Chapter -17
As Akash left him, Arnav smirked. Let his sister be a little happy thinking she got to ASR. But only he knew why he was going to this party. For her. Arnav walked out of the house 15 minutes later, ready to attend a non-business party after a very long time and to his surprise, he was very much excited about it.
Arnav was getting impatient, stuck in traffic. And on top of that Akash was annoying him. "Bhai, This traffic... We are getting late. Payal will be very mad. It has been 30 minutes since she reached there."
5 minutes later, "What should we do, Bhai? Everyone will be waiting for me. We should have gone together to the party as she wanted."
After 5 more minutes, "How much longer, Bhai?"
"What the? Stop it, Akash. Why didn't you go with her like planned? This party is for you both, so you both should have gone together."
"That...I ...I thought, if I somehow managed to convince you to come then knowing you, you would surely not come alone. So I came up with the idea of me coming with you and Payal with Khushi. Payal readily agreed as she had to deal with Khushi too."
"Khushi?" Suddenly all his irritation was gone.
"Ya. Payal said Khushi was not interested to go either. So she said she would try to drag Khushi to party while I convinced you."
"Convinced? It was more like manipulated."
Trying to avoid that subject and Arnav's displeasure, Akash diverted the topic, "You know, it seems Khushi doesn't go to many parties. A girl in this age and time who doesn't love parties. Can you imagine that? Payal says she is different. That she went through a lot in ...Bhai, we need to turn left here."
"What?"
"Turn left now or we will miss the turn.", Akash panicked.
Arnav was listening so attentively that he almost missed the venue. As they turned, a huge cabin came into sight.
"It looks beautiful. Right, Bhai? One of Payal's friend owns it. When she said, it was far from the town and into the woods, I pictured some haunted mansion in mind...", he laughed.
Arnav's mind was not registering anything that Akash spoke. His mind was stuck at what Akash said earlier, "She went through a lot..', What?" How much ever curious he was to find out, he knew he couldn't ask Akash.
They walked into the hall full of people and almost immediately Akash nodded to him and walked to find Payal. While Arnav looked around, trying to find that one person he was here for. As he walked around he met many of Akash's friends who greeted him. Now he knew that all the reasons Akash gave him earlier about only Payal's friends at the party, him not wanting to go, was all a lie. That Akash made it all up to get him here. On any other day, Arnav would have blasted Akash then and there and walked out of the party. He hated to be lied to. And to his much annoyance, to be played. But today was different. He wanted to be here, for her, to see her. Nothing else mattered much.
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Khushi did not want to come at all. She was not interested in parties. There was a time when she loved them. But not anymore. Parties made her feel .. lonely. Yes, lonely. She felt out of place. Like an oddball between all these people. When Payal asked her to come, she stubbornly said no. But Payal turned out to be more stubborn than her. She announced that she will not go either if Khushi did not go with her. Leaving her no choice but to oblige. She was used to it anyway. To do something even though she didn't want to. "At least this time out, I am agreeing of my own free will, for someone I love and care for.", she told herself. So, here she was, sitting in one corner of the room, watching all the people who were total strangers, as they danced, talked, and enjoyed.
Suddenly Payal appeared out of nowhere and introduced Khushi to a few of her friends. She even told them to give her little sister company, knowing how much she disliked being called that. She almost retorted like always that she was not little but recalling where she was, she kept quiet. Payal looked at her as if expecting her to say something but when she didn't, she sighed and left. Leaving her with total strangers.
It was not that they made her uncomfortable or that they misbehaved but it was her. All her. It was not that she hated talking to people. But she just couldn't. One of them asked breaking her chain of thoughts, "Khushi, right?"
Looking up at one of Payal's friend, she said, "Yes."
"Nice name.", he said.
Another asked, "How do you know Payal? I mean, why didn't she ever mention of having a beautiful sister like you?"
"Ajay", the girl sitting next to him said annoyed. "Don't start with your flirting again. Payal will kill you.", she warned. Looking at a little flushed Khushi, she said, "Don't mind him. He is an ass. But we do want to know how you know Payal."
Khushi gave her a plastered smile and said, "We were neighbors when they stayed in Lucknow. Our parents were good friends. We both knew each other since we were kids. We were always together. Our families felt like they had not one but two daughters. Payal Di, always loved me like her own sister."
"But we never heard her talk about you?", blurted Ajay. Getting a tight smack from the same girl.
"What? That was just a question? I was curious, yaar.", he retorted. The girl rolled her eyes at him.
Khushi went on, "That ... That was because they moved away from Lucknow a long time back and we lost touch. We just recently came in touch again."
"That makes sense. How sweet, meeting after all those years and still having that friendship.", the girl said.
"So you stay in Lucknow?", Ajay asked
"No. I stay in Mumbai."
"You stay in Mumbai? Where? I used to live there before moving to Delhi to live on my own.", he said.
Before she could answer, he asked another question, "What is your father's name? And just curious, when Payal's family moved to Delhi, why didn't you try and stay in touch. You said your families are good friends."
Khushi was feeling uncomfortable now. Ajay was made to shut up again by his friends.
"Ohh! Ok. Cut the crap. I was just trying to make a conversation with Payal's newfound sister. Just a conversation. Isn't that what Payal said, to keep Khushi company.", he retorted, agitated.
There was silence for a few seconds and he started again. "Wait? Did you move to Mumbai to get away from your family like me?", he asked a little skeptic.
