Part 6 Khushi is caught
Flash Back
Khushi was waiting, looking at the ticking clock that was about to hit 12 o'clock. She called Payal. Payal received it.
"Happy Birthday Jeeji..." Khushi shouted on phone.
"Thank you Chutki," Payal said smilingly.
"I miss you like hell..."
"I too..."
"Don't worry... I have completed my graduation. I'm coming to Mumbai. We will be together forever, from here on" Khushi said happily.
"Forever? Chutki, don't forget we are girls. We should go to our in-laws after marriage... remember?" Payal laughed.
"Go, Jeeji, marriage is a boring intuition. I don't want to get married. I want to live my life as per my wish"
"Chutki, we have to settle down in our life at some point"
"What do you mean, settled down? Why marriage is always a limit line of a girl's life?"
"In your life, everything is happening as per your wish only. You wanted to study Criminology. So, I sent you to Jaipur for your studies. Tell me one thing, it is a course for a girl or what? Riffle shooting, horse riding, rope climbing, NCC camps... God... no girl would like to do such a course..." Payal said wearily.
"There are many girls in my class, jeeji. Don't underestimate girls' power. The world changed a lot but you did. you are still thinking about our old traditions and culture." She sighed.
"Chutki, I want to tell you something"
"Yeah... my ears are open"
"Actually, I'm in love..."
Cutting her,
"Whaaaaaat?" Khushi shouted.
"I..."
"Damn it... are you in love? who is the lucky guy?" Khushi asked excitedly.
"ASR," she said hesitating.
Khushi frowned.
"ASR? I hope you are not talking about the one who is called the king of the Shadow world"
"Unfortunately yes..."
"Whaaaat? Are you in love with ASR? Have you gone mad? How could you? He is a WANTED CRIMINAL... GANGSTER... KING OF MAFIA WORLD... don't you get anyone other than him to fall in love with? I never expected this from you, Jeeji... I... I will call you later..." Khushi disconnected the call with frustration.
She could not believe, Payal was in love with ASR. In fact, Khushi never expected Payal would fall in love ever in her life. And this was purely unexpected. Payal and love with ASR? Khushi was upset like hell. She didn't get the sleep that night. She didn't know how to take that matter. The wanted criminal was her would-be jeejaji... she felt to cry.
It was the last examination. Khushi's college friends sensed a difference in her as she looked moody. Khushi came out of the exam hall finishing her exam. Her friend Lavanya came and sat next to her.
"What happened, dude? Why are you looking disturbed?" Lavanya asked.
"Nothing..."
"Don't lie... it's written on your face that you are absolutely OFF"
"You won't believe me if I tell you the matter"
"What's the matter?" Hrithik who came there asked before Lavanya asked.
Khushi was silent.
"If you don't want to share with us then no problem," Lavanya said.
"Today is my sister's birthday"
"Yeah... how could we forget when you have been talking about it for a month?" Lavanya said.
"I called her last night to wish her. She told me something I can't believe..."
"Anything serious?"
Khushi nodded yes.
"She is in love..."
Cutting her,
"Hey, crazy... what's there not to believe...? she is also a human. She too has feelings..."
Cutting her,
"She loves none other than ASR"
"Whaaaaat?" Lavanya and Hrithik almost shouted.
She nodded yes.
"You mean Gangster?"
She nodded yes.
"The one who is on the TOP wanted list?"
She again nodded yes.
"I can't believe this" Hrithik said.
"I too can't believe this"
"I don't know what to do... don't know how to make my sister understand"
"But, what's the connection between your sister and ASR? Where did they meet? How do they know each other?" Hrithik asked.
"Yeah... your sister is a software Engineer and working in an IT company. How did she know about the Gangster?" Lavanya asked.
"Nothing is matching with one another. Then how did they fall in love with each other?"
"I don't think he also loves my sister..."
"What do you mean?"
"He should have done this with some intention"
"Khushi, he is ASR... he can do anything not only in India but anywhere in the world. Then why should he do this with intention?" Hrithik asked.
"As of now, I don't have an answer but my heart says something is not right"
"Relax Khushi... our graduation is already over. You are going to go to Mumbai to meet your sister tomorrow. Get clear all your doubts"
"Yes... I will definitely do that"
"Did she vacate the hostel?" Hrithik asked.
