Arhi SS : Chemistry #2 [ Completed : IMP NOTE : Pg 148 : 7/3 ] - Page 42

Arhi SS : Chemistry - Part 14

Arnav's hands shook, as he fumbled into his pockets for the extra keys, which he had managed to get for the suites. His breathing was ragged due to the long sprint. Without waiting for the elevators, he had taken the stairs, immediately after he had cut Sheetal's frantic call. He knew Akash must have followed him immediately after, considering the broken conversation with his cousin. He failed to notice a paranoid Sheetal waiting besides him in the deserted passage of the fourth floor. His mind was focused on whatever was happening within the room... cold dread filling him up, fogging his vision with fury like no other.

Pulling the key harshly from his pocket, he swiped it for access and rushed into the suite. He looked at the mess... the struggle Khushi might have put through and then he saw nothing but red. Shyam was on top of Khushi, forcing himself onto her. He made a dash and pulled the b*****d off her. His fist and Shyam's face seemed to be the two things that were at work. How dare he? How dare the man even think of touching his Khushi? He will have to pay... in kind and some more!! Arnav punched Shyam's nose, probably breaking a bone. His knuckles burned, but more so his heart... for the woman who was huddled in a corner.

Slap! Punch! Kick! He directed all his strength, all of his energy, all his anger towards the now cowering form of Shyam Jha, who was crumpled in the other corner of the room. His face was bleeding and Arnav was sure to have broken either his jaw or his nose... or hopefully both. He felt two strong hands pulling him away, which he tried to fling off. There was chaos around him as Akash kept yelling, "Bhai, let him go!! You are going to kill him... let him go!" Although the words made through his furious haze, they failed to register. The tormenting image of Shyam forcing Khushi, seemed to be replaying in a loop in his enraged head. He would have killed that bleeding a*****e, had he not heard her trembling words.

Despite the commotion around, his heart grasped her feeble words, "Leave him Arnav... please..." He turned around and for the first time since he had entered the room, looked into Khushi's terrified eyes. His throat clogged seeing the pain and fear in her hazel orbs, her body tense and petrified seeing him in this brutal avatar. In that moment he realized that Shyam Jha was not worthy of his time. The law would take care of him and he would make sure to keep that man behind bars for an eternity. What mattered the most was his love... yes the woman he loved with all his heart... who needed him and his comfort, his protection and love to endure through these trying times.

He rushed towards her, as Sheetal moved from the bed, making space for him. As soon as he had settled down, Khushi rushed into his arms, breaking down completely. He gathered her close, pulling her onto his lap. He was thankful for Sheetal who had covered Khushi with a duvet. Her quaking body broke his heart, as he ran his trembling fingers over her back, through her hair, wiping away her tears as soon as they flowed down her cheeks. He could not stop touching her and the only thing he was glad about was that she had not pushed him away. She had needed him and he could live with that small fact. But that changed within seconds.

As he held onto her shoulders to pull her away, she winced and he saw the terror rush back into her form. She shook and swiftly pushed him away. He felt his heart splinter into pieces seeing the terror in her eyes. What had Shyam done to his Khushi? How had he managed to break such a strong beautiful woman? He rushed to cup her face, only to see her withdraw and curl into a ball. He stiffened, as his heart screamed at her fear... his mind however reasoned that everything that had happened right now, had simply scarred her. She needed time... more than him! Soon there were more people rushing into the room, as Garima rushed in, hugging her daughter to herself. Seeing Khushi wailing in her mother's arms, Arnav stood up from his place and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

He was not needed... Khushi did not need him, even if he so desperately wanted to be there for her. And this was all because of that Shyam Jha. He looked around the room and could not spot the b*****d! He panicked and rushed out of the room, only to see him lying on the floor, bruised and tattered. Akash and Rick stood like guards, along with the security, waiting for the cops to arrive. Arnav rushed towards them and kicked Shyam hard in the back, making him wail in pain. Nothing could compare to the hurt he had inflicted on Khushi... not only scarring her physically... but emotionally as well. Akash pulled at his arm saying, "Bro... please. You need to calm down... to think straight. I have asked the security to grasp the footage of this floor as proof to be submitted to the police."

Arnav nodded, trying to reign in his anger, trying to breathe... the most natural act, which now seemed to be taking tremendous effort from his end. He was torn between what he needed to do and what he wanted. His heart was entangled with the woman, who did not need him at the moment... who had pushed him away. The fear in her eyes scared him. She had clutched onto him for warmth a few moments before pushing him away. He could not even begin to comprehend her state of mind. The kind of trauma she had gone through. He thanked the gods for having Sheetal follow Khushi to the suite. She had managed to see Shyam pushing Khushi into the room. Without wasting a minute, she had dialed Arnav's number, foiling Shyam's pathetic plans. He shivered... dread creeping up his heart, as he imagined the scenario, had Sheetal not followed Khushi. Cursing loudly, he kicked Shyam once again, who curled up in pain.

