ArHi FF: Kya pata kahaan hum Chale(Part 25last 112 - Page 52

Oh wow... That was very intense. I loved it. I can't wait to read the next part. Please continue soon.

awesome,read all 21 parts in one go luv the background music...
thnx for the pm

wounderful story enjoyed reading it

It was awesome! Really very nice. Continue soon.

Well written. ⭐️👏

OMG loved it, plz update soon^^😃

That was SO cute! I'm glad Arnav isnt glum anymore ! :D

Aww! That was heartbreaking yet sweet at the same time! Loved it! Thanks for the PM.Do continue soon!!

Background music: Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol (do listen to it if it does not load automatically)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRa_DwalQc

Part 22 ' If I lay here, If I just lay here, Would you lie with me and just Forget the world?

Her silken skin against his mouth was fire and ice at the same time, he couldn't have enough of her, and his lips had explored each and every curve, nook and cranny of her body. He moved his mouth excruciatingly slowly to her neck, and then to her lips. He opened her lips for his kiss to deepen but her mouth opened wide in one awkward yawn. "What the'." he said and woke up with a start as he realized it was a dream. Banging his head in the pillow out of pure frustration, Arnav ran his fingers through his hair and held them in his fists while he tried to control his breathing. Groaning he shot up and poured the glass of water down his parched throat, in one go only to splutter over it coughing.

Suddenly the memory of her retreating back as she walked out of his room, their room, so many months ago was in his mind. Placing his hand on his chest he tried to ease the pain that he felt but to no avail. He wanted to redeem himself but didn't know how, didn't know what to do. Pushing away the duvet he scrambled out of the bed and stood with his hands on his hips contemplating a morning visit to her. He paced the room a couple of times trying to come up with an excuse to go see her. However, he knew that he had none and that her job meant a lot to her to jeopardize it over his urge to just see her. Angrily he flopped down on the bed with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting in his hands as he rocked back and forth thinking. He then paused, becoming deadly still as he reminded himself that it was her decision to take and he had to wait patiently for her to decide. His shoulders sagged a bit as gloom descended upon his frame and in a dejected state he slumped down on his bed once again willing himself to sleep not being able to endure the misery that he felt.

"I'll see her at lunch time.." was the last thought on his mind as he drifted off to sleep.

"Your place or mine?" his husky voice still resonated in her mind as she tossed and turned in her bed, trying vainly to ease the pain that had started from her heart and spread to each and every nerve of her body until she only wanted him and nothing and no one else. She had buried her face in her pillow so many times in an effort to block out his face looking down tenderly at hers, his hands lovingly caressing her body, his lips playing havoc with her as she had lost control and then'''..she shut her eyes tightly for she didn't want to remember anymore. She curled up wrapping her hands around her knees trying to put out the fire that blazed in her but failing, her ache and yearning for his arms around her increasing with every attempt. That she loved him had been established a long time back, she knew she could never love anyone else and two nights ago she had sealed her fate and knew that she wanted him.

But

Yes this "but" hung in the air, for whatever she wanted she couldn't seem to forget that she had been thought of as a gold digger, a husband snatcher. Though, he had moved well beyond that but that one piece of stinging truth kept popping up in her mind. Desperately pushing the covers aside she went for a long cold shower.

"I need to go there at lunch time.." she decided as cold water cascaded down her body.

Armaan was leaning against the reception desk talking with Ridhimma, teasing her about their dance the night before, how she had completely abandoned herself in his arms. He was watching the color rush up her cheeks when he looked up and saw Arnav push open the main door as he stepped inside. A slow smile spread on Armaan's face as he observed the ever in control, Arnav Singh Raizada ambling comfortably towards the reception in blue denims and a navy blue polo neck T-shirt and washed leather sandals, his black wavy hair ruffled by the wind outside. This version was a complete contrast to the ever in suits, with hair gelled back Arnav he had met in Delhi. He seemed to have dropped all the shackles he had built around her, he was him again, the guy he had met so many years ago in London.

"One thing that hadn't changed from Delhi to Mumbai was the instant attention he got form the ladies," thought Armaan as his smile deepened.

"Last time I checked your orientation was straight! Eh?" Arnav jibed at his smile as he poked Armaan in his stomach while from the corner of his eye he saw Ridhimma hastily making herself scarce walking away with a scandalized expression on her face.

"You had to ruin it, didn't you!" Armaan looked wistfully as Ridhimma walked away.

"Where is Khushi?" Arnav asked looking around.

Armaan cleared his throat to tell Arnav that she wasn't in the hospital and had left a couple of minutes before Arnav had entered.

"to go where?" he asked impatiently.

Armaan turned around to pick up a piece of paper and jotted down an address for Arnav.

A frown appeared on his forehead as he read the address, "What?" he asked with the paper held between two fingers.

"Go find out!" Armaan said for he knew Khushi would not like him explaining anything.

Arnav walked away with a shrug of shoulders and rolling of his eyes.

Arnav stood motionless for some time in front of the board that read "Mother Teresa Orphanage for Girls". He had just seen Khushi enter the building taking slow, thinking steps and was now weighing his options. Should he or shouldn't he go in? Khushi hadn't said anything about this to him, which made him wonder if she was ready to share or not? Or, maybe it wasn't anything. Then again Armaan must have had some reason for providing the address.

Shoving his hands in his side pockets, he sauntered slowly inside the building and went to the reception where khushi stood with her back to him. He was about to call her when a middle aged lady walked up to her and handed her a bundle saying with a smile, "Your daughter, Khushi!"

