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Unspoken Love
[Banner Credit : Chhoti aka Kiddo_Star]
Chapter 10
Till now, the team was working on the basis of the photographs of the orphanage. They now had the basic idea of how the event will be. But for further detailing, they had to visit the orphanage for sight inspection. Khushi, being the event-head, had to inform Arnav and take his permission about the visit.
Khushi saw Arnav coming. She caught up with him in the lobby.
With a little hesitation, she said "Excuse me, Sir!"
Arnav became angry. "Is this a place to talk?!" he scolded. "If you want to talk to me, come to my cabin after ten minutes!!"
Arnav left for his cabin. Khushi felt bad.
"Good Morning Khushi!" greeted Mansi as she saw Khushi standing in the lobby. Khushi walked to the reception.
"Kaisi Good Morning...!" said Khushi frowning. "The morning couldn't have been worse...!" said Khushi staring in the direction of Arnav's cabin.
"Oh... Arnav Sir?" Mansi realised that Khushi must have conversed with Arnav. "Get used to this dear...This is gonna happen frequently. The sooner you get used to it, the better!!" advised Mansi.
"Have to wait here for ten minutes now..." said Khushi. She went and sat on a chair.
Khushi checked her watch. "Ten minutes over..." she thought. She got up to go to Arnav's cabin.
"Khushi, wait!" called out Mansi. "Let me first call him and check."
"Yes, that would be better!" agreed Khushi.
Mansi called Arnav on the intercom. Arnav told Mansi to send Khushi after fifteen more minutes.
Khushi sighed and waited there.
Instead of sitting idle for fifteen minutes, Khushi thought of talking to Aman till then. She went to the reception to talk to Mansi.
"Mansi, can I meet Aman Sir right now..?" asked Khushi.
"Sorry Khushi, I am afraid you can't! Aman Sir is on a three-day leave from today!" told Mansi.
"Oh... Okay..." said Khushi and she went back to occupy a seat.
After about fifteen minutes, Khushi saw Roma, Arnav's PA, going towards the cabin. Khushi quickly walked to her and requested her to ask Arnav whether she can go in to talk to him.
Khushi waited for Roma to come out. And she did come out only to tell Khushi that Arnav was very busy and she couldn't meet him right now. Roma told Khushi to meet Arnav after lunch.
Khushi was a bit confused and then she realised that Arnav was probably doing this on purpose. But she had no option but to wait.
Khushi went to the hall where the other members were working.
"Khushi, did you talk to Arnav Sir?" asked Shikha as soon as Khushi entered.
"No, I had gone to meet him... But he is busy and told me to come after lunch" told Khushi.
"Are you sure?" asked Sonali.
Khushi was confused. "There is nothing not to be sure of..."
"But Khushi, Arnav Sir had called me a few minutes ago. He was asking when we will be visiting 'Mamta'. He seemed angry that we still didn't discuss with him about it" told Shikha.
Khushi was surprised.
"No problem Khushi, meet him after lunch...!" said Shikha.
Khushi nodded. But she couldn't stop thinking why Arnav was doing this.
After lunch, Khushi went to Arnav's cabin. She asked Roma whether she might meet Arnav now. But Roma repeated the same thing that Arnav was busy and Khushi could not meet him now.
Khushi returned empty handed again. Shikha said that she will accompany Khushi to Arnav. Khushi felt better.
But everything repeated yet again.
Now, Shikha told Khushi to step aside. Shikha requested Roma that she wanted to meet Arnav. And this time Arnav readily permitted. Shikha went in but Khushi was not allowed inside.
Khushi knew Arnav was deliberately doing this. But why?
Shikha came out in a few minutes and informed that they were to visit the orphanage the next day.
As Khushi and Shikha were about to leave for their work area, Roma called Khushi and told that Arnav wished to meet her.
Khushi entered.
"Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta, you have some responsibilities being the event-head. You should have come and asked me about the visit for sight inspection! How irresponsible you are!!"
"But Sir, I had come to..."
"I don't want any excuses!! You understand that?!"
Khushi remained silent.
"Hello!! Main deewaaron se baatein nahi kar raha hoon... I am talking to you!!" said Arnav. "And yes, I want a detailed report from you about the site inspection day after tomorrow. Get it?!"
Khushi nodded in 'yes'.
"Now what are you waiting for?"
Khushi left the cabin. "How rude this man is!" she thought. Laad Governer kahin ka!
The next day, Khushi and her team went to the orphanage 'Mamta'. The Founder of 'Mamta', Mr. Kulkarni, was there to welcome the team.
The team was served with refreshments and then their work began. The team was explained in detail about the function, about their expectations. They were shown every nook and corner of the place where the celebration was to be done. The team members studied the place properly, especially Khushi. After all, she had to submit the report next day.
After Khushi and her team were completely satisfied, they decided to leave. Just then Khushi realised something.
"Mr. Kulkarni, bachche kahan hain? Kahin dikhe nahi... May I please meet the kids?" asked Khushi.
"Oh sure! Come along..." said Mr. Kulkarni pleased to take her to the kids. The team followed.
Mr. Kulkarni led the team to the back-yard where all the kids were enjoying themselves playing merrily.
As soon as the kids saw these people coming, they stopped at their places. The kids looked at each other and gathered at the corner away from everyone. They were looking worried and sad.