The next few hours seemed to pass by in a blur, as Arnav had switched onto his machine mode. He dealt with the police, along with his law team, providing them enough proofs against Shyam. Not only about today's incident, but also about how he had duped more than a dozen businessmen in the last few years. The substantial proof he had been slowly collecting, had come in handy, to strengthen his case against Shyam. The last nail in Shyam's coffin was this attempt to "rape"... the word itself had terrorized Arnav and he was glad for the presence of his brother, throughout this ordeal. Ajay and Shashi had made sure to wind up the party downstairs, without letting anyone get a whiff of what had happened four floors above. They would release a statement in the media, however, only at the right time.

Garima and Nani had coaxed Khushi to have a shower, and as much as Arnav had tried to gather information, he had known that Khushi had managed to eat a little dinner as well. He had collapsed down on the bed of their other suite, exhausted and tormented with the happenings of the last couple of hours. He had ignored his health and skipped his dinner, making him feel a little disoriented. "Have this... and you better finish the entire sandwich before having your tablets," Akash threatened him, as he sat besides his older brother. Arnav looked gratefully at him and replied, "Thanks for everything Akash. With the facade of your jokes and annoying comments, I never realized that my brother has truly grown up." Akash nodded and said, "Well, I am doing this for Khushi. I had promised her to not trouble you anymore... and seeing you already so tormented, I had to make sure that you would relax a bit."

Arnav chuckled for the first time in what seemed like days and replied, "So you mean this has got nothing to do with Payal... and Khushi blackmailing you with it?" Akash looked at his brother with shock as Arnav continued, "Akash... I am your older brother and will always remain so. If you think Khushi told me about you'll, then be rest assured that I had known about both of you, for almost eight months now. It is only that I chose to keep mum about it, till the time you were ready to tell me." Akash's eyes rounded in surprise and shook his head at the sharp mind of ASR. It wasn't just a coincidence that Arnav had managed to raise the bar of Raizada Corps., in a few years... it was his astute mind and keen observation that had marked their way, to the speedily climbing success ladder.

Akash felt immense pride seeing his brother and knowing how disturbed he was at the moment, he said, "Bhai, Khushi will be fine. Just give her sometime. I guess she must be hating any male company at the moment... let her be pampered by her mother's love. It will heal her." Arnav sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. How could he tell anyone what he was feeling in this moment? Seeing Khushi so hurt... so broken... he wanted to be there for her. He wanted to be the first one, knowing what she had told the police in her statement. He wanted to be the first one she turned to, for comfort. He loved her and he wanted to feel her love... just to reinforce his own confidence. He knew he was being selfish, but when Khushi had pushed him away... a little something had broken in his heart and he wished she would soon call him to talk to him.

However, nothing of that sort happened. As the hotel was now deserted... the hallways free of guests and media, the Guptas decided to take Khushi home. Garima and Sheetal held her, slowly taking her towards the elevators. Arnav was already waiting down by their cars, ready to drive them home himself. When everyone arrived near the reception, Arnav looked at Khushi, wanting to look into her beautiful eyes... see the warmth and love shining in them... craving for that one look that will help him survive through the days to come. Yet, she refused to look at him, looking away, avoiding gazing in his direction. He felt even more frustrated, when Shashi said, it made more sense if they took their driver... as they did not want to impose on the Raizadas further.

"Everyone needs some good rest, so it is best we all go home," Shashi said exhaustedly. How could Arnav rest, when all Khushi had done was ignore him completely, before getting into the car and drive out of his sight. He felt Akash's hand on his shoulder, a look of understanding etched on his face. He simply hoped for Khushi to be fine and prayed for any kind of response from her in the hours to come. He wanted her to open up to him... so that he knew she was fine and things would be back to normal soon. However, that soon did not come soon enough.

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It had been exactly five frustrating days since the launch. Arnav sat disturbed at his desk, flipping through the files absentmindedly. Khushi had not come into the office and he completely understood her reasons. However, what he did not understand was her silence. It seemed like she had tuned him off these past few days. He understood that she was hurt beyond mere physical realms... she was damaged emotionally and he wanted to be there for her. He wanted to hug her, comfort her, love her, kiss away her painful tears... and make her smile. He wanted to be her priority and all she had done was push him away.

At first he had tried to understand her perspective, giving her space and time. Making sure she was okay. He would call up the Guptas twice a day, making sure she was recovering well. He did not care if they thought his calls to be interfering or something beyond the boundaries of friendship... he just did not care what the world thought anymore. This incidence had changed his perspective towards life. Infact it had put everything in perspective. As much as sizzling chemistry and matching wavelengths were important in a relationship... it was true, generous love that bound two souls into one. He loved Khushi and he could not wait to tell her about how he felt. His plans, his ideas... everything had been foiled because of that monster, who had now been shifted to jail, after a brief period in the hospital.

His calls to Khushi had gone directly to her voicemail. She had only replied to his messages, that too with short, abrupt replies. "I am fine." "Give me some time." "I am ok Arnav, stop worrying." "I am not ignoring you. I simply need rest." This was all that had helped him survive through the hectic days at work. He had lost his sleep at nights, twisting and turning into the cold sheets, struggling to find the warmth of that one person who meant the world to him. "Khushi..." her named escaped his lips, echoing through his empty cabin, which seemed paler than usual, making him realize that he had to try harder to bring back the vibrancy in his life... to bring back his happiness, even if she chose to ignore his advances. She needed to open upto someone and that someone had to be him. He had to be her first thought when she woke up and her last dream while in sleep.

