Complicated Arhi FF|Thread II Part38Pg138 - Page 60

"Hello I am Arnav" He introduced himself taking a seat in front of Rahul.

"Hello Sir" Rahul greeted him with a smile

Never in his life before he felt nervous of anything like he was feeling now, he rubbed his hands together and cleared his throat

"Umm … you … you're Khushi's friend, right?" He nervously put his hands in his lap so that Rahul cannot see them shaking

"Not really, yes we're class fellows and we're on good talking terms" Rahul was not getting the man sitting in front of him, he called him urgently here and now he was asking about was he a friend of Khushi

"I …. ahm …. I ….." He stuttered not knowing how to say it but then inhaling deeply he said it in one breath, "Will you marry Khushi?"

Shocked was an understatement for what Rahul felt at the moment, "Excuse me"

"I … I said will you marry Khushi? Being her cousin I am asking it from you"

Rahul could see the hope to hear a yes from him but he cannot accept it, he felt pity for the person sitting in front of him who was staring him holding his breath as if his life depends on his one acceptance, and then he feeling sorry for him rejected his proposal

"I am sorry sir but I never think of Khushi this way, I mean she is my friend but I … I can't marry her, I've responsibilities towards my family, I can't ….."

Rahul saw the hope dying from his face

"I'm not asking to marry her now just an engagement…"

"You're not understanding it, I'm just 18 and I'm not able to take up the burden of marriage, maybe after 4 or 5 years but not now, I am sorry" He was feeling really pity for Arnav but he cannot help him

Arnav nodded his hand understandingly and was about to get up when he kept glued to his seat hearing the next thing

"You can marry Khushi"

No matter how much he wanted to work their marriage, he cannot do anything which will be difficult for her,

"I … I can't, She …. I'm like her brother and also … you know the ….. the age gap, she is 7 years younger to me" Stammering he hardly completed not to show his nervousness

"But why do you want her marriage at such a young age?" Rahul questioned and Arnav shrugging it off, got up and shaking hands with him bid bye

"Bye Rahul, I'm sorry for taking your precious time, Best of Luck" He didn't stay for one more moment and Rahul was amazed meeting such a strange person

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He came back home tired, now what he can do, he thought picking his clothes from closet when he heard a knock on the door, he turned and surprised, he was not expecting her to be in this room

"Tum" he could see her eyes downcast and she was twisting and playing with her fingers, "Kuch kehna hai? (You want to say something?)" Seeing her nervous he asked in a tender voice

She nodded her head before inhaling deep and when she speaks it made him freeze at his place;

"Aap hum se shaadi kab kar sakte hain? (When you can marry me?)"

He could not believe what he just heard, "Excuse me, k … kya kaha tum ne? (What did you say?)" He held his breath, how can she say like this

"Hum ne kaha ke … aap hum se shaadi kab kar sakte hain (I said when …you can marry me)" She repeated and he who was already frustrated by his meeting with Rahul, in a second lose his temper

He just went to her and held her tightly

"Choriye humain (Leave me)" She winced in pain

"Tum … do you have any idea what are you saying!" He pulled her closer, first time he was feeling real angry on her, why she was not thinking about herself!

"H …. Hum jaante hain aap bus humain …. Sss (I know you just ….)" She hissed as he dig his nails in her arms

Now he was getting mad at her, In no way he can allow her to destroy her life, to give up her dreams

"Main tum se divorce ki baat ker raha hoon aur tum ….. (I'm talking about our divorce and you ….)" He held her even more tightly and he could see her closing her eyes, "This is for the last time Khushi get it straight to your head …. MAIN TUMHAARE SAATH APNE KISI BHI RISHTE KO NAHI MANTA (I do not accept any relation with you)" He said loudly and he felt furious as she shook her head negatively

"Aa …. Aap iss shadi se mana nahi ker sakte kyun ke Mumma ……. (You cannot deny this marriage because Mumma ….)" She left her sentence incomplete as she looked up at him. Fury in his eyes melted as he noticed her uneasiness, as she become conscious of their proximity, realizing it when she struggled to break his grip he held her more closer, only he knew how he was controlling himself, how his hands were itching to keep away the lock of her flicks falling on her eyes, how he want to kiss away the tears rolling on her cheeks, Instead he take the other route

"Huhh 2 minute theek se toh mere saamne khare bhi nahi ho paati aur chahti ho ke main sari zindagi ….. huhh …. Forget it (Huhh you can't even stand in front of me rightly for even 2 minutes and you want a whole life .. Huhh)" he mocked her as it could be the only way to change her mind but he forget he was talking to a stubborn

"Ha … haan hum … hum chahte hai … hain ke aa …. Aap yeh sha … shadi karein (Yes I still want this marriage)" He didn't know what happened to him, he twirled her wrist at her back and pull her closer, she unintentionally grabbed his collar for the support and he realized what he was doing, he was about to kiss her

