FF Let Me Love You - Part 16

Arnav and Akash were waiting in the living  room while the girls went to get ready , it had been almost an hour by now  and there was no sign  of the girls ... Arnav kept glancing at his watch and then back  at the  stairs  for the umpteenth time when  Akash broke into  his thoughts ...

��Relax Bhai ... no point looking up hoping to catch a glimpse of the ladies ... they have gone to get ready which means its as difficult as solving Einstein��s equation as far as the ladies are concerned  .. just  let them take their time �� !!

Arnav chuckled back  at Akash ... ��true words but even then cant help checking the time Akash ... its been really long ... leave that... did Payal reply ??? ��

Just as he finished Akash got a message alert on his cell ... ��that must be the devil in disguise !! �� Arnav waited as Akash read the message .. his face breaking out into a grin ... ��hook line and sinker !! She has fallen into our trap !! ��

Arnav grinned back at his brother ...

��A promising day for us but a helluva waiting for Maya��s  dearest  Pia !! ��

Meanwhile upstairs in Khushi��s room .. pandemonium reigned !! Alaka and Khushi seemed lost  as they tried to decide  what to wear ... Khushi was going out with Arnav for the first time and she wanted to look special for him , meanwhile Alaka��s confusion with what to wear  wasn��t a new situation .. its been there from the day she started dressing up on her  own !!

Khushi eventually let out a sigh of frustration ...

��Uff Pari ... this is so tiring and annoying ... how do girls do it daily ?? what do I wear !! help me out  !! ��

Alaka glanced over at her Bhabhi who was fretting like a crazy girl who wanted to impress her guy badly ... �� if only Rahul could see Khushi now ... he would have been so happy !! �� thought Pari to herself as she laughed out ...

��Come on Bhabhi ... just wear anything you like ... Bhai will love it as long as it is you wearing it ... he is already so crazy about you ... he doesn��t care what you wear � just wear anything that makes you comfortable and Bhai will be happy !! ��

Khushi ran over and hugged Pari ...

��thank you Pari ... you are the best sister ever !! Muahsss  ... if there is anything you want me to do for you ... let me know okay ?? ��

Alaka gave her a helpless look ...

��then help  me get dressed Bhabhi ... I am never going to leave this room today if I try  to find a suitable dress all by myself !! you pick anyone and Ill wear it !! ��

And so the girls laughed and teased each other as they finally  managed to get dressed amidst a lot of craziness !!

Meanwhile downstairs ... Arnav was  on tenterhooks ... he had no idea what was taking Khushi so long to get ready ... he wanted to sneak a look at his princess but Alaka had  strictly told him that Khushi��s bedroom was strictly out  of bounds for him !!

Akash came and slapped Arnav on his back ...

��get a grip Mr.ASR ... you girl will be down soon and then you can ogle at her for as long as you want ...but for now ... just breathe !! ��

Just then they heard footsteps coming down and Khushi came into sight ... time seemed to freeze as his gaze locked on his princess ...

Khushi was wearing a Pale baby pink dress  ... the color giving her a glowy feel matching to her skin tone ... adorned in simple accessories ... she was a sight to behold  ... straight out of a fairytale ... Khushi blushed as she saw Arnav��s riveted gaze on her � she came and stood in front of him waiting for him  to speak but Arnav seemed  unable to find the right  words ... his first reaction was a soft smile .. and then before she knew  it .. he had  hugged  her and placed a soft peck n her cheeks ...

��you look beautiful Khushi ... as always ��

Khushi blushed as she  smiled back at him ...

��thank you Arnav ��

Alaka and Akash who were watching the duo snapped their fingers �

��Sorry love birds ... sorry about breaking into your little chat ... but how about we out ?? if we let you both stare at each other a little more then am pretty sure you both will never leave the house  at all !! �� teased Alaka while Arnav playfully ruffled her  hair.

And soon the foursome were out ... Arnav was behind the wheels while an extremely sigh Khushi was forced  by Akash to sit next to Khushi as he joined Alaka at the backseat.

