One Step Closer (IPKKND FF | Complete)

Chapter Nineteen

Ever since Khushi Kumari Gupta had walked - fallen? - into his life, Arnav found himself increasingly capable of being dumbfounded when he least expected it.

Like at that very moment, sitting in a dark garden in Lakshmi Nagar, finally having confessed his feelings to this ridiculous, silly, crazy, steadfast, stubborn, smart, beautiful girl... only to have her hide her face in her hands and start sobbing.

Dammit. Will I ever stop making her cry?

He knew of only one thing to do, what he had done before, what he would do for the rest of his life. Arnav pulled her into his arms. Her hair smelled like jasmine, like always, like forever.

"Shhhh... Khushi, it's ok," he attempted to gently caress her shoulder.

"Arnav-ji... I have to go, I can't... I can't live here any longer," she mumbled into his shirt, then straightened up and shifted away from him, quickly wiping her tears with the back of her palm.

"Why?"

"Everything is wrong, Arnav-ji! I'm so scared all the time, scared of going out alone, scared of the markets, even going to the temple by myself! He was here for so long, he was living with us, then following me, sneaking around... Jiji is gone and I'm alone at night, and I just can't sleep, I have nightmares... Arnav-ji... I can't, I can't be here any more!"

Arnav felt as if someone had punched him, right in the chest, right where it hurt the most. As if on cue, his mind returned to the unpleasant memory he'd been replaying in his head since the morning, when Akash told him the Guptas were moving back to Lucknow.

"You don't want to see my face? Then be happy, because I'm going away from you forever!" Khushi yelled at him, her hair dishevelled, her temper utterly lost. "I'm returning to Lucknow, forever!"

After she stormed off, he just stood in that storage room, alone with his anger. Confused about all the feelings she had stirred up, angry for feeling so weak, relieved that she would be gone, miserable because she would be gone, and, worst of all, knowing he had done everything to make her go.

At least this time she wasn't running away from him. But he had no more right to keep her now than he had before.

"I wish you could come to Shantivan," the words escaped his lips before he could stop them. Immediately he cursed himself, making out Khushi's pained expression in the dim light of the garden.

"I can never see your family again, after everything," she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears again. "Jiji was right when she said it was for the best even she would be gone for a while, instead of being there as a reminder to Anjali-ji about... about what happened."

Startled, Arnav took her hand.

"Khushi, they don't blame you. Di doesn't blame you, for any of it," he said with as much conviction as he could.

Not that he had much of it - the very thought of Di languishing in that darkened room was a dagger through his heart. She still wasn't speaking, was barely eating... for the first time in his life he had no idea what was going through his sister's mind.

Perhaps she did blame Khushi - he didn't know, not really. The two most important people in his life, their lives shattered by the same bastard; and Arnav's own life, how could his life ever be whole without both of them?

"I'll come visit you, as often as I can," he declared.

"You? Come to Lucknow?"

"I have a whole factory there, you know. I can plan some meetings and inspections."

***

If Madhumati knew her niece had been out of bed late at night, sitting in the garden alone with a man - even if it was her brother-in-law - she would have been scandalised.

She also would have been shocked if she had found out that the man ended up climbing in through the window to help Khushi get back into her bedroom.

And, without a doubt, all hell would have broken loose if she had then discovered that man in the morning, accidentally fallen asleep right next to Khushi, on an awkward angle, holding her hand.

Thankfully, she didn't find out about any of that.

"Titaliyaaaa, wake up, your parents have a train to caaatch!" Buaji hollered in the general direction of her niece's room while finishing the last batch of pakoras for everyone's packed lunch.

Khushi awoke with a start from the most restful sleep she'd had in days. Early morning light was filtering through the curtains, and the last two stars she hadn't yet packed away glistened in the sunlight.

She stretched and turned over, hoping to steal five more minutes of warmth under the covers.

Then she shot upright, remembering how she had asked Arnav-ji if he could stay for five more minutes, just while she fell asleep. And then, then the last thing she remembered was dozing off, his hand on hers... after he... uh, after he had kissed her.

"Devi Maiyaa! I don't remember him leaving!"

"SANKA DEVI! Are you up or not?"

"Yes, Buaji! I'm up, I'm up," she hollered right back, trying to buy some time. Khushi nervously bit her thumbnail, scanning the room, half-expecting Arnav-ji to emerge from the closet, a finger pressed on his lips, his eyes smoldering.

No, he is definitely not here, thank you, thank you Devi Maiyaa! A wave of relief washed over her, with a tinge of regret. She was missing him already.

Khushi grabbed her towel and made her way to the bathroom, taking a quick detour to the window to draw the curtains open.

Her eye caught a small box sitting on the windowsill. Curious, she opened it to reveal a mobile phone - a newer model of the one she used to have. And a note.

"I broke your phone, and I'm sorry I didn't replace it much sooner. Call me whenever you want. I promise, I will call you every day.

Arnav."

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Thank you so much for reading! As promised, two updates this week. I hope you enjoy it!

Your votes & comments are always thoroughly appreciated <3

I'm working hard on getting the next chapter ready for Thursday, so wish me luck.