Happy Ganesh Chaturthi! May Ganpati Bappa bless us with goodwill and Wisdom!😇
Quick recap since it's been a while: Arnav is the only son of super-rich industrialists Manish and Maya Raizada however he likes to mingle with common people. He has a secret personality as he writes poems with pen name 'Sahil'. Khushi has a loving father Shashank and a nice stepmother Garima, also a stepsister Preeto. Preeto applied for a job at Arnav's company and got rejected by Manish, so khushi dislikes Raizadas, hence Arnav gives her his fake identity as a poor boy Sahil. She offers him an evening job at Shashank's bookshop. Ab aage (now onto next):
--*--
It was late at night when Arnav finally had some time alone for himself, his parents had eaten his head with their constant fussing over him. As if that wasn't enough, they had invited few family friends too (equally rich as them and even more classists whose common topics were ridiculing middle class and poor people). He absolutely hated those talks and wanted nothing but to rush to his own room and find some moments to write... after all, his idea of wealth was totally different than these people, he was looking for wealth of heart, a heart that only loves and according to him there was no bigger property and asset as love was! But his childhood friend Lavanya had kept him glued to her or rather she was glued to him throughout the evening, making him difficult to get free.
And now close to midnight, as all of them left in their Mercedes and Porches, he sat in the attached terrace to his room, with an iPad in his hand. The soft, soothing night breeze started playing with his hair and he closed his eyes trying to absorb the pure bliss. This fresh air had such a magic that no air conditioner could provide him... and that inspired him to write something-
||I traveled the world
And though it is vast
I still need a truth
That would always last||
||Studied some books
And know my mind too
The whole time God knows
Only love will do||
||Studied Religion and
Forever I found
Even God loves Love
On this I expound ||- excerpts from a poem called 'Alive' by Catherine Mary Airan
And as he hit 'save' and turned the power off, in those moments of peace and serenity, he felt happy. An then, as if on cue, the word 'happy' reminded him of a person whom he had just met today but struck some beautiful chords of his heart and now that face was flashing in his mind, making him smile involuntarily.
And then he remembered two things, one was -he had to get a job for Khushi's sister and two, he wanted to meet her more. For first part, it was easier since he would only have to make a few calls and that would be done, even hiding it from his dad. But for second part, the only option was to accept her offer of an evening part-time job at her babuji's bookshop... should he do it? He got up at once and walked over to his room, and pulled the visiting card from his wallet that she had given him. He kept twisting it in between his fingers, lost in dilemma. If his dad got to know their only son whom they treated as a prince was working at some middle-class locality at a book stall, hell will break lose...but on the other hand, it meant getting to spend more time with Khushi... and he made a choice!
--*--
"I GOT THE JOB!!!" Preeto's loud voice in an equally excited tone boomed in Gupta Niwas the next morning and Khushi couldn't contain her happiness either
"Humein pata tha, unhe tumhe job dena hi hoga (I knew it, they would have to give you a job). Wait, let me go and tell everyone this good news" Khushi said, running out
Garima chuckled looking at her retreating figure, "by 'everyone' she means kids in our colony. When will she grow up Shashankiji?" she asked giving a teacup to shashank Gupta who only had a smile on his lips for his bubbly daughter.
.
.
"I don't believe you; you are saying you fought with Raizadas to give job to Preeto di, iss liye unhone job diya (that's why they gave her a job)?" Chintu, a colony kid of 12-13 years and one of Khushi's friends asked her with widened eyes
"Aur nahi toh kya Chintu? I said to that Arnav Singh Raizada, 'Don't you dare make my sister sad, she deserves this job and if you don't give her job, I will go to all TV channels and say Raizadas are cheaters'. fir kya, dar gaya woh (then what, he got scared)!" She replied, keeping one hand on her hip, and flicking her nose with other, showing off her 'power'!
"Kya keh rahe ho didi (what are you saying didi)? Aap Arnav Singh Raizada ko jante ho (you know Arnav Singh raizada)?" Pinky, her other friend asked with dreamy eyes. Everyone had heard of Raizada empire and had heard that their only son Arnav who was called 'Prince', had returned from foreign, recently. But no one had seen him yet...
"Aur nahi toh kya (what else)? are sirf janti nahi hoon (and not just know him), he is now my friend too." she said boasting some more. But it soon boomeranged on her...
