Chapter 5
On the first page of our story
The future seemed so bright
And this thing turned out so evil
I don't know why I'm still surprised
Even angels have their wicked schemes
And you take that to new extremes
But you'll always be my hero
Even though you've lost your mind
Monday, November 27, 2006
Roosevelt High Secondary School, Chicago, Illinois
Khushi spun around in her seat again, and looked back at her friend, Joti, who had a scowl on her face. Khushi completely ignored the murderous look and continued to ramble on. "And, what a coincidence that he happens to come to a place that I have known all my life. I mean, I know I have only been to the top floor of the building once, but still I could just probably take my dad's pass… although, mom would find out and then I wouldn't be allowed to go since I am grounded…" Khushi stopped as she entered into her own thoughts while she faced her friend.
"Ms. Khushi Gupta, the board is in front of you… not at the back of the class room," her math teacher, Ms. Whitmore, snapped at her. Khushi quickly spun around and faced the front of the class room. She had been warned twice by her math teacher to pay attention to the lecture. But, Khushi's mind was elsewhere. She was not interested in the figuring out different ways 'Timmy' could go home with probability formulas. Nope, Nudah, Never.
She was planning and re-planning to meet the man she had been dying to see ever since she first heard about him. She could not contain her excitement and tapped her pencil on her desk impatiently. She spun around again, and started again, "How will I go about it? I mean, my dad's elevator pass is only valid for five floors, and you need to have different pass… you think the security will let me go in…" she was once again lost in her thoughts, trying to conjure up some sort of a plan to meet him. She knew that she would not give in, and will fight just so that she could meet him. Khushi shook her leg in impatience since her friend seemed to ignore her. Joti knew that if she participated in this conversation, their old snooty math teacher would eventually kick them out, and not to mention, Khushi was on such a high sugar rush from consuming mounts of candy she snuck from the cafeteria during lunch.
"Alright that's it. Khushi… OUT," yelled Ms. Whitmore and pointed her chalk at her. An embarrassed Khushi hung her head, grabbed her books and left the class room. She looked back at the disapproving look of her friend, but Khushi gave her thumbs up and gladly left the class room. At least, now she could actually think properly without constantly hearing how many ways Timmy could get home.
After the school ended, since math was her last class, Khushi waited by her locker for her friend to come. Caroline was absent today so Khushi's energy was only bouncing onto Joti, and she was definitely not happy with controlling Khushi. Joti quickly descended down the stairs and walked towards Khushi's locker and handed her the notes Khushi missed in the class. And as Khushi animatedly chattered, they both left the school and walked home together.
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At night time, Khushi's friends finally stopped responding to text messages. It was very amusing to Khushi just bouncing up and down or fidgeting with the remote control or running up and down the stairs. She could not sit still. Sometime later, Khushi's mother came up to Khushi's room to call her for dinner. She was very curious to see the laundry basket sitting in the middle of the room that is usually in the washroom; Khushi lay sprawled on the bed already asleep. After the mighty sugar rush simmered down, she was too tired to even get up so she fell asleep even before dinner was announced. Garima without waking her daughter up turned the lights off and left the room, not even bothering to check the huge red stain that lay hidden underneath the basket.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2006
Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean
Arnav Singh Raizada sat immobile in his seat and stretched his legs on the leg rest in front of him. His private jet was bound to Chicago and he could hear the slight humming of the plane as it was flying over the Atlantic Ocean. He looked outside but it was pitch black; only thing that could be seen was a stretch of nothingness spread all around him. The cabin was shrouded in darkness and his assistant sat a few seats down from him. The only people awake on the flight were the two pilots; the flight attendant seemed to have fallen asleep as well. He was crossing different time zones at a very fast speed.
He yawned slightly and adjusted his seat in a reclining position. He adjusted his headphones but he did not pay attention to the images as they washed across the screen and disappeared. The sound was not even reaching his ears. He was somewhat lost in his thoughts. His sister had phoned him just before he was about to board the plane and reminded him of her upcoming birthday and that his presence was required on her birthday. He chuckled at the thought that she could get her way with him, always.
He was also eager to attend the party and being officially tied with FOX. He ran his hand through his light brown hair, and slightly ruffled it. Slowly, his thoughts departed from his brain, his eyes got heavy and he fell into a dreamless abyss.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2006
Chicago, Illinois
Khushi moaned and groaned and followed her mother around the entire house. She had barely had enough sleep because of the excitement bouncing around in her tummy. She was floating on clouds all morning up until the point her mother refused to let Khushi skip school. Khushi being the adamant one was now trying to fake a bad stomach ache. "Mom, it must be the pizza I had at yesterday. I am sure it was that… my stomach is feeling funny," Khushi said and grabbed her tummy in an expression of pain.
