6/50 - Haldi

"Arre Titaliya why us me you put these boxes and plates away yet?!" Buaji yelled from the kitchen.

"I'm taking them Buaji," Khushi replied trying to pick them all up at once put it wasn't working. After she'd pick up a few, some of them would drop.

"Here let me bel you Khushiji," she heard from behind as she saw NK come forward and pick up some of the boxes that had dropped. But before she could lead him to where they. Essex to be kept, another voice thundered behind, "NK, Akash is calling you, you need to go do the haldi," Arnav said.

"But Nannav these boxes," he said motioning to his hands, "tell him I'll be there after I help Khushiji."

"Here I got them," he said roughly taking the boxes away from him.

"B.. but..," NK stammered.

"Go Akash is calling you. I already did the haldi on him, now it's your turn," he said and NK turned around to leave the room. Arnav turned back towards her and raised his eyebrow after seeing her mouth agape. He then heard her mutter a "laad governor kahinke" under mouth after he picked up the leftover haldi she asked him to and followed her towards her room.

Khuhsi went towards the cupboard and placed the boxes in there, she turned around to take to boxes from Armav but he wasn't behind her. She saw him locking the door then turning towards her, "Ye aap kya kar rahe hain?" she asked.

"What does it look like? I locked the door," he replied slowly walking towards her.

"But why?" she asked seeing him place the haldi plate on the near table.

"Do you really want me to explain that?" he said now standing completely in front of her, his breath fanning over her face.

"B.. bu... t," she whispered as he leaned over her shoulder and placed the boxes that he was carrying behind her.

"But what?" he asked softly in her ear, and without warning Khushi felt him wrap one arm around her face and pull her toward him so that her body was flush against his. He trailed his fingers along her bare waist, making her whimper and close her eyes.

"Bu... t what w..ill p... pe... ople thi.. ink," Khushi said as he ran his nose along her jaw and then back up to her ear, his breath causing her skin to heat up and she clutched his shoulder.

"Let them think what they want to think, Biwi ho tum meri,” he replied teasing his hand along her bare waist.

“Pa...par…,” she said in heavy breaths and then suddenly felt a cool sensation on her cheek. Arnav watched her open her eyes as she gasped at him, and she looked at his hand to see that it was covered in haldi.

“What are you doing,” she said and moved to wipe the haldi off but he caught her wrist.

“Let me,” Arnav said inching forward and Khushi moved back not knowing what his intentions were and she didn’t want to know either. What if someone came looking for them, and they saw them like this. He did lock the door but still. She was broken out of her thoughts as she felt prickles on her cheek, a warm breath fanning her neck, and he he rubbed his stubbled cheek along hers in an attempt to take off the haldi.

5/50 - Sindoor

Now where did Di say that thaali was, Khushi thought to herself walking out into the poolside. Somewhere around the coffee table had been her words, but when she checked it wasn’t there. Then finally she spotted it on the other side of the pool, who had put it there? Oh well atleast she had found it. She crossed the distance to it and picked it up then headed back inside. She was too focused on getting down stairs that she didn’t notice someone else coming from the other side and clashed into something hard.

“What the?!” escaped from his mouth as he grabbed her so she wouldn’t go clashing into the ground. She didn’t go down, but the thaali sure did with a loud clash. Khushi had kept her eyes closed expecting a fall, but it didn’t, then she closed them even more hearing the loud sound of the thaali falling. She attempted to open her eyes but felt a burning sensation in them, “Ahhh.”

She rubbed her eyes trying to get out whatever had gotten in, but it only made it worse since she had no clue as to what it was. Her hands were stopped by a pair of stronger ones that clasped onto her wrists, “Stop, you’re only making it worse. It’s sindoor,” he added and she dropped them to her side.

The rough pad of his thumb rubbed against her eye as he blew in to get it out, “Why can’t you watch where you’re going?” he roughly asked.

“I … I ..was.. in a hurry,” she answered back with difficulty as the proximity made it harder for her to think correctly.

“Tumhe kuch ho jaata toh?” he replied rubbing his hands over once more to make sure it was all out.

“Aap hai na,” she replied slowly opening her eyes.