Dark Paradise Chapter Six

Khushi awoke before Arnavji that morning and decided to take this opportunity to claim the bathroom before him, knowing she needed to get ready for all the rasams that were to come today. Her Ummaji had given her some sarees to take with her now that she was a married woman and so she chose a heavier saree today. It was cream and red saree with gold embroidery she knew it would be difficult to handle but she also knew she had to look her best today and her best would involve this saree. She headed into the bathroom to get ready when the sound of the shower woke Arnav up, he sat up and his back hurt like hell, he'd have to talk to Khushi about this sleeping arrangement. He didn't have to head to the office today as Naniji had forced Akash and himself to take time off from work to spend time with the family, Arnav was reluctant at first but he knew that if he was at home he could keep an eye on Shyam, make sure he doesn't try to hurt Khushi or his Di. So it made sense for him to be at home in a way, Naniji just gave him a plausable excuse to hover around his brother-in-law. Arnav heard Khushi shut the bathroom door which snapped him back to reality.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Khushi asked, the sound of fear in her voice, Arnav turned around to explain he was already awake when he was dumbfounded. Khushi looked mesmerising. Her hair was out, flowing down her back to her waist which was clearly on display by the choice of her saree. He stood up, unsure why, it was instinctive like he felt pulled towards her. His feet wished to pursue further but his head told him to remain firmly where he was. He shook his head and Khushi smiled with relief. Arnav and Khushi's belongings were equally divided in the wardrobe however her perfumes, make-up and other such belongings took full control of the vanity table. Khushi sat down and began applying her kajol, Arnav simply continued to watch her even as she put on her lipstick, selected her jhoomke, her tika and finally she picked up a tiny pot of sindoor and Arnav couldn't help himself. He walked up to her and lifted the pot from her hands and she looked startled as well as confused.
"Arnavji-" Khushi began but Arnav simply put a finger against her lips and she was silent. He then proceeded to take a pinch of sindoor out of the pot and swiftly adorned it in her maang. Khushi wasn't sure if Arnavji realised how much that simple act meant to her but the point was it did mean a lot to her, she blushed a crimson colour and then got up.

She walked straight into Arnavji though and her embroidery caught on his pyjama shirt, she thought of pulling away but remembered previous instances where this had happened and knew it would be best for Arnavji to  deal with this. He raised his hands and untangled the tiny beading from the threads in his shirt unintentionally caressing Khushi's neck as he was doing so. She knew that she shouldn't have enjoyed that but she did, his touch made her body burn but in a way that made her soul feel on fire, rather than feeling cheap like when Shyam had embraced her previously. With Arnavji she always felt like their brief instances and embraces were just that, brief, they were never long enough to satisfy but not short enough so that she would forget. He was always on her mind and she couldn't help but wonder, was there really never a time when she played on his mind, was he never tortured by her memory like she was, did he never spend nights awake wishing she was by his side like she wished he was at hers? He untangled the last caught thread and distanced himself from her by shuffling away. His movement made his back hurt again, he put a hand on his lower back and he sighed aloud.
"Kya hua?" Khushi asked rushing to his side, her hands on his shoulder and the other placed over his hand.
"Oh, woh, kuch nahi, just sleeping on the floor, my back's not used to it." He admitted, his back wasn't his concern right now, Khushi's closeness was, he could smell her perfume and she herself was intoxicating today. Khushi grimaced, she knew that the floor wasn't good for him.
"That's it no more sleeping on the floor it's silly when you own such a big bed!" Khushi said and Arnav turned to face her confused, what was she suggesting?
"Khushi I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor!" Arnav said.
"Who said, I'm sleeping on the floor?" Khushi answered back and for once it was Arnav's eyes that widened with shock. "Kya? Uff ho Arnavji? We're both adults here and anyway Kaal raath toh tumne kaha ki tum mere izaat ko aanch nahi anedenga! Toh phir baas ab hum dono hi yehi phar soyenge." Khushi said, her mind made up.
"Khushi I don't think that this is a good ide-" Khushi cut in before he could finish.
"Arnavji mujhe kuch nahi soonnah!" She said as she began to walk out of the room, she turned back briefly and smiled, "I trust you." She confessed and she headed downstairs. Arnav's heart felt heavy with emotion, Khushi really shouldn't have said that, this only made things more complicated and harder for them both. Arnav wasn't very sure how long he could keep this as strictly platonic, his heart craved to be close to Khushi like the way a husband and wife should be, not just physically but in the other ways also, he didn't really want to pretend but he knew at the end of the day it was the best option. If all this didn't work out at least then they wouldn't have to deal with the problems love brings with it. Arnav just wasn't sure what he was really doing.

Read other parts to this here.