"DON'T ….. Khushi iss se pehle ke mujh se kuch ghalat ho jaaye ….. just leave (DON'T, Before I do something wrong Khushi, just leave)" As he saw her opening her mouth he stopped her, "Aur phir mujh se iss barre mein koi baat mat kerna (And I don't want to talk anything on this matter)" He pushed her outside the room, as she came forward he closed the door

Locking the door, he knelt down and let his tears flow down, he was making his life difficult and complex with his own hands, he knew it but he was doing it only for Khushi, only for her happiness. Little he knew that he was making things more complicated for her also

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Few more days passed like this and Arnav keep himself away from the house as much as he can because he knew that Anjali would be after him for taking a final decision about this marriage. He knew Khushi will not talk about it after that day but still he avoided being home

That night also he came late from the office when he saw Shyam sitting with Khushi in the lawn, he spoke something which he can't hear being at distance but his fists clenched as he watched Khushi leaning on Shyam's shoulder and cry

He took long strides to them and furiously spat it out, "Tum yahan kya ker rahi ho Khushi"

He could see she didn't do it on purpose, he cannot blame her, She was just seeking solace but the person was wrong for her, and she didn't knew it either, He saw how she ran inside without looking any of them when she realized what she had done

After she left he confronted Shyam, not showing him an ounce of concern towards Khushi but in his heart he promised himself that he will protect her and keep her away from the evil

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Coming to Khushi's room he then made himself clear that he want divorce and not the marriage thing with her, He could see her shattered but he was thinking it to be alright when comparing this pain with the one which she has to suffer after marrying him

He came back to his room and her tear stained face wasn't letting his mind to think rationally. His heart wanted her to be with him but his mind was pulling him away foreseeing the baseless marriage

"Pehle kab acha hua hai joh ab hoga (Nothing was alright before so why now!)" Her teary face flashed in front of his eyes

"Main usse aadhi se poori gharwali bna loon ga" His words rang in his head

No, he can't let anything happen to her, and then he reached at the final decision. He decided to marry her

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Everyone was happy in the house with their marriage. Secretly in his heart he too was happy that Khushi was going to be his forever but he can see the sparkle, the glint missing in her eyes, the smile which was always a part of her lips lost somewhere

He was sitting in his room after their engagement staring the ring which she just made him wear. He remembered how nervously and without touching his hand she slid the ring in his finger and after that when NK called them for the dance how she was just looking down and not at him so just to see in her eyes he whispered in her ear keeping his voice tone firm, "Stay away from Shyam"

He brought his hands to his cheek as he could still feel the brush of her soft face against his

His thoughts interrupted at the beep of phone, he checked the caller ID and a smile came to his lips

"Hi Anuj"

"Hey Arnav congratulations" He heard Anuj and Lavanya speaking in unison

"Thanks guys" His eyes were still focused on the ring

"Is your Pari happy Arnav?" The sad face of Khushi came to his mind and swallowing the tears inside he spoke,

"No, how can she be? Ok leave it when is your flight, I don't want my wedding without my best friends" He shifted the topic and Anuj and Lavanya understood it

"After three days which means right on your wedding day" Anuj replied and then after conversing about random stuff for 15 more minutes he disconnected the call

He dialed another number, "Yeah Aman, scan through the good reputed girls hostel and book the best room in any suitable one, yeah I want it to be done till two days, thanks"

He smiled and felt a bit relaxed as his friend gave him the right advice

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Aman has arranged for a hostel and Arnav was feeling relaxed, and thankful to Lavanya for giving him the best advice. She told him to send Khushi to hostel till she completes her studies and gradually she can make her mind and accept this new relationship of being her wife and not sister

It was the Mehndi, he came to the kitchen to take some water when Anjali asked him to take some food for Khushi as she haven't eaten anything

"Aap ke unn ka naam kya hai? (What is the name of your would be?)" He heard beautician asking her about him, his eyes moved to hers and she found her stammering, feeling awkward to call his name

"Aa …. Ar …. Ar….. Arn …… Ar……."

"Arnav" He completed for her and came in, he looked away from her surprised gaze and sitting on the bed he fed her but she stopped after taking two or three spoons of rice

Just to tease her he got up and started packing her bag as he thought he would clear everything with her after marriage. He saw a kind of scrapbook and again to tease her he opened it but her next act surprised him, she without caring about her mehndi snatched it form him and hide it behind her

Then Shyam came there and after a heated argument with him when Khushi told them to leave for the first time he failed to hide his inner emotions, his soft side from her. He didn't knew that she has seen the concern and tenderness in his gaze

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Arnav was calling Anuj as his eyes were fixed on the entrance of the hall.

"Anuj where are you guys?"

