Ek Duje Ke Vaaste

Part 19

Part 18:

Arnav was lying on his bed lazily, he dint feel like doing a thing, he dint understand why it was even so difficult for him to be just friends with Khushi.

It had been two days since he joined the college and they agreed to be friends, and Khushi was actually a great friend, but a part of him just couldn't manage to look at her as a friend when he liked her so much and those thoughts wouldn't just stop disturbing him.

He really dint know what to do about the situation, it wasn't like he could force Khushi to like him, so he just needed to get rid of these feelings that he had for her, and for that, he had to take Shaina's advice. He hadn't really made any new friends so far apart from Khushi, a few girls did try to talk to him though but he dint bother about them, it was like he was running away from them on purpose.

So the only option seemed like meeting this girl he had been talking to, she did sound great and the kind he could like, maybe she could help him get rid of these feelings he had for Khushi.

He heard his phone beep so he rolled over and picked it up from the stand near his bed, he opened the message he had received from the talkative girl.

"Are you okay? I just read your recent short story and it was quite sad."

"Yeah, I'm good, I am a writer, I write fictional stuff, doesn't have to reflect to me." He smiled as he typed back the text.

"Okay good then, I was just worried."

"Oh I see someone is worried for me." He added a wink emoji to it and just like that, for no reason, this stranger he had been talking to online for months, ended up making him smile once again. Maybe Shaina was right, maybe if he met this girl and gave her a chance, things could change, his feelings for Khushi might disappear.

So... he decided to go for it.

"Shut up." Her text popped up.

"So, I was thinking about what you told me a few days back, that we should meet given we are in the same city."

"And..."

"And I think it's time for us to meet. How about Saturday? For lunch or something?"

"Oh My God! Yes." Arnav laughed at how excited she even sounded on the text, she really did want to meet him, maybe Shaina was right, she liked him, but was he going to be able to like her?

So far he thought there were chances of him liking her, she sounded like such a great person, if she was the same person that she was in texts, there was definitely a chance.

It was a Thursday night, so he had one and a half day before he was going to meet her, and he was kind of nervous about this whole meeting thing.

"How will we recognize each other though?" he asked.

"How about we'll text each other what we are wearing and stuff, I mean we'll meet at a restaurant so it would be easier, whoever arrives first can tell the other where they are seated and what they are wearing, and I guess it would be easier that way."

"Okay sounds great, see you on Saturday then."

"See you."

*****

Khushi rushed to open the door when she heard her brother's knock in the morning, it was their usual routine, to come wake her up but today she had woken up before they even came.

Since her meeting with Mr. Writer got fixed last night, she had been so excited for it she couldn't even sleep well, she just kept wondering how she was going to go, what she was going to wear, what excuse she would give her strict brothers and all that.

"Good morning." She smiled at the three of them.

"Good morning, you seem happy today." Arjun smiled as he walked in.

"Yeah and for the first time, you woke up without us waking you up, you're even ready." Rudra looked at her suspiciously.

"What's up huh?" Prem asked.

"Jeez why are you three always so scary? I just woke up early once, big deal." Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Okay fine, let's go have breakfast then you can leave for college, I hope you aren't talking to boys there, I'll have to pay a visit." Rudra said.

"Sure, come visit, I'm always with Suman." Khushi said as she looked towards Prem who just seemed uncomfortable at the mention of Suman's name.

"At least think about Prem, this stupid rule of yours has been hurting him and my best friend, what kind of brothers are you? You care about me too much and don't care about each other at all." Khushi said, she really felt bad knowing that somewhere it was because of her that Prem and Suman weren't together.

"Why do we always keep having this conversation?" Prem said angrily as he walked away, Khushi too grabbed her bag and headed out leaving Rudra and Arjun alone.

As Khushi headed downstairs, she found Suman walking in so she gestured to her to turn around and walk out while she followed her outside.

"We need to talk." Khushi said.

"About what?" Suman asked.

"About you and Prem and also about something I haven't told you but you'll have to understand that I was just scared to tell you and dint want you to tell me otherwise."

"Okay." Suman nodded as they both got into the car, she started driving as Khushi started speaking.

"What's the problem with you and Prem?" I asked.

"Isn't it clear Khushi? He doesn't want anything like a relationship, I don't have any problems, he does, and it's not getting solved until they think you're grown up enough to finally have a relationship or just get married."

"Dint you try to talk to him, convince him somehow?"

"I did everything I could but nothing worked, honestly, I've given up. Now can we please not talk about your brother?"

"Fine, so the thing I had to tell you. Remember I told you I was talking to some guy online and then you told me to stop, well I dint stop I just pretended to have stopped."

"What? Why would you lie to me? I am your best friend." Suman looked at her angrily.

"Because you dint think it was a good idea but I liked talking to him, he sounded like a good person to me and I was scared you might tell my bodyguard brothers so I lied." Khushi pouted.

"Okay fine, so what about it?"

"So we got to know each other a bit more and finally decided to meet, I'm meeting him on Saturday for lunch." Khushi said excitedly.

"What? Why? He's a stranger Khushi, you can't meet a stranger like that! What if he's dangerous?" Suman parked the car and looked at her like she was insane.

"Calm down mom! I am meeting him in a restaurant, It's a public area, a lot of people will be around, it's safe."

"But what about your brothers? You know they would kill that guy if they found out."

"That's why I am doing it secretly duh, but I will really need your help, I mean if I go out either of them will come along, so I need you to come my place early morning and ask me to come your place with you saying you'll drop me back in the evening. I'll get ready and your place and go for the date and come back to your place then you can drop me home. Please."

"You know you'll put the both of us in trouble, if Prem finds out, he will never forgive me for it."

"You just said you dint want anything to do with him."

"Okay fine, I'll get you out, but I swear if anything goes wrong, I'll murder you!"

"Yayy, thanks. That's why you are my best friend." Khushi hugged her excitedly, she couldn't wait to meet Mr. Writer.