Chapter 30

-Archi-

@-Archi-

I KNOW, I KNOW!! I'm super late. But in my defence, my laptop was acting super strange. Microsoft word kept crashing every time i tried to open it . Anyway, it's all fixed now.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments! Loved reading all of them. And a warm welcome to all the news readers

Note: I know many of you weren't happy with Garima's character. I just want to point out that she is a bad mother and nothing can ever make up for what she put Khushi & Shyam through. The last chapter was supposed to explain Garima as the wife/lover. She loves Shashi even until today and whatever she feels about him and his reasons for leaving, is nothing but her coping mechanism. She is just trying her best to live with the fact that her husband left her for another woman. Secondly, yes, Shashi is selfish. And the love of his life (as Garima mentioned) is himself. That is precisely why he so money-minded - he wants to give himself the best life ever.

Silent Whispers

-CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT-

Strange New Footings

"Please keep in mind that no more than two guests are allowed to come to the ceremony. We have limited seating."

Khushi nodded to the receptionist, an aging lady who worked at the University of Delhi longer than any professor had. It was both impressive and pitiful, for there was nothing more boring than answering phone calls all day. Or so Khushi thought.

It was a bright Saturday morning in Delhi, the weather being exceptionally kind to the city's inhabitants. Only for Khushi, who seldom found time to enjoy the sun between work and the hospital, the day was the same as any other. She was running a few errands, the first one being picking up her graduation things for the upcoming ceremony.

She had just exited the front office, stuffing the package she received in her purse, when she bumped head long into someone.

"Ouch!" she groaned, rubbing her forehead. "Can't you see where-"

She broke off upon catching sight of the person in question. Dressed in a baby pink cotton salwar kameez, Payal Sharma stared back her with astonished eyes.

"Ohh..." Khushi finished, awkwardly.

An uncomfortable silence settled between the two. It was common knowledge at FMS that neither of them got along; in fact, stories of their fights were almost legendary. However, at that moment all Khushi felt was foolishness. Why were they holding on to petty vendettas when life was so short? Look at her mother for instance.

"Excuse me," Payal finally said, bending down to pick up her fallen things.

Khushi automatically reached out to help.

"It's fine," Payal muttered. "I will pick it up."

Khushi didn't pay any heed to her. She continued to collect the numerous files and swiftly handed them back to a bewildered Payal.

"Erm thanks," she said, a line appearing on her forehead. It was obvious she wasn't expecting such a gesture from her.

Khushi nodded, not knowing what to say. It was when Payal was almost through the door of the front office that she spoke:

"Payal?"

She glanced back.

"Wanna grab coffee?"

"C-coffee?" she repeated. "With you?"

Khushi nodded, patient.

Payal didn't answer. It appeared that her shock was beyond words.

"It's okay if you can't," Khushi said when the silence stretched on for too long. "I will get going."

"No, wait!" Payal called, snapping out of her reverie. "Give me a minute, okay? I have to drop off these files."

And with that she disappeared into the depths of the office, returning a few seconds later with her purse. Together, they set out in silence, walking to the cafe just across from campus.

"So... what's wrong?" Payal asked as soon as they seated themselves in a small corner of the coffee shop.

Khushi set down her cup, trying to tune out a group of students nearby, all laughing at some internal joke. It reminded her sorely of older and brighter days.

"Nothing is wrong," she said, letting out a sigh. "I just thought we should solve our differences... we are graduating in a month, it doesn't make sense to hang on to trivial problems."

"Is that what you want from me? Forgiveness?"

"I don't want anything from you Payal," she replied, confused at her direct tone.

"Right."

Khushi was taken back to hear her sarcasm. What was so difficult in calling it truce? Was she really so horrible of a person that Payal couldn't even consider the idea of an apology?

"So, is this the part where you are going to open up to me about some tragic reason you had for being utterly unreasonable these past two years?" Payal suddenly asked, blunt.

"What? No! I don't have a tragic reason. In fact I have no reason."

"So what went wrong then? Why did you literally hate the ground I walked on?"

"That is an exaggeration," Khushi replied. "I just hated your guts. That's all."

"And I, your ridiculous logic. Just because I wear a salwar kameez doesn't mean I don't have brains."

"Is that what you thought?!"

"Then what else was it?"

"It was... you. I saw the way you were Payal... you were hard working, dedicated, loyal. Everyone loved you. Yes, I gave you tough competition when it came to grades, but everything else..."

Payal was surprised. "And you thought you didn't have anything?"

Khushi shrugged.

"Everyone thinks you are going to be the next Ambani Khushi... and no, that is not an exaggeration. I never saw anyone as motivated as you. How did you even think you had nothing?"

