OS: Take me out!
Et voila! Here I am again! I got such a good reception for my latest nonsensical ramblings it has spurred me on to continue down that route! Haha! Cuz' methinks I have deluded myself into thinking you guys actually like it! Plus'I'm kinda bored so got to writing.
Vaguely to do with the show-very vaguely. By that I mean we still have Arnav, Khushi and AR...everything else jaaye baar meh! At least for the duration you read this OS.
This is a two-parter. Does that still count as a OS? Anywho without further ado...
"YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS! You really can't!"
"Sshh... Khushi tone it down! Everyone's staring at us!"
And indeed everyone was. Staring at the spectacle unfolding before them while the two friends sat on the central table of the cafeteria, one driven crazy with hysteria and flapping her arms about as the other tried desperately to calm the former down, immensely aware of all the baffled gazes.
"How do you expect me to tone it down Payal?! I can't believe you!"
In that moment, the cafeteria fell silent. Unaware of her surroundings, she shot up, nearly knocking her latte down in the process. Payal blushed as she witnessed glances, which were not furtive at all, coming their way as Khushi went about her rampage. While her friend continued her overreaction, Payal eyed the cup suspiciously, having a sneaky inkling that the contents were going to go splaying if she didn't act soon. Payal sighed. This was just so Khushi. Bracing herself, she got up and shook the frenzied girl in front of her.
"Khushi...Khushi!" Finally her friend snapped out of it and looked up at her, disconcerted. Payal sighed once again. "Khushi you're blowing this WAY OUT of proportion. Come on...sit down." She titled her head quickly towards the seat behind Khushi.
Khushi crossed her arms. "Why should I sit down? I'm in the middle of my rant! I haven't finished."
Payal rolled her eyes. "Khushi take a look around you."
Slowly, she did as was asked. Payal watched her expression change to one of embarrassment as it began to sink in where they were and what she was doing. Looking down, Khushi flushed a deep shade of pink, as she sat down awkwardly and lifted her eyes to meet Payal's unimpressed face sheepishly.
Payal waited for the spectators to realise there was nothing more to see and return to their conversations, before sitting down and beginning a conversation which she could already tell was going to be rocky.
"I thought I was doing you a favour...just the other day weren't you the one who was all like "I want to find my own Mr Darcy" and "sigh...I want my own Raj"...movie night remember?"
"I said that generally! As in one day I hope to find the man of my dreams. I definitely did not mean for you to sign me up for this! Seriously Payal? The AR charity auction?!"
"You said you were looking forward to it! You even helped me organize it."
"YES but I didn't say I wanted to PARTAKE in it!"
Payal rolled her eyes once again. Now was probably not the best time to tell her that she was the closing act , not to mention the tacked on "escort for the evening" clause. "Oh come on Khushi. It's just a bit of fun, one evening. And it's for charity!"
Khushi huffed, realising her friend was not going to let her escape so easily. But... really? "Payal-"
It was time to beg. "Please Khushi, think of the kids out there. They need you. I NEED YOU. PLEASE for me."
Oh great, here it was, the emotional blackmail card. Khushi had had that one played on her before. In fact she had played it countless times before; she had TAUGHT Payal how to play it. She pouted.
"You don't need ME specifically. There are plenty of other girls-better girls-in AR. Nobody's going to want to bid for me anyways-what a waste of money!"
Payal sighed at the cluelessness of her best friend. This was another one of her friend's traits, her complete lack of self-awareness. Did she really not know how attractive she was? Payal had never seen the male employees of AR with so much drool hanging from their mouths and never more starry-eyed than on Khushi's first day in the company...not even at lunch time. She frowned. Pack of hungry wolves, the lot of them. Even that Akash...she mentally kicked herself. How could she have been SO wrong about someone?
Payal shook her head. "No Khushi I need YOU."
"But-" Khushi began, exasperated beyond belief.
"PLEASE?"
That stopped Khushi in her tracks. Oh no! The dreaded puppy-dog look...
"Please Khushi I'll love you forever! Not like I won't anyway'but still please please please!"
Khushi, at her wit's end, gave in. "Alright alright!"
Payal beamed, practically now squealing in delight. "Really? Like'really?"
Khushi now rolled her eyes. "You aren't going to give me a choice are you?"
"Nope!" Payal's grin broadened as she hopped up and engulfed her friend in a big cuddle. "I love you!'
Resigned, Khushi patted her arm feebly, pitying her own predicament. "Yeah yeah ok...you owe me big time ok?"
Payal drew back, the grin still plastered to her face and not likely to leave for the next hour at least. "You got it! I am eternally at your mercy." She winked and then returned to her seat.
