SS- That One Mistake (Arshi)

CHAPTER:1 - Present Perfect

Arnav started checking his emails on his iPhone'he was done with this conversation. These are the type of activities and events that Khushi generally enjoys, but this time he could not understand the reason of her resistance. Nonetheless, he wasn't very excited about it either but it was Khushi's 'no' that was making him wonder. Well in a way it's good, he thought.

Khushi on the other hand was anxious. She hated waiting, be it for someone or for something' Every birthday, she knows Arnav would plan some surprise or other. She would sneak around him and spying on him, the cute way, to see what he was planning. Last Birthday, she found him ordering custom cake for her, and the very next moment she went up to him and asked him to ensure it was strawberry flavor since that's her favorite. Arnav's expression'. a perfect Kodak moment.

But today was different, she was waiting for something which looked more important, something very very special. "Ae dil e mushkil jeena yahan" Khushi leaps and gets the phone kept on the dresser and walks out to the balcony.

Arnav knew it wasn't any of her friends, she has special ringtones for friend. Typical Khushi, he smiled. Khushi hangs up the phone and walks inside and there goes the phone again "Yeh tumhari meri baatein hamesha yunhi", and the next moment Khushi goes " Hey Priti..wassup?..."

Arnav looks up, he feels his stomach churn... a strange uneasy feeling..as if thousands of jellyfishes were holding tight on to his heart. He could hear Khushi speak in background.. nahi yaar hum toh nahi jaa rahe thoda kuch kaam tha. Tu suna tu toh jaa rahi hai na..(pause) kyun bey' aaj kal tu badi unreachable si hogai hai, baat kya hai..(pause) aisa kuch nahi hai toh jaa kyun nahi rahi, kya pata wahan koi mil jaaye.. khushi walks into the kitchen to looks at her dal on stove.

Arnav changes into his pajamas and walks into the kitchen to check on the dinner. And there Khushi is, near the door beaming with her patent big smile. Khushi was such a sweetheart, easy-to-please girl, who didn't need any specific reason to be happy and smiling. Arnav envied that about her, her ability to be optimistic and happy, ALWAYS. But today, it was something different'there a special glow in her eyes. Her eyes wanted to tell him something, desperately but Khushi was holding it back, of course with great difficulty.

Arnav gives her his usual questioning look.. and there she walks away to arrange the dining table. "Oh this girl is so strange.. and I love it" He smiled and sat down for dinner.

Khushi serves him the dinner and sits beside him and says "I take my word back.. let's go on the Cruise. It would be a great holiday with all our friends. I'm ready..let's go. I will start packing..okay?" She always surprised him with her sudden unexplained change of minds and excitement. But this wasn't one those pleasant surprises, he thought.

CHAPTER: 2 – Past Imperfect

Though Khushi was a home maker she definitely had more friends than her not-so-social husband. All her friends were none other than Arnav's colleagues and their family. The place where they lived, there weren't many Indian families around. Khushi always felt coming to US was the price she was paying to see their middle class dreams becoming true. A perfect home, a car and financial security for their kids. Kids...Khushi was crazy about kids, she particularly found the American kids amusing. How well behaved and sweet unlike Indian kids who run around entire day crying out their lungs.

She would be seeing many such noisy and not-so noisy ones on the Cruise today. Cruise to Mexico was not just a company vacation... Khushi had special plans. She was so proud of herself for setting up the background for her big surprise. 3rd day of the cruise was their 2^nd anniversary of togetherness…

Khushi and Arnav's wedding wasn't the most perfect one, especially with her parents not turning up. Her parents did not want her to marry Arnav, an orphan without a strong family or financial background. They wanted Khushi to marry into a family where there would be people to take care of her, where she would not have to worry about her daily expenses. Couldn't blame them, who in today's time would want their only daughter to marry a guy like Arnav, cold and jobless.

