ARHI SS : Trapped-Thread 1 - Page 48

Arnav still remembered the shock he experienced when Khushi's father had said the statement 'She loves you'. He had been perplexed and confused at the same time.

'It is not possible sir,. Khushi and I are not in that kind of a relationship?' he had told her irate father.

'How convenient! You had fun with my daughter in Simla and now say you are not in that kind of a relationship? I don't know the details, but I am sure you must have given her a cause to think you love her too,' he continued.

Afraid, he was going to lose his cool, Arnav decided to bring the conversation to an end, 'Sir, I promise you I will find Khushi. She herself will tell you the truth and you can have her engagement as planned' he said .

'It would better be that way. Or you have to face consequences, as my family pride and honor is very important to me,' her father said.

'You have my word sir,' Arnav had promised.

He had gone into guilt trip after that.

Had he been responsible? Should he not have kissed her? And what happened when he was drunk? He was sure he could not have gone far, as he was fully clothed next morning and Khushi had been normal with him too.

There was no sign of any wrong doing. So, what was the issue?

Unable to reach any conclusion, he had tried Khushi's number.

At first she had not picked up. He continued to try. After 10 minutes he finally got through.

'khushi i that you? Please I have to meet you. This is urgent. This is about us, he said. There was a logn pause at the other end.

What about us? she had asked.

He did not want to go into details and upset her further. So, he said We have to meet to discuss this. Dont want to go through this on the phone, he said.

Again she lapsed into silence.

Khushi please tell me where you are. I have to meet you right away, he pleaded.

I am at the temple. You can meet me there, she said and continued to give him the directions.

He had driven there at record speed. When he reached there, he saw her sitting on the steps of the temple, a forlorn figure, wearing a cream and coffee colored salwar kameez.

It was obvious she had cried a lot. When he approached her, his eyes looked at him with some kind of new light. Her pale face cheered up a little.

Hello, she said.

Hi Khushi. What are you doing here? he asked her.

Running away she said quite simply.

From what? he asked her.

Nothing, she said and turned her face away.

But I know. You are running away from an unwanted engagement, he said.

Surprised, she looked at him with questioning eyes.

Shall we go somewhere more private? We cant talk here, he said.

Silently she followed him.

A few minutes later, Arnav drove into a secluded spot and parked his car. He stepped out and held the door open for her.

Khushi had not spoken all the way, choosing to look out of the window.

Arnav knew he had a tough task at hand to make her speak. Cautiously he began,

Khushi why did you run away from the engagement? Dont you like the guy? he asked.

How does it matter to you? How do you know about all this anyway? she asked.

Your father called me Khushi, Arnav broke the information to her subtly.

She was utterly shocked and speechless for several minutes.

Called you? Why? She asked.

Slowly, he went through the conversation with her father. Her face changed from shock, to embarrassment to anger and pain.

When he stopped, she turned away from him and hid her face in her hands and sobbed.

I am so ashamed of what my father told you, she hiccupped, I never ever wanted you to know, she said.

But is it true Khushi? he asked.

She remained silent.

Tell me Khushi, he prompted.

She stubbornly refused to speak. He grabbed her by her arms and pulled her close and looked into her eyes, Tell me if this is true. Did you write in your diary that you love me? Why? What is the reason? I have to know as your father has accused me of misleading you and taking advantage of you. So, tell me.

She nodded and said Yes in a low voice.

This time he was shocked and silent. So it was true. She loved him. Or rather, thought she loved him. Why?

Regaining his composure he asked, Why Khushi. I have given you nothing. I have been mean to you so many times. So why do you feel this way? he asked.

Love does not need a reason. It just happens. I dont know when or how I fell in love with you. But I did. And I am not sorry about it. It is a beautiful feeling.

But I have never wanted anything from you. I am not asking you to love me in return. I am not asking you to marry me. I am not asking you for commitment. It is my problem, she said.

You are wrong there. Now it has become my problem, quite literally. Your Dad thinks I am the reason for this. Khushi you have to tell him I did not give this impression. Or did I? Is it the kiss? Or did I do something when I was drunk? he asked.

With a surprising force, she pushed him away.

So love is something physical is it? You think it originated from the kiss or because we went to bed or something? Well you are wrong. And I cant explain what love is or how it works.

It means wanting to be with you and only you.

It means wanting to protect you from the whole world.

It means going back in time and erase all your wounds.

It means taking all your pain and giving you joy.

It means everything you wont and can never understand, she ended still angry.

Arnav was stunned. She felt so much for him? Why? What had he done to deserve it? He could not relate to it. Only his sister had shown love for him. No one else. Even she had not been this passionate. And Khushi was not his blood like his sister. So what did Khushi see in him? Puzzled he asked her again,

Why? Why do you feel this way? What if I was not Arnav Singh Raizada, rich, successful and powerful? Would you still feel this way?

No I dont think so. So, dont fool yourself Khushi.

Love doesnt exist. It is always conditional. There today, Gone tomorrow.

And let us assume, I love you too. We would get married, have a couple of kids, and then it would fade anyway.

In fact you will tell me you hate me 10 years from now.

No Khushi. It is safer to be with material things.

Safer to just go along with life.

Emotions are a mistake.

Sooner you learn it the better.

Go back and marry Rohan or anyone else who is worth it. That is your choice.

But please tell your Dad, I am not involved. Tell him I dont love you. Never have and never will. Tell him it was your fancy and put an end to this chapter.

Move on with your life Khushi. And be happy, he concluded.

Tears spilled down her cheeks at his open rejection of her emotions.

But he looked away. If he saw her crying it hurt him. Strangely

When they went back to the Gupta house, Khushis Mother rushed forward and hugged her.

where were you. We were so worried, she cried, If you dont want to marry Rohan you should have told me-----

But Sashi Gupta cut her short, I am sure she doesnt want to marry Rohan. God knows what happened between her and this Arnav Singh Raizada in Simla. I am beginning to think, that by marrying her off to Rohan, I will be cheating my friend and his son.

Khushi, who had been silent till then, spoke up, Nothing happened Papa. I will marry Rohan. I love Arnav but he doesnt love me.

So, its ok. I will marry Rohan or any man you choose, she said.

Her father looked at her and then to Arnav, Dont ever come near my daughter again. And Khushi, he said and turned to her If what you have told me proves a lie, or you go back on it, I will disown you, he threatened.

Solemnly Khushi nodded and said No Papa. I will marry Rohan and be a good wife to him.

Arnav had walked away from the scene, his heart feeling strangely heavy. His eyes burning with something close to tears.

He heard two days later she was engaged.

He did try to keep tabs about her.

He once shamelessly eavesdropped on a conversations between Lavanya and her and had learned she was not meeting Rohan and there had been some disputes about it.

But he did not know the details.

He had picked up the phone many times to call her to ask if she was fine. If not for anything else, he owed it to her for loving him unconditionally. But, he remembered his promise to her Dad ans stopped.

Everyday her vacant chair would remind him of her and finally he had put some other employee in the room.

Whenever her name was mentioned by Lavanaya and NK, unconsciously he stopped to know how she was.

That day before the engagement was the last he had seen of her till a week before her wedding, when all hell broke loose again---

Why? Why had she gone back on everything?

He looked down at the beautiful girl sleeping in his arms---his legally wedded wif, just a month after he thought he would never ever see her.

So what had made this angel fall from heaven and choose a life of hell?