FF: Arshi: 101 letters(22 Dec thread2 pg158) - Page 34

kyun dard hai itna teri update mein? smita re smita re smita re smita re


dil tod deti hai aise update se. barun ka jaan kya kaafi nahin tha to tu ne bhi rula diya?

Poor arnav and Anjali...I womder when arnav will write back

Loved your ff waiting for the next part

Chapter 9

Arnav looked towards the length of the Great Hall in front of him. Not too long ago, the opulence of the palace had shined vibrantly under the light flooding from the regal chandeliers; shades of maroon, navy blue, emerald green had reflected off the numerous resplendent cushions arranged on the plush divans. But now the very same symbols of his family's affluence were draped under the dreary grey of the night. He slowly looked around, as if his mind registering it only now that he was sitting there all alone in the darkness. Was it night already?

The servants had all retired. The butler had made his last call. The lights of the Main Hall had been turned off. And an absolute stillness had descended upon Sheesh Mahal. So heavy was the silence that Arnav, sitting alone on the last stair of the ancient Grand staircase, could actually hear his own jagged breathing. His breath came out as a mist, hovered for a moment before disappearing like a wisp of smoke. Was he that cold already?

The quietness was welcoming; the loneliness was endearing; somehow this way he needn't put up the facade. No. This way, he could just feel every raw sensation coursing through his heart.

His grandmother had left just a few hours ago. Dadi. The mere word made a cold shiver run down Arnav's spine. He had expected Dadi to be rigid in her stance regarding her son, Arnav's father, to defend his actions even. Although, what Arnav was not ready was his Dadi to brand his mother a weak hearted woman! Arnav clenched his fist tightly till it paled, cutting off the blood supply from his hand. But his mind had numbed itself to feel the physical pain anymore for his unseasoned young heart was ripped beyond recognition.

Suddenly, a distant crash came to his ears. Arnav slowly got up and stood at the bottom of the stairs, his hand holding the parapet, looking upwards towards the source of the commotion. His heart constricted in his chest as he saw the familiar looking frame of his sister running down the stairs towards him, her face ghostly pale, an expression of abject horror in her eyes. Arnav stared at her with worry.

"Di? What is wrong? Are you alright?" he asked concernedly while dabbing at Anjali's forehead, wiping away the sweat from her brows. She didn't reply but held on tightly to her younger brother and burst into tears, her whole frame shaking violently. Arnav hugged his sister back, trying his best to calm her down. Suddenly, he heard heavy footsteps approaching them from the staircase again. He peered over Anjali's shoulder to see the hazy outline of his Uncle stumbling down one stair after the other.

"Arre! Anjali bitiya? What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you dear," the Uncle muttered lecherously.

Anjali cowed down and quickly moved behind Arnav, letting his taller frame be her shield. Arnav looked from his sister's cowering body behind her to their Uncle who was almost at level to his eyes. A sudden fury coursed through his body as understanding about the whole situation hit home. Arnav held Anjali's face in his hands.

"Did he... do anything? Did he touch you?" he asked her urgently, his heart thudding against his ribs in sudden panic. Despite the fact Anjali looked scared out of her wits right then, she shook her head no. Arnav turned around like a man seen red. "You're drunk!" Arnav thundered, catching a whiff of whiskey in his Uncle's inebriated breath. Uncle Mallik froze at his spot, his smile slowly disappearing from his lips as he considered Arnav's tone of warning.

"Great powers of observation mingled with that tone of disapproval. Ah, you remind me so much of my dearest Bhaisahab, Arnav beta," Uncle Mallik muttered, his voice laced with disdain. Arnav clenched his fist again.

"I'm nothing like that bas***d," he growled, seething at the prospect of his Uncle's daring to make such an absurd comparision. Uncle's eyes narrowed as he looked at his nephew. Slowly, sliding his hand down the parapet, he walked down the last few stairs to be at eye level with Arnav.

"Tch tch tch. You shouldn't be calling your father that, young nephew. Your father was a Mallik and so are you," Uncle Mallik leered as he threateningly stepped towards the siblings. Anjali took a fearful step away from her uncle tugging Arnav along with her.

"I'm not a Mallik! I'm Arnav Singh Raizada, and you'd do better to remember it," Arnav countered angrily, gritting his teeth unable to control the rage he felt. All he knew was that he was capable of doing some bodily harm right now.

His Uncle stilled for a moment looking at his angry young boy and then burst into laughter; an eerie laughter that resonated from the high walls of the Great Hall. Anjali clasped Arnav's hand looking very frightened at their seemingly innocuous Uncle's deviousness and his seemingly dispassionate brother's fury.

Arnav squeezed back her hand comfortingly, "it's going to be fine, Di," he whispered to her, his voice low and gentle.

"Oh, you're Arnav Singh Raizada are you?" Uncle Mallik questioned scathingly. "Then what are you doing in Mallik House?" Arnav looked back at his Uncle, his brows furrowed in a confused frown.

