PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS SONG AS YOU READ…IT WILL BE WORTH IT I PROMISE…. THE LYRICS THAT I HAVE POSTED ARE MEANINGFUL FOR ARNAV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M37VucWh06Y
CHAPTER EIGHT
"Human beings in a mob?
What's a mob to a king??
What's a king to a god??
What's a god to a non-believer??
Who don't believe in anything?"
The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension. All that could be heard was the systematic thumping of gloves against taut leather. The pace increased and decreased cyclically as beads of perspiration cascaded down the crevices of sculpted muscles. Originating from the clavicle one particular droplet made its way down the edges of contracted abdominal muscles unhindered by material; licking the surface of bronzed skin just before hitting the waistband of black shorts.
In the corner of the room hung a worn out leather punching bag. The seams were frayed while the internal contents threatened to pour out with the next assault. He circled the apparatus keeping on his toes as his upper body donned a light sheen. His eyes narrowed and brows knitted in concentration as he tried to regulate his breathing. Then with the precision that could only come from years of training he extended his arm and exhaled; glove connecting with bag.
The force of the strike ricocheted up his arm vibrating with in the muscles of his forearm and upper arm. He struck again and again; alternating between cross punches, jabs and uppercuts. The blows becoming more forceful each time, moving to the underlying driving beat in the song.
2 hours ago
He rang the door bell…she wasn't answering. He rang again and could hear the light thudding of footsteps against the hardwood floor as she approached the door. The door was opened slightly and she stuck her head out but before she had a chance to say anything he pushed the door ajar and stormed past her into the apartment. He stopped…something wasn't right. The place was a mess…but that was nothing new. He turned to her; she was wearing a sweatshirt that skimmed her thighs, her hair was mussed and lips slightly swollen.
He hadn't realized but he was holding his breath the entire time; suddenly he released the tension as realization dawned on him. He turned his head to look at her bedroom door and then toward her again raising his eyebrow.
"ASR…I can explain…" Lavanya tapered off.
He smirked and looked her up and down. He had this uncanny ability of making people feel like dirt when he wanted to and that was exactly his intention at this moment.
" It's fine Lavanya, save it. It spares me the trouble anyway. We're done. I'll write you a good recommendation but make sure you're not in the office tomorrow."
"Oh and these were for you…" he threw down the lilies on the coffee table.
"Two tattooes, one read "No Apologies"?
The other said "Love is cursed by monogamy"?
That's somethin' that the pastor don't preach?
That's somethin' that a teacher can't teach?
When we die, the money we can't keep?
But we prolly spend it all 'cause the pain ain't cheap"
His tongue languidly slid over his upper lip absorbing the moisture. He inhaled, taking in his own scent; drops of sweat hung from the tip of his nose. He relished the raw physical power that exuded from his body as he wielded control over machinery constructed from sinew, muscle & tendon. The blood pulsed through his body and he continued to punish himself. He was unyielding while his body screamed for clemency but he wouldn't listen today. Not today.
Physical pain he could handle. Emotional pain was something else entirely. Arnav Singh Raizada worshiped at the altar of power and today he had fallen weak. He was not upset…no… he was relieved that the world had once again proven him right. Order had been restored. No one could be trusted.
Each strike to the bag was just a reminder of that. Ms Kashap had done him a favour. It was what he expected from her and everybody else.
It was the unexpected that he did not know how to cater for and Ms Gupta was exactly that…unexpected. She made him question his judgment and actions; his conscience had fallen weak at the sight of her tears so much so that it had resulted in his own pain. Words that had been carelessly thrown around this afternoon had changed the equation between them; even though there was no foundation for the accusations that were hurled in her direction. She was the innocent but Arnav knew that it would only be so long before Ms Gupta would do the same as Ms Kashap if not worse. Ms Kashaps actions had just substantiated his beliefs.
Control needed to be reclaimed. He needed to marry her and nothing else. This attachment, fascination, curiosity or whatever it was on his part had to be stopped. Emotions had to be left at the door. What was required was to provide her the incentive to do so; he would just have to find something that would entice her.
Arnav threw off his gloves and stretched his fingers as he removed the wraps bandaging his hands. He walked past his wall-to-wall collection of vinyl records, cd's and his vintage record player in favour of the stereo. One of his few indulgences was music…just him and the beat; nothing else. His collection was extensive including big band, jazz, classical, acid punk, rock, dance, hip-hop and rap music.
