A/n: The fourth FF in a row that I've started and yeah, even I'm worried now about whether I'll be able to update all of them regularly. Fear not, since I have enough free time on my hands now and also the next few chapters written!
For all those Arhi lovers out there, my apologies; this one features Anjali for the most part though there will be a reasonable amount of the two in the story.
I'm quite nervous about this story, actually. I've never been good with thinking in Anjali's shoes so if there seems to be any inconsistency, please do leave me a comment so I can make it better.
On to the first chapter!
Chapter 1: Not your normal trip and catch meeting
All was color and splendor around her; wherever she looked, all she could spot were openly delighted faces and the sound of unconcerned laughter, a sound that was so alien to her she wondered, if, for a moment, she had apparated to a different planet. Could people really be this happy? Smile so wide that she thought their lips would reach their ears? She didn't know; she knew nothing more than the fake smile she plastered on her face each morning; a mask that lasted only so long as the sun did. Her nights had long since been filled with tears and self pity.
Though the pity part had slowly receded, it left behind the mess of her broken heart to be dealt with; and Anjali had tried everything possible to postpone having to face reality. The reality that she was now a woman, standing alone in the middle of the path of her life that seemingly had a dead end right around the corner. She just had to turn in the direction and everything would be over; her life done with and truly useless.
Anjali took a deep breath; don't think about it, don't think about it and it would disappear she told herself, the only chant that had got her through the past few days. What should have been the happiest week of her life; the week before her beloved Chote's wedding, had become her worst nightmare and she had almost given in to the emptiness that was waiting in the shadows to claim her.
People around her thought she had recovered in light of her brother's wedding; honestly, Anjali had hoped for the same. Apparently, her heart was far weaker than she had anticipated; another disappointment in the wake of the thousand other ones she had had to accept. She had learnt to live with them; to accept that anything that seemed perfect in her life was merely a mirage and could never be ever lasting or real.
As her eyes connected with her Chote, she put on that smile for his effect and he gave her his lopsided grin before turning to the guests. That was the only respite Anjali had these days; the never disappearing grin that seemed to be plastered to Arnav's face. And just to keep it there forever, she'd don the mask for the rest of her life, everyday of it.
Khushi waved her over from the dias but Anjali shook her head; probably she and Chote had had another fight already and she was calling her to take her side. Soon, another of the guests approached them and Khushi turned to greet the man as Arnav introduced her to him. Anjali chuckled; and these were the two who refused to marry because they felt guilty being happy when she wasn't.
Anjali wondered how she could have been so blind to her Chote's affections for Khushi for so long. But then again, she had been ignorant of a lot of things, and this was just another; easier to rectify too. She had put her foot down when Arnav and Khushi had refused to marry; she'd noted that neither denied loving the other. As if they could have, having spent almost every minute together, either moping or trying to cheer her up. As it happened, Chote and Khushi had already known about her husband's duplicity; Khushi having borne the brunt of it.
They had tried to tell her indirectly, give her hints, they had even tried to separate them but Anjali had held strong. Until she had seen for herself, with her own eyes, that her husband wasn't the person he had portrayed himself to be. She'd blamed none but herself for the entire fiasco; helped ease Khushi's guilt, dealt with Chote thrashing himself for not seeing his true colors sooner or doing something about it. The last, she had failed miserably in because everytime he saw her, Arnav was reminded of his failure to protect her. The only person who'd managed to succeed was Khushi; whose talks about being guilty herself were the only thing that had Arnav rising from his self imposed guilt trip.
He'd slowly leaned towards Khushi, and away from her. Anjali hadn't grudged it; afterall, this was what she had wanted all along. Granted, not in such dire circumstances but she couldn't get everything she asked for, could she? Being the romantic she was, Anjali had thought convincing them to marry would be easy; but neither had given in an inch, each claiming to hate the very thought of marriage when there was such unrest in the house.
It had taken all her yelling and screaming and pleading and breaking down to get them to agree. But Anjali knew she had done right, when she looked at the faces of the two who were glowing, the radiance having everything to do with the deep love that each harbored for the other. It reflected in the way Arnav introduced Khushi to everyone, as if he was doing them a lifetime favor by letting them be in her company. It showed in the way Khushi kept adjusting the garland on Arnav's shoulder so that it didn't trouble him too much.
Anjali cursed as she felt the ever waiting tears block her eyesight; she'd promised herself the only tears she'd shed that day would be tears of happiness. Khushi ki aansoon; she chuckled and blinked a few times to blink them away.
