Running From The Truth (by Emma)

Chapter 31 - Renaissance

Chapter 31 - Renaissance

Arnav sat on the couch, watching Khushi bring him a steaming cup of coffee. She had managed to convince him to stay until the weather got better, and he had complied, although reluctantly. Seeing Khushi and being alone with her would likely not lead to the space he had wanted her to have. But who was he to go against her?

"Arnav...don't go yet. Please, just wait until the weather gets better at least."

"And what if it doesn't?" He turned then, watching her carefully. "Then what should I do?"

"It's already bad...but if it doesn't get better, you can stay in our guestroom. That won't be a problem." He wondered if she was even trying to hide the slight tremble in her lips, or if he just too observant when it came to this particular girl.

"And...space? I know you want some. And if I stay here..." Arnav started, only to be cut off.

"There's plenty of space between my room and the guestroom." He saw the hint of a smile in her lips, and relaxed somewhat, for the first time in a very long time, he felt much lighter.

He snapped out of his reverie when he saw the cup being held out in front of his face. Slowly, taking it out of Khushi's hands, making sure to graze his fingers against hers in the process and watch her eyes widen only slightly.

"Thank you Khushi."

She gave him a polite nod and headed over to grab her own mug and took a seat on the sofa across from him.

"Do you want to watch anything?" She asked softly, looking at him while he shamelessly stared.

Already am, he thought. "Anything you want."

"Arnav...stop staring at me like that." She said in warning.

"Like what?"

"You know exactly what you're doing." She flipped through the channels slowly, yet he knew she was paying no attention to them.

"I do. But I'd like to hear what you think of it."

Her eyes snapped towards his and glared slightly, making him smile.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked, taking a sip of her coffee, wanting to close his eyes and savor the warmth.

"I'm not sure yet." She said.

"Great, I'll pick you up in the evening if you're free."

"And what if I don't want to go out with you?"

"I'll find you and take you anyways." He shrugged. "We can go slow...but we need to start somewhere, no?"

"And what about your family? What if they find out?" She asked, this time nervously.

The mention of their family from her own lips only reminded her of the incident which had caused her departure from him. Were they still upset with her? Were they angry, did they feel insulted by the way Buaji had spoken? She had spent countless hours wondering, hoping that her mind was over thinking it all.

"What about them? They know everything now. So does yours. If they have a problem with it, even when everything has been laid in front of them...then that's really too bad. After what they said to you..." He shook his head at the memory. "And as for your family, I will convince Buaji. She doesn't like me...at least not since I last talked to her." He gave her a sad smile. "But as long as you're with me...why can't I make her like me? I'm not that bad, am I?"