Chapter Nineteen

As per Payal's request, both Arnav and Khushi had changed, and the three went about town, going to the girls' old high school. It was rather large, the canteen hall seperate in a building adjacent to the school, a large field sitting in the middle with goal posts set up.

"Did you guys have a soccer team," Arnav asked.

"Yeah," Payal replied. "The boys soccer team would play against other schools, while us girls just considered the whole thing as torture," she chuckled.

"You guys played soccer?"

"Well... I wouldn't exactly call it playing," she said, looking at Khushi, and the two chuckled.

"I don't get it," Arnav said in confusion.

The three halted for a moment, looking out at the field.

"You see, the girls didn't really care to play," Khushi explained. "Well, maybe except for a few. But for most of us, it was just something we dreaded, and most of the time, we just ended up hanging out instead of playing."

"The coach didn't say anything?"

"Oh coach Mithal tried... but it didn't do anything and she ended up giving up on us. Rightfully so, I think, there wasn't a chance in hell we were playing."

Again, Arnav was slightly shocked, but quickly overcame it. Khushi was beginning to open up, and that was exactly what he wanted.

They continued to walk along the field, entering the main building.

"You sure we're allowed inside," Arnav asked.

"Yeah, its fine," Payal replied. "Why? You scared Jij," she teased.

"As if," he smirked.

Payal chuckled. "Its totally fine, especially since I come in now and then and help the teachers out."

"You wanna be a teacher?"

"That's the goal. I tried the business route like Khushi, but there was no way that was happening."

Arnav looked at Khushi while she shook her head at Payal.

"Honestly Pays, its not that hard."

"Dude, I can't even remember where I put my keys, you expect me to be able to know where all of the receipts are and check on all of the accounts? Yeah right!"

Khushi rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

"You managed Bapu's accounts," Arnav asked.

Khushi looked up at him and nodded. "I used to always look over the books, making sure everything was right - whether it was money being paid or money coming in, I kept track of everything."

"Wow... I bet having you at the office would be great."

Payal's eyes widened as she forced herself not to laugh. Khushi felt her cheeks heat, and Arnav immediately realized the way his words came out and he bit his tongue.

"Er, given that you have background of it, I'm sure you helping around at the office would be great."

Khushi nodded while Payal kept her lips pursed, nodding as well. The three remained silent as they walked the halls, when they reached a case full of trophies. Inside, Arnav saw the numerous trophies, several of them being for winning the soccer championships.

"Look Khushi, it's still here."

Both Arnav and Khushi turned to where Payal was pointing. There was a photo of Khushi, holding a trophy as she smiled away, wearing a beautiful yellow sari.

"Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday," Khushi sighed.

Arnav looked down at the little plate at the bottom of the frame. "53rd Miss Alluring: Khushi Kumari Gupta. What is this?"

"Just this pageant thing we do here in the school. Juniors are only allowed to take part, so a lot of girls look forward to this. Its silly, but being from this little town, its just something we do for fun, like a mock pageant. Its nothing really, just a little event-"

"Little? You beat freaking Sunaina for crying out loud," Payal exclaimed.

"And Sunaina is... who," Arnav questioned.

Khushi couldn't help her chuckle. "She was the it girl."

"The it girl?"

Payal nodded. "Yeah. You know like the queen bee, or like the biggest bitch of high school, something like that."

"Got it."

"Wait, what happened to her," Khushi questioned, turning to Payal. "Did anyone really ever find out why they left?"

Payal clicked her tongue. "Nah, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with her sister."

Arnav looked at then in confusion, so Khushi cleared it.

"There was a rumor that her older sister had a thing going on with some guy from her college in the city, and that she got pregnant. So out of embarrassment, the family left."

"That's karma for you," Payal pointed. "If you honestly thought you could shit talk about everyone, just because you had money, well I'm sorry, it had to come back at you one way or the other. And lo and behold, the sister allegedly got pregnant and everyone was shit talking about that whole family."

"So no one ever saw them again," Arnav asked.

Both ladies shook their head.

"Wow... well this is getting really interesting - and you said this town was boring."

Khushi shrugged and Arnav chuckled.

"So, what other stories do you have for me?"

"Oh! Khushi, tell him about the time you dumped ice cream on Vijay's head."

"You did not," Arnav grinned.

"Guilty," Khushi smiled sheepishly.

"Girl, there's no need to be embarrassed," Payal said, "you did it for me after all."

"Why is that," Arnav asked, as they resumed walking.

"Well he did deserve it," Khushi said. "For some time, Payal had been crushing on him, actually, maybe since like the 7th grade. She wanted to go out with him, but she didn't have the balls to ask him-"

"Hey!"

"Oh hush it Pays! Anywho, so I went over to him during lunch to ask him. Mind you, I had already bought an ice cream to enjoy since it was a hot day. So I go over to this kid and tell him, like hey, my girl wants to go out with you but she's too nervous to ask, so I'm asking. This guy looks over my shoulder and looks at Payal and then he looks at me and agrees. But before I can settle the location, this dick asks me when I wanted to go out on a date with him," Khushi scowled.

Arnav's eyebrows shot up.

"I know! That was my reaction too. He even took hold of my hand to get me close to him, and before he could say a word, he reached out and licked my ice cream."

"What a pig," Payal huffed.

"No shit, and I was pissed, so I dumped my ice cream cone on his head."

Arnav couldn't help his laughter. "The douche deserved it."

"Definitely. And it turned out he was seeing 3 other girls on the low," Khushi said, rolling her eyes.

"Speaking of ice cream, I'm getting hungry," Payal said. "Let's go get something to eat."

The other agreed and they left the campus. While Khushi talked away with Payal, Arnav kept his eyes on his wife. Just these few hours with her was opening up a whole other side to Khushi!

And Arnav had to admit, be was absolutely loving it.