"Khushi, you are not bunking school and that is the end of this discussion," Garima told her and started to prepare breakfast for her. Khushi stomped her foot and left the kitchen towards her room. She packed her bag shoving all her papers in carelessly. She wanted to stay home and steal her father's keys the moment he returned. It didn't help her at all when she found out that her father had been summoned for an early morning meeting. She cursed herself for eating the candy and passing out last night. She then swept down the stairs in an annoyed mood and munched on her breakfast.
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Dressed in a dark skinny jeans, black knee length boots along with a dark blue hoodie, Khushi made her way down the hallway towards her locker. Her thoughts were only surrounded by one entity only. If she could only meet him, and touch him, and hug him, she would do anything and everything in her power. She had herself convinced that this was love… this was her one and only love… this was the only way she was supposed to love… this was the kind of love meant just for her. A smile tugged at her lips as she saw her friends perched against her locker. She went over and exchanged a few words with them. "If only I could find out how to get past those security guards, I may be able to get to the top floor. Guys… think of a plan quickly…" she impatiently asked her friends.
"Uh, Khushi… firstly… the building is in downtown… and from what I have heard, the party will most likely begin during the late evening… secondly, you are grounded, you cannot take your car since your mother dearest will find out the moment she sees the car missing…" before Joti could continue Khushi raised her hand, smiled and said, "I have it all figured out just fine… if I could just get past the security guard… maybe they will recognize me or something." She fell into her own thoughts and was nudged out by the shrill ringing of the school bell.
"But first, let's just get this torture over with," she sighed and her friends laughed at her as they made their way towards class.
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During her last class, Khushi rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. She had thought throughout the morning and finally gave up with a final thought, we shall see what happens. Throughout the afternoon, every time her friends would ask her, she would simply repeat the line. Her friends had insisted that they would accompany her but she paid them no heed. She wanted to accomplish this feat alone but promised to call them if anything went awry.
She tuned out the teacher's voice as it droned in the background and gazed towards the window that her desk was seated against. The curtains were open and the light was pouring in though it was not much of a pleasant day. It was cold and grey but surprisingly for Chicago the first snow had not made an appearance. Khushi sighed and wished that it would snow; snow is when everything was covered in the white pixie like dust and resembled a utopia. She could not wait to start snow fights and drink loads and loads of scrumptious hot chocolate.
The incessant chatter broke her chain of thoughts and she looked around to witness her classmates packing up and waiting for the final bell to ring. She grabbed her belongings and glanced at the clock.
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Arnav picked up the coffee mug from the table and sat against the comfortable leather sofa. He sipped his coffee and leaned into the sofa, relaxing his muscles which felt sore from the plane ride. He had just taken a shower, answered some phone calls but finally he just put his feet on the coffee table and turned the telly on. Nothing particular caught this attention so he simply left BBC on and took out his laptop. He decided to drown himself in some work until he had to get ready for the conference. He was finally in Chicago however the media was not informed of the details of his schedule and he had escaped from their prying eyes during the wee hours in the morning.
He continued to work on his laptop until his assistant knocked on his hotel door. He opened the door and let his assistant in who informed him that he must get to the FOX office beforehand. Arnav simply nodded and went back to checking the accounts file that was electronically emailed to him by his accountant. He was trying to figure out why it was not balancing. He took a paper from his assistant and drew T accounts to figure out the error. He put the pen in between his teeth and tried to balance the laptop as he got up and disappeared into his room. Aman knew better than to venture into the den until it was absolutely necessary and he had to option. He simply sat on the couch and waited until he was required by his boss.
After a satisfied and somewhat angry email to his head of accounts department, Arnav sighed and stretched his back. He walked over to the window and glanced at the view of the city of Chicago in front of him. He could see the clouds making their way into the city; he yawned and stretched his mouth that it hurt. He was dressed in a pair of black sweat pants and an old Harvard grey hoodie that he had bought as a souvenir during his stay at the university. It was old and somewhat battered from washing multiple times. He could feel the cold seeping into his skin as he looked at the cold and dull afternoon. He could not wait to get out of this city and may be even visit his sister in Liverpool before his intended visit. After his parents' death, she was the sole reason he sometimes did not feel alone.
He did not wish to dwell on the dark thoughts regarding his parents and left his bedroom and asked Aman to order him a light lunch. It was past 4 in the afternoon when his food arrived. He attacked it.
