ARHI SS - Mujse Dosti Karoge? Chp 8 Page 114 - Page 30

Originally posted by: Madafterarhi

I can't bear Khushi to be so hard hearted:((((

And what was the second condition? I didnt quite catch it

Originally posted by: london_doll

Loved It!! And I know right!! Even I think the IF Members have some connection with Sherlock Holmes because they are just so damn good at guessing!!! Lol!!!! I really hope Arnav finds a solid way to make it up to her!

~Ashu <3

Originally posted by: cindrella255

I wish I cud giv u jalebies 😔 but I m so sad n so gonna eat 'em 😆...I giv u bouquets 😳

I din't xpect divorce

Beautifully written! Continue soon

Chapter 4

Kushi tossed & turned but was unable to sleep. She groaned loudly & got up from the bed & trudged to the kitchen. When she switched on the light she couldn't help herself & smiled brightly. It was the only bright spot in that entire gloomy time spent in solitude in that flat. She had actually squealed in delight when she had first checked out the kitchen. It was her dream come true & she had been venting out all her frustration & nervousness by haunting this space for the past 3 weeks. She dint know that heaven came in the compact size of 12*14 sqft. She rummaged through the shelf & grabbed the containers which helped her concoct her life saving elixir, piping hot jalebis. However the moment she clutched them she was sadly reminded of HIM.

She opened the door to find a nervous looking Hari Prakash holding a heavy bag.

Kushi babhi Arnav bhaiyya had ordered all the groceries that would be required by you for a month. The shop will deliver it here at home by today afternoon. Meanwhile bhaiyya asked me to give you this.

What is it Hari Prakash ji?

Babhi it's the ingredients to prepare jalebis. He said that you might have the urge to start making them & told me to deliver it personally. Also the bag contains ready-to-prepare instant dishes which you can use till you find the time to cook. Finally this small pouch contains colorful stars. Arnav bhaiyya said you would like to hang this around your bed.

She gaped at him with her mouth open & he fled before she could say anything.

The memory brought tears to her eyes. She dumped the containers on the counter & stared at them dully. She felt that all those innate objects were mocking her. She felt his presence all around her. She felt his love & affection in every single act of his. Even after cruelly hurting his feelings he had been worried about her & sending HP with the rations for jalebis & those stars was the last straw which broke her heart.

DAMN YOU ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA WHY CANT YOU LET ME WALLOW IN MY MISERY. WHY ARE YOU HELL BENT ON MAKING ME HATE MYSELF. I HATE YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND I HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME HATE MYSELF MORE & FOR MAKING ME LOVE YOU MORE & MORE.

In the living room the coffee table was strewn with application forms. As promised he had been thorough & Aman had helped her with the admission process. Arnav had already managed to get her admission in a reputed college in Delhi & last week a brand new Honda Activa had been delivered at her address. Aman had been the only contact with Arnav who had simply disappeared from her life. He had ensured that she had everything but yet she had NOTHING. She felt empty inside.

Maybe he had a checklist on his laptop which he was striking off after each task was complete. She snorted angrily. LAAD GOVERNOR & his super-efficient brain. She was supposed to start her 1^st semester in another 2 weeks' time. She knew that she was supposed to be grateful to Arnav but she felt only hot rage surge within her. What the hell did the LAAD GOVERNOR think of himself. Posturing about friendship, giving her lectures on morality in the coffee shop & then completely avoiding her since that fateful day. She felt sadly abandoned. She had not been able to sleep ever since she had been unceremoniously dumped in this kaala paani.

She trudged back to her bedroom & there again those stars hanging limply around her bad were glaring at her accusingly. She felt like tearing them down in anger.

I am sure that LAAD GOVERNOR must be happily snoring away to his heart's fill completely oblivious to my agony.

***********

Arnav tossed & turned but was unable to sleep. He groaned loudly & got up from the bed & trudged to the pool side to stare longingly at the stars. Was she doing the same back in her flat he wondered. Did she ever even think of him. He shook his head. She had not called him even once in these 3 weeks. Aman gave him daily update but not once had she called him. A girl who never stopped chattering was now maintaining complete radio silence. Her indifference & hatred hurt him especially at a time like this when he was battling on multiple fronts.

