Heart wrenching adoration Part-39

Next four days were sheer torture! I didn’t know exactly how I survived them when I half expected khushi’s assailants to burst through the doors any moment and Akash, Anvesh and Aman seemed to share my views.

We moved about in tight circles even in the corridor, flanking khushi, especially Aman, Anvesh and Akash’s trod around khushi looked very much similar to that of Salman khan in the movie ‘Bodyguard’ and usually I would’ve laughed at their hilarious attitude had the situation not been so terrifying.

Anyway, time moves on even if every passing second takes you on a ride to hell and so the rest of the days to Summer holidays passed quite normally, except for the nerve wrenching anxiety and finally the day came when our parents were supposed to come to pick us up.

 

I had talked my di into coming just precisely at the time when Payal and khushi’s parents were about to pick them. Since our families were very well acquainted that wasn’t really too big a trouble, but I had my suspicion on my di’s eagerness to meet and know khushi more for the reason she had agreed so quickly and graciously to my persuasion.

So, as soon as the clock struck 8 in the morning, I began strolling the patio around the hostel anxiously for my di and jijaji to come. After all I needed to put my plan to save khushi in action too.

As soon as I spotted my jijaji’s Renault duster round the corner and speed towards the hostel through the sprawling lawn, I sighed in relief. 

“Chote!” My di started squealing ang waving her hands wildly through the open window as soon as she spotted me and I rolled my eyes.

She was acting like a kid who had just spotted his favourite candy.

“Chote!” Anjali di squealed as she literally flew through the air towards me and caught me in a bone-crushing hug.

“I missed you so much my sweet pumpkin!” Di squealed and I turned red as a couple of students standing near the hostel gates heard her comment and smirked.

“Di why do you have to call me by that name here! Isn’t it enough that I keep up with your chotey-ing me still!” I whispered mortified.

“But you are my pumpkin, my sweet pumpkin or at least you were when you were a kid with that permanent scowl wiped of your face and chubby little, cute face, but now you resemble a cucumber!” Di murmured and then held me at arm’s length.

“What have you been doing chotey? Don’t you sleep or eat well? You have got dark circles beneath your eyes and you’ve grown so thin! Don’t they serve good food? I should talk with hostel warden about it! Maybe a nutritional ch...” My di’s head on was thankfully cut short by my jijaji, or rather would-be-jijaji, Mr. Shyam Manohar Jha, a famous criminal lawyer as he deftly veered me away from her grasp.

“Hold on Anju! At least, let him breath! Besides, what exactly do you want?...That your brother should expand like a drum! He is a sportsperson for crying out loud! You can’t expect him to be just as agile and lithe with a huge pot belly  handle!” Jijaji rescued me from di’s onslaught just as usual and pulled me for a quick hug.

“Here is what you asked for chote! Get it!” Jijaji murmured softly so that only I could hear as he handed me a small packet discreetly.

“Thanks jiju!” I whispered before pulling out of the hug.

“Di! Jiju!” I heard Akash bellow form a distance as he came barrelling towards us like a mad bull and jumped on the duo.

I rolled my eyes. Akash and Anjali di were so much alike!

“Hey Anjali di! Hello jijaji!” Payal greeted them softly, followed by khushi Aman and Anvesh.

I looked at khushi as she politely greeted my di and jiju. I had to introsuce her to my family now, something I had really been looking forward to!

“Di, jiju, this is khushi, Payal’s sister and my friend and khushi, they are my di and jiju!” I introduced. The sudden  gleam in my di’s eyes didn’t go unnoticed by me.

“Its so nice to meet you khushi, finally!” Di grinned, stressing on the word finally and I shot a quick glare to her.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw khushi blush and Akash, Anvesh and Aman smirk evilly. After a little chit-chat di and jiju proceeded towards the administrative building to pay mine and Akash’s fees and I took khushi and others to cafeteria, insisting that they ate something.

“Arnav I’m not hungry!” Khushi pouted as I dragged her along with me.

Don’t be ridiculous! You didn’t eat properly yesterday night too! Are you trying to starve yourself to death?” I asked, serving some crispy pakodas to her and getting a flask of juice.

“You are such a mother hen!” She growled, jutting her lips out and I was suddenly gripped by a mad desire to kiss that pout away!

“Control your ardour man if you don’t want Payal to beat you into a bloody pulp!” Anvesh whispered softly, chuckling.

I flushed in embarrassment. I realized that I had been staring at khushi’s lip and even though she hadn’t noticed the others had and now Payal was shooting daggers at me, fuming. More to make that glower wiped off her face than anything else, I quickly proceeded to give khushi juice, something Payal would approve off and which went with my plan.

“Khushi, her’s your juice! Just finish it up and I don’t want any arguments this time, got it!” I said sternly, as I poured her a glass of orange juice.  

I quickly dropped the tiny object that I was holding in her juice and looked up to check whether anyone had noticed. It seemed that  luck was on my side as everyone round the table were wrapped up in conversation to notice my little stunt.

Saying my best prayer to heavens, I gave the glass to khushi to drink and waited with baited breath as she guzzled it down.

My heart skipped a beat as suddenly she stopped drinking and looked puzzled as if she had encountered some foreign object in her drink which was exactly the case.

I crossed my fingers beneath the table, praying incessantly for her to drink the juice and as if she heard me, she complied, instead of throwing the juice out.

I let out the breath that I had been holding, letting the relief wash over me. Apparently, my plan was successful!