Please make sure to vote and Comment. Happy Reading :)

***********************

Khushi was the first to wake up. She went to the kitchen made coffee and then joined the brother-sister duo in Anjali's room.

"Arnav,Anji wake up!" Khushi said trying to wake them up.

"Go away Khushi." Anjali said.

"We need to go the temple. Maa will be pissed if we are late for breakfast. You don't want to start your birthday like that do you?" Anjali sat up as she heard that. Arnav followed suit.

Both of them had coffee with Khushi and then went to take a bathe while Khushi went home.

She wore a yellow Salwar while Anjali wore a similar set in dark blue. Both the girls looked pretty with their hair left open. Arnav wore a navy blue shirt and black pants. Sherwanis and kurtas were something which he loathed.

After returning from the temple, they had the breakfast prepared by Garima. Shashi and Garima gifted Anjali a necklace. Khushi's parents loved Arnav and Khushi.

After breakfast, Anjali ran to her house and started preparing for her party. She had invited only 10-20 friends to the party. Anjali made it clear that the party would last only till 8:00 in the night as she wanted to be with her brother after that. The main reason for that point was the birthday gift. Arnav made arrangements in order with that time and ensured that Anjali's gift would reach her by then.

Shashi and Garima were the only elders invited to the party. Anjali and Khushi were wearing the dress which they had bought the other day. Both looked angelic. Anjali was looking at the watch all time while Arnav and Khushi attended to the guests. They smiled at each other seeing Anjali so restless. Even Khushi was curious to know what Arnav's gift was.

By seven thirty, Anjali was getting restless.

"Have you all had food?" a desperate Anjali asked the guests.

"Yeah Anjali"

"Ok when are you leaving???"

"Anjali, do you not want us at your party?"

"No Tina, that is not it. She needs to go somewhere by eight. Anji must have told you that, didn't you Anji." Khushi interrupted before Anjali said something, ruining their friendship.

"Yeah, well we'll be leaving soon" the girls said.

Arnav just smiled at the girls. He knew his sister was desperate to get her gift.

By 8:00 pm everyone had left. The ones left were just Arnav, Anjali, Khushi, Shashi and Garima.

"Ok bhai now it is eight, and all others have left. Now tell me what is the surprise."

"Calm down Anji, let me speak."

"Bhai, you know I am not good with surprises."

"So Anji, I have decided to get you a Bhabhi." Arnav said smiling at Anjali. He glanced at Khushi and her heart fluttered. Did he feel the same way she felt? Her heartbeats started racing.

"What?" Anjali asked, clearly not expecting that.

"Anji .. wait dear.. let me just finish..."Arnav was interrupted by his phone. He answered and spoke up.

"Come on in" he said to his phone.

A pretty girl, probably in her late 20's came in. She was wearing a yellow saree. Khushi's heart broke into a million pieces. No no no. This can't be happening.

"Anji meet Lavanya Kashyap, your future Bhabhi"

The four people present in the room were shocked. No one had expected Arnav to introduce the girl he wanted to marry. Garima looked at the pain in her daughter's face. Anjali had a lot to ask Arnav and Lavanya and so, the Guptas excused themselves. Arnav tried asking Khushi to stay, but Garima declined saying she needed Khushi's help with something.

The entire next week Khushi avoided the Raizada siblings, mostly with Garima's help. At work Khushi avoided Anjali by setting up meetings with clients. They were either attending different meetings or talking to clients together. Khushi pretended everything was okay and complaining that the work was getting too much that the friends weren't getting enough time to hang out. No one doubted her and she was glad about that.

Khushi was asleep when Arnav and Anjali sneaked into her room. They brought a bucket of water from the washroom and poured it all over Khushi. She woke up with a start.

"Happy Birthday Khushi!" the brother and sister screamed.

"Arnav , Anji what is all this? Where will I sleep tonight? You have ruined by bed." Khushi complained as she realised what just happened.

"Oh my sleeping beauty, you can sleep at our place until your bed dries up." Arnav said hugging her. Khushi was crying, but the water droplets helped her hide her tears.

She hugged Anjali next.

"Since we did not get time to plan anything this week, Anji and I decided not to have a party today. Instead it will be we ..." Arnav was cut off when Khushi finished the sentence for him.

"Four, isn't it? Three was better!" Khushi did not mean to say it out loud, but the words fell out before she could stop herself.

