featheredclover

[featheredclover]

CRIMSON SHADE

Chapter 28

Crazy In Love

Disclaimer: Here it is. The most awaited chapter! Make sure you’re all set with the essentials: coffee, crackers, your favorite drinks, and your significant others. 😉

Extreme condolences for the single souls. 🫣Let’s dive in!

18+, Mature Content.

Your love's

Got me looking so crazy right now.

- (the song of the chapter is 'Crazy In Love' by Beyonce.)

Heartbeats.

Heartbeats throb in her ears as she feels his stare on her, writing his name on her skin. Blood rushes through her body, fueling the heat, his stare kindling it higher and higher.

Each cell of her body speaks of desire, boundless and unguarded, as the silence stretches like the calm before the storm.

Her eyes meet his, with a glare as cold as steel, a futile effort to tame fire with ice.

She swipes everything off her desk. Jewellery, makeup, perfume bottles, and books all crashing to the floor like a war cry.

''I have conditions,'' she bites out, turning her gaze back to him, his voice is steady compared to her chaotic pulse. "Don't ruin my makeup. I have a function to attend."

She watches as his eyes narrow, darkening to something feral, her words adding fuel to an already raging flame.

His lips are pressed into a thin line. Her eyes trace their shape, her own growing heavy with the ache to feel them against her, to taste them, to sink her teeth into them.

But this is a one-time thing.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

No need to complicate things any further.

"And keep your mouth away from mine," she adds, tilting her chin, a brittle calm masking the storm underneath.

Supporting herself with her hand, she perches on the edge of the now-cleared desk. She hikes up her lehenga just enough to expose the smooth curve of her thighs. ''This is what you want, right?" A tremor lingers under her sharp words. "Get it over with then."

He studies her with those damn eyes of his, the infuriating calm in them trying to hide the flame beneath while he moves toward her.

His hands land on her bare thighs, heavy and calloused, chasing all the air out of her lungs. She clenches her teeth, she can look as controlled as he is.

The heat of his fingers trails upward, gathering the fabric of her lehenga as they go. The roughness of her palm sends a ripple of heat through her flesh.

With a sharp tug, He jerks her forward, forcing her legs to part as he steps between them, his body fitting seamlessly between her legs. She succeeds in containing a gasp, her hands instinctively clutching the edge of the desk.

"Is it only me who wants it, hmm?" He asks, leaning toward her as his nose nudges her chin upwards. His voice is a low dangerous hum, sinking into her like a drug.

"Clearly not as much as you do," her breathy voice is foreign to her own ear.

She can feel his smirk on her skin as his lips ghost over her chin, trailing to her ear before descending to the curve of her neck, causing her head to lull backwards. The rough scrape of his stubble against her sensitive skin leaves goosebumps on its path.

Oh God.

"Ah... I see." His teeth sink into the delicate flesh of her neck. A punishment. The sharp string is soothed immediately by his tongue. She shudders, heat pooling low in her belly.

"Then why..., "he drawls, dark and sinful, as he presses his next words into her ear, "....are you so wet for me, huh?"

His hand glides to the apex of her thighs, tracing her underwear over her throbbing core, the fabric already damp. A quick single snap, and it tears in his hand as if it were nothing. A gasp finally escapes her lips, before she can stop it.

"You are already dripping..." His fingers slide along her slick fold, teasing, but never quite giving her what she wants. "And I've barely even touched you..."

Her breath comes in shallow, uneven pants as she bites down on her bottom lip, refusing him the satisfaction of a reply.

Oh God, what was she thinking? She won't survive him.

"Your mouth says one thing", he chuckles, the sound low and dangerous, "but your body? Your body tells a different story.'' His tone is taunting, every word dripping with wicked amusement. "No need to lie, Khushi. You hate liars, remember."

Ahh...and...I hate you. You arrogant, insufferable, self-absorbed asshole.

His eyes lock onto hers, watching her pride warring with her treacherous body in her hazels. The smirk curling at the corner of his lips tells her she has said it aloud. His dark eyes alight with triumph. Dangerous, knowing and smug, a predator savouring his victory.

"For someone who hates me," he rasps, dragging her closer with another rough tug, her bottom barely balances on the edge of the desk, "you're awfully eager."

A deep moan slips past her lips as he presses his arousal firmly against her aching core, undeniable, solid and heavy. "Hate me all you want," his tone shifting to something darker, more primal, "but you'll love every second of the way I'm going to fuck you."

Her eyes flutter close as his words sink in along with the deliberate and maddeningly precise pressure in her groin, fanning the heat pooling between her thigh.

This is madness, her mind whispers. But her body shushes her mind. No, it's heaven, it purrs, basking in the heat of his body.

Her hips begin to move against his, instinctively matching his slow, torturous grind. Layers of fabric do little to dull the fire coursing between them. Her hands let go of the desk clutching the fabric of his undercoat.

His lips, warm and wet, hold her neck prisoner, sucking and grazing along the sensitive skin. His lips descend further, leaving a trail of searing heat in their path. Reaching her collarbone, his teeth graze her skin, striking a match to the gasoline of her veins.

She can vaguely feel his fingers tugging at the strings of her blouse before another wave of fire engulfs her. His hand, unapologetic and shameless, slips beneath the fabric, seeking her bare skin. His rough palm kneads her breast, thumb circling and pinching her hardened nipple, teasing her mercilessly.

With a deft pull, he solves her blouse away sliding it down her arms along with her bra and the dupatta, baring the soft skin of her chest to his hungry gaze.

The cool air barely brushes her skin before his mouth is on her, and she's lost in the frenzy of teeth and tongue.

His mouth is fire and fury, heaven and hell as they descend upon her flesh. The soft touch of his tongue unravels her as his lips close around her nipple and suck lightly before his teeth sink in. A sharp cry and he immediately soothes the ache with the languid stroke of his tongue, like he has all the time in the world to savour her.

His lips and the brush of his stubble against her skin turn the blood of her veins into liquid lava, making her weak in her knees even though she isn't standing

Her hands find their way into his dark hair, tangling in the thick strands as he feasts on her, devouring every inch of her skin offered to him.

She can almost taste the release she craves, the pleasure simmering just out of reach. He senses it too, his hand tightening on her breast as his mouth trails up to her ear.

"You'll come," he whispers hotly, voice impossibly rough, "but not until my cock is buried deep inside your beautiful pussy, Khushi. Not before that."

And why the fuck should she listen to him? But her body does. That bitch locks down, refusing to give her the satisfaction of letting go. She huffs in frustration, her pulse spiking in fury.

He steps back, prying her clutching fingers from his hair. She watches him with drunken, hooded eyes. The front of his trousers bulges out, unashamed and unapologetic, the fabric taut with his desire. She quickly averts her gaze when she sees him watching her, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks despite her current carnal position. Then she remembers.

''You have a condom, don't you? Don't think of getting anywhere near me without one.''

He just smirks causing her to blush even more. Without a word, he pulls a foil packet from his wallet, tossing it onto the desk.

The caramel-browns tangle with her hazels as the sound of zippers being pulled down fills the silence. She doesn't look down, neither does he.

One of his dark eyebrows arches, a silent challenge in his gaze. Her eyes narrow. Letting her pride get the better of her, she lets her gaze drop.

She bites her lips to stop the whimper as her eyes stop on his thick hardness. She watches, transfixed as his hand moves up and down along his length in an almost hypnotic move. Her palm itches to do the same, and without further thought, she reaches for him.

A rough rumble resounds in his chest, half-groan, half-growl as her hand wraps around him.

She has nothing to compare him to, not really. She's never seen one up close and personal or just for real, but he's seriously indescribable.

He feels heavy in her palm, bigger than her hand, bigger than she can grasp all at once, and her walls clench on air, hungry to be fed.

She feels him kissing the side of her head as he removes her hand from him. He tears the foil wrapper with his teeth and her breaths comes out in soft pants completely beyond her control now.

The first brush of him against her arching core sends her spinning as he coats his shaft in her wetness.

Too hard.

Too hot.

Too overwhelming.

One of his hands goes to the back of her neck while the other to her waist before murmuring, "You are so beautiful like this...so ready for me... completely mine."

His caramel-browns hold hers captive as they share the same breath, so close to feeling his warm breath caressing her face, flirting with her lips.

"You need to stop calling me yours. You can have me for this one time. But I'll never be yours," her words barely comprehensible.

"Never, huh?" He just chuckles, "I must warn you, I'm not familiar with that word." His length keeps gliding against her entrance but not penetrating yet. "You won't want anyone else after this. I'll make sure of it."

His words set her loins on fire, fanning the flame the longer he brushes against her. Her nails dig into the wood of the desk as her body starts to shake.

"You accept it or not, but you want to be mine too. You want to fuck me as much as I want to fuck you." he breathes out, barely pushing his tip between her swollen nether lips, making her cry out. "If not more." He says, punctuating every other word with a shallow thrust into her delicate folds.

"F-fuck.." she stammers, her pelvis raising to meet his teasing thrusts, seeking more.

"Hmm...tell me that you want me to fuck you." He dips an inch inside of her warmth, making her moan out helplessly while she inwardly curses him for having so much control and for making her so desperate in need to be a borderline maniac.

"Don't make me ask twice," one dark eyebrow arches as he whispers the words and taps her clit with the head of his cock, and he knows he has her exactly where he wants her, as her mouth hangs open in a soundless cry.

Her body arches, an offering, a surrender and a plea all at once as she utters the damned words he wishes so much to hear. "I want you to f-fuck me..."

Her face flushes red and then she can't stop a long moan from escaping her now parched lips when he drives a few inches farther into her core, her flesh all too naturally yielding to him.

"How much...." she wonders if she shouldn't just kill him now for being so mean, but her mouth seems to follow her deprived body and take a mind of its own because before she can censure herself, she's all but grunting at him.

"As much as you do...now do it... just... take me... f-fuck me already..." she glares at him before adding another clearly pissed now 'fuck me', but she hasn't even finished the last word that she finds herself fighting to take in her next breath when he rocks his hips into hers, burying himself inside her completely in one stroke.

The fire that has been simmering erupts into an inferno, consuming her completely as he claims her, stretching her to the full, marking her from the inside. Her wetness wraps around him as every ridge of his hardness drags along her sensitive flesh where no one has been ever before.

Her thighs quiver as she tries to adjust to him, and it hurts. But the hurt turns into liquid heat as he pulls out before she even feels him entirely and drives right back into her.

"Fuck.." he grits her teeth, looking down to where they're connected, every muscle in his body pulled taut. "You are so tight, little bird."

That's the first time, he calls her 'little bird' tonight.

Barely giving her a second to adjust to his size, he withdraws, then hits right back in again and again without waiting for another breath, and she has no choice but to hang on for the ride of her life.

Clench and release.

Clench and release.

His body commands and she follows.

Every inch of her hums.

Restless and impatient.

Her hands give up the impossible battle to keep her upright and her back flattens against the desk while he continues to take her. Hard, relentless, unapologetic and without mercy.

Her breasts bounce with his punishing rhythm while her breaths come faster and faster, her heart beats wilder and wilder, and she's getting wetter and wetter with every thrust.

Her mind blurs and she stops thinking about anything other than the way he's making her feel.

Wild.

Untamed.

Absolutely insatiable.

The wet sound of his body fucking hers fills the room, along with the smell of her arousal and the sinful spicy scent of his. Her fingers claw at the surface of the desk, nails scraping against the polished wood, leaving faint trails of her desperation behind.

He captures her wrists in an iron grip pinning them above her head as he leans in to give a command in his dangerously sinful voice. "Don't hurt those pretty nails. Keep them here."

One by one, he lifts her legs over his shoulders and all remaining thoughts, coherent and incoherent, scatter like leaves in a storm as her mind succumbs to the havoc he unleashes in her body.

Feeling dizzy, her eyes flutter close. She wonders whether or not his eyes will be alight with gloating triumph and his face etched with a smug smirk. But she doesn't get to see anything but stars behind her eyelids as he breaks her apart and reshapes her into something fierce, primal and raw.

His fingers wrap around her throat as he jerks her upright with a sharp tug, lowering her legs from his shoulder to wrap them around his waist.

Dark, hungry eyes meet the other dark, hungry eyes. And she moans. No, his eyes are not gloating, they are hungry, feral.

"Eyes on me, when I'm fucking you," he growls, daring her to look away while she struggles against the overwhelming pleasure to keep her eyes open.

She can feel his hunger becoming hers and hers becoming his. An endless tide ebbing and crashing between them.

It's raw, punishing, unrelenting.

Lava courses through her veins, flowing through her every nerve ending, and God forgives her, she never wants this to end.

She whimpers, her own hips rolling into his, meeting him thrust for thrust. Her eyes are intensely focused on his mouth as his teeth sink into his lower lip. She wants them to sink into hers. Desperately. The need claws at her insides, driving her to the brink of madness.

She wants to pull his head down and feel his tongue against her throbbing lips. She aches for the wet heat of his mouth, the rasp of his stubble grazing her cheek. But she can't. She can't break her own rule. Instead, she digs her nails into his shoulders.

Her toes curl as the tension in her body coils tighter and tighter. Then, all of a sudden, her muscles clamp down on him without warning.

"Fuck, you're coming already," he growls, his voice rough and feral as he pounds into her without pause, riding the wave of her orgasm.

Her head feels weightless, light exploding behind her closed eyes as the world around her dims, her vision threatening to blacken entirely.

"Shhh.... just breath, Khushi."

His voice is a dark, grounding tether and she has no choice but to gasp loudly at his command as her body trembles. A sharp mewl follows, helpless and needy as her walls keep clenching and unclenching to match his wild rhythm. So do her hands on his back.