"Actually Lavanya is reluctant to come at the venue, you know Shyam is …." Anuj said apologetically and he understand it

"Ok, where are you guys staying, Khushi and I will come to see you guys" He shifted his gaze to the stairs and his eyes refused to leave the spot from where Khushi is coming downstairs

He hardly listened the address and put down the phone, his whole attention now only at her. He could see her nervousness as she has tightly clutched the sides of her lehnga

Anjali made her sit beside him and during rituals when he hold her hand it was ice cold. She was frightened of him

"Don't worry Khushi today I'll clear all the misunderstandings between us, today I'll tell you everything" He thought to himself as he remembered that Lavanya told him to take Khushi in confidence and make her aware of whole situation

When he applied sindoor to her partition, she flinched and doing so some of it fell on her nose, he smiled as he recalled what Anjali told once, "When the sindoor fell from husband's hands on the bride's nose it means he will always love her through every thick and thin"

Then he tied mugulsutr and then their seven pheras, he vowed to fulfill each promise with every phera but he never knew that he will fail all it so soon

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He was sitting in the lounge with Anjali who asking him to be polite and nice to Khushi and he again getting nervous of everything was just thinking how it must be difficult for her to accept him as her husband

Like many other people he too was counting their age difference and he was giving a second thought on his decision if marrying her was the right thing! No, he will talk about it to Khushi and then making some excuse he will send her away from this house in some hostel so she could at least complete her studies.

Finally Anjali asked him to go to his room once again reminding her to behave nicely. He nodded and made his way to the room. Every step he take it was like some heavy load was burdening his shoulders as his nervousness increased. Reaching in his room he exhaled before opening the door and as he opened the door the sight in front of him made him freeze at his place

He could not believe his eyes. Shyam was hovering over Khushi, before he could react he felt her clutching on to his shirt and next moment she was hugging him, he fisted his hands for control, for the first time he was thinking wrong about Khushi

"Hum … Jeeju ….. humain nahi …. Pata ….hum …. Aap ka intezaar …. Per Jeeju ….. humain laga aap ……" She was stammering in sobs and Arnav was not listening to her, he was just glaring Shyam as if today he will kill him

And when Shyam spoke it was like what he was thinking is right. Khushi never wanted this marriage to happen, all the times she was with Shyam flashed in front of his eyes and he parted Khushi from him and held her hand tightly, before she could understand anything he dragged her with him from stairs to the living room and then coming outside he pushed Khushi out of the door

"DON'T YOU EVER DARE TO COME IN HERE AGAIN" He forgot what he had planned for the day, the only thing in front of his eyes was image of her being with his biggest enemy. For the first time in life he was not affected by her tears, for the first time he failed to notice the shock appearing on her face as she shook her head

"Main ne kaha tha tum se ke Shyam se door rehna, per tum …… tum ne usse room mein bulaya kyun ke tum ……. (I told you to stay away from Shyam but you called him in the room)" He felt disgusted

"NAHI" Before he could complete she strongly denied him, "Aap hamari baat toh sunain hum ……" She hold his hand while he roughly pushed her hand away making her fall and for the first time not feeling guilty of hurting her

"You don't exist for me anymore Khushi" His eyes have noticeable hurt in them, the pang of betrayal stabbing his heart

"Nahi Arnav Ji please aisa mat kahein hamari baat …. (No Arnav Jee don't say like this, listen to me…….)" For the first time she called him by just his name and in what circumstances! He always wished to hear his name from her mouth and when she did, he was not in a state to realize it,

She came to him but he closed the door on her face like he always did but this time blinded, he didn't care about her

"Nahi hum ne kuch nahi kiya …. Jeeju khud wahan aaye the ….. aap hamri baat toh ….." He tried to ignore her voice by covering his ears with both his hands and shouted back

"JUST GO AWAY KHUSHI"

As Arnav stepped in he found Shyam standing right in front of him smirking, he was in no mood of talking with anyone not at this time

"Saale Sahab Khushi ko ghar se nikal ke aap ne mera kaam aur aasan ker diya hai, ab main joh chahe uss ke saath ker sakta hoon (You made my work easy by throwing Khushi out of house, now I can do anything with her)"

Furious, Arnav grabbed his collar and punched him hard on his face making him fall,

"Tum kuch nahi ker paao ge …. Jub woh yahan rahe gi hi nahi …. And if you ever try to hurt her or Di first you have to face me (You cannot do anything when she is not living here anymore,)"

Arnav left for his room leaving an angry Shyam behind. He want to be alone for sometime

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Anjali just left his room after confronting him, and he cried badly as today he broke the trust of his sister and his love,

"Why Khushi, why you trusted Shyam!" In his inner turmoil he ignored the continuous vibration of his cell phone

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sorry for the delay, next update will be more likely in 15 days or so

PMs will send later 😳

Enjoy Reading 😊

-Sumeela