ArHi SS: Dark Side- Chapt 8 Pg 45 *Updated* 30/8/13 - Page 27

Hi nice story. loved arnav n lavanya they r so caring towards khushi. bt tht snake i cnt stand even now even in a different stroy n here he's even worse hope we have to tolerate him much.

Her dream is showing her way

Jesss... first conggg on ur graduation :))...🤗..

nice update khushi trust arnav...remember khushi arnav loves you...

Hey read this in one go. Really liked it. Pm me for the next update.

Hey guys! Long time, right? Please don't hit me. This is my longest chapter till date. Almost about 3000 words I think. I hope this makes up for the longish gap! 😊

Chapter: 8 One Step Forward; Two Steps Back

"Would someone let me in on the joke as well? I'm clueless!" Lavanya confusedly stated, looking at Arnav's bemused expression and Khushi's exasperated one. When Khushi only huffed cutely and Arnav continued laughing even louder, La stopped suddenly to take a look at the beautiful scene unfolding in front of her eyes. So much had changed since the last time she saw Khushi. The Khushi she saw back then was torn, broken and on the verge of an emotional breakdown. This Khushi looked much more at ease as she sat beaming at everyone around her. One day had brought so much change. She hoped things would continue in the same manner. Arnav on the other hand looked as happy as a 5 year old who had been treated to his favorite candy as he looked at Khushi laughing; there was something so magical about looking at it- Everything seemed at peace. She sent a silent prayer above to bring better days ahead. She continued admiring them both throughout breakfast time, hoping on the hope that Arnav relied on.

They continued their breakfast amidst spurts of giggles and laughter and everything seemed like before- Happy.

***

An hour later saw Saiyeda heading towards Khushi's bedroom along with Khushi, Arnav and La in her wake. Khushi was beyond nervous. She had no idea what the session held in store for her. She was twiddling her dupatta furiously that didn't fail to grab Arnav's notice. Suddenly, he was feeling as nervous as her. They entered Khushi's room and at once Khushi had noticed how the ambiance of her room had changed from that of the morning. The red curtains were all drawn tight against each other so that the room was bathed in red light. Red; Khushi liked this color and it made her a little less nervous. Across the bed, was placed one of Khushi and Arnav's favorite chaise longue, directly in front of the window. That, Saiyeda said was because she thought there were better vibes around that place, something Khushi found amusing.

"This is going to be a private session between myself and K, so Arnav if you may please." Saiyeda said, pointing towards the door. Arnav looked at her dumbfounded for a few seconds before realizing that she was asking him to leave. He shifted uncomfortably in his place. He didn't quite invite the thought of being away from Khushi for even a second now. What if something happened to her during the session? No, he couldn't let that happen. He promised to take care of her! "Would it be alright if I could stay with her in the room? I swear I won't make a sound, nor will I interrupt you. I just need to make sure she's alright and is put to no pressure" he pleaded in a bleak voice. Khushi's heartbeat picked pace the moment he said that. She raised her eyes to look at his face and felt a jolt in the folds of her stomach. He was looking at her. "I would certainly not permit that, Arnav. It would be tampering with her concentration. She needs to be aware of her inner thoughts, not her surroundings, and especially if her surroundings contain you" Saiyeda explained. "What do you mean by surroundings contain me?" Arnav barked, facing Saiyeda as Khushi looked at her incredulously. "I just want to make sure she's gonna be okay!"

"And I will make sure she is much more than okay at the end of the session" Saiyeda replied calmly.

Arnav cast yet another shifty look and then made his way out of the room, followed by La as Khushi looked on, and he immediately stuck his face against the glass panel of the door the moment Saiyeda shut it.

"Okay, K. I want you to lie down here" Saiyeda said as she walked back to the sitter. Khushi obliged removing all thoughts of Arnav from her mind. She had to concentrate on what was going on here. "Close your eyes and take slow, small, deep breaths" she said as Khushi tried to calm her heavy breathing and return her heartbeat to normal.

Arnav was watching the session take place from the other end of the door. He was bodily absent within that room, but his entire being was inside with Khushi. He saw her close her eyes and relax. Saiyeda kept walking back and forth from Khushi to the window, speaking words he couldn't hear. He wanted to be there. He wanted to hold her hand. He wanted to know what was going on, the questions being asked, Khushi's answers, her confusion, her progress, everything. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright. He wanted to know everything and his helplessness at not being a part of that was driving him crazy. He tried to read her lips and then cursed himself for never being an expert in lip reading.

What he didn't know was, within that very room at the moment, Khushi was revealing to Saiyeda, what she had been reluctant to share with Arnav the day before. With the help of Saiyeda's process of the awakening of inner senses, Khushi stumbled across the forgotten dream of the previous night. She suddenly shuddered and Saiyeda sat up straight.

"What is it K?" she asked her gently.

Khushi opened her eyes, looking into the distance. She didn't understand how this procedure of psychoanalysis worked, but she had just relived her dream from yesterday; fresh as though it were staring at her in the face. She had relived clearly every minute detail and every moment. Even though she was only reliving her dream, Khushi longed to get to the rose. Somehow the rose was the answer to all her problems. Somehow, she knew if she got to the rose, she would never be sad again. Subconsciously, she raised her hand and reached out to something in the air, her expression glazed and dreamy.

