ArShi SS-Love in Delhi University~Thread 1 - Page 54

The red dupatta. It was playing with the wind. He was running down the familiar path again. His hands trying to reach out. He was almost there. Her laughter was filling the air. She always escaped. Her red dupatta. White salwaar. Kohl eyes. The bright sun. The shadows of the pillars, bringing her in and out of his sight. He was almost there. One last step. Yes, his fingers were almost there. He could feel the wind of it. His fingers could feel the texture of it. Yes, he would catch her this time. He tries to grip it, his fingers move and just as he does.. The duptta falls slowly in the air as if it refused to carry her any more. It descends as seconds pass and Arnav watches. The dupatta limp on the ground, gleaming against bright sun rays.

"Khushi!" screamed Arnav as he sat up on his bed with a jerk. His breathing was heavy and sweat droplets trailed down from his forehead and temples, down his cheeks. Wiping them off with his sleeves, Arnav looked around. In the dark room, he could see the window panes reflecting off the lights of the park outside. Removing his duvet, he got out, put his slipper on and walked up. "Too hot in here!" he remarked in his mind. As he opened the window, the cold night breeze rushed in to caress him. It was almost like Khushi's touch; soft and comforting.

Six months in Harvard, it wasn't the first time he was having this nightmare. Or was it a dream? Well, he never got an answer to that. Arnav stared into the dead of the night but he didn't see black. He saw his past playing before his eyes, like it did every single night.

~

[Past]

The office was abuzz, as usual. Payal was at her desk attending the incessant phone calls without a hint of frustration in her voice. Instead it was filled with patience and poise. As she was flipping through the schedule file of Mr. Malik, the phone on her desk rang again. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down and then went on to receive the call.

"Hello? Good Morning. How may I help you?" she greeted curtly.

"Hello? Ms. Gupta?" she heard a masculine voice from the other side.

"Yes. May I know who's speaking?" asked Payal in the same tone. It was almost like she had trained herself to be a parrot and she hated it.

"Arnav. Arnav Singh Raizada" came a reply. "Was that a hint of shakiness on his voice?" wondered Payal.

"Yes, Sir? How may I help you?" she continued anyway. It was kind of weird addressing your little sister's boyfriend as 'Sir'. Both of them got a little uncomfortable. Noone said anything for few seconds.

"Please call me Arnav" said he, confidently breaking the ice.

"Sure. How may I help you?" asked Payal, trying to brush past the awkwardness.

Arnav was in a fix for some time. Was he to be more casual as he was talking to her girlfriend's older sister as he was planning for Khushi's birthday or should he be more formal as he needed her to get something done in the office?

"Umm.. I need you to do me a favour" said Arnav. Getting no acknowledgement from the other side, he continued "Can you please schedule a meeting for my father for this Friday? During late afternoon or early evening preferably". It was almost like he was asking for her permission to bring Khushi to his house at the same time.

Payal stared at the calendar pinned on her green soft board. Friday? She checked the date.

"This Friday?" she asked

"Yes" replied Arnav.

Payal looked back at the calendar planner. The box of the Friday Arnav was talking about had 'Khushi's birthday' written boldly in red, all over it. She kept mum.

"Please?" he said with a steady voice. Arnav Singh Raizada wasn't used to taking 'No' for an answer.

Payal was impressed at his confidence. "Sure" she said, smiling.

Arnav smiled too.

"Anything else, Sir?" asked Payal again, out of sheer habit. "Sorry, I mean Arnav" she corrected as Arnav was about to speak up again.

"No, that would be it" he replied softly. "Thank you" he added.

"Uh.. Arnav?" spoke up Payal as he was about to hang up.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Keep her safe, won't you?" she asked carefully, hoping her message would be conveyed.

"Of course" Arnav smiled. "Khushi means the world to me. I'll make sure nothing happens to her" he assured Payal and got a small 'Thank you' back. He knew how close the two sisters were and was more than natural for Payal to worry about her crazy little sister.

"Good day" they both greeted each other and ended the call, rest assured.

