After the cake-cutting and gift-giving ceremony, it was time for lunch and everyone was invited to serve themselves to something to eat and find a corner to sit in the house, as there was not enough space at the dining table to accommodate everyone. Arnav knew his cubs (Ayan and Khushi) were still shy around the guests, Ayan, because he doesn't meet with them often and Khushi, because there were people she was meeting for the first time except Aman and Lavanya. So he asked them what they wanted to eat to which they choose tandoori chicken and bombay potatoes and he went to serve for them both and came back, handing their respective plates to them and directing them to sit on the empty sofa in the living room. Then he hurriedly went back to the dining room to serve for himself when Aman patted his shoulder calling him to join him and his cousin brothers at the balcony attached to the living room, Arnav shook his head negatively whispering to his friend, "Let me make Khushi and Ayan comfortable here. Then I'll join you guys."

"Lavanya hai na (Lavanya is here).. I'll ask her to stay with them," Aman whispered back to him.

"No, let her spend time with family," Arnav said glancing at Lavanya who was having her food, chatting with her mama and mami in the dining room. Aman agreed and joined his cousins in the balcony and Arnav walked to Khushi and Ayan, taking his seat on the sofa arm beside Ayan.

He was peacefully having his food when five kids (Aman's elder cousins kids) who sat together in the opposite sofa started laughing at him and reminding themselves how he fell with cake by mimicking how the cake slipped from his hands.

Khushi and Ayan were giggling at the exaggerated recreation of the scene by the kids, adding to his  embarrassment. This is the probably the most embarrassing day of his life where everyone in the party was either looking at him with accusing eyes for murdering the cake before the birthday girl could even cut or taste it or they were trying their best not to laugh at him as definitely the images of his falling with the cake were still fresh in their minds. And now even Khushi is laughing at him, hence proved that he made a fool out of himself in front of the girl he has feelings for today. He decided from now on, he will keep a watch on his love sick puppy behavior as it's definitely turning him into a circus joker now.

"Arnav uncle if you were a superhero, you could have saved the cake from falling on the floor in time," Siya, one of the kids, said covering her mouth with her palms while giggling at him.

Arnav faked a smile at her. This little girl ruining his image in front of the girl he loves and giggling as if she said the most funny dialogue in the world.

"If he was a Superhero, he would have caught the cake just when it was about to touch the floor.. no, he would have thrown the cake in the air, the cake would fly in the air and then he would have caught it in time," the kids commented among themselves.

Khushi was giggling at the kids as she found their conversation over the topic innocently funny, but Ayan didn't dare to laugh at this as his brother was silently glaring at him as if threatening him not to laugh at his misfortune otherwise he would face the consequences.

When they finished their food, Arnav took them to kitchen to wash their hands. Ayan quickly washed his hands and left from but Arnav and Khushi stayed to clean their plates and glasses as well. When Lavanya walked in the kitchen to take mango pickles as the elders asked for it, she took the opportunity to teased Arnav while leaving the kitchen with the jar, "Kya yaar.. birthday cake gira diya (You let the cake fall)."

Saying this, she left from there and Khushi looked at Arnav's side, she could see the guilt and embarrassment resurface on his face as he washed his plate in the kitchen sink.

"The kids are right.. You're not a superhero so accidents like this are bound to happen in your life," she spoke softly glancing at him, "But you're a good human being and the cake slipped accidentally from your hands, you had no intention to spoil the birthday surprise.. so you shouldn't feel embarrassed or guilty about this."

Her words managed to bring a sweet smile on his face as he extended his hand to keep their plates on the dish rack and turned to look at her with the smile intact on his face, "Thanks.. Your words make me feel better."

Khushi smiled back at him, "You're welcome."

"Thanks Siya and La because of you two, I got to hear from Khushi's mouth that I'm a good human being," Arnav thought with a winning smirk.

They left the kitchen and joined Ayan and the kids in the living room. Lavanya came few minutes later with her cousin sister and took Khushi with them to show her room to Khushi. Arnav stayed with Ayan, he ran his fingers lazily through his brother's hair asking him, "Did you like your haircut?"

"Haan bhai," Ayan nodded his head.

"I hope ghar par sab ko accha hi lage.. warna Mami ki nonstop taane sune padenge (I hope everyone likes it at home, otherwise we'll have to bear Mami's nonstop taunts)," Arnav sighed.