"Khushi, do you not like Lavanya?" Arnav asked. He seemed to be hurt. So, Khushi plastered a smile on her face.

"Oh my hero. I just wanted to know what is in your mind. So much love for her already huh? She is a lucky girl. By the way, I don't have any problem with Lavanya I was just acting. I know that I'm a very good actress, fooled you, didn't I?"

Anjali and Arnav agreed.

"Khushi, go get ready fast. We have to go. We are on a tight schedule. Here is a little something for you." Anjali handed her a packet before exiting the room with Arnav in tow.

Khushi had a shower and took the packet. There was a red silk blouse and a black skirt. She decided to wear what her friends had picked up for her, did minimal make-up. One look at the mirror and she decided it was better to leave her shoulder length hair open. Anjali and Arnav were chatting to Shashi and Garima. They got up as soon as they saw her.

"Arnav you need not get up in respect when you see me, get up in front of Lavanya. And you Anji, I'm younger to you so why are you getting up?" Khushi asked. She had a smile on her face.

"Khushi Gupta-ji, for you kind information we are not respecting you. And by the way this would be your last birthday where we will be celebrating like this. Next year I will be busy with my life. So I thought why don't we celebrate it, just for your sake." Arnav said. He sounded serious.

Khushi's smile faded hearing Arnav's words. Her eyes welled up, before she realized what was happening.

"Khushi, my dear I am so sorry. I was just kidding." Arnav ran to her and hugged her. But she was not in a state of mind to hug him back for she knew what he told had to come true. She stood there without any movement.

Garima was facing Khushi. She pleaded to her to be calm and control herself.

Anjali was a silent viewer to all this. She didn't even understand what was happening with Khushi since she never knew Khushi's liked Arnav.

"Come on kids, I am hungry." Shashi said distracting everyone. Arnav, Khushi and Anjali joined Shashi and Garima at the breakfast table. Garima and Shashi wished their daughter and gave their blessings and gifts.

After breakfast, the three friends set out for the day they had planned. Khushi was in the passenger seat, after all, it was her birthday. They picked up Lavanya on the way. They went to the park as Khushi insisted. Everything Arnav and Anjali planned went down the drain as they couldn't refuse the birthday girl.

"I feel that the day is turning out to be boring." Anji said. The four of them were sitting down, a little away from the crowded children's play area.

"We should play a game!" Arnav suggested.

"Sure, but what?" Lavanya asked.

"Bhai, we should play who knows Bhai best? I mean I'll ask some questions and Lavanya Bhabhi and Khushi will have to answer them."

"What? Me??? What sort of questions Anji?" Khushi asked her best friend.

"Come on Khushi, the topic is so simple and I think both of you are well versed in ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA"

"Why am I the topic of your quiz?" Arnav was shocked to hear his sister's game plan.

"Because I think it'll be fun. I want three of you to take this paper and pen and to write down the answers of the questions which I ask." Anjali said handing over a pen and paper to the three of them.

"It will be a choose the correct answer model. I will begin the questions now." She announced.

1. Favourite Colour – Red or White?

2. Favourite Snack – Pakore or Jalebi?

3. Pick two – Cars, Books, Sports, Movies.

4. Colour he hates – Purple or Brown?

5. Anjali or Lavanya?

The answers were handed over to Anjali and the reference paper was still in Arnav's hands. Anjali snatched it from his hands.

Lavanya's answer sheet was held in Anjali's hands Arnav's was given to Khushi and Khushi's to Lavanya.

"Khushi now read out the first answer" Anjali ordered.

"Anji there is no need to boss around. I know the answer without even looking into it. Arnav's favourite colour is Red."

"Red?" Lavanya asked, a bit shocked.

"Yeah Bhabhi, bhai loves red." Khushi hated how Anjali called Lavanya Bhabhi.

"Oops I thought it must be white. He always wears white."

"Ok Khushi 1 Bhabhi 0"

"Second answer is Pakore" Khushi read out.

"Both are correct in this question. You know Bhabhi, Khushi and I love jalebi and bhai loves Pakore. What do you like Bhabhi, among these two?"

"Pakore"

"Wow, cool. The scores are Khushi 2, Bhabhi 1, now next answer Khushi"

"Cars and Books" Khushi read.

"Bhabhi you are wrong again, you wrote cars and sports." Anjali announced.

