ARHI FF- Judayaian updated pg 18! - Page 4

Chapter 7

"Thanks for coming to pick us up mamaji," Payal said sitting in the car on the way home.

"Yes uncle, thank you," Khushi added, tearing her eyes away from the various cites of the bustling city.

"Not a problem beta, and how is my sister Payal?" Mamaji replied.

"She's well, having fun in Sydney."

"You two must be very tired and jetlagged. We'll prepare something for you to eat when we get home and then you can get some rest. When's your first day at the University?"

"2 weeks from now uncle, we just thought we'd come early and get settled properly before the first day," Khushi replied.

"A great idea indeed, I'll get someone to show you around the first couple of days so you can familiarise yourself with the city. And Khushi beta, you can call me mamaji too"

"That'd be great mamaji, thank you," Khushi replied, a broad grin spreading across her face.

"Ahh, here we are," said mamaji looking ahead, "driver pull up right in front of the door, it'll be easier to take the luggage inside.

***

"Oh, thank god everyone's soo nice!" Khushi sighed, dropping her suitcase and falling on to the beautifully adorned king size bed, "especially Anjali didi, she's amazing!"

"Oi! Get up!" Payal exclaimed, causing Khushi to jump up off the bed to inspect what was wrong with it. Not having found anything out of the ordinary she asked, "What?"

Jen walked over with her own suitcase, plonked it on the bed and said, "It's not just yours ok? We're sharing remember."

"Of course, I'm not stopping you from lying on it," Khushi replied plonking herself down on the floor and reaching for her suitcase. "Ahh that food was soo good, and I still can't believe how nice everyone is but i've been dying to ask.. what happened to Anajali di's leg?"

"Shush! Did you hear that?" Payal questioned anxiously.

"Hear what?" whispered Khushi, trying to strain her ears to hear whatever it was that had Payal so worried.

"It was a bleat... like from a goat or something..."

"Hahahahaha! Are you out of your mind? What would a goat be doing in a mahal like this?! Hahhahaha, go to sleep you're just jetlagged.

Knock Knock,             Payal and Khushi turned towards the door.

"Come in," Payal called out. "Di aap? Come one in, we were just opening up our suitcases."

"I'm sorry to disturb you two, but I just heard someone roaring with laughter! Hume bhi batao kya baat hai?"

"Oh di, you won't even believe it," Khushi started rising up to sit on her legs in her enthusiasm and pointing at Payal, "Payal here thinks she heard a goat bleat! Hahahahaha!! I couldn't stop laughing, I hope I wasn't too loud. I would have understood if she'd heard something else, you know it's such a big house and people tend to get scared and hear all sorts of things on their first visit to new places but a GOAT?! Hahahaha!" Anjali stared at Khushi in amazement, i've never seen anyone so full of life and speak soo fast, she thought.

"Kya Khushi!! Stop making fun of me all the time!" Payal exclaimed.

"Hahaha, to tell you the truth Khushi.. Payal may actually have heard a bleat," Anjali said, sitting on the futon. Both girls looked at each other bewildered.

"You mean there really is a goat in the house?!" Khushi questioned, whilst Payal looked at her and smirked.

"Haha, yes there is and her name is Laxmi. Make sure you don't call her a 'goat' in front of Nani! She's very dear to Nani."

"Ok di," replied both girls.

***

"Arnav!" Anajali exclaimed, walking towards the entrance. "You're finally home, how come you're late?"

"That ignorant girl!" Aranav muttered under his breath, nodding at Anjali and walking towards the staircase.

"Did you just say 'girl'?" Nani asked, walking down the stairs cradling Laxmi.

"What? You met another girl?" Anjali asked walking behind younger brother, "What's her name?"

"Another?" questioned Nani.

"I mean..you met a girl Arnav?" Anjali questioned again, deflecting Nani's question.

"Yes, Arnav beta, who is she?"

Arnav stopped at the first step and swivelled his head angrily between Anjali and Nani. "I haven't been in the house for more than five minutes and you've already started! Where's Akash? Why don't you call him to join in with the taunting?!" exclaimed Arnav, his face turning a beetroot red.

"Oh stop overreacting Arnav," Nani sighed, "We're never going to get a response out of him regarding any girl, Anjali."

"I know Nani, but we still need to try. I don't want my younger brother to end up a male-spinster."

"I AM still here," Arnav sneered, "and there's no such thing as a 'male-spinster', it's called a bachelor."

"I know, but you will be a male-spinster not a bachelor when you get old," Anjali replied.

"Di!" Arnav hissed. "I've been away on business for a month and this is the welcome home I get?!"

"Better than the welcome home you gave me a few months back!"

"What...what welcome home did Arnav give you?" Nani asked, breaking into the banter between the two siblings.

"Nothing Nani," Arnav replied, staring at Anjali.

"Bhaiya!" boomed Akash's voice from the balcony. "How are you? How was the trip?"

"Finally, someone who has the decency to ask about me," Akash said loudly, making sure Nani and Anjali could hear him loud and clear.

"Do you really think he cares how your trip was?" Anjali shot back, raising her eyebrows.

"Of course, I care Di!" Vicky replied, "I'm not like you. Let alone asking Arnav whether he wants some water you're questioning him about a random girl? But seriously, I have to ask," Akash continued, ignoring the daggers shooting towards him from Anjali, "who is this girl?"

Nani, who had been listening quietly for a while now, burst into laughter. "And you thought Akash didn't care," Nanima chuckled. "Oh Arnav beta, why don't you understand? You even mentioning the word 'girl' brings our curiosity to the forefront."

Arnav bewilderedly looked between the three and sighed, "You're all bloody mad!"

"I guess staying in London for a month really has rubbed off on you," Akash said.

Taking one last glance at Akash, Arnav took the stairs two at a time and walked towards his room.