ArHi FF: Kya pata kahaan hum Chale(Part 25last 112 - Page 18

"You have wounded her deeply, somehow, I don't know what you have done, but I know whatever it was, it has left a huge mark!" said the email that Arnav opened at 3 in the morning. He was used to going to bed with his blackberry now , he didn't want to miss any alert. The email went immediately to his friend and Arnav waited anxiously, sleep forgotten. He stopped pacing around the room as a thought struck him. He headed for his cupboard and took out his travelling bag and began to put in his essentials. He called to wake up poor Aman to get his ticket to Mumbai booked. He had decided that he couldn't wait any longer. So what if the exact location wasn't known, Mumbai was big but with careful planning one could find someone in a city as big as Mumbai. By 4, he was all set to leave at 8 in the morning. He drank one cup after another of coffee waiting for the daybreak.

Khushi woke up with a start, she had heard him again, calling out to her, and he seemed in pain. Just then her cell rang. She almost jumped off the bed fearing it might be him. He did have the knack of appearing anywhere unannounced. Armaan's name shone on her screen and she sighed with relief.

"Dodo! What were you thinking calling at such time!" she scolded him in a friendly manner.

"you paindo panda! I love you! We are meeting in the morning outside Coffee Studio! No excuses" Armaan sounded high.

"Armaan!" Khushi said in a very serious tone, "have you err drank anything? You are on duty, remember? Riddhimma is already upset with you, you don't want to be in the bad books of Dr. Shashank, do you?"

"Abay chal! You leave all your worries about me, I am a grown up. You just meet me in the morning around 10 outside Coffee studio, ok?" Armaan almost choked out her approval from her.

Arnav landed in Mumbai and was just getting into the car that Aman had rented for him when he received a phone call.

"Hey Arnav, the email you got in the morning was sent from one of the previous locations….." he went on to give the address and details which Arnav noted down hurriedly.

Mumbai wasn't new for Arnav, his Fashion House has organized quite a few shows here with the last one only 5 months ago. He drove to the address he had been given, steering his way through the heavy traffic of Mumbai. In 45 minutes or so he was able to find the coffee shop he was looking for, it was a hotspot from where two emails had been sent. Parking the car across the street, he was about to go on the other side when he froze.

Khushi looked around for Coffee Studio when someone from behind tapped her shoulder, she swerved around to look into the grey green eyes of Armaan filled with joy. She opened her mouth to say something when she was taken in a huge ribs crushing bear hug. Armaan lifted her and swirled her around saying, "you are one fabulous friend a person can have! Love you for being you!" he finished putting her down on the ground.

"Do you care to explain this huge shower of affection dodo!" Khushi asked catching her breath.

"Oye hoye check the Angrezi! Not bad Khushi, not bad! And don't act so nonchalant, as if you don't remember having a chat with my dilemma!" Armaan said finally breaking the suspense.

"What? Nai!" khushi hit him on the shoulders, "Don't tell me you people have already talked and made up? Quick service! See told you na, she has a soft corner for you!" Khushi almost jumped in excitement. "Tell me what happened?" she asked excitedly.

"Slow down, Super Woman, let's go inside first, hmmm?" he asked with a big smile plastered on his face.

"yes, yes!" Khushi agreed and gave another hug to Armaan, "I am truly happy for you," she said as they both walked inside.

On the other side of the street someone stood frozen to the ground, unable to breathe, or feel, with palms sweaty from anxiety, eyes watered. Arnav didn't know what to do; he wanted to fall down in gratitude for seeing her again. Seeing her alive, smiling, full of life and safe. But what had happened had sucked life right out of him, replacing it with emptiness, his feet felt like lead, for some time he was unable to walk. He got in his car, turned on the ignition but decided to stay. He waited for her, for them to come out. Left with nothing to do but think, Arnav kept remembering what Simran had told him about the girls she had helped, not only she had fought for their cases but many a times she had to make sure they go under some sort of rehab before they could function normally!

"Bl**dy system, we have no need to fight for these rights, but we have to for they are never given. They are merely used as publicity slogans during election campaigns and then what happens? Nothing! The dastardly capitalists are the ones who call the shots!" she had said vehemently and Arnav had prayed silently for Khushi's safety when he had heard the horrendous stories of so many women.

He let out a sigh of relief, "At least she is safe!" he thought trying to block out the image of the hugs. He hadn't been able to see the guy she was with clearly or maybe he was too busy drinking in the sight of Khushi, "How different she had looked, why?" he wondered. Out of nowhere came heavy rain and people began to run around looking for shelter. Amidst the frenzy, he saw two people emerge from the caf and quickly duck into an auto to go away. Arnav tried to follow them but he was on the wrong side and the U-turn was quite far away. "Damn!" he cursed and hit the steering wheel.

"You see, she has at least agreed to be a friend, plus she came and talked to me! That's a major improvement over a cold shoulder that I had been getting for so long now!" Armaan explained again, when khushi had teased him about the status of friendship he had with Riddhima. He was haunting her desk as usual during his coffee break. Just then his cell rang, his expressions changed as he looked at the name on the screen. Signaling to Riddhimma he walked away.

"Hello!" Khushi heard him greet the caller. With a thoughtful expression he came back in under a minute.

"That was a fast call! What are you doing today after duty?" she asked.

