Aapke Pyaar Mein [IPKKND AU] - to be continued

Chapter 4

The signal turned red causing all the vehicles from that direction to stop into their tracks. It was just a usual road in Delhi. The sun up the sky causing the temperature to rise. Loud horns polluting the street with noise. Men, women and children rushing in between the standing cars to sell balloons, flowers and toys respectively. And some to beg.

His white SUV was one of the hundreds of vehicles at that signal. His car, one of the very less things he treated himself after his business ran successfully. If Arnav wanted he could have afforded a BMW, an Audi or even a Lamborghini or a Jaguar. But this particular brand and such a SUV had been an eleven years old Arnav's dream car. And ASR wanted to fulfil one dream of his younger self, the boy who was the epitome of innocence and happiness. The boy who knew to live. The boy who was far away from the harsh reality of life. The boy who was no more!

Yet the boy seemed to be making a comeback slowly. The innocence couldn't return anymore. He had seen and matured too much for that. But the heart of an eleven years old Arnav Mallik was finding its way back to the world. The same heart ASR had locked into a corner. Yet he couldn't stop that same heart from beating for the one special person. Khushi Kumari Gupta.

And that's why when he dialled her number, his fingers didn't tremble anymore. He hesitated for a moment but didn't stop.

Khushi - Hello?

The light turned green. Shifting the gear back into the first one, he slowly left the clutch to get the car into rolling.

Arnav - Did I disturb your sleep?

*

Since the time Khushi was in Delhi, for the first time her bed felt large and spacious. She could twist and turn without the fear of pushing Payal off the bed. And yet she couldn't get the needed sleep. There were two reasons for that.

First, her Jiji wasn't beside her. She missed her. The house, their room, they felt so empty without her. She desired to keep her arms and legs on her beloved sister for a peaceful and comfortable sleep. But that wouldn't be anymore. The crushing thought made her feel so empty inside.

Whereas on the one hand she was devastated for her Jiji wouldn't be there to sleep with her anymore, her heart was on cloud nine. If there was sorrow, there was excitement too. The excitement of being in love. Butterflies erupted in her stomach whenever she would recall the rooftop incident. A ticklish sensation would take over. And that short talk in the night did not help better her state.

In short, she was wide awake the whole night. It was only early in the morning when finally she fell asleep.

It was around 10 AM when the ringtone of her phone hit her ears and in a partially unconscious state she moved her arm out of the blanket to attend the call.

Khushi - Hello?

Arnav quickly noticed the sleepy sound in her low voice. He understood she was still sleeping.

Arnav - Did I disturb your sleep?

Even though they both shared a much better relationship now, Khushi's eyes shot open and in no time she was sitting on the bed holding her phone. First he had been her devil of a ruthless boss at office and then at their home. And now he had turned into her prince charming. And everytime she woke up, she feared it was a dream. A beautiful dream.

Only after looking around at her room once and finding the decoration around, a sense of assurance occurred in her mind. It is real.

Khushi - Erm' no...it's ok. I was to wake up anyway.

Arnav - I was thinking...

After a break of few seconds he finally spoke in a flat voice followed by a pause again. Khushi curiously waited for him to speak up as he seemed to be collecting words in his mouth.