Chapter 11

 

 It was nearly 5 in the morning and the air was thick with fog in Delhi. The heat seemed to have finally gotten into the atmosphere, saturating it so much that now even the air was frustrated beyond limits and to vent out the agitation, it was in turn taking its revenge on the poor people who were travelling on the streets, struggling to see past the dense white layer. Tired but glad to have won the battle against the fog, the driver pulled the sedan, Audi A6, into the driveway of Raizada Mansion, sighing in relief that Arnav had remained quite the most of the time, unlike his usual biting self, who never got tired of scaring the daylights out of his employees.

 

Arnav got down and walked to the door, instructing the driver to bring in the luggage. He was feeling extremely miserable that he was back in the place he least liked. One minute and everybody would be fawning over him, displaying their unconditional love to the apple of their eyes. Arnav winced, mentally cursed himself and rung the door bell. HP opened the door and sure enough, as soon as he saw Arnav standing in front of him, let out a cheerful cry, "Arnav baba aa gaye..."

"HP, shut up," Arnav mused as he walked down the polished cream marbled floor, his shoes resonating a dull sound from its surface. A moment of peace before all hell broke loose.

 

"Chhote!" Anjali yelled from the top of the stairs and came running down as fast as she could and hugged her little brother with love and affection oozing out of every particle. Two different emotions battled against each other in the confinements of the mansion, as two opposite individuals were expressing their emotions, happiness and irritation.

 

"Chhote, I missed you so much..." Anjali gushed, caressing his cheek and earning a small but uninterested smile from her brother. She felt down for moment but quickly rubbed it off and smiled again.

 

"Di, I am extremely tired. Do you mind if I go and take some rest?" Arnav questioned unable to take it anymore.

 

Anjali was tad too hurt but she chose to let it go because the return of her brother was far more important than how he behaved with her. He will come to talk to me once he is rested well, she thought and replied, "ha Chhote, you go take rest..."

 

Arnav breathed deeply and was about to escape the torture when Manorama burst into the room, "Arnav bitwa..."

"Oh..no!" Arnav groaned as his aunt gave him a bone crushing hug. By then, each and every member of Raizada house was there in front of him, grinning from ear to ear, extremely pleased to have Arnav back.

Lavanya was standing near the corner, blushing to see her love back, safe and sound and not to mention, looking more handsome than the previous time she had seen him.

 

"Bhai..." Akash exclaimed excitedly before proceeding to hug him, much to the irritation of his older brother, but sensing the discomfort, he quickly let him go. He smiled at him, "Bhai...designing is complete and I can't wait to show it to you..."

 

Vinay who was silently watching Arnav gave a friendly smile but got none in return as Arnav just nodded. The excitement died away as everyone realized that, yet again, Arnav was not happy being here. Ignoring the hurt and pain they felt, they asked him to go and take rest, feeling really bad that Arnav had done just the same the next second. Lavanya rubbed her eyes vigorously, not wanting to show her tears to anyone, extremely disappointed in Arnav for not looking at her way once.

 

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Khushi rang the bell nervously, hoping to see some change in her family this time. But all her hopes died as soon as the door opened, which revealed an extremely displeased buaji eying her with all the hatred one could have for a person. She bowed her head in respect and bent down to touch the feet of the old lady when Madhumati withdrew her feet, not giving her any blessings.

 

Khushi hid her tears and straightened up smiling brightly when her father came into the view, his mouth widened in a huge smile. Shashi hugged her, pouring love and affection that filled the emptiness created by her other family members. Diya, her younger sister, bounded down the stairs in joy and embraced her elder sister, welcoming her after 4 years. Khushi kissed her forehead and walked into the house. Two contradicting emotions could be seen in the eyes of the Guptas, happiness and irritation. The people unhappy by her visit, buaji, her mother and her sister Payal, were standing in a corner, their lips pursed, while the two people extremely happy by her visit were constantly blabbering, asking about her wellbeing and her journey. Khushi was happy but not extremely happy but she chose to ignore and live the moment.

 

"Khushi, kaisan ho bitiya..." her father questioned her lovingly. She smiled at him, "theek hoo bauji..aap kaise ho? Aapki tabiyat kaisi hai?"

 

Before Shashi could answer, Payal hissed out, "4 saal baad bauji ki yaad aarahi hai isse! Waah kya pyaar hai..."

 

Khushi felt a stab at her heart while Shashi admonished his elder daughter for her venomous words. Payal just made a face and walked out of the hall, quickly followed by her mother and aunt who were equally angry.

 

"Bauji...main..." Khushi whispered, her voice quivering in sadness, "koi nahi bitiya...tum inki fiqar mat kar..." Shashi consoled her while Diya kissed her cheeks in assurance.

 

"Di, forget about them! I am so glad you are here!" she gushed while she took Khushi's bag and bounded up the stairs to lead her elder sister to her room. Khushi gasped in surprise as she saw her little sister's room completely decorated with photographs and banners, welcoming her. "Thank you, Diyu..." she exclaimed and embraced her, finally feeling happy and contented.

 

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"Masi..." Lavanya cried, "Why does he behave like that?"

Manorama had no answer to her niece's question and her distress. Lavanya probably was the one who was hurt the most by Arnav's cold behavior. She did everything for his happiness, hoping to see one little smile her way as a sweet and caring gesture but until now, whatever she did was considered nothing but a forceful way to get admiration from his side, who showed no interest in Lavanya or bothered to care for her.

