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Entry #1

"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

Genre: Romance

[Note: The colour of the font depicts the time frame.]

Mending Souls

Arnav gazed at the evening sun as he sat alone at the Park bench withholding so many different memories from his past, which, in his opinion, were the only best memories he had. Laughter resonated along the park and he looked at the bunch of kids playing, not too far ago with a smile. It was nice to be devoid of any worry and just spend time and lead life as we wish.

Out of nowhere, he felt her presence, long before she came to his side. She was like spring, making the atmosphere around her more lively by each passing second.

Two tiny, soft hands slid onto his eyes from behind, successfully covering them. He broke into a huge smile and held her hands resting on his eyes and spoke with joy evident in his voice, "I knew you would come".

Of course she would come, after all, the road to this day hadn't been that easy and they had evolved out into the present together.

A Year Ago

"Ji.My pleasure. I am really glad that I could be of some help to you. Don't hesitate to call again", Khushi spoke into the receiver with the same enthusiasm as ever, even though it was the crack of dawn and half the world was still engulfed by the sleep monster. It was her usual morning shift at the part time job that she had taken up in the Crisis Hotline' and she still had a long, weary day staring ahead of her. She didn't mind the early morning and the late night shifts for which she used to work here. In fact, it was the only good thing in her life. What she did mind was the job of personal assistant that she had taken up in one of the India's leading AR Industries. Arun and Arnav Singh Raizada- the dynamic Father and Son duo as everyone called them, were known for their bonding'. Only, she knew it otherwise. Being the secretary to Arun, or otherwise known as the CEO has its own advantage and disadvantage. To start with, only she knew that the so called bond' between the father and the son wasn't as great as everyone thought it was. There was shouting and screaming almost every day happening between the two within the confines of the cabin. If the Father never regarded her presence, the son barely noticed her. In an odd way, it meant they had some blind trust on her to not open her mouth and she did the same.

In her opinion, Arnav had the most strong and commanding personality but he was in the clutches of his father who didn't seem to care about his aspirations and dreams. He had been stuck in this MD job for over 2 years and one day it had finally taken an effect on the man's temper until he had arrived at the breaking point. Since that day, there was barely any decent conversation of the two that she had witnessed.

As she parked the scooty that she had finally managed to buy at a second hand shop, she saw Arnav stomp his feet angrily, walking in her direction. Nervousness crept up in her causing no words to come out of her mouth and she stood rooted in her spot, waiting for the wrath to ascend.

"The man has completely lost his senses. How the hell do you keep up with him? Let me give you an advice-Leave the job while you still can or else you will be the one to regret it", and just like that, he was off with his car leaving her completely astounded. The very first time that he had spoken to her and he had to speak this?It was yet again a case of the father-son spat but this time it was different. This time, he had spoken to her and before she could even comprehend that thought, he had flown past her. The day had been quite confusing for her by the time she wrapped up her work in the evening. She still tried to think over Arnav's words but failed to trust them. Keeping everything aside, she got on her scooty and readied herself. It was time for her other job.

She parked her scooty and went over to the farthest bench visible at the extreme corner of the park. Her phone rang and as she saw the number, her lips automatically curved up and she received the call, "Hello, Crisis Hotline'..."

An audible gasp was heard just behind her and she broke mid sentence and turned to see Arnav standing with shock evident in his handsome features while holding a phone in his hand. If that confused her, then the next sentence definitely helped her understand.

"It is you. You are the girl I speak to everyday." It wasn't a question. Just a mere fact stated simply, yet it was heavy with all kinds of emotions.Khushi was shocked to the core. Never had she expected in her wildest dreams that the caller that she had been spending hours talking to everyday would turn out to be him. The Arnav she had experienced was nothing like the caller.She had been excited when he had asked her to meet him. They had connected over the few calls together. But now, there was only shock at its place. She vaguely realized Arnav coming over and sitting beside her and only after a good few minutes of silence did she find the courage to turn to him.

Did you know?", he asked her simply, his voice concealing any emotion that might have been present. He was gifted with a slight nod and a fidgeting sight of Khushi. He merely sighed while all he wanted to do was laugh at the act of fate.

"Why this job when you already have one, though not a good one?", asked Arnav, looking at her in the eye, for the first time. Khushi noticed that there was no flaring of the nostrils or that rough, high pitched voice that she had always heard. He was gentle in his talk and there was no hint of anger in them anymore.

"Because hearing about all kinds of problems from different people makes me feel better about myself", she said, not afraid of any other kinds of revelations anymore. Arnav raised an eyebrow as he looked at her confused.

"My life isn't perfect you know, just like yours. I am helpless about it but the fact that I am able to help solve or guide through others problems'gives me a little satisfaction. It is also a reason to stay away from my house as long as possible. Due to my job, I only go there to sleep. I have a brother, just like your father. If you are tolerating all the hell just for the sake of your Dadi then I am doing it for my brother's wife. Since the death of my parents, all the responsibility is on me and all my brother does is get drunk and beat his wife and me. You speak to me but who do I speak to about my problems?" Her voice had turned to whisper by the time she finished speaking and he saw tears pool in her eyes.

"I am Sorry you have to hear me whine about my own problems when you had asked me to meet and speak about yours. It's just that, I haven't done this before- speaking about myself this way and I couldn't stop myself from doing it', she said, making a futile attempt to stop those tears.

In return, she felt a strong hand entangle with her own and she looked at the hand and him back and forth with surprise.

"I asked you to meet me here because I wanted to discuss about us and not just me. I wanted to know you since I feel that we have a special relationship that we are unaware of. It was true that I was shocked to find out it was you but that doesn't make me look at you through different eyes. I would listen to your problems all day Khushi if that meant I could be at least be a bit of help to you compared to all the times that you have helped me through your words", his words felt soothing to Khushi and she wondered if he was the same Arnav.

"But you don't even know me. I am just a secretary of your Dad's whom you hate so much. From what I know, you hate me too since you hardly notice my existence", she said and turned down her head.

"I know you enough. Just because I hate my Dad, it doesn't mean that I hate you. If that is the case, then I should be hating myself too since I work under him just like you do. I do notice you every time I barge into his cabin but for all I know you might be thinking I am some rogue who just shouts all the time. I don't want to scare you any further by speaking to you. But I didn't know you were this strong. Why don't you complain to the police about your brother? You don't have to go through all that you know", he said, trying to help her out.

"It is easier said than done Arnav. He is my brother and I can't disregard the relationship just because he does. If it is that easy, why don't you leave your house and start afresh? You hate him after all", she questioned his suggestion.Arnav realized that no matter how much he pretended to ignore the binds, it still existed and pulled him from leaving.

"I get your point", he simply said and both watched as the sun set giving into the darkness with their hands entangled providing assurance to each other. That was the last time they had ever met, until today, exactly a year after.

Present

A lot had changed in this one year. After they had met, Khushi had never showed up again at work. When he had enquired, he was told that she had taken a leave for few days but then she never showed up. Instead her resignation letter came into his hands. Arnav had failed to understand exactly what had gone wrong. He had tried to contact her but she remained unavailable causing him to think that he was responsible for her resigning. When he had all but given up hope, she had contacted him and said that things were not going pretty well with her. It was her who kept calling whenever she could from different numbers saying that it was not safe for him to call. Each time he spoke to her, he found himself in a different universe where there were no worries and just the two of them. It was safe to say that he wasn't just a customer who called crisis hotline anymore. Their relationship had blossomed into a whole new level and a sense of comfort was always attached to it. Despite his numerous attempts to enquire, she had not told him anything about herself. Whenever the topic came, she tried to change the subject. He didn't go to pester her as he didn't want to screw up anything between them.She hadn't agreed to meet him whenever he had asked her the same. All of a sudden, four months back, she stopped calling. He tried his best to track her but he never got her. He had lost all the hope to meet her until he remembered that soon it was going to be one year since he met her. The place held a special meaning in his life and he hoped that it was the same for her as well.

So he had come today, hoping that she would come as well and he was not disappointed. He removed her hands out of his and pulled her to the front and made her sit beside him. They stared at each other for a long time before he spoke out.

"You haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have you..", she said giving him her warm smile.

"Dadi passed away Khushi..", he hugged her tight as he said her that. She was surprised at his gesture but knew that he needed it right now. He had always turned her for help at times like these although this time, she doubted that she had any strength to console him. Her own life had led her down and she didn't have any hope to live. She hugged him back taking comfort than giving him her own. She needed this too.Arnav sensed her silent sobs and withdrew from the hug and gazed intently at her.

"Are you alright Khushi? You never met me or called me in months..", he slightly accused.

"I have been busy..", she mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

"Something has happened, isn't it? Tell me..", he urged. She refused his speculation saying that everything was alright. She wouldn't open up, for unknown reasons but he didn't want to waste his time with her trying to get her speak to him.

"Khushi, do you remember you had asked me why I wouldn't leave my house if I hated my father so much and I had said that it was because of Dadi. I realized I was wrong. All this time the only reason I had stayed in that house was because I had not found a reason compelling me enough to get out. But after that talk we had, I realized you are my inspiration and that now, I have found a reason to leave my house. I want to start afresh Khushi. I want to relive my life with you. I love you Khushi". He was anticipating her reaction and she didn't disappoint him. Her eyes widened and she gasped loudly in surprise. She looked at him questioningly while he just smiled at her lovingly.

"Don't tell me you weren't expecting something like this Khushi. There had always been a special bond between us that had held us all along and had woven us into a beautiful relationship. It is time that we acknowledge this relationship and give a name to it."

