At lunchtime, Khushi quickly put the food at the table so that she wouldn't see Arnav. During lunch, Arnav found it odd that Khushi wasn't in sight. Deviyani, Anjali and Avantika found this weird, as well as Vijay and Amoli.
"Has anyone seen Khushi," Amoli asked. "It's not like her to not be around."
"True," Vijay said. "I haven't seen her all day today, which I found quite strange. She usually checks in with me once in the morning."
"She checks in with me as well, but she didn't today. How odd. Is she okay? Is it because of what happened last night?"
Arnav straightened his spine. The thought hadn't occurred to him and he wondered if Khushi had thoughts about the incident again.
"I hope she wasn't thinking about that again," Amoli said, stuck in deep thought, her chin resting atop her folded hands.
"No, she's fine."
Everyone looked up at Bhromor.
"She was in the kitchen all morning and now she's watering all the plants in the garden."
"All alone," Amoli questioned. "That's odd. Is something the matter?"
Bhromor shrugged. "I don't know. She seemed a bit distracted, but it didn't seem like she was disturbed or in pain, so that's a good thing."
"Hmm, I wonder what's on her mind."
Deviyani, Anjali, and Avantika glanced at each other and then at Arnav. He seemed to be deep in thought and they wondered what was going through his head.
Arnav was too busy wondering if he should excuse himself and go looking for Khushi. But then that would raise questions from the family, and he didn't want to deal with that. Then he wondered why that really mattered. After all she is his best friend.
Is she, his subconscious questioned.
Arnav shut the thought out.
Of course she is, he thought.
"Bhromor, if you see her, could you tell her to come to my room," Amoli said.
Bhromor nodded. "Of course."
Bhromor left the room and Vijay frowned.
"Why is she working in the garden alone," he wondered. "She usually does that when something is bothering her. What could be bothering her?"
"I have no clue," Amoli frowned. She looked at the others. "Do you guys know anything?"
Avantika spoke up first. "Who? Us? No," she blurted under pressure.
Amoli found her answer odd, as well as Arnav. Something just didn't settle for the two.
"I find this so strange," Deviyani said, trying to cover up her granddaughter. "I keep thinking about it, but I can't seem to come up with a reason that would have Khushi betiyan so... preoccupied."
Amoli didn't know why, but her mother's answer just didn't seem right. She had a feeling her mother knew something, but she decided not to push it. Instead, she looked at her son.
"Have you seen her Chote?"
"I saw her this morning when Di had her bring me a change of clothes."
Amoli looked at Anjali. "You saw her? But Avantika-"
"She's a blabbering mouth-"
"Hey," Avantika exclaimed.
"So obviously she's gonna say stuff. I did see her but that was it," Anjali said. "Chote called out to me and I needed to call your son in-law-"
"Son in-law," Vijay questioned. "What are you two bickering about now?"
Anjali rolled her eyes, knowing that this would definitely play things off.
Amoli shook her head. "You two will never stop with that."
Anjali shrugged.
Amolo sighed. "What could be bothering Khushi?"
Arnav wondered himself and played with his food. I have to find her and figure out what's wrong.
*~*
After lunch, Arnav headed out to the garden. The garden was huge, growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. It really wasn't necessary for them to go to the market for their produce and the Raizada's were proud of it.
Arnav walked around and looked for Khushi. There was no one in sight and Arnav wondered if she was still here.
Is she still here? Then again the place is huge for one person to cover. Where could she be?
Arnav went to where the cucumbers grew and he saw something shine. He looked back and saw Khushi’s earring shine in the bright sun. Arnav made his way over to her and watched as Khushi picked some cucumbers and put them in a woven basket.
"There you are."
Only it wasn't Arnav who said that. Bhromor had come from the other direction and now stood before Khushi.
"Do you have any idea how long it took to find you," she huffed. "I've been running around this whole place to find you!"
Khushi arched her eyebrow with a faint smirk, and Bhromor knew she was making a comment about her running.
Bhromor frowned. "Yes I do know how to run."
Khushi just smiled and resumed collecting the cucumbers.
"You know they're worried about you."
Khushi continued to collect the cucumbers.
"I wish you would let me know what's bothering you."
Khushi shrugged, gesturing that nothing was bothering her.
"And I know that's not true."
Khushi tried hard not to pause, but the hesitance was obvious to Bhromor.
Bhromor crouched down beside her. "Besides, you always tend to the garden when you're preoccupied with something."
Khushi simply ignored her.
"And I also know where the idea of gardening came from."