As Khushi opened her  mouth to protest ... Akash silenced her ...

��Come on Bhabhi ... just sit next  to Bhai before he dies out of frustration  debating  as to whether he will get to hold your hand throughout  the drive and Payal will soon be joining us and I have to make sure I make her feel all cozy and warm �� said Akash as he winked  at her naughtily !!

And soon they were off ... their first stop was at the  Gupta��s ... neither of them bothered getting out and going into the GH ... Akash texted Payal saying they were waiting for her outside ... Payal who had been expecting Akash  to escort her out was annoyed but she quickly shoved it away as she ran out to join the Raizadas and Khushi  .. her mind set on spending quality time with the Raizada brothers ... not aware of the shock treatment that she was  about to receive !!

Her first jolt was  when she arrived at the waiting car and saw Khushi seated at the front with Arnav and what shocked her even more was that Khushi  was smiling at her ...

Akash held out the door open for her  as she got in and soon  they were off ... Payal was sitting in between Alaka and Akash ... which meant that she was surrounded from all sides ... what came  to Payal��s attention was Khushi��s face which was blooming like a red rose !!

She  couldn��t help but notice  the fact that Khushi looked like an altogether different person already ... not the  suppressed soul that she was while she was at the Guptas ... she seemed genuinely happy ... confident about  herself ... and she looked like a person coming from a family where she was loved and  respected ... she was irked to see that Arnav��s one hand held Khushi��s hand tightly in his as he placed it rested on her lap.

Payal made an effort to strike up a convo with Khushi ...

��Khushi .. do you have any idea how much we are missing you at home ?? Ma keeps saying that  the house looks lifeless without whereas Papa stays  at office most of the time saying that he doesn��t feel like coming back home !! and me ... I don��t have my sister anymore .. seriously sista ... am missing you so much ... at times I feel like moving in with you and Alaka ... even mom said that I can move over if I was missing you too much !! ��

Alaka winked at Akash naughtily as Payal finished her monologue while  Khushi almost choked in laughter but she controlled herself before replying ...

��Bless you Pia ... but  thats exactly what I was thinking today ... but then  I have no say in this ... Akash is the one  who  has to decide about you moving in ... if he makes a request to dad ... then am sure dad will have no qualms in letting you come ... I really wish you were there ... Alaka and I have been upto all sorts of craziness !! ��

Alaka had to almost press her knuckles right into her mouth to stop herself from bursting out laughing while she saw Payal��s stunned face at Khushi��s reply while Akash decided to add a little more fire ...

��right you are Bhabhi ... its  upto me and as of now I don��t see any need for your dear little sister to move in with you all .. I mean Bhai got it done for because you and Alaka have so much  work to do with the art gallery and Payal isn��t interested  in any of this ... so then whats the point ... she will left all by herself whereas you both will be busy ... I guess hanging out once in a while like this  should suffice  as of now !! ��

While Payal aimed silent curses at Akash ... she couldn��t help but wonder what crazy happiness Khushi found in spending time with Alaka as she apparently claimed ... if it was  her in Khushi��s place .. ��Bitch she  had no idea how to make use of her golden opportunity ... if it was me then I would have been in a live in with Arnav by now !! ��  mused Payal in her thoughts while Arnav got ready to aim his arrow point blank ...

��Whoa Akash ... you seem to know a lot about Payal��s likes and dislikes already ... so when are you two  getting ready to make an official commitment ?? Well if Payal is lucky ... then she will soon be joining Chotti in tying rakhi for on Rakshabandhan since she would have become a part of our family by then !! ��

Payal almost choked and  sputtered ... Arnav and Rakhi !! not even in her scariest  dreams ... could she imagine such a horror !! from no angle could she  imagine Arnav as her brother ... it was too scary a thought  to be even pondered  on and here she cursed herself as she saw Arnav all ready to claim her as his sister !!

Khushi squeezed Arnav��s hands as she gave Payal an understanding smile and then turned to Arnav ..

