
They ate all the flavors sharing them.
"Which one do you like?"
"Everything is good and different but I liked black current so much," he said nicely.
"Same pinch" She pinched him slightly, making him smile.
"Where else we can go now?" She asked.
Arnav was dumbfounded. He thought after the big fight, she wouldn't like to roam with him.
"Don't you want to go home?"
"What will I do going home? I like Ooty and your company very much" she smiled.
Arnav could not understand her. He didn't know how she believed him blindly. Khushi saw a few girls looking at them.
"Arnie, look at them," she said not looking at them.
Arnav saw the girls who smiled at him.
"It seems they are trying to get your glimpse" She whispered teasingly.
Arnav was silent.
"All are looking good. Who do you like?"
Arnav stood up.
"Whaaaat?"
"Let's go..." he started walking not waiting for her.
"Arnie, wait..." She ran behind him.
"If you don't like them, leave it... why do you become upset? I will show you someone..."
Arnav stopped walking and glared at her.
"I don't like this," he said sternly.
"Hey, I just am kidding"
Arnav again walked.
"Ok... I won't talk like this again. Don't be rigid..."
Arnav said nothing.
"I can't believe this. Usually, boys like to be liked..."
Arnav looked at her for a few seconds and averted his gaze. Khushi could not understand the meaning of his gaze. Maybe, he too LIKED TO BE LIKED but not by some random girl...!
In the meanwhile,
Aman called Ratna. She attended the call.
"Hello, Aman... eppadi iruka? (how are you?)"
"Nan Nalla iruken Amma. (I'm fine Amma.) What happened to you son?"
"What?"
"From when did he start roaming with a girl?"
"Girl?"
"I saw him in the botanical Garden with a girl"
It was not hard for Ratna to understand who the girl was.
"I can't believe he talks to a girl..."
"Did he see you?"
"Oh yes, he saw me and I spoke to the girl too"
"Really?"
"Yeah...you know she is SP's daughter..."
"She came home once"
"Is it?"
"Yeah, Arnav's father brought her here three days ago"
"I see..."
"Did she talk to you nicely?"
"Yeah... I sensed RIGHTFULNESS in her talk"
"Means?"
"I said, take care of my dude. She said I will take care of MY dude"
"She is a nice girl" Ratna smiled.
"Amma, please don't take me wrong. I don't think it's just friendship..."
"Why are you saying so?"
"I saw something in their gesture, Amma. We know Arnav. She is SP's daughter. Please make sure whether it will work or not. Arnav will not handle the heartbreak because he never considered anyone in his life. Seeing him giving importance to Khushi, I'm scared, Amma. Please take care of it"
"Ok, Aman. I will take care of them. Thank you for letting me know"
"Always, Amma... bye"
"Bye..." Ratna disconnected the call.
Aman was not wrong. Though they were not less than Gupta's economic status, they could not expect Shashi Gupta to be submissive. He might think differently. After all, he was a SP. She knew Arnav. To date, he never liked to talk to anyone. She had no doubt Khushi was a nice girl but Ratna could not say she would accept Arnav. She didn't know what attracted Arnav to Khushi. Aman was right. He would break down if Khushi or Shashi didn't accept him. She didn't know how to talk to Arnav. He would be upset if she said anything. Ratna became restless.
To be continued...