THE FORGOTTEN COUPLE: ARHANA

EPISODE 15

"Where is Aryan?" Alia asked when she noticed that he was not there for breakfast.

"He and Ranbir have gone to their friend's house. They will go to college from there together." Pallavi informed her.

"Which friend?" 

"Prachi and Shahana"

Their name was enough to infuriate Alia. She hated Prachi and immensely disliked the growing closeness of Aryan and Shahana. She could not risk Aryan being near middle class people.

Alia messaged Rhea to meet her secretly.

"Yes bhooji, why did you call me here?" Rhea asked.

"Tell me truly what is going on between Aryan and Shahana?" Alia asked in a strict tone.

"Umm...nothing as such......"

"Think clearly Rhea, you saw nothing?" Alia urged her.

"Wait! Now I remember. Aryan and Shahana always sit together in the class and he often drops her home."

"Why doesn't he tries to understand? I repeatedly warn him to stay from these people, but no he will not. Guess it runs in his blood." Alia murmured to herself.

"Did you say anything?" Rhea couldn't hear it.

"No sweetheart, it's nothing." Alia hid the truth.

"Bhooji, I need your help. Ranbir is growing closer to Prachi. I heard that he is going to propose Prachi soon. I don't want to loose him." 

"Okay dear, I'll think of something later. I have some important work now." Alia said absent mindedly.

As soon as Rhea was gone, Alia sat down plotting. 

No, this time it was not a plan to separate Ranbir and Prachi. Damn Rhea and her problems! Her first priority was to separate that Shahana from Aryan, else she may loose Aryan. Or worse, Purab may come to know about the truth while mingling with the middle class people and throw her out.

"This girl, she must have had a secret admirer or a rejected lover. I have to find him out and he will execute the plan for me." Alia thought to herself.

-----

"Are you sure? Is this true?" Shahana asked excitedly.

"Yeah! Ranbir told me himself." Aryan said with a bright smile.

"OMG. Finally it is happening. I wonder how Ranbir will propose Prachi." 

"I dunno. But it's going to be something special."

"How lucky is Prachi to have Ranbir" Shahana exclaimed, being genuinely happy for her sister cum best friend .

"By the way kind of proposal do you want?" Aryan suddenly blurted out unknowingly.

Shahana was taken aback by the question and gave a 'do you know what are you speaking' look to Aryan.

"I mean......just out of curiosity I asked it." Aryan tried to cover up the slip up.

"I won't tell it. It's next to impossible and you will laugh at me." Shahana shook her head dismissively.

"I will not. I promise. What's the problem in telling once?" Aryan said eagerly.

Shahana was about to open her mouth when......

"Mr. Khanna and Ms. Arora would you be kind enough to concentrate in the class or you may continue your important discussions outside?" the professor chided them as they were whispering to each other in the class.

"Sorry sir." they said together sheepishly.

For the rest of the class, Aryan could not get Shahana to open her mouth as she was busy taking down the notes. He resolved to find about it sooner or latter.

-----

Dimpy was furious at the growing closeness of Aryan and Shahana. He acted as if she was the only girl alive on earth and ignored Dimpy as if she didn't exist.

"Why is that girl always stuck to Aryan?" Dimpy said angrily.

"Don't know what Aryan finds in that middle class orphan." Shaina, her friend agreed.

"Hmmm.......Orphan......." Dimpy began smiling to herself.

"What's so funny in it?" Shaina asked.

"It's time for revenge. Come with me." Dimpy said and dragged Shaina along with her to tell the plan.

Shahana was walking in the corridor, finding Prachi.

"Hey Shahana, you are good at singing, aren't you?" Shaina called her.

"Yes, I do like singing. Why are you asking about it."

"Dimpy, we can ask her to participate." Shaina looked at Dimpy.

"No. She won't be able to fill the form."

"What are you talking about?" Shahana asked again.

"We were finding someone who can participate in a singing competition and Shaina suggested your name. But, you won't be able to fill the form." Dimpy said, smiling for some unknown reason.

"Why?" Shahana was clueless.

"Because the form has columns like Father's and Mother's name and signature. You won't be able to fill that up, will you?" Dimpy said with a mock smile.

"Why? That means.......her parents......." Shaina pretended to be shocked and clasped her hands to her mouth.

"Don't you know that her parents her dead?" Dimpy said to Shaina.

"Means she is not related to Prachi and her mother?"

"No. They have just taken pity on her and kept her with them."

"What? Why have they taken a burden? Even Prachi works to support her family but she......." 

"That's the point. I would have died of shame if I were in her place."

"Yeah. Being a burden to someone and not even trying to help them. So selfish......"

"Oops. We are sorry. We forgot you were here too." Dimpy said suddenly pretending that she had seen Shahana just now.

Shahana was standing rooted to the spot. Their words had stuck hard in her heart. Each and every word pierced her soul. Presently she ran away from their, crying furiously.

Am I really a burden to maasi and Prachi? 

Why hadn't I realized this earlier?

How come I had been so thick skinned?

I add to their difficulties.

Prachi and maasi work so hard to fulfil our needs and what do I do? Nothing. Just trouble them.

May be I'm born unlucky.

These were the thoughts that were revolving in her mind while she had locked herself in the washroom.

On the other side, Dimpy and Shaina were celebrating as they had succeeded in taking their so called revenge. Suddenly Aryan, who was searching Shahana to ask her about the proposal came near them and heard the word Shahana.

"Have you guys seen Shahana somewhere?" he asked them.

"Oh yes. She went in that direction." Dimpy pointed in the opposite way.

And Aryan went in the totally opposite direction.