Chapter Ten

Khushi finished helping to clean up the ballroom. She headed out to the back and cleaned the patio. Bruce came running up to her and Khushi smiled. She bent down and petted him on his side. Bruce panted while she did and then he moved away. He found his ball under one of the chairs and picked it up. He came back to Khushi and placed it down, then panted. Khushi shook her head and stood up, showing him the broomstick, motioning that she was busy. Bruce pouted and whined, then sat down and whimpered.

"What's wrong Bruce?"

Khushi looked up and saw Arnav. He came walking over and bent down beside Bruce.

"What's wrong boy?"

Bruce simply whimpered.

Arnav noticed the ball beside Bruce and picked it up.

"Wanna play boy?"

Bruce lifted his head.

"C'mon boy! You wanna play?"

Bruce stood up and panted.

"Good boy! Come with me!"

Bruce followed behind Arnav and went down the steps. Once they were several feet away from the house, Arnav threw the ball.

"Fetch boy!"

Bruce went running off after the ball. While Bruce went after the ball, Arnav went over to the shed and got out Bruce's treats. When Bruce came back with the ball, Arnav treated him with one doggie biscuit. Arnav threw the ball again and Bruce went running off again. They continued to play while Khushi cleaned up the patio.

Anjali and Avantika came out and saw what Arnav and Khushi were doing. They moved back inside and hid.

"They're both doing two different things," Avantika said. "How do we get them together?"

"Hold on, let me think," Anjali said.

While Anjali thought, Deviyani noticed her two granddaughters. She saw them peek outside at Arnav and Khushi and then whisper to each other. Curious, she went over to them.

"What's going on here," Deviyani asked.

Anjali and Avantika froze. They both looked back at their curious grandmother.

"Nothing really," Avantika said.

"If it's really nothing, then why are you two spying on Chote and Khushi? Plus, I saw how the two of you were acting during breakfast, so it's obviously something."

"Well, uh... Di will tell you!"

Anjali widened her eyes. Deviyani looked at Anjali curiously, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"Um, uh, well-"

"Good boy Bruce," they all heard Arnav say.

The three ladies looked out and saw Bruce running back. Arnav was standing by the pool and Khushi was still on the patio cleaning up. She picked up some towels and was coming down the steps as Bruce came running. Arnav crouched down as Bruce got closer, but Bruce didn't slow down.

"Slow down Bruce," Arnav hollered.

But Bruce rushed forward.

"Bruce-"

Bruce came dashing forward and collided with Arnav, pushing Arnav into the pool. The three ladies gasped, as well as Khushi. Arnav came out of the pool with a frown and he spit out some water. Bruce just panted and just as the three ladies were about to go out to him, they heard a little giggle, as well as Arnav. Everyone's heads whipped to Khushi, who had the towels covering her mouth. 

Arnav gazed away as he looked at the gleam in her eyes. When she met his eyes, Khushi pursed her lips and lowered the towels. She looked down, trying to make her smile disappear. Once she managed to stop her smile, she went down the steps and held a towel out to him. Arnav looked at the towel, then at Khushi. Khushi looked away and continued to hold out the towel. Arnav reached for it and he touched her hand. Khushi felt a spark run through her and she looked at his hand, then at him. Arnav was already looking at her, feeling that spark as well.

Khushi let go of the towel, breaking their contact. Arnav came out of the pool and dried his hair with the towel.

"Thanks," Arnav said.

Khushi nodded and she looked at Bruce, who was panting, waiting for his ball to be thrown. Khushi shook her head at him and Bruce tilted his head with a whine. Khushi smiled and bent down, rubbing his side.

"Bad dog," Arnav said, though he was grinning.

Bruce barked and Arnav chuckled.

"Go on you."

Bruce barked and took the ball away. Khushi got back up, put the towels down, and headed back towards the house, the three ladies quickly moving away.

"Khushi?"

Khushi turned to look at him. 

"Your giggle is cute."

Deviyani, Anjali, and Avantika gasped, looking at each other with wide eyes. Khushi's eyes widened while Arnav smiled softly. She felt blush spreading through her cheeks and she quickly looked away.

Did he just...? But... I'm so confused!

Khushi turned back to the house and ran inside, running right past the three giddy ladies. They glanced outside and saw Arnav had a little smile running across his face.

"Di," he called out. "Di!!"

Anjali straightened her spine and Avantika and Deviyani helped her to calm down and to not smile. Anjali managed to pull it off, waited a few seconds, heard Arnav call her name out again, and went out.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, I- Chote, what happened to you," Anjali exclaimed, faking her shock.

Arnav put down the towel. "Bruce happened."

"Wait right there and wrap a dry towel around you so you don't get a cold."