"This can't happenArnav. I am not right for you", she cried out. He stared at her, clearly demanding explanation. In return, she turned her back to him and pulled her hair to the front showing him her exposed back. To say that he was shocked was an understatement. She spoke before he could ask, "It was four months ago Arnav. I returned home to find my brother drunk, as usual and trying to beat his wife. But that day, the situation had gone out of hand and he tried to kill her with the bottle of acid when I came in the middle. He never regretted it but it left a huge impact on her and she hanged herself the same night while my brother was in escape. The only person that I had close to family had left me that day Arnav and had left me hollow. I am not the same Khushi who used to encourage others out of their problems. I don't know who I am anymore. I am a living mess with no hope in life. I am anything but right for you", she said, tears streaking down her pale face.

Arnav pulled her onto to him and held her tightly while she cried her heart out until tears seemed to betray her. He wanted to comfort her in any way possible and words weren't what she wanted right now. She hugged him tighter, finding, for the first time in months, a sole with which she could share her pain with.

"Khushi,I know that life isn't a bed of roses but it ain't just filled with just thorns either. When I told that I loved you , I meant that I am willing to accept you as mine with all your flaws as well as the perfections in you. My love for you isn't that fragile that any physical factor might change it. Neither will it change after hearing you out because emotionally, I am as broke as you. We have had our share of pain in the past and we have helped each other come out of it morally. The present is in our hands and what we decide now, will shape our future. How about we dwell into the future together and stick with each other just like we had in the past? Do you love me Khushi?", he asked her, determined to set things straight.

She looked at him, hurt filled in those eyes, "How can you even ask that? Do you doubt my feelings for you? Of course I do love you"

"Do you trust me enough to break all the ties, leave everything behind and come with me Khushi? I may not able to provide you with a luxurious life but I do promise to keep you happy and love you forever. Tell me, are you ready to spend the rest of your life with me?" Arnav waited with baited breath, waiting to hear her one answer that could change their lives forever.

2 years later

Anrav sat at the same park bench, staring at the sun. No matter how many times the sun set, it always rose again ,removing the darkness, indicating that bad things didn't last forever. It had been like that for him since the day Khushi had said yes. He had found his happiness together with her and their love had made the difficulties seem just like a passing cloud. They were the mending souls, completing and healing each other. He turned to his right and gazed lovingly at his wife who seemed to be enjoying the weather, closing her eyes.

"Thanks for coming into my life Khushi", he said, staring at her. She gazed back at him with eaqual love for him in her eyes and pulled his hand out of hers and kept it on her growing belly and whispered, "Thanks for loving me Arnav and creating this beautiful soul within me." He dropped a kiss on her lips and hugged her onto him by his shoulders as they stared ahead at the setting sun, dreamimg about their future together with their unborn symbol of love.

Life couldn't be more perfect.

___________________________________________________________

Entry 2#

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

Genre: Tragedy

Paani ke Sapne

[Dreams of Water]

Translucent, shimmering in the sunrays and reflecting swirls of a rainbow, tiptoeing over shoulders and windscreens like the little joys of life. Bubbles, adamant, crazy, persistent little bubbles - noticed by some, smiled at by few and laughed at by even fewer. If it hadn't been for his wife, Arnav wouldn't have been sitting here in his car and absentmindedly staring at the bubbles floating around at the traffic signal. The boy, the maker of the little glassy balls was poor, like so many others. Every red light would give way to him with that plastic bubble-maker, and that soapy water he would dip it into. His lips would then purse up to blow into the circle, sending little bubbles knocking down the glass panes of uninterested car travellers. What was so great about it? Nothing, to be honest. Nothing fancy, nothing glittery. And that is what made it different.

Ten rupees. Ten rupees was all it cost for Arnav, who bought it on an impulse. In fact, it was his inner voice which poked him '' What are you going to do with that bubble maker?''

''Make bubbles of course.'' Arnav whispered to himself before he pressed his foot upon the accelerator.

**

She loved staring out of the open doors, looking out on the poolside, feeling the wind tickle her cheeks ever so lightly. She raised her hand, slender fingers pushing back a bunch of stray hair which somehow always seemed to escape out of her braid. The smell of jasmines hung in the air, wafting slowly from his tenderly maintained garden out by the poolside.

Even before the bell had rung, Khushi had known it was time for him to arrive. The book she had been reading had slid down in her lap, the page unturned for the past ten minutes. The doorbell tinkled and she hurriedly picked up the book, not wanting him to know that she had been waiting, like every other day.

**

He walked into the hall and nodded at Di, who smiled knowingly at him. She didn't say anything, watching as his coat came off, his tie loosened and his feet led him towards his room. Anjali's smile stayed on for a while before she was reminded of something, something which tugged at the corners of her lips, something which tried to squeeze out tears from the corner of her eyes and that something which poked through the bubble, that bubble which had once surrounded their lives, enclosing it within a cocoon of happiness.

**

''Khushi..'' Arnav whispered. She pretended to be engrossed in her book, intently looking at a word which surprisingly, she couldn't make a head or tail of. Arnav knelt down before her chair and grabbed her book. Before she could protest, he turned it the right side up and she turned red, realising that she had been holding it upside down. He kept the book on the nearby table and turned towards her, holding something in his fist.

Khushi watched as he gently brought her palm towards himself and lay on it a small plastic bubble maker. She almost laughed out loud and gazed at him, ''Arnav I am not a kid anymore!'' she said, amused. He grabbed her hand, slipping his fingers through hers ''I wish you were Khushi..I wish you were..''

Her eyes suddenly blanked out, she stared outside, feeling her shivering hand clasping his in a moment of realisation. Khushi squeezed her eyes shut.

**

''AKASH! KHUSHI!''

Those were the last words Khushi heard from her sister's lips before the pain shot up her legs and she crumbled down on the car seat. No one had told her that those would be the last words she would hear from her sister ever again. The loud crash still resounded in her ears. When the white shrouds were laid down, Khushi had felt like screaming. Why her? Why her loved ones? One by one?

That was her question to Devi Maiyya. A question she had never asked before. A question which had seeped out when she had seen the man she loved the most reduced to inconsolable sobs. A man who had lost his brother.

Her sister's screams still haunted her, that pain still remained, a pain sharper than any physical one Khushi had ever endured.

**

Khushi gripped Arnav's hand tightly and her eyes opened, meeting his own. He shared her sorrow, her nightmares, and her constant flashbacks of that day. He squeezed her hand, as if he understood and she felt the bubble maker press against her fingers. He uncurled his fingers and so did she, looking down at him and suddenly smiling, even as traces of tears glistened from her cheeks.

**

She pressed her lips against the circular ring and blew, watching as a shiny little bubble went up in the air. Khushi's eyes followed it, watching as sunshine pierced through it and it disappeared somewhere up above. She blew again and again and a whole bunch of bubbles rose up in the sky, as if being drawn from above through carefully handled strings. Her lips couldn't help but curl into a smile.

Arnav watched from behind, his hands resting her shoulders. A moment later, his hands slowly slid back and held the handles of the wheelchair, pushing it gently across the length of the poolside. Khushi watched the bubbles bouncing everywhere and looked back up at Arnav who gave her a small smile. He stopped moving the wheelchair and bent down, placing a kiss at the crook of her neck, where a deep scar lay. She closed her eyes, feeling the wound heal slowly but surely. His lips lingered there for a while, drawing back when they were sure that they had taken in some part of her suffering. They knew, it would take days, months, and years to fill these wounds. But Arnav and Khushi knew that it would be someday when they had to start.

That is the thing about bubbles. They don't wait, for sadness or for happiness, they rise up in the sky as quickly as they are formed. They spread smiles, enrapture an audience, and then bid farewell. Arnav and Khushi hoped that those bubbles would land up at the doorstep of her sister and his brother above, telling them that they were moving on, carrying their fond memories with them.

A single bubble found its way into the room, drifting towards a photo frame standing on the bedside drawer. The picture encased a burst of colour, the festival of holi, drenched in those colours were two lovely couples, so much in love. They grinned up at the camera, watching as it froze a wonderful moment of theirs, a moment to be recalled again and again.

**

She sat in her room, a shocked mother, not able to come out of her grief. Neither sarcasm, nor jokes could console her anymore. The witty, colourful Manorama had withdrawn into her own self, her memory still tainted by the sight of her only son drenched in red.

''Open your eyes Akash!'' she had wished again and again, ''Payal bitiya!'' she had called out to that daughter-in-law whose presence she now so missed. Every day she got up, wishing it was a dream. Her eye shadows and lipsticks lay forgotten, her quirky flowers at the bottom of some drawer. She had to come out of this, but she never knew when.

When the first bubble came into sight, Manorama thought she was hallucinating. But sure enough, many more were rising up in the sky, one by one.

''Mummy mummy!'' a little boy, spectacles on his nose, pulled at his mother's bright saree. He was sitting in the train, watching the cheerful little world out on the platform.

''Bulbule kya hote hai?'' [What are bubbles?] he pointed at the bubbles a toy seller was making. Manorama had looked outside and turned towards her son's shining eyes.

''Bulbule paani ke sapne hote hai!'' [Bubbles are dreams of water!]

She laughed now, at the lameness it now conveyed. Of course she could have said that it was soap and water, but she hadn't wanted to disappoint the four year old. No mother does. And he did finally get to know what it was in school, but years later Akash still couldn't help but refer to them as Paani ke sapne' [Dreams of water]. Manorama smiled and a little bit of load lifted off her heart, slowly rising away like a bubble in the sky.

**

Khushi lightly pushed the cradle, watching as two little pudgy arms went up in the air and the sound of giggles trickled into the room. The little baby girl was a reminder of the fact that happiness can be found in the toughest of times. Arnav leaned over and touched the pink cheeks, watching the baby looked up at him with her big black eyes and then smiled. Arnav couldn't help but smile back, looking at Khushi who was already thinking what a wonderful father Arnav would make.