Khushi looked up at her, arching her eyebrow questioningly.
"From Arnav Da."
Khushi's eyes widened for a fraction of a second and then she looked away.
Bhromor smiled lightly and got up. As she walked away she shouted back "I always knew!"
While Khushi wondered how Bhromor could have possibly known and wondered if it was Avantika that had told her, Arnav was smiling softly.
She still continued to garden because of me? It used to irritate her when we were younger, at least, until I got her into it. I can't believe she still does it... for me?
Khushi stood up and had difficulty holding the heavy basket full of goods. Arnav saw her struggle and immediately came forward and helped her out. Khushi was surprised to see him and watched as he held the basket with much more ease. Her eyes had darted to his muscular arms, but she quickly looked away and forced herself to not look at his arms whatsoever.
"I've got it," Arnav said, getting a proper hold on the basket.
Khushi nodded, thanking him.
"What are you doing here? Everyone is worried about you."
Khushi pursed her lips, feeling bad that she had gotten everyone worried.
"Hey, don't feel bad," Arnav said softly.
Khushi looked up at him.
"Mom's just a bit worried and is curious to know why you're here, without telling anyone where you were. Or why you didn't see her earlier."
Khushi hadn't realized she'd been gone for that long and looked down in apology.
"It's okay," he said softly. "Come on, let's head back."
Khushi nodded and followed beside Arnav as they walked through the garden and back to the house.
"So," Arnav began, "why did you come here to the garden?"
Khushi shrugged nonchalantly. To get away from you.
Arnav didn't believe her no reason answer because he knew better. "Remember when you used to get angry at me for always gardening?"
Khushi smiled softly at the memories, remembering one time when she had tried to pull him way by his ear, only to get into a fight with him where their mother's dragged them apart. Of course, it only took one hour, thirty seven minutes, and fifty two seconds to get over it.
Arnav chuckled at a memory. "I'll never forget the day you got me hosed down and drenched me. We were mad at each other for fifty eight minutes and thirteen seconds."
Khushi looked at him with surprise and Arnav smiled.
"Yes I still remember how long. After all it was one of our rules - always keep track of how long we were mad at each other."
Khushi smiled softly. Wow, he remembers that as well.
Arnav chuckled. "I can't believe all the silly stuff we used to fight about. Or even the fact that we would be mad at each other for so long. Like the time I stole your Kit Kat bar - I mean two hours, forty one minutes, and nineteen seconds?" He cocked his eyebrow, looking down at Khushi.
Khushi scowled.
"Okay, okay, I know - never come in between you and your chocolate. But you have to admit, it was fun annoying you like that."
Khushi frowned and Arnav laughed.
For a moment they were quiet, slowly walking back to the house, until Arnav spoke.
"I really am sorry about what happened to you and your parents," he said softly.
Khushi looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. But then Arnav paused, and Khushi looked at him to know why. Arnav was gripping onto the basket tightly, the grooves and weaves of the basket imprinting onto his hand. If he gripped it any harder, the basket would break, Khushi knew for sure. She placed her hands over Arnav's and he looked up at her. Khushi smiled sadly, wanting him to calm down.
Arnav clenched his jaw and looked down. "I can't believe what that guy tried to- to you- what he-"
Khushi gripped his hands, urging him to clam down. Only it didn't work.
Arnav shut his eyes. "If I ever find that son of a bitch, I will kill him," he sneered.
Khushi's eyes widened. What?
Arnav looked down at her. "I wish I was told when this happened," he said softly.
Khushi looked away. You'd come running home for them, but it was more important for you to be there.
"Khushi-"
"Khushi!"
The two looked up and saw Bhromor coming towards them.
"Khushi, we need you in the kitchen," she said when she reached them.
Khushi nodded and turned to take the basket, but Arnav pulled away.
"You go ahead, I'll take these in," he smiled softly.
Khushi nodded once more and she and Bhromor went back to the house.
Arnav stood there for a moment, watching Khushi until she was out of sight, lost in his thoughts, then looked up at the sky.
Things were different now - much different.
How do I tell her what I've been wanting to tell her?
"There you are."
Only it wasn't Arnav who said that. Bhromor had come from the other direction and now stood before Khushi.
"Do you have any idea how long it took to find you," she huffed. "I've been running around this whole place to find you!"
Khushi arched her eyebrow with a faint smirk, and Bhromor knew she was making a comment about her running.
Bhromor frowned. "Yes I do know how to run."
Khushi just smiled and resumed collecting the cucumbers.
"You know they're worried about you."