Arnav leaned back on his recliner and sighed. Now his Dad would be out for the day and he could peacefully spend the day with Khushi on her birthday. He planned something very small and subtle as he knew Khushi didn't like her birthday being hyped. Though she liked loud music and crazy weddings, her celebrations were always supposed to be a more personal affair. They were supposed to spend the morning out together and in the evening, he would bring Khushi back to his place where he had planned the surprise for her. It wasn't anything big but it was something Khushi would surely enjoy. Satisfied with his plan, he went back to his work.

~

"Anjali Ji! Nanhe Ji! Mujhe pata hain Arnav Ji mere janamdin ke liye koi surprise plan kar rahe honge aur mujhe pata hain ki aap logo ko iss barey mein pata hain. Please please please mujhe bataiye ye na kya surprise plan kar rahe hain Arnav Ji mere liye" Khushi prayed. "Mujhse intezzar nehi ho raha hain!" she added like a child. (Anjali Ji! Nanhe Ji! I know Arnav Ji's planning something for my birthday and I know that you people know about it! Please Please Please tell me about it! I can't wait for it till then)

"Arre, Khushi Ji! Humay sach mein pata nehi. Ap nehi bolte toh humein pata bhi nehi chalta ki Nannav apke liye surprise plan kar raha hain!" joked NK, the last part of his sentence being true. (Oh, Khushi Ji! We really know nothing about it. If you hadn't said anything about it, we wouldn't even have known the Nannav is planning something for you)

"Anjali Ji! Aapko toh kuch pata hoga! Ap kuch kyun nehi batate!" (Anjali Ji! You must know about it! Why don't you say anything?) cried Khushi with pleading puppy dog eyes but Anjali didn't reply. They were at Khushi's college canteen. Khushi had secretly asked them to meet them their as she didn't want Arnav to know that she was trying to spy on his plans. Anjali seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. "Anjali Ji!" Khushi shook her, bringing her out from her own thoughts. "Huh?" answered Anjali, all flustered. "Anjali Ji! Apko toh pata hoga na Arnav Ji kya plan kar rahe hain?" Khushi asked again and pouted. (Anjali Ji! You must be knowing bout Arnav Ji's plan?)

"Huh? Nehi. Nehi mujhe kuch nehi pata" (Huh? No. I have no clue) replied Anjali, still not paying full attention to what was going on around her. Getting up quickly, she tried to get away when Khushi held her back. "Kya hua apko? Ap theek toh hai? Apki tabiyat kharab hain kya?" (Are you ok? Are you ill or something?) she asked with genuine care in her voice. "Nehi. Mujhe kuch zaroori kaam yaad aa gaya. Is liye jaa rahi hoon. I'll catch up with you guys later" (No, nothing like that. I just remembered I had to do something. I'll catch up with you guys later) she said and hurriedly exited the room.

"Anjali Ji theek toh hai? Shyam Ji ke jaane ke baad kuch khoi khoi lagti hain" said Khushi as she saw Anjali walk out the glass door. NK nodded, deep in thought and turned back to see the door clanging against its frame as if someone had banged it close. "That was weird" he mused.

~

The four long-stemmed crystal glasses filled with bubbling yellow liquid tinkled as they clashed gently against each other, celebrating a cheer the very same evening. Arnav was unaware as he was too caught up in his own planning for Khushi's birthday. It was a private party, celebrating the anniversary of Mr. Abhay Malik and his second wife, Natasha but sadly no one in his family had accepted her after the tragedy that hit them seven years ago, especially Arnav. He never stopped to even look at the lady his father had married three years ago even once. He kept referring to Natasha as his father's mistress.

"Congratulations, Natasha Maasi and Uncle" Anjali's voice chimed. Looking sexy, she was dressed in a short navy blue off shoulder dress. Her hair was perfectly done in a high pony tail and a short thin golden necklace adorned her graceful long neck. Natasha was the only family Anjali got and would do anything Natasha would bid her to. her finger twined around the hand of her love, Shyam as he joined in to congratulate the happy couple on their celebration. "I wish you both all the happiness in the world" said Anjali lovingly as she stepped forward and hugged them both.

"You know what you have to do to bring your Maasi all the happiness, beta. You know what you have to do" boomed a cheerful Malik's voice in the secluded posh room they had to themselves for the night.

~

I believe Anjali as a character had a lot of potential but it wasn't used in the show

~

Chapter Nine: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/72255064

_____________________________________