FF-Darkness [Andhera] Page 86 IMP NOTE - Page 9

The sun shone through the glass windows and reflected onto Khushi's soft face. "Jiji, Let me sleep na?" she whispered lovingly with a smile playing on her lips. Normally Payal would smile and wake her up lovingly and both of them would have a small pillow-fight. "Jiji this time you" she paused as she looked around her surroundings. She was married, no, she was forcibly married and held prisoner in her own 'house'."Jiji, Amma, Babuji?" she cried as she crouched and put her arms over her shoulders and began to wail. That's how Arnav had seen her that morning.

He had just seen her and stared unable to comprehend to himself how she managed to look so innocent and sweet yet turn out to be so selfish and manipulative. He shook his head in disgust and grew angry at his thoughts. "Do you always have to look so pathetic?" Khushi flinched at his words as she stared up at Arnav who simply straightened his blazer and sighed.

"Make yourself presentable and come downstairs." He simply stated and Khushi watched on. For the first time she hated this man from her guts. Previously Arnav has aggravated her, but this was beyond manageable. How could he treat her like dirt? How could he play with her feelings? Shower her with love and affection one minute and treat her like crap the next. No, she was going to teach him that Khushi Kumari Gupta was a strong-willed and passionate girl. "Khushi Kumari Gupta. Singh Raizada" she cleared. Hell yeah, she was a Raizada now.

She coughed and stretched. The floor had been hard; the dust didn't make it any easier either. She sighed as she looked down at the family in front of her. Where was she? And where were they? But it's unlike she was in control of the situation. But she had to do this. Khushi Kumari Gupta was a strong-willed girl. If there was anything she couldn't bear, it was pain. Not to mention being unloved. She had always filled air with optimism and happiness & that's what she was going to continue to do.

"Nani, Chai?" she smiled as she offered some tea to the lovely old lady. She received a frown and her smile faltered, she sighed and tried again. "Jiji, I'll get the" she was cut off as Payal walked back into the kitchen without acknowledging Khushi's presence. This was harder than she thought, Khushi wasn't used to rejection and when she was faced with it, she didn't like it one bit. "Hello Hi Bye Bye. Eh Phatti Sari just makes everything worse Eh kya?" Mami sneered raising her eye-brows and twitching her nose. Khushi bit her lip and excused herself. Anjali looked at Khushi's retreating form and shook her head. No matter what the circumstances, she couldn't bear seeing the look of despair on Khushi's face. Anjali looked at her brothers, Arnav looked like hell. He looked deep in thought and Akash was silently eating his paranta. She knew she had to do something. "I'll be right back" Anjali stated and left for her Arnav's room.

"Di, Where are you going? You haven't eaten yet. Eat first" Arnav ordered with a tinge of affection in his voice. "Chotte, Khushi" "Di don't worry about her, she'll be okay""Chotte, you bring her down" Arnav stared at his Di for a moment before nodding; he excused himself grumbling swear words under his breath and made his way for his room.

"You enjoy doing this don't you Khushi Kumari Gupta. You enjoy watching Di in pain and putting us all in misery don't you? Well don't think that your plans going to work understood. Just 6 months. Just 6 months and then I myself will kick you out of this house with a smile on my face" Khushi watched enraged at the remarks coming out of Arnav's mouth. It had hurt. It had hurt so bad and she couldn't help but cry. Cry out in pain, cry out in frustration. Why did he have to hurt her so much? Why her?

"Stop it. Please stop it Arnav!" she screamed. "Just stop it" she sighed as she dropped herself onto the floor near his legs. She was sitting in such a position where she looked as if she was begging for forgiveness. And Arnav just stared. Gathering all his feelings, all his emotions as he kicked her and she felt onto the floor. She cried as she stared up and met his eyes, his eyes void of any emotion. It had told her one thing; Arnav Singh Raizada didn't love her and would never be able to. That day, Khushi had died another death.

Khushi knocked anxiously praying to Devi Maiyya that everything would be easier soon. "Please please please" she prayed as the door opened. "Sanka Devi!?" "Buaji" Khushi rushed and hugged her buaji tight. Oh how she had missed her, how she had missed her amma, her babuji, her home

Buaji hugged her back lightly before letting go. "No buaji, Please listen to me! Please hug me" Khushi pleaded as she began to cry. "Buaji please, you understand at least" she fell to the floor as tears filled her cheeks. "Khushi bitiya!" Garima screamed as she ran forward to pick up her child. "Khushi bitiya!" she wiped the tears of her child and stared at her astounded, As a disgraced mother, she was meant to be ashamed of Khushi for marrying Arnav in such circumstances but it simply pierced her heart to see her daughter in such a state. And with that, Khushi began to recite the circumstances of her marriage and what Arnav had said before she fainted and fell into a deep sleep.

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"No Jiji, Khushi Bitiya is NOT going back into that house"

"I agree Garima. What Arnav bauwa did was wrong, But Khushi is married now"

"Stop. Madhumati we'll speak about this later. Now is not the time" replied Garima as she put another cold cloth onto Khushi's forehead. The poor girl was suffering from a high fever and was in a weak condition.

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"No Madhumati. How can I send my daughter back? God knows what Arnav will do to her" Garima screeched as she looked at Shashi who was shaking his head in agreement.

"I agree Garima. But Arnav babuwa?"

"I don't care about anything right now. Have you seen Khushi's condition? The amount of tears she had shed, the amount of.. It's all our faults! If we had listened to our Khushi the day she got married, if we had... I even slapped her!" Garima burst into tears not being able to grasp hold of the sudden situation.

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"Chotte! Whats going on? Where is Khushiji?"

"What do you mean Di? Where is Khushi?" Arnav stood up enraged. He had left for office just half an hour ago. Where could Khushi be? Fear, anger, guilt crept up immediately as he rushed out of the door and dashed for his SUV.

"Don't worry Di, she'll be home soon" Arnav pacified a terrified Anjali on the phone before closing the phone and throwing it onto the car-seat.

"DAMMIT" he screamed in frustration and hit the steering wheel in front of him.

"Mandir, Mandir. She's got to be there" he sighed as he drove furiously in search for Khushi. He needed to find her; he couldn't afford to lose her. Literally.