Arshi FF: Family

Chapter 11

"Oh. Yeah" Ishaan said nodding and looked away when he spotted a photo inside the room.

Khushi followed his vision and smiled at their family photo. It was taken during Aarav's convocation. Both, she and Arnav ji, stood on Aarav's either sides wrapping an arm around him.

"That was taken on his graduation day" Khushi said smiling.

"Aap bahot pyaar karthe hai na?" Ishaan asked slowly, his eyes fixed on the photo.

"Who Aarav se?" Khushi asked smiling.

"Dono se" Ishaan said and looked at her.

Khushi smiled and looked at the photo, "They are my lifelines! If one is my heart, then the other is my blood!"

Ishaan smiled.

"Acha chodo, let's go downstairs. HP uncle must be waiting for you" Khushi said patting Ishaan's shoulder. Ishaan chuckled and followed her.

.

.

"Have some" Ishaan said smiling forwarding a plate of ladoos to Shreya. "Thanks" Shreya said and took one.

"Ishaan, it's better if you leave that plate there. She might need all of it!" Aarav said smirking and Shreya gasped, "Chup"

"Oye don't tease my bahu!" Khushi snapped and smacked Aarav's head.

"Acha so you guys are a party now?" Aarav asked to his family who was around Shreya.

"Yes" Everyone replied.

"What? Who is with me? Me....Ishaan? Ishaan, come here!" he cried and dragged Ishaan to him, "Ishaan is with me! Ha!"

"Ishaan you're with me right?" Shreya asked narrowing her eyes.

"No he's with me!" Aarav said wrapping arms around Ishaan locking him from moving.

"Err...I'm with...Aman uncle" Ishaan said and slipped from Aarav's hands.

"Ha ha....right on your face Aarav!" Aman said laughing and wrapped an arm around the boy.

"Having fun without me?" a voice came and everyone turned.

"Riru!" Aarav cried and ran to her hugging the life out of her.

"Chodo....your girlfriend might think that she has a sautan!" she said laughing and craned her neck to Shreya, "I'm Irene. Family friend! Aur tumhari honi wali nanand!"

"Khushi ma!" Irene said and ran to her. Khushi hugged her and asked, "Where are you parents?"

"Taking out some gifts from the car!" Irene said and moved to hug Anjali. She hugged everyone and stopped at Arnav. She looked at Ishaan and then at him. Glaring at him she moved to Ishaan and gave him a hug.

"Hide away from my parents" she whispered in his ears.

"Why?" he asked frowning. Irene looked around. Everyone was busy with their own talks and no one was noticing them except Arnav and Aman.

"When you dropped me home yesterday, papa and mama saw that. I got an earful and told me not to hang out with you. They think you're a....a..."

"A...what?" Ishaan asked.

"Street rat" Irene said biting her lip.

"Oh"

"Listen don't...don't feel bad...it's...my parents are like that. So it's better if you stay away from them today and..."

"OH MY GOD! YOU HERE?"

"And here we go!" Irene sighed and turned.

The whole family stopped their talks hearing Lavanya's loud voice and looked to where a very furious Lavanya stood with her equally furious husband.

"What's this brat doing here?" Lavanya asked angrily and looked at Khushi.

"Err...he...Ishaan. He is Arnav ji's friend's son!" Khushi said and looked to and fro from Ishaan and Lavanya.

Augustine marched towards Ishaan and held his collar.

"Dad" Irene cried.

"Augustine, what's happening?" Aman asked stepping in. He made the guy leave the boy's collar and pulled him back.

"Are you following my daughter?" he asked angrily.

Ishaan nodded no, scared to death.

"Dad stop!" Irene cried, "He is my friend. He is not following me around. He's ASR's friend's son!"

"I hate this boy. Don't you dare hang out with him again! He is a street rat" Lavanya said disgusted.

"Lavanya stop!" Arnav said angrily.

"ASR, this may your friend's son but...I don't like my daughter hanging out with boys who work in garages." Lavanya said scrunching her eyes.

"Woah woah stop there. You cannot talk about my boy like that!" Aman said chuckling and wrapped his arm around Ishaan, "Arey such a nice boy. How can anyone hate him?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not...following her..." Ishaan said nervously, "I'm new here and she is my only friend....and...."

"And he's working in garage as part time. He is an engineering student." Aman said angrily.

"From where did you get this brat?" Lavanya asked looking at Arnav, "Whatever it is, ask him to stay in his limits. Don't even think about hitting on my daughter"

"Mom" Irene cried.

"Tu chup! You don't know these types of boys. They impress you with their tricks and then cheat you. Look at him, I mean...look at him! He looks so low class....no status at all!" Lavanya said angrily, "He looks so shabby, low class, repairs bikes for a living, studies engineering with ASR's money. He is nothing but a gold digging brat!"

"SHUT UP" Arnav shouted angrily, "Who do you think you are? Don't you dare about Ishaan like that?"

"Why are you defending him?" Augustine asked angrily, "Because he is your friend's son? Are you so generous that you took your financially low friend's beggar son under your wings? He is a street rat!"

"HE IS NOT A STREET RAT. HE IS MY SON!" Arnav shouted.

Aman sucked a deep breath. Ishaan closed his eyes and Irene bit her lip looking down.

Everyone froze on their positions. Unable to say anything, their hands and legs numb, they looked at Arnav open mouthed.

No one moved. No one said anything. No one moved their eyes that were fixed on Arnav.

After what seemed like a decade a whisper was heard, "What?"

Arnav gulped and looked at Khushi who was looking at him in disbelief.

"What did you say?" she whispered in a very low tone but it was heard by every single wall of the Raizada Mansion.

Arnav looked at Ishaan who looked up at him in tears. He nodded and said, "Ishaan mera beta hai!"