With a confident smile on his face, he dialed a few numbers, talking to people who heard him out quietly, taking orders from a man they truly respected. His final call lasted longer than usual... it was probably the most important and difficult call he had made. However, by the end of the conversation, he had a huge grin plastered on his face. Things were rolling and plans were set. Now only if Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta relented. Everything was now in her hands... her reaction of utmost importance to bring happiness back into her life... his life... their lives.

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The doorbell of Gupta residence resonated at seven in the morning, on a bright Saturday morning. Garima rushed to open the door and allow a freshly showered Arnav inside. He sat comfortably on the sofa, chatting with Shashi, while Garima hurried to wake up Khushi. Arnav would have loved to walk inside and wake his beautiful girlfriend, himself. However, under the current circumstances, he did not want to scare her further and especially not today, when he had big plans for them. Getting Shashi's confidence had been a little tough, with the recent Shyam fiasco, leaving a bitter taste within everyone. He had been surprised though, to have Garima's trust on his side, for which, he would be forever grateful to her.

Garima walked out and indicated Arnav that he could now go in. As soon as he entered the room, he realized how typically Khushi it was. The walls artistically decorated with beautiful frames... of paintings, photographs and wonderful memories. The yellow wall behind her bed had graffiti of a city skyline. But what captivated his attention the most was the woman who sat silently on the bed, in her shorts and tiny t-shirt. Her hair rumpled, her eyes groggy with sleep. However, the dark splotches under her eyes told him a different tale. She looked thinner... paler, making him wonder if she had been skipping her meals. His heart tore to see the vivacious, lively woman he knew once, reduced to being so timid and scared.

She sat with folded legs, looking at him with surprise and that was his entire intention. He did not want to give her time to think... to react. Clearing his thoughts and his clogged throat, he took a few steps towards her and sat at the edge of her bed. "How have you been, Gabbar?" he whispered, seeing her face turn ashen at his question. The ghosts of that fateful day, still seemed to be lingering around her. "I am fine, Arnav. What are you doing here so early in the morning?" she questioned. He nodded, not getting deterred by her cold reply. "Get ready Gabbar... I am taking you out today. You have been avoiding me for the last whole week and I have remained silent. I have given you enough space and any more space between us will cause us to drift apart. I am not ready to lose you to anybody... to anything... to any degrading thought that has been tormenting you," his stern voice surprised her and him.

She found her voice and said stubbornly, "I am not going anywhere. Didn't you get the hint that I want to be alone? Please leave me alone Arnav... don't crowd me." He moved towards her and held her by the shoulders, shaking her form and asking, "Really? You want me to let you go? You want to let Shyam win in his horrendous plan?" At the name of Shyam, her eyes looked petrified. Tears pooled into them and all Arnav could do was pull her into his embrace. "Don't let him win Khushi... please," he begged. He was glad that she did not withdraw and held onto him for comfort. He stroked her hair and pulled her pliant body into himself. How he had missed her warmth... just the feel of her! "Please don't deny this Khushi... I need you... I need you to trust me... I need you to let me in... please," he pleaded.

She pulled away and wiped her tears saying, "But what about maa and dad?" He smiled at her concern, brushed a few wisps of hair of off her face and said, "They know about our plan. Uncle wasn't very comfortable, considering your state, but I think aunty managed to convince him. Does she know about us, Gabbar?" Khushi simply shrugged and got up from the bed. She stretched her body, unknown to the fact of the delicious picture she made. The delectable curves, hidden by her flimsy tee, the never-ending legs, fitted perfectly in loose shorts... her long tresses messed up in an enticing way... gosh he was turned on!

Controlling his wayward thoughts, he said, "Freshen up... we will leave as soon as you are ready. Wear something comfortable... we aren't going any place dressy." She nodded and walked towards the washroom. This silent version of Khushi, broke him a little... yet he decided that by the end of this day... he would break all the barriers she had built around her heart and finally win his Khushi back. With a smile blooming on his face, he made his way to the living room, settling back into easy conversations with the Guptas. He knew they had questions, regarding Khushi and his relationship, which they had thankfully resisted to ask. But soon he would tell the world, what she meant to him... and if she would have him... he would give her the entire world.

In thirty minutes, he was settled in the car, with Khushi besides him. She looked beautiful, dressed in a yellow t-shirt over tattered jeans. She looked like a college-going girl, not more than eighteen and Arnav felt a pang of hurt, at the things she had to endure in life. She was quiet and he let her be with her thoughts... for the time being. He knew that they needed to be alone and needed to have undivided attention for the required conversation. Briefly stopping over at a McDonald's for warm breakfast, they quickly zoomed on the Mumbai-Pune expressway to a destination, which always brought Arnav, a certain sense of peace. He hoped that it would help to heal her as well.

Part 15