 

"Lavanya bitiya, tum jaanat ho na ki Chhote kaisan hai?" Nani consoled her, patting her head, while she herself was feeling awful. They had swallowed all the pain from 15 years, hoping one day the tables would turn, light would dawn upon them, making Arnav realize the extent of pain he had given to them by drawing himself into a shell. But it wasn't answered till now...Arnav still remained the way he was as a child, egoistic, aloof, and tantrum kid, though the peevishness had turned into ignorance right now.

 

 Anjali was sitting there, her head on Vinay's shoulder, trying to convince her heart that may be this time she would be wrong...she would possibly see her Chhote smile with a genuinely caring and affectionate attitude towards her. Something she desired from many years...Chhote please don't do this, she thought while Vinay hugged her giving her some comfort.

 

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CLANG!!!

 

 "For god's sake! Not another one! Can't you leave that utensil in peace?" Payal shouted across the room.

 "NO!" came a confident loud reply.

 

 "I am going to tell mom!" Payal threatened in a loud, scary voice.

 

 "Suit yourself!" was another coolest of the cool replies.

 

Payal was stunned with an absolutely unconcerned reply she got. Mom's threat hadn't worked on her! Mom's threat! What the hell is wrong with this girl, she thought furiously and turned to go to the kitchen.

 "Look, if I get another dose of your good-for-nothing-attitude then I swear you are going to regret it!" Payal admonished at the person perched on the kitchen counter with her hands on her ears and eyes unfocused.

 

"I am talking to you!" she said again when she didn't get any reply.

 

 "Don't you understand? I am talking to you!" she screamed and shook her hard.

 

 "What? What's your problem, Payal? When a person is not replying it simply means she is not interested in doing that! Why can't you just leave me alone?" she bantered.

 

"I should leave you alone? I? Just who do you think you are? I guess I really have to tell it to mom!" said Payal furiously "you are going to have it today! Wait and watch" and stomped away from the kitchen angrily.

 

Just then she heard peals of laughter renting the air and she saw her little sister, Diya, standing at the doorway clutching her stomach. She grinned at her and beckoned her to come inside while she picked up a toast from the plate and began buttering it.

 

 "What did you do? Did you break another expensive oh-so-cute vessel of hers?" Diya enquired shaking her head at her sister "why do you that every time?"

 "Because it annoys her and I love annoying people especially that big head!" she grinned.

 

 "Idiot, don't you get it? I am not clumsy but I pick up a vessel and drop it on floor on purpose!" she shot back with her eyes glinting evil amusement.

 

"Seriously Khushi Di," Diya muttered "what's with you and Payal Di?"

 "It's just that I don't like her...simple as that," said Khushi.

 

 "Why?" asked Diya apparently looking for a reason that might have upset Khushi to not like Payal "you are fine with me..."

 "Can't explain...that is one of the best feeling in the world," she said as a matter of factly and started munching on her toast while Diya was too dumbstruck to react at her hair brained sister.

 

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 "What did you say to Payal?" Garima questioned.

 

 "Nothing? Why? Did she come and complained to you again?" Khushi muttered.

 

 "Don't you dare talk about your sister like that" Garima hissed.

 

 "And why shouldn't I?"

 

  "Khushi!" and the next thing she felt was a sharp pain in her cheeks as her mother had slapped her hard across her face.

 

 Silent tears crowded her eyes and she left without uttering another word. She knew she had to face this every time she irritated Payal but still couldn't bring herself to stop it. Payal was an outright bitch who didn't have any kind of affection for Khushi and that killed Khushi every time she looked at Payal sneering at her. That was why in the first place she chose to irritate her as a means to avenge the insults hurled at her every time.

 

 

Khushi closed her eyes in disgust as she remembered Payal's words. Standing herself in front of the mirror, she admonished herself, "Khushi! You are not a kid to go and pick up petty fights with that bitch! You have grown up and you are an oceanographer for god sake! Have some maturity, will you?" and opened her eyes with a new, renewed poise and dignity, promising herself that she wouldn't behave like a younger sister but an elder one for whom her self-respect was more worthier than her sister's bitchy attitude.

 

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A light, discreet cough interrupted Arnav from his work and he looked up to see Lavanya standing at the doorway, looking hopeful. The irritation cropped up again, making Arnav ball his fists to prevent himself from a rash behavior and he asked her to come in, closing his laptop and sighing resignedly.

 

Lavanya walked in, hoping to talk to him, to confess her feelings towards him and to tell him to show some warmth towards his doting family.

 

"Yes, Lavanya..." he asked, "What do you want?"

Lavanya looked up to find the same annoyance and agitation in his chocolate eyes and this time she lost her resilience, "why do you behave so cold, Arnav?"

"A S R!" he stretched each and every syllable, "call me ASR!"

"No!" she thundered, "no, I won't call you ASR! You are Arnav to me. My Arnav and you will always be!"

"Enough, Lavanya!" he yelled causing her to recoil, "enough! I just can't tolerate this kind of behavior from you! Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

"Why?" she responded, "why shouldn't I? It irritates you right? Have you imagined how this cold, ruthless attitude of yours irritates us? Disappoint Di? Hurt Akash? Have you?"

"Please, Lavanya..." he raised his hand for to stop, "please just get the hell out of here before I do something stupid!"

"Arnav..." she called out desperately.

 

"JUST GET OUT!" he yelled and Lavanya turned on her heels and ran away out of his room, wiping her tears.

 

Arnav sighed and fell on the recliner, feeling hopeless. Why did you leave me? He thought looking up hoping that the ceiling would open its mouth and answer his question. When nothing happened, he closed his eyes and went into a disturbed sleep.

 

Anjali who was standing outside the doorway of his room, looked at him painfully and went away to console Lavanya. Time for a serious talk, she thought angrily, let him yell how much ever he wants, I will tell him what my mind says!