hi guys...belated friendship day wishes to all😃...here goes one of the longest update😉
CHAPTER 4
Arnav clutched the mobile phone tightly as his face went pale with realisation. Something big is happening behind his back and he is still clueless about it. Kushi intently observed his face which was completely devoid of colours before noticing the blood drops dripping his shirt. She stood up immediately and moved towards him straightening her kurta.
"You are bleeding badly! I think you should see the doctor." Kushi said trying to figure out the depth of the cut by looking at his drenched sleeves. "uh?" Arnav replied coming out of his thoughts and looked down at his elbow only to look up again at her with a jerk as another realisation stroke him. "You are not suspecting me." It was rather a question than a statement.
Kushi gave a half smile and replied. "If you were on my suspect list, then I won't be talking to you like this!" Arnav examined her expressionless face trying to study her. "Why?" He asked her warily as Kushi shudder her shoulders and answered him. "Because I know that you won't do such things."
Noticing Arnav's flabbergasted expression, she continued. "Look, I am not saying that you are not capable of doing these things. But this is not your type...i mean, not your style. You would have preferred to come here alone and burn my scooty in front of my eyes than sending some scared goons to do that. You are the type who wants to see your enemies face when you defeat them. I think you people get some sadistic pleasure when your enemy suffers."
Arnav immediately shook his head and opened his mouth to disagree with her. But he stopped himself when he comprehended that she was partially correct. Even during the fights in school, he always preferred to take enemy all by himself. Now though he had police and goons at his word, he still preferred to come here by himself. Till now, he had never analysed about this behaviour of his. But now when he did it, he knew Kushi was right. He did get sadistic pleasure seeing his enemy's defeated face.
"It's quite scary!" Arnav acknowledged earning Kushi's puzzled gaze. "When your enemy seems to know about you more than you do." Kushi raised her eyes to lock with his eyes. Her heart beat raised as his words ringed inside her mind. Arnav tried to read her eyes which displayed shock. But Kushi broke their eye lock turning to her side. Arnav ran his fingers through his hair and spoke to easy the awkward movement.
"Is your scooter insured? I am going to call the police. Even I want to know which culprit is using my name." He said removing his phone from his pocket and first called fire service. "So you are saying that you don't know who did this?" Kushi asked turning to Arnav who lifted his gaze from the mobile phone. He gave her apprehensive look. "I thought I was not in your suspect list!?!"
Kushi shook her head. "Of course, you didn't do it. But I am sure that by this time you would have at least guessed who could have done it." Arnav thought for a second before answering her. "Same people, who had set up Sheetal against me. I don't know who they are but when i find them..." He clenched his fist after spitting out last few words in pure rage.
"I don't think those people behind Sheetal have done this. This must be done by your well-wisher or family who wants to protect you. They must have planned it after you released our photos to media. They thought my presence is damaging your image and decided to threaten me to stay away from you." Kushi gave her opinion to which Arnav disagreed.
"Kushi, think in this way. If i was not here, what would have been your reaction to this whole incident of threatening you?" Arnav questioned her but without waiting for her reply, he spoke again. "You would go to police with my name as prime suspect and then tomorrow morning you would have knocked down my office and will shout on my face that these things won't scare you!"
Kushi gave him unbelievable look making him ask her "what? Wouldn't you have done this?" Kushi gulped and answered. "You are right! It's quite scary when your enemy seems to know about you more than you do." They both looked at each other for a minute before breaking into an approving smile.
"I am sure that the people who have sent Sheetal knew this much about you. That's why they selected you as their lawyer. They knew that this message will further infuriate you against me and you will never stop until I am actually behind bars. But what they didn't expect is that i will be here with you!" Arnav explained his point of view.
"I still don't agree with you. People behind Sheetal were more calculative and took every step very cautiously that it was difficult for anyone to find flaws. But this attack was unplanned and very lousy. Did you see how those goons ran? Their motive was not to attack me but just to scare me and make me to stay away from you! They don't even care whether I am still alive or not." Kushi justified her argument.
"i think it was done by your over protective jeejaji!" Kushi guessed only for Arnav to laugh out loud. "My jiju! He would never scope so low especially with a girl as he respects women. And also he is just like me. If he wanted to warn you then he would have done it directly but not by sending some stupid goons." Arnav argued back.
"He is your jeejaji! Of course you will not let him down but i still think he did this one." Kushi said not noticing that Arnav had suddenly become serious. "My jee.ja,ji will never do these kind of stuffs. Understood? He is not that type." Arnav spoke through his gritted teeth. But Kushi didn't seem to back off. "Of course I know what kind of guy he is and what he will do for power and money?"