Saiyeda's gentle nudge broke Khushi's reverie. She tore her gaze away from the spot that apparently held the rose, and looked at her with eyes wide. "The rose" she mumbled, while Saiyeda looked on skeptically. She waited for Khushi to start speaking and Khushi didn't disappoint.

After retelling her dream to Saiyeda, Khushi lay back and let out a great sigh, as though she was exhausted. "What does the rose mean S?" she asked timidly. "What do those screams mean?" Saiyeda scrutinized Khushi's face for a brief moment and then said that it was enough for the day. She saw the stressed up face of Khushi and was worried that she had led her into the dangerous territories of her mind in the very first session. She would have her next session after a day. Khushi made an angry retort. She wanted to know what it all meant. She was consumed with burning curiosity so strong, that she thought she would burst with the mere longing of wanting to remember everything.

As the session came to a close, Saiyeda advised Khushi not to try and penetrate her thoughts on her own or the result would be fatal, because she knew Khushi would try to delve deeper into her mind, courtesy her curiosity. Khushi unwillingly agreed with her, throwing her a look that was somewhere between anger and reluctance. Khushi was made to do a few more breathing sessions to calm her senses and then they proceeded outside where Arnav still stood with his face plastered to the door. Before the door opened, Khushi stopped Saiyeda and said "Please don't tell Arnav anything about the dream, S." When Saiyeda looked at her disbelievingly, she said "I don't want to disclose to everyone something that I myself am not sure about" Saiyeda nodded with a knowing expression, and Khushi looked down, unable to meet her eyes. She lied. The reason she didn't want Arnav to know the dream was because she didn't want to hurt him. The condition in which she saw him yesterday broke a small piece of her heart and she knew she was the cause for it. She didn't want him fretting over her having dreams involving screams and struggle. She quietly made to follow Saiyeda back to the door. The moment the door opened, Arnav quietly looked at Khushi, trying to take in her appearance and gauge something, his eyes silently shouting just one question- Tum teekh ho? Are you alright? The look he bestowed upon her was so tender that Saiyeda thought Arnav was going to transform into a girl and cry his heart out. She chuckled, earning a reproachful look from Arnav, who then turned to her and started bombarding her with questions instead. After a particularly long session that involved questions like "Did it hurt Khushi? Did you hurt Khushi? Why did she twitch? Why was she so weary when she came out? Will she be alright? Etc etc", Arnav's rant finally came to a close. Saiyeda made sure she didn't tell Arnav about the dream.

After tea, Saiyeda made to leave, but just before she did, she cornered Arnav and told him "Just keep her distracted, will you? Don't let her on her own" Arnav scrunched his eyebrows in worry. "What do you mean don't let her on her own? Has something happened? Is there something you haven't told me?" he asked her, tension laced in every word. For the first time since he had met Saiyeda, she seemed queasy. "Uh, nothing of that sort Arnav. I don't want her to open up too much at once, that's all. Let's take it slow" she said. Knowing she hadn't done a good job of convincing him, she left the house.

Khushi was sitting with La, who was examining her hand with a sly smile on her face. Amidst talks, La had told Khushi how she knew about reading hands and Khushi immediately jumped forward wanting to know what her future held. La told Khushi that she had already read her hand previously and that Khushi had reacted in the same way to the prospect of reading hands. Arnav could never forget the glee that crossed Khushi's face upon hearing that she was still similar to how she used to be. He took in a moment to memorize that look and knew in his heart that he would never forget that look. So Khushi sat along with La, as La kept pointing out things to her. They continued giggling for over an hour like two long lost sisters. Then finally as her grand closure to this hand reading session, La pointed out to Khushi her very last reading and said- "Like I told you so many times before, you will eventually marry a person who has a tender heart, loving eyes, giving nature and short temper! Ta-da!" she finished with triumph.

Khushi gasped and held her breath. Her eyes darted across the room and stopped at Arnav's, who had also snapped his neck violently to look at Khushi when he heard the final prediction, wearing a slightly concerned expression on his face, as if to see what her reaction to this was. They continued staring at each other for many minutes before Khushi realized what she was doing and averted her gaze. Arnav on the other hand continued looking at her. He was mildly irritated with La for having said this. Khushi didn't need to know those details as of now. But the other part of him wanted Khushi to know it. He wanted to know what she felt about it.

"Arnav, the way you're looking at Khushi, seems like you both have decided who that person might just be" La chimed in looking amused. For the second time Arnav cracked his neck to give La a *just stop talking* look. Khushi on the other hand was looking into her lap, blushing furiously, with her hands fiddling so fast, they might have got tangled.

She murmured an excuse of bathroom, and sped away, her long hair swishing behind her.

Arnav continued to look at her retreating back. He was suddenly feeling so much better. It was like the burden on his chest has reduced considerably. He felt light-hearted.

La walked up to him, placed a hand on his shoulder and said- "Sooner or later; had to happen" and then chuckling to herself, she said goodnight and left.

