chapter 19:
present:
All the senior students had taken up their seats in the bus well before time.
karan:"arrey yaar! wen that peone came to call us in the morning,I really panicked. I was racking my brain,trying to figure out the reason why princi would have called."
Aditya:"haan...voh toh hogahi!
sneaking into the girl's hostel at night...bunking hostel food...kya kya nahi karte hum log. But in front of our teachers and principal,we are supposed to be the gems of the college!"
karan:"ha...ha...!
That is why our principal has designated us the whole responsibility of this trip to the hospital."
Aditya:"hey! what is sidhi doing? sitting in the front with that Rahul?"
karan:"Rahul is writing the script for their drama I guess. Anyway tumhe kya problem hai? Tum dono toh hamesha fight karte rehate ho."
Aditya had gotten up from his seat even before karan had completed his sentence.He then walked over to where Rahul and sidhi were sitting.
"er...Rahul! xavier wanted to talk to you about something. so why don't you sit with him?"
Rahul:"xavier? I had walked right past him a few minutes before. He never said anything!"
Aditya:"arrey! he must have forgotten...Koyi baat nahi...tum jakar usse yaad diladena..."
Aditya then caught hold of Rahul by his right hand,literally dragging him out of his seat and then settled down peacefully near a surprised sidhi.
karan who was watching the whole scene incredulously,turned to ASR.
"It seems like you were right!"
ASR smirked...
"I usually am! But what about in particular this time?"[this is the dialogue of one of my fav literary characters...Edward Cullen]
karan rolled his eyes before answering...
"I am talking about Aditya and sidhi!"
ASR looked over to where Aditya and Sidhi were talking to each other animatedly...most probably arguing again...and then back to karan...
"voh toh hamesha aisa hi hota hai...the people who irritate each other the most,care for each other the most too!"
As soon as ASR uttered those words,he felt as if he had experienced the truth of the statement himself,once upon a time but couldn't remember it now...!
*****************
24 yrs before:
khushi had taken her father to the temple in the morning.
As they were climbing down the stairs of the mandir,Shashi Gupta clutched his chest as waves of pain rippled through his entire body,almost choking him.
His knees began to give away and he was about to crash down the stairs when an alarmed khushi caught hold of him...
*******************
Arnav Malik had been busy from early morning regarding the completion of a very important deal.He was getting ready for a meeting with his clients when his phone rang.
Arnav glanced at the name of the caller and immediately grabbed the phone when he saw that it was khushi.
The moment he took the call,he could sense that something was wrong...
"khushi! tum teek ho?"
The muffled sobs at the other end confirmed his fears...Arnav Malik for the first time in his life,panicked!
"khushi!
why are you crying?
Did somebody hurt you?
what happened?
Answer me...dammit!!"
Finally he heard her voice through the tears...
"Arnavji...voh...babuji!"
Arnav could barely make out what she was trying to convey...
"babuji?
khushi...just tell me where you are...I am coming to you...just tell me the place!"
******************
Anjali was startled when a frantic Arnav rushed past her,towards the door...
"chhotey! breakfast karke jaona. You still have some time before your meeting!"
Arnav paused for a second...
"No di! I have cancelled the meeting. I am in a hurry now,will explain everything to you later.Now I have to go...it is really urgent. Bye!"
By the time Anjali had registered what he had said,Arnav was out of her sight!
cancelled the meeting?
But it was supposed to be really important!
And what was that urgent work he was talking about?
Anjali was really puzzled because she had never seen her brother this affected!
*********************
A visibly shaken khushi sat outside the operation theatre,trembling slightly.
she did not have the courage to inform her amma,buaji and payal about what had happened...
In a moment of panic,she had felt the need of somebody to support her...to be there for her,in the time of need...to provide her with the much needed strength.
khushi did not know what had made her do it...but without even thinking twice,she had automatically dialled Arnav's number...as if that was the most inevitable thing she was supposed to do.
But now as she thought about it,she realised that it was a foolish act!
How could she even dream in her wildest dreams that Arnav Malik would come to help her,leaving an important meeting?
That too on her behalf?
Afterall who was she?
Just an employee in his vast chain of industries...
What would he have thought of her audacity in calling him for help?
khushi knew that she would not be able to hold herself together for long...she was loosing her composure...
she could not cope up with this alone...
she needed someone...
And that was when,she heard it...
"khushi!"...
****************
present:
shyam Manohar Jha always enjoyed visiting Anjali Malik.
But then,everybody knew her as Anjali Jha...the luckiest wife in the world,whose husband loved her more than everything else put together!
shyam couldn't help but laugh at the sheer irony of it...
If only the knew...
He had never loved her...not even for a mere second.
But yeah,he had fallen in love with her name...or rather a part of it...'Malik'
And now...he owned that name...the whole of Malik empire. He had lived the past 24 yrs controlling it...enjoying the best of everything life had to offer...
He had his wife to thank for it!
yeah...he loved spending time with her...bcoz every moment he looked at her immobile form,he could feel a sense of pride...pride at his victory!
He had every reason to feel proud of himself!
Afterall,he had played a very dangerous game many yrs back and he had reaped the rewards!
And Anjali Malik...oops...Anjali Jha now existed just to remind him of his success.
He always got what he wanted...by hook or crook!
********************
Karan and ASR was walking along the corridor in conversation with Dr.Manan.
The doctor was highly appreciative of the students...
Doctor:"Really guys! Nowadays teens of ur age don't think this way.I am impressed at ur enthusiasm in doing community work like this.Others need to follow ur example."
karan:"Thank you doc!It is been a really wonderful experience for all of us."
ASR:"Doctor...I thought there were 21 inmates in the hospital? Am I right?"
Doc:"yes. why?"
ASR:"But we have met only 20 of your patients."
Doc:"oh yeah!
Actually I din't take you guys to meet her,because she is different from the others.she won't respond to you.she has been in a passive state for more than 20 years and all of our efforts have been in vain.It is as if she has lost her will to live. Her body doesn't react to any of the medicines and hence her treatment has been difficult.she is completely impassive to everybody,including her husband who is infact very devoted to her even after all these years. That is why I thought it would be better off if you guys din't meet her.I mean,it is of no use anyway."
karan:"oh!!
It is fine with us!
By the way,what is her name?"
Doc:"Anjali jha"
ASR suddenly stopped on his tracks as if something had wilfully pulled him to a stop.
karan:"ASR? what happened?"
ASR:"I want to meet her!"
karan and Dr.Manan exchanged an astonished look...
karan:"But ASR?
why?"
ASR:"I really don't know.
But doctor please?
I want to meet her ...please?
Dr.Manan hesitated only for a second before answering...
"k if you insist!
come with me."
************************
first of all sorry for being so late!
the next chapter will be up tomrw evening...
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