Grasping her wrists, he bends her arms behind her back, pinning them firmly as he leans in closer, his teeth sink into her neck. "You have dangerous hands."

Her back arches, pressing her breasts flush against him. The faint snap of glass reaches her ears, her bangles shattering and cutting into her skin, Yet the sting barely registers.

She buries her face in his neck, muffling her cries against his heated skin as her body pulsates uncontrollably around him. He only fucks her harder, each thrust a declaration of possession.

Holding her wrists together in one firm grip, his other hand tangles in her hair, pulling her head back. He inhales the length of her exposed neck before stopping at her pulse point.

"You feel this?" he rasps. Punctuating the words with a punishing thrust that steals her breath. "Now say it." Another hard thrust. "Say. You. Are. Not. Mine."

Before she can answer, he hauls her up with his hands gripping her ass, lifting her effortlessly. And then he lets her fall back onto him hard, on repeat. She whimpers, biting into his shoulder as her nails rake over his back.

Her mind blanks. The friction turns unbearable and exquisite. She can't think, can't breathe, can't do anything but feel his brutal thrusts shaking her to the bones.

She hasn't even recovered from the first and here she's spiralling toward another release. Almost.

And he slows down, holding her there, just on the brink of  her release. Her broken moan spills into his neck, a plea wrapped in a whimper.

"Shh.... just a little bit more," he grunts, his teeth grazing the delicate skin of her earlobe before sucking it into his mouth, drawing out another desperate gasp from her trembling lips

And then there's another sound.

No. A knock

Fuck.

Her eyes fly towards the door as his cock turns completely still inside her for the first time, throbbing with a pulse. Her walls clench tightly around him.

The knock comes again, making her blink.

And awareness comes tumbling towards her. There's a house full of people, politicians, police force, mafias, guards and she's sitting on her desk, in her room, in her father's house, getting fucked by Arnav Singh Raizada.

The enemy of her family.

Holy expletives of fucking expletives.

"Khushiji," a woman's voice. "Your father has asked you to come downstairs. The program will start soon."

She clenches her eyes shut.

Not now.

Oh God. She's close. So close.

She needs her release.

He drops her slowly back on the desk. She draws a deep breath to prepare herself to respond to the door, the motion causing her inner muscles to grip him tightly, causing a surge of heat and wetness pool around his hard cock.

And he pulls out suddenly, thrusting in just as hard.

What the..!!

Her mouth opens to release a cry, but a hand claps over her mouth, muffling the sound. Her eyes widen on his, too stunned, too bewildered.

There's a person right outside the door. Waiting for her. Is he insane?

As though in reply, he snaps his hips into her sharply by bending his knees, the angle hitting the spot inside her that made her eyes roll back into her head. Her cries are muffled against his large hand, as he supports her head with his other hand behind her neck.

The sheer strength in which he's pistoning inside her, the feral speed, the raw friction alongside the thrill of being fucked while the whole serpent is down the hall, are eccentric, electric.

He pounds into her again and again, and a roar of wildlife starts its journey from her toes, travelling up and up her legs, to where he's drilling and drilling into her, to her spine and pools where he holds her by her neck.

It's raw, forbidden, visceral.

It's heated, wild, insane.

It's basic, primitive, carnal.

It's making her scream against his hand. It's making her body shatter like glass under the weight of a thousand suns.

From the inside her body is molten fire and but in the outside her body is taut muscles, head thrown back and hip lifted off the desk, and her mouth opened in silent scream under his hand.

The knock comes again.

But he keeps moving.

In and out.

In and out.

Hitting the same magical and devastating spot inside her.

Again and again and again.

It becomes too much for her. She tries to shake her head but his hands doesn't let her move. She tries to pry his hands away but her own fingers are frozen into tight, trembling fists clutching his clothes.

He keeps moving.

And she keeps exploding.

All her whines, wails and whimpers are swallowed by his hand.

She sinks her teeth into his hand hard enough to draw blood. But he doesn’t pull away. He doesn’t even flinch. His hand stays exactly where it is, unrelenting, as if daring her to try harder.

Then one punishing last thrust, and he stills, expanding inside her as he bites on her shoulder. With a shudder, he finishes inside her. Her walls quiver around him stunned by his stillness.

Their breaths mingle, ragged and

uneven, matching the erratic beats of their hearts. He takes her trembling body in his arm, slowly rubbing his hand along her bare back while softly nipping on her neck.

Her body is done, completely spent. She can't move, can't even feel her limbs. The world feels distant and unreal as if everything has narrowed to just the two of them.

She looks at him, undeniably shy, all of a sudden. Her hands rise instinctively to cover her bare chest. He steps back, the loss causing her to gasp, a soft whimper escaping her lips.

She sits on the desk for a moment to collect herself before sliding down, her hunched-up lehenga falling into place.

Her legs almost buckle, the lingering heaviness between her thighs threatening to bring her to her knees. She's sore. God, she's so sore.

She feels devoured, used, bruised and completely, utterly, totally fucked.

Her eyes catch her reflection in the mirror. She looks thoroughly ravaged. Drunken eyes, wild hair, flushed skin. Heat rises to her cheeks.

God, what was she thinking?

She has let him fuck her, completely and thoroughly.

And she has enjoyed it. Every single second. Every single kiss. Every single thrust. She didn't want him to stop. If his hand didn't muffle her mouth, she would have been screaming his name. If he didn't silenced her, she would have cried out for more, shamelessly, carnally like the wanton woman he turns her to be.

She turns around, quickly sliding her arms down the earlier discarded blouse. Her breath hitches as she feels his fingers on her back, tying the strings deftly with precision one at a time.

She feels his lips on her shoulders as he whispers, "There won't be any party tonight. "

Crinking her eyebrows, she looks at him sideways, wondering what he's talking about.

“You’re hurt,” he says softly, reaching for her hand. Only then does she notice the angry red cut on her ring finger, a thin line of blood standing stark against her skin.

She immediately tries to snatch her hand away but he holds it tightly. "Let me see."

"You should go." She says instead.

“Shh…” he hushes her, retrieving a handkerchief to carefully dab at the blood around the cut. “Where’s the first aid box?”

Obediently, she nods toward her dresser. He moves with purpose, retrieving the supplies and tending to the wound. Once the cut is cleaned, he wraps it securely with gauze.

"Why do you wear glass bangles. They keep breaking."

“Maybe they don’t like you,” she whispers, still avoiding his gaze. “They always break in your hand.”

“Your bangles are as stubborn as you.”

Another knock.

“Khushi, bitiya! Are you okay? Open the door!” It's Buaji.

His caremel-browns smile as they gaze into her hazels, thousands of words are exchanged without uttering a single one.

And then he’s gone, leaving nothing behind but a soreness in between her legs and a bandage wrapped around the ring finger of her left hand.

Author's note:

Hehe, see you soon.

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@featheredclover @arshifiesta @phuljari @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @chutkiandchotte @chaiandtakkar @bigfatreader

[featheredclover]

They really did eat with arnav's theme

[featheredclover]

CRIMSON SHADE

Chapter 22

Inches In Between Us

Disclaimer: 18+, mature content.

I am warning my sweet readers if you are sensitive to this kinda stuff, I just want to say to you, "Don't proceed any further, I'll see you in next chapter, have a good day."

Darling, can I be your favourite?

I'll be your girl, let you taste it.

- ( The song of the chapter is "Favourite" by Isabel LaRosa.)

It's liberating how, outside the confines of the mafia world, she exists as an ordinary face in a sea of billions. Few people know her, fewer recognize her, and in this anonymity, she finds freedom.

At Paragon Tech's Christmas party, she's just another employee, laughing, chatting, and blending seamlessly into the crowd.

Her off-white knee-length dress sways gently with her every movement. The dress is simple yet elegant, cinched at the waist to highlight her figure, with delicate lace sleeves that add a touch of flare. It's a perfect contrast to the bold red lips she's chosen, a daring statement she rarely makes.

The party is in full swing, with twinkling lights, festive music, and a lavishly decorated Christmas tree at the centre of the room. She's enjoying herself, mostly.

This night could have been perfect if only the boss were here.

Not that she'd ever admit it, of course. Her colleagues wouldn't understand. They'd frown at her so-called unhealthy fascination with their employer, though "fascination" wasn't quite the word she'd use. Irritation, perhaps. Or Frustration.

And if he'd been here tonight, she would have found a way to needle him, just a little.

But he wasn't.

So, she keeps her composure, masking her thoughts behind polite smiles and meaningless small talk, all while pretending she's not scanning the room, hoping he'll walk in any second.

She lets out a soft laugh, humouring the colleague standing in front of her. His attempts at flirtation are clumsy, but there's an innocence to it that she can't help but appreciate. His black eyes shimmer with nervous excitement, his words tumbling out in stilted sentences as he tries to keep her attention.

It's sweet, really. Charming in a way that reminds her of an uncomplicated past, a time when life didn't feel so heavy.

She listens, nodding in the right places, even allowing a genuine smile or two to escape. The simplicity of it all, the lack of pretence, and the raw honesty in his demeanour are refreshing.

But it's not enough.

Sweet black eyes aren't what she craves.

She wants eyes like molten caramel, staring at her with an intensity that makes her forget to breathe. She wants a gaze that pins her in place, leaving her exposed and vulnerable, yet setting her on fire from the inside out.

And she knows exactly who those eyes belong to.

Her smile falters for a fraction of a second, a moment so brief the man in front of her doesn't notice. She pulls herself back, burying the ache beneath layers of practised indifference.

The colleague continues, oblivious, but her thoughts are already miles away, lost in a pair of fiery caramel-brown eyes that haunt her every waking moment.

"Are you flirting with random people now?" His voice is cold, cutting through the silence as he stands there, rigid and unforgiving, his gaze sharper than his words. "Or did you forget that you're actually engaged?"

No, he didn't just say that. What the hell!

She whirls around to face him.

Hurt and betrayed.

She's come upstairs to retrieve her things. His presence in the building is unknown to her.

"What does it matter to you? I'm not engaged to you."

Something shifts in his eyes as he strides toward her. Her instincts scream at her to retreat. She does, step by step, until her back collides with the glass wall behind her. The cold surface seeps through her dress, but it's nothing compared to the icy fire in his gaze.

Drawing air into her chest becomes utterly difficult as he stops mere inches from her. Her heart races.

Because of his closeness,

Because of his unexplained anger,

the fact that she is trapped and she isn't getting out unless he chooses to let her go.

Her palms are about to make contact with his chest to push him away, to create even the smallest distance between them, but his hand catches her wrist mid-air.

Anger surges through her, heating her cheeks as she tries to wrench her arm free, twisting and pulling with all her might. But his grip is unyielding, calm, and maddeningly firm.

"Let me go," she hisses, struggling against him.

He doesn't. Instead, he moves her wrists effortlessly above her head, pinning them against the glass. Her body arches instinctively, her chest brushing against his with every shallow inhale.

And because she can do nothing else, she growls in a low and feral voice, "I hate you. How dare you?"

And just like the strike of a match, she feels as if something else sparks to life.

"You blushed for him,'' his voice barely above a whisper, soft and devastating, underlined with the slightest clench of teeth."Do you have any idea what that does to me?"

Her breathing falters, picking up pace as her pulse races wildly.

His gaze slides over her, slow and torturous, from her eyes to her lips, to the rise and fall of her chest. Her nipples harden, dragging along his hard chest with every laboured breath she takes.

Goosebumps break through her as his nose skims through her cheek. "Oh, little bird, you shouldn't have done that."

The anger in her battles against the molten warmth pooling low in her belly. A tremble racks her body as he presses his face into the curve of her neck and inhales deeply, inhales her.

The sound that escapes his throat is a deep, guttural rumble of satisfaction. It vibrates through her, leaving her knees weak and thrums between her legs. Her head tips back instinctively to bare more of her neck to the devastation as Sandalwood, cloves, leather and a hint of something uniquely him, wrap around her.

She's delirious, drunk on his nearness, his heat, his nose gliding into the soft skin of her neck.

Addictive, it is. His nearness is.

Always addictive.

Her body is on fire, and it spreads, engulfing her mind and her heart, turning her inside into lava. And there will be no reprieve until he gives her, Something. Anything. Everything.

He holds both of her wrists in one hand while his other hand slides from her wrist to her throat, his thick fingers wrapping around her delicate neck. Taking one more step, he presses his front fully against hers until they are flushed with one another.

She sucks in a sharp breath as his hips cage hers, his desire impossible to ignore. The heat of him, the sheer size, leaves her gasping.

Her mind screams at her to fight, to pull away, to keep the distance she knows is safest. But her body betrays her, responding to him in ways she can't control. She's drowning in him, in the way he makes her feel both powerful and powerless, both in control and completely at a loss.

It's his game of Control, she realises. And she suddenly knows this is a game she wants to play with everything in her.

He releases her wrists but doesn't let go of her neck. His thumb slowly traces her jaw while his hand holds the back of her neck still, keeping her head tilted back and their eyes locked. His other hand slides down, gliding along her spine before settling in her lower back.

His caramel-brown eyes are the darkest. The pupils bleed into the rich brown, swallowing the light like a storm. But beneath the rage, there's a flicker of raw and primal hunger.

Bright and all-consuming.

He blinks as if to clear his head yet he keeps watching her with hooded eyes like she's his next meal.

Fuck. He is obsessed with her or something. Who the fuck reacts like that over a blush?!

Whatever it is, obsession or not, it's like an invisible rope pulling her closer even as she tries to resist.

"What's the deal with you? You like me or something?" Her voice weavers as the words slip past her lips.

"Like?" The corner of his mouth lifts

in a cruel smirk. "Don't know if I'd call it that."

"What would you call it then? Obsession? You're obsessed with me, huh?'' She can't help but goad him, but deep down she is scared, so damn scared.

