Chapter 19

Next morning, ASR Designs:

Khushi drove her Daisy to ASR Designs with her battle team following her in their respective bikes (KT & Maze) & jeep (AJ & Jiggy). As per their plan, the bikes and jeep were parked in employee parking and Khushi drove towards ASR’s parking spot.

Bahadur, seeing Khushi with Daisy, came running: Memsaab, hum board lagaya. Dekho.

(Ma’m, I put reserved board… See?)

Khushi saw a reserved sign board in front of ASR’s parking spot.

Reserved Signboard:

She beamed at Bahadur: Very good. Yeh uske rightwala spot to khali hain naa?

(The one on the right is empty though, right?)

Bahadur beams back: Haan memsaab.

(Yes, ma’m)

Khushi beams even more: Purrrrrfect… Bye Bahadur.

Bahadur smiles his toothy smile and leaves: Bye ma’m.

Then she parked Daisy right beside ASR’s parking spot.

She whips out her cell phone and texts her gang: Mission L.G step one done. Proceeding to step two.

She climbs out of Daisy, whips out another sign board and hangs just below the other signboard.

New signboard:

The gang arrive to check out the complete sign, nods in satisfaction, hi-fives and then hurriedly takes the completed files and books to ASR’s office.

They neatly pile all files and books on ASR’s table so that anyone sitting behind the desk can’t see anything except the piles of files and books.

Then they check their watches and get ready for the showdown.

Maze tells the gang: You know right what’s next?

The gang solemnly nod and do their signature sign of success “All for one, one for all”…

Maze and AJ go to meet Rohit and KT and Jiggy wait in the reception for Khushi’s signal.

Khushi waits by the door to see when ASR arrives.

Right on cue at 8 o’clock sharp ASR’s BMW arrives at his usual spot.

He parks his car and him and Aakash get out.

Aakash notices the sign first and his eyes widen and start to twinkle: Errrmmmm…. Bhai?

ASR (Busy emailing from his blackberry): What?

Aakash (trying desperately to control his laughter): I think you should find another parking spot from now on.

ASR (Irritated): Why? It’s my spot.

He looks where Aakash is looking and his eyes widen in surprise first then narrow in anger.

He screams: Bahadur…

Bahadur comes running: Ji saabji? (Yes sir?)

ASR (Points his finger towards the sign): What’s that?

Bahadur (scared): Reserved sign saabji. Khushi ma’m ne bola agar sign nehin lagaya to woh Daisy park karega aur nehin hatayega.

ASR (Angry and about to erupt): Who the hell is Daisy?

Bahadur lifts his trembling finger towards the bright pink car right beside his own BMW.

ASR (Explodes): How dare she say anything? And how dare you listen to her? Who gives you salary? Me or Khushi?

Khushi sees Bahadur in distress and decides to launch the next missile a bit early. She takes out her car starter out of her pocket, starts Daisy and hopes she put the right CD in the CD player.

Suddenly a song starts playing at Daisy.

ASR jumps at the sudden noise: What the?

This is the song:

He looks at Aakash who is trying to stop his laughter but failing to do so. His anger gets into full blast as he realizes that this is all Khushi’s doing.

He strides towards the office.

Khushi sees him coming in like a storm. She quickly shuts down Daisy and runs towards the reception. KT and Jiggy sees her running. They take one elevator each and hit the top floor button.

ASR Designs' Elevators:

Khushi has previously found out from Sarah that ASR Designs’s building has three elevators because one to go up, one to go down and one for ASR’s exclusive use so that he does not have to wait for an elevator and so far no one dared to use his exclusive elevator… until now.

As ASR arrives he sees that all elevators including his exclusive one, have gone up. He pushes the button angrily and waits for them to come down.

Khushi, KT and Jiggy keep going up and down and play with elevator buttons.

In the meanwhile, ASR gives up on the elevator and takes the stairs fuming.

AJ notices ASR taking the stairs and texts Khushi immediately.

When Khushi gets his text, she punches top floor button and hits the first floor button on the elevator before going out so that it goes downstairs again. Then she runs to the top of the stairs with the newspaper and waits for ASR to come up.

ASR comes up the stairs breating heavily and notices Khushi standing and beaming at the top of the stairs holding the newspaper looking fresh as, well, a Daisy…

Khushi’s Look:

His temper which was already at boiling point erupts: What do you think you are upto Khushi Kumari Gupta?

Khushi widens her eyes: Me? I’m just getting you newspaper like you asked me to do. I’d have made you coffee too. (she wrinkles her nose cutely) But I did not think you liked the last one I made. (She brightens up again) But I have not given up. After all perfection is not achieved in one day…

ASR screams: Shut up.

He stomps to her and towers over her: You better have completed your assigned task or I will sue you for incompetency.

Khushi pretends to be scared: Really?

ASR gives her his evil smirks and stomps to his office only to see all the books and files piled on his desk, blocking his vision: What the?

Khushi pokes on his back with her index finger: Errmmm… those would be your completed assigned task.

ASR turns to her incredoulously: How? When?

Khushi beams: I’m brilliant, what can I say? (Then she sobers up) But I understand your difficulty to comprehend. My buaji says that in advance age like yours, memory and thinking capability start to sink. She highly recommends religious books as a way to find peace in one’s disability.

ASR bursts like atom bomb: What? I look old to you?

Khushi (wide eyes): Oh don’t worry. You have maintained yourself very well. (beams at him some more)

ASR shouts: Get out right now.

Khushi (mutters loudly while leaving): Also should control temper. It increases chances of heart attack in advanced age.

ASR slams his office door behind her.

Khushi jumps at the sound and then giggle and hugs herself in joy. She whips out her notebook and write:

Laad Governor – 2

The Empress – 2

ASR sees Khushi giggling and hugging herself from the other side of the glass door. Khushi did not know that his office door is one sided mirror which means no one can see inside the office but ASR can see outside.

He fumes: So Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta, you want to have a war huh? Fine, it’s on then. We will see who wins in the end.

Nandi squirms at his seat in excitement: Deviji, Deviji… You know everything. Tell me naa who will win? At least throw me some spoilers to share with my buddies? Please please please?

Devi Maiyya looks at him disdainfully: Well, I can only tell you this much, no one will win and no one will loose… But the war will be all-consuming.

Nandi scratches between his horns and talks to himself: This is even more confusing than some of the fake spoilers and rumours my buddies are spreading… Now what will I write in my blog?