Part 40
Khushi sat there, curled up in a ball, rocking herself back and fro, a habit which comes to her when she is nervous. And today she was beyond nervous. The tears blurred her vision and messed the already messed up mascara. She took a shuddering breath. She has no idea what's happening around her. Alagan! Her best friend. Her only friend can cheat her this way, she had never thought. Why? Why he lied to her? Why he is keeping her locked in this room? Why he is looking so weird and ...and also scary? Keeping her chin on her folded knees she rocked herself more, not knowing what to do.
She jerked off the bed when she saw the door open.
"Alagan!" she cried and ran towards him. "Alagan, why...?" she choked, her throat hurting. "Why are you doing all this? Let me go ..please... Arnav ji ..." the grip on her chin forced her to stop mid sentence.
"No...Do not take that man's name, Khushi. You are better without him..." he staggered back as Khushi pushed him with all the energy she can muster.
"You don't get to say who is better without whom! I love Arnav ji. I had told you! Is this so difficult to understand? I am happy with him...I.AM.HAPPY. What do you actually want?!!" Her red ragging eyes asked him.
"I want you. I want you with me. Here, with me. Not with that man. I love you Khushi. I really do..." he went and cupped her face between his palm. "I love you Khushi, more than that man...I.."
"You ...you love me?..." her voice filled with disbelieve rang in the room. "Like a friend , right?" Khushi asked, hopefully.
Alagan shook his head. "No...Iike a lover... like a lover , Khushi ..I love you .. I had always loved you ... wanted to spend my whole life with you ... You want to know where I was in those 2 months, right? I had gone to arrange money, Khushi..for Buaji ...but nothing worked...and when I came back you were married to that Arnav Singh Raizada ...why, Khushi? Why? ...Khushi, see I tried... tried to forget you ...to only think of you as a friend ... but...but I am sorry, Khushi... I can't! I just can't! Please come back to me ...please..."
Khushi just stood rooted as he poured his all feelings in front of her. He loves her? Like a lover? But she never had any such feelings for him? For her he was always a friend...a loving and caring friend. Where is her loving and caring friend? The man standing in front of her was not her friend...was not her Alagan.
"You ...Alagan, you ...you are not in your senses ... I never ...how can you ...I love Arnav ji ...I love you , but only as a friend. You know I love Arnav ji .."
"THEN STOP LOVING HIM, KHUSHI!!"
Khushi jerked his hands from her cheek and gritted her teeth.
"I WILL NOT! You stop all this and understand that I love my husband. Let me go from here. Give me my phone back to me.." she was about to put her hand in his pocket when he grabbed her hand.
"No, Khushi..you are not going anywhere, not until I make you understand that I love you ... Love you more than that Arnav Singh Raizada. You HAVE to understand me. "
Helpless tears touched her already damp cheek.
"Don't... don't do this, Alagan ...I love you ...please don't do this ... My baby, my Ebu will be waiting for me ... You know he can't do without me .. let me go , for his sake please ..." she cupped his face. She loves him. He is her friend, her only friend, who was always there when she needed someone, who had always cared for her, always loved her. How can she hate him? She can't.
"You...you want Ebu? I will get him for you. I will.."
"No!...You will do no such things ... I..please ..let me go ..please, Alagan... " Khushi sobbed. Why all this is happening now? Everything was so good till Alagan came to pick her. She was all ready , waiting for her Arnav ji.
"Khushi ..." Frantic knocks on the door made Alagan stop whatever he was about to say.
Khushi looked in his frightened eyes before the fright was replaced by something else.
"Alagan.." before she can say anything, he pushed her lightly and exiting the room, he locked the door close.
"Alagan!! No!!! OPEN THE DOOR ALAGAN!!! PLEASE!!" she banged the door furiously.
Alagan opened the front door and before he can grasp anything, he was almost lifted off the ground. He looked down at the deadly grip on his collar.
"Where is Khushi?!"
Alagan looked in the fury ragging eyes of the man in front of him.
"Where she actually belongs.." came his reply. And the punch he received made his head swirl around.
"You! You will tell me where Khushi is, or else..." Arnav's hand went in his pocket, and a black shinny revolver graced his hand. After leaving RM he went to police station, asking them to trace Alagan's cell, and then picking his revolver, not listening to his Nani's frightened cries, he was here.
Arnav's head jerked towards the voice, loud banging noise. Keeping the gun again in his pocket, he made a dash towards the close door in front of him, put was immediately pushed back.