Noticing that Khushi was beckoning her over rather urgently, Anjali hurried to the stage, berating herself for giving in to her musings when she should have been giving her new sister-in-law support. So immersed was she in criticizing herself as she climbed the steps that she hardly noticed whoever turned to look at her.
With her Mangalsootra and Sindoor left behind with the memories of the man she had moved on from (or so she firmly told herself), she looked every bit a beautiful woman that could garner a hundred eyes in any room. Khushi had insisted that she should dress well for her brother's wedding, at least. In the days following the day her life had done a one-eighty, Anjali had taken to going back to the way she had been before she had been married; before she had changed for one man who had turned out to be completely unworthy. Her dressing, her way of speaking, her mannerisms all had changed and she felt free, as if she was lifting a heavy weight of herself. Lifting off the restrictions she had placed on herself had given her the clarity to look ahead without dragging her past with her. That was what had made her compel Arnav to let her work at AR, where she currently was a designer for the traditional wear. She was proud of this one thing she had done right with her life; atleast now she wouldn't have time to sit and mope around.
It was only when she felt herself bumping into someone did she look up but by then, it was too late as she went toppling down, barely managing to smooth her fall by letting her hand take the brunt.
"Ow!" the exclamation broke from her unknowingly and she quickly looked to the stage; thankfully, Arnav and Khushi were still talking to someone or they'd surely have made a scene and even cancelled the entire reception to sit around her bed and pamper her. She looked up at the man who had so brusquely bumped into her, expecting atleast an apology; afterall, she was the sister of the groom and everyone knew the affection Arnav Singh Raizada held for his sister. Nobody would dare cross her path.
But all she encountered was a stone face coupled with a sarcastic smile. Pain shot through her arm and leg, making her realize her situation; she must have displaced her braces and sprained her elbow while cushioning the fall. Trying to suppress another exclamation of pain, Anjali held on to the railing behind her as she slowly stood, taking care not to trouble her injured leg further and making sure her braces weren't visible beneath the sari she wore. It was awkward for her and the stranger seemed to help none; he merely stood watching her, an inscrutable expression on his face.
"Done with your act or are you still expecting me to come to your aid?" he asked when she finally met his eyes. Anjali's wide shocked eyes helped none, it only served to widen his already scathing look.
"Oh no, don't give me those deer in headlights look, Ma'am," Could someone be scornful while speaking to her with such respect? Anjali hadn't thought it possible before. "It doesn't work on me; good day."
With that, he left her standing on the stairs, her mouth wide open in amazement; who was this man and what in hell had she done to get such radical reaction from him?
An unnamed annoyance rose in Anjali's mind; like the way one felt when listening to someone abuse the piano keys. The irritating twang echoed in her mind long after she had slowly gathered her wits and walked down the stairs; the couple on stage seemed too engrossed in talking to each other to notice her.
A sudden sense of loneliness engulfed her in the middle of the crowd and Anjali sought the solitude of the room she had been allotted, hoping to give her leg the rest it needed.
But it was not to be, as Akash, who had apparently seen her fall was approaching her with a worried expression on his face, Payal trailing behind him. She wouldn't have minded them; Anjali knew Akash and Payal were sensible enough to give her space and let her manage things but the unwanted unwelcome presence of the third person was what made holding even the wane smile on her face difficult.
She imagined she heard the distinct snapping of the string of a guitar as her eyes met his for the second time that night; pure unadulterated irk bubbled within her like never before as she stood, waiting for the three to reach her'
Precap:
"Its surprising, Mr.Singhania, that you haven't met Di so far," Akash exclaimed, his voice overflowing with pride as he introduced Anjali to him.
"A surprise indeed, Akash. Its good to finally meet the famed sister of ASR, Miss.Raizada," even his greeting reeked of disdain and Anjali wondered if someone could be as immovable as this person before her was; even after knowing who she was, he didn't seem to be fazed. There was not even the sign of apology on his face for what had happened before. For all it seemed, they could have been hostile enemies being forced to act polite with each other.
"Namaste," Anjali greeted with cold civility, a part of her mind mulling over the possibility of this person before her being the Singhania his brother couldn't speak great enough about'
A/n: That's it for now! Depending on how many people like this, I might decide to continue the story or let it go'
Do like and coment!
P.S.: Those who want PMs for updates need to just Buddy me and comment once in a while!
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
Health and Fitness
Arjun