"I... I don't know. A lot has changed since then."

"In what way?"

Khushi smiled. "Well I have this crazy, unpredictable boss now-"

"-Arnav Singh Raizada?"

"Yeah, I guess you read the papers?"

She nodded, apologetic.

"Well, minus the negative publicity, he taught me a few important life lessons."

Payal raised an eyebrow.

"It's different... working there. I have to push myself to impress him, to come up with new, innovative ways to catch him off guard. He is always a step ahead of me, I don't know how, but he always ends up knowing what I'm going to do even before I decide it myself. It's... challenging, but exciting at the same time if you know what I mean."

She nodded.

"Ever since I started working with him, I have begun to see bigger things, much more important things... he made me realize just exactly how unreasonable I was holding onto petty problems."

"And then?"

"I kissed him."

Silence.

Twice actually," she continued, the words pouring out on their own accord. "And I don't know what's worse: the fact that I wouldn't mind doing it all over again if I could or the fact that he is Akash's older brother."

Khushi guilty finished, keeping her eyes strictly on the table in front of her. She didn't know what made her confess one of her darkest secrets, that too, to a person who probably judged her like no other. She just knew she had too.

When the silence became unbearable, she finally peeked a glance at Payal, and was surprised to see no reaction whatsoever. Payal was sitting still, a cool expression covering her face.

Assuming it to be contempt, Khushi said, "Just say it. I know I'm horrible. Akash is the most perfect guy there could ever be on planet earth and yet, here I am, being as selfish as I can possibly be."

Payal finally spoke. "How are you being selfish when you never loved him to begin with?"

"W-what?"

"Oh, come on Khushi! It was very obvious... I never saw love in your eyes for him. It was all superficial, an act for us and for him."

It took a moment for Khushi to process that. And when she did, she understood exactly why they didn't get along all this time. So, she cleared her throat and said:

"But I did."

A line appeared on Payal's forehead.

"In your eyes... you love him. Ever since first year."

Payal gasped. "B-but h-"

"Come on Payal," Khushi replied gently. "Did you seriously think I wouldn't notice?"

She gulped. "How long have you known?"

"Since first year... Remember that time Akash hurt his arm in Goa?"

Payal nodded.

"You were so worried for him. You spent the entire night with us at the hospital... Lavs kept thinking someone told you to be there, because you were the only sober one out of all of us. But the look you had on your face... I knew right away that you were staying out of choice."

Payal appeared bewildered. "You knew all this time? And... and you never told-"

"No... I didn't tell anyone, not even Lavs."

"B-but why?"

Khushi averted her eyes. She felt ashamed to acknowledge her prejudice for the past two years. It made her realize just how rotten she really had been.

"Believe me when I say this Payal," she murmured. "I know I'm not a good person. When I realized you liked him... I was scared. Scared that I will lose a good friend like Akash. Even though I didn't like him the way you did, he still meant a lot to me. There are some people in the world with who you instantly connect with and he was one of them. One of the few in my case."

If Payal was furious, she didn't let it show on her face.

"I am sorry," Khushi said, sincerely. "I know I had no right to make decisions for you, but back then, it felt like I was doing the right thing."

"So what made you change your mind now?"

"I-I... I don't know. Maybe because I know what it feels like to be in your shoes."

Payal looked down at the table.

"You aren't mad, right?" Khushi asked after a few moments of silence.

"Does it matter?" she answered calmly. "Me being angry with you would be the least of your problems, no?"

Khushi snorted. "If you put it like that, yes. But I still care. I always did."

"If you care so much, why are you still with him?"

She blinked, not expecting to be asked the obvious.

"Don't you think that maybe your relationship is not just meant to be?"

Khushi didn't know what to say. She had spent the past five months convincing herself that Akash was perfect, that there could be no one better than him. And yet, she never paused to think about the other side of the coin.

What was wrong if she called it quits? She had been through so many break-ups; what was so bad about this one?

"There is no rule that you have to love him Khushi," Payal said gently. "It's fine if you don't. It's okay if he is nothing more than a good friend."

Khushi cleared her throat. "But it's not okay for me to like his brother... right?"

Payal kept quiet.

"I don't have a reason to break up... There is no reason good enough in the world to break someone's heart like that. My father did it to my mother and there is no way, I'm going to do it, especially when I know what it's like to be the one left behind."

"And what happens when Akash finds out?"

"He-"

"Even if you won't tell him, he will still figure it out. How do you think he is going to feel then?"

Khushi averted her eyes.

"You have no choice Khushi. You know that better than I do. So stop trying to look for an excuse to fix this. Because you can't... It's too late."