"We will do one thing, once we reach home we'll go straight to our room and shut the door and choose a nice webseries to watch on Disney plus. Mami won't be able to reach us neither we'll listen to her taunts," Ayan said smiling.

Arnav chuckled, ruffling Ayan's hair, "You can't watch Disney plus webseries now baccha. Concentrate on your studies for now. In fact, we'll have to go back home early today so you get more time to prepare yourself for your exams and tomorrow, you'll have to study full day, okay?"

Ayan pouted in response and nodded his head, "Okay."

"Arnav!" Aman peeked at him through the balcony french door, calling him to join the boys gang, "Yahan ao na! (Come na)."

Before Arnav could deny, Ayan asked him to go to his friend as he could time pass with the kids. Arnav nodded as he got up from the sofa and walked to the balcony joining Aman, his cousins and friends casual conversations. After talking about their jobs, cricket match and Arnav's taking an eternity to get repaired car, the topic of discussion now shifted to Aman's one month girlfriend, Sheetal, reminding Arnav that he still has to share with Aman what his mother and Nani think of Sheetal now.

"What did you gift her for completing one month dating?" one of Aman's cousin asked him.

"Bhaisahab.. I had to buy her an expensive perfume.. If we keep celebrating our relationship every consecutive month like this, I'll be bankrupt very soon," Aman said making everyone laugh loudly at him.

"And did you guys make love?" they started asking mischievously Aman and then everyone laughed and started to tease an embarrassed and shy Aman by forcing him to reply yes or no. Arnav shook his head at them, when his eyes randomly looked around and found Khushi standing some three feet away from him, staring at him with a disapproving look, looks like she heard the conversation the boys were having and he was included in it, hence the disappointment clearly written on her face.

She walked away from there. And he followed her looking up praying to the Almighty, "No no.. please God don't make her disappointed with me. Today only she called me a good human being and now this had to happen.. I didn't even spoke anything regarding that topic and you know it.. please don't make her think bad of me and distance herself from me now because of these  people hanky-panky conversations."

Khushi reached the kitchen, she looked around trying to find Lavanya and her cousin and frowned slightly not seeing them as they were here some minutes ago with her, cutting the cake in slices to distribute them to the guests to have it as dessert. That's why she went to Arnav to ask him if he wanted cake, but after overhearing their dirty talks and teasings, she had to run away from there disgusted. How can they talk about these things so openly and shamelessly like this? And what about Aman's girlfriend, does she even know what they were talking about behind her back?

When she turned to go back, she saw Arnav standing at the kitchen door. He cleared his throat approaching her and she turned her back to him, pretending to add jalebis and other sweets on the plates for the guests.

Arnav stood beside Khushi while she was looking down, not facing him.

"Khushi.." he didn't even know how to start and what to explain, all he wanted was to prove to her that he was still the 'good human being' she called him, and he needed to do it, no matter how much embarrassed he was at this point, "They were talking about.. erm... I hope you know what happens behind the closed door between hero and heroine in movies."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SPEAKING ARNAV? YOU BETTER SHUT UP!!" he screamed internally to himself.

Khushi immediately turned her face away, shutting her eyes momentarily as she replied not believing he was really asking her if she knew what love making means, "Biology!"

Arnav felt like slapping himself after hearing her reply, while Khushi awkwardly continued arranging the desert plates on the kitchen counter wondering why was he asking her if she knew what love making means now.

"Yeah right.. biology. So Khushi whatever you learned in Biology, I swear I never did that with any girl.. I was just listening to the boys conversation in the balcony, I didn't do anything," he defended himself innocently.

"WHAT THE.. WHY ARE YOU EVEN SAYING THIS TO HER? SHE DIDN'T EVEN ASK YOU ANYTHING.. YOU'RE MAKING A FOOL OUT OF YOURSELF NOW ARNAV.. JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH NOW AND DISAPPEAR FROM EARTH!"  he scolded himself in his thoughts and walked away from there, shutting his eyes tightly embarrassed for speaking rubbish and making a fool out of himself once again in front of Khushi.

Khushi looked up at him leaving, she smiled a little, whispering to herself, "Cute hai (He's cute)."

She walked out of the kitchen with a plate that contained two slices of cake and jalebis and headed towards him, sitting quietly beside Ayan now. She handed it to him with a slight smile playing on her lips, "It's for you."

