ArHi OS: Mannat

Hello,

This OS takes place after Arnav and Khushi's six month contract expires and the whole Shyam fiasco has blown over. Khushi leaves RM, and Arnav, after 6 months and they haven't seen each other for a while now.

Arnav is in lucknow for a business meeting and that's where they end up meeting (in the Dargah).

MANNAT

"Chote, when nani gone there last year, she had prayed in the Dargah and had promised to return. You should go to the Dargah to fulfill nani's mannat. Who knows when nani will be able to visit Lucknow again?"

Arnav chewed his toast slowly as he heard his sister emotionally blackmail him, yet again, to visit a place of worship, just as she had a million times in the past. But he couldn't deny her this nor could he deny his nani this. So he nodded and said, "As you wish, Di. I'll go to the...Dargah today after I finish my meeting with Singhania."

Anjali heard the hesitation in his voice as he said Dargah. "Chote, is everything okay?"

"Yes, Di. Everything is fine." Even as Arnav tried to sound like his usual self, his mind tried to force its way through a locked door that led to forbidden memories.

Arnav ended the call after ensuring Anjali that everything was okay with him. In his mind's eye, he could picture the Dargah. He could feel the caress of the white dupatta against his face, smell the unique lavender smell that clung to her body all the time, hear the chanchan of her payal as she walked and see the delightful innocence in her smile. He sighed. It had hurt him then, to hurt her, even though he had barely known her and it hurt him now, thinking about all the hurt he had caused her, despite getting to know her so well.

Having finished his meeting with Singhania, Arnav drove to the Dargah. He wrapped a scarf around his head and stepped inside the Dargah. But almost immediately, he stilled.

She was here.

Khushi.

She was here.

***

Khushi stood in the small alleyway where she had locked her mannat ka tala. It seemed like it had just been a day or two since the time she had stood at the same place, praying that her jiji should get a good husband, someone even better than Abhishekji. She had never even imagined that her wish would come true in the way that it had. Jiji had found a good husband, true, but at what cost?

Initially, it hadn't seemed like everything that had happened in Khushi's life had been all a part of the bigger ploy that had culminated in the fulfilling of this mannat, but in hindsight, it certainly looked that way. Khushi had been the one to go to Raizada House and face Arnav every single day until Aakash and Payal had fallen in love with each other. She had been the one who had suffered through Shyam's lecherous glances so that Payal's rishta wouldn't suffer. And when they had got married, Khushi had been the one to sacrifice everything, by getting married to Arnav, so that they could remain happily married. And then, she had been the one to fall in love, the one to get her heart broken, all so Jiji could have a happy marriage. Did Khushi regret it? Not at all. She would do it all over again, if she had to. Her jiji deserved it. But Khushi didn't think that she had the strength to survive heartbreak, for a second time.

She wiped her tears and rummaged in her bag to locate the mannat ka chaabi. As she bent down, she stilled.

She slowly turned around.

And there he was. Arnav.

Even after all these months, her senses were attuned to his presence. She could still sense him when he was near. In that moment, she realized that she had never really gotten over him. She had never really forgotten him, and she would never be able to. And that was when she felt her heart break a second time.

Arnav looked at Khushi, her hazel eyes clouded with tears, her form thinner than ever and felt his breath leave his body. He had never seen Khushi look so...sad before. And he knew he was responsible for it. He tried to step closer to her, but she turned away from him. He watched as she unlocked her mannat ka tala and putting the tala and the key in her bag, walked away.

She walked a couple of steps, before stopping and walking back towards him. She came to a stop a couple of feet away from him. She put her hand inside her bag and withdrew another key and extended it towards him. He took the key from her, not understanding its significance, until she said, "Aapki mannat ki chaabi. Aapne gira di thi." He tried to speak, but she had already started to walk away from him, leaving him only with memories...and a new mannat in his heart.