Zindagi Ke Mausam - Part Five (b)
All of a sudden the lights dimmed and a spotlight was pointed towards the entrance. Everyone's eyes went towards the door. And that's when Lavanya walked in...looking divine in a maroon choli with a golden beaded lehenga. Her hair was left loose draping her shoulders with a smile lighting her face up.
Lavanya: http://seasonsindia.com/showcase/gallery_2013/images/seasons_5.jpg
NK nodded and all of a sudden rose petals of all colors fell on her. She was surprised as were the guests and clapped in response to such a sweet gesture. The lighting went back to normal and Lavanya went to meet everyone.
NK grabbed her away for a few minutes on the excuse of Payal wanting to talk to her.
NK: Can I say that I'm blown-away?
Lavanya: Oh really?
NK: Would I ever lie?
NK leaned in to kiss her cheek.
AAAHCHOOO*
Lavanya erupted in laughter. NK turns and sees a beautiful Khushi all dressed up. She was wearing a lehenga of a light green and dark green combination highlighted with gold. Her earrings and bindiya oh so delicately matched her glowing face. Wrapped around her waist was gold chain that emphasized her slender waist. She looked like an angel from heaven. (Imagine the clothes she wore the first time Arnav saw her at the fashion show.)
She had braided her hair fishtail style with the top loosely started..so her bangs fell to her face and the thickness of the hair that was loosely done covered her left cheek. For extra measures she had even covered her head with a dupatta and passed it off as a stylish touch.
NK: Titli ! What the hell, you scared me !
NK kisses Lavanya's cheek and then shakes his head.
Khushi: Besharm ! (Shameless!)
NK: I don't care !
NK wraps his arm around Lavanya.
Khushi: Chi Chi ! Get a room !
NK is about to open his mouth when Lavanya covers it.
Lavanya: Why didn't you make an entrance with me?
Khushi: BECAUSE it's your day. Not mine. And plus how stupid would I look..limping all over the place without any shoes because of my foot?
Lavanya: Beautiful ! Because you are.
Khushi: Not as breathtaking as you look today. Look at NK, he can't even control his hands.
Lavanya started to blush.
Khushi: Ok let's go before everyone wonders where you ran away.
Khushi walked in to the room, and many necks turned her way. There was something so classic about her beauty and the way she was dressed.
As Khushi limped her way to NK's family she seemed to recognize a face there that wasn't there before.
Khushi: Akash Bhai ! Right?
Akash laughed at the familiarity she said his name with, it was sweet.
Akash: And you must be the famous Khushi?
Khushi: Exactly ! It's so nice to meet you. After the all the suspense that is, I've been waiting for so long !
Akash: Not exactly. We've met but you were sound asleep.
Akash laughed teasingly.
Khushi bit her lip a bit embarrassed about the situation.
Khushi: Woh...
Payal: Khushi ! You're here? I've been looking for you everywhere ! Where have you been?How's your foot?! You should rest, show me..what kind of, okay at least you didn't wear heels.
Khushi: Di Di Di ! Breathe ! I'm fine. I was just waiting to come in after Lavanya made her entrance. That's all ! I wast coming to you but then I saw Akash Bhai and we..
Akash: Started talking.
Payal smiled shyly at Akash and Akash gazed at her. Khushi noticed this and decided it was to head away from them two. She was going to kill NK...he had been keeping information from her. It looked like..not only had Di and Akash met..but they had seemed to have some mutual attraction.
Khushi: Ok...so...I'm going to go now.
Khushi smiled softly fully aware that neither Akash or Payal heard her. But as Khushi was backing away she almost bumped in to someone when she felt someone's firm arms grab her shoulders. The touch...seemed too familiar..Khushi turned and saw it was Arnav. Khushi suddenly flinched and was about to lose her balance again when NK put his arm around her shoulders.
NK: Khushi..are you okay?
Khushi quickly put a smile on her face and nodded. She felt Arnav's eyes piercing the back of her head. She casually turned around to meet his gaze. His eyes were full of curiousity and something else...but before she could guess what it was..
Anjali: Aap?!
