Dobara (Again)

“Chamkili! Jaldi karo! ASR wants you to go to the stock room and get another dupatta for one of the models. He said to hurry!!”

“Lavanya ji, I’m running there right now! I’ll get it to her before she has to go on stage…” Khushi huffed and puffed as she ran down the corridors backstage, pressing the button on the walkie-talkie to end her conversation. This fashion show was so important for her. She was going to prove to that man that she could handle anything, even working for him under a high stress situation. Come to think of it… working for him was always a high stress situation! “Laad governor kaheen kay! Un ko tho koi farq hi nahi partha! (It doesn’t even make a difference to him!)” Khushi quickly unlocked the store room and slipped inside to where all the accessory garments lay. She scanned the plethora of rainbow chiffon, lace, and net materials, quickly grabbing a few. God forbid she brought only one and he didn’t like her choice! Just as quickly as she had burst into the room, she reached for the door handle and tried to open it with her natural zest. Only, it hadn’t budged. She tried again to jiggle the knob, turning it both ways vigorously to no avail. Giving it her all, she tried one last time, pulling with all her might, only to have it fall off and plop into her hand. She slapped a hand across her forehead in horror. “Hey Devi Maiya, yeh meine kya kar diya (what did I just do)?!” Khushi reached for her walkie-talkie. “Lavanya ji! Gard-bard ho gayee! I’m stuck in the storeroom please come help me!!!” When she let go of the button, awaiting her colleague’s reply, all she heard was white noise and static. “Hello?? Can you hear me?? I’m stuck in…” Khushi grabbed her walkie-talkie device with both hands and began to fiddle with the buttons when the lights in the room suddenly shut off. Khushi panicked. “Lav…Lavanya ji???! The lights went out, please come help me… I have the dupattas!” But again the only thing she heard was static. Khushi swallowed the live lump of terrifying fear in her throat as she blindly groped around the room until her back encountered a wall. Dejectedly she slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She brought her knees to her chest and tightly wrapped her arms around them, huddling into a ball as she prayed to her Devi Maiya.

“Lavanya where’s the dupatta I asked for?” Arnav asked as he charged up to his colleague. He’d called her in from London specifically for this fashion show since she knew the line so well.

“ASR, I sent Chamk… I mean I sent Khushi. She said she was running to get it, but that was over twenty minutes ago… I can’t reach her on the walkie either.”

“Lavanya! Why didn’t you…!!” Arnav didn’t have time to waste reprimanding people right now. It would have to wait for later. He turned on his heel and headed for the store room. He only had fifteen minutes until the curtains opened for the show. “Might as well do everything myself!” he muttered as he stomped his way.

Khushi heard the loud clicking of footsteps approaching the room and her head snapped up from where she’d been hiding it. “Lavanya ji!! Mein andhar hoon!! I’m locked inside!!!”

Arnav heard her voice and froze at the door. “What the ….. how the hell did you lock yourself inside?!”

Khushi immediately clambered up to stand, smoothing her hands over her tush and legs to brush off any dust and straighten her clothes. What was he doing here?? “I came in here to get the dupatta and the door locked itself….and then the knob fell off….”

“The knob FELL OFF?! I’m cutting that out of your paycheck!” Arnav roared.

“…And then…then the lights went out. It’s pitch dark in here…I…. I can’t see anything…..” Khushi said meekly as she looked over her shoulder with paranoia.

Arnav’s scowl softened as he heard her small frail voice. Wasn’t she afraid of the dark? His heart started beating rapidly as he envisioned her on the other side of the door, those haunting big brown doe eyes glistening with fresh tears. Suddenly he felt a pang in his chest, and his hand came up to rub at it, his eyes following his fingers. He always felt this jolt when he was around her. Why did thoughts of her crying always do this to him? “Khushi move back from the door” Arnav commanded.

Khushi spread her arms out wide so she wouldn’t collide into anything as she took a few giant steps into the dark abyss surrounding her. “O…okay. I’ve stepped back…” Khushi shut her eyelids tightly and hugged her arms around herself as she began to pray again. She just wanted the darkness to go away.

Arnav took a few steps back himself before lifting his leg and launching his body into the door, kicking it down with a loud crash.

The hue behind Khushi’s eyelids had turned from midnight black to a dusky brown and she instantly knew she wasn’t trapped anymore. When she opened her eyes fully, she noted the entrance to the room and the tall silhouette that stood amidst it. He’d rescued her! Feeling immense relief, she ran to him, colliding with his hard body and warm strength as she immediately burrowed herself as close as she could, her arms wrapping around his broad back tightly.

Arnav had almost lost his balance at the impact of her coming crashing into him like that. He hesitated but for a moment before his arms came up to embrace her in return. He held her to himself, his eyes falling shut for long moments. When her trembling had subsided, he felt her suddenly try to pull away.

