PART 37

Invitations were sent and preparations were made and so was the plan to bring Arnav and Khushi closer.Days passed by swiftly and soon it was Akash's birthday.

Raizada Mansion was bustling with activities.Though dawn had just broken, replacing the cold blue of night in warm yellow,yet everyone was up and about. While Armaan was busy attending meetings and video conferences so that he was free for the evening,Mami after shedding fat tears and flooding Akash with kisses and gifts,was coaxing Anjali and even Nani to accompany her to beauty parlor. Akash and Arnav on getting the first chance to evade the ongoing bedlam,escaped to S.T.F. office at earliest possible opportunity.

The Sun set and stars came out winking merrily around a beautiful full moon. Raizada mansion was entirely bedecked in canopies of beautiful flowers and fairy lights.Streamers were wrapped artistically around the pillars and the entire place had a look of sheer regal and majesty.Moth-watering smell of delicacies mingled in air with sweet aroma of multi-hued flowers.

Guests started poring in by 8'o clock and ASR stared around insipidly,irritated as usual by excessive crowd.He saw several loud,boisterous Aunties pulling Akash's cheeks as if he were a small child,until they were red as tomato,and he felt a wave of pity.He greeted people who initiated conversation with him,but barely talking with anyone else as he waited impatiently.

But for whom?He didn't want to admit.As ASR looked around uninterested thoroughly uninterested,he spotted her and felt his breath knocked out of him.

Khushi stood at the entrance,clad in a beautiful yet elegantly white churidaar, which she had matched with a string of pearl ear rings.looking resplendent.The whites of her dress made her albino's skin look all cream and roses.The smooth satin and gossamer clinged to her body,accentuating her curves.There was no hint of make-up on her face except for eye-liner,that highlighted her volumnous,baby-like eyes that screamed for attention and strawberry lip gloss which made her supple lips look even more luscious and desirable.

Her hair was loose and her tresses gently touched her face.Khushi herself didn't have  even slightest of inkling how lovely she looked.

Payal too stood by her side looking equally ravishing in a navy blue churidaar, but ASR barely noticed her.In fact he felt as though there was literally no one in the entire place except for him and khushi like those generic,cliched Hindi movies.

His breathlesness and daze was shared by someone else too.Apparently Akash was equally smitten by Payal,looking at her unblinkingly.

Anjali saw her brothers ogling shamelessly at Khushi and Payal and she smirked. It seemed that the Raizadas will soon be running around making arrangements for two marriages.

Anjali made her way through the partying crowd and reached where khushi and Payal stood.

''Are Khushiji why are you standing here?Please come inside and this must be your elder sister Payal,isn't it?''She asked grinning.

''Yes Anjaliji,this is my elder sister Payal jiji and jiji,this is Anjaliji,Arnav Sir and Akash's sister.''Khushi introduced the duo.

Anjali immediately took them by their arms and led them to where other Raizadas were standing.

Khushi mingled with Raizadas freely and everyone developed a liking for ebullient little girl.Though,Payal was her usual introvert self,they liked her just like khushi.

ASR saw khushi mingling with his family,cracking jokes and making them laugh,he felt gratified.But after some time when she didn't even glance around once to see whether he was around or not,he felt irritated and slightly miffed.

Suddenly something struck him and he smirked.He went and stood beside Akash,staring at khushi smugly.

She'll have to come to him.