Arnav entered his room and saw Khushi sitting on the bed, folding her legs, with laptop in her lap.
‘It is Chandni's laptop….’ He thought.
He is really out of words now. What should he say? What should he ask? He don't know.
Khushi was engrossed in her work but was equally aware about Arnav's presence in the room. She is waiting for him to start a conversation because she herself don't know what she should say. There was a time when she didn't need a topic to talk and now when she have, she don't know what to talk.
He sat in front of her. She looked up but again went back to read on the laptop. Arnav cleared his throat so that she say something but it went unheard.
She was reading with narrowed eyes and then started typing. She is not very familiar with typing. Hence, was typing slowly, searching for every alphabet on the keyboard. He found her too cute like this.
“Khushi….”
“Ek minute! Ohho.... ab yeh H aur S kahan hai?” She mumbled as she tried to familiarise herself with the keyboard.
“Khu-”
“Can't you just sit quietly? I am working!” She snapped at him. Then going back to the keyboard, she gave a wide smile as she finally found the H and S keys.
‘Aww…. Why is she so adorable?’ His heart said, dreamily.
‘Okay Arnav…. Calm down! It's just Khushi…. Your Khush.....’ He exhaled, calming himself down.
‘Yeah…. She is Khush. My Khush!’ His heart leaped, excited, happily as kid, who jump up and down getting his favourite toy.
‘And that is the problem. You have done enough, now what are you going to talk?’ His mind said, anxiously.
This made him nervous again. Poor Arnav! Not even the biggest business deals made him nervous. Actually, he never felt nervous. But now, things are completely different.
“Khushi..… I want to…. tal… talk to you…” He said making her look up, at him.
‘Arnav singh Raizada, what is wrong with you? Stop wavering!’ He said to himself taking a deep breath.
“Wait Arnav ji! I know what you want to talk about. About us, right?” She said calmly, giving him her full attention. He nodded.
“There is no us Arnav ji..… and never was.” His heart broke by every word but he kept listening to her.
‘No us?’ He questioned himself, miserably.
‘Yes…. Unfortunately, it's true and it is because of you only….’ His heart answered, sadly.
“About future, I can not say anything.” She continued.
“Even if I forget everything that has happened, everything you have said or done, then also you will become a stranger to me. And I am in no state to let a stranger penetrate my mind and heart because I have had enough.” She said determined.
Ofcourse! She has learnt her lesson. Being giving is not going to return you. The world will snatch everything it could. Last time her respect was at stake. Her most prized possession.
But that doesn't mean to become totally selfish. Be good. Don't harm others and don't let them harm you. Help others but not by giving your everything. Don't be a sentimental fool. As simple as it is! She have loved everyone enough. It's the time she love herself.
For now, she wants a break from this. And to have a break, she is going to focus on the course she has chosen. That will be the best!
“Even if that stranger works hard to enter your heart again….?” He whispered, looking at her hands.
She narrowed her eyes. The nerve of him! Even after saying no, he is hell bent.
“Yes! Even if he go and jump off the cliff!” She snapped.
“Khushi…. I love y-” She cut him off in the middle.
“Stop! Love…. A love without trust is nothing! First you need to work on your anger and trust issues. Don't say those words again and again. Don't ruin their magic. Please!”
‘Great! Now I can't even say this to her. Well... I deserve this. A very long way to go Arnav....’ He thought, sighing.
“Okay.… Atleast can we be friends?” He asked, unsure.
Ask Aman how friendly he is. He will give you the minute details. For instance, he is uncivilized and can be intolerable but he is very caring also. He is unique in his own way. If you befriend him, it won't matter how much bad he can be. You will want to be his friend always.
“No.…” She shook her head and went back to typing.
“Khushi…. You know, I can help you….” He offered, as he saw her struggling in typing.
“No… I want to do it myself. If I wanted help, I would have asked Chandni...” She said as she typed.
“What are you signing up for?”
“Architecture and Interior designing.”
“Its a good idea Khushi..” He said, smiling. She looked at him and then went back to her work.
“So…. When are you leaving for Lucknow?”
“Dunno….. Maybe in a week.” She replied continuing her work.
“Fine!” He said, thinking something and got up.
She looked at his back. What? What is going in his mind now? Definitely something big. But she will not back down and forgive him easily. Nope!
___________________
Akash entered his room to see Payal standing in front of an open cupboard with some file in her hand.
What's that?
“Payal…” He called her.
“Hmm…” She replied, continuing to read and shuffle through the pages in the file.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” She snapped.
“Payal… I know-” He was rudely cutted off in middle by her.
“You know? You know nothing! But now I know. I know what I have to do. What I would have done long back! My father asked me to stand on my own feet but I didn't go for a job. But now I know I should. I should not be dependent on you! And should not burden my father too.” She replied, angrily and went back to look at the papers in her hand.
“Payal I..... I know I have hurt you and-”
“No! You didn't hurt me Akash. You just said the truth. A truth which I never expected. I never thought of it even in my dreams. Wow! The man I love would have left me on the altar itself, if his brother would have came up with a reason to stop marriage. Wow!”
Akash looked away. Arnav hasn't done right! He used his trust to play his nasty games. He is not going to forgive him. No!
“I will be leaving…..” She informed as she kept the file on the bed and took out a suitcase.
His eyes widened.
No….
“Payal…. Listen please…. I am sorry… please….”