"Does that scare you?" He asks as if reading her mind.

She gives him a dry look of denial, but her body betrays her. She gulps as heat pools in places it shouldn't.

His smirk deepens, the darkness in his eyes glinting dangerously. A rasp curls through his voice. "Good".

She's hyperaware of everything, the frantic thrum of her heart, the tick of the clock somewhere in the distance, the way his heart is beating too fast against her as if it's beating inside her rib cage.

"You've been in my head, little bird..'' His lips skim the corner of her mouth. "More than you should have been. More than I should have let you. More than your pathetic crush tonight could ever imagine."

Her fingers clutching her dress fabric in an attempt to prevent her from reaching for him when his voice slides over her like velvet and smoke.

"I've thought about you so much..''

The words graze her ear alongside his lips, his hot breaths are as intoxicating as his words. His stubble brushes against her soft skin, leaving behind a trail of ruin and fire.

"So fucking much that...every part of you becomes mine."

Her breathing stops entirely and all she hears mine, mine, mine.

The hell she is!!

She is no one's!!

"He's lucky he didn't touch you,'' he continues, his voice turning razor-sharp. "Because I don't take kindly to people touching what's mine."

Her throat tightens, causing her heart to struggle against her ribcage, trying to get free. "Who touches me is none of your business."

His voice a low, dangerous rumble.

"It's always been my business.''

Anger flares within her, overriding the

heat clouding her judgment. ''I am nobody's business. I don't even like you. Let go of me."

His smirk returns, cruel and devastating. "You don't have to like me to scream my name."

And then his voice drops to a sinful murmur. "You know my name, don't you, little bird?" When she doesn't reply, he taunts her, "Or, have you forgotten yours as well? I have merely touched you. "

Her fists curls at her sides. "Oh, I remember plenty, Mr.Raizada." she seethes, glaring up at him. "But it seems you've forgotten something. You despise me. Remember?''

His eyes ablaze, something primal and wicked lurking beneath the surface, as he leans in.

"That's the thing....I don't just despise you. I also want to rip this little dress of yours right here in the middle of this office.....strip you naked.."

White noise rings in her ear as his words sink in. "And then press you against the glass for the whole city to see."

Voice nothing but a dangerous, sinful whisper, corrupting her mind, creating images.

"While I kiss every square inch of your body..and then pound into you so hard that the people driving below can't look away.....wishing they were us."

The heat in his gaze scorches her, burning her resolve to ashes. Her lips part but no sound escapes as her body frozen in place.

"That'll probably be a bad idea, right?" His smirk grows, self-assured and maddeningly smug.

"Keep dreaming,'' she whispers, tethering at the end of sanity, refusing to give up.

"Oh, I do," His chuckle is dark, and wickedly intimate, tinted with a sardonic edge.

"I fuck you in my dreams every night." The hand on her back dips lower, brushing against her ass, and she stiffens.

"And that's why you're able to stand here...and fight with me...because if I fuck you for real, Little bird," His gaze locks onto hers with the weight of a promise, ''You won't be walking straight for days."

Damn, his mouth. It should be illegal.

Her heart flutters in her chest, a frenzied rhythm she can't control as his face hovers inches from hers. His breath is warm, brushing against her lips, and she feels the pull, the intoxicating inevitability of his lips meeting hers. Her own part slightly, as though inviting him to close the sliver of space between them.

Her eyes drift close. Every nerve in her body goes taut, coiled like a spring on the edge of snapping, trembling with a raw, unspoken need.

And then, the shrill of a ringtone breaks the moment like a glass.

His jaw tightens as he fishes his phone from his pocket.

Aman!!

What the hell!?!

With a growl, he answers. "This better be good. Otherwise, I'll kill you, motherfucker."

Even as he listens to Aman on the other end, his eyes never leave hers.

She can barely hear Aman's muffled voice over the blood rushing in her ears, but whatever Aman says seems to pull him back.

He sighs sharply, swiping a hand through his hair before lowering the phone. For a moment, he doesn't move, just stares at her. Then, without a word, he turns and strides toward the door, pausing just before leaving. "This conversation isn't over."

Her trembling hands rise to press against her flushed cheeks as her lips tingle from the almost kiss that never happened.

"What the hell just happened?" she whispers, the words slipping out like a secret she doesn't want the room to keep.

But the truth shimmering beneath the surface is simplier.

But infinitely more terrifying.

She squeezes her eyes tightly as if that could steady the storm inside, but it's no use because now, there's no going back.

What the fuck will she do now?

The room is quiet, save for the faint hum of the city beyond the glass windows. The chaos of her mind contrasts sharply with the stillness around her.

The air feels heavier as she sits on the edge of the leather couch of his office.

With her body tense.

And her mind racing.

And her foot bare as her heels lay idle on the floor.

She waits.

For him.

She doesn't know why she stays, doesn't want to acknowledge the ache inside her chest and her body demanding that she does.

It's mindlessly foolish and reckless, but she waits anyway.

The desire to resist is drowned by the need to give in.

Her fingers trace the seam of her dress absently, trying to distract herself from the way her heart thunders every time she imagines the sound of his footsteps outside the door. She bites her lip, feeling the heat creep up her cheeks again at the memory of his body so close to hers, the words she can't seem to forget.

And she knows, somehow, some way, he'll know she's here. Just like he knew she blushed for another man. He always knows everything about her, her thoughts, her reactions, as if her soul is laid bare before him. It should terrify her. But today she's lost her perception of sanity and insanity.

The door creaks open, and she straightens instinctively. He stands in the doorway, framed by the dim, golden light spilling from the corridor. For a fleeting moment, she forgets how to breathe.

"Still here." His tone holds no surprise, just the quiet certainty that she didn't leave. That she couldn't.

She rises slowly, her knees trembling slightly. Turning to face him feels impossible. All her life, she has followed rules, lived by them like a creed. But he's the first rule she wants to break without thinking about any consequences.

"You said the conversation wasn't over," she says softly, the words catching slightly in her throat.

He steps into the room, closing the door behind him. The soft click echoes like the snap of a trap closing around its prey.

Tossing his folded coat onto a nearby chair, he moves with unhurried pace, the sleeves of his white shirt already rolled to his elbows. "How do you want to end that conversation?"

Words fail her, as they always do in his presence. But she hopes her eyes speak louder than the silence stretching between them.

She needs him.

The thought is raw, unrelenting, an ache that drowns out reasons, eclipses logic, silencing the warnings in her head..More than water, more than air, she needs him.

And she's done pretending she doesn't.

Even though she doesn't know if she is ready for someone like him. Even though she is scared shitless.

Everything is very new to her. But the yearning to be brave outweighs the fear. She wants to be bold with him, for him, and maybe even for herself.

He studies her as he loosens his tie, with a cruel slowness that unravels her composure. She lowers her gaze, unable to hold the weight of his stare any longer.

He stands behind her and lingers there almost as if offering her an unspoken chance to escape. But before the thought can take root, his hand finds her stomach. Warm, steady.

She sucks in a sharp breath as he draws her back, her spine meeting the solid warmth of his chest.

His touch is a claim and a betrayal of the walls she's tried to keep intact.

Guiding her backwards, he sinks into the chair, drawing her down with him until she's perched on his lap, her back pressed against his front.

Her body tenses briefly before melting into him. Her heart pounds so loudly she's sure he can hear it, but if he does, he says nothing.

"Don't offer your body to me unless you're ready, Little bird," he murmurs, "I don't do the gentleman shit. If we do this, I won't stop...even if you beg me to."

A warning laced with a promise.

"If we do this, if I fuck you, I'll make sure no one else will after me.... Never. Are you ready for that?"

The weight of his words settles over her, demanding an answer she's too terrified yet too eager to give.

"I don't know," she whispers honestly, her voice barely audible. But deep down, she does know. She always has. She'll eagerly let him ruin her for anybody else.

"Hmm...Let's see how far I can go today then. Will you let me taste you?"

Before she can answer his lips descend to her neck, sucking softly at first, then harder, leaving behind a trail of fire that shoots straight between her legs.

His fingers trace slow circles against her stomach while his other hand gathers her hair in his fist, tugging sharply, making her head tilt back.

Her gaze meets his and she sees the raw, unfiltered hunger in his eyes. It mirrors the ache building inside her, threatening to consume her whole.

"When I ask you a question, you give me an answer." His hold tightens in her hair, further exposing her throat to him, leaving her utterly at his mercy.

She swallows hard, her lips parting to reply, but no words come. Instead, she nods frantically and leans into him. Her hands clutch his thighs like he's the only solid thing in her crumbling world.

And maybe, just maybe, he is.

Her eyes fly open when his rough voice rumbles in her ear, "Are you wet for me, little bird?"

A groan is all the answer he receives but it's enough for him to know what it means.

"You are, aren't you?" he whispers in her ear before taking her earlobe between his teeth and slightly pulling on it. "...you like it when I talk dirty to you, huh?"

"N-No..." she denies softly but neither of them is fooled.

"No need to lie, Bitterheart. You are all innocent on the outside...but inside there's a dirty little girl just waiting to be unleashed." There's no way she'll agree with him. Not verbally, at least. No matter how right she unfortunately knows he is.

"Are you a dirty little girl, Khushi?" He chuckles when, once more, she vainly shakes her head.

"N-No, I'm not..."

"We'll see," he says, causing her to shiver, although she doesn't know if it's because of his words or the way he calls her by her name or the fact that his hands were now trailing down her thighs, barely stopping at the hem of the dress she's wearing. "For now I need an answer...are you wet for me?"

Anger surges through her, as pride battles with the ache in between her legs. A string of curses formed in her head, each one aimed at him but none daring to cross her lips. Instead, she jerks away as humiliation and shame dripping from every part of her.

"Shhh...now be a good girl and let me find out," he orders as he feels her trying to wiggle out of his grip.

She gasps as his hand gathers the hem of her dress, the fabric gliding up her thighs until it pools around her waist.

His fingers find the edge of her black lace panties as he hooks a finger under the delicate fabric, slipping them down her legs.

The heady scent of her arousal fills the room making her head spin. When one of his large hands captures her tiny one, she's too dazed to question it, too consumed to resist.

Her fingers laced with his brush against her soft mound. "Hmm, look how perfect you are..." he says upon discovering her bare sex. But before she can come up with a good retort for him, their fingers slides into her moist slit, and she finds herself unable to think coherently anymore.

Together, they stroke her very drenched, very slick folds. And then without warning, he plunges their intertwined fingers into her core, and they both hear the wet sound of her obvious arousal. Heat rushes to her cheeks. "Yeah, so fucking wet..."

His triumphant tone makes her want to turn around and smack him, but yet again he renders her speechless as he lifts her trembling hand and wraps his lips around her finger, the same one that has been inside her few seconds ago. His tongue swirls around her sensitive skin as he softly sucks on it.

"I should have known you'd taste this perfect as well," his voice a rough rasp, causing a new wave of wetness to gather in her core.

A feral growl rumbles deep in his chest as two of his thick, calloused fingers plunge inside her slick heat.

At the same time.

All the way to the knuckles.

She cries out, her back arching as pleasure explodes through her. She clings to his wrist as her nails digs into his skin. Her body tightens around his fingers like a vice. Her toes curl as a whole-body shudder grips her.

"Look at that?" Her world narrows to his fingers sliding in and out of her core, ruthlessly, mercilessly, while his dark eyes watch her every reaction, every tremor. "...you're so hot inside..," he continues, making her blush ten shades of red before his wickedly satisfied eyes. "My fingers aren't enough for you, are they?" He punctuates each word with a rough thrust of his fingers.

The heat in her core builds to an unbearable peak. She can't answer, not even from a word, not when his fingers press deeper, curling in a way that leaves her trembling, stroking a part of her no one has touched before.

"Too bad you aren't ready, it would have been so much better if it were my cock instead..filling you up, stretching you wide. ''

"Oh..." she moans out as he murmurs the words at her ear. At the same time, he starts to steadily pump his finger in and out of her depths.

The image his words paint ignites something primal in her. Her hips move in time with his hand, chasing the pleasure he so mercilessly teases her with.

She doesn't even care about the incoherent noises that spill out of her. But every time she bucks her hips, he tightens his hold on her hair, warning her without words that he is the one who is in control here.

He's a man who takes what he wants and there's something incredibly erotic and arousing about it.

He's going to take, take and take some more. Meanwhile all she can do is give.

And also, damn him and his filthy mouth for whispering all those dirty shits to her ear. Making her wetter, burning her fiercer.

"You like that word?...Cock..." he whispers lewdly when once more he notices her reaction to his dirty words. "Don't worry, soon, you'll see and feel more of my cock than you could have ever dreamed of..." Another promise and she can't help the shivers that coursed up her spine.

"Oh, God..."

She's never thought those dirty words would sound such devastatingly arousing coming from his mouth, utter in his raspy, deep voice.

"Well, that's not my name, but it'll do for now." He drawls in a sultry voice. His other hand let go of her hair to slide up beneath her dress and cups her breast, his fingers squeezing just enough to make her gasp. His fingers shove the top of her bra and pinch her nipple. "Next time, you'll let my cock spread you open, won't you, little bird?"

She nods helplessly, biting her lip to keep from crying out. His fingers thrust deep once again, sending a shockwave of pleasure through her.

"Of course, you will,'' he chuckles low in her ear, dropping moist kisses down her neck, sucking enough to leave marks, "You are so greedy." His teeth grazing her skin. "I need to hear you say it. Tell me....tell me you need my cock inside you."

Shut that illegal mouth, Raizada.

A flush of heat spreads through her, her

entire body trembling with need. "Please," she manages to gasp, her

voice shaky and desperate as she tries to push her hips up seeking more.