The room was soon enough filled with noise and laughter as the entire family of Raizadas and Guptas together crowded the room. ''Coochie coochie coo!'' NK wished the baby, who responded in an equally incomprehensible baby language.

Everyone laughed, including Mamiji, who was poked by Buaji ''Ka kahat Nandkisore! Ab to budhapa maan lo!'' [What say Nandkishore? Now at least accept that you are getting old!] Again there was a burst of laughter.

Khushi smiled, sadly, looking over at the picture frame. She dreaded the day little Aisha would get to know about her biological parents. But that would be in a while from now and Khushi stopped thinking about the future at the moment. She looked over at Arnav, who had picked the birthday baby in his arms and was making her giggle incessantly. Khushi murmured a small prayer to Devi Maiyya, thanking her for the day when at least Aisha had stayed back with Nani. That day, when her parents had left her forever.

''Look what I got for the birthday girl!'' NK chacha winked and withdrew from his jeans pocket a little gift tied up in a bow- a tiny bubble maker. Khushi immediately looked at Arnav and they wondered if it was a coincidence, flashing each other a knowing smile when they realised it was.

Years later, when Aisha would be an inquiring little child and ask her granny innocently "Dadi, bulbule kya hote hai?"[Grandmother, what are bubbles?]

Manorama would look at the much prized possession in her granddaughter's hand and whisper with a wink "Pani ke sapne beta!" [Dreams of water , my dear!]

**

Happiness can be a lot of things. It can be blowing bubbles, picking a baby in your arms or being thankful for all that you have. But one thing that happiness can never be is less. There can never be a shortage of this wonderful thing, no matter what kind of a life you live, no matter what you have gone through. Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.

Happiness can be found at traffic signals in the smiles of little kids, it can be found in Khushi who would bring up her sister's daughter as her own. It can be found in Arnav who would love his wife more than ever. And it can be found in Manorama who would find her son and daughter-in-law in little Aisha.

Look out, think back, is your life perfect? Of course it isn't, it was never meant to be. But what it is meant to be is happy. You can lose a leg, your sister, your house, but that one thing you can always have a control upon is your smile. Live large, smile larger and believing in those magical little things, something I love to call 'Paani ke sapne'!

Entry #3

"What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

Genre: Romance

Love, unrehearsed.

"I cant believe you just left a note like that, Khushi must be wondering that who would have asked her to reach the terrace..."

Payal managed between the drugging kisses and then gasped out loud finding Khushi at the door, her face covered in her palms in alarm.

Akash left Payal's form and flew out of the room, scratching his head all the while. Payal searched for an excuse and sat on the bed with a thud when she did not find any to convince Khushi.

"Jiji, woh...hum..."

Khushi stammered and Payal bit her nails one by one. She peeked at her sister's flushed face and then a grin formed on her own lips. Payal found her grinning widely and she felt color raising on her cheeks as Khushi cleared her throat dramatically.

"So, secret meetings huh? Not bad!

"It was NK's idea, you know the note one...Akash told me that he and NK is sure about something going between you and Arnav ji from past few days.."

Khushi bit her lips nervously and looked away staring at the intricate design of her orange salwar kameez. Something happening between me and Arnav ji? How does they know? She thought to herself and felt her cheeks matching with Payal's.

"There's nothing between us, I don't know how they are assuming things. We both cant even stand each other lest having something else.."

Arnav was passing by the door and he heard their conversation. His breathing became ragged as Khushi's last words registered in his head. Nothing between us! Seriously Khushi Kumari Gupta? His hands fisted in his sides and then he stomped away from there straight into his room.

______________

Arnav was abnormally silent during the wedding rituals and did not even look at Khushi. That irked Khushi further, she too started ignoring him completely. Laad Governor, might have forgotten to take his BP tablets. Khushi muttered under her breath while Arnav heard her fully.

"Shut up and stop fussing around"

He growled and looked away instantly. Khushi's jaw dropped to the floor as Arnav took two steps sideways to keep a distance from her.

"Aap shut up... and I am not fussing around and if I'm, why does it bother you? Stop ordering me, I am not your employee anymore.."

Khushi fumed and stomped onto his one leg and he yelped in pain.

"Chottey, behave.."

Anjali glared at him as she tied a knot with Payal and Akash's cloth. It was the time for the 7 sacred rounds around the holy fire. Arnav stood the ground his jaw set in a firm line, controlling the urge to pounce at a certain Kumari, who was hell bent on making his life a hell since he had met her. Moreover, he was head over heels in love with her, much to his own irritation. Pyar hua bhi to kis se? He groaned inwardly looking at her fuming form standing right next to him. He had planned to confess but backed away by her audacity, if only the minx was tamable. He thought stealing glances at her.

"Vivaah Sampann Huwa.."

The pandit exclaimed and Arnav let out a relieved sigh. He wanted himself out of those suffocating layers of dress, a sherwani that Anjali had thrust into his hands, blackmailing him like every time. In all between this fuss he had noticed Khushi's dress thoroughly, she was been wearing the same red lehenga he had selected for her, when she had came to his house with some relatives. The color matched perfectly to her white complexion while the chiffon hugged her curves, distracting him. He was sort of enjoying himself, looking at her petite form, but then he remembered her words few hours ago, about him and her having nothing between them.

Damn this girl!!

Arnav heard her clearing her throat as everyone left from the altar and started towards the couches to some nonsense game. She was smiling widely as Payal and Akash searched for something in the bowl, their eyes locked for eternity. Damn these rituals.

He groaned inwardly and took a seat on the couches his eyes roaming all around the living area and once again resting on her petite form. Why was he seeing her everywhere? What is she trying to prove anyways? I am not affected nor will I ever be.

"I am tired; I shall leave for my room..."

Arnav stood up abruptly and nodded a silent good night to everyone, before sprinting his way upstairs. Khushi watched him leave with heavy heart, she did not liked it a bit when they fought. She does not have any idea as why everything was so complicated between them. Cant they be just civil, why they always end up hurting each other? The question left unanswered as she felt a light blow on her head. It was none other than buaji. She smiled sheepishly and took the bowl from her hands. it was rose petals and jasmine flowers to decorate the bed.

Buaji blushed crimson and shoved Khushi, towards Akash's room. Khushi rolled her eyes and started towards the stairs only to be collided with none other than her Arnav ji. Wait, what? Her Arnav ji? Seriously Khushi? that Laad Governor is not yours, fill the same into your empty brain. She mentally chided herself and took two steps back from his rigid body. What was he doing here? He had already left for his room, few seconds ago.

"Cant you see where you walk? Always trying to land on my chest. Don't you have any other job rather than this? Clumsy lass.."

He fumed and left from there. Khushi gritted her teeth and grabbed his free arm stopping him from moving away from her.

"Your eyes are big enough to spot me; I am not a little thing. And why do I want to land on your chest, huh? What do you think of yourself? I don't need to land on your chest, when I have got so many chests roaming around this house to have a chance with me... so you better keep your tongue in check before uttering anything about me, samjhe aap?"

Arnav's jaw dropped to the floor as she completed her speech and scrunched her nose upwards cutely, as if achieved something big by saying all those stuffs to him, the Great Arnav Singh Raizada. She felt really good, no..she felt amazing after barking at him, in front of everyone.

"Just don't ever cross my path, you better keep away from me.. main tumhari shakal bhi nahi dekhna chahta.."

"To hame bhi koi shok nahi hai aapko hamara shakal dikane..ka.. Laad Governor kaheenke...Rakshas.."

"Shut up.."

"Aap shut up and get out.."

Anjali slapped her head and walked towards the arguing kids in the staircase. They were all set to pull each other's hairs, if it was not for Anjali and her calming words.

"I hate you..."

Arnav muttered under his breath as he walked out of the house in long strides.

"I hate you more.."

Khushi barked running upstairs, holding onto her lehenga, while tears already pooled inside her eyes.

"I hate you most.."

That was it, she turned around and found him at the door, almost out of the house and then their eyes met one last time, before she disappeared into the hall way with a heavy heart..

_____________

It has been 1 whole month since they had talked to each other. No matter how hard it was for them, but they managed to keep away from each other's way as much as possible. Both the families were tired of their fights but never had thought that they would go mute in front of each other than fighting again for silly reasons like always.

Khushi was very busy with few kids of the colony, as she had managed to turn her house into a tuition centre. And it was quite a good excuse for her to not to go to Raizada house whenever she was asked to. Arnav was however busy with his business but his thoughts were always clouded with a certain girl and the things she made him feel, like no one else did.

She was dying to have a glimpse of him, so was he. But their big fat egos won every time and they avoided each other for better or for worse.

____________

2months later..

Khushi wriggled the dupatta around her fingers, as the groom's family scanned her full profile in detail. The groom seemed engrossed in the jalebi's and pakore's[fritters] she had made, and her heart was in her throat when the guy finished the last piece of jalebi and let out a disgusting burp on her face.

She clutched the side of her kurti and stood up from the seat. They have been given alone time to talk to each other, but the only thing the guy did was eat, eat and eat. He does not even care to ask her if she needed one jalebi? That irked her the most. She disliked him that instant and she can never marry a person who eats this much. In the constitution of marriage she was the foodie, not her would be husband. Period!

It was the fifth proposal for Khushi 2 out of 5 were denied by her own family while she denied the last three, irking Buaji to the roots. She was very confident about Banke Lal but her Sanka Devi does not appreciate his eating habits, especially the outcome of the same as a "Burp"

1. The guy does not like Salman Khan (I cant afford living with him :P)

2. He does not swear a bad word. (You must swear something when you are angry, right?)

3. He hates plants and eats a lot. (I love those people who's fond of plants. Cant imagine anyone hating plants. Period! I hate guy's with protruding belly's)

What was she to do, when she had already lost the battle of love with someone else? How was she going to describe everything without getting embarrassed?