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After Khushi quietly shut her bedroom door, she took a heavy sigh and threw her bag on the floor. Leaving on her hoodie, she opted for her dark blue rain jacket and grabbed her wallet. Checking her money, she made her way to her parent's bedroom. Her father had returned early from the office informing her that the FOX were holding an important party. Khushi had to bite her tongue in order to not scream in excitement. It was happening alright. She then tiptoed towards the master washroom and padded her father's work pants until she found the access pass. She clutched it tightly and descended down the stairs.
"Khushi," her father cried out to her from the kitchen. She half-heartedly zoomed into the kitchen and stood behind her father. "Yes dad."
"You think your mothe…" he spun around as he talked but halted seeing Khushi dressed up for the cold weather. "Where are you headed off to?" he asked her curiously and turned on the coffee machine.
"Uh… uh… Caroline needs help with her math… I am just going over to make sure she passes the midterm tomorrow." Khushi lied through her teeth as she put her hands in her pockets and clutched onto the pass. "Okay, well say to 'hi' her for me." Her father said as he picked up the newspaper. Khushi went up to him and gave him a bog sloppy kiss. She in return got a big bear hug from her father and she exited her house.
The cold outside nipped her skin and she hugged the jacket closer to her body. Her breath formed out a cloud as she walked down her block towards the bus stop. She thought how gullible her father was and only hoped that the security was just as smooth though she was very doubtful about that. Maybe I could bribe them with breath mints that she currently possessed in her wallet, she mused. Well, she ought to try something.
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The time on the clock indicated 6 pm exactly and Arnav sat still in his chair. He took a deep breath and with a quick motion walked towards the conference hall. Fox's hall was big and resembled a ballroom. The amount of people gathered was chatting amongst themselves. Arnav tugged light at his tie and strode in. The fire burned hot in his chest as he waved at the press suddenly gone berserk seeing him. A slight smirk made its way on to his face and he shook hands with the CEO. A sudden clinking made him turn his head around and he picked up a champagne flute from a waiter passing by. "Ladies and Gentlemen… tonight marks a great event for FOX and its employees… this night and this merger shall be remembered in history and I cannot be more happy that I am still the CEO of Fox while this tie up has occurred. I am sure that this merger between Fox and Sswann will bring both companies to unattainable heights… and now without any further ado, I know many people… including impatient ladies are waiting to meet the man of this evening… so here he is…" he gestured his flute towards Arnav and continued, "Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada and we welcome him to America and to Fox."
The claps vibrated in his ears and he raised his own flute up and nodded his head with a nod. He then gulped the bubbling liquid. He felt a tug at his shoulder and soon he was washed away in conversations with others.
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Khushi ran with all her might with the security guard in tow. She had somehow managed to sneak past the guards because anyone was allowed to entire the building premises except her pass was only valid for up to five floors. The building had more than 50 plus floors. She insisted a couple who was about to take the elevator to let her get in the elevator with them. They also seemed to be dressed up for the event; she meekly stood at the back with another security guard inside the elevator. She received odd looks from him but since she had struck a conversation with the couple, she looked to be accompanying them. Crouching into a corner, she counted with baited breath and soon she heard the ding. She pushed past the couple and stepped out of the elevator. She had managed to elude the security guard; she made a beeline for the only door that was visible down the hall. She realized that she was not on the right floor, she cursed as she tried to find the stairs. She ran down another deserted hallway and looked around only to witness more darkness and no exit sign. Then out of the corner, she finally saw the sign that indicated stairs. She ran and pushed the door open; she started to walk up the stairs. It was then she heard a radio go off and some muffled noises coming from the instrument. Someone quickened their pace a few floors below her and a quick shuffling were heard, and then those steps broke into a run. She knew she had been caught so ran up the stairs until they ended and a door was visible at the end of the stairs.
After she pushed past the door, she saw a series of chatter and music coming from a room at the end of the right side hall. She followed it with curiosity and walked towards the door.
Arnav was again maneuvered around as someone else came to introduce themselves. He engaged in conversations after giving out a press interview. He mingled with the guests but soon he excused himself. He stood in front the huge bay windows that looked past the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. The darkness had spread all over and the city was now basking in lights. For a moment, Arnav's breath was clogged in his throat but he felt someone say his name consequently he spun around.
Khushi stood in the now open doorway with eyes as wide as saucers. The entire hall was filled with dignitaries and important people flashing smiles and dressed at their finest. She stood on her tiptoes and looked at far as her 5'4 frame could allow. She was in awe at the grandeur of the entire room; a piano lay rested at the end of the room; the waiters were passing by alcohol and finger food. Her eyes darted back and forth throughout the entire room to locate him. She scanned the entire left side and then took a step forward and took her gaze all the way to the end of the room. She could make out a hazy outline of the city's lights glimmering in the background.