"This is my house now Uncle," Arnav reminded him pointedly. "According to my father's will, this house now belongs to me and my sister." Uncle Mallik chuckled dryly.

"Oh, so now when it becomes the matter of property, you suddenly decide you want to be a Mallik after all eh, boy?" Uncle asked sarcastically. Anger blazed in Arnav's eyes again. "This house belongs to the Malliks. And since, you've so happily renounced that title, it should fall back to the last Mallik alive," Uncle paused and slowly walked away from the siblings towards the teak wood majestic rocking chair right next to the stairs. It belonged to Arnav's grandfather and symbolically it was the seat of the Head of the House.

Arnav stared as his Uncle stumbled on to the chair and sat down on it, crossing one leg on top of the other and resting his hand on his thigh. "Me!" Uncle Mallik declared, his voice booming around the Hall. "If you want to continue living here, you can live as a Mallik, my dear boy," he continued slowly sliding his other hand on the arm rest of the chair.

"NEVER!" Arnav yelled violently. Be associated with that name again? Arnav would rather die a million deaths than embrace that filthy name again. His Uncle however, looked unperturbed, as if he had almost expected this, as if he had been waiting for this.

"Oh, well then," Uncle Mallik replied with a dramatic sigh. He slowly got off the chair and stumbled towards the duo again. When he was close enough, he stooped low to face Arnav and looked into his nephew's glaring eyes. "I believe you are trespassing on my property then Mr. Raizada and I don't entertain guests at such an ungodly hour," he murmured coldly, the politeness of his voice doing nothing to hide his ridicule.

"You... you want us to leave now? In the middle of the night?" Anjali had finally found her voice. Uncle peered behind Arnav at his fraught looking niece.

"Would you rather stay the night, dear?" he mumbled lecherously again. Anjali shrank back again, mentally reprimanding herself for opening her mouth. Arnav however slowly brought Anjali to his side, holding her hand tightly in his own.

"Go and pack your things Di," Arnav commanded, not taking his eyes off his Uncle. "We are leaving right now."

*

Khushi opened one bleary eye and then struggled to open the other. Judging by the darkness all around her, it was still too early to get up. But then what was the noise that had awakened her from her deep slumber? She turned to her side. The glowing hands of the alarm clock read 12:05 at night. She stretched her arms and yawned widely. Just then she felt a huge weight crash directly on top of her.

"AAAHHHmmmfff!!" Khushi's alarmed cry suddenly sounded muffled as someone had placed their palm on her mouth, preventing her from making any further noise. Khushi struggled with the bedside lamp in one hand as she tried to throw off the weight that was strangling her. Finally locating the switch she turned it on.

Khushi stared in surprise as she saw Lavanya's goofy face looming inches from her own. Her yells of objection died then and there. She hastily withdrew Lavanya's palm from her mouth and sat up.

"La! What the hell are you doing here?" Khushi hissed as she stared warily towards the door to her parents' room.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Khushi, Happy Birthday to you!" Lavanya sang croakily while she smiled at her best friend. Khushi gaped at Lavanya in utter surprise, a thousand things revolving in her head.

"You sneaked into my house just to wish me a... happy birthday?" Khushi whispered in utter disbelief. Lavanya nodded her head vigourously, still smiling widely at Khushi. She quickly got off the bed and walked to Khushi's side bearing a small square package.

"That's not all, I got cake too!" Lavanya whispered excitedly. Khushi looked down as Lavanya opened the cardbox box to reveal a sticky chocolate cake with the words "happy birthday Nutter!" and with a single candle sticking out from the middle of it. Lavanya quickly lit the candle and moved the cake right under Khushi's face. "Come on come on, blow a wish, cut the candle, make the cake!" she hurriedly whispered. Khushi giggled at the messed up order of her words.

"You mean make a wish, blow the candle and cut the cake, silly," Khushi replied, as she crossed her legs and set the cake down on her bed.

"Damn. I think I should've put "Happy Birthday Ms. Future Lit Captain" on the cake instead," Lavanya said rolling her eyes. Khushi giggled again.

"La, you could've waited till tomorrow too. I mean it's just my birthday, no big deal!" Khushi mumbled embarrassedly.

"No big deal? Woman, I got you a cake, climbed the back wall and then up your window not because I'm an adventure junkie okay?" Khushi smiled hearing Lavanya's words. She was an adventure junkie. "You are my bestest buddy and seeing how you have been kinda low in the dumps lately, I figured this would be the best way to cheer you up. And I know had it been the guy you've been secretly crushing on, you'd already have cut the cake and started cootchie cooing with him by now." Khushi's mouth dropped open and she threw Lavanya a scandalised look.