But Khushi knew, she was the warmth Arnav's heart needed. She was the support Arnav needed to aim for bigger things.. things that he truly deserved. She defied her parents, because she knew Arnav was all that she wanted...no... all that she needed. Ever since they got married, she hoped that one day her parents would take her back… in their lives, in their heart...

Arnav did not want Khushi to go against her family, even though he knew he would be incomplete without her. He knew and understood what family meant. But Khushi is Khushi after all. There was no way he could convince her and after a certain point his heart didn't allow him to be truly convincing. He wanted her…needed her... with him, forever.

Luckily for them, soon after marriage Arnav got a good job opportunity in US and they decided to take it up and to get away from the family pressure and tortuous relatives, of course Khushi's.

It will be two years in 3 days since she last spoke to her parents, since she last saw them.. a tiny tear slipped down her peachy cheeks. Arnav sensed it, after all it isn't very natural for Khushi to be quiet for whole 5 minutes. He lightly pushed Khushi who was standing on the rail and looking into the turquoise water. Aaah.. how dare you push me.. she hit Arnav on chest and Arnav smiled and closed in…

CHAPTER 3 ' Future Tense(d)

Khushi didn't bother to notice anything around. Her mind was racing, to make her perfect moment even more grand and special. She joined the group in all the activities. But when Khushi is not laughing and jumping around, you know she isn't taking full interest. Arnav noticed Khushi's occasional disappearances but didn't seem to think much. Weird things are expected from her. He smiled and turned his face back to the deck and his eyes met Priti's large teary eyes. The smile faded and there was a certain discomfort in the air suddenly. There was a certain uneasiness and anxiousness... until Khushi jumped and hugged Arnav from behind.

Khushi's excitement was at a new level, Arnav could sense it. He knew Khushi was waiting for the clock to strike 12 in the night. Khushi always planned big surprises and would get disappointment if you don't show the biiig surprise. Even if Arnav knew the plan, he would just act along to make Khushi happy.

But this time, it was different. He did not want the night to fall' he wanted the world to stop right then and there. He could see how things would turn out when "the" moment comes. But it was inevitable; he could not push this any further. Khushi deserved to know the truth. That is the least he could do for her..confess. He sighed and looked down. Khushi did not notice his sadness. Arnav looked back up and found Khushi chatting with Priti. Priti threw occasional glances at him, but both of them were quick to look away.

After dinner, Arnav took Khushi to the solitary deck for a romantic walk in the moonless starlit sky. Both of them laid down and started looking at the stars. Arnav was silent and Khushi, as always, did most of the talking. Arnav was not listening to anything that Khushi was saying, he was not his own self that moment. Breaking his silence, he spoke abruptly. "Khushi, I have something to confess'" Khushi smiled and looked towards him.

"Khushi, remember I had gone to Vegas for a Business trip last month'" "Of course I do. the one where Marcelo and Priti had accompanied.. the one where you did not take me.." she pouted "you knew I so wanted to see Vegas. Wait a sec' are you taking me to Vegas as the anniversary gift??" khushi's eyes became big and she was staring into Arnav's eyes. Arnav could not take that, he closed his eyes slowly.

"No Khushi, it is something more serious, very serious. I want you to know that I love you much more than what you know. Just like the ocean waters. By looking at it, one can never judge the depth and the currents beneath the surface. I want you to know, nothing matters to me more than your love'"

"Arnav, bas trailer hi dikhaoge ya aage bhi bologe??"

Arnav always believed in short and crisp conversations. He knew pauses and gaps in between only gave the other person more time to guess, which sometimes is good but most of times is not.

Arnav took a deep breath and continued'

"On the last day in Vegas when we were all in a casino, Marcelo got us all drinks. Little did we know he had laced the drink with drugs. My head started feeling heavy so I went back to the hotel room. Next thing I remember is waking up in the morning'" a short pause, to breathe and to find the right words.."waking up in the morning next to Priti'" he crawled through the last words; slowly and carefully.