Arnav in the other hand was having difficulty denying those proposals because his di, his intelligent di was presenting him to the girls, which he always thought that best for him. he even tried to go away from India just to be safe from his di's instincts of getting him married ASAP.

Arnav was coming downstairs, lost in thoughts, as how to deny the next proposal and vice versa. He collided with someone in the way to the kitchen and his eyes widened, looking at those beautiful hazel eyes, which had captured his heart long ago, without his knowing.

"Khushi?"

He whispered in disbelief, while Khushi too seemed lost in his eyes. She was seeing him after 3freaking months and her throat went dry at his husky voice, calling out for her name. Damn, she was supposed to be angry at him, not to turn into a puddle poo in his arms.

"Leave me... how dare you touch me...there...?"

She said pointing towards her almost bare waist, where his hands had been settled while he had steadied her from falling onto the ground. He cocked an eyebrow at her and then left her form reluctantly. He was lost for words, but never too lost to snap at the devil in front of him.

"How dare you fall into my arms? And why are you wearing such a dress which leaves you almost naked?"

Khushi's face fell into a huge "O" and she pushed him hard with all her might.

"Don't you have any manners? Is this the way you talk to a decent girl?"

She was almost in tears and Arnav felt bad for hurting her. He tried to touch her swooping shoulders but it went in vain, as she shrugged his hands off her form, wiping her tears with the back of her hands.

"Damn"

Arnav cursed under his breath as Khushi ran away from there, leaving him all alone in the middle of the hall while every other eye moved towards him.

_____________

"Amma, Bauji and Buaji.. hum iss shaadi ke liye tayyar hain" [I am ready for this marriage..]

Madhumati's face lit up into a 1000-watt smile and she crushed her niece into a bone-crushing hug, well it almost broke Khushi's delicate bones. (Pun intended!) Khushi struggled for air and then her Buaji left her form reluctantly before dropping a kiss on her crown, overcome with happiness and love for her.

Sasi and Garima exchanged a knowing look and then watched Buaji running towards the telephone to give the good news to everyone. Khushi was stunned to see her Buaji going all Karan Johar movie types at her declaration. She seriously had no idea what was going to happen in the name of her marriage, when her whole heart was somewhere else, with someone else at a certain poolside, watching those twinkling stars.

"He hates me, and I haaa...haa...hat...hateee...him too?"

____________

Arnav was stunned to hear the news of Khushi's marriage with some Banke Lal dude from their locality in Lucknow. He was her school mate and had a crush on her since then. He looked at the photograph of the guy that Buaji had thrust into his hands while she sipped her tea.

A guy with a huge moustache, big brown eyes, dark black hair. And a stained toothy smile. Arnav let out a disgusted groan and stood up instantly not able to imagine Banke Lal and Khushi's teenage love story anymore. There was only one guy who looked perfect with her, it was none other than him. but how was he going to explain the same to Khushi and her equally loony buaji?

He wanted to talk to her, and he knew she wont listen to him this time. But he just cant let her go and marry that ugly dude, right? She was the most stubborn woman he came across his entire life. and taming her was like rocket science to him. but he will just perform the rocket science on her, if it's the only way to get her back.

Wait... What?

______________

"I was wrong about Khushi ji and Chottey, I don't think there is anything between them anymore. They are always ready to kill each other with bare hands, if it was possible.."

Anjali sighed sadly while Nani patted her hair, lulling her into a much-needed sleep.

"We shall fix the last proposal then. Lets see how Chottey is going to escape this time. Because the last one, what was her name? Yes, Tina! She is everything he had ever wanted, and there is no way possible that he would be able to deny this..."

Anjali looked up at her Nani's face and a triumphant smile broke out on their faces.

__________

Khushi was fuming with rage as Anjali placed Arnav's wedding card onto her lap. She looked at the names and her eyes pooled with fresh tears of despair. Arnav Singh Raizada and Tina Kapoor. If everything was normal between them it would have been "Arnav Singh Raizada Weds Khushi Kumari Gupta" it sounded so perfect to her ears but everything was out of her hands now.

"Congratulations Anjali ji, finally your wish came true..he agreed for the marriage.. I am so happy for you and your brother..."

Khushi said through gritted teeth while Anjali stifled the laugh bubbled inside her. There were only two more days left for Khushi's wedding and it was her haldi next day. She could not believe that everything was happening so fast and that Rakshas did not even try to meet her yet. Does that mean, there was nothing he feels for her? all those high pitched "Farak Padtha Hai" was nothing. It meant nothing.

"Where's Arnav ji?"

Khushi said absent -mindedly while her eyes scanned the rooms on the upstairs and the balcony. Anjali cleared her throat and Nani winked at her in response.

"He went out with Tina, they had planned a movie date. What was the movie, Anjali bitiya?"

Nani asked waggling her eyebrows and Khushi's knuckles turned white at the name.

"Romeo & Juliet"

__________

It was finally Khushi's wedding day and everyone had gathered around the altar waiting for the bride's arrival. Khushi latched the door and looked at herself in the mirror. She was going to meet him one last time and confess her feelings, no matter what he says or does. She could not just live with this suffocation inside her chest.

She yanked her one leg onto the sil of the window and pushed herself up to get out the room. She almost made it to the ground what she saw in front of her made her lose her mind.

She blinked, shaking her head, but he was still there, standing in front of her, in all his glory. Wearing a cream color sherwani, her favorite one. Dang! But what was he doing here? Is not this night supposed to be his bachelor's party?

"What are you doing h..here..?

"You .are. escaping...from your own wedding...?"

Arnav rubbed his chin with his index finger while Khushi covered her "O" face with her free hand.

"I am here for the wedding"

"And I was just practicing high jump... I am going to compete in the Laxmi Nagar Olympics this year.."

She clapped her hands and Arnav's eyes darkened at her mocking words.

"What the.

"Don't you dare what the me...Samjhe aap?"

"Listen, I hate those clichd lines of romancing and stuffs, so I will go straight with my feelings for you.. I am all set to face the outcome or outburst whatever you say.."

Khushi rolled her eyes at his philosophic words and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I LOVE YOU"

"SORRY?"

"I SAID I LOVE YOU"

"COME AGAIN?"

"I SAID I LOVE YOU DAMN IT"

"MUCH BETTER"

She exclaimed her eyes twinkling with mischief while Arnav was been stunned by the look in her eyes.

"Thoda aur der ho jaata to, mere to 8-10 bacche bhi ho jate.."

"Does that mean, you are denying me?"

"...No. Hum bhi aapse I LOVE YOU DAMN IT..."

Several gasps left from the background as both their families came out of those bushes, clapping their hands, well little confused by all these happenings!!

__________________________________________________________

Entry #4

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

Genre: Tragedy

KHWAISH

Aayushi opened the door. It was so dusty. But one diary on the table attracted her attention.Aayushi opened the diary. It was not properly maintained as it was expected from her papa. Some short short notes written there so she started reading random pages.

"Uff arnavji aapko pata hai aap kitne pakau hain?"

"Agar aisa hai to shadi kyu ki?" mene leptop me se sir uthaye bina kaha.

" Kyuki jab dil aa jaye languor pe to rajkumar bhi kya chij hai?" aur usne mera leptop bandh kar diya.

"Langoor what?" mene jhunjhla(frustrate) kar kaha.

" Bander." Aur vo haste hue mere baalon ko bigadte hue bhag gyi.

" Mera kaam bandh karva kar tumne acha nahi kiya." Mene uske piche bhag kar use piche kamar se pakad liya.

"Sshhh... aapko apni beti chahiye na? agar raat me bhi kaam karege to ye khwish (wish) kaise puri hogi?" usne shraratbhri nigahon se pihe ghum kar aankh mari aur green signal de diya.

Par humari koi chij normal hui thi jo ye normally hoti! Aakhir khushi kumari gupta aur ab mrs. Arnav singh raizada jo iss story me shamil thi.

Mene use bahon me liya aur batti bujha kar jaise hi bistar pe bithaya hmesha ki tarah gadbad kar di mrs. Khushi ne. pta nahi kaise lemp tud diya.

"Ouch." Vo chillai to mene turant apne jeb se lighter nikala jo aman office me mere desk par bhul gaya tha aur jala kar dekhne ki koshish ki vo thik to hai!

Uss halki si roshni me vo aur khubsurat lag rahi thi, vo uska bhola sa chehra aur o' shape me khula hua muh mujhe yaad dila rahe the k me kyu iss ladki se itna pyar karta hoon. Aur sath me ye bhi yaad dila rahe the ki ab ye ladki mujhe hmesha ki tarah galat smjhnevali hai. Lo mene socha aur vo boli.

"Hoo. Arnavji lighter!!!! Aapne cigrate pina kabse chalu kiya? He devi maiyaa shrab ki aadat to hai hi ab ye cigrate bhi pine lage hai..." Vo bol rahi thi aur me bas uski pyari baton ko sun raha tha(expression se to pyari nahi hi lag rahi thi par kya fark pdta hai sun bhi kaha raha tha me) aur in baton ko chup karana mujhe bohot achi tarah aata tha. Shadi k ek saal me ye to me achi tarah sikh gya tha aakhir is formula ki jarurat baar baar jo pdti thi. Formula tha ki uske hotho par apne hotho ko rakh diya jaye to uske hoth se baten chup ho jati hai... aur fir mene vahi kiya aur lighter bujha diya.(kabhi aayushi ya aarush padhege ye soch kar itna hi aage imagination)

Ye roj ka silsila ban gya, humari mithi nok jhok , namkeen sa romance aur meri khushi... lag raha tha bas ab jindgi me kuch nahi chahiye, lekin khushi ki devi maiyaa shayd hume aur bhi kuch dena chahti thi.