"Wo don't believe you." One boy said, and other chimed in, "If he is really your friend, bring him to meet us, today evening. or else, we will not play with you" they said in unison and started walking away, making Khushi panicky with a prospect of losing her 'friends'. Who will play cricket with her if they don't?
"Arre, Pinky, Chintu, wait. ruko toh. I promise, I am not lying."
"No means no didi, bring him to meet us, then only we will agree..." saying so they all dispersed, and Khushi started biting her nails in worry. Her main support Preeto too must have left for her first day at AR, leaving her alone...
.
.
The day passed by very quickly and as sun started setting, Khushi's worries began increasing. she was sitting on the steps of her babuji's bookshop which was a few meters away from their house, when a certain someone came in her view... at first, she didn't recognize him. But when he smiled at her radiantly, as he spotted her, an identical smile spread on her lips too. This was Sahil, her new friend at her jiji's office!
"Saahilji, aap yahan (you're here)?" she asked, getting up and walking to him
"Erm..yeah, actually that job, --err at your father's book shop... is it -is it still open?" he asked nervously. Truth be told, this was the first time he was asking for a job, so he didn't know how it went. And then, it was HER, his new 'inspiration' in front of him. So, he was fumbling with words.
"Arre ha (oh right! )!. it is of course still open. Please come. Actually Babuji has gone out for some work, but he will be back soon. Then you can talk to him. Don't worry you will get the job hmm?" she said patting his shoulder in casual manner and he looked surprised at her friendly gesture.
But soon he noticed, smile on her face vanished and she looked lost in thoughts, rather worried.
"Hey, what happened? everything ok?" he asked in a hope to do anything in his power to alleviate her tension. Like that one thing he had already done this morning by giving her sister a job at his company.
"Nahi woh-" Khushi tried to brush it off, not sure how sharing her worry with Sahil will help her, until she noticed him carefully. He was good looking-could easily pass off as one from wealthy families, wore good clothes and no one had seen Arnav Singh Raizada in their locality. Yes! She could take him to pose off as Arnav in front of her friends. she got up with excitement and clapped her hands
"What happened?" he too got up, albeit worried for her sudden change of mood
"Sahilji, you have to help me with something. If you do this, hum babuji se keh kar aapko zyada pagar dilayenge (I will ask babuji to give you even more salary)" she said, holding his hand and Arnav already nodded without even listening... it was as if she was weaving some magic, where one pleading look from her, one touch of her hand, and he will do anything...
--*--
When Khushi and Arnav(sahil) reached the area, Arnav was shocked to see a group of few 12 to 14-year-old kids playing and Khushi indicated them as her 'friends'.
"Pinky, Chintu, Neelu, come here, see who is here with me. Arnav Singh Raizada" she called out to them, proudly linking her hand with Arnav's
And soon enough, Arnav was surrounded by her friends, trying to pull his attention to each one of them, cheering for him. Generally, he wouldn't like this much attention. But there was something about these innocent kids that melted his heart and he happily spent time with them.
Finally, after 15-20 minutes, they let him go when Khushi told them he had some work and will meet them later.
"Thank you so much Sahilji! You saved me today." she said, grinning widely
"You are welcome. By the way, it's not good to lie you know." he said, pulling her leg
"Accha? Have you never lied?" she asked, and he froze. How should he tell her, he had been lying to her from their first meeting itself. What will she do? How will she react?
But she continued, "and any way, if it helps to make someone happy, if it helps to save someone's heart from breaking then its ok to lie." and saying so, she unknowingly lifted a burden from his chest!
"But don't forget, you are not real Arnav Raizada" she said, as they reached her bauji's book shop making him chuckle! He shook his head, feeling entirely amused by her antics...Only khushi could tell Arnav Singh Raizada that he was not Arnav Singh Raizada!
--*--
Precap - Khushi had gone to Raizada towers to give a lunch tiffin to Preeto. And by mistake she entered Arnav's cabin!
Arnav was shocked and scared seeing khushi barge in, he would be caught!
"Hey Devi Maiya! Sahilji! What are you doing in Arnav Singh Raizada's cabin? What if he saw you?" she asked as she spotted Arnav sitting on the 'Boss's chair'!
--*--
A/N - There we go :D Thank you for patiently waiting for the next chapter of this story. I had only a few occasions to update during my 1.5 month break and I took those to update CSD and NSIV once. But now that I am back, this one will also have regular updates :D in fact, next few short stories are also lined up, so I am in hurry to start them too. Grateful for all the love on Bikhre moti during this break and keep it coming ❤🙏