"You love Football don't you Arnav?" Lavanya asked.

"Yeah Lavanya, that is right, but I don't have any interest in other sports. If it was Football, it would have been the first preference."

"That means again Khushi is right, how did you guess that Khushi even I thought it would be sports"

"That is me, see Arnav even your sister doesn't know you as well as I do." Khushi said proudly.

"I know that Khushi that is why you are my favourite." Her heart fluttered. But she knew, she didn't have a chance. If only she had gathered the courage and confessed her love to him – she thought.

"You know Bhabhi, this is one among the few points in which we differs. I love cars, Bhai too loves them but Khushi doesn't have any interest in them. She loves books instead. Bhai too loves books but I hate them."

While the brother sister duo argued about who love cars move amongst them, Lavanya was keenly observing who was looking at Arnav.

"Next answer is ???" Anjali asked bringing Khushi back from her thoughts.

"Purple." Khushi read out.

"I hate that colour"

"Again I am wrong" Lavanya said

"Don't worry Bhabhi. But, the score now is 4-1. I'll read out the final answer, ie bhabhi's answer and Bhabhi read out Khushi's finally Khushi will read out the correct answer"

"Bhabhi has written it to be me, her answer is Anjali. Bhabhi, now you read Khushi's answer."

"Wow she has explained her answer. Arnav had only two important people in his life since the age of nineteen, Anjali and me, Khushi. But now there are three, Khushi, Anjali and Lavanya. He can't pick any one among the three. He won't. It will be impossible for Arnav to choose between Lavanya and Anji – so, my answer is, both." Lavanya was impressed at the answer she read out, so was Arnav.

"Khushi now read Bhai's answer" Anjali said

"I'll say that." Arnav said as he stood up.

"So Khushi darling, you know me so much?" Arnav asked with a glint in his eyes. Khushi said gave him a tight smile.

"I knew that you would get the first four answers correct and was not sure about Lavanya getting even one of them correct, no offense La." He turned to Lavanya and she waved as if to say she didn't mind.

"But you Khushi, you gave me the shock of my life by getting this question right. I'm impressed. The answer is in fact both."

"Arnav, I know I'm your darling and all that. And you said you are impressed. Need not be. Get me a gift instead." Khushi said earning a laugh from the others.

"Don't worry Khushi you will get one for sure. I will get you whatever you want. First let me go get some ice cream, Anji come with me"

You can't get me what I want – Khushi thought.

"Sure Bhai" Anjali said

"Lavanya what flavour would you like?

"I would like Vanilla, Arnav. Why don't you ask Khushi?"

"Bhabhi, Khushi and Bhai both love chocolate, and I like strawberry. We know that. You are the new inclusion that is why bhai asked just you."

"Oh sorry, I'm the one extra and I forgot"

"We should go, Anji" Arnav said moving ahead and Anjali followed him

They both moved leaving Khushi and Lavanya behind. Arnav turned to look at them, Lavanya was busy with something while Khushi was looking at their retreating form. Arnav stopped and a thought crawled up in his mind.

Had he done the right thing by choosing Lavanya over Khushi? He knew that Khushi would have been the perfect wife for him, considering the bond they shared. But he didn't know what was in her mind and he never tried to even. Khushi was someone who was able to keep things in mind unlike himself and Anjali. He had been in love with her for a while now. He would never be able to repay the Guptas for how they took care of Anjali and him after their parents passed. Even if Khushi had any feelings towards him, she never gave them a hint.

The thought that kept him away from confessing his feelings was, what if Khushi considers him as a brother? In that case, he would be create a problem in their wonderful relationship. So he never bothered to ask her, instead chose Lavanya, who was good at heart, caring and understanding. Khushi would fit in his life better but he had no other choice, so he had tried to maintain this relationship.

"Bhai are you lost in Bhabhi's beauty ?"

Arnav was brought back to the reality as Anjali questioned him. He couldn't tell her that he was looking at Khushi instead of Lavanya.

"No, nothing like that. Shall we go get the ice creams?" 

**********

Picture of Lavanya Kashyap

Surprise Update. Next update would be on Saturday

Hope you liked it. Please do vote and comment. Meanwhile, please take a look at my other works. Please check out my other story called 'Aashiqui'.  - Updated today:)

Follow for alerts regarding the updates

Stay Indoors, Stay Safe