IPKKND FF - Where Happiness Lives Part 10 Pg 95! - Page 62

gr8 ff

Oops, I thought this would be on the next page !

Oh well, I guess I can use this space to thank you all!

For all your lovely words, you guys are wonderful ! Thanks for all the likes and comments 😳

Okay, so I have a lot to blabber about before this post. I will try and make it as short as I can.

Firstly, thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments, and sorry about the awfully late update. I told myself I would start writing the next part once the last chapter got to 100 likes, and it took 10 days for that to happen, so I guess I was just a bit demotivated.

Anyway, back to the story, I have mentioned before how I am really not feeling this one as much, but too many of you are kind enough to persuade my heart otherwise. This next chapter, chapter 10, is going to be the last update for this thread.

I had a lot planned for this story (as you can tell from some of the initial build up) but I have decided to change the outset from what I had initially thought. So, you will see that this update changes the storyline of this Fanfic considerably, and it leaves it at a point where I can make this the last update, or, where I can continue on with another set of chapters which I will start in a new thread, splitting this story into 2 threads, since this one has got to about 100 pages anyway!

So, enough of my talk, read the update, see if you like it. It can be the last update for the Fanfic if you like, but if you guys want me to continue then please do let me know, I would be glad to or I could always just start something completely new. It is pretty long, and I really hope you enjoy it!

Love, Hayley x

UPDATE IS BELOW 😊

Previous Chapter 9 - Heartlines

Arnav didn't even bother to look up or see what had caused the lights to go off around them, all he knew was that Khushi stood close to him, humid suffocating air surrounding their bodies, choking their hearts. The silver of her dress reflected in the barely there light, lighting up her skin in a glow.

The hand resting against her stomach had warmed up considerably, and he snatched it away for fear of scorching his skin.

"You're hot" he breathed.

Khushi shivered and his arrogant grin had her livid as he leaned back, still cornering her against the cold wall.

"Let me go" she ordered lightly, all her resolution melting away as she watched him slowly and deliberately bite his bottom lip. She could see it against the light flowing through the hall across the corner.

Arnav watched her for a moment, deliberating what he should do next. He had her, and the darkness to accompany it, alone. The sound echoing from the hall felt so far away, he could get away with anything. He could lift her off her feet in less than a second and carry her to his room, he could kiss her right now, she wouldn't know what had hit her. He remembered the way she had looked the last time she had kissed him. The memory of her lips made his mind buzz from a thick warm hum.

But he knew when to back out. His own heart had fallen victim to her naivety, he didn't want himself to lose control with her. Not when she meant as much as she did. And he had yet to accomplish telling her how he felt, that was number one on his list.

He finally decided on letting her off, for now, but not before he got one more thing.

He sent her a crooked playful smile, before leaning in towards her cupping her sweltering hot neck with his hand, against the edge of her soft jaw near her ear like he had done the last time he had seen her by the poolside.

Suddenly feeling like she would dissolve into the pure heat rising between them, she pushed away at him slightly, not before he placed a kiss on her neck just under her ear, stealing away her warmth. She gasped, sending a low growl through him, he bit his lip to resist the urge of biting the soft palpable skin along her frame.

He held on her arm as she attempted to escape, pulling her back up against him before she managed to get away.

"Meet me on the terrace in half an hour" he whispered against her hair.

She pushed away at him with more force, knees weak and shaky, before running towards the light in the hall, what was wrong with him? He couldn't just corner people like that, leaving them all flustered.

He was left standing in the darkness, the feeling of her warmth enveloping him as he smiled at her silhouette running against the light. He loved her more than he could put into words, now, all he had to do, was find the next best way to tell her.

***

Shyam watched Khushi run. The shadow of her form against the light looked flawless, but it wasn't his. She wasn't his.

He kept his balled fists at his sides, feeling his nails dig in to his skin.

This was the last straw.