"Yeah, yeah, can you just get my clothes. Mom will kill me if I go inside all wet like this."

"You got that right," Anjali chuckled. "Be right back."

Arnav nodded and Anjali went back into the house. Once she did, Avantika and Deviyani went rushing to her side and followed her up to Arnav's room.

"Oh my gosh, did you guys hear what Bhai said," Avantika shrieked once they were in Arnav's room.

"I know," Anjali gushed. "I can't believe he actually said that though!"

"I never expected that from Chote," Deviyani grinned.

The others nodded in agreement and Anjali pulled out a black t-shirt and some shorts for Arnav to change into. She opened her mouth to say something, but then she paused and frowned. Deviyani and Avantika looked at her curiously, especially when Anjali began to grin.

"What's gotten into you," Avantika asked, looking at her sister oddly.

"Both of you hide," Anjali said.

"What, why?"

"I have an idea, now hide!"

Deviyani and Avantika looked at each other and shrugged, then hid. Once they were hidden properly, Anjali called out to Khushi.

"Khushi? Khushi could you come here please," Anjali hollered out in the hall.

A few moments passed and then Khushi came into view. She came rushing over to Anjali and gave a small smile.

"Khushi, could you give this to Chote?"

Khushi's eyes had widened slightly and though she tried to hide it, Anjali had noticed.

"What happened was that Chote was playing with Bruce and he got pushed into the pool."

Khushi pursed her lips to stop smiling from the memory.

"He called me and asked me to take this to him, but I've got to call Shyam, so could you please go give this to him."

Khushi gulped and looked at Arnav's clothes in Anjali's hands.

But I don't want to go... but Di needs me to... what to do?

In the end, Khushi gave a meek smile and took his clothes.

"Thank you Khushi, I owe you one," Anjali smiled.

Khushi shook her head and gave her a smile. She turned to leave and once Khushi was out of sight, Anjali ushered Deviyani and Avantika out of their hiding spot.

"That was brilliant," Deviyani grinned.

"Now to see what happens," Avantika chirped, and the three went back down, towards the back.

They saw Khushi go onto the patio and they went back to their hiding spot. Khushi looked around for Arnav, and when she did, her eyes widened. Arnav was reaching down to the hem of his shirt and he pulled his shirt off. Khushi's jaw dropped as she watched his muscles bunch and his body glisten in the sun from the tiny water droplets spread all over his body.

"Show off," Avantika muttered, and Deviyani and Anjali shushed her.

Khushi continued to gape as she watched Arnav stretch. In the three years he was gone, his body had definitely improved. Before, Arnav didn't take working out seriously, only working out for a few days then took days off till he worked out again. But just by looking at his physique, Khushi could tell he had definitely been working out appropriately.

And boy did it do justice to him.

Khushi shut her mouth and clamped it shut so it wouldn't fall open again. She tucked her hair behind her ear, feeling that she had intruded on a private moment. Khushi couldn't figure out how to get his attention and as she tried to figure out how, Arnav turned around. Khushi's eyes widened as she met his six pack. Her eyes had darted down to his abs, up to his eyes, and back down where she noticed his V starting.

Oh my gosh, he has a V!!!

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows and he had a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He knew what Khushi was looking at and he couldn't help but to be amused.

Stop looking at his V Khushi, stop! Look up at his face! Look!!!

Khushi forced herself to meet his eyes and when she saw his amusement, she knew she had been caught red-handed and she turned away.

"Khushi..."

Khushi pursed her lips and looked left to right.

"Can I have my clothes?"

Khushi looked down at his clothes in her hands and realized she had been clutching onto it the entire time. She turned back to him and made her way over to him. She was by the pool and just as she reached him, she slipped. Khushi was about to fall into the pool and Deviyani, Anjali, and Avantika gasped. Arnav reached out and grabbed Khushi's arm. He pulled her back to him, Khushi colliding into his chest. The ladies gasped again and this time, they were giddy with joy.

Khushi opened her eyes and her eyes met his chest. She looked up and found Arnav looking at her with worry.

"Are you okay," he asked.

She's just a maid.

Arnav's words echoed in her head and she pulled back, holding his arms so they had some distance between them. Arnav looked at her confusedly as she moved away from him. She held his clothes out to him and after a few moments, Arnav took it.

"Thank you," he said.

Khushi nodded, fixed her dupatta, and headed back to the house. Deviyani, Anjali, and Avantika hid and watched as Khushi entered the house and disappeared into another room. The ladies looked back out to see Arnav looking confusedly at his clothes. They then looked at each other and headed into the dining room.

"That was odd," Avantika said. "I thought Khushi would've melted."

Anjali didn't say anything and continued to frown.

He didn't mean what he had said Khushi, Anjali said in her head. I wish you knew that, would understand that.