UE part 10

"Khushi are you sure you are alright?"

"haan jiji, the medicine worked magic, guess I am not dying so soon after all"

"drama queen"

"at least you added queen"

"oh shut up..where are you off to by the way...?"

"off to AR"

"what?"

"to meet Cement Pile"

"is it just me or have you really gone suicidal?"

"neither..that Cement Pile would crack before he could even make me think of suicide...with me around, it's him who has got to be wary"

"do I doubt that.." Paayal muttered..

"did you say something"

"no your majesty"

"have you even informed him??"

"yes..sent him a message"

"and his reply?"

"cement piles rarely reply"

"no wonder he loses it on you"

"whose side are you on?"

"shh..let me get back to reading..."

"as you please.. go melt inside your book.."

"shut up"

---------------

Sir a lady's outside waiting...

"who?"

"Khushi Kumari Gupta sir..says she has an appointment"

Arnav raised an eyebrow..appointment..he'd have to know when this imaginary appointment had taken place..

"call her in"

"sure sir"

a few moments as he sat resting his head on his chair he heard an "ahem..ahem..may I come in?" at the door..

he straightened and nodded his head and she entered and he motioned her to take a seat '

"so, you lie too.."

"excuse me?"

"you lied about having an appointment"

"no I didn't, I have one"

"oh really?"

"i messaged you last night, didn't you get it?"

Arnav eyed her incredulously then a sarcastic smirk took it's place..

"interesting way of taking appointments I must say..first time you barge into the person himself and the second time you send a text..how, professional"

The sarcasm did not miss it's mark and colour rose on khushi's cheeks..

"exactly!" she retorted "i should learn something from you, calling people up at 2:45 in the morning...how professional"

the retort did not miss its mark either...

"there are people known as personal secretaries" 

"and there is a thing known as sense of timing" 

"i am Arnav Singh Raizada!" he muttered..hinting that the name was enough for an excuse...

"i know...why do you repeat it so much?? next you'll tell me you are not married"

Arnav banged his fist on the table

"ENOUGH!"

"i thought you were to give me a response to my article and lo! You've already said 'enough'..that was it then?"

"don't you act smart with me"

"not the intention. Grow up Mr Raizada"

"says the one who has got puchu love you and what rubbish for an email address"

colour rose on her cheeks yet again..

"that id no longer exists! I thought I told you..by the way, are we here to discuss my email address or could we get to business please?"

Arnav gave her one of his hard stare looks then opened a file before him...

and if their conversation till now would be termed as 'heat' what proceeded was no less than fire..

one retort followed another, sparks flew as heat rose inside the room, both at their professional best..she threw a question and he threw an answer and she threw a question back again..presentations, reports, datas were laid out, each point raised a battle between them...each could just leave it where it was..

she by a simple "fine, I won't publish the aticle"

he by a simple "i admit" or "i am sorry for being an ass that day"

but none would...

for it was no more a question of publishing or not publishing the article...

it was a question of ego, a question of victory...

and neither would let go..

in fact, both had long forgotten about the publishing bit..

looking at Arnav , one would say the fate of his entire business empire rested in convincing this one woman on the flawlessness of it...

looking at khushi ,one would say the fate of her entire journalism career rested in convincing him that she was not convinced...

a meeting which was supposed to end in an hour had now taken up two and they could still go on forever..

the coming in of coffee saved the day as they paused..

the conclusion was something as this-

Neither was wrong. Neither was right. There was no middle ground. The article would not get published as it would soon turn into a Khushi vs ASR column and people would go mad..

but their own argument could never end..

each knew it could stretch forever..

and both craved for some coffee..

Khushi had recovered from her sickness but not recovered fully...as no one could! And she suddenly realized she felt weak from all the heated up arguing...she held the seat nearby and sat on it..closing her eyes a little..

Arnav, who was getting seated himself looked at her and it hit him she had been down with fever just a day before..

"you k?"

"haan?" she looked up "yeah..yeah i'm fine.."

"who told you to come today?"

"excuse me?"

"it wasn't so damn important that you couldn't wait a day longer!"

"i'm ok! Just a little tired..the coffee will do good.."

Arnav's phone buzzed beside him...di calling...

"hello" he said stretching out the coffee mug towards khushi..

"thanks" khushi replied..

"chotte..whose voice was that?"

"what di?"

"i heard a voice in the background..a girl's voice...you have company?"

"It's Khushi..." he hesitated in replying knowing the tangent his sister would immediately take it towards...

"KHUSHI??" what is khushi doing in your cabin chotte? Did I disturb a meeting or-"

"work di.."

"yes of course of course" Anjali rushed...biting her lower lip with twinkling eyes... "chotte can you do something for me?'

"you don't have to ask di"

"please please please don't refuse"

"what di?"

"can you bring her to me? I so want her to come here...we all do..she refused last time but-"

"di but-"

"please chotte?you don't have to ask...i'll do that..just hand over the phone.."

"di what are you doing?"

"i thought you said I didn't need to ask...fine , if you have this big a problem.."

"fine! Fine! I'm handing her the phone"

Anjali grinned wide at the other end..

"di wants to speak to you"

she immediately lit up.. "anjaliji? Sure.."

and took the phone from his hands...

he sat stupefied at the sudden change in her demeanour...she immediately came to be her chirpy bubbly self and chatted away as if she had known his sister for years...how did she do it..

"come over there? I'd love to anjaliji but-"

"no buts! I have already heard a but from you..please don't refuse..it's so lonely out here..i'd be glad to have a little company..."

sensing the creeping sadness in her voice Khushi could not help but agree...

"ok fine..no problem..i'll come over..i'll just catch a cab and-"

"no way! Can you please pass the phone to my brother?"

"sure" Khushi extended the phone to Arnav..

"ya di?"

"please please please?"

Arnav mentally did an eye roll...his sister knew how to wrap him around her finger..

"please can you drive Khushiji home? She's coming at my request and it would seem so bad if..please don't refuse chotte"

"i never did ...fine...we'll be home soon"

"ok now i'm keeping the phone.i 'll get things ready for her arrival.."

"what ?" arnav asked surprised but she had already disconnected...

seriously, what magic had this girl done on his sister? Just 2 meets and she was already so happy at the prospect of seeing her?? but his sister really did sound happy...which she seldom did since...oh he wouldn't think of it..

just at the moment he spotted a crease on his impeccably ironed suit and straightening it with his hands muttered "disgusting.."

Khushi immediately took it to be his response to the prospect of having to leave her home and her self respect took over..

"you needn't trouble yourself Mr Raizada, I'll very well manage myself"

Arnav wondered what had caused this sudden change of tone..

"no you will not"

"I can" was her immediate response

"I never said you can't, I said you won't" was his immediate retort

"and who is stopping me?"

"I am"

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