The moment Arnav looked up at her surprised that she came to serve him dessert, he could see a subtle smile on her face, she didn't look disappointed with him anymore. He took the plate from her hand and she went back to stay with Lavanya. Ayan nudged him urgently, when he was still taking his own time to understand Khushi's behavior, he looked at his brother's side frowning, "Kya hai Ayan?"

"Bhai," Ayan looked at him wide-eyed, his eyes sparkling with excitement, "Khushi didi turned around to look at you.. DDLJ!!"

"What?" he asked shocked, looking around to spot her but she already left, so he looked back at Ayan, "Pakka na? (Are you sure?)"

Ayan nodded vigorously, "I saw it.. she walked a little farther and then turned around to look you.. and she was smiling too."

Arnav smiled in relief as it's kind of confirmation for him that she still thinks he's a good human being and she's not disappointed in him anymore, what he didn't know is that she has started to find him cute too now.

He looked at Ayan smilingly, feeding him jalebis from his plate to celebrate this good news, "Chalo munh meetha karo (let's sweeten our mouth)." Ayan  ate the jalebis his bhai fed him and fed him the cake from his plate too. Then the two brothers high five laughing happily.

When Khushi came back to sit with them, Raizada brothers sat straight composing themselves and behaving normally with her.

Hansta rehta hoon
tujhse mil kar kyun aajkal
badle badle hain
mere tevar kyun aajkal

why do I keep smiling
after meeting you these days?
Why is my mood
entirely different these days?

aankhein meri har jagah
DhoonDhein tujhe bewajah
ye main hoon
ya koi aur hai meri tarah

My eyes look for you everywhere
for no reason.
is this me,
or is it someone else instead of me?

kaise hua, kaise hua
tu itna zaroori kaise hua

how did it happen?
how did you become so important to me?

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

"Why are you guys leaving so soon?" Lavanya whined standing at the door with Aman and her mother to bid goodbye to Arnav, Khushi and Ayan, "I wanted to spend more time with Khushi!" 

"Ayan needs to prepare himself for his exams. That's why we need to go back home early so he gets proper time to rest and study," Arnav explained.

"It's okay.. We understand it beta," Usha said smiling at Ayan as she patted his head lovingly, "Wish you best of luck for your exams beta."

Ayan smile thanking her. Usha looked at Arnav standing beside her, she pulled him into a tight hug, "Thank you Arnav beta for your gift. I loved it. It's my favorite among the gifts I received today. You thought about something which is very useful to me."

"You're welcome aunty. I'm glad you liked it. And sorry once again for the birthday cake," Arnav said smiling apologetically.

Usha shook her head, breaking the hug, "Forget about it. It wasn't your fault. I should Thank you for the surprise birthday party, I'll always keep this birthday memories in my heart."

"Oh now that was a collective effort to make this birthday surprise for you. Aman deserves the credit here for organizing and making the arrangements for this party, we just helped him with his idea," Arnav said earning aww look from Aman.

"See Ma.. that's why he's my best friend, this guy is truly a gem!" Aman side hugged Arnav tightly, smiling brightly. When Arnav looked at his friend finding it weird for suddenly being complimented by Aman, Aman secretly winked at him and Arnav rolled his eyes realizing Aman praised him to make Khushi impressed with him.

But Khushi didn't react to it. After Usha and Lavanya said goodbye to them and entered the house, Arnav said to Aman before leaving, "You're going to the gym tonight, na? I need to talk to you about something."

Aman nodded, "Haan.. I'll come to pick you up tonight."

"Done."

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

While walking out of Aman's building apartment, Arnav asked to Khushi and Ayan, "Who wants ice cream?"

"Me!" Ayan raised his hand excitedly. Khushi was feeling shy to reply.

"Khushi?" Arnav looked at her questioningly.

"Say yes Khushi didi.." Ayan insisted her making her nod her head at Arnav.

"Yes!" Ayan squealed happily, "Khushi didi also said yes.. let's go now to the ice cream parlor."

"When did she say yes?" Arnav shrugged, acting serious to Ayan, "I didn't hear yes from Khushi's side. So we're heading back home. Ice cream plan cancelled!"

Khushi looked at him wide-eyed, "Nahin!"

Ayan cried, "No bhai!" 

"Great! You two said no.. so you don't want ice cream now," he continued acting serious in his decision.