"What the hell are you talking?" Arnav screamed grasping her shoulders. His dominating nature angered Kushi more. "I knew what happened nine years back! I am not the one who accepts whatever society and media says. I have my own brain." She said ignoring the tightening of his hold on her shoulders and then continued.
"Nine years back, your party was on verge of losing the election but three months before the election suddenly your party appointed nineteen year old boy as youngster team's head and then he died within a week in a mysterious way. The blame was put on the opposite party and your jiju, who once said that he is not interested in politics, took his dead younger brother's position and gained sympathy votes and eventually won the elections. Doesn't it sound too fishy?"
In her enthusiasm to tell what she had found nearly a decade back, she didn't notice that Arnav has become completely stiff. "It was your jiju's plan to get back into power. Just for power, he killed his own brother...sshhh..." She hissed in pain as Arnav held her in deadly grip. "What happened to Aakash was like an accident. My jiju didn't kill him."
"Yes, a pre-planned accident which was speculated to be done by opposite party but was not done by them." Kushi replied angrily as pain shot through her already injured arm. Kushi was studying bachelor's degree in political science when that incident happened. That year, chief minister of the state came to her college for an event.
Ten students were selected to take interview of CM in personal which was supposed to be published in their college journal of that year. Kushi was one among them. CM was with them when Aakash's death news was reported to him. He looked surprised and shocked. Kushi knew that no leader whose party had upper hand in the election will commit such blunder like killing opposite party's member just before a month of election.
For kushi, all these things pointed towards two people; Shyam and his father, Shashi. Like kushi, few people guessed that it was ploy to win the election. But many didn't believe that man will kill his son just to get the power especially after watching Shashi Manohar Jha's emotional break down and Shyam's angry and emotional speeches.
"Don't talk about the things or people you don't know!" Arnav warned her in deathly tone. Kushi smirked. "Till now, it was just my guess Arnav. But thanks for becoming angry and confirming that I was indeed right!" Arnav left her free with a force making her to fall down. "You have crossed your limits Kushi. I will make you pay for this!" Kushi hated being manhandled and being looked down because of her status. Arnav did that both today infuriating her.
She stood up immediately ignoring the pain which crept up her ribs after her second fall that night. "What will you do, Arnav? Damage my public image with your power or fire me by bribing my employers with your money or even r*** me knowing your jiju's post will prove you innocent? Utmost thing you can do is kill me by throwing cash on some goons like this!" She said pointing towards her burnt vehicle and stepped dangerously close to him.
"By doing these things either your power or money might win. But you won't! You can never win me Arnav!" She spoke directly looking into his eyes. He opened his mouth to shout back but didn't say a word. He stepped back looking at her eyes and then slowly a smirk appeared on his face; a smirk which was clearly a sign of danger; a smirk which sent shivers run down her spine in fear for the first time. He stepped back with smirk still playing on lips and then turning around, he walked away not bothering to steal one last glance at her confused and almost scared face.
******************
"And after few minutes I got this message threatening me..." An hour later, Kushi was explaining what had happened to a mid-forties sub-inspector who stopped her abruptly. "Miss, only answer the question you were asked. So what is your vehicle's number?" The man asked spitting the tobacco on the ground.
Putting the indifference mask on her face, Kushi tried to answer him with politeness. "Is NK on leave today? I mean he will on night duty most of the time." Kushi enquired the SI who stopped writing on his notepad and gave her a knowing smile. "I know...I know...you would have preferred him but what to do madamji? Today he had morning duty."
Kushi heaved an irritated sigh with the way the man had uttered those words. For god's sake, can't these people stop thinking like this? NK was not even her friend and also he is two and half years younger to her. Only reason Kushi preferred NK was he is young, vibrant and ready to take risk unlike the man standing in front of her. Every time she approached NK, people in station gave her same 'i-know-what's-going-on' look when they don't even have any idea about it.
But one cannot blame these people. Who knows, twenty years back, even this SI might have taken up this job with a hope of cleaning the whole country like film hero does. But later found out in country you can't even change a person let alone whole country. Twenty years later, may be NK and she might also turn into man in front of her tired of trying. But Kushi doesn't want to give up as she can still try until she becomes tired. By that process at least she can make small changes. And for that she needed people like NK to help her.
A loud horn brought her out of her thoughts. She watched in surprise as NK removed his helmet and got down from his bike. He called the senior SI to other side and said something to him. The elder man nodded and gave a 'have-fun' look to Kushi before leaving the place in his bike. Meanwhile NK walked to her and greeted her with a smile.
"So what happened, Kushiji?" He asked in his usual cheerful voice. "Sir told me that tonight it was not your duty! Then how come you are here?" Kushi asked in serious tone ignoring his question. "Commissioner asked me to handle this case personally. So I came here." This made Kushi more suspicious. "But why he did that? I mean..."