"You are not going near her. She doesn't wants to meet you.." Alagan caught Arnav's collar in a tight grip.
Arnav looked at Alagan, madness floating in his eyes.
"Alagan!! Open the door!! Is Arnav ji here?!! Please open the door!!" Khushi banged the door as helpless tears poured out of her eyes. She heard voices"shouting, things breaking, falling. Panicked, she furiously banged her fist on the door. Arnav ji is there! Her mind screamed.
"OPEN THE DOOR!! OPEN IT!! ALAGAN!! ARNAV JI!!" As if listening to her plea, the latch loosened and the door cracked open. Wiping the tears, she dashed outside.
Her breathe stuck in her throat as she saw Alagan on the floor, withering in pain.
"Alagan!!" she knelt beside him and caught his shoulder, dragging him in a sitting position.
"Alagan..." Fresh batch of tears descended down her cheeks as she saw the bruises on his face, blood dripping out from the corner of his lips.
"Khushi.."
Khushi turned to look at Arnav ji, the tears blurring her vision.
"You did this? Why?" she asked in a small voice.
"Why?" Arnav looked at her, disbelieve written all over his face. "You are asking me why? BLODDY WHY?! He abducted you, you idiot! And you are asking me WHY?!"
"Khu...shi..." Their gaze shifted to Alagan, moaning in pain. "Khushi ...I...I love you ..."
Khushi's heart pained for him, he is helpless, more vulnerable than everyone present in the room. "Alagan ..." she touched his cheek. "I know you love me ...and I too love you ...but...but you have to understand ...you have to understand that ..."
"No...please, Khushi ... I can't live without you .."
Khushi heard ruffling sound of something and turned to only still in shock.
"Arnav ji! Put the gun down! Put it down! What are you thinking?" Leaving Alagan leaning against the wall, she ran towards Arnav ji.
"Arnav ji, no ..please... you have to understand him, Arnav ji ...please.." she caught his hand, forcing him to put his gun down, but he didn't budge. "Please, Arnav ji ... for me ..."
Arnav looked at Khushi, his eyes cold, hands still holding the gun pointed at Alagan.
"Understand? Understand him? What, Khushi? What should I understand? Care to explain, my wife." He mocked, his expression steel-like.
Standing on her toe, she circled her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Please" she sobbed softly. "He is my friend ... He loves me ...he is not well ... he just needs us to understand him ... please, Arnav ji ...put the gun down ...I will talk to him ..please...trust me ..." She lifted her face to look at him, his eyes staring right back in her eyes. "Please..." she pleaded.
Arnav looked in her pleading eyes and his hands went to rest by his side as he averted his eyes from her.
Dislodging herself from him, she again went and knelt in front of Alagan.
"Alagan.." she cupped his face and made him look at her. "Alagan, look at me... See...you see that man,..Arnav ji.. I love him, Alagan ... I love you too ...but only as a friend, Alagan ...Nothing more... you are special to me ...like everyone else in my life is...but...but you are still my friend, Alagan ..only my friend, whom I love. "
"No...No, Khushi ...I love you ..We were so happy ...everything was so perfect ... I have always loved you..dreamt of spending my whole life with you ...I want you in my life...don't you love me? I love you Khushi ...He ...He is a not a nice man , khushi ..He is not..." Alagan managed between his raspy breathe.
Khushi looked at Arnav ji, his palms fisted by his sides, eyes not looking at them, but she knew how hard it was for him to control his anger.
"Alagan ..you are wrong, Alagan ... Arnav ji is a nice man ... he is a very good person ..He loves me ...very much ...Please believe me when I say this, he loves me , Alagan..And I love him .."
"No...You don't love him, Khushi. You are confused .. you always are ..You love me, not him."
"ENOUGH!!"
Khushi turned to look at Arnav ji, his gun again pointing at Alagan. Khushi joined her hands. "Please.." she pleaded. "Please, Arnav ji...let me talk to him ...please .. I beg you ..."
"Talk to him? TALK TO HIM? Aren't you listening to him? He has lost it ... He needs a psychiatrist.. bloody bas***d... " Arnav went near her and bending, he caught her arms. "Get up!" his blazing eyes warning her.
"No...leave me .." she jerked his hands away. "You are not understanding ..he is my friend, I can't leave him alone here..."
But not listening to her, he dragged her up to stand on her feet. "You are coming with me.."