"No.. I mean yes.. Yes, I want ice cream," Khushi immediately corrected herself to change Arnav's decision as she wanted him to buy it for Ayan who really wished to have ice cream.

"Me too," Ayan pouted. Arnav smirked, "Let's go the ice cream parlor."

"Yaaay!" Ayan raised his arm, showing his palm for a high five to Khushi and she reciprocated smiling.

Arnav was watching them with a soft smile playing on his lips.

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

They were heading back, Ayan was walking fast to leave Arshi behind him purposely.

Khushi was licking her ice cream cone when Arnav spoke to her, "Khushi.. Aman is a good guy."

She looked at him seriously, "I never said he isn't."

"I saw you looking at him differently when we're leaving their house," he said, "You've to understand that his lifestyle is different from yours. The kind of conversations he has with his cousins and friends, you might not be comfortable to have with your cousins."

Khushi looked at him disagreeing, "What about his girlfriend? Won't she feel bad about it?"

Arnav shrugged, "Who knows, she might have the same conversations with her friends. I'm not saying who's right and wrong here... everyone has their own judgment of what's right and wrong, we're no one to judge. And based on one wrong thing, we can't completely paint a person as a bad person, right?"

Khushi nodded her head agreeing with him now.

"I could have judged you for making a deal out of your life with your father so that he allows you to continue your studies, but I didn't!"

The moment he uttered those words, Khushi's heart skipped a beat.

"We need to talk!" he said in serious tone and Khushi looked away feeling uneasy realizing he knows about this.

************************************
After dropping Ayan home, Arnav asked him to make some excuse that he forgot to buy something important and had to leave again with Khushi. Then he took Khushi to the nearby coffee shop with him.

Arnav gestured her to talk after the waiter left from there to get his coffee order. Khushi didn't want to have anything.

"What do you want me to talk.. It's true what you heard about me," Khushi said adjusting her wrist watch, avoiding eye contact with him.

"I still want to hear your side of the story because you're my friend now, not any stranger that I'll be content with I hear about you from a third person."

Khushi knew there was no other way to escape from talking with him about this matter, sighing, she started, "I grew up seeing girls in my family getting married very young, some didn't even have the opportunity to enter school and others were forced to drop out of school because people there think girls should be more concerned about learning housework and getting married early due to our parent's financial instability and the struggle to save money for marriage. So did my older sister, Meera.. Babu ji asked her to get married at an early age and she had no opportunity to continue her studies. I knew my fate was the same, but I didn't want to accept it. I want to study in college. It was my dream and somehow, I needed to convince my father to let me fulfill my dream. That's why I asked him to let me go to college, then I'm going to marry whoever he chooses for me."

"And what if the man he chooses to get married to you doesn't allow you to work after college?" he raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"I don't know," Khushi lowered her gaze.

"Won't it be wrong to get married with someone you don't have feelings for? Will you be able to blindly marry the person your father decides for you?" he asked. He knows he was asking prickly questions right now, but he needed to give her a reality check of the future consequences of her promise to her father.

"That's how girls of my family got married. It's not like all of them are unhappy in their marriages now," Khushi replied, shifting uncomfortably on her seat. She wasn't liking this conversation anymore. Arnav's questions were making her feel scared for her future now. .

"And what if you fall in love with someone here in Delhi? What will you do then?"

"I won't!"

"Oh really? Four years is a long time.. anything can happen Khushi," he raised his one eyebrow.

"My focus is completely on my studies and nothing else," she replied with certainty in her tone.

"But.. what if?!" he insisted to know her answer at the possibility of her falling for someone in Delhi. He knew if Khushi wasn't an shy and introvert girl, she would have slapped him by now for bombarding her with prickly questions. His mind was already giving him red alert because after this conversation, Khushi might hide again in her shell like a turtle scared of opening up her feelings with him.

There was slight frown on Khushi's face which clearly meant this was getting annoying now, but she couldn't say that to him directly out of  her lack of courage to straightly ask him to stop this conversation.

She simply replied in a low tone, "There's no what if.. I'll get married to the one my father chooses for me."

Arnav frowned deeply hearing her reply and the waiter came with his coffee. He placed it on Arnav's side of the table and left from there.

Khushi mentally thanked the man who came in time and saved her from the suffocation she was feeling.