"Tsk, tsk...please what?" His fingers lazily move inside her and she burns. It's not enough. She glares at him for this torture, but all he does is raise an eyebrow at her in a challenge.

"I want it'' she gritts out, the words tumbling out unbidden. "I want your cock.....oh..fuck.."

She can't finish as he rewards her with another deep thrust of his fingers. He chuckles at the sound that comes out of her mouth when his thumb finds her clit, and he starts to work it in sync with the movements of the rest of his fingers. She bites her lip hard enough to draw blood, desperate to hold onto the last shred of her sanity, but it's slipping fast.

"Good girl," he murmurs, his voice is like molten sin.

He pumps his fingers even faster into her drenched core when her already tight walls pulse around his fingers. She feels herself so close to the edge, she can practically taste it, cringing briefly as she hears the squishing sounds of his fingers moving in and out of her. Considering she is so wet, he has absolutely no trouble whatsoever driving them in and out of her.

But she can't focus on that anymore as a sharp pain rushes though her, only replaced by a mind-numbing pleasure. She realises he's drove in a third finger, stretching her to full capacity.

It becomes impossible to breathe but she forces herself to take it, gasping with each in and out until stars dance behind her eyelids and her world fractures into shards of light, each one brighter than the last.

His mouth sucks into her pulse point and she feels his teeth sink into her skin while she comes undone, groaning out gibberish words.

But even as she trembles in the aftermath, he doesn't stop, his fingers still kept sliding in and out of her.

"Next time, it'll be my cock making you come like this. I'll fuck every boy you ever thought about out of your head..... out of your system until all you remember is my name."

His promise sends another shudder through her. Her body feels foreign as if it doesn't belong to her anymore. It reacts to his every move, every whisper, every flick of his fingers like he's found a hidden language only he knows how to speak.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined an orgasm would be like that. So consuming, so powerful that she would be on the edge of blacking out.

Maybe because, it was her first.

His fingers slip from her, and the loss makes her whimper. She leans against him as she takes deep, calming breaths until, she hears him moan in satisfaction.

Turning her head slightly to her side to see what is causing him to make such a sound, she can't help gasping in an audible breath when she realizes this shameless man has his finger drenched with her juices in his mouth. His gaze locks onto hers as he licks them clean. "You aren't as experienced as you want me to believe. Was that a first?"

She's too boneless, her body's too limp against him to even respond. So she let him have his moment.

She barely has time to catch her breath before he stands, lifting her as though she weighs nothing. In one fluid motion, he sets her down on the edge of his massive desk.

The cold glass pressing against the heated skin of her ass draws a startled yelp from her lips. Before she can process the sensation, his hands are on her again, spreading her knees wide and positioning her exactly how he wants her.

Her palms are pressed flat against the desk behind her for balance. The action makes her breasts to thrust forward in his face. A deep flush spreads across her cheeks as she finds herself in this wanton position, baring herself to him.

So shamelessly.

So carnally.

So completely.

His fingers graze the inside of her thighs as he settles into the chair before her and drags her even closer to the edge of the desk.

And then he dips his head, licking her from her entrance to her clit. And the world around her dissolves. The growl of satisfaction vibrates through her and she's already fighting an orgasm. He runs a rough hand down her leg pulling her thigh over his shoulder.

She feels a new rush of wetness that he obviously immediately notices. "Look at the mess you've created," he instantly lapped at the new moisture. His hands grip her thighs, holding her open as his tongue flicks against her, teasing, tasting, torturing.

Consumed by overwhelming sensation, she runs a hand into his hair, grabbing a handful and moving her hips at the same time, trying to keep his head still and fixed to where she needs it the most. He removes her hands the first time, but her fingers find his hair again. He lets her hold his hair and control the movement for only a second before he bites at her inner thigh. A sharp gasp escapes her as she jerks back. A jolt of pain radiates from that spot and settles in her already aching core.

His narrowed caremal-browns find her pissed hazels. "Behave."

She shoots him a nasty glare, gatekeeping all the profanities that have his name written on them.

"Go ahead...say it."

So she does.

"You're an insufferable asshole"

The sharp smack in between her legs catches her off guard, but her teeth dig into her lips so hard she's surprised she hasn't drawn any blood, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of a whimper, not even a sound.

Fuck!?!

"Anything else?"

She stiffly shakes her head while giving him a withering look.

''Good," he murmurs lazily, going back to sucking at her clit. It still throbs with pain, but the wet heat of his mouth is electrifying, turning her pain into fire.

Mortified at his words and what he is doing to her, she closes her eyes once more and grips the edge of the desk with all her might, promising herself that if she has to endure this, at least she won't reach for him this time or show him just how sinfully incredible it's making her feel.

Another flick of his tongue against her soaked entrance makes her forget all about it anyway, and she feels tears gather behind her eyelids as she forces herself to not cry out her pleasure.

God, he's really good at this and she just knows that it won't take him long to make her fall completely apart once more.

She's proven right just seconds later when she feels his fingers probe into her again and he's now free to go and nibble on her clit. The moment he does, stars burst behind her eyelids and this time, no amount of sheer willpower can stop her from moaning out loud.

"FFUUCK...."

Her eyes roll back in her head as her back arches off the table. Meanwhile he keeps pumping faster, sucking harder, until she can't control herself and is quite shamelessly riding his face with about just as much force as she has been riding his fingers earlier. Soft mewls spill from her lips alongside unintelligible pleas.

"Name," he commands, pulling back just enough to speak, his voice barely penetrates her mind haze. "Say my name."

He growls the words inside her as her body writhes helplessly under his hold, the pressure building so fiercely she feels like she might shatter.

"Say it,"

"Umm.. Mr. Raizada,'' she gasps. Her voice trembles as her hands gripping the desk as if her life depends on it.

A rough hand slides up her stomach squeezing her breast hard enough to draw a startled cry from her lips. In an instant, he's grabbing her throat, yanking her upright so her wide eyes meet his. His eyes are wild and feral, with her arousal glistening on his lips as he speaks through a clenched jaw, "Name."

A tear rolled down her cheek as she's denied her pleasure and she realizes that every part of her burned so much at that instant that it quite literally hurt. Her pride stops her from cursing him audibly though, or even just uttering a word of protest. So she complies.

"Arnav." she spits out even though her voice shakes as his name passes her lips.

His lips curl in satisfaction as he flicks her clit with his finger, her hips rocking involuntarily against him.

"Remember it. After all, It's the name you'll be screaming for the rest of your life."

The moment his hand leaves her neck, he dives back in, his mouth reclaiming her with a ferocity that leaves no room for resistance, no room for doubt.

The urge to touch him is overwhelming, but she knows he'll stop if she dares touch his precious hair again. So, she places one of her hands over his on her thigh, intertwined their fingers together, and, lost in pure, unfiltered and unadulterated lust, tugs at her own hair with the other.

Sparks ignite into an inferno, burning hotter with every stroke, every flick of his tongue. Then she soars higher and higher, until crashing into an eruption of pleasure and pain.

His teeth nip at her clit, causing her walls to contract almost painfully. He finds a secret spot inside that causes her eyes to fly open and then her body convulses in response. He must feel it too, because he hits it again and again. Her ears ring, pulling all sounds underwater as the heat inside her burst. Her body shatters like glass under the weight of a thousand suns.

"Aaaa...arnav," she screams out another orgasm even more powerful than the one she hasn't even really come down from.

His name falls from her lips like a prayer as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over her.

He doesn't stop though, his mouth relentless as he pulls every last tremor from her body, his hands keeping her in place when she tries to pull away. Only when she's completely undone does he finally pulls his fingers and his mouth out of her still unbearably pulsating sex and her inside mourns the loss instantly.

Her eyes fluttered open to find his on her. His breathing is uneven and his gaze is filled with something soft yet dark that she isn't sure she wants to understand, but it's enough to make her core spasm some more.

"You taste even better when you're screaming my name.''

She sits there, perched on the edge of his desk, her legs still parted to accommodate him as he stands between them. The air is thick with the aftermath of what just happened.

She can feel the ache between her thighs, a sweet pulsing reminder of how he ravished her. But now, his gaze makes her feel small, vulnerable.

Her fingers fidget with the edge of his tie, the silk cool against her fingertips. She dares not look up, her eyes fixed on the silver of skin peaking from the top opening of his dress shirt.

''Umm.. show me what to do," she murmurs. Her cheeks flush, the embarrassment rushing through her as quickly as the desire to give something back to him, to make him feel the way he made her feel.

Till date she owes him her life.

After tonight she owes him two orgasm as well.

She swears she can feel the smirk tugging at his lips even though she doesn't dare meet his eyes. Then, he surprises her. Instead of teasing or demanding, he presses his lips softly to the side of her head, his hand tugging the fabric of her dress back into place and smoothing her dishevelled hair over her shoulder.

"Go home, Little bird. I don't have time to fuck you tonight. I have people to kill," he says, his voice softer than she expects, a strange tenderness threading through his usual commanding tone.

She would never admit it, but a part of her secretly loves it when he calls her 'Little bird'. The way the words roll off his tongue, equal parts endearment and possession, sends a shiver down her spine every time. It makes her feel small and fierce all at once like she's his to protect and his to cage.

His eyes are alight with mirth when they meet hers, and she's somehow glad she didn't do it tonight. She surely won't want her first time to happen on an office desk. And she's equal part terrified of the fact that he knows her body better than herself.

Slowly, she slides off the desk. Her thighs ache, a sweet soreness that makes her wince slightly as she finds her footing. She almost stumbles, and his hands are there immediately, steadying her.

She reaches out, wrapping her hand in his tie, and does what she has always wanted to do. Tug on it to bring his face closer to her. She doesn't kiss him on the lips as she remembers the words he told her that night. Instead, she places her lips on his cheek, firm enough for her red lipstick to leave a mark.

A silent 'thank you' though for what exactly, she isn't sure.

His touch? His restraint? His care?

Picking up her heels from the floor, she reaches the door, her hand hesitates on the handle. A strange pull makes her turn back, and the sight of him nearly takes her breath away.

He stands there, his hands tucked into his pockets while his tie hangs loose around his neck. The crisp white of his dress shirt is rumpled, so is his hair, tousled from where her fingers have gripped it in desperation.

But it's his eyes that undo her completely. They're dark, yet soft and they're looking at her like she's the most beautiful, most precious thing he's ever seen in his life.

It terrifies her.

She quickly looks away, fumbling with the door before slipping out, her heart hammering in her chest. As she walks down the hallway, her legs still shaky, she tries to make sense of the chaos in her mind...the tenderness, the possession, the hunger, and now, that look.

But she pushes all those thoughts to the back of her mind as she walks away, leaving behind a bold red lipstick mark on his cheek and a black lacy panty abandoned on his office floor.

Author's note:

Happy Holidays everybody.

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September Rain

Chapter Eighteen

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

Chapter Seventeen>> <<

Dehradun saw the seasons fly by. The trees stood testament to time, as the weather chilled, then slowly drew back spring and then rushed the summer back in. 

The calendar flipped away. Khushi couldn’t believe the year that had been. 

After prom, they had all been left in a whirlwind of events. It hadn’t helped that exams had arrived, leaving the winter a bit sour. 

  

—

“I can’t believe we are doing this!”

“Shut up Preeto!”

“Movie time!”

“I can’t believe we are having a movie night one month before finals!”

“Well I can’t believe my mom let me go!”

“Aunty was concerned you were going to jump off the balcony, Mathur “

“Get lost, Raizada”

They had settled against the plush sofas of the home theatre, a prime highlight in the Raizada house. But Khushi had stumbled when he pulled her to the sofa at the end of the room, flashing her an unholy grin.

—

She blushed to her roots as she remembered that evening. Arnav had shamelessly stolen kisses, while their friends remained blissfully engrossed in the movie. 

—-

“Khush! You need to keep Raizada away ,okay? Don’t let him leave for the dorms! Mathur screwed up the cake order, and now I have to go get the whole thing done”

NK’s words rang in her ear, as Arnav kissed down her throat. Her mind was in a mush. 

Mona had asked her to keep Arnav “occupied” till seven. She tried to discreetly look at her watch, because if he kept this up, she won’t be able to think properly!

“A-arnav”, she called out.

“Hmm?”, he responded before taking her lips again. Again and again.

Needless to say, the deadline of seven was extended by half an hour. For that mistake, Ms. Gupta was awarded a teasing session filled with sleazy innuendos.

——

She slapped her forehead, as she recalled Arnav’s innocent act in front of them. As if she had been the one pouncing on him relentlessly.

——

“Khush”, he whispered. 

They were settled in a nook of her bedroom, even as the others had decided to go out for brunch. Di and Akash bhai were “breaking the news” to the folks. Well of course no one expected an adverse reaction. But they had decided to keep out of the line of possible fire.

“I’m listening” she whispered back, hugging him closer.

“I sent the email to the council”, his voice just a nervous tremble.

“I know”, she sat up, kissing him softly, “Don’t worry, you’ve given it your best!”

“Ya, I have…”

“Arnav. It’s okay to be nervous. But there is still a month left for school to begin. You’ll worry yourself sick if you keep this up! It’s not in your hands any more, so let it be out of sight and out of mind “, she finished passionately.

A smile slowly lit up his face. 

“I thought I was the philosopher”

She huffed, “Well, things change Mr Raizada”

Her nose remained upturned in a haughty pose. Arnav rolled his eyes, before his fingers ran up her sides, sending her into a fit of laughter.

The afternoon was suddenly bright again.

——

She shifted anxiously now, letting the memories of summer fade as Headmistress Manorama took to the microphone. 

Her eyes flitted over to the rows and rows of reds, but couldn’t find Arnav.

“And the sub-captain selected from Red house this year is….”