***

She stared at the clock that hung high on the wall for the next twenty minutes, whispering furiously to herself how she wasn't going anywhere. If it was that important, he would tell her straight away. He would have told her the night before when he had come to see her.

She busied herself with her family, sending comforting smiles to her Jiji, who sat nervously staring at her to be husband.

But she couldn't help it. Ever since she could remember, she thought of him. She couldn't even remember how life used to be when she hadn't met him. It was all so empty, so meaningless. Because now, whenever something happened that she cared about, it had to do with him. Her life had changed. Whether for better or worse, she didn't know. But it had changed. It had turned upside down since that day fate had sent her flying into his strong arms.

He had caught her then.

Would he always catch her?

She glanced up at the clock again.

5 more minutes to go.

She looked around the hall, he wasn't there. He hadn't been for a while. Closing her eyes for a split second, she told herself this was it, all she had to do was make one decision.

Forgive him for all the mistakes, or forget him.

She smiled to herself as she thought about how that was hardly a choice at all.

***

Meet me on the terrace in half an hour.

His words ran across her mind as she made her way up the steps, heart beating frantically against her chest, leaving her light headed and breathless. She nervously clutched at the fabric running along her length, careful not to trip over her own nervous feet as she remembered the look in his eyes when he had told her to meet him.

She pushed open the door, a small nervy smile playing away at her lips and then she saw him. Standing amongst the little fairy lights decked up against a dark sky. A cold terrifying wave of dread hit her squarely in the chest, making her falter slightly as she looked on, at a man void of all emotion she had seen just minutes before.

She didn't dare move, she was much too afraid.

***

Arnav watched her, trying his best to keep the anger away. He wouldn't let it show. He wouldn't let it come in the way of the decisions he had to make. He stared at her blankly watching as she hesitantly took a few steps towards him, coming to rest in front of him.

She waited for him to speak, and when he didn't, she did.

"Y...You wanted to talk to me?" she said nervously, avoiding his blank stare, it was piercing her soul. What was wrong?

"Is it true?" he strained through a clenched jaw, starting to shake now, the intensity of anger starting to break through.

"What?" she asked, afraid to know what he meant.

"Is it true DAMN IT" he roared, grabbing her by the arms, shaking her roughly.

Khushi felt the sting in her eyes before he had even grabbed her, she felt scared and confused, and heartbroken all over again. She couldn't do this yet again, he had drained all of her.

"What? What are you talking about, I don't understand.."

"Tell me it isn't true Khushi, or I swear to God I'll.."

She still didn't know what he was talking about, his strong grip against her arm started to sent bouts of pain striking against her, she didn't even realise when she had started crying. The saline droplets of warmth and wetness tracking their way down her skin, betraying her weakness.

"I don't.." she started, stammering, before he pushed her away, sending her stumbling slightly.

He turned around, unable to look at her, running his hands through his hair. No, no he had made this mistake much too many times before. He didn't only want this all to be a lie, he needed it to be a lie.

"Arnav Ji.. please.. I don't know what you.. I.." she started sobbing, as he turned back around to face her. She couldn't believe how quickly everything had started to fall apart, combusting spontaneously all around her, out of her control.

He took a few steps towards her, holding her shaking shoulders, lightly this time, before forcing her to look at him.

"Tell me it isn't true Khushi, about Jeeja Ji and you, tell me it isn't" he pleaded with her, just managing to control his voice from breaking down in desperation.

That one reaction of hers had him roaring in rage as he pushed away at her again, clenching his fists in order to stop himself from breaking something. He looked back at her, standing still as stone, eyes wide open, the face of someone who was guilty, before unleashing his anger on the string of lights hanging behind him, causing the entire row of bulbs and the vase it held to come crashing down to the ground.

She jumped from the noise, already terrified at what was happening. She didn't know what he knew, she didn't know what he thought, and she wanted to talk to him, but he was just so angry, it scared her. What if he knew the truth? What if he hadn't heard some gruesome twisted form of it, and he still wanted nothing to do with her?