NK interrupted her. "Kushiji, its two in night. I have sacrificed my sleep and come here. And before going back i have to report to the commissioner again. So first tell me what happened! I will tell you the rest tomorrow morning." Kushi nodded to what NK had requested and then explained him what had happened leaving the fact what Arnav was doing in her house.
"This man! He is playing double game!" NK told her after reading the text in her mobile. "He was the one who had sent you here, right?" Kushi asked him. NK looked up at her and nodded. "Yes, he had asked the commissioner to send the best man to handle this case personally. I really can't understand what he is thinking!" NK declared while both of them got lost in their own thoughts.
"Hello! Sub-inspector sab!" Kushi screeched waving her hand in front of NK's face whose eyes were fixed on her mobile phone. "Come back to the earth sub-inspector sab!" Kushi said teasingly as NK looked up at her biting his lower lip to stop himself from grinning. But just like every time she had address him teasingly with that 'sub-inspector sab' tag, this time also he couldn't hold back his smile. "Yes, Kushiji! What were you saying?" He asked her.
"I was talking about this message." Kushi said in no nonsense tone pointing to her phone which was in NK's hand. "Arnav said that it must be done by his enemies who wanted to damage his image further by threatening me. But I don't think so. It must have been done by someone who intends to save his image by asking me to stay away from him. My first suspect is Shyam Manohar Jha. What does the police brain of yours say?"
Kushi looked at NK, whose eyes were once again fixed on her mobile phone, waiting for his reply. He wobbled his shoulders before looking up at her. "i don't know Kushiji. I don't know about who had sent this message. But what they have sent is cent percent right thing for you to do. Do stay away from this man." He paused for a second before stressing it again. "Stay away from Arnav Singh Raizada!"
Kushi raised her brows asking him 'why'. "You have no idea about how dangerous he is and what extent his family and he will go just for power! He is a cold blooded animal with no human emotions!" NK explained to her. But Kushi shook her head. "I don't think so. I agree that he is dominative and egoistic but not cold blooded! He has a good heart!" Kushi argued.
"Really? You think so? Fine, tell me which man with good heart will kill his best friend of fifteen to eighteen years?" NK challenged her folding his hand against his chest. Kushi was dumbfounded as NK continued. "He killed Aakash!" Kushi's eyes got widened with the word 'kill' and then her eyes almost fell out of its socket when she recognised the name.
She gasped loudly closing her open mouth with her slim fingers. "This is unbelievable! You are saying that Arnav killed Aakash! Aakash Manohar Jha! Our chief minister's pampered second son and our home minister's only brother!?!" She spoke exaggeratedly before shaking her head. "This can't be true. If it is, then Arnav won't be breathing now! Who told you this?"
"Arnav Singh Raizada himself..." He paused earning a curious look from Kushi. "...said this to his friend who was friend of my friend." Kushi gave NK an angry look. "I don't believe this friend of your friend." She said in stubborn tone. "Believe me Kushiji. It's from reliable source. Apparently ASR was in depression when he confessed this. Then he discontinued his studies here and went aboard."
"Maybe he was in depression because of his best friend's death." Kushi argued back remembering Arnav's anger when she spoke about Aakash death and how he chased the goons to protect her before that. She looked at the two cuts on her wrist as she remembered his concerned 'are-you-okay?' question. With everything which had happened, she just couldn't consider him as a murderer.
"There is no proof kushiji. But think like this. Arnav was the first one to report Aakash's death. This must have lead to certain speculation involving him with the murder. But there was none. They made sure that news about Arnav being with Aakash never comes out. If there was no truth in the news, then what's the need for them to get scared of it?" NK questioned Kushi who was not convinced.
"Why would Shashi and Shyam let Arnav free, if he had killed Aakash? Are you saying they both were also involved?" Kushi asked joining the dots. "i am not sure. Have you seen their family? Its so weird. Father-son relationship appears to be strained while brother-in-laws seems to be so friendly!" NK stated in baffled tone.
"I still prefer to believe that he is innocent." Kushi affirmed making NK to look her with incredible expression. "Why is that so?" He asked her. "Because he is not a guy who would kill people for power and money. He gives importance to people. He was angry me for Lavanya's death more than damaged image. On top of it, there is no proof against him. Also he ..."
NK stopped her. "Oh my god Kushij, This is not court. And also from when you had become his defence lawyer?" NK said in mocking tone making Kushi to shake her head. "I am not defending him. I am just trying to be fair here." She stopped when NK's mouth went wide. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked as blood rushed to her cheeks.
"Is that really you, Kushiji? I can't believe it! You said he was with you, right? Did he do some black magic on you? i mean... we are talking about you kushiji! The one who hated all men; especially rich men; more particularly arrogant rich men. When i wanted to be friend with you, you discarded it saying you don't want any male as your friend. But today you are jumping to defend an arrogant-rich-man? What happened to you?" He spoke in dramatic way before singing 'Jadhu nisha madhu...'