Khushi: Anjali ji?!
They both smiled at each other and Anjali gave a quick hug..Khushi was surprised at her sudden friendliness but reciprocated.
Arnav: What the ???!
Anjali: Chote !
Arnav: Sorry Di.
NK: Bhabhi ! You know each other?
Anjali: Haan, hum Lucknow main mile thai. Khushiji humein mandir main mili thi.
NK: Khushi, this is Shyam's wife. Anjali. And Di, she's my best friend Khushi. You both know each other so what's the need for introductions?
Khushi smiled and nodded. After a minute or two, she excused herself. NK looked at his best friend strangely, what had happened to her? She wasn't being the usual chatterbox. Before he had a chance to further contemplate what was happening, his mother called him over.
Anjali: Chote, tum jaante ho Khushiji ko? Kitni achi larki hai, haina?
Arnav: Whatever Di.
Khushi limped to get a glass of water to calm down..
Khushi..Khushi, why are you behaving like this? You know nothing is going to happen, nothing at all. Now act normal before anyone notices anything strange. Just push all that bad stuff away.
NK and Lavanya exchanged rings and the room of guests applauded.
As they got off the stage the apparent happiness they both brought to each other's face was visible like never before. They were greeted with hugs and kisses and continuous congratulations.
Khushi saw that her best friend was busy, her sister seemed to be conversing with Akash and the rest of the family. She didn't want to interact with anyone. She snuck her way upstairs to the terrace where she sat swinging lost in thoughts.
As she sat on the terrace, she let her mind run. She let herself think everything she had been pushing away. It had been a couple of months since she felt these feelings of..not belonging. And..was it because of what that..rakshaas had said? It was. He was a stranger. He didn't know her, he shouldn't have affected her so. Though he had no right to spew bitter words, he wasn't so far off from what the truth was. She should stay in her limits. She shouldn't try to become a important part of anyone's life. What did he say she was? A typical middle class girl? He forgot to add a word though, orphan. She should stay in her limits because she was an orphan. She should be content with what she had. She didn't belong but everyone tried to make it seem like she did. But she should've known better. She didn't belong and never would. Her life's seasons stopped changing for the better when her parents passed. he was right even though he probably had no idea how true his words were to her life. She loved her Ama, Bauji, and Gigi. She truly did. But sometimes she couldn't help but feel out of place. She still felt that emptiness of not having her mothers scent with her when she used to hug her, or her father's warm laughter after her innocent questions. With time, all the happy memories begun to fade.
All that remained were bad memories. Memories that left Khushi waking up in cold sweats in the middle of the night.
A hidden truth of a broken engagement.
A relation that ruined Khushi.
A secret between her Ama, Bauji, Di and NK.
As her thoughts went wandering in that direction, Khushi shut her eyes as every horrible detail flashed before her.
4-5 years back...(18 year old Khushi)
Khushi was only 18 years old. But her Ama and Bauji were insisting on her marriage. They said that her age was "right" for marriage. Her Gigi was older than her but they used to say her time hadn't come yet. Khushi was naive, but not so much. She knew how hard it was for them, people would reject her because she was an orphan. They considered her "manhoos". She knew she was a responsibility on her Ama and Bauji. They did want the best for her and didn't want her to face any trouble. They wanted to do what her parents would have done for her. They did many years and now if they felt that getting married would be appropriate for her, well...then she would agree.
They found her a man,about 10 years older than Khushi at the time. She did find herself hesitant at the age difference but her Ama said that the more mature the man, the better it would be for her. After all, he had a good job and lived by himself. He too, had no one. He seemed like a good man her Ama, Bauji said.
Khushi agreed to what came her way. This was not her dream but she knew she lost her right to some dreams the day she lost her parents.
With her agreement, a date was set for an engagement.
Her Ama and Bauji insisted that they would let everyone know after the engagement.
NK had come to Lucknow for vacation that day on Khushi's insistence. Making an excuse about wanting to check out universities his parents allowed him to come. It was the day he came that he found out about her engagement. He wasn't happy about it but knew that Khushi would never back out now.
Anupamaa
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