"Arnavji!!" ek din vo shrmate hue boli.

hmesha ki tarah vo mere kaam karne k waqt par apni masti lekar aa gyi thi."hmm" Mene bina si uthaye kaha.

Hmesha ki tarah usne mera leptop bandh kar diya. Iss baar iske pehle ki vo bhagti mene use pakad kar apne god(lep) me bitha liya.

"Bolo pleasure is always yours.." mene kaha.

Usne mera hath lekar apne pet par rakha aur shrmai.

"Kya pet me gadbad hai? Doctor ko bulau?" mujhe nahi samjh aaya tha.

"Mere buddhu patidev aapki khwaishpuri hone vali hai aap papa aur me mummy banne vali hun" usne mere sir pe marte hue kaha.

"You mean aarush ya aayushi!!! Unbelievable. Tum nahi janti ki tumne mujhe kya diya hai" me apni khushi ko byaan(express) nahi kar pa raha tha. Lag raha tha koi jadu chal raha hai jahan khushi ki devi maiyaan humari sari khwaishain complete kar rahi thi.

"Iss baar aayushi aayi to agle saal aayush..." vo shrmate hue boli. Mene gaur kiya vo mere sath rehkar bold bhi ho gyi thi verna khushi kumara gupta aisi baten kar hi nahi sakti thi.

"Oh really!!! Aur ye tum bol rahi ho?" mene kaha.

"Nahi mrs. Arnav singh raizada bol rahi hai." Aur vo shrma kar mere gale lag gyi.

Kaha me ek saal k pehle ka ASR jo hasna bhi bhul chukka tha. Aur kaha khushi ka arnav jo khush tha aur sabko khush rakhna bhi janta tha. Ye sab ki vajah sirf khushi thi, jine ka matlab saans lena nahi khush rehna aur sabko khushi dena bhi hota hai ye agar koi sikha sakta hai to sirf khushi. mere itni problems create karne k bavjud bhi humsha mera khyal rakha.

4 mahine beet chuke the sab kuch sapna jaisa tha, tabhi ek din khushi ko chakkar aa gya aur vo gir gyi. Lekin doctor ne kaha sab kuch normal hai to mene uspe jyada dhyan nahi diya. Fir khushi ki tabiyat bigadne lagi, aur delivery ke do mahine pehle to vo hospital me admit ho gyi. Uske chehre ka rang udta ja raha tha, mujhe pata tha vo bimar thi bohot bimar.. lekin usne kabhi aapni baton se ye jahir nahi hone diya. Me har sham use hospital me milne jata to vo roj aayushi aur aayush ki baten karti.. roj unke future ko lekar naye plan bnati aur mujhe btati. Unke kapde unki school yahan tak ki usne to unki shadi tak k bare me soch rakha tha..

Lekin khush hone ka matlab ye nahi hai ki sab kuch thik hai, iska matlab hai ki humne thik na hote hue bhi us waqt ko accept kar liya hai aur usme hi khush rehne ka faisal kiya hai. Khushi k sath bhi yehi baat thi. (" Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect,it means that you have decided to look beyond imperfection.")

Use sab pata tha ki use kya hua hai lekin delivery aakhri dino tak usne ye baat mujhe pata nahi lagne di.

Ek din mene socha aaj me office se chutti lekar pura din uske sath bitauga. Usne mujhe aisa karne se mana kar diya. Par me bhi arnav tha uske jitna hi jiddi, uski baat taal to nahi skta tha lekin office se aadhi chutti le kar me uske kamre k pass pahuncha, vo doctor se baat kar rahi thi. Shayd doctor se zagda kar rahi thi.

" Aap arnavji ko kuch nahi btayegi suna aapne!!!!" vo boli.

"Kya nahi btayegi khushi!?" mene door kholte hue kaha.

"Aayiye mr. raizada I m sorry mujhe ye baat aapko pehle hi bta deni chahiye thi lekin aaki patni k kehne par mene nahi btayi I am sorry." Doctor boli.

Aur uss din jo mujhe pata chala totally unexpected.

Khushi was the patient of pancreas cancer since last 5 months. Bacche ko koi khtra nahi tha lekin iss vajah se uski jaan lo khtra ho chukka tha.

"How dare you khushi? tumhari himmt kaise aisa karne ki!" mene gusse me use pucha.

"Bachhe ko koi khtra nahi hai" usne kaha.

"Me tumhari baat kar raha hoon, tumne pehle kyu nahi btaya?" mene gusse me pucha.

"Agar aapko bata deti to aap mujhe ye bachha rakhne nahi dete, doctor ka kehna tha ki cancer k ilaj k liye operation karna padega aur uske liye hume abortion krana pdega. Hum ye nahi chahte the."usne kaha.

"Bacha bacha kya laga rakha hai khushi.. tumne mujhse ye baat chupa kar acha nahi kiya." Mene kaha aur vaha se chla gya.

Agle do din tak me hospital to gya par use milne nahi gaya. Me cancer specialist ko dhundh raha tha jo use bacha le.aur sath me Mujhe uspe gussa aa raha tha ki uski jindgi hi ab meri jindgi thi aur vo mujhse puche bina apni jindgi se kaise khel sakti hai.

"Kyun na bole moh se mohan kyun? hai ruthe ruthe mohan yun kaise manau?? haaye kaise manau

Un bin kate na raina, un bin aave na ek pal chaina un bin jiyu to kaise me jiyu haaye...

Bahe naina bhre more naina jhre more naina... more naina sune nahi kehna jhre more naina.."

"Arnavji hum jante hai aap yahan hi hai, hum aapko khush rakhna chahte the, aapki aayushi aur aarush ki ichha ko pura krna chahte the." Usne mujhse phone kar k kaha jab me uske kamre k bahar hi khda tha.

Mene phone cut kar diya aur vaha se jane laga.

"Humare aakhri dino me aap humara sath chod dege arnavji! Ab humare pass kuch hi waqt haiaur ye waqt hum aapke sath bitana chahte hai "usne kaha aur phone cut kar diya, shayad vo ro rahi thi lekin mujhse chupana chahti thi. Me bhag kar uske kamre me gaya aur usko gale laga kar bohot roya.

Shayad vo aakhri baar me use gale laga raha tha, shayd vo aakhri baar mujhe haste hue dekh rahi thi shyad me aakhri baar un shrarati ankhon ki mastiyan dekh raha tha jo abhi bhi jindgi se bhri hui thi, aur us ladki ko dekh raha tha jisne apni jindgi aise aadmi ko de di thi jo use bacha nahi pa raha tha.

Agle din aayushi humari jindgi me aayi. Me khush tha ki khushi bach gyi hai doctor ka kehna tha ki ye miracle hai ki vo delivery k baad bhi jinda hai. Mene socha haan khushi hi thi normal ladki kaha thi isliye bach gyi.

Haan sach hi tha vo khushi hi thi. Na normal shadi hui thi na normal delivery aur na normal death honi thi. Delivery k baad coma me chali gyi lekin doctor ne kaha ki uske thik hone k chance badh gye hai. Ek hafte baad vo hosh me aayi , aankhe puri tarah nahi khol pa rahi thi aur mushkil se sir bhi hila pa rahi thi. Usne mujhe milne bulane ka ishara kiya.

"Khushi are you ok?"mene pucha.

Usne sirf ek smile di jo abhi bhi pehle jaisi hi beautiful thi.

Usne ishare se mujhe apne bed pe bethne ko kaha. Aur fir apna sir mere god me rakh diya.

{Komal abdi hai saansan ki dori ruthe se bhi tut jaye..,

baavan tarah se.., ji ko manaya khode aajhu tori rahe,

un bin unhe na pau ,un bin unhe me karua lagau, un bin unhi me mora ji lage... haaye..

bahe naina bhre more naina jhre more naina..,

moye naina sune nahi kehna jhre more naina..}

vo ro rahi thi par mujhe pata nahi chla.

"Aayushi ko dekhna chahogi?" mene pucha.

"WAqt nahi hai..,humari jindgi. Me. . aane ka shukriya.. arnavji,vada kijiye ki . . aap humari maut k liye aayushi se. . . nafrat nahi karege.. humare jane k . . baad aap dusri shadi kar . . . lena aur aayush..." apni bimar si aawaj me usme shyad itna hi bolne ki takat bachi thi.

Me uska hath apne hatho eme lekar ro rahatha aur shyad vo bhi ro rahi thi. Meri khushi mujhse door ho rahi thi aur me kuch nahi kar pa raha tha. Achanak mujhe laga uske hath thande pad gye. Mene uska sir utha kar takiye par rakha aur doctor ko bulane bhaga,par shyad der ho chuki thi, vo ja chuki thi hmesha k liye, abhi bhi mukura rahi thi shayd keh rahi thi ki ab kya karege arnavji...

Shyad yahi likha tha meri jindgi me, shayd mujhe use pareshan karne ki saja mil rahi thi, na me uske bina ji sakta tha aur na uski kasamo k karan mar skta tha, aur na uski aakhri icha puri kar sakta tha har tarah se lachar ho gya tha me.. insab k liye kahi na kahi aayushi hi jimmedar thi...

Log kehte hai me khushi k jaane k baad pagal sa ho gya tha. Shyad 6 saal tak me aisa hi raha. Khushi k kamre me bandh bas humari yadon k sath. Aur khush tha me aise hi apni khushi k sath. Par abhi sab kuch khtam nahi hua tha abhi aayushi ki jimmedari baki thi...khushi kii khwaish.. me thik hokar vapis aaya,bilkul normal,utna hi khush jitna khushi k sath tha. Shayad ye bhi khushi ne hi sikhaya tha.

" Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect,it means that you have decided to look beyond imperfection."

Vo aaj bhi mere sapne me aati hai, aaj bhi apni shraraton se mujhe satati hai aur aakhir me thak kar mera sir apni god me lekar mujhe sulati hai.. bas ab hmesha k liye uske paas jana chahta hoon. Uske god me sir rakh kar hmesha k liye sona chahta hoon. Aur jab aisa ho to smjh lena mujhe apni khushi mil gyi. Iss duniya me nahi to kya hua kisi aur duniya me hi sahi.

She completed reading. And felt her mummy papa's romance still was there. She looked at the photograph of her mumma and papa.

"Aapko aapki khushi mill gyi papa. Haapy first death anniversary papa and 21^st dath anniversary mumma" She said and tears came out from her eyes.

And she closed the door of an epic couple called arshi.' So they can continue their romance in their world. The arshi world. And she locked the room and went out from there humming her mumma's favourite song..

Pyar kabhi hooo marta nahi hum tum marte hai...

Hote hai vo ooo log amar pyar jo karte hai...

Jitni adaa utni wafa...

Jitni adaa utni wafa...

Ek najar pyar se dekh lo fir se jinda kar do...

Tum mile dil khile aur jine ko kya chahiye...

THE END

Entry #5

"At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet."

Genre: Comedy

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

Arnav Singh Raizada learnt the importance of listening to one's wife and following her instructions, but he learnt it the hard way. It doesn't matter if her wishes are not what you want, or her method is wrong. You follow what she says. Every time.

He seldom went through the text messages on his blackberry. According to him, it was a waste of time typing a message and sending it when you could simply call the person and talk to them. Saved a lot of finger pains.

Of course, he was always attached to the bluetooth, his trusty dear "Bluey". He did not have a lot of use for the Blackberry-special QWERTY keyboard. Aman was on speed-dial 2. The rest only needed to be shouted for. Or maybe, Aman could give them a call and tell them to call ASR. Yes. So why would someone want to use the phone to send text messages?

In any case, Arnav's contacts included his business associates and family. Not many friends on that list. So he usually did not check the text messages on his phone.

All that changed one day when he had an argument with his soul mate over his silence when she had texted him a few things.

Arnav wanted to groan and pull at his hair. Khushi was being unreasonable. She knew that he did not check his phone for.. for.. SMS. That's what Khushi called it. An SMS. He did not check his SMSes. In his own mind, he wondered if the plural of SMS is truly SMSes. Why would someone coin such a term?

The argument had gone somewhat like this:

"Why don't you reply to my SMSes?"

"Khushi.. you know I don't check.."

"Haan, haan, pata hai. Humesha apne neele daant se chipke rehte hain. Can't you read you wife's messages at the least?"

"Sweetheart, its bluetooth. Not blue teeth. And you know if there's anything important you can call me and ask. There is no need to text. I will take your call even in the middle of a meeting."

"So do you expect me to call you and ask you to answer the questions of a Compatibility Quiz?"

As Arnav sat in his office thinking about the argument that had taken place that morning. Did Khushi really want him to take a Compatibility Quiz with her?

Did she think they were not compatible?

Wasn't he keeping her happy?

Wasn't he showing her, each night (and many mornings, some afternoons and evenings too), just how compatible they were?

Why would Khushi demand this of him, unless she doubted that they were great together, in every way?

While musing he did not notice his cousin enter his cabin. Akash had been knocking on ASR's door for some time, hoping that his brother would be free. At home, he was Arnav- his brother. But in the office Arnav was ASR, his partner and the owner/CEO of the company. Proper etiquette was always required while dealing with the Devil in the office.

Akash had seen his brother mellow down a little after he got married to Khushi, but still. ASR never disappeared completely.

"Bhai, are you alright?" Seeing that his brother was alone, Akash decided to slip back to his brotherly love and ditch ASR.

Arnav broke away from his thoughts and looked at Akash, who was standing in font of his desk. He motioned Akash to sit and said, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"I really need to talk to you about something important. Tell me, have you ever written any poems?"

Akash's question made Arnav do a double take. "Poetry? Are you alright, Akash?"

Akash's response was simple and to the point, no frills. "Yes, bhai, poems. Did you know that women like that stuff? And just yesterday Payal ji messaged me a beautiful quote.. wait. Here, I'll forward it to you."

Beep

Arnav stopped himself from rolling his eyes as he reached for his phone, and with an exaggerated slowness, he opened the newest unread message (the rest were mostly Khushi's).

At a touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.

Seriously? What was up with his family members? All of a sudden they were harping about text messages and love and compatibility. And poems? Akash actually said the words "beautiful quote" in front of Arnav, no less.

"What do you want, Akash?"

Akash was quick to take out a piece of paper from his pocket that looked like it had been folded and unfolded several times. He began reading,

Payal ji, Payal ji, you are so sweet!

You are my one and only ...

Arnav put up his hand and said, "What the..! Akash! Stop this nonsense! What is this?"

"Arre bhai! This is a short poem I wrote for Payal ji, and I wanted to know your opinion. You see, this is the first time I am trying something like this. So please don't interrupt when I am in full flow!"

Clearing his throat, he started again,

Payal ji, Payal ji, you are so sweet,

You are my one and only heart's beat!

Payal ji, Payal ji, you are so pure,

I love you, of that I am sure!

Payal ji when you smile

My heart beats as if I had run a mile

Your laugh sounds like the chhanchhan of a "payal"

And I want to say that you make me "ghayal"

Payal ji, dear Payal ji, you are the best

Our love will stand true in every test

This time around, Arnav didn't bother holding back. He rolled his eyes (while Akash wasn't looking, of course!) and waited for his cousin to finish. "Its good. Payal will appreciate the effort you made. Now do you mind, I have some work to do."

Arnav's dismissal of Akash was not out of rudeness. Actually, his cousin's poem had given him a wonderful idea. He knew how he would woo his wife, now.

Akash, meanwhile, went out of the cabin with a wide smile and confident strides. If ASR liked the poem, Payal ji would like it, too!

-----

Arnav waited for Khushi in their room. He was sitting on his recliner, a laptop in front of him, pretending to work.

Khushi came out of the bathroom in her nightdress salwar kameez. Despite the numerous times in their two month old marriage Arnav had told (and showed) her that she didn't need to wear anything to bed, Khushi still insisted on wearing her favorite nightdress to bed. Of course, Arnav would make it a point to undress her carefully, each time, but she wouldn't get rid of the habit.

As Khushi twisted her hair into a knot at the base of her neck, Arnav put the first phase of his Poetic plan in action.

Beep

Khushi's phone beeped, signaling an incoming message.

At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet.

Sender: Arnav ji

Khushi didn't know whether or not to squeal. Her husband had sent her an SMS, after all! But wait, he was sitting in the same room as her. And why this message?

Haww! This is the message I had sent to jiji! Does that mean jiji sent it to Arnavji and Arnavji read her message? So he can read others' SMSes but not mine! Hmmph. Laad governor, Khushi thought to herself.

Arnav waited to see her reaction. Her initial surprise had given way to grumpiness. Now what?

He cleared his own throat and started, "Khushi! Did you know that poetry is considered one of the earliest forms of communication between lovers?"

Khushi simply turned her head to one side, away from Arnav. She went and sat on the bed.

Arnav looked at the screen of his laptop where he had a few web pages open. He looked at the sonnet penned by Shakespeare. Why did it have to be so complicated?

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate..

and so it went on. This wouldn't do. Let alone Khushi, even he couldn't understand this. Arnav wracked his brains for some idea, and suddenly an image of Khushi singing "Aaj mausam hai suhana" came to his mind.

Grinning to himself, he shut the laptop and went towards Khushi.

Khushi kept looking away from him but turned to him once he kneeled in front of her.

Arnav asked gently, "What's the matter, love? Are you still angry with me about the text.. err.. SMSes?"

Khushi pouted and said, "Aap toh rehne dijiye. You can read Payal jiji's SMS but not mine? Why? Doesn't your neela daantcome in way then?"

Arnav was confused. "Payal's SMS? When did she text me?"

"The SMS you sent to me just now was a forwarded one. I had sent it to jiji. So it is obvious that she sent it to you. And you opened her SMS. Hai Devi Maiyya! Am I really competing with my own sister now?"

Arnav wanted to hit his head on the wall. His dramatic wife would have to assume the worst in him, didn't she?

"Khushi.. Khushi! Stop! Akash forwarded this message to me, not Payal. And I opened it because he asked me to, while he sat IN FRONT of me. He wanted to get my opinion on a poem he had written for Payal after reading her message."

Khushi was happy. So, her husband did not open anyone's messages, not just hers! Of course, she had known that. But its always better to be reminded of such things regularly. As Arnav stood up from his kneeled position, she held his wrist and asked, "But why did you forward it to me?"

Was it her imagination, or did Arnav really blush? His ears had turned slightly red. "Noth..nothing, Khushi. Just like that."

And did he just stutter?

How could Khushi let go of the matter, now that her husband had shown an obvious embarrassment regarding it?

"Nahi, nahi, tell me. Please? Won't you share the reason with me, your wife?"

Khushi stood up and hugged him from behind him, her arms going and enveloping his chest. "Arnav ji, you don't have to be shy. At least not in front of me!"

Arnav held her hands and said, "Promise me you won't laugh?"

Khushi hmmed in response.

"I wanted to surprise you, too, with a poem, but I.. fine..here goes.."

Aaj mausam hai suhana

Biwi ko hai manana

La la la la la la la

Kya chaandni hai suhani

Ho gai romance jaisi kahaani

What the, what the, what the

Khushi's laugh reverberated in his body, and he laughed with her. Finally, his wife was no longer angry with him. He turned around and hugged her.