He wanted to say, "what the.." but fortunately he was too surprised to say anything. After a few seconds, he just cleared his throat to get Khushi's attention who was now playfully cuddling the baby.

"Your baby?" said a wide eyed, bewildered Arnav.

Khushi couldn't help but laugh at his incredulous expression for Mr. Raizada seemed to have left behind his grey cells somewhere on the way. "Arnav! It was only 6 months ago that I left Delhi and you have been here for some weeks now, minimum time to make this," pointing to the baby, "is 6 months and Kalpana here is already 5 months old! Can you manage your mathematics now?"

"Umm that's what I wondered'" he said slowly, "but then what?"

"She is an abandoned baby, I have adopted her which makes me responsible for her upbringing, lets go out in the lawn, we'll talk," she said as she walked out closely followed by a very thoughtful Arnav.

"I started coming here in times of extreme despair and frustration, whenever it became too much for me to bear. Coming here gave me hope. Here, I found my life to be better than so many others. I never knew that people who walk with us on this earth, who look so much like us, who walk and talk like us can be so ugly. Behind these walls are stories of hunger, cruelty and plain helplessness in the face of utter unfairness that exists," Khushi talked softly yet with a strength that Aranav knew didn't exist when she was in Delhi. Her ordeal had made her older; her recent experience had left her more mature and even more sensitive to the realities that exist around us. She was sitting on a bench under the shade of an old and wide Neem tree with light, cool wind blowing playing with her hair as she held Kalpana in her arms. With his eyes closed, Arnav was lying down on the grass with hands folded under his head as a pillow, listening to her story of how she had survived, every word fell heavily on his heart as he controlled the urge to just get and take her in her arms and apologize. But he kept still, kept quiet, he wanted to know more, he wanted to know all, wanted her to spill it out all.

"Orphanages are meant for kids with no parents, parents who have died. But here they have girls who have been abandoned for being girls, for being an extra mouth that they didn't have money to feed, for being the signs of their shameful deeds. How? How can anyone do that? How can anyone stoop so low? How can anyone be so brutally heartless?" she paused for a while. "So I remind myself of my parents who took good care of me till I was 8 years old and when God took them away he gave me my Babuji who made sure I forget that I was an orphan, he helped me find my father and my mother in the sky, and that makes me peaceful, grateful, hopeful," she looked at the setting sun as she thought of her childhood full of laughter and happiness with a pinch of some salty moments. She had sent Kalpana away by then. "I also know when my family forsook me, it was only buaji who said those hurful words, Amma never says much in front of her but she should have, and had Babuji been well he would have given Buaji a piece of his mind, I don't know but maybe one day I may forgive them, and Kalpana may just help me do that" she sighed as Arnav looked at her, willing her to say something about him but she didn't and just kept staring at the hues created on the sky by the setting sun. He closed his eyes to hide the film of water that covered them.

He then felt her sitting near him,

felt her lowering herself besides him,

felt her head rest in the crook of his arm,

felt her hand rest on his chest right above his racing heart

felt her fingers intertwine with his as he covered her hand with his

He had no idea how long they lay there, but he knew that for that time nothing existed but them, he knew if he said, "I love you" it wouldn't be enough, if he said, "I am sorry," it wouldn't be needed. But he knew he was ready to be with her for life.

"Take me to the beach," she said looking up at him.

Getting up they brushed away the grass on their clothes and walked towards the gate hand in hand as if it was the most natural thing to do. On the Harley too she just wrapped her arms around him instinctively and rested her head on his shoulder blades and closed her eyes. On the beach they walked endlessly, ate ice cream, corn and anything they came across. Khushi told him all, everything that she did in Mumbai.

"How long can you wait?" she asked as they sat next to each other, waves lapping gently on their feet.

In answer he just looked at her.

"Do you think you can work from Mumbai for some more time? And don't ask for the time limit to my 'some'" she asked plainly.

In answer he just extended his hand towards her neck to hold the mangalsutra and showed it to her, "Doesn't this bind us forever and ever, for seven lives and maybe more?" he said softly, "let's go"

"Oh no it is 12!" Khushi exclaimed when she checked the time and buried her head in her hands, "past my curfew at the hostel!"

"Let's check maybe they haven't locked the gates and all and you can slip in quietly!" Arnav suggested making her stand up. But she couldn't slip in.

"Doesn't matter, I'll sleep on the couch and you can take my bedroom," Arnav stated matter of factly and shushed her when she opened her mouth to protest, "We are married, and even if we weren't it would have made no difference, so come on!"

Sometime later, she lay on her side, eyes wide open unable to sleep, feeling lonely. She kept replaying the whole day she had spent with him. Turning to the other side her eyes fell on his T-shirt flung over the armchair and she felt tears forming in her eyes. She got up to put on the T-shirt to feel him with her but paused midway and placed it back again to go out to the living room where he was sleeping peacefully with his arms folded across his chest.

She eyed the couch for its vast expanse and quietly sat down next to him, unfolding one of his arms she put her head in its crook and lied down next to him her back to him. She then took his other arm to place it around her waist and closed her eyes. Arnav opened his eyes to kiss her hair lightly before he shifted to give her more space and put his arm around her more securely. He had grateful smile on his lips for acceptance had come, he was hopeful forgiveness may soon follow.

Precap: Traversing the high and lows of Arnav's past