Part 18
Shattered Dreams
It has been
almost 6 months that Arnav and Khushi were going stready. There had been many
cute fights better them but each fight ended up in passionate love making
session between both of them. The more they fought the closre they became. But
both made sure that they don’t barge into each other’s privacy. Their joint
project had almost finalized and the plans had been sectioned. Next to next
week they were all set for press conference and stone lying ceremony.
Arnav was
initially shocked when they completed their month month of courtship then two,
then four and now six and surprisingly Arnav and Khushi never confessed their
excitement to each other but enjoyed on their own. Khushi had became a part of
arnav’s daily life. His mornings felt empty if she forgot to send him a
goodmorning message. One day he was grumpy on his own as Khushi forgot to ask
him whether he had enjoyed his morning coffee or not. Days and months passed
like that and unknowlingly both of them slowly became close to each other.
They did share
tiny mini personal things to each other, which were situational. Like what is
Arnav’s favourtie food, what clother does he like to wear all the time. He has
a conky sister who is after his life for his marriage etc etc. Khushi also got
to know that Arnav preffered to have ghar ka khana (home made food) and that
was the reason she almost cooked for him everyday and got it to his office. And
their office sessions too were hot. They both fed each other not only food but
also Ahem!
Some how
there was nothing that he did not like about Khushi. She was just perfect.
Perfect in all senses for him be it professional or personal things. She was
the girl for him. And Arnav loved to spend time with her without getting bored.
Forget about bored, for him 8 hours of office was less to be with her. He
wanted more and more. Even their weekend sessions did not compensate his
hunger. And It was no difference for Khushi. She wanted Arnav like a shameless
female. Always wanted him beside her, over her and inside her.
Lot of things
started changing between them except one thing, Khushi never used to accept any
gift from him and he was tired of asking her to buy something for herself and
he never gave up. He still continued to pressure her. The only thing that she
accepted was that diamond locket which she only agreed to wear when she was
with him. Rest of the time she kept it inside his locker in his guest house. It
would be wrong to say that I did not make any difference to Arnav. But it did.
A lot of time when he missed her around him in his guest house he used to look
at the locket and remember their sweet time when they went to Maldives together
for the first time. They made endless love almost everywhere in the mansion and
the only thing she wore was that locket while having their private moments. He
wanted her to wear it always even when she was not with him. But…
It was a big
change for Khushi. Khushi has never thought that she can desire a man like
this. Sometimes she wondered was she the same one who hid her in loose clothes
feeling not so confident about her looks? And the answer was yes she was the
same Khushi, but the man who made her confidant was Arnav. It was Arnav who
praised her and appreciated little little changes that she tried to do. He had
never put her down. And somehow his praises sounded genuine.
Last month
Khushi did a little make over and she was reward with a wild encounter with her
boyfriend after that which marked a permanent blush on her cheeks. The only
thing she did was making her hair a little wavy with low curls at the end and
started wearing fitted outfits.
It was not
that Arnav did not appreciate her previous look, but he felt nice that she did
something for him. Not to impress him but to make him happy. He knew how
skeptical Khushi was about her make over but he also knew she did it just to
make him happy and she was rewarded heavily. From that day onwards their
relationship took a steep climb.
Arnav’s
arrival in Khushi and Misha’s apartment was no more a shocker for them. It was
very natural. Most of the weekdays Arnav stayed at their apartment shifting
Misha out of their room. Poor Misha had to manage in the storeroom turned
bedroom now. But she was happy for her friend. She could see how happy Khushi
was with Arnav so without any complain she adjusted with the situation. But at
times misha was afraid. What if Arnav and Khushi slipts? And what if Khushi
breaks down? Her fear grew more seeing Khushi’s involvement in this
no-strings-attached relationship for last month. She was behaving just like a
wife behaves around her husband. Every morning she woke up and wished Arnav
“good morning”. She made breakfast and lunch for him religiously and took them
along with her in the office. Arnav never failed to come and stay with Khushi
every night and they both enjoyed weekends at Arnav’s guesthouse. Misha could
clearly see the love that reflected on Khushi’s face which Khushi was unaware
off.
Misha tried
to talk to Khushi about how serious are they to which Khushi clearly said they
are just couples who are enjoying what is coming to them and they are not at
all committed seriously with each other. The day one decides to slipt the other
will respect the decision. But little did Khushi know was that she was deeply
into Arnav and it was impossible for her to come-out of it. But Arnav?....
**
It was a fine
morning when Khushi was preparing Arnav’s favourite breakfast upma when her
phone rung.
“Hello!”
“I want to
meet you right now”, Arnav said in a very serious ton.
“Hey sweety
what happened? Anything serious?”
“Can we meet
in any hotel?” Arnav said sighing hating himself for calling Khushi in some
hotel. The very idea he hated when it came to Khushi. I amount of respect he
had for her was immense. He never wanted her to look like his kept or mistress.
With others he never cared but with Khushi…he did care a ***k.
“Uuu! Looks
like someone is really angry”, Khushi giggled from the other end and then
became serious when she found Arnav was exceptionally quit. “di ne kuch kaha
kya? Marriage thing?”
Arnav kept
quiet.
“hmm looks
like I am going to have tough time dealing with grumpy Raizada. I hope I will
be able to walk properly this time”.