* * *

"Again?!" Anjali exclaimed.

It was a dusky Saturday evening in Delhi and Shyam was found enjoying a rare day off with his newfound girlfriend in a small park not far from his house. He had just revealed his unexpected trip to Pune the following day when Anjali yelled in response, causing many onlookers to stop and turn towards them.

Embarrassed, Anjali looking down at her lap, as if trying to disappear into depths of the earth.

Shyam laughed and pulled her closer. "You are adorable. Did anyone tell you that?"

She glared at him. "Yes, someone did. But don't divert the topic."

"I'm not," he answered. "I'm merely pointing out my observation. As a lawyer-"

"As a boyfriend," Anjali interrupted hotly. "You are not supposed to keep disappearing!"

"I wouldn't if I had a choice. You know that."

She stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest.

Shyam smiled. Of the many things he began to discover about her in the past two weeks, her innocent and often childish antics were his favorite. Leaning forward, he said in a quiet voice, "If you keep pouting like that, I'm going to have a hard time keeping my lips off yours."

She turned to look at him. "You wouldn't dare," she challenged. "Not with so many people around."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

Anjali quickly scanned the park, before saying, "You wouldn't."

"So, what will be my prize?"

"That's if you win-"

"When I win," Shyam interrupted confidently. "You are going to come see me off at the airport tomorrow."

Anjali nodded.

Grinning, Shyam stretched out his arms, as if readying himself for a battle. Anjali simply rolled her eyes, trying hard to hold on to her slipping annoyance at him. That was another thing he learned pretty quickly - she couldn't be angry for longer than a few minutes. It just wasn't in her nature.

So, tilting his head, he pressed his lips against hers, ignoring all the stares, he was sure, were coming their way. Upon feeling her smile, he pulled back.

"You knew I would kiss you," he accused, narrowing his eyes.

Anjali grinned triumphantly. "Believe it or not, but my boyfriend has taught me a thing or two about lawyers - they like challenges. A lot."

He smirked. "Being clever, are we?"

"Clearly not clever enough to stop you from going."

Shyam let out a sigh. He knew why she was so against his trip, and partly he was glad for it. It made him realize just how close she had come to him in just a matter of few days.

"It's two days," he said gently. "I will be back before you know it."

"But Akash is coming back tomorrow... and I wanted him to meet you, before he makes up another excuse to run from Bhai."

"I know. I wanted to tell Meeti about us too. But this case is important."

She nodded, though not entirely convinced.

"I promise I will meet him and Arnav as soon as I'm back, okay?"

Anjali gazed at him, a solemn look in her eyes.

"Now come on," he said, slipping his hand into hers and standing up. "I made reservations for seven o'clock."

But she didn't move.

Upon feeling her resistance, he looked back and asked, confused, "What's wrong?"

"What are we doing Shyam?"

A line appeared on his forehead. "Erm going to dinner?"

She shook her head. "I mean what is our future? What are you going to tell Bhai and Akash?"

"That we are together."

She let out an exasperated sigh. "What does that even mean? Together' has a hundred meanings! Are you going explain every single one of them?!"

Shyam looked hard at Anjali, trying to understand from where her outburst was coming. And all of a sudden it hit him. Her angst and agitation all swirled into the one question she didn't want to ask and yet wanted him to answer.

So without another thought, he settled what was clearly troubling her for the past few days: "We are getting married. You know that right?"

Anjali stared at him, blank.

"I didn't want to scare you that night," he explained. "Marriage is a huge responsibility, I have seen my parents struggle and fail to uphold it all my life. So, I just assumed you would want to take it slow."

She struggled to find a reply. "S-so... so, you... and me-"

Shyam crouched down in front of her. "So that means, Ms. Anjali Singh Raizada, that our future is not as ambiguous as you think it is. It is beautiful with two kids, a nice house with a big garden-"

Catching her confused look, he added, "-so that you can plant all the flowers in the world-"

She gasped.

"-and most important of all: us. That is what I plan to tell your brothers, or something along those lines. If you still think-"

She didn't let him finish. Throwing her hands around him, Anjali kissed him like she never had before. It was as if the world fell away, as if there was nothing but them, wrapped up in a sheath of pure, exhilarating joy.

"While I would love to continue," he murmured when they broke apart for the briefest of seconds. "We really do have reservations at seven."

She merely giggled in response.

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I know, no Arnav, but he will be back in the next update. I tried to make up his absence with Shyam & Anjali .

Please like/comment!

Archi

P.S. - Because I fail big time at updating once a week, I decided not to commit to a day. I will try my best to update by the end of next week (but no promises!)

-Archi-2014-12-04 16:58:36