IPKKND FF: KHUSHI by JALEBI JANE Thread 1: EPISODE 001-052 - Page 4

The last time around I binge read "Khushi", so I'm going to savour it slowly this time. Well that's the plan. Although, I can so see myself devouring it once the blog reopens! 

I have read khushi twice and I m definitely going for hattrick :p
A few days back I had gone back to check the blog but it was under construction
Soo I m going to catch up once it's on the blog 😊
I m sooo glad you are back and also love your user name ;)Edited by littlemissstar - 7 years ago

Thanks for reposting this story "KHUSHI"..i have never read it because it was not aviable to read...

-Khushi- by Maya (2012) EPISODE 002

KHUSHI TURNED AWAY AND reached for another glass of lassi. She drained the glass, desperately seeking some relief from the heat crawling up her chest. How dare he summon her with his eyes in that manner? Was it not humiliating enough to have him govern where she went and what she wore?

Hai, Devi Maiyya! This heat is making me dizzy.

She fanned herself with her pallu. That man had destroyed her life and had reduced her to a puppet with him holding all the strings. Her inflamed thoughts raised her inner heat further and her cheeks glowed with ire. Even farm animals had more freedom, she stated to nobody in particular. They certainly slept in more comfort! She reached for a glass of something---anything cool---from a nearby tray. No, she would not go to him!

But as she was aware that she had married a Raakshas, she prudently removed herself from his sightline.

ARNAV ALLOWED A SMALL SMILE as he watched his wife trying to hide from him by merging into a group of ladies. By what logic did she think that she could blend into a group and become invisible to him? But this was Khushi. She exercised no logic.  Never mind that. By what logic had he actually believed that yesterday's victory would make Khushi benign for six months? He should have known that his wife would require daily reminders of the rules of this game.

He would make her come to him.

He had by now stopped denying to himself that challenging Khushi electrified him. He flagged a server, gave him clear instructions, and slipped him a money note to ensure prompt action.

Then he leaned comfortably against the tree trunk, and counted backwards. Ten was a good place to begin. Nine. Eight. At seven, he saw the server deliver his message exactly as he had been instructed. At six, he saw Khushi turn towards him in horror. Her mouth formed a perfect O'. Her cheeks grew more pink. Her almond eyes darted back and forth. By four, she was marching towards him, her pallu flying behind her. At two, she was standing in front of him, her arms akimbo, her eyes snapping, her lips ready to unleash her fury.

He was more stimulated by that sight than he cared to admit.

BEFORE KHUSHI COULD ARRANGE her words into a deserving tongue-lashing, he caught her wrists, and pulled her close into the space between his legs. Khushi gasped as she collided against the heat of his body. She felt a bit unsteady, but he immediately released her wrists so she was able to step away. The freedom was brief. He caught her waist and pulled her back towards him. His fingers pressed into her lower back, bringing her hips yet closer, branding her with his body.

Her eyes flew to meet his in protest, but he shifted his hands, so one now rested low on her back and one between her shoulder blades. His two hands, fingers splayed, covered most of her open back.

Iss saree blouse ko kya naam doon?

It offered no protection.Everything seemed to be happening in slow-motion, even her own reaction. She gripped his forearms and pushed against them begging for release.

"Don't make a scene," he whispered, leaning forward, "you know I hate scenes." His warm breath singed her ear.

Khushi gasped at his words. "Scene?! What about what you just did---!"

"---we are newly married. I am expected to show eagerness," he interrupted, his lower lip curving, and an eyebrow lifting.

Khushi's breath hitched at his words and she lowered her gaze.

He continued. "I asked the server to inform the ladies that if they were done interrogating my wife, I had some interrogating of my own to do. That's a statement. Not a scene."

Khushi couldn't escape his grip on her body, so she tilted her face as far away as possible, narrowed her eyes and said, "you wanted to punish me for not coming to you earlier, didn't you?"

He said nothing but his eyes deepened with something Khushi couldn't interpret.

