KHUSHI

As time went by, things seemed to be falling in place slowly, my life was just normal and peaceful, I worked all week, I went out on dates with Yug on the weekends and we usually found something different to do every time.

It had been six months since I went back home to help Arnav, everything was different now. Arnav came back a week after I returned and then he shifted back with Yug, he knew Yug and I were together and he seemed pretty okay with it. I wouldn't say that we were back to being friends because we weren't, but since I helped him with Sharmila, he had changed, he seemed like he was calm, no anger, and then pain he had been holding on to all these years seemed to be slowly disappearing from his life.

I dint know what he was doing to make himself better, but whatever it was, I was glad and happy for him, maybe he would heal from it and have a better life, no matter how bitterly things might have ended between us, all I ever wanted was for him to be happy, and even though he didn't seem really happy right now, he did seem peaceful, which was a step towards happiness right?

Now that he lived with Yug, we did cross paths, obviously I spent a lot of time at Yug's place and sometimes when Arnav wasn't working he was around but he would always stay in his room and leave us alone.

At first when Arnav shifted back, Yug had been pretty insecure given our history but I assured him that I had moved on and I wanted to think of a future with him, he didn't seem to believe me at first but now he seemed to have, I mean after all these months if Arnav and I hadn't gone back to being friends, there was no way we were ever going to go back to being a couple, and that was for the best.

Yug and I were at a better place, we trusted each other, we liked each other and our relationship seemed to be going pretty smooth.

"We're here ma'am." The driver's voice brought me back from the world of my thoughts, I grabbed my wallet and paid him the fare as I stepped out of the taxi and headed inside the restaurant where Yug and I were supposed to have our date today.

Usually, he would pick me up, but today he had a meeting with some people at this place so we decided to meet here and have our date here. I headed inside as I texted him that I had reached so it would be easier to find him.

I looked around for a moment when I saw him wave at me from one of the tables at the far end corner, so I walked towards him and sat down opposite him.

"Hey." He smiled happily at me.

"Hey... so how was your meeting today?" I asked as I put my bag aside and looked at him with a smile.

"It was great, really great actually." He seemed really happy about the meeting, happier than he would usually be about work.

"That's great."

"Yeah, we're meeting again in a couple of days and if things go well, we could get the biggest deal ever."

"Wow, that's really good, I hope everything goes well then."

"I hope so too, I could get a promotion if I manage this."

"That's really great, I hope it all works out for you." I was genuinely happy for him, and I hoped everything was going to work in his favor.

The waiter walked to our table and took our order and then left to get out food, Yug grabbed his phone as he stared at it for a while, I sat there awkwardly waiting for him to finish whatever he was doing on his phone so we could talk or something but he was just so busy on his phone, I felt awkward just seated there awkwardly staring at him so I picked up my phone too just to make it look like I was busy too.

A while later, the waiter came back with our food so we both finally put our phones aside and started eating silently, I don't know why neither of us were speaking, I guess I had just gotten awkward because Yug was so engrossed with his phone so I wanted him to say something but he didn't so I dint even try to say anything.

"The food is really good." He finally spoke after we were almost done with the food.

"Yeah, it is. You didn't eat while you were having the meeting?"

"No, I knew we had the date so I just had tea."

"Ohh... okay."

*****

Today, our date was so different from what it usually was, I don't know but Yug seemed pretty different than he usualy was, maybe I was just imagining things or maybe he was just tired today, so I just decided to brush of whatever thoughts I was having.

Once we were done, we both headed to the parking lot, got into his car as he drove us to his place instead of dropping me home.

"I thought you were dropping me home?" I asked.

"Yeah, then I thought I hadn't had enough time with you... why don't you come upstairs, we'll hang out, you can sleep here later or I'll drop you home."

"Okay." I sighed as I stepped out of the car, we both took the elevator upstairs. I don't know what it was but I really had a strange feeling about his behavior today, he was really different the entire time and then now he was bringing me to his place to hang out just after out date.

We walked in and found Arnav seated in the hall watching TV, he smiled at the both of us as soon as we walked in.

"Hey, I'll give you two space." He said as he stood up to leave.

"No, it's fine you can carry on, we're heading to my room anyway." Yug said to which Arnav looked at him and then at me in surprise, but he didn't say anything, he just sat down where he was seated and continued watching TV.

"Let's go babe." Yug said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me along to his room, all this while I was just looking at Arnav and I don't know if it was just me or I really saw him have some weird expressions on his face.

Okay this had to be me, there was no way both Arnav and Yug were behaving oddly today, it definitely had to be me.

"I need to use the washroom, I'll be back in a moment." Yug said.

"I'll get myself a glass of water meanwhile." I said as he headed to the washroom and I headed to the kitchen to drink some water.

I passed by Arnav who was still watching TV in the hall, I headed straight to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and started filling it with water, once I was done I turned around and found Arnav right behind me.

"You scared me." I said nervously. Why was I nervous now?

"I'm sorry, I just came to get some snacks." He said as he stepped aside so I could leave. I started walking while he looked through the shelves finding himself a snack.

"You two seem happy." He said which made me stop walking.

"Yeah we are." I replied, it wasn't a lie, Yug and I were doing great wherever we were in our relationship, and he did keep me happy and I tried to do the same for him.

"That's really good, I'm happy for the both of you." He pulled out a packet of chips and turned to look at me.

"Really?" I raised my eyebrow in surprise.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, maybe because I saw what strange expressions you had on your face when Yug told you we were hanging out in his room today instead of the hall as always."

"Are you trying to see if I was jealous?" he smirked.

"No, I am asking if you were." I said firmly.

"No I wasn't. I messed up, you moved on, I am happy for the both of you and you look great together. I am genuinely happy for you." He smiled.

"Well, good to know." I said as I walked back to Yug's room, I dint want to keep talking to him for long, just in case Yug saw us talking he might get insecure again which was the last thing I wanted.

I found him seated on his bed busy on his phone once again, I gulped down the water and placed the glass on the stand beside his bed and sat down beside him as he looked at me and smiled.

"I forgot to tell you, you look so beautiful." He smiled as he brushed his palm against my cheek.

"Thank you." I blushed as he leaned closer to my face and suddenly I could feel my heart beat so fast. I know we had been together for quite a while now, but we hadn't kissed even once, Yug had tried to, twice but I had refused to saying I wasn't comfortable yet and like a gentleman, he understood.

Even right now, I still wasn't sure if I was ready, I mean I had only ever kissed Arnav and I never thought I was going to kiss anyone else, so it was a bit difficult for me, but this was a test for me, if I had really moved on, I had to comfortable with Yug kissing me right?

I felt so nervous as he brushed his thumb on my lower lip, was I really ready for this? Was I ever going to be ready? I should be by now shouldn't I? I mean we had been together for so long, at least we should have had our first kiss by now, so maybe it was high time I gave it a chance.

He slowly cupped my face and pulled me a bit closer, I was almost getting out of breaths, it was about to happen, my first kiss with him but of course Arnav had to interfere.

He pushed the door open and walked in, I mean he didn't even knock, he knew we were here, both of us, why wouldn't he knock?

"Shit, I am so sorry, I'm just so used to coming inside your room like that, I am really sorry." He apologized.

"What do you want Arnav?" Yug frowned, of course he had to frown, he had ruined our first kiss.

"It's Aunty, she's complaining you aren't picking up her calls so she called on my phone and told me to give it to you, here." He said as he handed him the phone and then whispered a sorry to me as he walked away.

"Yes mom." Yug started talking on the phone as I sat there beside him listening to him talk to his mother while I kept on frowning and wondering whether Arnav had came in on purpose or it was an accident.