Khushi stared up at her husband..."you'd do all this for me?"
"In my opinion, it's not nearly enough...i would do anything for you..."
"but my family are very stubborn..."
"how many weeks have i been trying to get you back Khushi!? You think THEY are stubborn? They haven't experienced Arnav Singh Raizada yet...Now come..."
Arnav took her gently by the arm and started to lead her back towards the door...but Khushi resisted...
He looked at her confusedly as she started to speed talk..."what if they find out? What if they don't let me see you anymore? What if they try to stop me coming to see Payal? What if they try to set up a relationship for me with someone else? What if they..."
Arnav silenced her with a hard, long kiss that scrambled her thoughts...once the kiss had broken Arnav gazed hungrily at her...Khushi's eyes were still closed...she was completely hypnotised by his kiss...
Whispering against her lips, Arnav said, "like i said before...trust me...they won't find out...i will see you whether they try to stop me or not...i will make sure you still see payal...and as for them setting you up with someone else...OVER MY DEAD BODY! Understand?"
Khushi nodded, still speechless...
They opened the door only to find Buaji and Garima walking towards them..."Khushi! You are coming home. NOW."
"but, Amma! Please listen just for a minute..."
"NO KHUSHI! You are coming home now, and if Mr. Raizada wishes to get back into our good graces, then he will NOT stop you..."
Khushi looked up at Arnav...his face covered with anger...she clasped her eyes shut preparing to hear his thunderous voice...
"Fine. I will respect your wishes. But i will be calling on Khushi tomorrow..."
Buaji grabbed Khushi's hand saying..."we're leaving. Now."
Arnav used all his power of restraint to not stop her...
He felt his breath leave him as he watched Khushi being taken away...
Their eyes remained locked to each others until they were finally apart...
...
Arnav was left standing in his house without Khushi again...only this time, He knew he had her back. He had her heart. . .
"Chote?"
Arnav looked at his Di...His heart went out to her...
"Di, i'm so sorry about..."
"No Chote...it's okay. I will be okay. I am almost a mother...i have my purpose...but what do we do?"
"Di, whether you like it or not, i am not going to let Shyam get away with what he's done..."
"I know...I know you...you will do what is right..."
Nani smiled sadly as she walked away with Anjali.
Payal and Akash now approached him...
"thankyou...thankyou for finally revealing Khushi's innocence..." Payal said gratefully
"I love your sister, more than anything...i'm just sorry that i ..."
They were interrupted by Payal's phone ringing...
"Hello? Buaji? What? What do you mean? ..."
Arnav's concern was growing...but what Payal said next sent his heart into a frenzy of panic...
"No Buaji...Khushi's not here..."
"WHAT!?! WHERE IS SHE!? WHAT HAPPENED?" Arnav yelled...he couldn't think straight...he snatched the phone away from Payal...
"where. Is. She. What happened?!"
His heart hammered as Buaji spoke...he heard bits and pieces... "Arrived home... Khushi went to her room crying... We thought she went to sleep because everything was quiet... Went to her room... Window open...khushi missing..."
With a terror filled expression on his face, Arnav dropped the phone and bolted to his car...
He started calling Khushi's phone...No answer...
He sped to her house feeling like he'd made a huge mistake letting Khushi leave..."was getting her family's blessing really worth this? It sure as hell doesn't feel like it right now...where are you Khushi!"
He slammed the brakes and barged inside the Gupta house...
"Where is she? Have you found her?!"
"no, we've searched the house and outside the house but we can't find her...she couldn't have gone far because it's dark, but we are afraid...Shyam might have..."
"NO! Don't say that. No. I don't want to think that...I'm going to look for her..."
And Arnav sped out...
He had no idea where she may be...it was too dark for her to go far, so he ran down the street and found an area that had a clear view of the sky...and sure enough , he saw Khushi sitting beneath a tree staring up at the stars...
Arnav came to a sudden halt the moment he saw her...
He took a few minutes to catch his breath...
Once his heartbeat had settled, a new fierce beating began ...
His fearful anger started to rear it's head...
"How dare she! She knows Shyam may be looking for her! Is she mad coming out here all by herself!"
Filled with anger and concern he strode towards her yelling..."KHUSHI!!!!!!"
...
Khushi was staring at the sky...
She had climbed out her window...
Needing to escape...
Needing to be alone...
Needing air...
Needing to room to breathe...
She only wanted to be with her husband...
After finally making love to each other , all she wanted to do was to lay in his arms peacefully, not worrying about the world outside...
She ran from her house to find the clearest view of the open sky, sat against a tall tree and closed her eyes...feeling the breeze on her face...
After 20 minutes, she realized that she should probably go home and she opened her eyes glancing at the sky one last time...
She was about to stand when she heard him...
"KHUSHI!!!!!"
...
Before she could look up, she felt herself being pulled to her feet and pushed roughly against the tree...
"WHAT THE HELL KHUSHI! What the bloody hell do you think you are doing!?"
Khushi looked up at Arnav... His eyes were burning with anger and alarm...
"How could you just run off like this!!!!" he shook her slightly...
She tried to speak only to have Arnav scream at her again...
"ARE YOU THAT MAD!!! YOU WERE OUT HERE ALONE! Anything could have happened!!!"
Khushi's eyes were filling with tears...his grip on her arms was starting to hurt...his voice scared her...
"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME KHUSHI!? DO YOU REALIZE HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS?! YOU COULD HAVE..."
Arnav froze with fright thinking about what could have happened...
Khushi opened her mouth to speak...the instant her lips parted, Arnav crushed her mouth beneath his...he canted his head and thrust his tongue deep, kissing her with pent-up passion, need and longing...
As he filled his mouth with her taste, he rested his thumb in the arc of her throat where her heart raced. Stroking that sweet, sensitive section of skin in tiny circles...
His need for her was now outweighing his anger..."Khushi...My God, I was so worried...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...I was scared that i'd lost you again..."
He heard her sob against his lips and he clamped his mouth over hers with renewed fervour. His cunning hands and hot mouth unleashed a whirlwind of desire and it broke free to ricochet wildly in her blood. He felt the heat bubbling under her skin ignite his. She let her head fall back as he trailed openmouthed kisses down her neck. His hot breath scorched her. She shivered and Arnav felt urgency flood through him...He took her mouth in a kiss that she felt it to the very depths of her soul. ..
Khushi felt his anxiety...she felt his fear...she felt his protectiveness...
As the kissed slowed... he feathered his lips across her trembling mouth...looking down into her eyes...
"I'm sorry..." Khushi whispered...
Arnav's heart broke all over again...
He pressed his mouth to hers...Lightly...He kept the kiss soft, sensual. His strong hands caressed her cheekbones before his fingers tunnelled into her hair...
"let me take you home..." he said as he lifted her up in his arms...
She rested her head against his chest as he carried her back to her house...
Tum Se Tum Tak
Ganesh Kartikeya
293