Khushi continued to collect the cucumbers.
"I wish you would let me know what's bothering you."
Khushi shrugged, gesturing that nothing was bothering her.
"And I know that's not true."
Khushi tried hard not to pause, but the hesitance was obvious to Bhromor.
Bhromor crouched down beside her. "Besides, you always tend to the garden when you're preoccupied with something."
Khushi simply ignored her.
"And I also know where the idea of gardening came from."
Khushi looked up at her, arching her eyebrow questioningly.
"From Arnav Da."
Khushi's eyes widened for a fraction of a second and then she looked away.
Bhromor smiled lightly and got up. As she walked away she shouted back "I always knew!"
While Khushi wondered how Bhromor could have possibly known and wondered if it was Avantika that had told her, Arnav was smiling softly.
She still continued to garden because of me? It used to irritate her when we were younger, at least, until I got her into it. I can't believe she still does it... for me?
Khushi stood up and had difficulty holding the heavy basket full of goods. Arnav saw her struggle and immediately came forward and helped her out. Khushi was surprised to see him and watched as he held the basket with much more ease. Her eyes had darted to his muscular arms, but she quickly looked away and forced herself to not look at his arms whatsoever.
"I've got it," Arnav said, getting a proper hold on the basket.
Khushi nodded, thanking him.
"What are you doing here? Everyone is worried about you."
Khushi pursed her lips, feeling bad that she had gotten everyone worried.
"Hey, don't feel bad," Arnav said softly.
Khushi looked up at him.
"Mom's just a bit worried and is curious to know why you're here, without telling anyone where you were. Or why you didn't see her earlier."
Khushi hadn't realized she'd been gone for that long and looked down in apology.
"It's okay," he said softly. "Come on, let's head back."
Khushi nodded and followed beside Arnav as they walked through the garden and back to the house.
"So," Arnav began, "why did you come here to the garden?"
Khushi shrugged nonchalantly. To get away from you.
Arnav didn't believe her no reason answer because he knew better. "Remember when you used to get angry at me for always gardening?"
Khushi smiled softly at the memories, remembering one time when she had tried to pull him way by his ear, only to get into a fight with him where their mother's dragged them apart. Of course, it only took one hour, thirty seven minutes, and fifty two seconds to get over it.
Arnav chuckled at a memory. "I'll never forget the day you got me hosed down and drenched me. We were mad at each other for fifty eight minutes and thirteen seconds."
Khushi looked at him with surprise and Arnav smiled.
"Yes I still remember how long. After all it was one of our rules - always keep track of how long we were mad at each other."
Khushi smiled softly. Wow, he remembers that as well.
Arnav chuckled. "I can't believe all the silly stuff we used to fight about. Or even the fact that we would be mad at each other for so long. Like the time I stole your Kit Kat bar - I mean two hours, forty one minutes, and nineteen seconds?" He cocked his eyebrow, looking down at Khushi.
Khushi scowled.
"Okay, okay, I know - never come in between you and your chocolate. But you have to admit, it was fun annoying you like that."
Khushi frowned and Arnav laughed.
For a moment they were quiet, slowly walking back to the house, until Arnav spoke.
"I really am sorry about what happened to you and your parents," he said softly.
Khushi looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. But then Arnav paused, and Khushi looked at him to know why. Arnav was gripping onto the basket tightly, the grooves and weaves of the basket imprinting onto his hand. If he gripped it any harder, the basket would break, Khushi knew for sure. She placed her hands over Arnav's and he looked up at her. Khushi smiled sadly, wanting him to calm down.
Arnav clenched his jaw and looked down. "I can't believe what that guy tried to- to you- what he-"
Khushi gripped his hands, urging him to clam down. Only it didn't work.
Arnav shut his eyes. "If I ever find that son of a bitch, I will kill him," he sneered.
Khushi's eyes widened. What?
Arnav looked down at her. "I wish I was told when this happened," he said softly.
Khushi looked away. You'd come running home for them, but it was more important for you to be there.
"Khushi-"
"Khushi!"
The two looked up and saw Bhromor coming towards them.
"Khushi, we need you in the kitchen," she said when she reached them.
Khushi nodded and turned to take the basket, but Arnav pulled away.
"You go ahead, I'll take these in," he smiled softly.
Khushi nodded once more and she and Bhromor went back to the house.
Arnav stood there for a moment, watching Khushi until she was out of sight, lost in his thoughts, then looked up at the sky.
Things were different now - much different.
How do I tell her what I've been wanting to tell her?
