ArShi GONE CASE - Season 1 - Page 34

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3. NO SURNAME?

All the candidates were given a unique registration number and were called in for interviews accordingly. With every candidate that went in, the others hoped that he/she wasn't selected. Not many girls had applied for the job. Khushi was among the only three girls that had come there with a dream to become a detective.

The interviews were going on as Lavanya called out names of the candidates one by one. The results were to be announced after all the applicants were interviewed. Arnav and Khushi sat in their places waiting for their turn.

Khushi saw Arnav silently sitting in his place lost into his own thoughts. "What has happened to him?" she thought seeing him quiet.

Khushi was getting bored sitting silent. To initiate the conversation, she said, "Itna sannata kyun hai bhai?" Why is there so much of silence?

Arnav didn't reply. He didn't seem to hear her.

Khushi was confused by Arnav's unusual behaviour. She was expecting a teasing or taunting reply from him, but he was silent. Khushi looked at him guessing what was wrong. "Oh my God! He is so handsome!" she couldn't stop thinking. She kept staring at him for a while and then realised what she was doing. "Stop looking at him like this, Khushi!" she told herself and then noticed tears in Arnav's eyes. "Is he crying?" she wondered in disbelief. She shifted closer to him.

"What happened?" Khushi asked softly.

Arnav gasped realising where he was. He wiped his eyes quickly trying his best not to let anyone see his tears.

"Arnav?" said Khushi expecting him to tell her what had happened.

"Nothing" replied Arnav looking away.

"Don't lie to me! I know something is bothering you..."

"Oh really?"

"Yes!" said Khushi, "I know you enough to tell that something is wrong"

Arnav was surprised by Khushi's reply. "Does she really know me? Or is it so obvious that I am sad?" wondered Arnav.

"Offo! Stop thinking now... Tell me what happened..." said Khushi.

Arnav wasn't sure whether he should tell Khushi.

Khushi could sense Arnav's thoughts. "Let me help you decide whether or not to tell me" she said, "Look, if you don't speak it out, it will keep troubling you which is not a good thing" She paused and then continued, "And only one of us will get selected for this job. So from tomorrow, we will be on different ways. You and me are not gonna be together after today and maybe we will never meet again. So there won't be any problem in sharing your problem with me. And I promise I won't tell it to anyone"

Arnav smiled faintly at Khushi's assurance. She gently placed her hand on his and said, "You can tell me"

Arnav looked at her hold and agreed that there was actually no problem in telling Khushi what he was going through. At the moment, he felt as if he knew Khushi since long and that he could share anything with her. He felt as if she cared for him.

Khushi was waiting for Arnav to speak up.

Arnav took in a deep breath holding back his tears and said, "I don't know why, but I am missing my family so much right now"

Khushi was surprised. "Family?" she said, "But I thought you too were an orphan because only orphans are called here for the..."

Arnav cut in saying, "Yes, I know. And I am an orphan. But I did have a family. In fact, I had two families..."

"Two families?" asked Khushi curiously.

"Yes... Two families. I was born as a Mallik, Arnav Mallik. I don't remember much about my parents... Or I will say, my biological parents. They left me when I was three"

"Oh... I am sorry" said Khushi feeling bad for Arnav.

"Don't be mistaken..." said Arnav, "They didn't die, they just left me... Left me at the orphanage... and..." Arnav sighed making sure no tear escaped his eyes. "They just left me at the orphanage suddenly one day and went away... How could they? I was just three, Khushi" More tears filled his eyes as he spoke. "I hardly remember their faces, I hardly remember being with them. But the moment they left me is still clear in my mind. I was crying badly, not wanting to let them go. I wanted to run behind them to stop them. I wanted them to take me too with them. But I was held back by the orphanage people. My resistance was not enough to get out of their hold. I was too weak... I was too small..."

Arnav was silent for a moment. Khushi could feel his pain. Her eyes watered as she listened to Arnav's story.

Resting his left elbow on the arm of the chair he was sitting in, Arnav took out his wallet from his right rear pocket. He sniffed and removing something from his wallet said, "I have a picture of them in my wallet" He took out a worn out photograph from his wallet and showing it to Khushi said, "They went away leaving me all alone... and never returned"

"And you never tried to find them?"

"I did... I did, all these years. But I didn't find them. And now I don't even know if they are alive or... dead"

Khushi didn't know what to say. She saw Arnav scratching on the picture of him with his parents with the nail of his thumb.

