Making Her Mine- An IPKKND story.

Chapter 7 - A Challenge

The next morning, finally, Arnav woke up before Khushi could leave. He sat up in his recliner and stared at her sleeping form to his heart's content. She was smiling in her sleep.
"Arnav-ji," she murmured. Was she dreaming about him? He couldn't help smiling. He wished he could caress her face, but she wouldn't like that. One day, maybe.

She was frowning now. "Laad Governor," she muttered sulkily. What the hell?

"No," she gasped and sat up in bed.

"Khushi! What happened?" He rushed to her side, but she recoiled from him, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

She shot him a glare. First one of the day.

"Yes," she snapped before going into the bathroom. He decided to go for his run, rather regretfully, with half a mind to just sit around until she came out of the bathroom with her hair wet.

When he returned, he saw she had packed for both of them. Two luggage bags and a dozen bastas, from the looks of it. Hari Prasad was lugging them all dutifully downstairs.

"What the—how many days are you planning to stay at Buaji's?" he asked, staring after Hari Prasad as he tottered out of their room.

"You don't have to stay the whole time," Khushi retorted. "And it's not all my things. I bought some things for them."

Oh. He should have thought about that, he realized. Not a problem. He ducked out to the poolside and called Aman. A kurta for Babuji, sarees for her mother and Buaji. To be delivered in a couple of hours.

Khushi was stony-faced in the car. He drove slowly, glad that being considerate of her fear of speed meant he got more time alone with her. He smiled to himself and saw her glaring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Just tell me what you want."

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you going with me to Buaji's house? No one told you to."

"No one tells me to do anything, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada."

She rolled her eyes. He chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What? I know there's some evil thought running through your mind; just tell me."

"Shut up, Khushi."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out of the window.

"Fine, I was just thinking about how you've started copying me."

"I've started copying you?"

"Yes. You rolled your eyes exactly like I do, just a minute ago."

"No, I didn't! When you do that, you look just like the Laad Governor that you are. Do that in my Bua-ji's house too; I know you will. You won't last a day."

"Don't call me that!" He snapped. "And what do you mean, I won't last a day?"

"There's no air conditioning in Buaji's house," she replied. "The roof in the living room leaks when it rains. There are power cuts and there's water only on specific times of the day. We have to fill water in buckets. There's no shower-"

"What? You think I won't be able to stay at your Bua-ji's house because of all that? I lived on my own in college; I cleaned up after myself and I cooked for myself."

"Oh, really?" She rolled her eyes again. "In America? What did you cook? Pusta and salad from a packet? And you used a washing machine to wash clothes? A vacuum cleaner to clean your one room? Were there mosquitoes? Did you have to go fill water from a public pump and carry it home?"

"It's pasta, not Pusta. And what's wrong with eating pre-made salad? And for your information, I know how to cook rice and dal and sabzi."

He could tell she was surprised, but she wouldn't let on, stubborn as she was.

"Your cooking must be just like you. Bland and flavorless," she snapped. He opened his mouth to retort and couldn't think of what to say, so he changed gears aggressively instead.

"Whatever."

"You won't last a day in Bua-ji's house."

"Want to bet?"

"Bet."

"What will you do if I stay for as long as you do?"

"Anything you want." She paused. "But it won't happen. You'll give up."

"Anything I want?"

"Yes."

"Fine, it's on. If I stay for as long as you want, you'll speak to me nicely."

He caught her eye and the flicker of something in it. Tenderness?

"Not for as long as I want. I don't want you there at all. For as long as I stay there."

"Yes, fine. As long as you want to stay there, I'll stay put."

"And if you don't."

"Khushi, I never lose."

"But if you lose."

"I'll do anything you want."

She turned her face away.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"I'll tell you when you are packing your bags to leave."