��wow Arnav .. that would be so amazing � You have no idea how badly Pia always wanted a brother ... she always used to complain on Rakhi .. that she had no one  to tie Rakhi on ... and now she will have you as a wonderful brother  and I can tie Rakhi on Akash as well  ... and we will all be family as well !! this is going to be so exciting !! �� cried out Khushi as though bubbling in happiness  whereas the real fact was that they were  all having a ball seeing the horrific expressions flashing on Payal��s face � and Alaka decided to hammer the final punch ...

�� Thats going to be so much fun ... you know what Payal ... rakshabandhan is always a huge day for us Raizadas ... Arnav bhai and Akash bhai and even Mama Papa  ... all of them lets me be the Raizada baby for as long asI want ... my wish is their command and I get to spend my day with my two super special brothers  being  their pampered Alaka ... its your lucky fortune that you are getting Arnav Bhai as your brother too ... he is truly the best and you will be showered in the special love that Mr.ASR has for his sister !! ��

Payal didn��t know whether to cry  shriek or throw herself out of the  moving car rather than sitting  amidst her crazy company and let them torture her to glory !!

She was seething at Khushi  who seemed at be absolutely enjoying herself � she knew Khushi was doing it intentionally  � Khushi knew full well what were Payal��s intentions and here she was all set to make her Arnav��s sister  � she didn��t suspect the Raizadas to be playing her but she swore to herself that she would the smile from Khushi��s face before the day  came to an end !!

Amidst all the double edged teasing and laughter ... they had reached the shopping  mall and Arnav parked the car and helped the girls get out ... Arnav and Akash hugged Alaka  and lifted her off her feet as they shared a group hug while Khushi smiled seeing the siblings bond ... but her smile soon turned into a blush as she saw Arnav walking towards her ...

He came forward and caught her in a bone crushing  hug ... his lips gracing her ears ... sending silent shivers down her spine while she gripped him harder...

��Have fun  princess and stay safe ... we will  wind up the meetings as soon as possible and join you all ... promise you we will have lunch together .. till then miss me my love !! �� said Arnav as he placed a hard kiss on her cheeks ... he pulled away but just then he felt a tug  on his  hand and before he knew it Khushi had pulled him back for a long tight hug !!

To say that Arnav was floating in happiness would have been an understatement ... he was too happy to explain it in words while adding to his happiness were Khushi��s words ...

��Come back soon Arnav .. Its going to be a long morning without you .. I will  miss you !! ��

Arnav hugged her back  tighter once more before pulling back ...

��I will be back soon ... watch out for me !! ��

��And incase the workaholics back  at the office tries to delay my bhai  .. then I will make sure that I send them packing and have my bhai  reach  you sooner than you expect Bhabhi ... so that my Bhabhi doesn��t my Bhai too much � its your Devar��s promise to you !! �� said Akash as he hugged Khushi goodbye .

Khushi ruffled his hair lovingly while they drove out leaving a happily smiling Khushi  and Alaka and equally seething Payal ... Akash  hadn��t even hugged her the way he had hugged Khushi and  Alaka goodbye !!

The  day passed quickly as Alaka and Khushi went through the different shops and ordered everything that they thought was necessary for the  art gallery ... they instructed the sales personnel to have it delievered safely to the Raizada art gallery ... and  then the girls went  about doing a lot of window shopping and a good amount of real shopping.

Khushi excused herself for a little while  as Alaka got  herself busy in selecting  a dress for herself while Payal was poring over a new brand of cosmetics ... She reached the place that she was looking for .. it was one of her favourite haunts in the city ... a quaint old shop run by an old ancient looking kind hearted lady ... who had always adored Khushi  ... and this  time when Khushi entered  ... the lady was immediately arrested by the glowing smile on Khushi��s face ... she had  never seen her look so happy ... so in peace  with herself and was even more shocked when Khushi rushed over  and hugged  her tight !!

The old lady patted her head softly as she pulled her  into her warmth ...

��He came for you ... didn��t he ???  my readings didn��t go wrong  � you found your happiness ... Didnt you Khushi ?? ��