Chapter Three

When Arnav woke up, he didn't find Khushi next to him.

"Khushi? Khushi?!"

But she was nowhere in sight. This made him mad. He couldn't help but wanting to see her face first thing when he woke up. He got dressed and headed back to his chamber. He called out his worker, his voice filled with anger.

"J-ji Malik?"

"Where's Khushi?!"

"Who-"

"The girl!"

"Oh… she went back to the fields to do her work."

"What?"

"Yes Malik. She said you fell asleep and said not to disturb you and to tell you when you woke up."

Arnav was surprised and then sent the worker away. He sat down at his table and couldn't help but think of Khushi.

She's so different, he thought to himself. Instead of fearing me, she's… she's… playing with me? How dare she?! A peasant like her! PLAYING with ME? Arnav Singh Raizada?!

He was about to loose it when there was a knock at his door.

"Chote?"

He knew that voice. It was his sister Anjali, so he got up and went to unlock the door. "Di?"

"Chote, come downstairs. We have to discuss something important."

"Why not here?"

"Because Nani and Dadi wants to talk to you as well."

Arnav knew what that meant. "Is Amma and Babuji-"

"Everyone is there."

"Crap!" He sighed. "Alright then, let's go."

He followed his sister down the hall and they went down the grand staircase and went into the family room. Dadi was sitting in a chair, nani sitting right next to her. Arnav's father stood at Dadi's side and Arnav's mother stood at Nani's side.

"Chote," Dadi called out. "Come here.

Arnav walked over to them and took blessings from her and Nani.

"You both called me?"

"Yes Chote," Nani said. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Your marriage."

"What?"

"Yes Chote," Dadi said. "Your marriage."

"Why?"

"Because the Raizada Parivaar needs an heir and you are the only son-"

"I understand that but I'm not getting married."

"Why not," Nani asked. "So many proposals have come for you and-"

"They only want their daughters married to me because we're rich!"

"Fine! Then we'll find someone-"

"I will not agree to marriage unless I want to. Understood?"

He was about to walk away when Dadi called out.

"Chote you must get married and give an heir in order for this family to survive!"

"And it will happen in time."

"Chote-"

"I have work matters to attend to at the river," and he left.

At the river, Khushi was bathing, along with some friends. They were talking and the topic somehow managed to get to Arnav.

"Malik so dreamy," a girl gushed.

"His eyes are so chocolatey," another gushed.

"Have you seen his lips?! I feel like running up to him and kissing him."

"Oh! Those lips!"

"You guys are getting excited for no reason," Khushi said.

"Well yeah, I mean, we're peasants but it doesn't hurt to dream."

"Yeah," the other one shouted.

Arnav was talking to some men, when he noticed Khushi and the girls. He told the men to go away and he watched Khushi.

"Seriously Khushi," one of them said, "don't be such a spoiler."

"Why not," Khushi asked. "I mean, what does Malik have to offer?"

Arnav cocked an eyebrow.

"You're asking that," the other girl shouted. "You're the only girl I've ever heard to say something about Malik! Everyone else drools for him!"

"Exactly," the first one shouted. "Every girl dreams to know what it would be like to be in bed with Malik."

Khushi just snorted and went down into the water and then came back up. Arnav watched the water trailing down her cheeks and down to her lips. He felt like going over to her and kissing her, until she spoke.

"Well I'm sure it would be a waste of time to be in bed with Malik."

The girls' mouths dropped. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Arnav got mad at what she said.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure it'll be boring," Khushi continued.

Arnav filled up with anger as Khushi laughed. Her friends simply shook their heads and then got up and out of the water to leave. Khushi spent a few more minutes there and then decided to get out. She grabbed the red sari she brought with her and managed to drape it.

She walked a bit when all of a sudden someone grabbed her and pulled her. She looked up at the person and saw that it was Arnav. She simply sighed and smiled.

Arnav slapped her. "You have some guts to talk about me!"

Khushi looked back at him. "Then prove me wrong."

"I'll prove you wr- wait, what?"

"Prove. Me. Wrong."

Arnav looked at her confused and Khushi simply looked at him.

"Fine then," Arnav said, "have it your way."

He walked away and left her there. Khushi smirked, feeling accomplished because she knew that Arnav was listening to her conversation with her friends. All of a sudden someone placed a bag over her head and blocked her vision.