He furiously kicked at a table set off to the side of the terrace, watching as it tumbled to the ground along with everything on it. The smashing sound of glass and porcelain sending Khushi flinching against the sharp noise.

She was breathing heavily, watching as he lost all control. Everything was wrong. His Di, the one person he had cared for his entire life with more love than anyone could have imagined, would lose all meaning to her life if she found out. It would kill her, and that would ruin him.

He couldn't stand to look at her, he didn't think he could do it anymore.

He started to walk away, and that is when she panicked, reaching out for his arm when he passed her, he shrugged her off violently, but she sobbed loudly and rushed up to him again, standing in front of him, blocking his path.

"No, No Arnav Ji, please don't leave, please I didn't mean to.." she started again, when he pushed her out of the way, sending her flying against the wall.

But Khushi was determined to get her story across. She didn't care if he still didn't want anything to do with her after he heard her out, but she would not let him leave like this.

"Arnav Ji! Please, believe me.." she cried, holding on to his shoulders "Please, I tried to tell Anjali Ji, I really did, I promise you I did but I coul.." she stopped mid sentence as he stopped trying to push her off him, it surprised her into silence.

He looked at her, contemplating hard. Shyam had come and found him, and told him that he loved Khushi, and that Khushi loved him back, only, his sister was in the way. His Jeeju, the person who he had admired for all the love he gave his sister, was nothing but cheating scum and the way Khushi spoke his sisters name, full of love, made him sick. How could she?

"Don't you dare, Khushi Kumari Gupta" he said, eyes raging with anger so prominent, she had to let go of his arm.

She flinched back, she couldn't stand to look at the man she loved speak to her with so much hatred in his voice.

She started crying harder, silently letting the tears flow down her skin, carrying along with them a feeling of numbness.

Before he stepped away from her, she grabbed on to his hand. This was the man she loved, she told herself. She would never forgive herself if she let him walk away so easily.

Running her slight fingers over his knuckles, she felt a trace of swollenness against his bruises, before clasping her hands tightly in his.

"I know you hate me, I really do. And I am sorry this is all happened, I am sorry you had to find out this way"

Arnav felt his throat choke up. So it was true, but then why, why did the feeling of her hand entwined in his feel so right? So breathtakingly perfect?

"I never wanted to marry him, I don't know if you will believe me, I can only hope with all my heart that you do, I never loved him, everything.." she sighed sadly "everything was just falling apart, and Buaji thought, she thought it would all be better, because he.. Shyam, he acted so nice to everyone, and Buaji said it would make Babuji happy, I didn't know what to do. And you were engaged to Lavanya at the time, and gosh.." she said, starting to break down in tears as all the memories of her life in flames came rushing back to her.

Arnav stood shocked, listening to her words. What was she saying? Shyam had not told the story this way. So he had been engaged to her? Her family knew about this?

It all started to click, memories of their past, memories that he had seemed to overlook in his fury. Their paying guest, the one name Shyam, the one that had been engaged to Khushi. The man who had broken her, the man who had betrayed her whole family. He looked down at her, everything suddenly falling back into place.

"It all ended when I found out the truth, I am sorry, I am so very sorry Arnav Ji, I didn't want to hide it all, but I couldn't tell you, I couldn't tell Anjali Ji, I couldn't break her.."

"Please.." she begged, squeezing his hand.

Arnav looked down at her, skin alight through the distance lights, long wavy hair flowing down her back, thick moist eyelashes fluttering against her soft skin as she tried to stop her tears.

Even if it were the truth, he knew that he would never have been able to fully accept that his Khushi was someone elses. Not if he remembered everytime he had seen her the past few months, not if he remembered every moment he had spent with her, taking her in, learning about her, realising all the good she possessed. There was no way. She was either very good at lying or she had been a victim to this all.

