Chapter 5

The wedding was finally over and there was pin drop silence at the Raizada Mansion, with everyone indulged in deep slumber owing to the sleepless nights and tiresome days for the past few weeks, however everyone here included only Mama ji and Manorama Mami because the rest of the family was awake; four conspiring and the fifth one hating himself more than ever.

Akaash and Payal had demanded for a complete elucidation from Nani and Anjali for their acting at the reception and both the ladies were compelled to invite them to Nani's room to explain the entire plan to them and now as per their plan, they had arrived.

All four of them were seated on the bed and Anjali initiated the conversation.

"Nani and I want Chote to marry Khushi ji"

"What?" Payal was the first person to react, however her reaction, shocked the other three people. She had literally jumped on the bed.

"Di?" Akaash said incredulously, his eyes still viewing his wife out of shock.

"Yes Akaash and Payal, Khushi ji's a wonderful girl and I always wanted her to be a part of our family."

"I don' t think so" Payal replied gravely.

Anjali and Nani's face fell. They hadn't expected such refusal from Payal.

"But Payal bitya, they both look great together" Nani tried to explain

"But Nani ji, Khushi has suffered surfeit at Arnav's hand. I can't see my sister in pain. She has gone through enough already." Payal tried to be gentle but stubborn at the same time.

"I know that Chote had been excessively rude to Khushi ji but Payal you need to understand that she's the only girl who can change him, who has changed him."

"Anjali ji, marriage is not a child's play or a commitment for mere weeks or years, it's a matter of entire lifetime and I can't push my sister in the well with my own bare hands"

"Chote loves Khushi and he can never even think of hurting someone he loves, I am the living example." Anjali replied back, eager to bring Payal on the same page.

"How do you know that Arnav ji loves Khushi?" Payal enquired

"I've seen it in his eyes, that dance at Sangeet, Arnav's being jealous of NK, Chote being concerned of Khushi ji's unconscious state. Never did another girl had made Chote change so much"

"I don't know Anjali ji, I am just... I don't know" Payal said, giving up the deep motherly concerned look she was holding up, they were too obdurate to change their minds.

Anjali got from her side and sat beside Payal, engulfing her in a side hug.

"Payal ji, I may not be Khushi's real sister but I love her just like you do and I would never even think of hurting here. If I haven't seen that deep desires surfacing in Chote's eyes whenever she was near or whenever he thought of her which to your knowledge he's been doing 24/7 now days, I would've never even thought of it , trust me"

Payal sighed, they looked compatible with each other and then what could be more impeccable than Khushi and her being in the same house again.

"Fine.. What's the plan?" She sighed and Anjali clapped her hands in excitement to which Payal had to smile.

**~~~**

Arnav laid on the bed, thinking of the moments just an hour back at the hall, when Khushi had left without hearing his reply, leaving him boiling behind.

No one had ever dared to refuse to what Arnav tells them to do and this lady here has the audacity to see no point in talking to him when he takes it to be the best option. He himself didn't know how he mustered such strength to stop himself from running, holding her arm, turning her towards him and jolt her back to senses. He stood there as she walked ahead, breathing heavily; wiping here cheeks, which made him to close his own eyes. Her tears had always wretched his heart, he didn't know why but whenever she cried, a big bubble of guilt built in his heart and this time it was all the same.

"I'll come tomorrow amma" Payal said as she hugged her mother.

"I don't know how to take care of her till then" Garima said, patting her daughter's cheek affectionately and glancing anxiously at her younger daughter, who was too lugubrious to see off her sister.

"Don't worry Amma, It's just the night she'll spend, tomorrow you'll have the old Sanka devi back" Payal said and Garima smiled.

However Arnav for the first time envied Payal, how did she know how to cheer up this drama queen while all he knew was how to hurt her?

And now Khushi's words were echoing in his ear. What was wrong with her? She was fine a day before and today, out of nowhere, she doesn't bother to look at her. But then what did she mean? Always hurting after being nice to her?

He closed his eyes and memories came flashing to her.

Preventing her from falling from the ramp and then bringing disgrace to her family, first by breaking Payal's marriage and then allowing the tape to be aired on the national television. Yes Khushi was right but then, he thought her to be a show-spoiler from a rival organization and it served her right for ruining his show.

Diwali; he took of those lights from her, tended to her twisted ankle, returned her anklet and then... he was on the verge of kissing and then...

He shook his head, even thinking of that moment was unbearable but did she realize what he was going through? How could he fall for a middle class girl? How could he back of his words?

Khushi was wrong. It was him who hurt her after behaving kindly with her but it was her who always pressed the wrong button and a punishment always awaits you when you commit a mistake, doesn't it?

**~~~**

"Arnav ji please. I don't want to talk to you. Don't worry. I always feel this bad and get over the fact and yes, I won't be coming to your house anymore so you may now live in peace so I am keeping your words and GETTING OUT"

"First you act all nice to me and then the next second you always do or say something that breaks my heart."

I won't be coming to your house anymore so you may now live in peace so I am keeping your words and GETTING OUT"

"now live in peace"

"GETTING OUT"

"First you act all nice to me and then the next second you always do or say something that breaks my heart."

You were never like that? You and selfies? I mean.. Arnav Singh Raizada could be..so.."

Arnav got up, what had happened to him? How could he become so exposed, so desperate in front of that mere middle class girl? How could he always come so close to her, do something so passionate? How could she affect him like that? How could that concrete boundary which kept the world away from her, which kept him concealed from the eyes of the others, come down crashing to the ground in front of her?

The more he thought of the happenings of the last week, the more repugnant he felt, the more he thought of her words, and the more he loathed her, the more he thought of those tears, the more poignant it turned out to be.

These were conflicting feeling which made him hate himself the most than he hated her. It was his fault, his carelessness that this girl brought down all the curtains and got straight into his heart. He needed to get out of her enchantment and for that he needed to wipe all the traces of "attraction" from his heart.

**~~~**

Khushi was gazing stars from her window, waiting for this hideous night to get over. Arnav's actions were being played in her mind over and over again and she felt like putting a gun on her head and getting over with.

The last night, after finding peace in following the advice he had given her, there was a wave of gratitude and affection which washed Khushi's heart. When he heard his "Namaste" her heart had gone berserk and even though she didn't want to lose control, she had always devoured that feeling. When he came close to her, she felt angry for not being able to stand still and face him but that tinkling in her stomach did make her feel happy but tonight, the history had repeated itself. Arnav had been presumptuous again and as always she was not the guilty one, in fact she didn't even know where things had gone wrong. All she did was speaking her confusion out aloud and that had made him lose his senses. His tone was never so offensive before. She felt exposed and languid as her sorrow and grief had now been exposed to him and debased at the same time and she knew that this time, the most supreme act of kindness won't make her forget this disgrace Arnav Singh Raizada had made her go through.

She knew what was she starting to do so, but then why did she say it out loud? Was she desperate? Was she eager for him to have a clue and knock some sense into him? Did she really start to?

"Who am I kidding?" She asked as she clutched her heart as it had begun to go out of her control.

She knew she was beginning to love him, to fall for that touch, the smirk and that devilish spark in his eyes and she knew that even though this fresh feeling was impregnable it won't be as powerful as the feeling of revulsion and antipathy she now had for that man.

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Chapter 6