The guests were confused.
"Arey! Yeh bachchon ko kya hua? Why are they looking so sad?" asked Khushi.
"Whenever anyone comes to see them, they act like this" replied Mr. Kulkarni.
Khushi walked towards the kids. She went near a little girl, about five, and tried to talk to her.
"Hello beta, aap ka naam kya hai?" asked Khushi gently. What's your name?
"Soumya..." he girl replied hesitantly.
"Arey waah! Kitna pyaara naam hai aap ka!" said Khushi smiling. What a lovely name! Soumya became happy.
"Aap sab log itne dare hue kyun ho?" asked Khushi. Why are you all so scared?
Soumya looked around towards the other kids. "Vivek bhaiya, bataaiye na..." she said to a boy, about seven, standing beside her.
"You are to take one of us with you, aren't you?" said Vivek sadly.
Now Khushi realised that the kids were frightened and sad because they thought the team was there to adopt someone among the kids.
She smiled. "Bilkul nahi!! Hum toh aap ke saath masti karne ke liye aaye hain!!" she said. We have come to have fun with you all!
Now the kids felt relieved and safe.
"Hum yahan ek badiii si party karenge...!!! Would you all like to join the party?" asked Khushi.
"Haan!!!" the kids said unanimously. Yesss!! They were very happy.
"Toh bataao, kya kya chahiye mere pyaare doston ko?!!" she asked and there were loads of demands from the kids.
Mr. Kulkarni, the caretakers and the team were watching all this. They all were happy as well as surprised seeing how easily Khushi had mixed up with the kids.
After about half-an-hour, the team left. It was evening by then. They all reached the office. Khushi went to inform Arnav but he had left early. So, she thought of meeting him the next day with the report ready.
She was passing by the reception thinking about the folder that was deleted from the computer. She had locked the room before she had left. The keys are with herself, Shikha and at the reception.
"At the reception!!!" Khushi's eyes widened as something clicked in her mind. She hurried towards Mansi.
"Mansi, after I left yesterday, did someone borrow keys of Room M-112 from you by any chance?" Khushi asked.
Mansi thought for a moment. "As far as I think, no!" she replied.
"Please think harder, maybe Dolly had come to you for the keys..." pressed Khushi.
"No Khushi, I am sure no one had borrowed the keys! And if anyone did, I would have recorded it in the register..." replied Mansi. She sounded pretty sure.
"Okay, thanks!" Khushi smiled and left.
"If it was not from the reception, Dolly must have borrowed the keys from Shikha Ma'am. I'll go ask her!" thought Khushi as she went to their room.
"Shikha Ma'am...!"
"Yes Khushi?"
Khushi first ensured that no one else was listening, and asked whether Dolly had taken keys from Shikha.
"No Khushi, Dolly did not take keys from me. And after you left, Avi and I made a final draft of the entrance. Rishab spoke to the people about the flower arrangements. Mansi had forgotten her bike keys so she had returned to take them. That's it!" explained Shikha. "But why are you asking all this?"
"Nothing... I just wanted to know what all happened... I mean the progress...!" said Khushi. "Actually, Dolly had called me up as she needed the keys... So I thought she must have taken them from you..." Khushi managed to convince Shikha.
The day ended and everyone left for home. Khushi completed the report before she slept. It was about 2 am by then.
As Khushi was lying on her bed trying to sleep, she couldn't stop thinking about the deleted folder.
"When did Dolly get a chance to delete it?" she thought before she fell asleep.
*****
Next day Khushi reached office. She decided to show the report to Shikha and get it verified before showing it to Arnav.
When she registered her arrival at the reception, she asked Mansi, "Has Shikha Ma'am come yet?"
"Oh she has come a long time ago...!!" replied Mansi.
"Long time ago? Why so early?" wondered Khushi as she moved to M-112.
She reached there but the room was locked!
"If Shikha Ma'am has already come, why is the room locked?" thought Khushi, confused.
She stopped a peon passing by and asked him whether he knew where Shikha was.
"Shikha Ma'am toh oopar M-303 mein hain...!" he replied. Shikha Ma'am is upstairs in M-303...
"Thank you!" said Khushi and entered the lift to go to the third floor.
Khushi reached M-303.
"Shikha Ma'am?" Khushi called out as she pushed the door open and entered in.
And Khushi was completely stunned to see what was going on there.
There was Shikha along with all other team members. Khushi saw that they were working on the same event separately. They had designed the whole event all over and all the processes were carried out here too. The things they were working on under Khushi were all fake. The ideas on which Khushi had taken so many efforts were all into trash. Khushi was being cheated.
They were shocked to see Khushi there.
"Khushi, tum yahan?!" exclaimed Shikha.
Khushi had realised what was going on. She stepped back slowly, completely shattered...
"Aap sab... yahan... yeh sab... aap ne aisa kyun kiya...!! Why did you all do this... " Khushi began running from the place. The team members followed.
"Khushi!!!" they cried behind her... "Khushi ruk jaao...!! Khushi please listen!!! Wait!!"
Khushi went into the changing room and locked herself in. She didn't understand what to do. This was her dream project, her first ever project... And what they did?! They ruined everything!!!
Khushi looked at herself into the mirror...
"Why is all this happening with me...?" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Why?" she cried. "Kya main itni buri hoon?!!" Am I so bad?
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