Today's selection required the throb of the sub-woofers and so he turned up the volume and the room shook as he once again jumped up on the balls of his feet. Punching the air he shook his head of excess water keeping his heart rate up in time to the rest of the song. His muscles were in agony. He denied them mercy. No more pain.
He had to break past the barrier.
It was him against the world.
********************************************************************************
She looked at from the empty cupboard to the room across from the pool and found her resolve waver. It had taken her the better part of the afternoon to pack her belongings into the suitcase; her arm still hindering her daily routine. No longer would she intrude on the hospitality of the Raizada household that much was certain. The floor vibrated in time to the music coming from the room across the pool. He had been there for the past hour and the music was only getting louder; god knows doing what.
Zipping up her suitcase she turned around and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. His words echoed… "Have you seen yourself in a mirror? I can have any girl I want so why would I choose you?" Khushi Kumari Gupta had never been the sort of girl to entertain vanity but today she decided that perhaps it was warranted. And so she let her eyes wander over her form and decided that Arnav Singh Raizada was right; she was nothing special. The women in his office had legs that went for miles, pouty lips, ample bosom and oozed self-confidence.
Khushi was under no misconception though; she had no desire to be like them. They were snarky and full of themselves; she had been raised to value the beauty of the human character rather than the flesh. She did however understand their appeal to the sensibilities of a man…especially a man like Arnav Singh Raizada. Looking at her self in the mirror she saw a girl who had eyes that were too big, a nose too small and funny teeth. She supposed that she was thin but that also meant she wasn't exactly gifted in the cleavage department.
For him the encounter with her would have been one of many; but for her it was the first time she had allowed a man to touch her like that. He had awoken a desire in her that was foreign; he had made her feel wanted. "You're even middle class in that department…"She turned her head towards his room and then back toward the mirror. Biting her lower lip she desperately attempted to quell the barrage of tears that had been threatening to flow since the incident that afternoon. And suddenly she found that she could no longer keep them in. She slid to the floor hiding her face in her hands and cried her heart out. Her chest racked with sobs and her nose ran as she began to hiccup from the intensity of it all. She was strong willed person...by god she had a countenance made of steel.
But at the end of the day though she was still just a girl.
He had torn apart her self-esteem within a few seconds. The tears wouldn't stop as her body shook. The need of validation from another human was a new concept for her and she was experiencing the awful pain of rejection from that very same person. Any girl would have been able to tell her that there was no worse feeling than being invisible or insignificant in the eyes of that person. She had never sought out someone's opinion before… well at least not about the important things. It seemed ever since she had met Arnav Singh Raizada she had been opened up to a whole new world of emotion; self-pity, rejection, desire, pure carnal need, anticipation, humiliation, confusion and momentarily…pure bliss. To a woman who was so emotionally in tune with herself this was beginning to be too much to handle.
Why did her body betray her so? It would be so easy to say she hated him and then be done with it but she was never one to take the easy path in life. Moments with him flashed before her eyes. This man was a cacophony of contradictions; he was cruel but kind, ruthless yet empathetic, just in one moment and then so unfair in the next, passionate yet distance, strong and yet still so afraid. For every time she had seen his worst there were the times she had also seen his best. His best was something that he seemed ashamed of, something he tried to hide and something he only really reserved for his family.
Professionally he was outstanding.
Emotionally he was retarded.
She wiped her nose with her dupatta, the tears dried on her cheeks and she drew her knees up to her chest laying her head atop them. He didn't know it but his eyes had betrayed him to her. His words may have said something but his eyes revealed his pain. What had made this man so jaded?
No. She was not going to take on another charity case. There was this need within her to see the best in people and help them achieve it. But not this time. He had overstepped his mark and her respect was something she valued very deeply; the only thing she valued more was her family's respect. She closed her eyes and thought of Amma, Bauji, Buaji and Payal. The smell of fresh jalebi, the sound of Buaji's Nandkishore and the tinkling of payal assaulted her senses. A fresh set of tears escaped her lidded eyes only to be wiped away by a small chubby hand.
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Arnav had left his room in search of some water. Still shirtless and covered in perspiration he had to pass by Khushi's room to get to the kitchen. He was going to go straight pass and not look. Straight pass and not look. Straight past and not look. The phrase was repeated like a mantra. He looked determinedly ahead but couldn't help a cursory glance. The scene infront of him made him double take. Khushi was crying almost sobbing; her face in her hands. He was paralyzed to the spot and his heart tugged inside of him. His eyes flew to the packed suitcase…did he really leave her with no choice but to leave? This was all on him. GOD he was such a bas***d.