“No Akash! I am going back with my family. I still don't know the future of our relationship. I don't know that I will leave you or come back to you. But now I need to go.” She said.
Hurt flashed in her eyes as she predicted the future of their relationship. Do he even deserve me? But now she will leave. No matter what and about Khushi, she is angry on Gupta's not her. So, she will be watching her baby sister's back this time. Now it's her turn to prove that she loves Khushi as much as Khushi loves her.
“Payal….” He called, his voice full of pain.
“No Akash. Don't stop me. You also know that we need this space.” She said as she packed her bag and moved out of the room, leaving a miserable Akash behind.
He know she is not wrong in her place and hence, he was not able to say anything much.
__________________
Here Advay entered Anjali's room, to found her sitting with Chandni. Giving space to the brother sister duo, she left making excuses. Though, Advay don't mind if she stay.
“Di…. Won't you talk to chote?” He asked and sat in front of her, on bed.
“Cheeku, He didn't come yet!” Advay smiled.
“He will be here any minute Di. You don't know how restless he is.”
“Cheeku, leave me and chote. Tell me, do you love Chandni?” She asked, grinning. And he blushed.
Yeah he did! Two most important ladies of his life can make him do that only. His Di, the first most important lady of his life, straightly asking about his feelings for Chandni, the second most important lady of his life.
“Di… ahh… I proposed her two years back, in new york.” she gasped.
“You didn't even tell me?”
“She haven't answered anything till now!’ She widened her eyes.
He is waiting for her. Oh no! Her brother is whipped in love. Wow! Those two brothers of hers, who always said straight no to relationships, marriage, girls, are in love. This is fun.
“Don't worry Cheeku! I will help you.” He smiled and then only Arnav entered her room.
“Come chote!”
“Di…” He straight forwardly laid down and rested his head in her lap.
“Di…. Are you angry on me?” He asked looking up at her.
“Chote….” She sighed and continued.
“I don't know. Should I be angry on you or myself? How many times I taught you to control your anger? And all this…. You....” she trailed off.
After few minutes of silence, she asked, “Did Khushi forgive you? Though if she hasn't, she is right at her place.”
He looked up, at her face and grinned.
“No Di. She didn't forgive me yet. But she will. Soon enough.”
“Hmm…. I can see my old Arnav coming out. Good good…… I hope everything becomes fine….”
“Di…. You don't worry! We will see what to do with that Shyam.....”
Advay bobbed his head, smiling wide and both the brothers shared a hi-fi.
“Di…”
“Haan chote…”
“I was so scared when Chandni was shouting at you. I thought you…. Like ma…” he trailed off.
Advay too looked at her.
“Chote, cheeku… As much as I admire our mother for her all qualities, I despise the fact that she committed suicide. She proved that she was an awfully weak and pathetic woman and I will never be like this. Never ever!”
She completed and was staring at the wall ahead.
Whatever happens in our life, happens for a reason. It always add more or less in our experience. Hence, it teach us something to lead our life more happily and peacefully.
Who don't learn from them, repeats the same mistake all over again and then regret.
Maybe, whatever happened in their childhood, taught her that nothing is going to happen by acting all weak and heartbroken. You just become a liability, while in hard times one need an asset not liability.
She is her brother's strength, not weakness.
“Chote….. I think you should go and talk to Akash once. He might not be in a good mood but…. I think you both need to talk…..”
Arnav sat up straight and nodded.
He has done something that he never wanted to. He was never going to drag Akash in this. It was just an empty threat for Khushi.
___________________
The siblings trio came down and saw Payal leaving with Gupta's.
Khushi hugged Payal and crouched down to say goodbye to her father.
“Cheeku…. Payal ji is leaving Akash.” Anjali whispered.
Akash was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he is still in his room.
Gupta's left and the siblings trio walked up to Akash's room with Chandni.
“Akash…..” Arnav called as he entered. Everyone else was behind him.
“Go! Please go from here! I don't want to say anything which I will regret later. I have trusted you. Made you my ideal. And what you did? Used me as a pawn? Used me to force my wife's sister in a contract marriage? And I like a fool always trusted your every single word.” He said, furiously.
His eyes red and full of unshed tears. His wife, his love has left him. And they are not even sure about the future of their relationship. And everything happened just because of Arnav. Who don't trust on their elder siblings? Is he at fault? Yes! As much as Arnav, he is at fault too. Trust is good but blind trust is not. That very person is not a God, who will not commit mistakes.
“Akash….” Arnav trailed off as tears pricked his eyes.
“You know what, you have lost that old Akash. I will never be the same Akash. Nor our relationship will be same. Please leave me alone…” He said turning his back on Arnav.
He don't want to talk to him. Gulping Arnav closed the door. Outside they heard everything. Anjali looked at Arnav worried. Giving her a weak smile, he left. She kept gazing at his back anxiously.
Advay looked at Chandni and she looked back at him. Her worried expressions clearly told him that damage is already done. Don't know how they are going to control it.
The family has started to fall apart. Will they be able to gather them back again?
____________________
Hey there lovely people!
I won't say I am back because my two exams are still pending but here I am giving you all update.
Give your views about-
Payal
Khushi
Akash
Anjali
Arnav
And about others too.
I hope you all liked the update!
I have written a oneshot. It has happened with me in real life and I found it funny, so I penned it down.
‘A Cute Foolish Act’
If you think it's worth a read, do try it. I will be highly grateful.
See you all in next update.
Love❤️
Annie.