Chapter 9: The Beginning of Something New

 

Khushi got inside the house and turned around, "Bye. Thanks for dropping me off."

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight," Arnav said with a smile. He turned away ran to catch up with his siblings.

Khushi went inside and noticed her parents were already asleep. She went up into her room and took a shower then changed into her night clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror and her hand went to the spot where Arnav had pecked her on the cheek. She smiled to herself; maybe she was beginning to like him also.

Over the time of a week, Arnav and Khushi had become better friends. Arnav would still walk with her to their first bell, then to her second class also. Neither of them complained or said anything about, it just got into routine and they did it without noticing. Lavanya and NK had also joined their entire group when they ate lunch, and everyone got to know each other better.

It was the end of the day and Khushi was getting her stuff out of her locker. Lavanya and her were going to walk over to the ice cream parlor that was nearby.

"Hey!" Lavanya said as Khushi closed her locker.

"Hey," Khushi replied back, "Let's go."

"Yea, but let's check the list for the cheerleading team to see if we made it or not," Lavanya said while they stepped down the stairs.

"Oh yea! The list was going to be posted outside the gym today," Khushi said. Both of them walked over to the gym. When they got their there was already a crowd of boys and girls standing their looking at the results for both the cheerleading and football team.

"Lavanya maybe we should come back later, it's so crowded here," Khushi said looking at the crowd.

"No, you stay here and I'll go check," Lavanya said making her way into the group of people with great difficulty. Khushi stood there waiting for her to come out and she felt a familiar presence near her.

"Hi," she heard a husky voice behind her. She turned around to find Arnav standing there, "Hey."

"Checking to see if you made it to the team?" Arnav said walking up to Khushi and standing beside her.

"Yea, Lavanya went to go check. You here to check also?" Khushi said.

"I'll be right back," Arnav said and he went up to where the list was to check for his name. A few minutes later Lavanya appeared from the crowd while talking to NK.

"So'?"Khushi asked when they approached her.

"You made the team!" Lavanya said hugging quickly Khushi.

"And you'?" Khushi asked as they pulled away from the hug.

"And'I made the team also!!!" Lavanya said excitedly. This time Khushi was the one who attacked Lavanya and hugged.

"Ohmygosh!!! I'm so happy!!!" Khushi said with excitement.

"I know!! Now we can go to practices together and everything," Lavanya said.

"So did you make the team?" Khushi looked up at NK and asked him.

"Yea, I did," NK said smiling.

"Yay! Well congrats!" Khushi said.

"This totally calls for a celebration!" Lavanya said and then looked at Khushi, "I asked NK to come along with us also to have ice cream, is that ok with you?"

"Yea, of course. Why would I mind?" Khushi said, "Let's go."

"Woah! Woah! Wait! I totally forgot that I'm hanging out with Arnav today," NK said, "So I don't think that I can come."

"Go where?" a voice came from behind NK and he turned around to find Arnav there.

"Well, Khushi and Lavanya are going to get ice cream and they also invited me. But I forgot that I was hanging out with you," NK said.

"So? We can all go together," Arnav said.

"Yea, we can all go," Lavanya said. They all walked together to the front of the school and walked out. The exited the gates of the school and were now walking on the sidewalks. Lavanya walked next to NK and was chatting with him, leaving Khushi and Arnav to trail behind them.

"So did you make the team?" Arnav asked Khushi.

"Yea, I did. Did you?" Khushi asked.

"I made it also," Arnav said, "Congrats to you."

"You also," Khushi said.

"AH! Congrats Arnav!" NK said stopping and turning around to high five him.

"Yea congrats!" Lavanya also said coming to walk next to Khushi.

"Thanks guys," Arnav said.

"Ab hum sabh dost ek haath honge," NK said.

"Haath nahi NK, saath," Khushi said correcting him.

"Yea yea, vahi vahi," NK said. All of them laughed. Ever since they had heard NK speak, everyone had come to the conclusion that his Hindi wasn't the best and he often made mistakes with pronunciation.

"So now we all are going to be together," Lavanya said as they turned the corner of the street.

"Yea. We'll be going to games together," Khushi said.

"ICE CREAM!!" NK yelled seeing the ice cream parlor come in sight. He ran towards it and left everyone behind.

"HEY!! Wait for me also!!" Lavanya said running after him into the parlor. Both Khushi and Arnav laughed at their friend craziness.

"They both are so alike," Arnav said laughing.

"Haha, yea they are," Khushi said. Arnav opened the door for Khushi when they reached the door, letting her go in before him. They found Lavanya and NK already standing in line.

"Come on guys," NK said when he saw both of them enter. Arnav and Khushi went to stand in line with them.

"So what do you guys want?" Lavanya asked looking at the menu that was hanging on the wall.

"I'm having an orange popsicle," NK said looking at the picture with a mouth watering face.

"I'm going to have mint chocolate chip," Khushi said.

"And Arnav tum?" Lavanya said.

"I don't want anything," Arnav said.

"What do you mean that you don't want anything?" Khushi said looking at him surprised.

"Well I CAN'T have anything," Arnav said trying to clarify himself.

"Can't?" NK said.

"Yea, I'm diabetic," Arnav said.

"KYA?!" Khushi exclaimed, "Then we should have gone somewhere else."

"Yea we should have," Lavanya said.

"No no, it's okay. You guys can enjoy," Arnav said.

"But'." Khushi said.

"No buts. It's okay guys, you all can eat ice cream. We came here, so let's not just go back empty handed. I'm fine," Arnav said. The line moved forward and it was time for their order.

"I'll be outside," Arnav said and left the shop. Khushi didn't know why, but she felt sad that he wasn't able to have anything. NK and Lavanya ordered their ice creams and the lady gave it to them.

Lavanya was about to get out money to pay but NK stopped her, "I'll pay for it."

"But this is my ice cream," Lavanya said.

"Yea so'.?" NK said handing the money to the lady.

"So I will pay for it," Lavanya said.

"Not when you're out with me," NK said.

"Out?! Are you saying this is a date?!" Lavanya said with a high pitched voice.

"Yea," NK said looking back up at her, "I mean if you have no problem with going out with me. Do you?"

"Um. No I don't," Lavanya said shying away and looking the other way.

"Great," Nk said grabbing her hand and walking out of the shop.

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Arnav was sitting on a bench in the when Khushi came next to him and sat down. He noticed that her bowl of ice cream had two spoons in it.

"Why two?" he asked.

"Two what?" Khushi asked him

"Spoons," Arnav said motioning towards he bowl of ice cream.

"Oh! One for you and one for me," Khushi said.
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