Arnav parked his car outside my house after the drive, quite strangely, I didn't feel like leaving yet. I just felt like I hadn't had enough time with him, I wanted to spend more time with him, be around him, and you know, feel whatever I was currently feeling because it was so beautiful.

"I can't wait for Tuesday." Arnav looked at me with a cute little smile on his face.

"Quite honestly, neither can I. In fact, I don't even feel like leaving yet. It's funny and strange and I really don't have the words to explain the feeling." I blushed a little.

"I know, because I feel the same." He said as he placed his hand on mine and immediately closed his eyes as if holding my hand was a prayer to him, he would always shut his eyes every time he held it.

He opened his eyes a few moments later and then stared at me, silently. He didn't say anything for like the next two minutes, it was as if he was soaking in all the feelings he had from holding my hand.

"Can I... Can I hug you?" He asked leaving me surprised. I mean I know I shouldn't be surprised, I had already kissed him but that was in the spur of the moment and then we stayed away from each other for a while.

And now that we had finally decided to give this a chance, I thought it was going to be a while, until we started the hugging and all but I guess it wasn't a bit deal, it was cute that he wanted to hug me, and it was cuter that he asked first.

"Yeah, sure." I nodded happily.

He smiled as he tried to move closer but it was kind of awkward, we were just started things out and a hug inside the car wasn't the best, there was too much space in between us which we couldn't cover.

He sat back again frowning and then suddenly stepped out of the car, walked towards my side and opened the door lending me his hand to hold as I stepped out.

Once I was standing out, in front of him, he didn't even overthink it, he just went straight for it, he pulled me by the hand he was still holding as I crushed on his chest, the next moment I felt both his arm wrap around me and he held me tightly, not too tight but tight enough to make me realized how much he needed this.

I wrapped my arms around him too holding on to him and when I did so, it made me realized that I also needed this just as much as he did.

I was even glad that it was late at night and no one was around otherwise it would have been a really awkward hug with people being around but right now, it felt so good, so safe, like this was the place where I always belonged and I was finally there.

It was like we were taking this small steps and they were taking us right where we belonged, very poetic I know, but what else would you expect from me, I was a Darshan Raval fan, poetry and music were kind of my thing you know.

A while later, he pulled apart and instead of looking at me, he was staring at the ground, he seemed really nervous like he didn't know what to say.

"Thank you Khushi." He said, still looking at the ground.

"Oh Arnav, don't make it sound like I did you a favor by hugging you, it what we both wanted."

"No... No, I meant... Thank you for walking into my life." He said as he finally looked me into the eyes.

"I mean I didn't even know that I needed you but then you came into my life and all I know since then is that I can't imagine what it would still be like if you hadn't shown up making so much noise and talking nonstop and listening to your songs and dancing on them.

You reminded me of what it felt like to be truly happy, you brought happiness back in my life and I will forever be grateful to you."

"I don't know what to say." I bit my lips nervously.

I mean with all the crushing on him and flirting with him during Samar and Sonali's wedding, I thought it was always just me, and right now knowing he was feeling so much more, deeper things, it was beautiful but I really didn't have words that could describe how that made me feel.

I was just happy to know what I meant to him, and he was really good with being so honest and appreciating me, what else would a girl want if not a guy like him.

A guy that's honest about his feelings, that says whatever he feels like, that asks for consent and is generally such a nice person? I felt so lucky to have met him, just like he felt.

"You don't have to say anything."

We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other and still, neither of us felt like leaving.

"It's really getting late, I think we both should head home, Tuesday isn't that far anyway." He said.

"I know... Anyway I'll see you on Tuesday, give me a call?"

"I will."

"Okay, goodnight and let me know once you get home."

"I will, now go and get your beauty sleep, goodnight." He smiled as I turned around and started walking back in, he waited until he was sure I was inside my house and then he got into his car and drove home too.

A while later, I got a text from him informing me he had reached home so I finally went to sleep knowing he had reached home safely.

