Agnisakshi (Under Editing)

14:Another long drive

14: Another long drive.

Two months later...

Khushi covered her head with her shawl and ran out of the local train station.

Hai Bhagwaan! It is raining so heavily! If there would have not been such an important class today, I would have surely bunked like my classmates often do. Uff! I forgot my umbrella at home! She thought to herself as she ran towards the gate of her college.

"Arre Khushi! The classes got cancelled. Let's go home. "One of her classmates said as Khushi tried to rush inside the gate.

"What! The classes got cancelled? Who said this and what about tomorrow?" Khushi went to the girl and asked.

"Well, the management decided no classes for today!"

"Okay I will go home, bye!"Khushi smiled as the girl left.

Khushi had secured admission in a very reputed Arts college and she was happily studying there since the past two months. The world famous heavy rains of Mumbai were not successful in stopping her from attending college.

She sighed as she turned to go back to the train station.

"Khushi!!"

She suddenly heard a voice call out to her. She looked here and there to see who was beckoning her.

"Khushi! Look here!" The voice said making Khushi turn to her left.

"Arnav ji!" Khushi smiled and went towards the car from which Arnav was calling out to her.

"What are you doing here, Arnav ji?"

"Stop asking me questions, get into the car. I will drop you home. You have got so wet you are going to catch a cold for sure!" Arnav spoke concernedly as Khushi sat on the front seat in his car.

"Thank you!"Khushi said as she became comfortable.

"I had some work nearby so I thought to stop by your college to talk to you. Looking at the heavy rain, I didn't expect you to be in College so I was leaving. Why were you here at such a rainy day? Why did you not stay at home?"Arnav spoke as he started driving.

"I had an important class today. The college management cancelled it impromptu."Khushi shrugged and shivered.

Arnav lowered the car's cooling seeing her trembling.

"Wow, you are really dedicated towards your studies! I was not half as dedicated as you during my college days."

"Really? What did you do in your college days?"

"Well, I used to attend most of the classes but not at the cost of my health like you just did!" He taunted her.

"Sorry..."She looked at him sheepishly.

"Just take of your health, Khushi. You have got only one life!"

"Hmm...By the way what stream did you graduate in?"

"Science. I have done a B.Tech in Textile Chemistry. That was my interest. Dad already had a textile business. So, I pursued a MBA in entrepreneurship and family business management from Harvard's and then joined in the business. However by that time Dad was no more."

"Oh!"

"What are you studying?"

"I am studying Hindi, Sanskrit and Marathi. I want to pursue a B.Ed after that."

"Oh! You want to get into teaching?"

"Yes! I had an inclination towards that field since childhood."

"So, you are completing your childhood dream! That is wonderful! Not many people have the guts to fulfil their dreams. I am proud of you!" He gazed at her making Khushi blush.

"I kind of miss going to AR, it was a nice experience being there."Khushi looked at him.

"AR too misses your food. You can come any time you want as my friend. The only condition is you must bring us something to eat. At least for Aman! He has gone crazy without your food, ever since you left."Arnav chuckled.

"Sure. In fact, tell him to come over for dinner. Lavanya ji wanted to talk to him anyways,"Khushi said smilingly.

"What? Why does Lavanya want to meet Aman? I mean they meet in the office everyday, then?"Arnav scrunched his eyebrows and looked towards Khushi while she bit her tongue realizing what she just said.

"Khushi? What is going on between La and Aman? Spill some tea to me."

"Lavanya ji likes Aman ji." Khushi slowly said.

"What!" He stopped the car and turned towards her.

"Yes!"Khushi nodded and giggled.

"Okay! This is weird; I had never imagined that La would like Aman. I mean he is such a book worm and she ...she wants to stay away from books as much as possible. Like she does not even like writing or reading reports."Arnav continued driving.

"I think she would look cute with him."

"Hmm...Well Aman is better than that Neel at least." Arnav thoughtfully said.

"Who Neel? Lavanya ji's college friend?"

"Yes, that creep! Lavanya was dating him some months ago. You did not know?"

"I knew but I never met him. Lavanya ji never brought him home. Why did you call him a creep?"

"Well he broke up with La because he thought that she was cheating on him as she was with me all the time in the office. That was sick because that is what Lavanya's job is, she is my executive secretary, for god's sake. He called her all types of names and even alleged that she sleeps with me..."

"Which is untrue, she sleeps with me!"Khushi cracked a lame joke.

Arnav chuckled and looked at how she laughed. It was the first time he had seen her laughing so heartily.

"What did Lavanya ji do after that?" Khushi laughed.

"We were at the Hyatt that day, waiting for a client, when he just came up with his allegations. La does not like people messing with her professional life. That is why she broke up with him on the spot and pushed him out of the hotel personally. It was sight worth watching because she was very angry but she had to pretend being calm in public." Arnav laughed.

"Oh! I think this was that day when Lavanya ji had just burst into the house and eaten up whatever she found in the fridge. I had asked her many times about why she was suddenly eating so much but she just ignored me the whole day. She even developed pimples the next day as she had swallowed a lot of mustard sauce." She giggled and Arnav laughed.

He stopped the car and said "Your home is here, Khushi!"

"Bye! Thank you so much Arnav ji!" Khushi said as she jumped out of her seat and ran towards her apartment.

Arnav looked at her and the small rain drops which clashed against the window of his car and thought.

This was so different from the last time I had dropped her home. I wish she remains like this forever! Smiling and happy, just like her name!

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