Khushi felt her heart thump restlessly. She felt cold, as she prayed desperately.

Arnav needs this. He deserves this.

“Raghav Majumdar!”

Did they applaud? Did they cheer? Or did they fall silent? 

Khushi had no idea. All she knew was she was hurting for him. All the years he had spent working towards this….No! She needed to find him. She needed to stop him from breaking. From hurting. She needed to hurry.

Making her way through the chaos of the dispersed assembly, she slipped away into the morning.

-------

Next update will be delayed

[ exams in winter suck ;( ]

[featheredclover]

September Rain

Chapter Seventeen

Also on Wattpad

Read from the beginning

Chapter Sixteen>> <<Chapter Eighteen

Lavanya stood under the disco ball, the banner made in mirrors reflecting her stunning black dress. Her laugh seemed particularly grating to Mona tonight.

“Hey! Lavanya, can you give us a minute?” Preeti spoke up, before Mona did something impulsive.

Her eyebrows pinched together, but she shrugged. And cue, all the girls fluttering around her walked away to give them space.

“You li-“

“Mona!” , Preeto gritted her teeth, “Let me handle this, please”

“Lavanya. We wanted to ask you if you have done something today which you regret?”

“Excuse me?”

“She is asking you if you cut up Khushi’s dress. And I swear to god, if you did-“

“What the hell are you going on about?”

Lavanya stared agape at the two girls. 

Preeto felt doubts dim her anger. Surely, she is not that good an actress.

“We have a witness, Lavanya “, Mona scoffed.

“Witness? Well, I would like to meet that witness. I know that I had nothing to do with whatever you two are accusing me of!”

“Anjali saw Sheetal, one of your puppies leaving our room. That was in the afternoon. And in the evening we find the dress ripped to shreds! Only someone who hates Khushi could do such a thing!”

Lavanya rolled her eyes, her movements frustrated.

“Look, I admit I liked Arnav. He was nice to me and I am human. So sue me if you think I am guilty of that! I was hurt that he got together with Khushi and yes, I did share my feelings with my friends- which I am sure you do with each other as well. But no Mona ,I am not capable of acting so low on my hurt”

Mona narrowed her eyes, even though her stance relaxed visibly. 

“We are sorry. But can you please ask Sheetal the same. She might have been acting on your behalf “

———-

“For god’s sake Sheetal! Who told you to do this?”

To her surprise and Mona’s outrage, Sheetal stood defiant, her head raised up. 

“That bitch deserves it. She stole Arnav from you-“

“You little! Do you even realise they have known each other since they were kids?! Who the hell do you think you are that you can destroy her dress and get away with it? I am going to make your life hell, Sheetal Batra !” Mona bit out harshly, her eyes livid.

Sheetal turned towards Lavanya, “I did it for you Lavanya. You felt so low when you saw them together, I couldn’t bear the thought of you seeing them today. Laughing, smiling, dancing!”

“Enough! You did wrong, Sheetal. And if you want even a semblance of friendship to survive between us, you’ll gift Khushi the same dress after apologising to her.”

Lavanya turned around, ready to storm off, when Preeto stopped her.

“We are sorry. Thank you for clearing the air.”

Lavanya nodded tersely, before walking away.

———

Khushi lay on her back. The book she was reading, blurring in front of her eyes. The dusk setting in, seemed to prolong her day of misery. She tried not to think about the ruins of her once pretty dress. She feared she would break down crying. And Arnav? She wished he would buy the excuse Anjali told him.

 

Sighing, she tried to focus on the letters, when a noise broke through. A distinct cling against the window!

Nervous, she bit her lip, before rushing to push open the window.

Her eyes filled with tears, seeing him, staring up at her. A full blown grin, as he cradled a bunch of pebbles ready to strike her window. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at the suit adorning him. Charcoal black, against the classic white shirt.

“Get down”, she read his lips.

Shaking her head in a no, she held a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Now”, he smirked, a playful warning.

Khushi smiled, before rushing back to her cupboard. Damn it! The only laundered things she had were a pair of blue jeans and a pink sweatshirt.

Not wasting any more time, she slipped them on. Brushing her hair and popping in a few breath mints, she was ready to meet her Romeo!

————

Hand in hand, they walked in silence. Khushi didn’t even care where he was taking her. She knew it wasn’t the hall. Woodsmith was pretty strict when it came to dress codes.

Why wasn’t he saying anything? Had he caught Anjali’s lie? Was he upset? But then why did he grin like  that before? He looks so sexy-

And before she knew it they stood in front of the dome. She looked at him in understanding. He just looked at her, a wistful smile on his lips.

She gasped as she walked in. Roses. A bunch of them sprinkled on the ground. A portable cd player resting in all its glory on the steps.

“Arnav”, she choked, as tears filled her eyes.

He spun her around to face him.

“Khush….why didn’t you tell me?” He whispered, even as a splinter of rage shone through.

“I-I “

“Anjali di told me someone tore up your dress. Who was it?”

“I don’t know-“

“Khushi”, he apprehended sternly.

“Mona and Preeto will take care of it”

Arnav chuckled, “What am I going to do with you?”

Khushi felt her eyes drift towards his sinfully gorgeous lips, against her will, even as he groaned.

“Later”, he said hoarsely, “but first”

He left her briefly, walking up to the cd player, pressing play.

Tunes of a KK song flooded the brick structure as she slipped her hand into his. 

Spinning her around, Arnav winked. Giggling, she swayed in his arms. The melody guides their bodies against each other. She rested her head on his shoulder as they let the music be the only language tonight. 

She felt a sudden tug at her hair, as he pulled her head back gently. Looking up at him, Khushi knew he could see what was evident in her eyes. Whatever she felt for him, all bared in front of him.

Her eyes fluttered close, as Arnav’s lips descended upon hers. He glided over her, the softness, undoing her. Pleasure pulsed in her veins, as he deepened the kiss. His tongue playfully enticed hers. Her moans filled the air, even as his groans remained for only her to cherish.

The rose petals lay beautifully beneath their feet, appearing ethereal against the moonlight. The boy in the suit held his girl in jeans in his arms, swaying to a now dwindling playlist.

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———

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September Rain

Chapter Sixteen

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

Chapter Fifteen>> <<Chapter Seventeen

“Not this one!”

 Preeto frowned as she looked over the eighteen dresses sprawled over the couch in Khushi’s room.

“I can’t believe we are making a big deal about it”, Mona rolled her eyes, while settling down in front of the oval mirror. Grabbing a mascara, she hummed a tune as she expertly adorned her lashes.

“For someone who dismisses such events, you did quite a shopping for makeup today”, Khushi teased.

“Hey! Makeup is an art. This prom business is just so American wannabe!”

“Well, I am excited about it! Farhan asked me last week”, Preeto gushed.

“Preets, it was obvious that you would go together. Why have this charade of formality ?”

“Yeah! Just like the bracelet Khushi keeps touching every few seconds right?”

The girls burst out laughing, leaving an outraged, spluttering, red faced girl, who looked around desperately for an escape.

“I think I’ll settle for the red”

Khushi looked at the beautiful dress, complete with ruffles and amazing tailoring. Tilting her head, she stood in front of the mirror, holding it against herself.

“Why wouldn’t you? In honour of them dedicating a goal to you”

Mona grinned, posing a serious threat to the Cheshire Cat.

“Well, maybe you should wear it! You are going with NK after all”

“Please! Keep up with your hero, Khush! NK and I are going as friends. We can’t be bothered to go through the whole process of getting a date!”

Preeto stood up with a sigh, “Dibs on the blue one!”

———

The canopies cast a beautiful pattern on him as he rested his head on her lap. She could hear the din of others playing on the ground. Giggles and laughs all around her. 

Arnav had grabbed her hand and took her to the magnificent tree, adorned with beautiful pink flowers, as soon as the bell for lunch break rang. He had produced two sandwiches from his backpack and Khushi had laughed.

Now, sitting against the bark, running her fingers through his hair, Khushi felt a burgeoning joy within her. 

“Khushi?”

“Hmm?” Khushi asked softly, unwilling to break the tranquility of the moment.

“I can’t meet you in the evening today”, his tone was enough for Khushi to know he regretted it more than she did.

“It’s okay. Football?”

“No. I need to do extra work for Mascarenhas”, Arnav sighed, referring to their science teacher.

“Arnav…”, she began, “Are you sure you aren’t working too hard? I mean everyday you have some extra work to do with some professor. You even work some part time jobs. I don’t think it’s healthy-“

“Khush”, he interrupted, “You know it’s not easy being elected for the sub captaincy right? And then I have to be elected to be the captain. It’s not going to happen with me being lazy”

“I didn’t say that! It’s not about being lazy, it’s just about taking it a bit easy.”

Arnav froze momentarily, before getting up in a stiff movement. He brushed off dust from his knees, before offering her a hand.

Khushi stared at him, unsure of the sudden coldness that seemed to surround him. Slipping her hand into his, she stood up.

They walked back to class in silence. Khushi couldn’t tell who was more deep in turmoil. 

In the beginning of the year, Arnav had been anxious , yet calm about running for sub captaincy. But now? Khushi wasn’t so sure. 

———

Khushi stepped out of the shower, hair propped up primly in the towel wrap. She glanced at her friends. Bustling around the dressing table, Mona worked her magic on Preeto’s pretty face.

“Please blow dry my hair after you are done guys”

She said as she walked over to her cupboard.

“I will! As soon as this girl stops squirming!” Mona grumbled.

“Hey! Those brushes are ticklish, okay?”

Shaking her head, Khushi pulled the door open. She gasped in horror.

“Khush?”

“What’s wrong?”

When she couldn’t respond, they rushed to her side.

“What the-“ Mona inhaled sharply as Preeto stood in shocked silence.

The three stood as they looked at the mutilated red dress. The one they had picked so meticulously. Torn and shredded. No chance of repair. Not a shred spared.

This was a hate crime. 

———

She stood pale and withdrawn. Gathering her senses back, she stiffened.

Forcing her lips to twist into a smile, she looked at her friends, ignoring the rage in their eyes.

“Well, let’s get you two ready!”

“Khushi, we are not going”, Preeto said firmly.

“Yes, we are going to find the bitch who did this and make her pay”

“Guys”, Khushi rubbed a hand over her tired eyes, “I would honestly feel better if you guys go and have fun…”

“Khush-“

“No, please. Mona, how in the world are you going to find the one who did this? It could be anyone in the dorm-“

“Khushi”

The girls turned to look at the intruder.

“Anjali!”

Khushi looked blankly at her senior. Arnav’s cousin. An ever elusive figure. Two years elder to them, she had always been the prim and proper role model. Akash bhai was the only one who could get her to loosen up. As far as Khushi was concerned, Anjali deserved the pedestal people put her on.

“I am not really sure about this. But I passed by your room, when I saw another girl walk out earlier this afternoon. I was surprised and I did ask her, but she claimed that one of you had asked to return something she had borrowed”

“Who was it? Do you have any idea?” Preeto asked hesitantly, her eyes clouding with confusion.

“I think it was one of your juniors. She is a dancer, I think….She has bangs. I am sorry, I really don’t know her name”

“Sheetal!”

“Mona, honestly just because you have never liked Sheetal-“

“No, no, no! Well first of all, she matches Anjali’s description and she has been cozying up to Lavanya lately!”

“Who’s Lavanya ?”

“New student”, Preeto shrugged, “She is in red”

Anjali stared at Khushi for a moment too long.

“Don’t wait for a solid proof, Khushi. Warn her off right now.”

“What?! She needs to be punished!”

“And how are you going to do that?” Anjali snapped,

“There are no cameras, no proof. And I think it will provoke her further”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“Scare her off. Give her a talking down”

“Thanks, Anjali. Aren’t you going to the dance?” Khushi interrupted the retaliation planning, intending to distract them.

“Yes, I was just about to go get ready when I heard you guys”

“Yes, I was just about to get these two ready as well”

“Khushi-“

“No discussion. You guys are going! Please…please tell Arnav..that I feel sick..just make an excuse for me” 

Khushi looked away, her eyes burning as something fractured inside her. The heaviness threatens to weigh her down.

“See you guys later”, Anjali rested a hand on Khushi’s shoulder for a fleeting moment before striding out of their room.

-------

Next chapter>>

Let me know what you think ♥️

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[featheredclover]

September Rain

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fourteen>> <<Chapter Sixteen

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

The Dehradun landscape was beautiful. Their school was nestled among the highest hills and he knew he was going to be just like his bhai once he graduated. Riding  from Delhi to here on the bike once in a while. Maybe he could bring Khushi. The thought brought an impish smile to his face as he remembered the surprise he wanted to give her this weekend.

They were all going home for Christmas. Their siblings had pulled some strings to make this into a Raizada-Gupta weekend. They were going to spend the day at the Gupta house and have a big dinner at the club. He knew it was just an excuse for Payal Di and Bhai to spend the holiday together. But he wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He was going to be with Khushi, without curfew and restrictions. That’s all that mattered.

“Penny for your thoughts ,Flash?” Aman walked across the chilly balcony to him, handing him a mug of steaming coffee, while sipping one himself.

Arnav cringed.

“Leave that name for the field , Mathur”

“Speaking of the field”, Aman smiled, “you pulled quite a stunt back there”

Taking a swig from his mug, scalding his tongue in the process, he looked away.

His ears blushed red as he recalled the madness which had gripped him and yet…

“I don’t regret it”

“I am not saying you should. It made everyone swoon. Naina was accusing me of never thinking of doing that”

Arnav laughed, “You think I was thinking while doing that? I had…I had asked her to support me in the match. How could she do that right? She couldn’t sit in the red section. She couldn’t wear my colour. But she….”

“But she?” 

He smiled at Aman.