He laughed out loud seeing her bewildered face. "Just kidding kushiji. Anyway you have to come to the station and file a complaint. I will come to duty around eight. You come after that! Also if your are okay, I will drop you in orphanage. You better stay there tonight..." NK continued to talk but none of the words reached its destination as Kushi was lost in her thoughts.
*******************
Arnav watched the still water in his pool as his mind jumped between past and present. The more he thought about past, the angrier he became. Most of his anger was pointed towards Kushi. Some parts of his anger were justified and some were totally irrelevant. He tried not to think about those things since it might lead him to do something stupid.
But he is not going to leave Kushi anyway. She had not only reminded him of his terrible past but also had actually hurt his ego thrice. Above all she had challenged him explicitly. He will win that challenge. He will defeat her. He will destroy her pride, her confidence and her everything. When he is done with her, she will not be this Kushi Kumari Gupta anymore.
First two times, he didn't do anything since his attraction and admiration for her stopped him. But next time he will not allow either admiration or attraction to overpower his motive. From now, she is going to be only an enemy in front of his eyes.
Defeating Kushi will not be an easy job. One cannot just go and scare her with things. But everyone has a weakness. Some people's weakness is money and for some it is power or women or drinks. Good thing is he had already found out her weakness. When you scream at her, she screams back. When you fight with her, he fights back. When you argue with her, she argues back more vigorously. But when you speak to her caringly, she tries to ignore it because she doesn't know how to react to it.
Arnav punched few buttons on his mobile phone. He couldn't wait for tomorrow morning to start the game he is going to play. He smirked as he remembered how she responded to his kiss. If he had forced her, then she would have pushed him away. But when he kissed her with love and passion, she couldn't help but accept it and respond to it. Yes, Kushi Kumari Gupta's only weakness was Love.
*********************
It was four in the morning when Kushi came out of bathroom after having cold shower. Her mind was muddled with NK's words. He was right. What had happened to her? Why she is behaving like this? Why did she try to defend a man who was about to r*** her? Why couldn't she consider him as murderer? What did that Arnav Singh Raizada has done to her?
Defending him can be justified with the fact that he had helped her and protected her when she was in need. The thing which was worrying her the most is her response to the kiss. Why on the earth she responded to him? Wasn't the male's chapter in her life ended few years back?
It was always disgust she felt when man comes near her. When they try to invade her personal space, images of past, which she is trying hard to forget, will come in front of her eyes. But why it was so different with Arnav? Why couldn't she just wear the mask which she wore in front of everyone before Arnav? Why his kiss felt something other than she had always imagined? Why did he affect her when no one did? What was in him that made her feel like a normal girl will do? What made her to respond to him?
His kiss had something. She knew that something was the thing from which she had been running away for past fourteen years. But Kushi was scared even to think about it let alone acknowledge it. This shouldn't happen to her. She was not supposed to feel weak like this. Immediately Kushi did what she always does when she felt weak.
She kneeled in front of a small crucified Jesus statue on her table and begun to pray asking for more strength to face what is going to come on her way. Kushi had a great ability to control her mind through prayers. When she decides something, her mind and heart both will follow it. This is the only reason why she is breathing even after what all happened with her.
She has to do this; for her; for her mother; for her ambitions. Everything happened was a bad dream. She will never think about him again. He doesn't deserve her valuable time. Arnav Singh Raizada's chapter was over in her life forever. And with great determination she got up and went to bed. It was 4.30 in the morning.
She can sleep for two hours and if she could sacrifice her coffee, she can even sleep for three hours. Kushi used to buy milk from a shop which was nearly a kilometre away from her house. She used to go by walk considering it as exercise. Well, she could manage one day without morning coffee. She need sound sleep now. Her phone beeped indicating the arrival of a message.
"Arnav!" She thought as her heart beat accelerated. It can be anyone but why her mind screamed his name as soon as it heard the beep sound. Hadn't she decided not to think about him? And also wouldn't he have any other job other than to text her? He must sleep peacefully in his house while she is killing herself with his thoughts.
'Stop thinking about him! Just read the message and sleep!' She ordered herself. Her hands shivered as she took the mobile. It was new message from an unknown number. Kushi prayed that it should be from mobile service provider. She would be happy even if it was threatening message from those goons. She gulped the lump in her throat and opened the message only to let out an angry growl.
I'm sorry - ASR.
so how was the update? do strike like button and share your thoughts in comment...
precap: Kushi in Jha's residence...don't ask...of course arnav will be there😳
Edited by deeps_92 - 12 years ago
Udne Ki Aasha
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