He shuddered when he still remembered breaking down in Anjali's arms. After a few minutes when he realized that she was longer caressing his hair he had looked up to find her unconscious. He had panicked & rushed her to the hospital but the doctors had been baffled. Physically there seemed to be nothing wrong with her. He knew that she was emotionally drained, shattered beyond words.

Don't worry about me chote. It's high time you took a grip of your own life. I don't want to piggyback on your shoulders any more. I am setting you free. Concentrate on your life & happiness. Mein chahti hoon ki tum apne zindagi ke koye KUSHI ko wapas le aao.

He closed his eyes wearily. He knew what she had implied by that last sentence with emphasis on that single word. He realized a little too late that her name was synonymous with his own happiness. Never did a person's name had a literal meaning to the people around that person.

Sadly he had let down his Di even in this wish of hers. Kushi was never going to come back in his life. She had effectively severed all links to her painful past & that included him as well. It was like severing the umbilical chord of the baby once its born. He had witnessed the birth of the new Kushi & the manner in which she had snapped clean off the tie which bound her with all of them.

DAMN YOU KUSHI KUMARI GUPTA. I HATE YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND I HATE YOU FOR NOT ALLOWING ME TO FORGET YOU. I HATE YOU FOR COMING INTO LIFE, CHANGING IT & THEN DESERT ME LIKE THIS. I HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME FALL IRREVOCABLY IN LOVE WITH YOU.

He stormed back to his room when he saw his mobile ring. He looked at the number & stopped breathing momentarily when he saw the number.

"LAAD GOVERNOR KAHIN KE. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF. DO YOU EVEN REMEMBER ME. OK LET ME REMIND YOU. I AM KUSHI KUMARI GUPTA YOUR EX ENEMY, EX WIFE, CURRENT FRIEND. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY DUMPING ME LIKE IN THIS GOD FORSAKEN FLAT & THEN IGNORE ME COMPLETELY. WHY HAVE YOU BEEN AVOIDING ME? YOU COULDN'T BE A GOOD EMPLOYER NOR A GOOD LOVER NOR A GOOD HUSBAND. CANT YOU AT LEAST B A GOOD FRIEND. HOW DARE YOU…."

She spluttered & paused to catch her breath & realizing that this was the only time he would get a chance to speak before she bulldozed him he yelled back.

"Well Ms Kushi Kumari Gupta. I am not sure what exactly you are complaining about. This is what you wanted right. Solitude & peace. You wanted to stay away from me. You dint want to see my face nor hear my voice. You were the one who treated me like a bloody leper & now you come charging at me like a mad bull because I acceded to your demands. Decide Kushi Kumari Gupta what you want. Be careful what you pray for because looks like your Devi Maiyya is in a benevolent mood these days. She seems to answer every single prayer of yours. You wanted to inflict maximum pain on me, well congrats your wish came true. You wanted me to feel lonely & orphaned, well congrats your wish came true. You wanted me to die painfully every single waking second, well congrats your wish came true. You wanted me to suffer, well guess what THAT wish also came true."

He almost broke down & he was disconcerted to find complete silence on the other end. May be she had disconnected but the call was still active. May be she had simply flung the mobile away from her.

"Arnavjiii…………………"

Her voice broke.

"Well Kushi anyway you SHOULD be happy. This is what you wanted right? Oh wait in that wish list of yours do you have one more item which says you need to call me frequently & abuse me. Fine go ahead & add that as well in your contract. You & your list of never ending CONDITIONS."

He had literally yelled the last word & then closed his eyes.

DAMMIT she must be crying silently.

"Kushi I am sorry. It's very late & I am exhausted. Why did you call me?"

"I couldn't sleep." She mumbled in an inaudible whisper. He sighed loudly.

"Kushi just lie on the bed. Did you hang all those stars around your bed."