*****

The next morning, Manvi and I decided to go for shopping. I of course had a wedding to plan, but the good thing about having your own business was that sometimes you could take out time for yourself, so today I was taking out time for myself so I could go for the first date shopping. Technically it was a first date, because I had that one last night but I hadn't yet told Manvi about it, I figured I'll tell her about it while shopping.

It was actually Manvi's idea, she came to wake me up telling me that we were going shopping because apparently from all the clothes I had, none was first date worthy.

At first she was skeptical about this whole thing and now she was more excited than I was, she was literally planning everything for me.

We drove to the mall where she said I would find good stuff, I had to buy a dress, some heels and also matching jewelry, and none of it was my decision but hers.

"I am so excited, we're going shopping together after so long, I miss this." She said as we parked the car and headed inside the mall.

"So am I... I might even end up spending more than I have decided, just because it's been long since we shopped together... you know shopping alone is always so boring, plus I always need that second opinion you know." I said.

"I know, today we'll shop the whole day if possible." She giggled excitedly.

"Whatever you say."

"Plus we have to get you the perfect outfit for your first date, Arnav will be staring at you and you only, wait and watch." She said proudly.

"Umm... second date." I said as I looked at her, nervously biting my lower lip.

"What do you mean second date? When did you have your first date?" She looked at me in surprise.

"Last night... he texted me asking if I'd like to go for a drive and I agreed, I mean I just wanted to see him and he wanted to see me and I figured this whole thing about wanting your first date to be extra ordinary or epic was overrated, I wanted it to be exciting and something that gave me goosebumps and in that criteria, it was the best first date ever."

"How come I dint know you were gone?"

"Because you were asleep and I made sure to be very silent." I giggled.

"I hate you... but I'm happy for you, tell me all about it." She smiled and looked at me with excitement, now that was my best friend!

We walked and walked around the mall, not entering any specific shop, I kept on telling her about everything that happened last night and she listened keenly even reacting accordingly from time to time.

We stopped outside one shop as I finished giving her all the details, she seemed to be in awe, she had this huge smile on her face but she wasn't saying anything, it was like she was speechless.

So I grabbed her hand and just pulled her along with me inside the shop, they had pretty good clothes so we both started looking around and it was like destiny or something because the moment we entered, there was music playing in the shop, the previous song came to an end and the next one started playing and you know what the best thing about it was?

It was a song by Darshan... oh these feelings, these coincidences, I was feeling like I was at the top of the world.

Before, whenever I heard songs by Darshan, mostly I would imagine falling in love and what it might feel like and this whole dreamy kind of a world you know... but as soon as this music started playing, all i could think about was Arnav.

It was so related to us, the lyrics were describing the situation we had been through, where we went away from each other but yet somehow ended up back together...

Tum agar manaoge to man jaunga... Main tere bulaane pe laut aaunga...
Har safar me saath tera... Main yun hi nibhaunga...

I was a total filmy person, it was like I was in a movie and this song was playing as the background music, I closed my eyes trying to follow the lyrics, I tucked my hair behind my eyes and Imagined him and just like that his face popped up in my mind making me smile stupidly.

Kabhi tumhe yaad meri aaye... palko se zulfe hatalena...
Saaf dikhunga me tumko wahi... jo na dikhu to batadena...

"Khushi!" Manvi shook me bringing me out of my dream world.

"Were you just imagining Arnav with this song?" Manvi smirked at me.

"No." I lied as I turned away from her so I wasn't facing her, it was a bit awkward to be caught like that, and somehow she always knew what I was feeling or thinking, it's like she could read my mind.

"Lie to someone else, you having your eyes shut to a Darshan Raval song clear means you're thinking about Arnav, I know you well enough to be sure about it." She giggled.

"Shut up and lets shop." I shrugged as I ran away from her and started looking at random clothes, I myself dint know I was this smitten by Arnav. It was like at one point in my life I didn't even know that he existed, and now, there was a day where I didn't think about him.