Arnav kept staring intently at her, taking a sip of his hot coffee espresso and then placed it back on the table, "Bewakoof ladki (Silly Girl).. I won't let you take a wrong decision that will make you regret your whole life." 

"Mujhe ghar jaana hai (I want to go home)," Khushi ignored whatever he said now, resting her folded arms on the table.

"Let me finish my coffee first," Arnav said thinking to himself, "You're screwed now Arnav..Khushi won't talk to you after this."

"Don't you want to eat anything?" he asked in a soft tone, trying to damage control the situation now. 

Khushi nodded sideways as she looked away outside the coffee shop through the glass wall, hiding a faint smile playing on her lips from Arnav. Yes, she was clearly feeling uncomfortable and annoyed with the conversation they were having, but what he said at last comforted her heart. She felt his protectiveness towards her. And she always craved for this feeling at home. They always showed less affection, possessiveness and protectiveness towards her and her sister Meera because of their idea that girls shouldn't get too much attached to their families as one day or other they would have to leave their houses and live with their in laws. And getting to feel this from Arnav was heart warming to her. Was it possible for him to save her from the dreadful future that awaits her? Only time would tell!

When Arnav finished the coffee, they left the coffee shop after paying for the coffee. Khushi was walking behind Arnav staring at him, pouting and thinking to herself, "I called him a good human being and cute.. and he called me bewakoof ladki.. next time I won't compliment him anymore."

Arnav noticed she was walking behind him, he stopped walking and turned to her guiltily, "Are you angry with me Khushi? I'm sorry.. I won't talk about this topic anymore."

When he turned to face her, Khushi immediately changed her face expressions to innocent serious one, "It's okay.. You're my friend. You have the right to know my things from me, not any third person."

Arnav smiled a little, he was relieved she still considered him as her friend, "If I'm your friend, then walk beside me.. not behind me."

Khushi nodded walking with him. They just took few steps ahead when Arnav's phone rang, he took it out of his pants pocket and picked it up, "Haan Happy paaji.. ki haal chaal aa ji? (How are you doing?).. Finally! I thought you would take an eternity to repair my car.. Okay, I'm just coming to get it."

Khushi grinned hearing speak Punjabi. He sounded cute again!

Arnav hang up the call, looking at Khushi's side, "Khushi are you tired? Do you want to go home now? I just need to pass from Happy paaji's garage to get my car. I won't take much time. I promise."

Khushi nodded, "I can go with you. No problem. I'm not in hurry to get back home."

"Thanks," Arnav smiled at her, "I'll show you my car today. Finally we won't have to walk to your college. I can drop you and Ayan in college/school without any problem now." 

Khushi smiled as she asked curiously, "Was your car the first thing you bought after getting a job?"

Arnav nodded sideways, "No, first I saved my monthly salaries to buy a house for Ma. I wanted my mother to have a house she can call her own. That's a long story too, I'll share with you calmly tomorrow. You won't be busy with college assignments na?"

Khushi nodded sideways, "No. I've completed them already."

"Great.. then tomorrow I'll take you to that house.. It's still under renovation. Maybe by the end of this year or next year, it will be in good condition for us to move there. It's been taking a turtle progress because of the expenses and office work stress," Arnav said.

Khushi looked at him hesitantly, "Arnav ji I think you should stop giving me weekly money for college. Babu ji is sending me money for my college fees and needs. I can manage with that."

Arnav groaned, "Khushi it has nothing to do with you. Me giving you weekly money for your college needs is not affecting the process of my house renovation. I'm talking about my expenses like buying my car and getting it repaired, gym, house  expenses, budget needed for the renovation and all. It's not about you I'm talking about."

"But you're wasting money-"

"No, don't think like that. I'm not wasting my money on you. I know what I'm doing," he said serious.

Khushi sighed defeatedly. Arnav chuckled at her defeated look.

"Be ready tomorrow.. I'll take you to our house," he said. And before Khushi could get suspicious about the meaning of his our, he added, "Ma, mine and Ayan's."

kya haal ho gaya hai ye mera
aankhein meri har jagah
DhoonDhein tujhe bewajah
ye main hoon ya koi aur hai meri tarah

what a condition I am in now!
My eyes look for you everywhere
for no reason.
is this me, or someone else instead of me?

kaise hua, kaise hua
tu itna zaroori kaise hua

how did it happen?
how did you become so important to me?