She nodded her head & heard him sigh heavily again.

"Kushi how will I know if you just nod your head. Just pick out your favourite ones, think of your parents & then fall asleep. If you want, you can think one of them as me as well………………."

He heard a resounding, deafening crash.

"Kushi Kushi are you alright."

"Arnavji don't you dare talk flippantly about my stars. I will kill you with my bare hands. How can you speak like this & break my heart."

"But Kushi I was not being sarcastic. I thought thinking of your parents will make you feel safe & contented so that you can sleep peacefully!"

"I am not talking about amma & babuji. How can you ask me to think of you when I stare at the stars. That's only for people who are dead, who have left me forever. How can you refer to yourself…………."

She couldn't continue anymore.

Well he was no better off than her parents. He may be alive in medical terms but according to him he had long since died when she had left him & when his Di had collapsed.

"Kushi forget what I said. Just lie down, close your eyes & try to sleep."

He disconnected the phone before she could reply.

******

She fell heavily on the bed & stared at the stars. Her vision was fuzzy because they were clouded by bitter tears.

Hey Devi Maiyya he doesn't believe in all these things. He blurts out things without pausing to think. Please don't let anything happen to him. Please… Please……..

She simply lay on the bed, eyes wide open praying non-stop.The door-bell clanging nosily broke her thoughts. She was seized by a bout of panic. Who was visiting her at this time? Should she call Arnav again. What if he yelled at her again. But this qualified as an emergency right.

She crept cautiously towards the door. She was clutching the mobile nervously in her hand. Finally resigning herself to her fate she hit the REDIAL button.

"OPEN THE DOOR DAMMIT! ITS ME NOT A BLOODY BURGLAR."

She was overwhelmed by relief & ran to open the door. The moment she saw him stand at her door she felt her heart beat increase dangerously. DAMN THIS MAN. He always affected her by his mere presence.

He strode in.

"Have you done staring at me?"

Only then she realized that she had been gaping at him like a retarded child.

"Arnavji what are you doing here"

He looked embarrassed. Hey Devi Maiyya was he actually blushing?

"Actually you said you couldn't sleep. That's why I thought………….."

His voice trailed off & suddenly Kushi had a eureka moment. She stepped closer, touched his chin & made him look at her. She waggled her finger accusingly at him.

"Arnavjiii……………….."

"Well ok ok I couldn't sleep as well. Happy?"

In fact she was shocked to see his face. It seemed he had not slept for eons. He seemed to have aged in these few weeks. He still looked extremely handsome but very lifeless & jaded as if he was carrying the burden of this entire world on his frail shoulders. Her heart went out to him. He had meant every word. He really seemed to be going through hell.

"Arnavji you are not looking well. What's the matter. Please tell me. I am sorry for hurting you but please don't shunt me aside like this. I know I said all those stuff but these few weeks have been horrible. I have never felt this lonely & scared."

She dropped on the sofa & couldn't control the tears anymore.

"Kushi don't cry, you know I can't stand your tears."

She looked at his face & immediately wiped away her tears & hiccuped into silence. She leaned on his shoulders & felt him wrap his arms around her. She felt comforted & peaceful for the first time in all these weeks.

"I am sorry Kushi for not calling you or visiting you. Actually Di………" His voice broke & she was horrified to find him crying. She turned & shook him roughly.

"Arnavji what happened to Di. You are scaring me. Is she alright. Please tell me. Please….."

He mirrored her actions & wiped his tears.

"Since you left, my entire world has come crumbling around me Kushi. Di has collapsed completely. Doctors have told that there is nothing wrong with her physically. But mentally she is broken. She is still coping with the trauma of betrayal by that creep. I guess she is alive only because of Armaan. Also I am afraid she blames herself for our broken marriage. I have already argued with her that it's completely my fault but she is still heart broken. I don't how to console her."

Without realizing what he was doing he rested his head on her lap & wrapped his hands around her slender waist burying his face against her midriff & once again she felt electric jolts course through every nerve of hers.