He closed his eyes for a moment and told himself this was it, it all came down to this, he just had to make one decision. He could either choose to trust Khushi, the girl whose kindness overwhelmed him, the girl whose innocence left him stunned, the girl who he loved. He could forgive her for hiding the truth for the sake of his sister or he could forget her.

He smiled sadly, opening his eyes, thinking... That was hardly a choice at all.

"Marry Me"

Khushi couldn't believe her ears, she looked up at him, eyes still glistening from wetness. She drew back, but didn't let go of his hand.

"What?" she asked, perplexed by his sudden change. Her heart jumped up in her chest again, relief washing over her as she saw the hate in his eyes now replaced by concern.

"I couldn't.. why?" she asked, surprised by his sudden outburst.

He let go of her hand, making her crave his touch as soon as she lost it. She almost cried out for him, when he raised his hands to cup her face, holding her steady as he bore into her eyes.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta, Marry me" he almost commanded "because I love you" he whispered.

His mind had been racing with a startling pace, but he knew in that one moment, when he had whispered those three words and watched her eyes give away a world of emotions, that he would never regret this moment, because she would never give him a chance to. He wasn't doing this because of Shyam, he wasn't doing this for his sister. He was doing this because he loved her.

How close, how close he had almost gotten to losing her, countless times, but he wouldn't let it happen again. He had learnt from his mistakes. He felt her quiver under his touch, and then she moved towards him, crushing herself against his iron chest, wrapping her thin arms around his waist, clinging on to him like life itself. She cried into his chest, not being able to stop herself, nodding against him in acceptance of his request.

Arnav felt her crying, and for the first time, he wrapped his arms around her small frame, taking in her shaking body to protect it from all the harm that was ready to damage it. He would keep her safe, because she was so precious and so fragile, he couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting her.

He was scared, and he was confused, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do next, but feeling Khushi next to him, made him forget all that worried him. He would marry her, he would tell his sister about her lying husband, and he would teach his Jeeja Ji a lesson. He would make him regret ever hurting the two women that meant the world to him.

He buried his face in her hair, rubbing his hand comfortingly against her back as she continued to weep into his chest, they were so far from it. Happiness.

They had so much to get through, they had so much to fight, so much to evil to battle against. If he took a step back and looked at it all, he knew it would all look like it had fallen to pieces, shattered and broken. But that is not what it looked like from where he was standing.

He breathed in the flowery scent of her soft tresses, it was all so hazy, all so far away with more than a million miles to go, but he still knew, that even through the feeling of having lost it all, he had found it.

He had found Where Happiness Lived

Thank you all so much for reading ! If you have read the post above, you will know what I meant then. I can finish off this story here, leaving it as a journey from Arnav and Khushi to becoming ArHi and Arnav finally confessing, or I could continue it from this point, with a slight change in the air of the story, following on from Arnav and Khushi deciding to get married, both aware of Shyam's truth... Do let me know !

Love, Hayley x

Such a cute FF!!! I loved the bit when Arnav went to see Khushi at her house (in the update before this one lol) and how he causally pins her to the wall at RM (as he tends to do, a lot, because he can lol :p) It's enough to get anyone reading this FF to become hyperventilated! Damn Shyam for thinking Khushi is somehow rightfully his, it's something that I really don't understand in the show either tbh, because after all he is a married man and he's only like known her for a few months, and besides shes BLATANTLY Arnavs! Looking forward to your next update!! 😃

Aww that was a beautiful update, please don't end it!

I really want you to continue

Loved the update! Please continue! I want to read more!

i loved this part... so beautifully written. I wouldn't want to stretch the story as you have ended it so well. But then I can't get enough of your writing; so I wouldn't mind if you take this story to new heights with a twist. So finally, i feel you should continue..

Hi,

I am a silent reader, but I must say this is a very beautiful FF, please don't stop here.

simply fabulous update...do continue dear...dont leave it..i love ur writing