"haaayeee nothing! What can I do? Ridz is only my friend you know!" he finished with a wink, "Why don't we get together somewhere, that'll give me a chance to meet her somewhere other than the hospital and we all can relax a bit, my treat, what say?" Armaan suggested with excitement.

"ummm you all go along, I am not comfortable in crowds, plus there is so much noise, please excuse me." Khuhi said.

Armaan looked at her closely, seriously, "Okay then my place, we'll order food. Is that fine?" he said not willing to give up, "Do you think I can go have fun without all my friends?"

"Oh no, no, please don't spoil your fun for me!" Khushi continued to resist, it wasn't easy for her to be with people now, she was never sure when all these new acquaintances will leave her. This was her defense mechanism in trying to avoid the pain she had had to suffer once.

"Yes, you are right, you are such a party pooper! Okay we'll have fun without you!" Armaan said with a solemn face, and hit Khushi with a file to continue, "Are you nuts? I am not listening to your lame excuses, show up at my place nicely dressed up or I'll come and kidnap you!"

Arnav was busy googling for a list of most favoured hangouts in mumbai, he had decided to run a check on them and if he was lucky enough he may find her, even if with him. The thought of her being with someone else hurt him but he knew he had had hurt her in the most despicable way. His train of thought was broken by a call, it was one of his father's close friends and an old business associate, he couldn't ignore this call.

"Hello, Uncle Malik how are you?" he asked politely.

"I am fine, I called in your office to find that you were in Mumbai, everything ok? We ahd a meeting tomorrow, remember?" came the voice from the other end.

"Oh, yes, I am sorry but I had some urgent thing to look into, I'll have that meeting with you as soon as I come back, sorry for not informing you myself." Arnav apologized rubbing his forehead impatient to end the call and continue with his work.

"that's ok son, you know what Armaan is in Mumbai too, why don't you meet up with him also. Infact, please do this favour to me, try to talk some sense into him, I let him become a doctor but he insists on continuing with this useless profession while he should be getting involved in my business now!" said Mr. Malik with increasing irritation at his son, "he refuses to listen and is rude beyond words! And look at you, you've done wonders with your father's business. Please go to him and talk to him." He continued without a pause.

"ummm Uncle Malik, let him do what he wants to, eventually he will join you," Armaan said itching to cancel the call, he had no intention of hopping into someone else's problems.

"Oh don't blah me Arnav! You know very well he won't, you met him at Akassh's wedding didn't you? Didn't you see how stubborn he is! Anyways go meet him and let me know what happens, ok?" said Mr. Malik stubbornly sticking to his idea.

"Ok, I'll try." Arnav said and cancelled the call before Mr. Malik could go any further. "Damn!" he banged his fist on the table.

Khushi looked mesmerizing in her knee length pink gauzy chiffon dress, with a V- neckline and back line; it was ruched at bust and upper back with a gathered band with knot detail at the waist. Khushi had wanted to look good for she wasn't feeling so, she had friends but she hadn't still overcome her pain of losing everyone she had. By totally changing her style she had unconsciously tried to break the links with her past. Armaan came up with a big smile and hugged her in a comforting way, he could see the struggle in her eyes and wanted to erase it.

"Wow, killer looks, what are the intentions?" he joked, "Hey everyone, look who is here?" he got everyone's attention and they came forward to greet her, it was the usual gang, Riddhimma, Atul, Anjali, Sapna and the new internee, Rahul. Armaan had moved the furniture to the sides to make room for dance and the table was in corner all loaded with food and drinks.

Khushi sat down with Ridz and they both instantly hit off as they shared so many interests.

"Ridhimma will you …….." he asked her for dance pointing to the dance floor, "sorry khushi for taking your friend away, I need her more than you," he finished with a wink.

"yes, yes, take her, I'll have something to eat." Khushi got up and went to the table.

"Miss Khushi, How are you?" asked Rahul, uncomfortably close.

"I am good, how are you?" she asked politely moving away a bit.

"In mood of dancing?" he asked politely, he had been watching her for the last month that she had been in Sanjeevani and had begun to like her, "let me be direct……." He went on to tell her that he liked her and asked her to dance.

"Why not Khushi?" he asked when Khushi refused, "we work at the same place so what's the harm in one dance?"

Khushi had noticed the extra attention he had been giving her at the hospital as well but she had skillfully ignored. Here it was a more casual setting and Rahul had finally got a chance to express his feelings.

"I don't, …. I can't.." Khushi was flustered.

"we can just sit and talk then, hmmm? You know get to know each other." Rahul wasn't going to give up so easily.

Across the room Armaan realized what was happening and he knew why Khushi was really ill at ease, he went to them and interrupted, "Rahul if she doesn't want to then let it be," he said politely and took khushi's hand to take her away, "Look Armaan, please do not interrupt, let me just finish what I have to say, I know she is your friend but you don't own her!" Rahul was pissed off at the way Armaan had come in between.

"Khush you go ahead…." Armaan said as he turned to regard Rahul with a very stern look, "Listen Rahul, take my advice and stay away, I am her friend so I know she won't respond to your advances, okay?" he finished and turned around.

It was very late at night when they finally decided to end the partying and disperse.

"hey khushi, I'll drop you" Armaan said as he saw her leaving, she hadn't told him where she lived even now. "And don't even try to say no, I am not going to come kidnap you from where ever you live, why make it such a big secret?" he teased her while clearing up the room.

Khushi just nodded and went out with him.