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Humari Daastan
'Sunegein yeh zameen aur asmaan, yeh kahani, Humari Daastan'
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'Khushi beti, jaldi karo!''Aayi Kaka!'
Kaka had been knocking on the door of Khushi's small chawl home for the last five minutes. Khushi was usually an extremely punctual person but today she needed to spend some extra time getting ready. After all he was coming back today.
Khushi went to her door and opened it,
'Kaka, humein paanch minute aur dijiye. Tab tak aap andar aake rukhiye - please!'
'Theek hai beta - par sirf paanch minute. Arnav baba aapka kab se intezaar kar rahe hain!'
The mention of his name caused Khushi to blush furiously - earning a mighty chuckle from Kaka. Khushi went into her small bedroom and stood in front of the mirror for what must have been the thousandth time that morning. She was wearing a yellow salwaar kameez - Arnav's favourite colour, her long hair had been left open - just the way he liked it and her wrists were adorned with bangles he had given her just before he left.
Khushi smiled when she thought about the last three years. Arnav had left three years ago to study abroad. The two who had been childhood sweethearts for longer than anyone could remember had an excrutiating separation of three long years. During these years they both wrote to each other and spoke on the STD phone near Khushi's chawl whenever she could gather enough money to pay for the lengthy phonecall. Khushi's eyes welled up at the thought of her poor finances. There was no reason for her to be poor. She was an educated girl who could be doing any decent job but employers , like society could not look past her limp. Even without a job, Arnav always made sure Khushi recieved a substantial amount of cash every month.
Her limp had caused Khushi many hinderances in her life but Arnav and his family had always treated Khushi as they would anyone else. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Though Arnav and his mother had always treated Khushi as their own, Arnav's Mami always seemed to have something against the poor girl. When she found out that Arnav sent Khushi a large sum of money every month, she confronted Khushi and told her that she should stop leeching off Arnav and without fail would arrive at Khushi's chawl every month to publicly humiliate her and take most of the money Arnav sent to Khushi. Though Khushi suffered immensely at the hands of Arnav's Mami, she could not bring herself to disrespect or insult the lady as she was part of Arnav's family and so Khushi also considered her one of her own even though Mami did not reciprocate that feeling in the slightest.
'Arre Khushi beti ab chalo bhi!'
The call from Kaka brought Khushi from her reverie. She took a deep breath and focussed on the moment she had been waiting for, for three long years. She took one last look in the mirror and finally went out of her room to Kaka.
'Chaliye Kaka.'
'Oh ho, aaj to humari beti bahut sundar lag rahi hai.'
Khushi blushed and quickly asked Kaka the question that had been on her lips for so long,
'Kaka - Arnav kaise hain? Ghar pe to sab unhe dekh ke to behad khush hogaye honge haina?!'
'Arre beti baba ghar gaye hon to sab ne unhe dekha hoga na?'
'Kya matlab?' asked a confused Khushi.
'Baba ne kaha ke sabse pehle woh apni Khushi se milenge. Baaki sab ka number baad mein.'
Khushi once again blushed profusely and her heart leapt with happiness.
'Yeh Arnav bhi naa - paagal hain paagal.'
'Aur baba ko paagal banaye kisne hai bitiya?' Kaka chuckled.
'Kaka! Der nahi ho rahi kya?' Khushi jokingly scolded.
'Haan haan, chalo chalo. Wahan baba ne aasman sir pe utha rakha hoga. Kab se tumara intezaar kar rahe hain!'
'Hum bhi to theen saal se intezaar kar rahe hain Kaka.' Khushi silently thought to herself.
Khushi locked up her chawl house and started walking across the long balcony down towards the many steps that led to the ground. Kaka had already gone down so he could bring the car into the chawl grounds to make it easier for Khushi. Leaving and entering her home had always been a chore for Khushi due to her limp but she had no other choice. As she was walking across the balcony she heard a snarky vioce,
'Eh langdi, kahan chali itni saaj dhaaj ke?' followed by a humungous roar of laughter.
Over time, Khushi had gotten used to the daily insults and snide comments of those living around her. But that didn't mean the harsh words hurt her any less. She wiped a stray tear and continued walking towards the steps. She refused to give in to the horrible people around her and give them the satisfaction of a reaction. She refused to let anything spoil today of all days.
As Khushi reached the top of the steps, she felt something hit her back hard - causing her to lose her balance and fall down towards the ground. Behind her Khushi could hear bouts of huge laughter and she could not stop the tears that were now streaming down her face.
Just as Khushi was about to hit the stone steps face down, she felt a strong arm grip her waist.
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So guys! As promised here is part uno of my new FF! Hope you guys enjoy it! Please leave me your feedback and suggestions - don't be afraid to let loose! š And KYT readers - don't worry I'm still committed to that FF too! š
Love Always
Tina
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Index
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Tum Se Tum Tak
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Vasudha
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