"Not yet... she will do it only after we find a house"
"Didn't your sister find a house for you guys?
"Not yet... she is searching..."
"I'm confused," Hrithik said.
"Why?"
"ASR's girlfriend is searching for a house for many days. He has many houses in Mumbai City, you know?"
"So what, if he has many houses? Do you think I will stay in his house?" Khushi asked angrily.
"You won't but your sister... she is his girlfriend after all"
"Haan, Khushi... being ASR's girlfriend, doesn't your sister know how influential he is? Why didn't she take his help?" Lavanya asked.
"I think she wants to keep it secretly," Hrithik said.
"But why?" Lavanya asked.
"ASR would have thought it may affect her..." Hrithik said.
"I can't understand anything" Khushi sighed.
"Relax... stay at my place until your sister finds a rental house," Hrithik said.
Khushi nodded ok.
The same day evening
Khushi was packing her things. She felt nothing good after she cut Payal's call. She thought to call her again as she didn't want to be rigid with Payal when she went to Mumbai. So, she called Payal again. She waited, keeping the phone in her ear. Payal attended the call. Khushi was about to talk, but she stopped listening to Payal's weird tone.
"Khuuuuu...shi...."
"Jeeji... what happened? Are you alright?"
"A...S...R..."
"ASR?"
"Oh... he..."
"What he did do?"
"Ahaaaaa" Payal shouted.
"Jeeji... Jeeji...." Khushi shouted.
There was no response from Payal.
"Jeeji what happened to you? Please answer me..." Khushi cried. She heard a phone disconnecting sound. She looked at her phone horrified.
Khushi jerked coming out of the flashback as her phone rang. She saw PC Sita calling. She attended it.
"Hello, Madam"
"Khushi, I have sent you AC Varma's number"
"Thank you, Madam"
"Be careful... don't talk to him anything on phone. Get his appointment and meet him in person"
"Ok, madam"
"Bye," Sita disconnected the call.
Khushi called Varma immediately. He received the call after three rings.
"AC Varma speaking"
"Sir, I would like to meet you"
"Who are you?"
"I can tell you about me only in person. I want to talk to you about something very important"
"About what you want to talk to me about?"
"About ASR"
"ASR?" his voice sounded shocked.
"Yes, Sir. Shall I meet you?"
"Ok, come to my office at 4 o'clock"
"Thank you, sir"
"Yeah..." Varma disconnected the call thoughtfully.
Someone heard his talks with Khushi from outside. The person who listened to it moved away without making noise.
Khushi felt a little relieved. She hoped Varma would help her to find Payal.
She called Hrithik to convey the matter. He attended the call. Khushi heard a vehicle sound when Hrithik attended her call.
"Where are you?"
"I'm going to my village to drop my mother there"
"I'm sorry, Hrithik because of me you are facing trouble"
"Leave it... we are criminology fellows. Our future will be like this only. We will have to do a job in which there are a lot of risks. I will call you after coming back to Mumbai"
"Ok, I'm going to meet AC Varma in the evening in his office"
"That's great... I would have come with you if I had been in Mumbai"
"No problem... I think we don't have to be hidden after meeting him" Khushi said hopefully.
"Call me after meeting him. Don't forget to wear Burqa"
"Ok..." Khushi disconnected the call.
Evening
Khushi got down from the auto in front of Varma's office. She walked in, running her eyes in the surroundings. She inquired about AC Varma to the person who crossed her.
That was when she attracted someone's attention. The man shrank his eyes, seeing a BINDI on her forehead.
"BINDI in the forehead of a Muslim girl?" the man murmured within.
He gestured for his man something. He nodded ok and walked towards her. He intentionally banged on her and Khushi lost her balance. In no time, the veil that was hiding her face slid a little. It was enough for the man to recognize who she was.
"Khushi..." he said and Khushi heard it.
His men got alert and advanced her. without thinking of anything, Khushi ran out of the campus. They chased her. Khushi ran as much as she could. After tackling them, she again entered the AC's office and banged on someone. Before she composed herself, the man with whom she banged, pressed his handkerchief on her face. Khushi fell on his chest, losing consciousness. Placing her in his car, ARNAV started the car towards his place, after gesturing his men to follow him who came chasing Khushi.
To be continued...