FF: We are together#1- (Chap 1-22) - Page 42

Arnav rubbed his eyes away furiously. Why am I feeling so sleepy today? He checked his watch on the side table 10:00. huh? Not too late. Then why am I so sleepy, I can easily manage to stay up till 2:00 without a moments rest normally. Then. Oh. Oh okay. With all the emotional drama all day, I guess my brain No, no heart is working over time. Rugged organ it is. Hardly used, and when used worns out way too quickly.

OoO

Ar: Hello? Arnav Singh Raizada.

Kh: (smirking) Khushi Singh Raizada.

A wide smiled spread on Arnav's lips. Openly accepted. Nice.

Ar: Khushi? You? What happened now?

Kh: (a little irritated) Do I always call you when something's happened?

Ar: Let me think. Mmm. Ya of course.

Kh: (irritated) Aarrnnaavv.

Ar: (between sleepy yawns) Acha na, bolo kya huwa?

Kh: Did I wake you up?

Ar: No. I didn't tuck myself in bed yet. I was about to until you called.

Kh: Oh okay okay. Sorry. Nothing special I had to say. Go to sleep.

Ar: Nahin. Nahin. Now that you have started it, tell me why did you call?

Kh: Erm..I just wanted to tell you that just when you left, a few minutes later Amma came to me and apologized for her behavior earlier. In short, everything is good between us now.

Arnav smiled a satisfied smile from the other end of the phone. So, he had managed to kick some sense into his mother in law. Mission 2. Successful.

Ar: Oh, that's great.

Kh: Haina? And she even said that now she's sure that you really do love me.

Ar: What kinds of doubts had she earlier?

Kh: (silencing) Better leave that alone. Okay so I got to go. Anjali Di is coming here, gocha get ready.

Ar: Ahan ya, she told me so. Di bhi na, she's out to your house at 10 at night. She could have waited until tomorrow.

Kh: She couldn't.

Ar: Why?

Kh: I'll explain that to you later. Bye.. Take Care..and I love you.

She clicked the phone off hurriedly before Arnav could reply. He sighed from the other end. God! This lady, she's unbelievable, ajeeb hain bilkul.

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Anjali stood downstairs all dressed up waiting impatiently for Mami Manorama.

Anj: (calling up) Mami, hurry up! We are getting late.

Mami strolled down casually fidgeting with her extra large earrings and the pallu of her sari.

Mami: Heloo Hye Bye Bye! Shaddi tumri hain k Khusee or Payalia ki?

Anj: (confused) Jee?

Mami: Inne achi sari wear garugey tou tumrein liye proposal anna start hojawath gey.

Anjali blushed and giggled.

Anj: App Bhi na Mami. Ab chalein?

Mami nodded and both of them went out of the house towards the waiting cars outside.

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Payal sat looking into the dressing table mirror making final touches. She went up to where Khushi sat on the bed deep in thought.

Pa: What happened Khushi? Where are you lost?

Khushi didn't seemed to have listened. Payal shook her violently.

Kh: (startled) Jiji? What happened? Is there something you want?

Pa: No. No. Where are you lost?

Kh: I don't know Jiji. I feel weird. Two days later we won't be in this room. It's going to be so different.

Pa: (thoughtfully) Remember I wanted to talk to you about something earlier.

Kh: (nodding) Oh ya. What is it?

Pa: The same thing you are talking about. *pause* It's surprising how all of a sudden we feel hesitate to going to that room now when we have only been there one month earlier, and felt so comfortable in there, as if it is by right ours.

Kh: True Jiji. It's different to feel married. ( a smile appeared on her face) You know what Jiji today when Mrs. Oberoi addressed me as Ms.Gupta, Arnav clearly told her, that this name isn't in existence now. It's Mrs.Raizada.

Payal frowned a bit hearing Arnav's name, remembering how rudely he had talked to Ma earlier. But still seeing Khushi so delighted she forced a smile and tried to sound happy for her.

Pa: Oh Khushi, you are so lucky.

Although in her mind she didn't consider anybody as unlucky as Khushi at the moment. Who would want Arnav Singh Raizada as a husband anyway?

Khushi smiled at Payal's comment. She was so lucky. Arnav Singh Raizada was the perfect husband for her. Who wouldn't want Arnav Singh Raizada as a husband anyway?

Just as the sisters were talking they heard the door bell ring. Both of them together hurried to the living room fidgeting with their hooks as to look perfect in front of Anjali and Mami.

Garima and Buaji welcomed Mami and Anjali inside smiling. Both of them walked inside accompanied with a total of four servants carrying random items with them.

Bua: (gasping) Haire Nandkishore! What's all this?

Nani: Hello Hi Bye Bye! Shagun hain aur kya?

Buaji batted an eye at her. Anjali and Mami took their seats at the couches.

Ga: (modestly) What was the need of all this?

Anj: Arey, It's Shagun. Please tell them where to keep it.

Garima directed them towards the kitchen.

Anj: Jay Prakash, leave the sharara's behind.