In the next two minutes Khushi muttered colorful curses since she could not find Arnav. She was about the turn around when something caught her eye. She did a double take and her eyes finally landed on him. HIM. That's him, her mind screamed. Though he stood farther than the rest of the crowd, she still was smiled a satisfied smile.
He looked like a complete God dressed to perfection in a black suit and was busy in a conversation with a blonde woman. His hair was slightly ruffled and fell on his forehead; he raised his flute and smile at the woman in front of him. Khushi jumped up and down whilst clapping like a small kid. It was then that she realized the security guards shouting loudly at the end of the hallway she had passed through. Panicked, the love-sick foolish part of her told her to run towards Arnav but the logical part of her advised her to hide.
Before she could succumb to her heart's desire, Khushi gave one longing look at Arnav, and ran with all her might towards the hallway on her left, but she all she was doing was running in loops. She, without her better judgement, entered an office that was open and lit and concealed herself underneath the desk. She clamped her mouth shut with her hand and tried to catch her breath. Her adrenaline was coursing through her and the pounding of her heart was very loud against her chest. She heard footsteps shuffling outside but soon they grew faint until she could no longer hear them. She breathed out the breath that she was unconsciously holding. She put her hand against her forehand and tried to count till 10 before she fainted.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she silently patted herself for switching it to vibration mode.
"Hello," Khushi whispered into the mouth piece.
"KHUHSHI!!" Caroline screamed on the other end and she continued, "Why have you not been responding to my text messages? I am worried scared for you… where are you? Have you met him and are you out of there?"
Caroline hurtled questions at Khushi who was not paying any attention to the voice coming from her phone. She heard shuffling coming yet again and she whispered, "Carr… someone is here… call u back."
She hung up the phone and placed it safely into her pocket. She was about to duck her head out to check out the noise when a pair of heels clicked and stopped in the room. "Come on… stop that let me do it…" a female purred.
Khushi froze in fear. She did not want to be discovered by someone who was half naked themselves and thrown in juvenile prison. "Shit!" she cursed and recoiled further in the desk. The desk was open from both ends so she could see a pair of heels which she assumed to be a female and a pair of sleek men's designer shoes which she assumed was a man. Khushi knew that she had to get out of there but she completely froze when someone uttered the next few words. These next few words toppled her world forever.
"Arnav… oh…" and the pair resumed kissing each other fervently and loudly. They both stumbled into the office but Arnav steadied the woman as he deposited her on the table. The long, sleek legs dangled blocked Khushi's view but she could make out what was going on. The woman quickly took his tie off and it landed on the floor in front of Khushi. Next sound the echoed in the room was the girl's loud moan as Arnav grazed his hand up her leg. "I swear, you are so deceptive… it is hard to believe that you were just in the other room handling everyone with such manners." The woman bit Arnav's finger as he grabbed her chin.
They continued to fondle each other until a knock abruptly broke them apart. Arnav with an irritated scowl spat out, "What is it Aman?"
Aman embarrassed from head to toe discovering his boss in such a position and quickly asked, "Sir, the cheque you just signed for the charity… shall I approve it?"
Arnav irritated beyond words could explain gritted his teeth and said, "Yes Aman… it doesn't even matter what I say or do… it's all a faade for the bloody media but I cannot just let a bounced cheque hamper my image. Now get out!" He flicked his finger at Aman and told Aman scurried off before Arnav could chew his head off.
"Ohh… I like this angry and mighty Arnav Singh… you know you are such an arse" Arnav captured her lips before she could continue and picked her up. "Sshh… you are the only thing on mind right now," Arnav said and the woman giggled. They both went to the far end of the office and stood against the filling cabinet as they continued to strip each other.
Khushi sat frozen to the spot on the ground. She was permanently glued to the floor in a daze but her hazel eyes were brimming with unshed tears. She took heavy and deep breaths but the sounds from the room were not reaching her ears anymore. She was in a state of shock. In that daze, she ducked her head out from the desk and without looking back ran towards the stairs. She descended down the stairs and as fast as her legs could take her. She still was cold and numb and shaking slightly.
As she walked out of the building premises, the coldness slowly ebbed away. Then what followed was pain. Physical pain that sprouted from somewhere within the deep folds of her belly, travelled across her body and draining her. It simple hurt.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Anupamaa
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