"Kya? Why did you summon me?" Khushi asked in her let's-get-down-to-business tone.

"I wanted you near me, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada," he replied, his voice burning a fiery trail to the pit of her belly. And beyond. "Ignore me like that again, and you will suffer," he finished in the same silky tone.

Khushi's mind was not functioning at top speed. It took her a second to feel the sting of his final words.

"Suffer? Ha!" she snapped, twisting out of his grip and stepping back. "How much more can I suffer than I do with you every single moment of every single hour? Have you ever been powerless? Have you ever lost everything?"  The last few words were choked out more than spoken.

She had seen him angry enough times to recognize the signs that his rage was mounting and was barely held in check. His eyes shut briefly as he drew breath. His one fist curled to contain his thoughts. His lips pressed together to prevent words from erupting.

But Khushi was not alarmed by his words. This was not the first time he had told her he wanted her to suffer. In fact, he had stated that he wanted her to suffer because he hated her.  Arnav Singh Raizada hated her.

No ambiguity there.

I-hate-you, he had shouted. She could do everything he told her to do for the next six months, but he would still hate her. That would not change. Khushi felt hot tears sprout in her eyes.

She spun to move away from him, but the ground continued spinning and when her hand stretched out to steady her world she caught only air.

He caught her, taking her weight as she leaned her back against his solid chest. Her head fell on his shoulder. He cradled her head with one hand and peered at her.

"Khushi?" he whispered.

She smiled at him, unaware that some tears still clung to her eyelashes.

His hand slid across her midriff, where her saree gaped open. His touch made her breath catch, and without thinking she slid her hand along his arm and entwined her fingers with his, pressing his hand against her stomach.

"I have an idea, Arnavji," she whispered in a conspiratorial tone.

"You have had three glasses of lassi with bhaang. You will have no shortage of ideas," he replied with a smirk.

She didn't seem to hear him.

"Suniye na!---I have an idea," she repeated.  "I know how to stop you from hating me."

IT WOULD BE INACCURATE to say that Khushi had never left him speechless, but in this instant, Arnav was reduced to a humbling silence. Her eyes had shut, but they fluttered open when he adjusted her position to pick her up in his arms.

"Nahin!" she cried. "You can't carry me in front of all these people."

Arnav didn't find it necessary to correct her thinking. He bent to lift her but she stepped away on wobbly feet.

"Khushi!" he started, his voice low but firm.

She returned to his side, and pleaded, "Please, Arnavji---help me make a dignified exit."

She made a fair point. She took his arm and rested her head lightly on his shoulder. He supported her waist with his arm and they left the Kapoors' Holi party.

To those who noted their early exit, they appeared nothing more than newlyweds in an amorous mood, fleeing the crowds to enjoy some private time. This is what their family members saw. And though it didn't change their original opinion on their stealth wedding, everyone was gratified that the two had chosen to share their life together. And to Anjali, it was no small matter that her Chotte had chosen better for himself than even she had dared hope. Shyam, of course, did not share these views.

Arnav would have been happy to walk back to Raizada House in silence, but Khushi---who had never been inebriated before---felt the need to share every detail of her intoxicated state.

Why did the stairs go up and also down, she asked him in all seriousness. Why did she want to lie down but dance at the same time? Why did her dhak-dhak grow stronger whenever he was near? She didn't seem to require any answers, and Arnav had none to give.

When he returned with coffee, she was curled up on the recliner and fast asleep. He removed her jewellery to make her more comfortable and shifted her to the bed, tucking her in. He then went to have a long shower after which he climbed into bed, next to his wife, and promptly fell asleep.

Edited by JalebiJane - 7 years ago

Love your writing style. Can't wait for more...

Edited by lyolik - 7 years ago

Yay! Glad to see you back!

After reading this story so many times, I still don't understand why Arnav changed his mind about khushi and thought that she was not guilty of the crime he punished her for?

Thank you Maya for re-posting the story and also for the email