"Aaj aapko jawab dena padega chotte" Anjali was startled as she heard the loud voice of her grandmother.
(You will have to give me an explanation today chotte)
It seems she wasn't the only one waiting for chotte to get home.
Anjali hurried out of the bedroom and saw Arnav on the first landing of the stairs, clenching and unclenching his fists, with his back to their grandmother.
Anjali walked towards them, not wanting her brother to blast at their grandmother.
"I'm asking you something chotte. Why would you do something like that? You were the one who choose Lavanya. Then why would you call off the engagement after publically announcing it?" Nani asked again.
"Chotte" Anjali called softly as she neared her brother.
She looked up at him expectantly as she too wanted answers.
By the time, Akash, Manorama and Manohar had also come out of their bedrooms, listening to the loud voice of the Raizada matriarch.
"After all we did, after all Kushi bitiya did for the two of you..." Nani began to say but Arnav was beyond mad listening to that name again.
"Kushi Kushi Kushi" he yelled turning back to face his grandmother
Devyani Raizada was stunned to see the fury on her grandson's face.
He had always been an angry young man. But this one tops all his burst outs.
"This is all because of her. Kushi Kumari Gupta" Arnav said angrily
The listeners frowned wondering what Kushi has got to do with Arnav and Lavanya's engagement.
"Aap kya bol raha hei chotte" nani asked in confusion.
(What are you saying chotte?)
"Jab se wo meri zindagi mein aayi. Tab se. Pareshan karke rakha hei mujhe. Pagal bana diya mujhe. She brought hell upon me. I have never had a proper peaceful sleep ever since she came into my life. All I can think of is her. Her eyes, her smile, her voice. And her tears. Her bloody tears that never lets me sleep. Kushi Kushi Kushi" Arnav complained hissing and the other gaped at him stunned
(Ever since she entered my life. She had be troubled. She made me crazy)
As the people around his remained silent, Arnav continued with his complaints.
"For fu*cks sake, I yelled at Lavanya for dressing up like Kushi. And when I apologised, I had to go and call her Kushi, because all I could think about was the times I yelled at Kushi. How do you think makes me feel? How do you think that made Lavanya feel?" Arnav asked in anguish.
Before they could respond, he continued
"It made me feel like I'm cheating Lavanya. It made me feel like I'm Arvind Malik. So yes, I broke off the engagement with Lavanya because I couldn't hurt her anymore. She is better off without me" Arnav said
"But Kushi..." Anjali began softly
"Again Kushi. After all the hell she had brought down into my life, she is happily wearing another man's ring. How dare she? Like hell I will let her be happy like that" With that said, Arnav marched towards the stairs leading to his bedroom upstairs, leaving a bewildered family behind.
"Hello hi bye bye" Manorama was the first one to break the silence.
Akash shook his head to clear his thoughts and then he looked at his sister.
"Did he just? Did he just declare that he is in love with Kushi ji? Or am I still sleeping and dreaming?" Akash asked
"Devi maiyya. Ye kya twist hei. Kushi bitiya?? Chotte ko Kushi bitiya pasand hei?" Nani asked in wonder.
(Oh God. What new twist is this. Kushi? Chotte likes Kushi?)
"It seems so nani. I saw some things in his cupboard tonight. I was confused, but he just cleared them" Anjali said, now all things clear for her.
"What things?" Akash asked curiously
"He had our momma's jewellery box in his cupboard. And there were things inside it. A golden bangle. Which belong to Kushi ji. Then there were some broken glass bangles there. Like the ones Kushi ji usually wears. And then there were some pearls. I assume they are also Kushi ji's. And along with these things are a few photographs of Kushi ji. The one taken for the calendar photoshoot" Anjali said
"The one he cancelled" Akash said, remembering his brother cancelling that project for no particular reason.
"Yes"
"Did he cancel it because he didn't want anyone else to see those photos?" Akash asked, things getting a bit more clearer now.
"Possibly. I now remember him staring at those photos in his laptop long back. It was immediately after the photoshoot. I thought he was selecting the photos for the calendar." Anjali said
"Oh bhai. What is he going to do? I don't think he has realised his love yet" Akash said
"What are elder sister for Akash. I will make him realise" Anjali said excitedly.
"You will do no such thing" Nani decreed
"But why? You love her, don't you nani?" Anjali asked
"I do. That's why I'm telling you to leave it. You have seen how chotte has treated that poor girl. Do you think she would want anything to do with our chotte after the hell he put her through. And he says she brought hell upon him." Nani said with a scoff.
"So what are you thinking of doing nani?" Anjali asked
"Nothing" Nani said
"But chotte is in love with Kushi ji. If he doesn't realise it now, he will loose her nani" Anjali said
"Anjali bitiya. Kushi is engaged. Chotte already broke his engagement. Do you want him to go and break hers too. I don't want that. She seemed very happy with that boy today" Devayani said
"But nani..."
"No more discussions on this Anjali bitiya. Chotte laid his bed. Now he will have to lie on it." With that said nani left leaving a happy Manorama behind.
Anjali was quite not very happy with nani's decision.
Yes, her brother is an angry impulsive stupid.
But he too deserves love.
If Kushi ji is his one chance at love, then she will do everything in her power to unite them.
As it is, she knews Kushi ji is not engaged to that boy.
Akash shook his head, feeling empathetic for his brother.
He had seen how stubborn the elder Gupta sister is.
If the silent shy Payal Gupta can be this stubborn, he can only imagine how stubborn the younger Gupta sister would be.
His brother could try, but it would be a difficult battle. A battle full of thorns which he himself has sprinkled on.
A/n
Here goes the next shot
Sorry, couldn't update yesterday. Was caught up with some things.
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