"So shut up and cut the cake already, Khushi," Lavanya implored. Khushi suddenly lunged for Lavanya and enveloped her in a bear hug. "Yes, yes. I love you too honey," Lavanya muttered patting Khushi on the back. "I don't have much time dear, my cousin is waiting outside. Come on, quick! Make a wish," Lavanya mumbled as she withdrew herself from the hug and shoved the cake towards Khushi again. Khushi shook her head, smiling to herself. If Lavanya decided on a stupid thing, she'd not rest till she finished doing it.

She looked down at the cake and closed her eyes to make her wish -

Oh God, please make my penpal reply to my letter.

And Khushi blew the candle.

*

Arnav sat on the window ledge of his room. Well, it wasn't his room exactly, it was the musty guest room that his Nani had opened for his use. It had been more than three days since he had been living at his Nani's house, and yet there were no signs of that lingering smell from dissipating. This room was much smaller than his room back in Sheesh Mahal. Ah, Sheesh Mahal... the mere thought of that house resurfaced unpleasant memories in Arnav's heart, memories that he wished died down somewhere deep within him.

Although Anjali hadn't spoken to him about that night since their abrupt departure in the middle of the night, Arnav had no doubts left in his mind that his sister had run away from his Chacha's wanton desires. And the mere knowledge had recoiled Arnav to an extent unimaginable. His own blood, his own family, or what was left of it, had turned out to be two faced! First his Dadi, the matriarch of his home who had held the authority of his family ever since he could remember had left him and his sister when they needed her the most. And then his son-of-a-bitch Uncle who was an insult to humanity had so cleverly thrown him out of his own house!

Arnav leaned back and rested his head on the wall behind him. He closed his eyes and let his breathing slow down, calming his restlessness in the process. First his mother was taken away from him. Then his so called "friends" bailed on him. And finally the few people who had ties of blood with him had deserted him. All he had was his sister in this whole wide world now, for he couldn't trust anyone else anymore. A lone tear flew down his cheek. Never had he felt so alone in life. He wanted to talk, he wanted to do something anything, that would ease the weight that had been pressing down hard on his chest, making him struggle to breathe at times. But who could he talk to?

He opened his eyes and looked straight at the bag kept at the foot of his bed. He quickly got up and walked to his bed and opened his backpack. He sifted through the things which had been haphazardly thrown into his bag by Anjali three nights ago until he found what he was looking for.

Arnav withdrew an almost crumpled envelope from his bag. The edges were slightly torn and the address on the envelope was also slightly smudged. With trembling hands he turned the envelope over and saw the similar cursive handwriting at the back.

From: 31W/ND/23

He opened the envelope and took out the letter that he hadn't read in almost a fortnight now. His eyes stopped at the end of the letter once more, a lump again forming in his throat as it had when he had read the lines the first time.

I know you must be having a lot of friends and you probably don't need any new ones. But if you feel like talking about something, anything... that you can't talk to your friends, you can share it with me. I don't know if you'll write back, but I hope you will.

-Jalebi

Then throwing caution to the winds, he took out a long notebook from his bag, tore out the middle page, dug out a pen from the depths of his bag and sank down to the floor. He stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of him, his heart hammering against his ribs as his pen hovered an inch above the pristine white paper. Then taking a deep breath, Arnav finally started writing his first letter to Jalebi.

Writer's note: Hey people! Sorry to have disappeared off late.. Uhm, I haven't been well since the last few days and hence haven't been able to write much. Anyhow, next chapter will contain Arnav's first letter. Keep your lovely replies coming darlings! Remember, if you want a PM (and you're not on my list already), drop me a PM with the subject "Following 101" I'll add you up!

Cheers! 😊

Damnit! I should have not caught up with the last few chapters together! i actually have tears in my eyes!! :'(

Beautifully written Smitzy!
Just loved how the story has progressed and unfolded!<3

The best thing till now is the relationship, the bond between the siblings! Its just so heartwarming yet it aches.
You can exactly imagine how Arnav became ASR and how at such a young age took the responsibility to care for his elder sister which should have been the other way round.

Too be thrown out of the house and u knw giving up everything they knew.These guys have gone through soo much pain and humiliation too in front of the society. And on top of that the creep of an uncle. Hes just disgusting.

Oh and i really like Lavanya in this one!:) Shes really sweet and understanding.
And i love Khushis idea. Now it does give a perspective and you can imagine how this thing can bring Arnav out of his shell.Really waiting for Arnav reply! :)

Love the story Smitzy!<3

PS - Im super sorry for the super late edit! :(

feel soo bad for arnav... he finally gets a person atleast in the form of letters to hopefully share his feelings... amazing update...

its like the star of the magical moment.

jalebi, wonder wat his name is..

I have always hated Dadi for abandoning them, after reading this update, I hate her more. Maybe if she had stayed, the vile piece of shit who called himself their uncle wouldnt have attacked Anjali, and they wouldnt have to live in exile at their Nani's. La is so cute, cut the candles, blow a wish and make the cake. hahaa. and finally, Arnav writes to Khushi. Three cheers. You write beautifully