Khushi stopped him. "What are you doing!" she said snatching away the picture. "Not all are lucky to have parents. And this picture is a memory of yours with your parents. Don't spoil it. Keep it safe"

"There is no use of such a memory which gives you only pain" said Arnav looking away.

Khushi kept the picture back into Arnav's wallet and there she saw another picture of Arnav with three others. "Who are these people?" she asked.

Arnav took his wallet from Khushi and smiled seeing the other picture. "This is my second family, the Raizadas" he said. "They had adopted me from the orphanage when I was four. And that's how I became Arnav Singh Raizada"

Khushi listened curiously as Arnav continued, "This was a lovely family of ours - Mom, dad and my elder brother, Akash. But yet again my fate drifted me away from my family. When I was seven, Mom-Dad passed away in an accident. Akash was looked after by his uncle, but I was never loved by uncle and his family and I was sent back to the orphanage. Now what is left with me is only this picture of ours"

Arnav closed his eyes and gulped down the pain.

Khushi was shocked to see how unfair life can be with someone. But she composed herself. She wanted to cheer Arnav up. She never liked to see anyone sad. She held Arnav's hand and said, "You know what, you are very lucky! Atleast you know what family is... and you got to be with not one but two! Look at me... I don't even have a surname!" She laughed at herself just to make Arnav happy.

Arnav opened his eyes hearing this. "No surname?"

Khushi just shrugged pursing her lips. "I am Khushi... Just Khushi... Without any surname"

Arnav just looked at Khushi waiting for an explanation.

Khushi leaned back and rested her head on the back-rest of the chair. Looking at the ceiling, she said, "Back there at the orphanage, they say that I was only a few days old when they had found me lying at the door of the orphanage one morning"

Arnav was shocked to hear this. Khushi was right. Arnav atleast got to experience the love of parents and family. Now Arnav realised that there were people more unfortunate than him in this world. He kept looking at Khushi with eyes filled with sympathy.

"What are you looking at?" said Khushi seeing Arnav staring back at her. "Offo! Will you get rid of this sadness of yours? I don't like such a face of yours!" she said teasing Arnav.

Arnav just looked away. He didn't know how to react to whatever he had heard.

Khushi pressed Arnav's hand gently and said, "You have got such beautiful memories to cherish for lifetime... Be happy!"

Arnav smiled. Not because he had those beautiful memories to cherish, but because Khushi was making so much effort to make him smile. He was glad to see Khushi happy seeing him smile. He looked at her innocent face, her happiness was clearly visible. Khushi was looking back at him. She was lost into his deep brown eyes. Arnav saw a strand of hair brushing Khushi's cheek. He so wished to tuck it behind her ear, but he just kept looking at her. "Beautiful!" he whispered.

Arnav's name was called for the interview. Breaking the eye lock, he looked away clearing his throat. Khushi too looked away realising that she was lost for a moment. They both looked at each other again not believing what just happened. Arnav's lips curved into a faint smile, his eyes still wet.

Khushi tightened her grip on Arnav's hand which she was still holding and said in a naughty tone, "You don't look good being serious... I am not used to this side of yours, you see" She winked and Arnav chuckled seeing her.

Arnav's gaze travelled to her hand holding his. Khushi saw this and withdrew her hand at once. Not that Arnav wanted it. In fact, he liked her hold on his hand... so assuring!

Lavanya called out Arnav's name again, reminding him that he was the next one to be interviewed.

Standing up, Arnav walked towards the door of the waiting room.

Khushi didn't want Arnav's mood to affect his interview. She cared for him, reasons unknown to her. She wanted him to be cheerful just how he always was.

As Arnav was about to leave the room, Khushi teased him saying, "So, Mr. ASR, you aren't scared, are you?"

Arnav was confused by the sudden question.

Khushi further said, "There's no question of you being scared, because you already know that I am gonna be selected" Khushi spoke confidently only to tease Arnav.

"What the!" was Arnav's reaction.

"As expected" murmured Khushi.

"What? What did you say?"

"Nothing! Just feeling sorry for you..." said Khushi with attitude.

"Sorry? Haaye... You care so much for me" said Arnav sarcastically, "But here's a free advice for you... Care for yourself, because tomorrow you will be roaming around searching for another job" he said.

Khushi's jaw dropped as Arnav smirked and left for the interview.

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