"Arnav ji, you are the world's best husband. Thank you for such a sweet poem! But you stole my song, and that's not fair!"

Arnav laughed into her hair and said, "Well, this is something I knew you would like a lot, so I went with your song."

They stood like that for a few minutes after which Arnav spoke, "By the way, Khushi. What is that compatibility quiz about? Do you doubt our compatibility?"

Khushi lifted her head and looked at him. "Not at all! In fact I wanted to prove to Di, who had sent me that SMS, that we are very compatible. I know your favorite color- red. You know my favorite color- all the colors. I know you don't like any actor in particular. And you know that I love Salman ji. I know that.."

Arnav put a finger on her lips to stop her chatter. "All that is fine. But how will you prove to her that we are compatible, where it matters?"

Confused, Khushi asked, "Hain? What do you mean? I will tell her!"

Arnav leaned closer to her and said, "So you really won't mind telling her what I am about to do to you?"

Understanding Arnav's meaning behind "compatibility", Khushi blushed and said, "No. I meant.. mmpphh!"

----

The next morning, Khushi woke up to find Arnav not on his side of the bed, a note in his place.

Picking up the paper, she read:

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

If you call sugar sweet, I must call my wife sweeter

Her kind nature pulls everyone to her side;

Her smile is on a wintry morning, like a heater

She warms and fills everyone's hearts with pride!

Spice- that is another quality she possesses

Like the tangy taste of a hot chili;

Her very witty talks and her catchphrases

Are endearing and anything but silly.

She's sweeter than sugar and spicier than spice

But she's all that and everything nice.

My love for her is like a six on a dice,

And I would gladly die for her twice.

Khush, love! I have gone out to jog, I'll be back soon. If you wake up before I am back and have read this, don't laugh! I know you are laughing, so stop it!

I Love you,

Arnav

Entry #6

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

Genre: Tragedy

Love is not all about gaining, It's willingness to sacrifice

I sit in my cabin all lost. I have everything anyone needs in life-power, money, status, respect everything... world knows me as Arnav Singh Raizada, youngest business tycoon, most eligible bachelor that's what media has presented me to the world. But I am the same teenage boy who had seen all his dreams getting crushed in front of him. Damn, my heart is still struck with her. It's not that I didn't try forgetting her, the thing is I don't want to forget her. People think I am happy, successful in life. That I am. But I miss her. It's been six long years since I have met her. I slowly caress the platinum ring, my heart skipped a beat as a silent crescendo of emotions washed over me, leaving me breathless, even though the world around me functioned normally. Slowly the present crumbled and the past peeked through.

It's been three years since I joined engineering. I have made many friends. But one among them is very special. Khushi, that's her name. She is as her name, spreading happiness where ever she goes. At first I had thought she is the same as every other girl who is behind some rich guy, fame...but as I got to know her, I realized how wrong was I. Being assigned as each other's project partners - we realized how alike we actually were. We had common likes for classic novels, both of us initially hesitant to make new friends. Perhaps these common things strengthened our friendship.

As time passed by our friendship strengthened. I realized I could count on her for everything. She was my alarm clock to wake me up at 2 in morning for studying. I would protect her from when someone bad mouthed her. She would do one assignment with all her efforts and I would copy it or vice versa. We would come with weird short forms or a song to remember certain terminologies, flow charts of our lessons. We both were no more conscious about how we should behave with each other. We would be what we were with no people to judge us. We were best friends.

But I didn't realize when I fell for her. I fell in love with my best friend. Initially I pushed these thoughts away, I had started missing her when she would visit her hometown, I missed her talks, her laughter...then it struck me, it was love all along. I started imagining us growing old together. It just feels right-to be with her, to think about her.

I just fell in love with her. How, when, why still remain unanswered. She was the perfect girl I had dreamt of. She was beside me all along and now I realized it. We were done with our exams. I missed her so much during our vacations, even though we were in contact through phone and social networking sites. After a long vacation I was going to meet her. It's just me and her, in our favorite place and my heart was dying to reveal itself.

"Hey Arnav. How are you??" she comes and hugs me. She is looking beautiful as ever. She frowned indicating I hadn't responded.

"I am fine. How are you??" I felt the ring in my pocket heavier now just like my heart. Now it was time to tell her and get off with it,

"Khushi..."

"Arnav..." she chuckled.

"I need to tell you something very serious" I ignored her laugh and told her.

"Wow, even I need to tell you something too" she told seriously.

She was nervous, that too talking to me. There was awkwardness creeping between us. What the hell!!! What was happening? We had left all this initial hesitancy, nervousness long back. I was scared now...

"Sure, ladies first..."

"We were on vacations right? I realized something in these holidays... How do I tell you...hmmm"

"Khushi we are friends right. Common you can tell me"

"You know what this is all strange. I mean you spend three years with a guy all friendly, and suddenly you look at him in different way. You miss him, his laughter and what not. I am just confused"

My heart was beating wildly now. I was scared whether she would hear my heart beat.

"These holidays have been very different for me. I realized so many things. I have been dying to tell you this from long time. This can't be done over phone. I needed to talk to you face-to-face"

I could make out she was in love, that too head over heels with that guy. God this can't be happening. I have been dying to tell her and she would do that first. Wow, life can't get better. My heart also relaxes now.

"Common Khushi, you can tell me"

"Arnav, I love Aditya"

I didn't flinch. I was too numb to react. Next thing I did was I patiently listened to her story, her initial attractions towards Aditya, their eye contacts, their phone conversation, their dates, his proposal. How did I miss all this??

I know, I know...I have been involved in my dream world so much that I forgot to see the reality. I could see her emotions change rapidly, firstly she was annoyed then happy, giggling, blushing...god she was capable of changing emotions so soon. Even though I was heartbroken I was happy for my best friend.

"Mera hogaya, ab tera batha?? You had something to tell right?"

What do I do now?I couldn't lie to her. But I couldn't even tell her and put her in dilemma. I slowly took out the small velvet box from my pocket and gave it to her. She opened and saw it, she was shocked to see a ring with A and K inscribed on it, with two hearts entangled with each other. She was shocked and numb to react. It was my time to speak.

"What do you think? I will not know what's going on in my best friend's life. I thought, I would give this to you on your engagement...but this the right time I guess"

She hugged me. "This is amazing Arnav...I loved it .A stands for Aditya and K stands for Khushi"

"Ya" but my heart screamed, A stands for Arnav...

We talked for an hour and made our way back. The other ring remained in my pocket and it didn't feel heavier anymore.

Two hearts in love-one freed, one hidden forever...

It's been six years for that incident. I had bravely attended her engagement and marriage. To see her become someone else's actually killed me. One worst thing was I couldn't even show that there and had to maintain I-am-very-happy-for-my-best-friend look throught the function. I love her, wish I could tell her that. She had gone away from my life wishing me a happy life ahead, but poor soul didn't know she had taken my heart along with her. I couldn't marry anyone, I can't imagine anyone in her place. We are still in contact, but we are not what we were before. I still find solace seeing her face, her laughter. Love is not about gain, it's just wanting the person you love to be happy. My happiness lies in her happiness. I am not strong as you people think I am. Even I am normal person who has heart still beating for her, it's just true love that made me do this sacrifice. I just want her to be happy...

Entry #7

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

Genre: Tragedy

A Trespassing Memory.

HIS bones must be electric for what else could explain the jolts that rose up, painful, whenever he attempted to push himself up by putting strain on his elbows. Bruised and bloodied much like the rest of him. He shrank back onto the ground letting out a grunt. Mud, stuck onto the side of his face that laid on it while he was uncaring of it or the rusty smell of the blood that coloured the ground. It would have shone like rubies had the sunlight been there to grace it but for now the dark of the night only helped enough to outline convulsed shadows of him and the trees around using the silver embers of the moon as the source and the earth as the screen. The almost ghostly foliage would have intimidated anyone else as much as to make them loose their way. But even a blindfold would not make him stray away from his path for the forest was his ally, for even the rustling of leaves , the crunching of a twig or the faraway sound of a gushing river was enough to lead him around. The part of the boundary lines which he protected while the country slept into a peaceful slumber and it would'nt do to not know it inside out. He knew exactly how far he was from his base camp. And far it was. And he was aware of the difference between acting on his will power and foolishness. There was no chance that if he started he would get to his troop back without becoming the target of the hidden trespassers again. Not when there was a bullet lodged in his abdominal area. He let out an expletive at the that thought. His troop had scattered around the area as soon as they had received the radio message of unidentified armed men crossing the border. And there was no way he would have settled down until they had taken down all of them. After a strenuous gruelling search he had spotted one of them. And he wasn't surprised when he lost him and had been attacked from the back which was now almost six hours ago. But now he needed to do something and fast. He could feel his eyelids becoming heavier by the second as his insides whirled. Gathering his faint energies into his exhausted arms, Lt. Col. Arnav Singh Raizada made an attempt to get to his feet once again before loosing consciousness.

**

The reasons and chances that he'd not believe her were plenty but she did'nt have it in her heart to leave him there like that in the sweltering heat. Unconscious and obviously in dire need of help. His immobile muscular frame had made her heart drop but the gentle rise and fall of his chest and the slight puffs of breath she had felt on her forefinger as she had checked on him were enough to restore her fraying nerves. It had been a task to pull him upto her hiding. A small hut camouflaged and surrounded by trees that kind of formed an alcove around. After making him lie on the ramshackled mat made out of dried leaves , as she scanned his face with her kohl rimmed eyes, it was'nt long before she spotted his name tag sewn onto his jungle camouflage uniform. "Arnav" she whispered before she proceeded to do the needful.