Last time
when Arnav had a fight with anjali, he did not spare Khushi and took out all
his frustration on her by taking her hard. Other than Khushi there was no
person in this world who actually understood Arnav and respected his
reservations. So later when he apologized to Khushi for his brutalness Khushi
conforted him a lot and made him understand that it was not his fault and she was
happy that he took it out on her. After one a person takes out his frustration
on someone who is close to him. But that guilt troubled Arnav for long time
until it slowly faded as they grew more close to each other.
Arnav cut the
call keeping Khushi wondering what might have happened so bad that he
disconnected the phone of her face.
Khushi paged
him saying “I will try to manage as soon as I can. Did not know what you would
want to meet me right now. Have some work linned up already. I will ask Abhaas
to manage them for me. Don’t worry I am coming soon”.
Arnav brushed
his fingers over the screen where she had written “don’t worry I am coming
soon”. How this girl totally took control over him and how she managed to make
a special place in his life that now he cannot think a single moment without
her. Unlike Arnav, now he wanted to share certain things with Khushi only
knowing that she was the only person who would understand his situation.
Khushi
quickly made the upma and chucked the lunch preparation in order to reach Arnav
as soon as possible.
She dressed
in simple white kurti and a faded denim and stuffed the tiffin career inside
her big bag. She was about to leave when misha she was hauled by misha.
“Mish, move
yaar I am in a hurry”.
Misha looked
at the messed up Khushi and held her hand, “where are you going?” she asked in
a straight voice.
Khushi
chuckled in frustration and said, “I have to meet Arnav right now”.
Misha
searched Khushi’s face and wondered. “To tumko pata chal gaya?” she said hiding
the panic in her voice.
“Kya pata
chal gaya mish?” Khushi asked trying to move past misha.
“Why are you
going to meet Arnav now, Khushi?” misha questioned her unable to comprehend
what was going on Khushi’s mind seeing the news in today’s newspaper.
“What kind of
question is that mish? What do you mean by why I am going to meet Arnav? Do I
have to have a reason to meet him? He is my…” Khushi gulped the term boyfriend,
“frined”.
“Khush! Did
you read todays’ newspaper?”
“Mish is it a
time to ask these? Cant you see babes I am in a hurry?”
Misha jerked
Khushi getting really worried for her. “DID YOU SEE TODAY’S NEWSPAPER KHUSH?”
she screamed making Khushi jerk back due to sudden anger.
“Relax! No I
did not”.
Misha hung
her shoulder in frustration and said in a low voice, “then first read it and
then you decided whether you want to meet him or not”.
Khushi
snatched the newspaper from her hand and stuffed it inside her bag, “there is
nothing in this world which can stop me from going to him at any point of time
mish. And I don’t have to decide when he had called me.
Khushi
reached near the door only to get called by Misha.
“Khush! You
are madly in love with him do you know that?”, misha bit her lips.
Khushi turned
to misha with a smile and said, “Yes I love him madly mish and lets make this
official to you”.
“But khush
you know Arnav right?”
“yes I know
and I am not expecting his love in return. I know what conditions we have in
our relationship and I am fine with it. But I just couldnot stop myself from
falling for him”.
Khushi ran to
misha and hugged her tightly. “yes mish! I love Raizada”, Khushi kissed her
before hoping outside their apartment.
Misha
helplessly sat on the nearest chair and looked at Khushi’s retreating back. “I
am sorry khush, but you are going to get hurt big time”.
**
Khushi did
her little touch up in the metro and was about to stuff her make-up kit inside
her bag when she realized she was unable to stuff it in. She tried few more
times but due to the tiffin and the newspaper it was not going in somehow. She
took out the newspaper and stuffed her make-up kid and just when she was about
to put the newspaper he saw arnav’s face in it.
She smiled
and unfolded the paper. He was looking absolutely gorgeous in the black suit.
Khushi picked up the paper and kissed it. “yeh misha bhi na pagal hai. She
could have said that did you see your handsome hunk?” Khushi nodded thinking
misha is crazy. But slowly her smile faded looking at the headlines.
She thought
she read it wrong. It cannot be possible. She re-read it. But the line read the
same. She looked at the picture of another lady who was tagged along with
Arnav’s picture. Lavanya Kashyap. And below her name there was a tagline Arnav
Singh Raizada’s prospective wife.
Khushi’s eyes
welled up and suddenly everything looked blurry. Only the prominent heading was
flashing in her eyes. The most eligible
bachelor of town now decided to finally settle down breaking millions of
hearts.
Khushi almost
forgot to breath. Her heart did not want to believe what she was reading but
her mind was reading each and every word printed in the newspaper. Today she
confessed to Misha that she loves him and today she got to know that their
relationship is going to end what an irony. Her sane mind was telling her to
control and think practically. But her heart, her feelings were shouting
something else. Her mind was telling her to turn and go back. But her stubborn
her was pushing her towards the unknown situation that might spoil their
relation forever. Her mind was telling her not to confront him. But her heart
banged some sense in her asking her to ask him as she owes an explanation.
The metro
haluted at her stoppage but she was so engrossed in the whole situation, she
was almost about to miss the stoppage. But she did not. Almost when the train
was about to leave she squeezed herself out of the door and falling on the
platform, getting hurt in the process.
She did not want
to get up from there. Slowly she gave him and started crying bitterly. “what
have I done? How could I love him when I knew there was nothing between us. Did
not we make sure that we will stay out of any such feelings then why god why? Why
did I love him? WHY?” she banged her palm on the platform.
Precap
Arnav
Khushi’s confrontation and Arnav’s secret