“She wore a cap. A soda bottle cap. The day we met? I had given it to her”

“Oh”, Aman rolled his eyes “So that’s what it was! I thought Khushi was making some fashion statement! Setting a new trend with bottle caps”

Arnav joined in the laughter, shaking his head.

“It was for her. I wanted to score for her. My muscles were screaming at me. But I wanted to make her proud of me”

A sombreness glazed Aman’s eyes.

“You know she does, Arnav. She has more conviction in you than you!”

“I know-“

“You don’t have to compete with your brother, you know?”

At this, Arnav looked away. Aman had touched a nerve. He had shot an arrow in the dark and it had landed right at the aim. Heck! Even Khush didn’t know about this.

“Aman…You don’t know what it is. I love Bhai but he…he is the golden child. Ma and dad never compared us. But I always wanted to have more than him. I wanted more of my trophies to adorn their wall..I just..”

“And you do! You are brilliant. But you can take a chill pill! So what if Akash went on path A? You can choose path B or even carve out your own!”

“You are sounding suspiciously like a Ted speaker”, he teased, breaking the tension.

Aman shook his head, “Someday…soon. You’ll realise you are putting yourself in a box. The need to be the head boy? The need to be perfect at everything? You’ll learn to put yourself first ,Raizada”

Letting out a sigh, Arnav ran a hand across his face, fighting against the sudden bout of exhaustion.

“You won’t get it Mathur”, he said softly, his eyes gazed unseeingly at the broad landscape.

Their words ringing against the night, their mugs left forgotten.

————-

“Payal, can you bring the white lights?” Garima aunty screamed hoarsely. The ladder perched up to probably the biggest tree in the neighbourhood, as Shashi uncle had boasted around.

“The white lights are damaged, ma”, Payal said with a straight face, even as Arnav looked away amused.

“No worries! I got the red ones here”, His mother announced pleasantly, bringing forward a box of bright red wires.

“I said white, Ratna”, Garima aunty frowned.

“Offo! You are so drab Gari! Always white, beige, pastel! Bring some colour into your life!”

Akash stood up, before the situation got out of their hands. 

“You know what? Payal and I will get the white lights. And of course a few colourful ornaments. Happy ladies?” 

Dropping a kiss over his ma’s forehead, Akash strided out of the Gupta house, Payal in tow.

“Make yourself scarce now, son”

Arnav grinned as his dad whispered the warning, all the while eyeing his wife who was now convincing a livid Garima to give up her “boring” taste.

“As I was going to!”, Arnav whispered back before slipping out of the warzone.

————

Nervously tugging at the belt of his helmet, he held the one he had got for her in his hands. White with a pink hello kitty sticker on one end. 

Heck! Even he knew this didn’t really scream Khushi but the store just didn’t have her size! And he wasn’t going to wait around for them to have it custom made. So here he was, watching her while she lazed around the porch with her book, bundled up in a shawl.

With a shake of his head, Arnav pulled up to the gate. Revving it with a twitch of his hand, he watched with bated breath. 

A frown stole up her adorable face! After all, he smiled, this neighbourhood was not known for hoodlums showing up on their motorcycles to take the good girls out.

“Oh my god!”

She sat up straight faster than lightning . Throwing the book and pashmina aside, she rushed up to him.

“You finally learnt to ride it! That’s just-“

“Hop on! I am taking you out!” He laughed.

“Oh hello! Neither one of us has a learner’s licence.”

“So? Bhai told me all the ways to get around the city without bumping into a cop!”

Khushi gave in with a smile.

“I thought you were the sane one!”, she giggled, “And what is this? Hello kitty?!”

Arnav blushed to his ears, as she inspected his pick of a helmet for her.

“I love it ,Arnav! I think it’s been years since I owned something of hello kitty”

“Okay! Enough about the only available helmet in your size, so now let’s go!”

————

The cold should have stung him. It should have bitten his skin. It should have bothered him, like it did every winter.

But it didn’t.

It was insane how different it felt now. How different she felt. 

It had been a while ago since she had wrapped her arms around him and rested herself against his back, sending shivers down his spine.

“Cold?”

He flinched as he heard her voice, seeming sultry against the high speed.

“No”, his voice cracked.

“You are shivering a little” , she ran a gentle hand over his shoulder, making him tense.

“Maybe we can stop for some coffee?”

He could definitely do with some caffeine right now!

———

“You know no matter what Preeto says, shack coffee tastes the best!”, she grinned while sipping the piping hot drink.

“Aman would have had a spasm at that thought. Shack tea tastes better!”

She rolled her eyes,a smile playing on her lips.

“Do you think they’ll be missing us at home?”

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled Khushi against him, as he rested against his Enfield.

“With the missing elders and their colour vs plain debate, I highly doubt they would miss us”

She hummed in his arms, snuggling into his warmth. He let the silence around them settle and shimmer. Winters were now his favourite, he thought cheekily.

She suddenly lifted her off him, her eyes twinkling and lips pursed in anticipation.

“We have prom next week…”

“Yes?”m he held back his smile.

“You are not going to ask me out?”

“Oh!”, he pretended to ponder before flicking her nose gently.

Ignoring her outraged gasp, he grabbed her wrist and clasped a bracelet around her.

The bracelet had weighed heavily in his pocket throughout the weekend. The silver jewellery, with flowers engraved on it, seemed so Khushi, that he knew he wanted to gift it to her someday.

“It’s beautiful Arnav”, she raised her wrist, looking up at him through lowered lashes.

“I bought it”, he smiled. The smile of a man relieved of a well kept secret.

“What? How..?” Her voice, a mere tremble against the chaos probably swirling in her head.

“Part time. I worked at the Raheem’s cafe on weekends and I did some editing for a small company-“

He stopped as her frame crashed into his. 

“Khush?”, he asked softly.

“ Thank you Arnav”, her eyes encased in unshed tears.

“You really didn’t have to”

He chuckled, brushing away a tear trailing down her cheek, 

“So did I manage to win that prom date?”

—————-

Next chapter>>

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who is this diva 💘

I have a vague memory of someone asking me where Afreen vm was…

Here it is-

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September Rain

Chapter Fourteen

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

Chapter Thirteen>> <<Chapter Fifteen

The building housing the sports rooms was packed full. Some faces held the gloom of the day, while others shone as bright as the trophy the Reds had lifted up that evening.

Khushi trailed behind Preeto as she made a beeline for Farhan.

Dhruv stood beside him, a duffle bag resting on his shoulders. She walked up to him, standing in silence. There was nothing more she could offer. No consolations, no encouragement. She knew better than anyone else that losing must be dealt with in true acknowledgment. She remembered every dance competition she had failed to win, every debate she had faltered in and every exam she had fumbled. She knew the pain.

“You must be happy now”

Startled at the rancid tone, she looked at Dhruv. He seemed to be in disbelief, and yet his eyes held an accusatory glare.

“Oh come on! Don’t give me that deer in headlights that look like Khushi. He made a show about his first goal. For you. Of course you wanted them to win”

“That’s not fair”, she gritted out, her temple throbbing.

“I wanted him to play well, but I wanted us to win."

“Really?”, his bitterness seeped into his voice.

“Really. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone Dhruv. Goodbye.”

She spun around, ready to leave in a fit of fury, when she found herself pulled back by her arm.

“Khushi, I am sorry”, he sighed.

“I was so sure that we would win that I didn’t even….You are dating him aren’t you?”

She nodded tersely. Her mind felt muffled by Dhruv’s switching between hot and cold. She had enough of it. Shaking his hands off her, she stormed off.

——-

The red lights and decor hung from the ceiling. A lot of decor had been recycled from NK’s last riotous party, but some paper footballs were new on the scene. Mona held Khushi’s hand as she led them through the dancing mesh of people. Reaching the drinks table, they grabbed lemonades, sipping through them absently.

“Dhruv is a little bitch. Don’t give him the time of the day, K”

“Is this really coming from someone who till weeks ago believed he walked with a halo?”

“Well, whatever he did today proved me wrong”, Mona smiled wryly.

“Is NK okay?” Khushi sighed.

“Speak of the devil”, she grinned.

“NK!” Khushi yelled.

The man sat on his throne, his bandaged leg, resting on a pile of pillows.

“Mademoiselle! My apologies but I crushed your team even with this beautiful injury “

“If you were not hurt, I would have emptied this glass on you”, Mona smiled mockingly.

“So harsh!” NK gasped.

Khushi jumped as a warm hand slipped under her sweater, around her waist.

“Enjoying the party?” His whiskey-like voice settled against her skin like a thousand ice cubes.

As she twisted her neck, her lips brushed against his in one electrifying moment. They both stilled. She felt the burn where his hand rested, even as his eyes held her under their scorching heat.

“Get a room, you two!”

Khushi pushed him hastily as she looked up to see their friends laughing. She thanked the dim lights. Awkward moments like these didn’t deserve an audience .

“I would like to dedicate this night to….”

She looked up to see Sahil, a junior ,climb up on a table ready to toast with a coke can.

Before she could listen any further, she found herself being dragged away by Arnav. His gait told her he wouldn’t tolerate any more delays. Leading her down a corridor, he opened a door, revealing a small closet.

“Are you serious?” Khushi giggled, forgetting all the awkwardness they had been wrapped in.

“I told you. I have a penchant for finding places”

“Hey! There’s even a tiny sofa here”

Khushi plopped down, her glass almost spilling over. Arnav settled beside her, stretching his legs against the confined space.

She found herself being swept into his arms, and this time, her drink did spill over.

“Congratulations”, she whispered hotly against his lips.

“Uh-huh”, Arnav murmured before kissing her.

He slid his hand down, which was entangled in her hair down her neck. His fingers fiddled with the chain before reaching the locket she had attached just this afternoon.

Breaking the kiss, he looked down at the soda cap. Turning it around, he almost reverently traced the engraving he had cast years ago. Back then it had been a promise and a premise. But today? Today it had morphed into a declaration, a possession.

“You gave me want I wanted Khush”,he looked into her eyes.

“I wanted to”, she said simply, tilting to fit into his arms.

Khushi felt her breath stutter as he kissed down her neck, kissing the swell of her breast. She jumped, her mind in an overdrive.

“Shhh, baby it’s fine”

She didn’t know what she felt overwhelmed by more- the sensations he was making her feel or his endearment for her.

God! He was going to be the end for her!

Pulling the neck of her sweater down, he kissed the scrape of skin, setting her on fire. She arched her back, pushing herself further closer to him.

Feeling his hot breath on her, she blinked her eyes open. Khushi stifled a gasp as he bit softly but deliberately into the skin at the nape of her neck. Sucking on it with a passion ,unlike she had ever seen in him before, Arnav licked her skin and kissed it softly.

She felt a serene smile light up her lips as she gazed at him.

“What?” He whispered huskily as his eyes searched her face.

“I didn’t know you had the vampire tendency in you”

“Next time you’ll find me watching you sleep beside your window”, he said with a grin.

“I prefer werewolves”, Khushi said with a saucy wink.

“Oh really?”

With a scoff, he let his fingers skim her sides, sending her into bursts of giggles.

Lost amidst the cocoon of privacy they had found themselves in, Khushi froze as she heard the door creak open. Struggling to sit upright, she pushed Arnav away gently.

Embarrassed, she glanced up to meet tear filled eyes.

The door slammed right back as the interrupter left.

“Who?” Arnav groaned as he finally pushed himself off her.

“Lavanya”, she replied in a small voice.

Looking away, she ran a hand through her tangled hair.

Clearing his throat, he began,”Khush-“

“She was crying”

Arnav frowned. But she went on, “She saw us and she started crying”

“I am not talking to her. I haven’t since the picnic. I really don’t think you should worry about it Khush”

He took her hands in his, rubbing a thumb over them gently. She took a deep breath, mustering up a smile at him.

“You are right of course. It’s just-“

“It’s not a pleasant feeling. I know. But I did everything I could to help her fit in, make friends and yet she didn’t make any efforts”

Khushi nodded. Unsettling as the look on Lavanya’s face was, she knew that she couldn’t help it. Whatever little crush she has on Arnav will have to fade away with time.

“Want to go back to the party? You never know, NK might be swinging on the chandelier” , he said dryly.

She giggled, “Now that is a sight I want to see”

—————

Next chapter>>

Author's note:

A hundred apologies! I don't know if you missed this story, but I definitely missed writing it :)

Exams season swept me away~ while I have to face the current again mid December ;(

I hope to tie the bow on 'September Rain' by then 🤞🏻

Next update: Tomorrow ^⁠_⁠^

Tagging: @hand-picked-star @phuljari @msbhagirathi @thenainitaldisaster @thedupattaknowswhatsup @jalebi-weds-bluetooth @barshifan @andli @shiyaravi @chutkiandchotte @laad-governess @minpdnim @bigfatreader @arshiradio @simplycurlz @scorpio-smiles @bengudill @exosexosekai @0218fm @chaiandtakkar @colorfulangelpeach

[featheredclover]

September Rain

Chapter Thirteen

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

Chapter Twelve>> <<Chapter Fourteen

Strands of wet hair brushed against her neck, as she sat in front of the dressing table. Amidst the hustle bustle of poster making and selecting the best green outfits that their dorm was engulfed in, Khushi found her solace after an entire night of worrying.

Whatever Arnav had asked of her, was deeper than he let on. She couldn’t disappoint him. She couldn’t. Even as she stared at her apple green sweater, she knew that much.

With a new found resolve, Khushi reached out to the wooden box beside her desk.

———

“This is so thrilling!”, Mona shouted over the crowd’s chatter.

All around them was a crowd rivalling what they saw on a usual match day. Khushi couldn’t help wondering if she was the only one out of the loop. Seas of red and green intermingled, with a few jabs echoing from both sides. 