An hour or two later, as the light sluiced in to tiny sliver as his eyelids fluttered and then shut again due to heaviness and ache, he was , even in his delirious state, aware of a few things. First that he had been saved. Second, he was lying not in his camp but somewhere secluded. Third, of the bandage around his torso and abdomen and fourth of the gentle chiming of anklets. The thought was enough to make him bolt upright followed by a sharp wince as the pain from his wound shot through. He saw her standing at some distance away from him with her back towards him , engaged in something that he could'nt make out from there. With one swift motion he got to his feet, feline like a leopard, as much as to not to make a sound and alert her. He neared her with predatory steps, his dark stubbled jaw tightened around his pursed lips and eyes intent on her. The light humming of some song reached his ears just as soon as he caught her by her elbow and the sound died on her lips.

With a strong movement that knocked the breath out of her , she found herself tugged towards his chest with force, causing her sky blue duppatta to slip and get entangled on his tanned arms. In a heartbeat he pushed her with the force of his body towards the weak wall of the hut causing the sharp end of a wood that stuck out from it to nip a little on her temple and the blood to bloom out like a bud. Just as a tiny drop. She was painfully aware of the thudding of her heart and the unsettling of her insides that had much to do with the merciless hold on her arms, his nearness and the feel of his breath near her ear, of the jagged end of a knife, that threatened her throat, which was held by him. Her widened eyes met a pair of the captivating ones of her attacker that held nothing but distrust which if she believed subsided bit by bit.

Arnav found himself gazing at the most guileless pair of eyes that he had seen in a long time. He would know ofcourse if she spelled threat. He had been around enough and wise to know. She was innocent and pure. "Who are you?" he bit out , his eyes betraying none of the contrasting thoughts his heart knew. It must have been the fear for he couldn't have known anything else that caused her to stutter out in voice that caressed his mouth. "Kh..Khushi..".

His gaze then dropped to her neck and down. She followed him and raised alarmed eyes back to him and averted them , raising her hands to clutch at the neckline of her yellow kurta. Trying to get out of her embarrassment, she spoke again, " I had found you not in a very good condition a couple of miles away from here. I got you here and have tended to your wounds. You will be good to go in a few days but you must not strain yourself like this. Please res..". He cut her rambling mid sentence and with a gentle tug, he said gruffly, " What are you doing here in the middle of the jungle alone? Who do you belong to and what purpose are you here for?". She raised questioning gaze to him and then an understanding dawned in them. " I am from the neighbouring land." He wasn't surprised at the admission. Moving back, he turned his back towards her. A feeling of being bereft caught up with her. She continued nonetheless. If she was surprised at being given a chance to speak for herself , it did'nt show in her voice or words. There was no doubt that she would have been shot down or caught up the dark jails with no tell tale sign of her to the outside world once they knew that she had crossed the borders illegally. No one would listen that she was here for her brother who hadn't returned since a week. That there was a possibility that he too might have infringed the laws without having the knowledge that he was trespassing. Whether he was there around somewhere or not she didn't knew. She didn't want to think of it. She hadn't meant to cross the lines. Just look out for him in the forest that was adjoining their village. But then how could she have had made out the difference amongst the lands that were meant to belong to different powers. They had looked the same. Even the sky looked blue from both sides. Same was the story of the wind and the water. So here she was 10 days into the world that she had no knowledge of. And she told him all.

"You know what I could do to you for being here?".

"I am not at wrong." She told with conviction.

"Not everyone will believe you". Once his troop caught up here, she wont survive he knew that. Not when there were the ones who were in the land who were harmful and moving in unbridled. She gave him a bright smile that threw him off guard and surprised him as much. "My brother is the only one I have. I cant sit just like that. And did'nt you listen to me? I am sure your people would too.". She said assuringly, before flitting out like a dash of yellow and blue and he did'nt realize before that when the blue flimsy cloth unwound itself from around his arm and flew out alongwith her. Just as quickly she had vanished , she returned again and started enthusiastically " What would you like to eat.? Not that you have many options. But still.." , she trailed off at his grim expression. "Alright. Don't fuss later. You need to take care of yourself anyways. So you have to eat." She said authoritatively and moved outside.

He glanced at her retreating back and then sat down. The whole thing that took place had sucked whatever energy he might have gathered while sleeping. He looked around. Sunlight cut through the thin gaps from the thatched roofs and fell onto the ground in criss cross patterns, illuminating the suspended dust particles that were in the air. The smell of burning coal wafted in and alongwith that of someone talking. He recognized her voice. As he made to catch the other figure by bending to look out through the door, it walked away. A few minutes later as she walked back in, she held a aluminium plate in her hand. With a slight smile, she gave it to him. Two rotis and some pickle was the meal of the day alongwith some onion. And hence for the following seven days, he found himself being thoroughly taken care of. She had'nt gone anywhere in these days. He didn't talk much to her, waiting to gain enough momentum to leave as soon as possible. Staying here would also mean drawing trouble towards her. And he did'nt want that. Somehow, the reason he didn't want to contemplate on, he never wanted that lovely smile to leave her face ever. She didn't mean anything to him. A nobody. But he would do anything to keep her out of the harms way. Once he goes back, he also needed to find out about her brother. He had discovered that she had befriended a local shepherd girl. The one whom she had been talking to that day. Kind enough to supply this lost girl, stupid enough to endanger her life, edibles.

The nights were the most awkward. Not as much to him but to her. She would delay lying down, going about to do the most mundane of tasks. He would pointedly look at something away from her. She had put together another mat which was adjusted at a little distance away from his. Along the years in the army, being here where the breaking out of gunshots did'nt come up with some former invitation, he had lost his sleep. An hour or two during the wee hours of the morning would usually do the the trick of being rested. So in that small space, moonlight would find him sitting through the night. Watching her sleep. A sense of peace would settle to glimpse at her even breathing as her chest rose and fell with it. She had this simplicity about her. And her face was so too. That made her seem beautiful. He would break his gaze away from her at that. On the eighth night, the wind was playful. And the moon hid behind the thickly laden clouds.

'' Its going to rain!'', she squealed. She had twirled about in the open , just enough for some raindrops to tickle her a bit and form a random pattern of wet patches on her white kurta, before she ran back inside and beamed at him. He glanced back at her with an inscrutable expression. A flicker burnt in his eyes that was tangent enough to caress her, making her smile slip away and a nervousness take over. He was aware of the her pull towards him. It was there in the surreptious glances she threw his way and her hesitant fingers whenever they used to change his dressing. But he had brushed it aside. It was not meant to be. It would never be easy. Too much was at stake. She moved towards the only window that place had and attempted to cover it with the tattered sheet that served as a curtain. It must be stuck somewhere for it refused to obey her command. Her dainty fingers that had clutched onto it so as to pull it, were covered with his dark and larger calloused ones as he came and stood behind her. His arm ran along and above her as he made to pull the curtain,applying the light force on her palm that held it. Her heart stopped its rhythm for a second, it felt, as he whispered '' Its done..'' into her ears, before it started beating in synchrony with the pitter patter of the rain outside. Loud and fast. But just enough for her to feel.

Arnav moved back and lied down, turning away from her. It would'nt be a good idea to stay awake. Not tonight.

**

The next he woke was to the sound of persistent knocks on the door. The shepherd girl informed Khushi of the sighting of some army men near the area. The stupid girl was excited that he would be now taken care of well. He smelled danger. The possibility of militants in the area was strong . And he wasnt wrong when powerful shots rang about in the air. He was up and about, pushing her inside and said in a harsh voice, '' Listen woman, leave! No one is going to believe you. If you want to survive, leave and never come back..''.

'' But where are you going? They'll come for you. Won't they listen to you.? I am with you, right? ''.

Why won't she understand.? She has crossed the border illegally. That much is enough to push her to death or maybe a fate worse than that. She doesnt deserve that. Not any of it. The intention won't be cared for. Not right now. And later, it would be too late.

He gazed back at her tearing hopeful eyes and with a one last push again, bolted her in her dwelling. He might now make everyone stay away from here if he can't make her understand. Ignoring her calls for him, he ran further away as much as his aching body could take. And before he could have caught up with any of his troop members, he found himself at gunpoint.

He made to fight with him but in a few moments was smacked down on the head and then on his wound with the butt of the rifle. Before loosing his rationality , he was aware of two things. The militant in front of him being taken down by his fellow companion who had arrived and that she should'nt have come out . He could hear her dear voice nearing.

**

He made no attempt. No attempt to even glance at the photographs that had been taken of the dead militants. 4 men and a woman. His hope that she was unharmed overpowered the clenching of his gut at the thought of her being no more if he would just not look out for truth. Her face adorned with that beautiful smile swam in front of his eyes. Hopeful and happy. If it was to reassure herself in midst of such pain and danger, he would never know. He had never attempted to know. Afterall she was nothing to him. But the growing lead like heaviness in his chest was unbeareable. He slipped his hand in his trouser pockets and fingered the little grooves and bells of the anklet that lay in peacefully in the cocooned warmth. She had'nt known when it had come undone and he had taken it up on an impulse. Taking it out , he glanced at it and that was his undoing. Dashing through the dark pathway, he entered the tent where the possessions taken off from the dead militants lay. He frantically rummaged through it, an earnest plea rising in his heart to not find the other anklet of the pair. That should give him some hope to settle the restlessness. Going through the photos was tougher. He would'nt take up that. And hope he found when he did'nt find it. With a tired sigh, he looked into her brown sugar eyes that were imprinted in his mind.

**

Maybe, maybe she could now take the customary steps to go across the border, she mused as she caressed his name tag with her fingers. She needed to mend it, she thought as she gazed at the worn out threads that held the tag to its uniform jacket. And then find him. That makes it two. Her brother and Arnav. Distress started to course through her at the thought of her brother even as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she kept the only materialistic memory she had of the army man.

**