"No ...Please, Arnav ji ...please ...he is my friend , my family , Arnav ji ..I can't leave him alone ...please..." but not giving a heed to her pleas, he started draggig her towards the exit.
"Leave me ..leave me, Arnav ji .. If you don't leave me then I will never forgive you ...leave ..."
Arnav's leg halted.
"What did you say?"
"I...please...please, Arnav ji ... I cannot leave him like this ... try to understand ..."
Arnav left her arm with a jerk and turned his back to her.
Khushi bit her lips to stop the sob. She looked at Alagan, he was leaning against the wall, his eyes close. How can she leave him in this vulnerable state? Wiping her tears, she went near Alagan.
"Alagan.." she touched his cheek and saw him opening his eyes. "Alagan, I have a family, who loves me ... a baby who can't do without me , a husband who loves me ... And I love them...please don't do this... you are hurting me Alagan ...you are hurting me by doing all this ..."
"I am hurting you?" his hurt eyes looked in her. "I don't want to hurt you, Khushi ..I love you..I can never hurt you ..."
"Then understand what I am saying ... I love Arnav ji, please..."
Alagan pushed himself off the wall little and cupped her face.
"Khushi ..." his lips close to her cheek. "I ...I don't have anyone Khushi ...no one...only you ...Your Arnav ji has his family ...but I have only you ...I love you ..."
Khushi closed her eyes as Alagan kissed her cheek, helpless tears hitting her eyes and cascading down her cheek. "You have me.." came her soft voice. "I am always there for you, Alagan , but I only love Arnav ji, Alagan ..I can never be happy with anyone else... Not even with you ..."
"No!" he hugged her, crushing her petite form into his. "Don't say that... Don't leave me ...I cannot live without you...I will die without you ... I want you with me Khushi ...I can't see you with him ... I am unable to ...please...I will die...I don't want to die, I want to live with you ...please...save me..."
Khushi arms around him tightened. "Yes, Alagan, I will. I will save you ...tell me what I have to do ...I will do anything ... But don't ask me to leave my family, my Arnav ji ...I cannot live without them ...I cannot ..."
But he didn't reply. His hold around her firm, and he kept hugging her.
Arnav listened to their conversation, not knowing what else to do. He stood still, feeling a volcano burning inside him, ready to unleash any second. That man was confessing his love for his wife, for his Khushi and he just stood listening to him when all he wanted to do was grab that bas***d and rip him apart. He not only abducted her but was now telling her how much he loves her, how her husband is not good enough for her, how he can keep her more happy, and all his wife was doing was making him understand like a child. No more, this madness needs to stop.
"Choose, Khushi ..."
Khushi heard her husband say as he came and stood in front of her.
"Police or Mental Asylum.."
Khushi's shocked eyes just stared at him, unable to form a word.
"You make the choice. NOW."
"Arnav ji ..."
"No ... Not a word... just one word... Police or Asylum?"
A small sob left her lips as she saw the man in her arms, hugging her as if his whole life depends on her. Why? Why was all this happening?
"Fast, Khushi ..." his eyes burning seeing the man hugging his wife.
"Doctor ..." she made the decision. "He... he needs Doctor ..." She said as small sobs shook her body, crying for the only friend she has.
"Good.." Arnav took out his cell and made the required arrangement.
Within hour Khushi saw Paramedics filling the room. And soon Alagan was taken away with them. She sat there, looking at the door, her mind numb. She felt Aranv ji's hand catching her arms and dragging her up. Reaching the car, he shoved her inside the car and soon the car started.
"Khushi Bitiya!" Nani cried, relieved at seeing khushi. She walked towards them. "Aap theek toh hain? Kaha theen aap? Are you alright? Boliye toh kuch."
But Khushi kept her gaze downcast.
"Amm...aaa..."
A tear rolled down her cheek as she heard that voice. She lifted her eyes and looked in Nani's arms, her Ebu there, opening his tiny arms for her. As again multiple sobs racked her body, she took her baby and crushed him to her chest. "Ebu ..." She cried her heart out, holding her baby to her chest.
Nani's worried eyes shifted from them to Arnav.
"Chhote, what happened?" Nani asked, worried.
But not replying to her, he walked past her and started ascending the stairs. He needs seclusion, wanting to withdraw from everyone.
I have not liked the previous comments but have read it, guys. Thanks for waiting so patiently.
And pray for the family who have lost their kids in the terrorist attack in Pakistan and for the ones who are still kept hostage.
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