Arnav stood there wondering what on earth had just happened.

***

Two hours and a lot of mess later, Arnav stood in the kitchen holding a plate of freshly made jalebis. He looked upon this accomplishment with his chest swelling with pride. This was his proudest moment ever. It was something no one ever perceived he could do, but he did. He had cooked jalebis, although with a little help from Meera. Whaaat? He thought to himself - Meera just helped him with the ingredients and the measurements. Oh, also a little with the correct mixing of the batter when he had accidently knocked the bowl off the counter. Also, a teeny bit of help with the frying, when the first batch he fried came out looking like charcoal. That's all! Apart from that, he did everything!

He felt proud of himself again, and started walking towards Khushi's room. She would be exhilarated beyond words when she would see the jalebis, he thought. A small voice in his head said "But she doesn't remember anything, Arnav" Arnav chose to ignore that voice. He was certain that Khushi would delight in the prospect of jalebis. Khushi and jalebis had a deep relationship that could never be forgotten ever!

Smiling to himself, he darted across the hall and climbed the stairs that led to her room. He knocked at her door and waited patiently for it to open. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she would see him with the jalebis. He knocked again, but didn't receive any response. "Khushi?" he called, loud and clear. No answer. He knocked for the next five minutes meeting the same response. His fear started to mount again. He started banging at the door. "KHUSHI! Open the door, dammit!" He was almost about the break open the door, when it opened making Arnav fall into the room and directly over Khushi, the plate of jalebis toppling dangerously over its edge.

He looked on as Khushi supported him by holding his shoulder so that he wouldn't fall down. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and her breathing was irregular. He became suspicious. Putting down the plate of jalebis on a side table, he held Khushi by the shoulder, poring his gaze into her eyes. "Tum teekh ho?" he asked her. She nodded a little, shuddering. "Why were you banging the door like a madman. I was in the bathroom" she said lightly trying to switch the conversation to something else. She was hiding something. He was completely certain of it. "Khushi, something isn't fine. I know it. I can feel it. Tell me what's wrong before I go over and lose my head again" he said harshly. Khushi hesitated and looked around as if the surroundings would present her with a way to distract Arnav, when her eyes fell upon the plate of jalebis. She felt like she would explode with happiness. She didn't know how, but the jalebis were the reason and that she was certain of. "Hayee jalebis!" she squealed in a high pitched tone. She ran over to the table, forgetting what Arnav asked her and picked one up, looking at its juice dripping. She took an entire Jalebi in her mouth and sighed loudly. "Wow! It's so good!" she said between mouthfuls.

Arnav was momentarily distracted as he saw Khushi eat the Jalebi, and lick its syrup off her lips. He was suddenly overcome with a desire of kissing those lips. Without realizing what he was doing, he started moving towards her. Khushi didn't notice him coming forward, her rapt attention upon the jalebi, when suddenly, she smelt something woody and musky close to her. Opening her eyes, she directly looked into deep, dark, brown eyes. They were gazing somewhere below her eyes, but that still didn't keep her from looking into those eyes. Then, with a tremulous jolt, she realized that those eyes were staring at her lips. Tingles erupted all over her body as she saw Arnav inch closer, leaning towards her. She closed her eyes, her heart pounding. Arnav cupped her cheek with his right hand, his fingers drawing circles on it. She shuddered as his finger went over one particular spot. Arnav felt it too. He suddenly came out of the trance that held him, observing Khushi keenly, aware of the slight mound that he felt under his finger. Their momentary happy bubble seemed to have popped. "What happened to your cheek? Why is it slightly swollen?" he asked her. Khushi looked guiltily at the floor; her heart was still hammering against her chest. "And it's red too! Khushi answer me now- what happen? Why did you take so long in opening the door? Is something wrong? Tell me, Khushi. Kya hua?" he demanded.

She had no other choice now, but to tell him. She thought she wouldn't because she didn't want to see him worried, but here was a guy that got to know everything about her from her face. Was she really an open book, or was Arnav a great face reader?

"I did exactly what S asked me not to do", she sighed and said in a small voice.

***

Press like and leave your comments. They're highly appreciated. Sorry and thank you to everyone who have still stuck with this story. I love you all immensely! ❤️

jess

Res

Edited:

I like myself in this story. I actually do...

I practise my subject, I interact with ArHi... I am helping them... Damn this is fiction! 😭

"Tum theek ho"/ "Hayee jaleibi" Those were the days...

Anyways, I only saw progress in this chapter.

Not only in the psychoanalysis did Khushi remember her dream vividly she also wanted to shield Arnav from further pain as a consequence of it.

Also, thanks to La, ArHi silently at least acknowledged that they see themselves together in the long run. If not for the amnesia, I wonder how long this would have taken.

They were about to kiss??😲 😳 Probably now is not the time... Me will wait 😃

What was this Khushi doing when I had clearly asked her not to think??? Yeh aaj kal ke bachche 😆

PS: Will I make Khushi realise that Arnav is the rose??? 😳

awsm update
wat was dat abt khushi dong wat s askd her nt to do?