Khushi picked up a breadstick and began biting into it absentmindedly, only to unceremoniously start choking on the bit she was swallowing. Payal rushed over to her side and began patting her furiously on the back.
"Khushi -Khushi are you ok?" Taking a sip of water, Khushi's wide eyes turned towards her.
"Payal?"
"What?!"
"I can't do it! That Laad Governor! What if he's bidding too?!"
Payal breathed a sigh of relief... her friend was obviously fine. She returned to her seat and took a bite of her own sandwich. "Laad Governor" referred to the boss of AR, who from the very first day Khushi had had the pleasure of encountering and then labelling as a "pompous, arrogant, despicable and darn right ill-mannered rakshaas". Rakshaas was probably a good word to describe him, if what Khushi said about what he had done to her was true, but to be frank Payal had never thought of him as anything more than bad-tempered. She had no idea how the two had kept meeting each other-Payal could count the number of times she had had a proper conversation with the boss on one hand. He was scarcely ever seen unless he was offering up his morning tirades or storming in or out of the office.
"Payal?"
"Relax Khushi. He's definitely NOT going to. He hates the idea of all these things-he's only agreeing to endorse the auction in the first place as it's for charity and as a way to promote the company. You have nothing to worry about."
"Really?" Khushi didn't look convinced.
"Absolutely. And even if he was taking part, judging by the way he acts with you, he wouldn't bid for you anyway." It didn't go amiss that Khushi's face had fallen slightly. "No offence of course."
"Yeah...I guess you're right." Khushi forced herself to smile. What was she feeling down for? Why did she even care if he didn't find her attractive? It was a good thing if anything!
"Yep! And maybe you'll find the man of your dreams that night."
Khushi took another bite of her breadstick, sick to death with all this prince charming business and she hadn't even found him yet. She reclined back in her chair and sighed.
"Not likely."
***
"Oh my goodness! Khushi you look amazing!" Payal tottered over to her friend, with a look of excitement combined with admiration on her face.
Khushi blushed and smiled nervously. "Really?"
"Are you kidding me? You look absolutely gorgeous-the blue legenha was exactly the right choice."
Khushi thanked Devi Maiya. She had been completely at a loss to figuring out what she should wear for this thing, knowing that everyone would be decked up in the most fashionable items possible. The problem was that she had neither the criteria nor the money to fit into this event. She only wore Indian suits, never even coming near to any western attire before. She out-rightly refused to wear some of the more unscrupulous numbers, choosing instead to settle on a baby blue and gold lehenga. She also opted to leave her hair open and to keep her makeup minimal. Natural and simple, just the way she liked it. That decision hadn't come without its fair share of worries however; worries along the lines of whether she would stick out like a sore thumb among all the skimpily-clad ladies at this event. Payal's approval came as music to her ears.
"You are gonna be such a money-maker! I can't wait. I need to go now though. Good luck!" Flashing her friend the broadest smile, she made to leave to get ready herself.
Khushi grimaced. She doubted highly that she was going to be the "money-maker". Glancing around her, she cursed her friend. Payal hadn't told her the other girls were all going to be...well, drop-dead gorgeous, leggy and modelesque.
"Are you freaking kidding me? Nobody's going to bid for me! It's going to be so embarrassing." she murmured.
"OMG! Chamkili! Is that really you?" Khushi turned on her heels, only to come face-to-face with one of those very girls. The leader of the clan-the real "money-maker". Lavanya-ASR's personal...*ehem*...bimbo? "Go away you fake bitch!"
But of course Lavanya did not go away, choosing instead to gawk at Khushi like she had just seen an alien. Khushi all of a sudden felt really irritated.
"Lavanya?"
"Oh soz Chamkili! Didn't trust my eyes there for a sec. You look so...different. Like WOW! You look almost half-decent!"
Bitch! And what the hell-"soz"?! Was she a thirteen-year old girl? "Can somebody please get me a tazer?!"
"Thanks Lavanya...for the compliment. I think." Khushi replied through gritted teeth.
Lavanya flashed a pearly white set of teeth in her trademark fake smile and Khushi resisted an urge to punch those two-grand (probably more) babies right out of her mouth.
Somebody thankfully called for Lavanya before Khushi had the chance to do anything of the sort.
"Oh gotta go Chamkili! Good luck-you'll need it." With that she set off towards the stage in her killer heels, leaving a fuming Khushi behind her, who also couldn't help feeling a twang of jealously looking at her never-ending shapely legs, beneath the miniscule dress that was barely covering her backside. "Desperate much?"