He watched, hidden from her view, as her breathing momentarily steadied and her sobbing subsided only to be replaced by silent tears. And then his nephew was at her side wiping those very same tears he had brought about.
"What the…?"
*******************************************************************************
Khushi looked up into Laad Governor junior's eyes. These eyes were much simpler to decipher. They were confused, pure and sympathetic. She quickly brushed her tears away and gave him a watery smile.
" Arrey Rehaan…."
"Are you leaving?" he interrupted
She looked at his upset face. Aaah to be a child again. He was so untouched by the cruelty of the world, so pure and so full of faith. While Khushi may not have been as cynical as the Laad Governor she was fully aware of the bedard duniya he had so often referred to. She felt chubby little hands on her face once more…and then he sat in her lap.
"Woh beta…"
"Did Mamu tell you off?" he interrupted her again.
She looked at him shocked and began to shake her head in the negative only to be interrupted once again. Putting his little arms around her neck he continued.
"I know. It's ok. He tells me off too. But he always treats me by playing cricket afterwards. Do you know he tells me that he only gets angry at the people he loves…"
Khushi laughed out loud. LOVE???? That was funny…
Arnav, who was watching this interaction very closely, felt his heart jump with joy at the sound of her laughter. Rehaan had done what he could not. Even though his nephew had some very confused ideas about his Mamu he was grateful that at least Khushi was no longer crying.
Rehaan frowned in protest at her laughter.
"I mean it Khushi Di. If he didn't love you…you wouldn't be allowed to stay here. Only family and loved ones stay in this house. Lavanya Di wanted to stay here with us and he said no. Even though Mumma tried to convince him. Then Mamu explained to me that he would only allow those he loved to live here. This was our home…our special place."
Arnav was gobsmacked. There really was no other word for it. He couldn't believe Rehaan had remembered all that and what was further he was right. Arnav has said that and meant it….then why did he have no hesitation in letting Khushi stay here? To make matters worse Arnav was actually upset by the possibility that she would leave. This girl was screwing with his head.
Khushi smiled broadly at Rehaan.
"So you'll stay with us right? I will smack Mamu if you want me to. That's what Mumma does when he tells me off. Please don't go…I have sooo many games I want to play with you."
He mustered up the full 100 watt power of his smile and gave her a big hug. Suddenly she knew what she had to do; she had to win. There was no way that Khushi Kumari Gupta ever backed down from a fight. She was going to give Arnav Singh Raizada the fight of his life. She was going to show him just how little he mattered. He wanted to be indifferent did he? Well two could play at that game.
The truth was that she needed the money from the job and besides she was here on Anjali and Naniji's behest. She wasn't going anywhere. Arnav Singh Raizada be damned.
********************************************************************************
Arnav looked down at his treacherous heart as it was running circles and doing fist pumps in the air.
Khushi's laughing face flashed before him.
The heart in response just said…
"All your arguments sir…are invalid"
PRECAP
A society gala and the giver of the roses.
Author's Note:
Hey Guys,
Firstly apologies that this took so long to get up. It was really hard to write emotionally and there was a death in the family so things have been a bit hard. On a more positive note….6 PAGES OF COMMENTS.
You have all made my week. I will endeavor to get back to you all individually with in the next couple of days. Really it is such an encouragement. You are all so lovely. I also know that this chapter was not so progressive in terms of the story line and Khushi's mysterious past but I felt like it was important to reflect on their feelings about each other.
I PROMISE I will reveal who sent the ROSES in the next chapter. And as for the gunshot that occurs after one year. So all these scenes are prior to the gunshot. So we are still in month one…the gunshot is in month 12. I thought I would put it in to create interest. I do know where this story is going I promise.
Also about PM'S. PLEASE BUDDY ME. It's just that I may forget to PM you if you are not my buddy. OTHERWISE continue to COMMENT AND LIKE. Let me know what you think…good or bad. You guys are really fantastic.
I'm also a bit nervous about this chapter because it seems so many more people are reading now. I hope it's not too disappointing.
Much Love
Sasak
(I'm using a pseudonym..forgive me. I just want to ensure my safety online)
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