Agnisakshi (Under Editing)

1: You are Khushi

1: You are Khushi!

"Lavanya ji, wake up! You have go office na!"

Lavanya made an irritated face at the person who shook her vigorously in an attempt to wake her up!

"Offo Khushi! It is 'to go to office' not 'go office'! Let me sleep! I can go to office lat...OFFICE!" Lavanya woke up with a thud and screamed, making Khushi cover her ears.

"I have to get you ready for office, Khushi! I completely forgot!"Lavanya slapped her forehead.

"I am so sorry, Khushi. I will get ready in a jiffy, you also get ready fast!" saying that Lavanya rushed to the washroom catching hold of a towel.

"Wait wait Lavanya ji..." Khushi followed Lavanya till the bathroom door.

"Khushi, you don't wanna be late, right? Go, get ready! I know you have taken a bath already ...that rose shampoo smell...umhh...wow!" Lavanya screamed from the bathroom while taking a shower.

"Lavanya ji... I am very..very ...very ..uh!" Khushi stammered.

"There isn't any need to be nervous, Khushi." Lavanya said coming out of the washroom in her towel.

"Lavanya ji, cook at home... different thing... at office... your boss shout! I scared to ..to ...go ...out ...What ...what ....if he come back? If he caught me ?" Khushi bent her head down and shivered. Lavanya sensed that her soft hearted friend was about to cry and so she went and held her shoulders.

"Baby, let bygones be bygones. You are in Mumbai- the city of dreams-the city that never stops for anybody that never holds on to anything. Do you think your past will be able to hold on to you in this fast city?" Lavanya looked solemnly towards Khushi holding her shoulders.

Khushi silently nodded a no.

"Thank you so much Lavanya ji...you done so much for I. I don't know how give back!"

"Repay, babe! Not give back! I really need to do some serious work on your speech! If ASR comes across such English in such stuttered speech, he shall cut me into pieces!" Lavanya said while buttoning her shirt.

"Why?" Khushi looked towards Lavanya questioningly.

"Arre, he wants everything perfect! Perfect clothes, perfect food, perfect English and why not? He himself maintains perfection. Now you dress up perfectly! Go fast!" Lavanya said while pushing her towards her wardrobe.

Khushi wore her dupatta and put on small pearl earrings matching to her salwar kurta. It wasn't very expensive or very beautiful but it perfectly matched Khushi's personality - simple, sweet and elegant.

"Okay now. Khushi, recite to me what I taught you like the nice blue parrot you are looking like. Uff! Boring plaits!" Lavanya said untying Khushi 's hair.

"What is your name, miss?" Lavanya smirked to her.

"Uh...I ...name..." Khushi stammered, fiddling with her dupatta.

"Offo! Don't tell me you forgot what I had taught you! Okay I will repeat my question...What is your name, miss?" Lavanya said like the impatient girl she was.

"My name... Nakoshi." Khushi said in a low voice and looked at the floor.

Lavanya gazed at her in horror as tears brimmed her eyes. She felt disgusted at the person who had given such a beautiful and caring girl such an unholy name.

"Not Nakoshi, Khushi! You are Khushi! My Khushi...the best friend I could ever have... my soul sister! You are my happiness! You are not unwanted! You are Khushi- the happiness of the world. Do you understand?" Lavanya said as tears brimmed her eyes too.

"Ji." Khushi murmured as she went and hugged Lavanya. Never had anyone talked to her so lovingly.

"Accha, now enough of this emotional talk.Tell me miss, what is your name ?"Lavanya smiled to her wiping her tears.

"K...Khushi K...Kashyap" Khushi gave a nervous smile.

"Not K...Khushi...Khushi Kashyap ...with confidence." Lavanya straightened her shoulders.

"Khushi Kashyap." Khushi imitated Lavanya, making her laugh.

"Come now or we will get late." Lavanya pulled Khushi towards the door.

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"Aman! Where is the Mehta file?"

"AMAN!"

"Yes ASR!" Aman said panting as he had run towards ASR's cabin.

"Why don't you come at the first time I call out to you?"

"Sorry ASR!"

"What were you so busy in to ignore ...What is that yellow something on your cheek and hand?"ASR said scrunching his eyebrows .

Aman hid his hands behind his back.

"Nothing, ASR!"

"AMAN!"

"It is gravy sir... The new canteen caterer has made such delicious food that I couldn't help but overeat and might have spilled over..."

"Forgetting your table manners?" ASR said giving an unbelievable look.

"I am sorry, ASR." Aman gulped fearing loss of his job knowing ASR's hot temper.

"Go, wash your face and hands and bring me the Mehta file. Arrange me a meeting with him and tell me the statistics of our last ramp walk. How many bidders for the new collection?"

ASR spoke fast making Aman rush here and there.

"...And yes, once you are done with everything, send salad for me from the canteen. I didn't bring any lunch today..."

"Yes ASR!" saying that Aman rushed downstairs towards the canteen after washing his hands.

.

.

"Mohan!"Aman called out to the peon. "Send lunch to ASR's cabin." Saying that, Aman ran away to do his chores.

"Arre Aman saab! Arre ata mi kay karun ...Maajhi aai la jwar aahe ...Mala ghari jaayecha aahe( Arre what do I do now? My mom has fever... I need to go home!)" Mohan said but Aman had already gone away. Mohan sighed in sorrow.

" Chinta karu naka bhau... Mi gheun jaate( Don't worry brother, I will take it.)" Khushi smiled.

"Thanku Khushi ji! Tumhala khub khub abhaar.(Thank you Khushi ji I am very grateful to you.)" Mohan smiled and headed towards the exit.

Khushi put in, with lots of love a serving full of all the food she had made with the canteen helpers, thinking that she was arranging the plate for Lavanya. Lavanya's cabin was attached to ASR's as she was ASR's secretary while Aman was his personal manager.

It was Khushi's first day at AR as the caterer at the canteen and she wanted to give her best on the first day. It was because of Lavanya's influence that she had got this job or who would have employed a stupid girl like her, according to her. She didn't want to let down Lavanya and so she had made sure to give everyone the tastiest food she could ever cook.

She arranged the plate nicely and put two-three slices of cucumber and carrot by the side. She gave a huge 1000 watt smile to the plate and walked towards the cabin towards which Aman had pointed towards earlier.

"Your food is here!"Khushi said in a sing song manner as she entered the cabin.

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