Chapter 8
Tears flowed down her eyes as she continued to scream for help.
"Arnav" she yelled on top of her voice, "Get me out" Please"
But there was no one to help.
After about ten minutes of continuous screaming, her throat ached and she almost gave up. Slipping down on the cold floor, she gathered her knees to her chest, and started crying silently. She would have to spend her night there until someone came to save her.
*
It was 9 at night, when Piya didn't find it okay to wait for some more time for Khushi, she decided to call up AR. She surely couldn't be in the office at this hour. Piya searched for Arnav's number all over in the house, but didn't find any. At last she found AR's visiting card on the side table.
She quickly dialed Arnav's number.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Am I talking to Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada?"
"Yes you are."
"I'm Khushi's friend, Piya. Can I know by what time would she come back home?"
"She hasn't reached home as yet?" came a shocked reply from Arnav's side.
"That means she has left for home?" Piya asked, her eyes widening with tension.
"Yes she did..." Arnav said in an inaudible voice.
"What do you mean? Why hasn't she reached home yet?"
"You wait. I'll go and search for her" saying so, Arnav hanged the call and ran out of Raizada Mansion.
He saw his phone ringing again and again with Piya's call, but he didn't care to answer.
He had instructed Khushi to finish her work and leave for her place straightaway. Then why didn't she reach as yet?
He called Aman and told him to search for Khushi in the way from AR to her apartment, meanwhile he checked for her in AR.
*
Arnav reached AR and called up the guard to open the gate. He ran inside the building yelling out Khushi's name.
Khushi woke up from her almost-unconscious state as she heard someone calling out for her. She hastily stood up and banged the store-room door, screaming Arnav's name. Her heart felt his presence.
Arnav looked at Khushi's desk and found her purse and phone still on the table. 'That means she hasn't left AR yet' he spoke to himself.
"Khushi" he shouted loudly.
"Arnav" he heard her muffled voice.
"Khushi where are you?" he again shouted, moving towards the store room.
"Arnav. Arnav please get me out of here. Please" she cried.
"Khushi I am right here" his voice dropped pitch as he stood outside the store room. He touched the door, "Khushi?"
"Arnav please" "Its too dark here"
"Relax. Nothing will happen. The guard has gone to get the keys. You'll come out in a minute. Just relax" he tried to sooth her, he himself unaware when did he get so soft towards her.
Khushi smiled widely as she heard Arnav's words. She knew he would came to save her. Like always.
The guard came with the keys and Arnav quickly undid the lock.
Khushi came out of the room, running to embrace him in a bone-crushing hug. She clung onto him as if her life depended on him. Her tears made her shirt wet. He reluctantly lifted his hand up and caressed her hair, trying to shush her down.
"Arnav" she cried, "thank you so much"
As soon as she spoke his name, his mind quickly came back into action, slapping his heart for taking over.
He forcefully shoved her away from him, making her gasp in shock.
"What do you think of yourself?" he yelled at her.
"Arnav.. I?" she stammered, clueless about what made him so angry all of a sudden.
"Don't act innocent now"
"I--I don't know --"
"Just shut up. You think you can come close to me and everything will be set right between us? Don't ever think so because nothing will ever get alright between us. I hate you for everything you did at that time Khushi. I hate seeing you face. I gave you this job just because Mr. Mehta had recommended you. You don't occupy any place in my life.." he continued to speak with gritted teeth.
"Arnav..Listen"
"Oh please. What's left to listen now? You think I came here now because I care for you? Then you're completely wrong Khushi. Because I don't. Your that friend was calling me again and again and again. You can't even do a single thing rightly. But get this very clear, I don't care for you. I don't care if you live or you die."
Khushi lowered her eyes and pressed her lips together to hide her sobs.
It was indeed the most painful thing to hear from the person you love that he doesn't care for you.
"You think that your innocent looks would flatter me and the gap between us would be filled up. No Khushi. That gap can never be filled now. You have made me an orphan. And I can never forgive you for that. Whenever I see you, that day starts to play in front of my eyes. The day when everyone cried except you.. because you were busy acting innocent on that day too.
I don't know why are you still hoping that our friendship would freshen up in the same way as it existed before. That's not going to happen. Ever. I feel suffocated in your presence. I hate you Khushi. I hate to love you--" he spoke in a broken tone, his eyes red and teary. He wanted to cry. His heart wanted to cry. But his hard mind didn't let him to be weak.
Khushi would have fainted on the spot if Arnav would have spoken a word further. How can he say something so cruel to her? How can he be so heartless?
Tears flowed down her eyes endlessly.
He walked a few steps backwards, his eyes fixed on her. Her back was pressed against the wall and her hands clutched her sides.
He turned his back towards her and before walking out of AR, he said, "Get your belongings and come in the car. I'll drop you off to your apartment."
Khushi looked helplessly at his retreating figure and let out a loud sob. She quickly cupped her mouth to not to cry in front of him. She closed her eyes tightly, allowing a gush of tears to flow down her cheeks.
She trembled towards her desk and picked up her bag and phone; making her way outside to the parking lot.
She opened the car door with shaky hands and silently sat in the car. Stretching the seat belt around herself, she looked straight, without even giving him a single glance.
*
They stopped at a traffic light and Arnav looked at Khushi from the corner of his eyes, and saw her biting her lip hard to control her sobs.
He closed his eyes in frustration.
Ek toh usko dukhi bhi nahi dekh pata..
Their life was turning totally ironical. He wants to hurt her, knowing the fact that she loves him. And when she is hurt, he himself cannot see her in pain.
He stopped the car in front of her home, waiting for her to leave.
She undid the seat-belt and opened the car-door. Slowly turning to look at him, she spoke with a shaky voice, "Thank You" and ran away into the building.
Arnav glanced at her running figure and his heart skipped a beat. What has he done! Everything was going on so smoothly, why did he had to speak all that to her? But when he said all that intentionally, why was he feeling bad for it?
He closed his eyes, putting a full stop to his thoughts. He ignited his car and drove back to Raizada Mansion.
*
"Khushi?" Piya screamed as she saw her on the entrance.
"Where were you baby? Its so late. Where were you? And did Arnav meet you?" Piya questioned him, cupping her face.
"Khushi why aren't you speaking anything? What happened?" she touched her forehead, feeling concerned of her condition.
"Khushi? Bol na" Piya's voice rose up and came out brokenly as she gently patted Khushi's cheeks.
Khushi quivered in her position, as she finally gave up her patience.
"Piyu" she sobbed loudly, and clasped Piya in the tightest of hugs.
The next minute, the whole room was filled with Khushi's cries and Piya's attempts to get to know what actually happened.
"Khush you're worrying me like hell. Tell me kya hua hai?"
"He feels suffocated in my presence" Khushi said, holding a dazed looked on her face, tears continuing to fall down on their own pace. She gasped to take in more air, as she choked due to her crying.
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Love,
-Sanjana.
CID
10