Threads of Fate

Khushi was busy putting away the items she had brought back from the mall, carefully arranging everything in its place. The day had been long and exhausting, but her heart was light with the excitement of the upcoming events. As she moved to put away the last of her things, she suddenly noticed something that made her heart skip a beat—both her and Arnav’s engagement rings were still in her bag.

“Oh no,” she muttered to herself, quickly picking up the ring boxes. “I must have brought them both with me by mistake.”

Without wasting a moment, Khushi grabbed the rings and dashed out of the house, her mind focused on getting them to the Raizada mansion as quickly as possible. Her bubbly personality took over as she hurried through the streets, her feet barely touching the ground in her haste.

As she reached the Raizada mansion, she pushed open the door and ran inside, not bothering to knock. In her hurry, she didn’t notice that Arnav was coming around the corner from the opposite direction, and they collided with a soft thud. The impact sent them both stumbling backward, and before Khushi knew what was happening, she found herself falling onto Arnav, who quickly wrapped his arms around her to steady them both.

They landed in a heap on the floor, Khushi sprawled across Arnav’s chest, her eyes wide with surprise. For a moment, they just lay there, their breaths mingling as they stared at each other, the world around them fading into the background. Khushi could feel her heart racing, the warmth of Arnav’s body beneath her sending a rush of heat to her cheeks.

Arnav, equally caught off guard, was momentarily speechless. There was something about the way Khushi looked at him, her big eyes filled with a mix of surprise and something else—something he couldn’t quite put his finger on—that made him forget everything else. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears, loud and insistent, as he looked back at her.

But the moment was abruptly shattered when Siya walked into the living room, her voice breaking through the silence. “What on earth…?”

Khushi scrambled to her feet, her face flushed with embarrassment as she quickly brushed herself off. Arnav followed suit, rising to his feet and straightening his shirt. Siya raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching with amusement as she took in the scene.

“Are you two okay?” she asked, trying—and failing—to keep the laughter out of her voice.

“We’re fine,” Arnav replied, his voice a bit rougher than usual as he glanced at Khushi. “Khushi, are you alright?”

Khushi nodded, still too flustered to speak. She quickly held out the ring boxes, her voice hurried as she explained, “I-I’m sorry, I just realized I accidentally took the rings with me. I came to bring them back.”

Arnav looked at the rings in her hand, a small smile playing on his lips as he took them from her. “Thank you. You didn’t have to run all the way here, though.”

Khushi shook her head, her words tumbling out in a rush. “No, no, it was my mistake. I didn’t want to risk anything going wrong tomorrow.”

As she turned to leave, eager to escape the awkwardness of the situation, Arnav reached out and gently took hold of her hand, stopping her in her tracks. She turned back to him, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Khushi,” he said softly, his voice carrying a warmth that made her heart flutter, “I just wanted to say… goodnight.”

Khushi blinked, her mind momentarily blank as she processed his words. “Goodnight,” she replied, her voice almost a whisper.

Arnav smiled, a genuine smile that reached his eyes. “Let me walk you home.”

Khushi’s heart skipped a beat at the offer, and she nodded, unable to find her voice to refuse. They left the Raizada mansion together, walking side by side in the quiet of the night. The streets were empty, the only sound the soft rustle of the trees and the distant hum of the city.

When they reached the Gupta mansion, Khushi turned to say goodnight again, but before she could speak, she caught sight of Payal watching them from her window. The sight of her cousin’s eyes narrowed in suspicion sent a chill down Khushi’s spine, and she quickly turned back to Arnav, forcing a smile.

“Goodnight, Arnav,” she said, her voice steady.

“Goodnight, Khushi,” Arnav replied, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before he turned and walked away.

Khushi stood there for a moment, watching him go, before she quickly headed inside, her mind racing with the events of the night. As she closed the door behind her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, that Payal’s gaze held more than just curiosity.

---

The next morning, the Gupta and Raizada households were abuzz with activity as preparations for the mehndi and engagement ceremonies got underway. The day was filled with excitement and anticipation, with everyone eager to see the two families come together in celebration.

At the Raizada mansion, Arnav was getting dressed for the day, his mind occupied with thoughts of the night before. He had been surprised by the way Khushi had looked at him, the way her presence had affected him. He wasn’t one to dwell on such things, but there was something about her that made it hard to think of anything else.

As he adjusted his kurta, his attention was suddenly caught by a movement across the way. His room faced the Gupta mansion, and from his window, he could see straight into Khushi’s room. She was standing by the window, drying her hair with a towel, her face serene and beautiful in the morning light.

Arnav found himself mesmerized by the sight, his breath catching as he watched her. There was something so natural, so effortless about the way she moved, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away. It was as if the rest of the world had fallen away, leaving only the two of them.

But before he could get too lost in the moment, he was pulled back to reality by the sound of his father’s voice calling him from downstairs. Arnav blinked, shaking his head slightly as he turned away from the window, his heart still pounding in his chest.

He quickly finished getting ready and headed downstairs, where he found his siblings gathered on the balcony, chatting and laughing as they took in the morning air. His brother-in-law, Rahul, spotted him first and waved him over.

“Arnav! Come sit with us,” Rahul called out, a mischievous grin on his face.

Arnav joined them, taking a seat beside Rahul, who wasted no time in getting to the point. “So, Arnav, what’s this I hear about you getting engaged tomorrow?” he asked, his tone teasing. “You always said you’d never get married, and now look at you!”

The others laughed, enjoying the light-hearted banter, while Arnav rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Things change, Rahul,” he replied, his tone dry but good-natured. “Sometimes, you just have to go with the flow.”

Rahul nodded, still grinning. “I suppose so. But I have to admit, I’m surprised. What changed your mind?”

Arnav glanced out over the balcony, his thoughts drifting back to Khushi. “Let’s just say… sometimes the right person comes along, and you realize you don’t want to miss the chance.”

Rahul raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, but before he could press further, Siya jumped in, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Well, I for one can’t wait to see you two get engaged. It’s going to be so beautiful!”

The conversation turned to the upcoming festivities, the excitement growing with each passing moment. But even as Arnav joined in, his thoughts kept drifting back to Khushi, to the way she had looked at him, and to the way she had made him feel.

He couldn’t explain it, but something about her had changed everything. And as the day continued, he couldn’t help but wonder what the future held for them both.

---