Jay Prakash obediently nodded and kept the sharara's on the side table. Soon after Garima returned and sat on the couch. Khushi and Payal greeted Mama and Anjali affectionately. Mami gave a loving smile to Payal and passed a annoying look at Khushi. Anjali smiled at the both the girls on their cheeks.

Anj: (putting forward the boxes of sharara's) These are Khushi and Payal's dresses that they have to wear at the wedding.

Garima and Buaji looked at them while Khushi clumsily leaned closer almost falling over Mami before Payal held her wrist tightly to keep her steady. Upon getting the angry 'behave your self' signal from her mother Khushu backed out and stood embarrassed next to Payal.

Ga: (in awe) These are so pretty.

Anjali gave her a wide smile. They talked some more and finally Anjali and Mami got up.

Anj: We must leave. There is a lot of work at home.

Ga: So soon? You could manage a little more time.

Mami: Hello Hi Bye Bye! Marriage ki many tayari bachi hain, samdhanjee.

Ga: I understand.

Garima, Buaji along with Khushi-Payal accompanied Anjali and Mami to the door and bid them goodbye.

Kh: (mumbling to herself) Mami is so annoying.

Pa: She is nice Khushi.

Kh: (snorting) Only to you.

Payal had thankfully no heard and had already made her way towards the room with the two lehenga resting peacefully in her hands.

Khushi followed her making all king of grumbling sounds she could manage. Only if someone would understand her. She thought fondly of her best friend Vivek Sharma who for now wasn't in contact with her, but before she shifted her to Delhi, they would see each other quite regularly. Same class, same school, sitting next to each other, and all the fun they had been unimaginable.

'Give this to me right now!'

Khushi looked next to her at the now pale Vivek and the booming voice of Ms.Priyanka from the extra large windows of her class. She craned her neck backwards just to see that the girl sitting on the back seat had been caught with a chit and something in pathetic writing was scribbled on it. Oh shit! This is Vivek's handwriting, the chit he had just passed to Maya had been caught! God! What now? I should have told him before that he should stop passing chit's to that troublesome lady and listen to the history lesson more carefully.

Ms.Priya: I said give this to me write now!

Maya held on to the chit and the copy she was scribbling the entire thing on tightly in her hand as if her life depended on it.

Maya: Sorry na Mam! This wont happen ever again.

Ms.Priya: I said just give me the chit right now.! No arguments.

Maya was way to stubborn to listen. After continuous arguments between her and the teacher she finally budged in and gave the chit to the teacher. Khushi found her face going red with worry and started nibbling her nails. She looked at Vivek next to her going paler minute by minute. His face was hardened with worry and beads of sweat had started appearing on his face, even though it was December, the month of unbearable cold.

Khushi sighed as she kept her gaze fixed at Ms.Priya's every movement. Ms.Priya seemed to be scanning the paper way too well trying to decipher exactly what was written on the chit. She frowned as she read Vivek's part apparently because she couldn't make out the words written with the fainted pencil lead.

Ms.Priya: (looking straight at Maya) Who has written this? (Pointing at the pencil scribbled note).

Maya pointed a hesitant finger at Vivek who turned paler than ever. Khushi found herself fidget badly and looked with sad eyes at Vivek. She pressed his finger's from under the table whispering in a non-audible tone 'Everything is going to be fine'.

Vivek gave her an uneasy smile, before the attention of the entire class from Maya diverted to him.

Ms.Priya: (surprised) Have you written this?

Vivek nodded embarrassed. Khushi looked at the dieing with worry face of Vivek wanting to console him right their and then. Yes, he was one of the bestest people in the class and a honey to the teachers, him being caught in such a heinous act came as a shock to everyone.

Ms.Priya: Stand up both of you at once!

Vivek and Maya both stood on their seats continuously pleading Ms.Priyanka to forgive them but she wouldn't budge. She stood their shaking her head, looking at both of them in disgust.

Vivek: Sorry Mam. This wont happen again please give us just chance. Please.

Mr.Priyanka looked at Vivek's face considering her options, yet she choose to say no/ Khushi felt her teeth gritting with anger. God! Why is she making such a fuss of that danmed chit? What is written in it anyway?

Ms.Priya: Who is your Bhabhi?

Vivek gave her a surprised look, before he knew what she was exactly talking about.

Vivek: Mam, I wrote that purely at random.

Ms.Priya: Random? Impossible. You are referring to someone here in this class as Bhabhi and you, you wrote it at random?

Khushi felt her face go more tensed. What Bhabhi? Who's the Bhabhi now? She looked at the girl sitting next to her, Palak. Yeah, of course she is probably the Bhabhi, like she's the hot topic in our daily classroom newspaper. She looked at the girl in front, and weighed the possibilities. She could be the one too. Vivek was now and then teased by her name just because she was his second best friend. Second best friend. Khushi made a face. That girl irked the hell out of her. Reverting her mind back to the current topic she weighed the two girls and felt certain it must be the girl in the front who was being referred as Bhabhi..or..maybe..A lump formed in her throat. It could be me too.

