Chapter 24B: My Girlfriend

"Thank you," Khushi said looking up at him and smiling.

"For?" he asked lifting an eyebrow.

"Being there for me," she said and slowly started walking with her arms around his one arm.

"I'll always be there for you, as long as you need me," Arnav said. They were walking around and talking with friends. Arnav introduced Khushi to some more of his friends that were present at the party, keeping a hand around her waist at all times to make sure she was always by his side.

They were talking with Maan and Geet while catching up with a few college friends when they heard a voice behind them.

"Hey guys!" a voice came. They all looked towards where the noise was coming from and found Sheetal standing there. Khushi recognized her from the pictures that she had seen yesterday; the girl had on a very short red dress that seemed like a size smaller than what would actually fit her.

"What is she doing here?" Arnav asked turning around and asking Maan.

"I didn't invite her, I only invited Karan," Maan said looking up at him. Sheetal approached their group of friends and hugged Geet. Geet politely hugged her then backed away.

"Sheetal how come you're here?" her brother, Karan asked.

"Yea, how did you find about the party?" Maan asked her also.

"Bro you know what, well actually I was home and went to your room to get something and I saw the invitation for the party at your desk. So I thought why not join?" Sheetal said happily, but no one else was pleased to see her.

Maan, Arnav and Geet looked up at Karan giving him a death glare of leaving the invitation out for her to see. Sheetal turned around to the other side of their circle and noticed Arnav standing there. She quickly went up to him and hugged him. Arnav was startled by her hug and took a few steps back, but didn't leave his hold on Khushi. Sheetal had both here arms around him, but Arnav had one in the air and the other around Khushi. Khushi was also surprised by the girl's behavior but didn't say anything.

Sheetal pulled back from the hug and said, "I missed you so much!" she held on to his other arm, but Arnav shrugged it off, removing her hand. He took the hand and placed it on the hand that Khushi had on his arm. Sheetal noticed this and stepped a bit forward to look at the girl who was with him. Last time she had met Arnav, he wasn't dating anyone, so maybe it was a relative, she thought.

"Is she your sister?" Sheetal asked Arnav motioning to Khushi. Khushi's eyes got bigger by what she had said and her mouth opened slightly; Arnav heard her gasp and looked down at her cute expression. Before Arnav could reply, Sheetal felt a cold mist behind her. All of them turned their attention to where it was coming from and found Maan standing there. He had been drinking something and right when Sheetal had asked the question, all of the contents of his mouth had spurted out. He was now standing there laughing, trying his best to control his laughter.

"What happened?" Sheetal asked curiously.

"Nothing nothing, just something stuck in my throat," Maan said casually trying to keep a straight face. But something is going to happen now, he told himself mentally.

Sheetal turned back around the other way after giving Maan a weird look.

"Khushi," Arnav said and Sheetal turned her attention to him, "This is Sheetal," he said motioning to her, "Karan's sister and she attended the same college as us."

"And Sheetal this is Khushi," Arnav said.

Sheetal went up to her and shook her hand, "Nice to meet you," and Khushi shook her hand back also.

"You must be a relative of theirs, right?" Sheetal asked looking around at everyone else.

"Yea, she's like a sister to me," Maan said.

"And she's my best friend since childhood," Geet added in. Before Arnav could add to the conversation in order to tell her his relation with Khushi, Sheetal started blabbering on and on about her life. They all stood their bored and trying not to be rude. The music had slowly started playing and people were going to the dance floor.

"Can I have a dance?" Maan asked Geet. She nodded taking his hand and they made their way to the dance floor. Sheetal wanted to dance also, so with her hands up she quickly turned around towards Arnav. Her hand landed on his coat, touching the rose that was in his pocket.

"Ouch!" she said when a thorn pricked her. Her finger didn't start bleeding but she looked back up at the rose in his pocket.

"You already have a red rose! And it matches my dress, did you know I was going to come that you had it already planned out?" Sheetal asked him trying to flirt but didn't get a response from him.

"Let's go dance!" she said happily then tried to take his hand but he refused.

"Actually I can't dance with you," he said trying not to let his anger boil. He looked down at Khushi who was looking the other way, trying to not get involved in the conversation. She probably must be feeling awful right now, he thought. Of course she would! It was the first time we are out together and the girl who likes me but I hate is ruining it and making it worse for me. And on top of that, Sheetal kept on mistaking Khushi to be my sister!! I have NEVER looked at her like that! EVER! And never hope to either!

"Why? You're here all alone and no one else is here with you," Sheetal said looking around.

"I already have someone to dance with," Arnav replied back to her, anger rising up inside of him

"Who? Khushi?" Sheetal asked.

"Yea, Khushi," Arnav said calmly. Khushi could feel his grip tightening around her hand and she looked up at him. He was getting angry, she thought.

"That's fine with me, you can dance with your sister first, then me," Sheetal said. Anger had enough of her crap and was ready to let all his anger out, but noticing where he was, he tried to keep calm.

"This is Khushi, Khushi Kumari Gupta. My girlfriend!" Arnav said his jaws clenching together. Khushi looked up at him, taken aback by his tone.

"Girlfriend?!"' Sheetal asked then looked at Khushi gawking, "You never told me you had a girlfriend!"

"I don't find it necessary to tell you everything about my life!" Arnav retorted back.

"But I thought we'," Sheetal started off trying to say something but was cut off my Arnav.

"There is and was never anything going on between us. Get that in your head. And if you'll excuse me, I would like to take my girlfriend to dance with me," Arnav replied back.

"Can I have a dance?" Arnav asked looking over at Khushi and she nodded. He took her hand and they made their way to the center of the dance area, leaving behind and angry and furious Sheetal.