“Apparently, the reds have also won every match against the other houses this year. They lost against us twice though” Preeto whispered into her ear.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, “But aren’t there two more months for the finals?”

Preeto’s dumbfounded expression was enough to embarrass her. Shaking her head, she explained with exaggerated patience, “This is the finals, Khushi! Your performance throughout the year decides if you are in for the trophy race. And neither blue nor yellow have enough wins to be here.”

Khushi gasped, her frown giving away her shock.

“Honestly Khushi! You need to pay more attention”, Mona rolled her eyes.

A loud announcement brought her attention back to the vast green ground. Rows of boys filed in dressed in their jerseys. The tension simmered in the air, even as the sun dimmed into the clouds. She could see Arnav set in a rigid stance, his eyes blazing with focus. Pride filled her heart,even as the twinge of worry persisted. 

And at once he turned his head, clashing his eyes against hers. In one breathtaking moment, Khushi felt stricken at the emotion behind those eyes. She held his stare, tugging at the chain wrapped around her neck, and pulled the locket out. She blushed as his eyes widened, and he smiled in that devastating way of his.

For he saw, despite the distance, the pink soda cap hanging from the silver chain. The referee blew the whistle and two hearts raced in unison at that moment. One in the utmost joy, and one beneath the engraved ‘A+K’.

———-

With her heart stuck in her mouth, Khushi watched as the match began. Everyone could tell something was different this time from the get go. Dhruv and Aman, both famous for their calm demeanours had taken the crowd by storm with the aggression they displayed. Arnav was living beyond his nickname, as he not only beat his opponents in speed, but power as well. NK had uncharacteristically taken the calm approach , while Farhan had backed down, letting Dhruv take the lead. Nothing was predictable anymore.

Dhruv screamed as he aced his first goal, sending her side of the crowd in raptures. Khushi clapped along with everyone else, even as her eyes gave her away as the imposter. She sat back down, at the edge of her seat, as the game resumed.

It hadn’t even been five minutes, when a flicker of red raced across the ground. And there you go! Arnav had scored their first goal. 

Khushi sat, clenching her fists, as regretful comments and whines surrounded her. 

“Khushi!”, Preeto’s urgent whisper caught her ear. 

Looking up, she saw Arnav walk towards their side, his teammates not leaving his side, laughter still etched on their faces. He smiled wryly, a palm crossed over his heart. He kissed it next and pointed a finger towards her.

She froze. 

He had dedicated his goal to her. 

Not caring about the rivalry. Not caring about anything. He might as well have shouted it out loud from the rooftop.

“Khushi”

She could hear her friend’s concern. She could feel the dirty looks she faced from people sitting around her. She could sense the snide whispers.

And yet he didn’t let her look away. 

“This is bad Khushi! Arnav shouldn’t have made this public now!”

She looked at them, the reality finally settling in.

“I-I don’t know why he did that”

“Who cares?”Mona chided, “It’s time Woodsmith lets go of this unhealthy competition between the houses!”

Khushi shook her head as this loud declaration was met with several outraged gasps.

It was not like people hadn’t dated outside their houses before. But there was no public display of affection. Especially not at important matches like these.

What was she going to do with this guy?

———

Thankfully, the match resumed and went on uneventfully , allowing Khushi to believe that people had forgotten all about her brief moment in the spotlight. They all watched with bated breath as the teams scored alternatively, like a well built balance.

“Oh god!”

She turned towards where Preeto was pointing towards. Dhruv was red, his frustration etched in the way he moved. It was a calamity waiting to happen. And the next thing they knew, he had tackled NK who had the ball onto the ground.

She winced as NK’s piercing cry cut through the crowd’s noise.

It was chaos as the nurse ran over along with the coaches. The umpire had raised a flag. Penalty, the word whispered as a hush through the audience.

NK stood up, even as his knees trembled. She breathed a sigh of relief, even as a dark bruise appeared on his leg.

“He’s going to shoot with this leg?”

“The nurse has pronounced him fit!”

Khushi watched as Arnav hugged NK, whispering something into his ear. The others patted his shoulder, hiding their own fear bravely.

Clearing the goal post, he stood seemingly oblivious to the cheers and the booing.

He flicked his neck towards Dhruv, and in a booming voice with the spite for all to hear, “This is for you, Iyer”

Smack!

She heard the tingle in her ears, as the crowd dulled down any other sounds. 

The Reds had won.

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[featheredclover]

September Rain

Chapter Twelve

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

Chapter Eleven>> <<Chapter Thirteen

Tapping her foot impatiently, Khushi leaned against the pillar. The line did not seem to be moving any faster. She had the strongest urge to scream her frustration. But mornings made her groggy, so she decided to just tap her foot a mile a minute.

“Morning Gupta”

She turned around, squinting as she saw Dhruv all fresh and ready to start the day. A bright smile rivalling the sun was plastered across his face. But today, Khushi couldn’t bring herself to be her usual polite self.

“Morning Iyer”, she grumbled.

He let out an amused chuckle. 

“Why so charming today?”

“You would understand , had you been waiting in line for thirty minutes”

She ran her hand through her hair,in an exaggerated expression of exhaustion.

“Is that so?” He caught her by her elbow.

“What are you doing?”

He shrugged, “Showing you the perks of being a sub captain”

Khushi gasped, as Dhruv marched up to the front of the line with her in tow.

She felt all her morning blues disappear as she flushed under the gaze of at least twenty other students.

“Good morning, Clara ma’am”

“Good morning, Dhruv”, the matronly lady smiled fondly.

“Me and my friend are in a bit of a hurry today, so I was hoping you could cut us some slack”, with a tilt of his head, he gestured towards the ever increasing line.

“Of course!”

And with that Khushi found herself sitting with Dhruv eating her toast and eggs on the best table in the Green house mess.

“I am impressed”, she smiled as she took a sip of her milk.

“How little it takes to impress you” Dhruv said with a sardonic smile.

She felt stumped for a moment. Shaking her head, she pressed on.

“I have been a subject of many cool glares this morning”

“Oh please”, he waved a careless hand.

“With the amount of work I put into being elected, it would be a crime to not let my friends enjoy the perks”

She smiled her thanks, and went right back into attacking her toast.

“I’ll be throwing an after party on Saturday. I have already invited your friends.”

“After party?”, she frowned.

“The match? Green vs Red? I am hurt that you forgot”

Dhruv leaned back on his chair, his eyes seemingly scrutinising her every move.

“Oh. That’s nice” 

“You clearly have something more to say Khushi. Go on”, he urged.

“It’s a little…..a little premature to declare an after party before winning, isn’t it?”

To her surprise, Dhruv burst out laughing. 

Shaking his head, “Oh, Khushi! Such little faith in your own team. Or is it that you have too much faith in the other team?”

“I was just…”

“All I want from you is to wear something green and cheer us on. We know how to win”

Khushi pressed her lips together in a thin line.

“I wasn’t doubting our team, Dhruv. I am just used to the after party being planned after the win”

“There’s no need to do that in this match. They are not in form. Hell, their best player can’t match up to our substitutes!”

She froze, tension bunching up in her shoulders.

“You know that don’t you? Raizada, the so-called ‘Flash’ is no match to us. Let’s see if he is able to lose with dignity”

Khushi clutched her fork so tight, her fingers had paled. She felt pure fury at the way Dhruv spoke about Arnav. The confidence she had so admired in him, had morphed into the worst arrogance overnight.

“-and don’t get me started on Mathur! My ten year old cousin can beat him to a goal!”

“They are my friends Dhruv”, her voice rigid with disappointment.

“You are not really being the sportsman you have always been”

“Khushi”, he shook his head with a smile, “Being a sportsman is one thing, but understanding how weak your opponent is, is just as-“

“I care for my house, that’s why I am telling you this”, she cut him off.

“You shouldn’t underestimate your opponents, neither should you insult them”

She picked up her bag and stood up, “I’ll see you on Saturday”

—————

“Shut up!” Mona stood akimbo.

 

They sat under the banyan tree, tucked away in a cosy corner of their campus. Khushi had dragged them here as soon as the bell for recess rang, ignoring all their annoyance. She had to get it out of her chest today, and so she did!

“I am so happy for you Khushi!” Preeto hugged her tight for a moment before dropping her back on the rock.

“I can’t believe he kissed you after you fought! And that too on the terrace!”

She blushed, looking around helplessly.

“It happened, okay? We didn’t plan it”

Mona scoffed, “Knowing Raizada, I know you didn’t plan it. But I can’t believe you were jealous of Lavanya just a few days ago”

“Hey! Yes, I was jealous. But who wouldn’t be?”

Preeto smiled, “I have no complaints about your jealousy! After all, that’s what gave you the courage to lash out at him”

“And gave him an excuse to kiss you”, Mona said with a smirk.

“Can you stop focusing on the goddamn kiss?”

“Uh-uh! Give us details. Come on, rate Raizada on scale of ten”

Preeto giggled, “ If you don’t stop right now, I think she will combust in flames! Anyway, Khush…we are really happy for you two. Childhood sweethearts….I can already imagine the bridesmaid speech I’ll give”

“Jane Austen was right! A lady’s imagination is very rapid;it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment”, Khushi rolled her eyes.

“I don’t know this Austen lady, but I agree. Get out of your dreamland Preeto! These idiots are only fifteen”

“You are such a cynic, Mona. I spy a wedding in ten years!”

“I spy you not getting invited to the said wedding!”, Khushi teased and was rewarded with a hit on her head.

———

Loud footsteps flooded their ears, before the door swung open.

“You are back early”, Mona commented, not bothering to look up from her books.

“Why are you so breathless Preets?” Khushi asked, a concerned frown blooming between her brows.

“I got kissed! And Arnav is planning to scale the walls tonight!”

“WHAT?!” 

“NK finally came to his senses!” Mona jumped.

“No no no! Okay, I am positively out of breath now”

“Sit down”, Khushi handed her a glass of water, exchanging a quick look of shock with Mona.

“I was in the stables, with the horses. I was actually cleaning the saddles. And Farhan arrived. Out of nowhere!”

Khushi sat down, her mouth agape.

“We talked. He talked about the game. Then he said he felt he scored the last goal because he saw me in the audience. He said something about me being a lucky charm. Then he… he pulled me towards him and he…he…”

“Stuck a tongue down your throat?” Mona supplied helpfully.

Preeto sat wide eyed, not commenting on Mona’s atrocious choice of words. That’s when the two knew their friend was a goner.

“Do you like him, Preeto?”

“I think I do? I mean I have known NK since forever, so I didn’t even look at anyone. But Farhan is..he is.. so nice. Yes. Yes,I like him”

Mona smiled, clutching her hands.

“Then what are you thinking about? Farhan is a great guy! Whatever one side crush you had on NK was over long before. You just had to meet the right guy”

“He asked me to be his girlfriend! I am so confused” 

Preeto paced around. The fan and evening breeze doing nothing to cool her nerves.

“How was the kiss?” Khushi asked cheekily.

Preetika bit her lip, “I guess I’ll be his girlfriend then”

Mona whooshed out a heart “Yes!”, as Khushi hugged her friend. 

“Wait, what were you saying about Arnav scaling the wall tonight?!”

“Oh ya! He wants to talk to you. So he is going to come in through the balcony facing the gardens. The wardens never go there-“

“What?! Why can’t he ask me to meet normally like a normal person?”

“I guess that’s because he is not normal, Juliet”, Mona laughed.

“How typical of Arnav! Is he going to bring a guitar to serenade you? Ooh! Or is he going to ask you to let down your hair just like Rapunzel?”

“This isn’t funny, Mona”, she rolled her eyes, “What if he gets caught?”

“Live a little Khush” Preeto said, her eyes faraway with a dreamy look in them.

“Oh god! How will I live with two love struck heroines?” Mona said, before dodging the twin pillows launched at her.

————

The clock struck twelve, as Khushi tiptoed out of the dorm and into the balcony. It was quite an old, rusty place. Maybe that’s why ,left unsupervised. She didn’t even know how Arnav knew about it! 

A whistle!

She peered down to see him,dressed in a white tee shirt and black jeans. Her heart thudded violently, as she saw him grasp at bricks and climb up. She felt cold all over, as he finally grasped the balcony railing and leaped up.

Letting out a breath, he whispered, “Easier that it looks!”

Grabbing his collar, in a move which surprised not just him, she angrily whispered,

“How dare you put yourself at risk for this Arnav? How dare you? Why couldn’t we meet at the stairs or anywhere else!”

“Khush”, his hands settled over her own, his eyes widening as he realised she was in shivers.

“I am sorry. I am really sorry, Khushi. But Bakshi declared that till Saturday, we were going to be only on the football ground, I knew I had to come tonight. We even got a special permission to miss classes”

“Two days!”, she hit him lightly on his shoulder, “You couldn’t wait two days before meeting me?”

He scoffed, “No! I couldn’t!”

She stood, her arms crossed staring at him. God was being really unfair! How could she resist him, when he stood there under the full moon.

Taking the two steps to reach him, Khushi stepped into his arms.

Sighing as he engulfed her further into him, she mumbled, “Mona was right. We are idiots”

“That we are”, he said with a hint of a smile in his voice.

Pulling back,Arnav  pushed her hair away from her face.

“I have big day on Saturday”

“I know” she whispered back, her eyes feasting on his lips.

“Khush…” he moaned before tilting her head back.

She was set ablaze, the cold air nipping at her skin, even as Arnav took her lips in a hard kiss.

He closed his eyes, almost painfully.

“I want to ask something of you”

“Go on” she smiled, ready to give him the moon.

“Support me. On Saturday”

She stilled, her hands crumbling his shirt beneath them.

