ARHI SS : Trapped-Thread 1 - Page 43

When she regained a little consciousness from her drugged sleep, she felt as if she was resting against a safe rock. Only the rock seemed to have a heartbeat.

She tried to clear her foggy head, to understand what it was. Hazily she remembered Arnav trying to take her into his arms, she trying to resist and then utter darkness. Was it Arnav? She tried to fight the fogs in her brain to remember.

But what she remembered was a drunk man pulling her against him, ripping her clothes---fear took over her brain. She tried to struggle against the sleep to fight the man. But her head did not cooperate. The figs returned and she felt herself slipping back into darkness, all the time trying to fight the man---

When Arnav felt the struggle, he stirred from a deep sleep. He must have been exhausted with all the emotional turmoil.

He felt someone trying to push him and hit at him. With an irritated 'What the' he opened his eyes a little disoriented taking in the fact that sun was high in the sky. About to turn to look at the time, he felt the struggle again. This time, he looked down and realized it was Khushi. She was in his arms. Memories of the previous night rushed back. Immediately concerned he looked down at her. Her eyes were half closed and she was pushing him away with a 'Leave me please'.

For a moment, he thought she was telling him, but in a nano second he realized she was not conscious yet and she was fighting the men in her sleep.

Immediately, he tightened his hold on her, the anger against the men returning. With that the anger at himself returned. What had he done?

He may not love her, whatever the emotion meant.

He may be angry at what she had done.

He felt trapped and cheated and hurt.

But at the end of the day she was a human being, a girl. Someone's daughter, someone's friend. Someone's cousin---

And whether or not he wanted it, he was her husband.

He had to protect and care for her. He wasn't going to walk away like his father. Whatever be the reasons for the marriage, they were married and he owed it to her.

He looked down at her. She was clutching his shirt, her eyes squeezed shut. He looked at the scratches on her forehead and chin from the previous tussle she had with the thugs.

He felt his eyes burn with anguish.

He directed all his rage at the men. He would get them. But he would make sure he nabbed them with some other pretext and not for molesting or chasing Khushi. That would make them vindictive towards her.

He looked back at his sleeping wife. Wife! He was having trouble getting used to the word, let alone the role.

A month or week ago, he would have never imagined being married. Marriage was something he had decided against when he was very young.

It had destroyed his mother and perhaps his father too. It had destroyed him and perhaps his sister too.

Why did people marry when they had nothing to give each other and even their kids? Why did they have to endue the hell and make life hell for others?

This was the same logic he had given Khushi almost a month ago.

It was a week after their return from Simla. Khushi had come to the office a little late, looking agitated.

When he had called her in to discuss a new ad campaign, she was lost and unfocussed.

He had to repeat himself nearly five times. To make himself heard.

Finally he had lost his patience and yelled

'khushi what the hell are you doing. Focus on the job.'

Immediately, she had dropped the papers and her eyes welled up.

Puzzled and concerned, he looked at her.

'Khushi what's wrong?' he asked.

'N0...nothing,' she said and tired to get up.

He pushed her back into the chair and trapped her there by putting both his arms on either side of the chair.

'No. You are not going anywhere. Tell me what happened?' he asked.

She cried harder when he asked, all the while struggling to get up and go.

'You can choose not to tell me. But believe me, talking helps,' he said.

Still she remained silent.

'Khushi look at me,' he commanded.

She focused her tear filled eyes on him.

'Tell me, may be I can help you,' he said gently.

Something about his tone made her look up eagerly. She stopped crying. But she still refused to speak to talk about her problem.

'I am fine now. Thanks,' she gave him a fake smile.

He did not push further and let her go.

But the next day she had not turned up at work. Worried, he had asked Lavanaya, her good friend and colleague.

'What is wrong with Khushi. Why hasn't she reported to work,' he asked.

Lavanaya seemed uncomfortable at first. When Arnav was about to explode she said hurried 'It is Khushi's engagement tomorrow.'

He still did not understand the strange vacant feeling he had felt then. He still did not understand why it suddenly made his day colorless.

He had shrugged it off and continued to work. But his mind kept returning to her-----Engaged? With whom? Was the guy known to her? If not why hadn't she told him?

He corrected himself then. A kiss did not give him rights. Neither did he want those. And yet, he felt a strange rage at the thought of someone doing the same to her.

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/86228376

Funnily he felt cheated and kind of angry. He had tried to work away the weird depression that had taken over him. He knew he did not like the thought that she was getting engaged.

Was he feeling a strange territorial instinct? Was it the fact that he was the first man who had kissed her and he did not like anyone else even coming close?

If so, the attitude was not right, he knew. He did not love her. He had nothing to offer her. Then how could he feel this way?

But the 'n' number of reasons did not work and he continued to feel dead and angry. He had bitten the head off quite a few people. He had drunk litres of coffee and he still had a headache.

It was nearly 5.00 pm and he had been ready to call it a day and go home. The thought of Khushi's engagement tomorrow still felt like a weight on his head.

As he was about to leave, his phone rang.

It was a strange number. Hesitantly he picked it up and said 'ASR here.'

'Hello, This is Khushi's father, Mr Sashi Gupta,' the man said.

Totally surprised, Arnav asked 'Hi sir. How can I help you? As you must know Khushi is not at work today.

I heard it is her engagement tomorrow,' he said politely.

'You are damn right it is. So, could you please send my daughter home, from wherever she is hiding?' her father said.

Shocked he said 'Excuse me! I have no idea where she is. She hasn't come to work. You can ask the staff,' he said.

'No. I am asking you because I know you have something to do with this,' Khushi's father persisted.

'I am sorry sir. I think there is some mistake. If Khushi is missing you should ask her friends and look for her. I think that talking to me is not going to help you in any way,' Arnav said.

'Don't you think I would have done all that? I called all her friends and searched for her everywhere and that is why I am calling you,' Mr Gupta insisted.

'But why? I have nothing to do with this,' Arnav said, more perplexed now.

'Acting innocent are we? Well Mr Raizada I have to surprise you. You are the reason she is missing,' Mr Gupta said, sounding angry now.

Again Arnav tried to reason, though he was rapidly losing his cool, 'Sir. Can you please explain what all this is about?'

'When we did not find Khushi from the morning we tried calling everyone and searched everywhere. But there was no trace of her.

Finally while going through her room, I found her diary.

Forced to find a clue, I read her diary entry and guess what?' Mr Gupta asked.

'What?' Arnav asked , completely rooted and shell shocked.

'She had written in her diary she did not want to get engaged to Rohan because she loves you---Mr Arnav Singh Raizzada---'