Arhi FF:Never Gone, Never Far. link to thd 2 pg.1

This starts with the "CONTRACT-MARRIAGE" track, and there are a set of songs which inspired me to write this, and hence you'd probably be getting to listen the songs which I love and listen to, most of the time.

INTRODUCTION

Khushi opened her eyes to look at the bleak sunlight which entered through the slight opening of the curtains. Why had the curtains moved? Who had moved them? Her head ached as if an explosion had taken place inside it. She felt a soothing hand on her head. The touch which she could recognize even in her sleep. And she slipped back into her sleep with a smile on her lips.

She felt someone calling her. That voice, which she could never forget. The voice of the man she loved. The voice of the man, whom she thought, loved her back. But that was so long ago. Things were different now. She had left him, hadn't she? "Yeah, you did." came the prompt reply from beside her. She turned immediately to look at the source of the voice to find Arnav next to her, sitting comfortably, cross-legged on the bed. Khushi stumbled out of bed, a hand at her throat, as she stared at her husband with shocked eyes. "No!!! Nooo. . . ." Khushi whispered as she shook her head vigorously. This couldn't be happening. She had left him. She had left her whole family! No one knew that she was here!! How on earth had he found her?!

"Y. . . You!! Go away!!!" Khushi yelled, and Arnav grimaced, and shrugged, as he said simply, "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?!" Khushi asked, annoyed with the calm countenance of her husband. Arnav gave her a sweet smile as he answered, "I'm here because you were thinking about me. I'm here because of your. . ." he trailed off, and tapped a finger against his temple. Khushi looked down, her eyes still wide with shock as she tried to understand. Looking up at him, she asked "You mean I'm imagining all this??!"

Arnav nodded disapprovingly and replied, "Hallucinating is the proper word."

"No. . . Th. . . Why. . . That is crazy!!" Khushi sputtered, not ready to believe what Arnav was telling.

"Of course that's crazy. You should stop doing it! Or better yet. Come back to me. You know I can't do without you. I. . . . I love you!!" Arnav said, the last sentence coming out in a low whisper, his eyes pleading her to act according to his whim. Khushi shut her eyes tight, and put her tightly balled fists at her ears, trying to muffle the voice of Arnav.

"It has been 4 days, Khushi. And you never even got out of the bed. You should go out, you know. Some fresh air would do you good." Arnav said, standing in front of her, his voice still crystal clear to her ears.

When Khushi didn't respond, he said in a dry voice, "That's not gonna work. My voice is inside your head. Heck! I'm INSIDE your head!! Or else would I be speaking so much?! I'm right now a Khushi version of me!!" Khushi opened her eyes and looked at him with eyes filled with longing. "And you should cry, Khushi. Don't hold it all in your chest. It simply stresses you out." Arnav's voice was now coercing. Khushi fought the urge to touch him by remembering the past six months of her alleged CONTRACT MARRIAGE, and turned her back on him.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QaI-M9sxW4[/YOUTUBE]

To make his voice go away, she turned on the audio system and tuned to some channel. Whiteny Houston's legendary song, "I'll Always Love You" was being played. If there was one thing she had learnt when she had been married to Arnav, it was the Western Music, Western behavior, and most of Western everything! It had been Di's idea and also her naive attempt to impress her husband. "If not for me, cry for your family Khushi. Just think of all that they've gone through along with you... Go make some Jalebis!! Munch on a few!! I always thought a few more pounds would look good on you." Arnav's teasing voice started to irk her now. She even started singing with the song. It was more like yelling the lyrics of the song. If it was true that she was imagining all this, she wanted to keep her mind elsewhere occupied, lest she turn insane!

If I should stay
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go.
But I know
I'll think of you every step of the way

And I Will always love you
Will always love you
You, My darling you

Bittersweet memories
That is all I'm taking with me.
So good-bye' Please don't cry'
We both know I'm not what you need

And I... Will always love you
I... Will always love you
You, ooh


I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this I wish you love

And I... Will always love you
I... Will always love you

I, I will always love
You...
You
Darling I love you
I'll always
I'll always
Love
You..

After the song, she quickly had a shower and found Arnav sitting on the reclining chair, waiting for her, following every movement of hers. She shook her head, not believing that hallucinating to such an extent was even remotely possible, as she dialed a number, and said into the phone, "Could you come over?"

"Of course, Chamkili!" came the immediate reply from the other end and Khushi put down the phone, and stood by the door, waiting for her friend. The only person who knew about Khushi right now. . . . .