Khushi’s eyes snapped open and she let out a hiss. Her quick escape had been deterred by her cursed earring. Did it have to get stuck in his shirt right this instant?! She tried to jiggle it loose.

“Wait…” Arnav moved her slender fingers out of the way.

Khushi’s heart skipped a beat as his rough fingers had brushed along hers. She quickly dropped her hands as his nimble ones freed her earring. With her head pressed up against his chest like this, she could smell his intoxicating cologne. Her lungs involuntarily began to take bigger bouts of air. Her ears then registered a loud, rhythmic thumping. His heartbeat. She listened to the way it spoke to her, her eyes closing as a tingle spread through her body. Her hand reached up to clutch at her own chest. Her heart was beating in sync with his, carrying on a full-fledged conversation without her even realizing.

“Khushi…ho gya. (It’s done).” Arnav said in a low voice, lowering his arms to his sides.

Khushi was afraid to meet his gaze. She’d just hugged her boss in the middle of an open hallway. Anyone could’ve seen it! “Arn…um…Mr. Raizada, I’m sorry… I… I shouldn’t have done that….”

Arnav shook his head at her confusion. “Khushi you…”

Khushi began to back away, slowly taking steps getting ready to flee.

Arnav took a few steps towards her and saw her turn around. “Khushi wait!” His hand lurched forward trying to grab her arm or shoulder. Instead all he managed to catch was her pearl dori. He held on tight as she bolted away from him, making the dori snap within his grip. The tiny pearls immediately skittered to the ground, bouncing off the floor with a loud pitter patter, leaving a trail in her wake.

Khushi quickly ran to Lavanya and handed her the dupattas she’d been holding. “Here, give these to the model” she said as she caught her breath.

“Chamkili, are you crazy? What happened to you?”

“Lavanya ji, I tried to contact you….”

“Meine tumse kitni baar kaha hai (How many times have I told you)? Don’t walk away from me when I am talking to you!!”

Khushi cringed, her eyelids scrunching in fear as she bit her bottom lip in reaction to that coarse, sand papery, menacing voice. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lavanya’s back retreating towards safer ground, the dupattay in her hands being delivered to the model. Taking a fortifying breath to face off with the Rakshas…er…her boss, she turned to face him.  “Vo dupatta jaldi se dhena ta na…issi liye…(I had to give the dupatta quickly…that’s why…)” Khushi’s voice dwindled as he approached closer into her personal space. Her eyes darted side to side as she saw his arm rise, his hand approaching to touch her. She scanned the room full of people surrounding them. “Yeh kya batameezi hai?! (What’s this insolence?!)” she shrieked in an outraged whisper, not wanting to create a scene.

Arnav froze his hand midair and locked eyes with her. Everything was a battle with this woman. He inched even closer. “Batameezi…? Meine to abhi shooru bi nahi ki hai (I haven’t even started yet).”

Khushi gasped at his audacity. Frozen into shock, she hadn’t even noticed his hand reach up towards her this time. He’d taken a hold of the dupatta on her shoulder, forcing her to stay in place. She feared his next move and quickly clutched it against her own chest. “Choriye! (Let go!)”

Arnav slid the shiny, shimmering gold material between his fingers as he brought his other hand around her upper back without touching her. He grabbed the border and opened it up, passing it to his free hand to drape it over her shoulder, effectively covering her exposed back. “Tumari dori toot gayee thee (your dori broke).”

Khushi held the dupatta against her shoulder as he let it go. Instead of snatching it away from her, as she had fretted, he’d actually saved her from shame. Her heart flipped within her chest. Grasping her free hand, he pried her fingers open. She felt the airy weight of the smooth little pearls landing in her palm before he curled her fingers tightly around them, into a fist.

Arnav stared at her in silence, his gaze searching her wide eyed one. Why did he find every facet of her face so enrapturing?

“Hummay… hummay maaf kar….(I’m…I’m sorry…)” Khushi breathlessly tried to stutter out her apology but her voice refused to cooperate. Her lungs suddenly couldn’t take in enough air. She stared in earnest as he pinned her with another poignant glare, his eyes sweeping down her body. This time her breath caught and she felt herself shiver.

Arnav’s phone began to ring and he pressed the button on his Bluetooth. His eyes met hers as he spoke. “Yes, we’re ready.” Ending the call, he addressed her. “Two minutes to show time Khushi. Try not to mess anything else up.” With one last glance, Arnav walked away to take his place.

Khushi grabbed her little satchel and dropped all the pearls into it before closing it tightly again. She then grabbed her dupatta and adjusted it, using bobby pins to hold it against her head as she let the rest of the material openly flow behind her, fully covering her back. As she walked away to take her own place behind the stage and line up the models, she could feel the corners of the dupatta caressing her ankles.