“Arnav, it’s my house. I can’t just”

“Please…I know you can’t….but can you do something..something “

“Arnav”, her heart broke at the desperation in his eyes, “What is this about? You have played so many matches before. Why-“

“It’s important for me to win this time, Khush. And if you..you show me you are with me”, he sighed.

“Sorry”, he looked away, “ I am mad right now. I just wanted to…”

“Arnav”, she pulled him back to her.

He still wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“It’s late, Khushi. I have kept you out long enough. Go back to sleep” 

With a kiss on her forehead, he left, fading away in the darkness.

She stood in two minds. She couldn’t betray her house and yet she couldn’t not give Arnav what he had asked of her. Her dilemma didn’t seem to settle even as dawn broke into Nainital.

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September Rain

Chapter Eleven

Read from the beginning

Also on Wattpad

Chapter Ten>> <<Chapter Twelve

The afternoon sun was beaming down upon the ground in all its splendour. Coach Bakshi was in one of his “moods”, which meant that Arnav and Aman had to run ten laps.

Arnav cursed under his breath.

“I still think NK got the better deal”

“You are kidding?” Aman panted , “You should see the storeroom! It probably hasn’t been cleaned since my dad was here”

“Whatever” Arnav mumbled, “At least there is a roof above his head”

With a laugh, Aman shook his head.

“Bakshi won’t spare us till we win against Green”

Spotting the eagle eyed man, standing upright training a bunch of juniors, they hurried along.

“Can’t understand why Woodsmith gets these ex-army men as sports teachers. He is killing us”

“Stop being dramatic Mathur”, Arnav squinted against the harsh rays of sun, “If we win against Iyer, Bakshi is gonna be the one behind it”

Aman stilled in his tracks, hand on his hips.

“Win against Iyer? This isn’t about Dhruv, you know that right?”

He shrugged, “Anything for Cyrus”

Aman laughed as he picked up pace again, “Cyrus? Sure?”

“What are you being so smug about?��, he frowned.

“Your grudge against Dhruv isn’t for Cyrus, it’s for Khushi, Raizada”

Arnav looked away. Perhaps to evade Aman’s all knowing eyes. Perhaps to avoid giving away what he felt for her. 

“You couldn’t be more obvious you know”

Aman sat down on a patch of grass under their favourite oak tree, tucked in a corner, away from Bakshi’s field of vision .

Arnav let out a breathless gasp, “What?”

“In the picnic? All those rides where Khushi sat with Dhruv? If eyes could kill”, he chuckled.

“It was…” he struggled to finish.

“Jealousy! Happens when the girl you love spends time with another boy”, Aman supplied helpfully.

Arnav sat down with a sigh.

“Guess there is no point in denying it then”

“When?”, Aman asked with a fond smile.

“Honestly? I don’t even know” , he bit his lip.

“She has just…just... And I knew I wanted more. I have always wanted more. But the possibility of her feeling nothing-“

“You are crazy! Everyone except the two of you knew what you felt for each other”

Arnav frowned, “Mathur, what the-?”

“Remember when you got hurt on the football ground in class seven? She actually cried ! And then when you forgot your speech midway in assembly? She all but almost shouted it out to you. And that time you got your tonsils out? She celebrated her birthday in the freaking hospital!”

“Okay”, he smiled softly, “I am an idiot then, I should have said something sooner”

“Sooner?”, the smile wiped out from Aman’s face in a comical moment.

“You guys are dating?!” He slapped Arnav roughly on the back, who did nothing but grin.

“Well…we haven’t spoken about it…but yeah, I should hope so…”

Aman burst out laughing.

“What?” Arnav asked amused.

“How different are you from your siblings ha? Akash bhai and Payal Di didn’t spare a moment to flaunt their love to the world. But you two? I wouldn’t have been surprised if there was just a wedding invitation in my mail years later!”

—————-

Kicking off the dirt from his studs, Arnav sighed. He grabbed hold of his bag, stuffing the shoes in a plastic cover, which was almost in shreds. Making a mental note to change it, he turned around, only to still in his tracks.

Khushi stood across the road from the ground. Her pink sling bag ,standing out amidst the environment of grey and green. 

He drew in a deep breath. And yet couldn’t stop the smile from blooming across his lips. He swung his bag across his shoulder and jogged over to her.

“Khushi”, he said, kicking himself for a less than interesting greeting.

“I…I..had dance practice. It got over early, so decided to come here”

She wouldn’t keep her eyes on him, flitting around, like the butterfly he always thought she was. And it drove him crazy.

Grabbing her hand in his, he spoke “You got to see me play?”

She wrinkled her nose, a soft smile in place.

“No, I think I just missed the last few minutes”

His heart picked up pace at the playful disappointment in her voice.

“Well, next time I’ll give Bakshi ,the dance group’s schedule. That will make sure you won’t miss it!”, he winked.

“Wow! Make sure I am there when you do that!”, she chuckled.

He looked at her, and beamed with delight as she flushed under his gaze. 

“What?” She asked in a whisper.

Clearing his throat, giving his head a little shake, Arnav smiled.

“The basketball court might be empty by now?”

He answered Khushi’s puzzled “So?” , with a tug at her hand as he led them to the nearest shortcut.

——————

He bent over to grab one of the balls left behind. Twirling it over his index finger, he turned around, desperately wishing Khushi found it cool that he could do this.

“We got lucky Gupta!”, he grinned nervously.

He was rewarded with her gasp.

“You can do that?!”

“Ya!” , he said nonchalantly, while rubbing an awkward hand over the back of his neck.

Khushi smiled as she walked up to him.

“I wish I could do something besides swim and dance”

“Hey! You play tennis!”, he frowned.

“Arnav!”, she laughed, “I play them with you in your backyard! That doesn’t count “

“Hmm”, he pretended to think over her words, before shooting the basketball beside her ear.

“Hey!”, she cried out, “You almost got me!”

“Did I?” ,he  teased.

“How about I teach you some basics today Khush? We can graduate steadily to actually making you a decent player”

“I thought football was your forte’”, she smiled, her hands resting on her hip.

“As soon as you learn this, we’ll move over to football”, he smiled.

Dribbling the ball expertly, he moved behind her. Sliding his hands down her arms, he ignored the catch in her breath, even as his own nerves made their presence known.

He rested his hands beneath hers, which now held the ball.

“Lesson one. Dribble”, he whispered into her ear.

He showed her the movements, her hands imitating them in a daze. 

The sun had slipped away. The crescent moon was upon them. The streetlights were flickering on. And yet, for them it was as if time itself had settled in stillness.

Arnav stopped as he realised Khushi was no longer moving her hands along his.

Straightening up, he asked softly, “Khu-“

She turned around and flung her arms around his neck, letting her name rest half spoken in the air. 

Gathering her up in his arms, he held her closer. He wondered if he had done something wrong. Did something happen? He hadn’t even asked her how she was. Maybe something was wrong. Had someone said something?

She lifted her head up from his chest, derailing his train of thoughts.

He looked down, waiting for her to speak. Her eyes fluttered between his lips and his own eyes.

Arnav knew then. 

Bending his head in a flash, he kissed her, muffling the whimper which escaped her. 

He kissed her. Thoroughly. With all his heart. With all that he felt for her. 

He couldn’t think about anything but how she felt in his arms. How right it felt to be like this. 

She broke apart, heaving as she attempted to catch her breath. Resting his forehead against hers, he couldn’t help smiling.

Guess he’ll soon have to learn all the silent signs and codes, he thought impishly.

“I guess that’s enough basketball for today?” Khushi laughed, her cheeks blazing red.

“Nope”, he whispered,”Not enough at all”

He cradled her head, before pulling her in again. 

————

He was still smiling, as he walked along the pathway to his dorm. He had dropped Khushi off minutes ago. But it still didn’t feel enough.

After that distraction, they had walked over to her dorm. Laughing, joking along the way. Just like they always did. 

He whistled in relief. Unbeknownst to him, a bewildering fear had been beneath his heart. The worry that they wouldn’t be able to go back to the equation they always had between them. Friendship brings ease. But love? The crazy emotion clawing at your heart? That snatches away all sense of easy. He knew that much.

“Raizada”

Arnav turned around.

Dhruv stood before him, in all his glory. Dressed in his green jersey, he was the formidable opponent Arnav had to face soon.

“You know there is a match next Saturday?”

He hated the artificial smile this guy sported. As if his tactics were invisible to everyone.

“Why? Are you going around reminding everyone?”

“Don’t push it Arnav”

He rolled his eyes, “Push what? You were the one who called me?”

“Just saying. Loitering around will do you no good”, he said, his eyes glinting at something more.

“I would say the same for you Iyer. If you want to prove something, do it on the grounds”

“I will”, Dhruv grinned, “In front of everyone. How nice will it be to crush you,with so many witnesses!  Headmistress, teachers, your Bakshi , beloved Cyrus……Khushi”

Arnav’s eyes flared, echoing the fury ignited in his heart.

“What?”

“Watch out, Raizada. I don’t play fair”, his face was set in a mask.

Arnav felt no dread. He knew that now no one was going to stop him from going all out this Saturday. But God help him, if this bastard brings his Khushi into this mix.

-----------

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September Rain

Chapter Ten

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Chapter Nine>> <<Chapter Eleven

She settled against her pillow snugly. After the morning bus ride back to campus, she had crashed into her bed. Preeto had left to spend her afternoon with horses, and Mona was snoring beside her. God bless Sundays!

Kicking her feet under the covers, Khushi blushed. Her lips tingled , as she recalled the fervour with which he had kissed her.

She hadn’t said anything. She couldn’t believe it had happened. Arnav had always been a buzz under her skin. But she hadn’t dreamt of kissing him. 

Running trembling fingers over her lips, she flushed. 

Turning over, she pulled the cover tighter over her. The globe sitting on her bed side table caught her eye. With a sigh, she reached over and picked it up. He had gifted it on her thirteenth birthday.

A girl and boy with yellow raincoats, playing with paper boats under the rain.

She turned it over.

To my Khushi~ happy 13!~ Love, Arnav

She hugged it to herself. All these years with Arnav…and here she was mooning over him. He had kissed her, she thought with a wide smile.

What comes next? Do they date? 

Khushi frowned. What will change if they date? Will that ease and sense of home she had always known to have with him fade and disappear? Will they fight like Di and Akash bhaiya?

She sat up with a jolt.

No!

She wanted her Arnav to be just like before. She didn’t want their friendship to dwindle away, even at the prospect of something so…so beautiful.

Flopping back on her bed, she didn’t fight the blush as her thoughts went right back to last night, as sleep pulled her in finally.

————-

“Khushi!”

She looked up from her maths homework, glittered with pencil shavings.

“Arnav asked me to tell you he wanted to meet at 6” Preeto mumbled while unlacing her charcoal black boots, now marred with mud stains.

“Where?”, she asked , hoping the catch in her voice didn’t alarm Preeto.

“He didn’t say”, she frowned “He was weird today, I must say”

“Weird?” Khushi stood up, her legs leading her to Preeto as she wrung her hands together.

“Yup!”, she grabbed a towel “He fell off Basanti! Can you imagine? The calmest of horses! And when he stood up, he was just grinning like an idiot! Something was really wrong with Raizada today”

With a shrug, Preeto was off to shower, leaving Khushi with her thoughts.

Grinning like an idiot? That sure sounds a lot like her today.

————

The sun had lent a purple tint to the sky as it began to set. Lamps were flickering as the evening breeze sent a chill down her spine. 

Khushi tugged at her brown sweater as she hurried towards their stairs. 

He stood there, with his back towards her. His head bent, as if reading something.

She couldn’t bring herself to break the solace he was in. Or so she told herself.

Standing at the entrance, her foot hovered in hesitation. 

What does one say after a mind blowing kiss?

She had simply mumbled “good night!” and hurried off the night before. 

The swish of his shoes made her look up. His hair fell over his forehead, making him look like the eleven year old who had shared sodas with her.

She desperately wished she was funny at that moment. A witty line could have broken this awkward ice between them!

“You-you fell off Basanti?”

He let out a strangled laugh.

“Ya, she brought me back to earth really quickly”

She smiled, “She’s the sweetest thing! Only you could have done something to provoke her!”

“You are to be blamed!”

She stilled at his accusation. 

“I was thinking about last night”, he continued as she said nothing. His face pale, under the dim light.

“L-Last night”, she stuttered.

“Last night”, his voice bursting with strength, as he stepped closer.

“Yeah, um..it was..”

“Good?”,he held her waist in his arms, even as her breath hitched. 

With a raised eyebrow , he seemed like the devil reincarnated. A sexy one, she finished in her head.

“Yeah ... .nice”, she mumbled absently.

“Nice?”,he frowned.

His baritone voice made her skin erupt into goosebumps.

She shivered as he pulled her closer.

“We will have to change that review won’t we?”, he whispered before bending down to take over her lips.

A whimper escaped her as pure pleasure pervaded her veins. Her mind was reeling as he continued his onslaught.

Her hand fisted around his collar, as he tightened his hold around her waist.

She felt warm all over, as he deepened the kiss, his tongue invading her mouth. A muffled moan escaped her, but she was too entranced to be mortified.

She broke away for air, her heart pounding a mile a minute. But she found that he simply couldn’t stop. Showering pecks on her lips, he mumbled her name before kissing down her neck.

Her stomach swooped against the still unfamiliar feeling, as she jumped.

“Arnav”, she almost pleaded.

She felt his chest rise against her, as he took a deep breath. Resting his forehead against hers, he looked deep into her eyes. Seduced from the warmth his embrace brought, she couldn’t bring herself to untangle from him.

“Good enough?”, his hoarse voice belied the laughter in his eyes.

“Shut up”, she whispered before hugging him close.

The sky clouded over, hiding the moon, granting an illusion of privacy.

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