***
Khushi gulped as the hammer went down for 10 lakhs. Ten freaking lakhs?! It was absolutely unbelievable. That wasn't the end of it though. The highest bid so far had been a gobsmacking 20 lakhs, bestowed upon none other than Miss Lavanya Kashyap herself. And the girl was giving such a gleeful smirk, basking in all the glory being labelled the "most desirable" gave you. Khushi despised her. "Ugh what a waste of money! Chal Khushi great one...what in the world possessed you to do this? You'll be lucky to get a hundred rupees! Great finale!"
She had no time to drown in self-pity though as her name was called. Khushi's heart started thumping erratically as she reluctantly stepped onto the stage. "Here goes nothing..."
***
"5 lakhs."
"6 lakhs."
Khushi mentally pinched herself. Was this really happening? She blushed thinking how maybe this wasn't so bad after all. She wasn't so undesirable then. In actual fact, this was kind of flattering...
"50 lakhs." Khushi was jolted out of her reverie by the chorus of gasps that resounded about the hall. Huh? Had she heard correctly?
Payal's voice, coming from the auctioneer's podium, confirmed it for her. "50 lakhs!" WHAT THE-?! This was ludicrous! When did it get to 50 LAKHS?! Who even had that much cash to burn-on one evening at that? Speaking of the devil, who in the world was this bidder? Khushi held her breath as she proceeded to scan the hall. She cringed immediately as an image of an old fogie with playboy tendencies came to mind. "No way hose...I am NOT going to become a playboy bunny!"
"50 lakhs going once." Who is it? Who is it? "50 lakhs going twice." Khushi stretched her neck but she still couldn't see him in the crowd. "SOLD! To number 53."
Number 53...who was that?! Was he fifty-three years old? Khushi couldn't help but think involuntarily. Almost on cue, number 53 walked out holding up his placard.
Khushi breathed a sigh of relief as her irrational fear subsided. He most definitely was NOT fifty-three. Thank goodness! In fact he was young and quite handsome...wait a minute, she knew that face...AMAN?!
***
Khushi waddled with difficulty in her killer heels, trying desperately to keep up with Aman. He was fast...like real fast. Khushi narrowed her eyes. It wasn't surprising in the least; he had to keep up with that Laad Governor's demands after all.
"Aman huh? What in the world? So he had a crush on me all this time? That too to spend 50 lakhs to just have a date with me!" Khushi blushed, feeling very flattered. "I hadn't even noticed...since when? Actually now that I think about it...he's always been nice to me since the first day...nothing like that rakshaas!" Khushi reprimanded herself for thinking about him again but was stopped short by Aman's interruption.
"You can go in."
"Huh?"
"In?" Aman pointed at the door. Khushi looked around her. Where were they? She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't paid attention to where he was taking her. Khushi's eyes widened as she gathered her bearings. She knew exactly where she was. Hell.
"What? Why have you brought me here? What about our date?" Khushi already had a niggling guess at what the answer was but was desperately in denial, not wanting to believe her worst nightmare to be coming true. "Please devi maiyaa... NO... please!"
Aman looked confused, not what Khushi wanted to see. "I haven't...I thought you knew. I wasn't the bidder." Aman cleared his throat, now turning red with embarrassment. "I mean as much as I like you Khushiji and as much as I would like to take you out on a date, especially since you are looking lovely tonight, I am actually representing someone."
"That someone... is it-?" her voice trailed off, not wanting to utter the word lest it become the truth. It was too late now though. It was the truth.
Aman nodded. "Mr Arnav Singh Raizada."
Khushi froze, shell-shocked. She could have broken down in tears. "Why me? Why me?!"
She felt Aman's concerned touch on her shoulder. "Khushiji?"
Khushi gulped, sending a silent prayer to the heavens and mustered every ounce of courage in herself to knock on the glass door.
There he was. The rakshaas was looking down, typing away furiously on his laptop. That darn bluetooth was still stuck to his ear. "He'll probably have to get it surgically removed now. It's been stuck in his ear for so long..."
"Yes Aman..." The Laad Governor looked up. "YOU?!"
How was it? Totally unrelated I know 😛 Wrote this on a whim..Not much Arshi I know but this comes in two parts but I will only bother writing the second part (aka Arnav and Khushi's date) if you like this. So comment and tell me what you think if you do like it.
Ok "eyes have it" readers I will update. I honestly tried but couldn't come up with anything decent. This thought popped into my head so I had to write it down. I will get on that right now.
Buddy me please if you would like PMs.
Preity xxx
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