Be Mine, Khushi...

Freeze Them All

Shauna positioned herself under the  imported lily plant so she could see the drama about to unfold. 

God knows why that asshole media didn't publish my picture . But what you gonna do now, ASR? 

She gleefully eyed the white envelope on Arnav's bed. She'd texted Khushi to take out the contents of the envelope and sign them, in lieu of being Arnav's assistant . 

Khushi entered the room, slightly disoriented from the contrast of Arnav's grey-blue room to the pristine white hallway outside . Spotting the envelope on his bed, she proceeded to undo the flap and took out the photograph. 

Shauna crossed her fingers in anticipation. 

As expected , Khushi's pretty hazel orbs widened at the impossible photo in her hand. The envelope slipped away as she clutched on to the blasphemous picture with both hands, her lips quivering. 

"Arnav ji !!!" Shauna heard her yell. 

There was a quick patter of footsteps, as Arnav rushed up the hallway, skidding on the marbles as he entered the room, paper in hand. 

Khushi simply pursed her lips angrily and turned around the photo in her hand so Arnav could see .

Shauna suppressed her chuckle and longed for some popcorn. 

Ab ayega maza. 

"Khushi...let me explain..." Arnav started , holding his arms up in a surrendering gesture. 

"Explain what , Arnav ji ?"

"Khushi please it isn't what you think I was just..I couldn't ...I mean..you looked so -"

"Where did the picture come from ?!"

"Huh?" 

"The picture, Arnav ji. Where did this come from?" 

"I - um ..wait you're mad about the picture ?"

"Well shouldn't I be ?"

Arnav scratched his jaw , confused. 

She isn't mad I kissed her?

"Um...but I .."

"I wasn't asleep , Arnav ji. I was just tired. "

Arnav stopped dead. 

And for the first time in his life, he blushed.

Dammit. She knew it throughout?

"Then why didn't you wake up ??!"

"Woh..I thought you'd be embarrassed ...."

He was, in fact, mortified beyond measure. All this time he'd been scared shit about her reaction , and she'd known it since it happened !

"Does that mean you were also awake when I put you in bed?" 

"Huh? No. But the picture, Arnav ji !! What if someone else sees it ?? They'll assume the worst !" 

Arnav frowned at that. The worst ??

But she was right. Something needed to be done about the picture. Shauna didn't know he knew it was her behind the fiasco - and that was his only advantage. The only thing that stopped her from publishing it on her own social accounts was the fear that she had about Arnav coming to know her plan - if she knew he already understood, then she might publish it on insta or Facebook .

"Give it to me. " 

Arnav said, as he took it from her and took out a lighter from his pocket. He carefully set a corner on fire and threw it in the dustbin.