“Chamkili, come on, we have to send the girls out!”

Khushi and Lavanya busied themselves, helping the models change their outfits as they came back to do their second looks. Once the models had all been lined up for the show’s finale walk, Khushi let out a sigh.

Lavanya looked over at Khushi in worry. She was glad the show was over, but she feared the fate of her bubbly coworker. “ASR ne tumhe danta, na? (ASR scolded you, right?)”

Khushi shook her head lightly and gave Lavanya a small smile. “Nahi… I mean yes… but it was…” Khushi lost her train of thought as one of the production assistants came up to the both of them and grabbed their hands. “What…what’s going on? Where are we going?”

“Chamkili, didn’t your hear? It’s the final walk and they just called the project team to come onto the stage!” Lavanya explained with glee. She was excited to have her moment in the limelight.

Khushi tried to stand her ground even as Lavanya dragged her along, up the small staircase. She tugged on her hand in a last attempt to be released. “Lavanya ji, nahi. Hamara jana teekh nahi ho ga. (It wouldn’t be right for me to go.) You should go ahead though.” Khushi urged her forward.

“Oh come on Chamkili. Live a little!” Lavanya gave one final tug and they burst through the curtains onto the stage. Lavanya pasted on her hundred watt smile, posing for the pictures being taken.

Khushi blinked rapidly as the bright flashes consumed her vision. She shielded her eyes even as her feet kept going, attempting to walk on the runway. She was able to take a few steps before she felt her heel catch on the corner of her gold dupatta, sending her flying off the runway ramp. She screamed as her arms flailed about, her eyes closing tightly, as she mentally prepared herself for a hard impact. But instead she found herself safe and secure, resting against warmth and strength. She slowly opened her eyes.

Arnav stared down at the woman who’d literally fallen into his arms. Her beautifully sparkling gold irises bore into his soul. He could feel his blood heating as it rushed through his body. “Tum teekh ho? (Are you ok?)”

All Khushi could manage was a nod. Her arms had involuntarily wrapped around his neck for balance. Her eyes darted to her hands. She could feel his strong pulse beating against the tips of her fingers. She continued to stare at his handsome face, her eyes tracking the straight slope of his regal nose, the definition of his chiseled cheeks, and the pout of his lightly pink tinged lips. She broke out of her reverie when copious amounts of white light infiltrated her vision. “Arnavji put me down!! The media and paparazzi….”

“Let them see how beautiful my wife looks when I hold her securely in my arms.”

Khushi felt herself blush a bright pink as she lowered her gaze. When she’d offered to help her husband as an extra set of hands for the fashion show, they’d agreed to keep it strictly business in public. In fact he’d issued it as a challenge to her. But she should’ve known that would be impossible with her irresistibly incorrigible Arnavji. “I thought you didn’t want people to know…”

“You fell into my arms, my life, exactly two years ago, in this very spot. And I know now, right then and there I had subconsciously decided to never let you go.” Arnav tightened his arms ever so slightly, holding her closer to his heart, wanting her to hear everything it wanted to say to her. His wife discreetly indicated her gaze towards the flashing cameras again. “I don’t care if anyone is looking, Khushi. I love you damn it!”

Khushi reached up a hand to smooth out her Arnavji’s furrowed brow. His features instantly softened as his eyes continued to seep himself into her soul through those warm hazelnut depths. Unable to control herself any longer, she stroked her palm along his cheek as she pressed her lips to the other one. She couldn’t resist the smile that splayed across her lips as she hid her face into the perfect crook of his neck. She let her lips brush the lobe of her husband’s ear. “Hum bi aap se I love you damn it.”

Arnav dropped a kiss on her crown, making her meet his gaze, his own mouth breaking into a smile to match his wife’s. They stared at each other, lost in their own happy existence as he carried her out of the venue. Two years ago, he’d begun to learn a whole new language. The language where he could finally name those indescribable feelings his wife had provoked within him. Together they’d scaled the walls of the vague and impossible into a world where they knew exactly what to call their undeniable connection. Jabb nafrat pass annay na de (when hate wouldn’t let him come closer), he’d learned to hate hate. Jabb mohabat door jannay na de (when love wouldn’t let him go far), he’d learned to love that thing called love…his Khushi.

Author's Note: Even though the show ended a while ago, in my mind it is still not over. Everyday I continue to be inspired and mesmerized by this incredible duo that made us all fall in love with them as they fell in love with each other. Wishing Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon a very happy second and now THIRD year anniversary! When chemistry is this epic, it never fades and will always be a cause for celebration.

ps - Sorry for any gross errors as I wrote this in the spur of the moment. And please excuse my grammatical mistakes in Hindi as it's my third language! Love you guys! <3