Vivek: Sorry Mam, I promise nothing like this will happen ever again.

Ms.Priya: Come outside both of you now!

Vivek: Please Mam please, this will never happen again. Please.

Maya: Please Mam, please forgive us.

Ms.Priya: I said com outside you too or I am calling the headmistress.

Vivek and Maya continuously pleaded for forgiveness, but Ms.Priyanka would budge, and after getting quite annoyed, picked up the bag from the table and proceeded to go outside.

Kh: (whispering) Vivek Go.

Vivek pressed her hand hard to gain the assurance that everything would be right. Khushi returned the gesture with more force so that now Vivek was sure what he had to do next.

Vivek and Maya walked away from their seats and stood in front of the class, with Ms.Priyanka her eyes blazing with fury.

Ms.Priya: Get out of my class at once! I'll deal with you people later.

Both Vivek and Maya walked out of the class and stood near the wall. Khushi peeped her head outside to look where he was. She gave Vivek a look to know that she was with him. She would make things good.

Ms.Priya: Do you people even know what is Bhabhi? Yes this is a co-education school and you people study together and are good friends but does that mean you treat some girl in your class as Bhabhi? Bhabhi? You people have no respect for someone in your class? They are your sisters, and here you are associating them with someone else? How can you people? You are grown up enough to understand the depth of relationship. And here tying knots with each other. I won't be surprised if I get to find some girl being called as a Saas or Wife here. If you can do this you can do that too.

Everybody sitting in the class hung their heads low in embarrassment. She made sense, but seriously 12 years in this system and she doesn't understand the mentality of today's youth? Bhabhi? Was just a name at random, and nobody ever took it literally, it was just a word to tease each other.

The pack up time bell rang and Ms.Priyanka walked out of the class, pointing the two standing outside to follow her. Maya and Vivek obediently followed her.

Khushi looked troubled as she saw both of them follow Ms.Priyanka. What the hell was going on? The entire week had been a complete disaster! And today was the worst of all of them. She didn't care what would happen to Maya, she was use to of messing up and getting into trouble now and then but Vivek? No, he was her best friend and she really cared about him. She wouldn't let anything wrong happen with him. In an attempt to find the name of the Bhabhi she checked Vivek's desk and uncovered a series of other notes. Straining her eyes she read them and stared at it in horror. Utmost horror. Her name was scribbled on it, hearts around it and next to it was the name of the guy who had a crush on her.

Kh: (wailing on top of her voice) So I was the Bhabhi! Omg!

Everybody still present in the class, stared at her and had a good look at the chit itself, before agreeing with her statement. So I am the Bhabhi what now?

Pa: Khushi what are you doing standing their in the middle of the living room?

Khushi snapped out of her dream as she heard Payal's voice. She looked around to see where she was and realized that she was still standing exactly where she had been 25 minutes earlier. Hurriedly, she walked up to the room, gave an embarrassed look to Payal, changed her clothes and tucked herself into bed.

Only if Vivek would have been here things would have been much more pleasant and fun. Khushi thought to herself, before she dozed off to sleep.

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Next day Arnav got up early in the morning and stretched himself evenly from all sides. He sighed in pleasure as he remembered this was the last morning he was waking up alone. Tomorrow their would be someone else lying next to him, making love with him, his beloved Khushi.

It was a bright Saturday morning and everybody was sleeping. His checked his table watch. 4:00 in the morning? Huh? And the Sun's shining this danm bright? He got up from his bed and shifted the blinds the sudden darkness prevailed outside suddenly blinding him. Pitch black? Then what the..was he day dreaming or something..no wait a minute it wasn't day at all..it was pure night. He looked around him again, it was all bright, he looked back out, dark black.

I need physiatrist quick! God! I have started seeing things! Just as he was about to go in the washroom in an attempt to flush out his confused mind, he looked back around him once more, this time not missing the bright chandelier shining away on the ceiling. That means they were on all night? No wonder, to me it seems like a bright sunny morning. How dumb can I be? I have already extended all limits of the dumb-o-meter. Seriously, why didn't I see that the lights are open? Another thought rushed into his mind, if they lights were on all night, how did he manage to sleep? No wait, I never leave the light open, even if three-fourth of me is sleeping? Then how come today?

He looked at himself from top to bottom and then again. He was dressed in his causals, that means he was well quite wide awake when he had changed his clothes. Him dozing off to sleep was unnatural. Something was wrong.

He looked around himself to see if anything was out of place. Nope, everything waa where it should be. The words had just slipped out of his mind when suddenly his gaze moved to the photo frame on his side table. He stared at it with horror. Horror that struck him deep baffling him.

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P.S: I am so sorry for the late update. But was quite busy, and was in a over-doze of ArHi. Got discouraged that my FF isn't worth of the magic we see ArHi creating on screen.😭

Anyways, leave back your comments, and do hit the like button to appreciate.

Love,

Batool😳