Khushi just looked at him, a little confused by his question.
Taking her silence as acceptance, he said, "I get it. Who will want to stay in Lucknow? There is nothing here. Your parents must be strict and overly protective like mine. Does your father monitor your whereabouts and make a big scene when you get a little late? Mine do. Don't worry. I am with you. They just don't get it - right? Do this, Don't do that. Always behind our backs. Can't they just leave us alone? You know, ever since I moved to Mumbai they always try to emotionally blackmail me. Does your mom do that too? How do you escape it? And you know what they say - we love you beta. I am sick of that love. I made it clear, I don't want them or their love. I am happy where I am without them meddling with my life. Sometimes, I wish they just disappear and leave..."
Khushi suddenly stood up and almost shouted, "Stop it. Just stop it.", surprising the threesome friends.
Realizing what she just said, Khushi looked at them, who were now looking at her confused. She stared at them for a few seconds with her big hazel eyes and then hurriedly spoke, "I am sorry. I need to go." and she almost ran from them.
Khushi wanted to run, run as far as she can. She knew that that guy, Ajay was not at fault. People have different opinions and feelings. She had no right to shout at him. But she just couldn't take it anymore. She felt suffocated sitting there. She was suffocating even now and it was only increasing. She looked around trying to clear her vision which started to blur due to the water pool gathered in her eyes. Before she could gather herself, she bumped in someone. She turned to say sorry but before she could, her eyes registered something in his hands. He was holding a tray with some glasses. She immediately grabbed a glass and gulped it down her throat hoping to get rid of the suffocation that was so keen on killing her.
The thoughts which were scrambled just moments back started to clear as she distracted herself with the third glass. As she batted her eyes constantly trying to get rid of the tears, her vision started to come back. That was when she saw the patio door just a few feet away. She hurriedly placed the glass down and walked fast towards the patio as she uttered a thank you to the waiter without even looking at him. Once she stepped into the open space, she cuddled herself, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath trying to calm herself, to control herself but a lonely tear fought its way out. She wanted to stay there, like that, alone, for as long as possible. But her wish was short-lived.
"Are you ok?" came a voice almost startling her.
She immediately knew who it was. She delicately whispered without turning towards him, "I am fine." as she cleared the tear from her face.
"Really?", he asked, now standing behind her.
"Yes... If you don't mind, can I please stay alone for few minutes?", she requested.
"Ya, sure. Why not?" Saying that, he sat on the chair close by.
Khushi took a deep breath trying to clear her mind but then heard a creaking noise. Confused she turned back and found him sitting there looking at her. "What are you doing?", she asked a little annoyed.
"Can't you see. I am relaxing.", he casually answered.
"Relaxing? Here? Are you not here for the party?", she asked, confused.
"I came here to give company to my cousin but it looks like he doesn't need it. And, anyway I am not much of a party person in the first place."
"You are not going to go away from here, are you?", she asked, in a tone as if she knew the answer.
"Want to go for a walk?" He surprised her.
"What?"
"You like watching stars, right?", he asked, getting up.
"Yes. You remember?"
"Of course. How can I forget? You gave me a huge lecture about them."
She giggled. "Let's go."
As they started to walk, she asked, "So, is it your hobby to ask a complete stranger for a walk?"
"What? No. Why would you say that?", he asked surprised.
"Because you asked me twice already... So...Why me?", she asked, curious to know.
"Why you? No reason.", he replied, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"No reason? What if I had said no?", she questioned doubtfully.
"I know you won't say no. No one says no to me."
Khushi was baffled by his answer. A little upset on herself for saying yes to him, she asked, "So, you always get what you want?"
"Yes.", he said, in a matter of fact tone. Making her laugh for some unknown reason.
Arnav looked a little confused by her reaction. He wanted to counter her smile but one glance at her and all he could do was laugh back.
Suddenly Khushi started to cough.
"Your throat must be burning?", he questioned.
"Yes.", she looked at him wide-eyed.
"You should be feeling wobbly too?"
"Yes. How do you..."
"You had 3 glasses of wine earlier. So, you really didn't know?"
"What? When? Hey Devi Maiya! How? No.."
"Yes, Wine. Just a few minutes back. You bumped right into a waiter, grabbed one glass after another desperately, and gulped them in one go. I was surprised but more than me the waiter was shocked. He was looking at you dumbfounded. It was actually pretty hilarious."
"What? You saw me but you didn't stop me.", she questioned, looking at him accusingly.
"What? Don't look at me. The way you drank it so fast, I thought you liked it and are used to it."
"What? No... I never drink. Never. I don't understand how I didn't realize...how?", she uttered confused.
"Didn't it burn your throat while you drank?", he asked curiously.
She thought back to the time when she drank. Trying to remember what she had done. Now it was becoming a little clearer to her, it did burn. Actually, it burnt her whole throat so much that it felt good. So good that it took over the pain that she was trying hard to suppress at that time. She didn't think much about it then but now she knew why it burned so much. Looking at him guiltily, she pressed both her hands against her lips and whispered with tears rolling down her cheeks, "What did I do?"
Her innocent question took him by surprise. He stood there totally clueless, trying to find the right word to say. But before he could, his heart almost came to a standstill as he saw her collapse.
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SURABRAD @SURABRAD
3 years ago
Are Khushi's parents no more? what's there to hide it from people? Guess there must be an unpleasant story behind .