Arhi FF:Somebody that I used to know NEWNOTE PG-115 10/02 - Page 63

7 months later.

It was almost the end of March. Khushi was on her way to home, after her last exam. Her board exams had finally come to an end and had gone really well too. Well, it had to be, because she had worked so hard for it. She was almost happy but then she recalled something and that half of a smile on her lips died away. His exams must have ended a couple of days back. She hadn't talked to him after that incident. She held back the tears that were threatening to come out of her eyes, as she made her way to her home.

"Arre bitiya, you are back! How was it ?"Garima asked excitedly as soon as Khushi entered.

"It went well, Amma." Khushi replied while trying to keep her voice steady and somehwat cheerful.

"Well, now we have just to wait for a few days and then we can shift to Chandigarh."Garima said and sighed in relief. How she wished to see the whole family together! The past few months went really difficult for her. Living without her husband and handling a teenage daughter had not been a cakewalk for her.

Khushi nodded in response and tried to smile.

"Amma, I am really tired. I'd like to catch some sleep."Khushi told Garima as the former made her way towards her room.

As Khushi lied down on her bed, she couldn't control it anymore and the tears that she was holding back, spilled out. She missed him. Hell, She had been missing him for all those months. Why was life so cruel. She tried to sleep, but couldn't. As soon as she closed her eyes, the incident flashed in her mind. The one, that had once again changed her life.

"You should get back to your studies." Arnav told ger reluctantly. As usual Khushi had called him as soon as she had got chance.

It had been a few days since Khushi's father left for Chandigarh. It had been hard for the Guptas initially, but thinking it as a matter of few months, they tried to cope with it. Arnav and Khushi bothe did not get much time to spend together because of the crucial academic year.

"Nah, I don't want to. A few more minutes."Khushi whined like a child. She had just come back from Lavanya's place.

"Chotey!"Khushi heard Anjali's voice from the other side of the call. She understood that Anjali had come to Arnav's room to call him for something. But, before she could disconnect the call, she heard Anjali's next words.

"Chhotey, Soumya is waiting for you downstairs." Anjali had informed.

Khushi's mind got into an alert mode, as soon as she heard that a girl was waiting for Arnav. Before she could voice out her doubts, Arnav spoke.

"I'll call you in a few minutes. Bye."Arnav told her and disconnected the call.

Khushi was flabbergasted when she realized that Arnav had disconnected the call just like that. The only thought that was reverberating in her mind was that there was a girl waiting for him. A girl that she didn't know about. A girl, for whom Arnav disconnected her call, just like that. She had half a mind to go Raizada house, immediately and give Arnav an earful. But, knowing that it would not be the sensible thing to do, she had stomped towards her room.

Around half an hour later, she received a call from Arnav again.

"Hello" Khushi spoke as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Hello sweetheart!"Arnav replied in a teasing tone.

Khushi blushed as soon as she heard the endearment, but soon realized that she was supposed to be angry.

"Oh, so now you have got the time to call me."Khushi spoke sarcastically.

"What happened?" Arnav asked in a confused tone. He really had no idea why Khushi spoke in that manner. A few minutes ago, when they were talking, she was alright. His musings were put to an end as he heard her voice next.

"Oh, now you don't know what happened! Soumya happened. Who is she, by the way? And you were so eager to see her that you didn't even deem it necessary to say a proper goodbye before disconnecting the call." Khushi said, while cursing, whoever that Soumya girl was, in her mind.

Arnav almost chuckled as soon as he realized that Khushi was being jealous. He adored the way she got all fiesty. He decided to have a little fun for himself before cooling her down.

"Yeah. So, what? WE had something important to talk about, so, I left immediately."Arnav said in a mock-straight tone, stressing on "we" intentionally.

"WE? FINE. Then, go and just talk to her. Who am I to you, anyways?Why are you wasting your time with me? "Khushi almost shouted, momentarily forgetting that they had already confessed their feelings to each other.

"Because, I love you dammit. Is that reason enough? Or you need something more?" Arnav replied in a same tone. He had started the teasing for fun, but her raised voice took him by surprise and before he knew, he had said that aloud.

Though, she had heard the words before from him, but something was different. The affection blended with his possesive and arrogant tone, stirred something in her. She tried to speak something but words failed her.

Hearing nothing from the other end made Arnav restless. He immediately realized that he should not have shouted.

"Soumya is just my batchmate and she needed help in Physics, so she came to collect my notes." Arnav explained. He was concerned about Khushi, so, rather beating around the bush, he told her directly about Soumya to put her at ease.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have shouted like that, but you need to trust me, Khushi. " Arnav added in a disappointed tone.

"I think you don't want to talk, now. Take your time. But, remember that I am here for you. Bye."Arnav said dejectedly, when he didn't hear her reply after almost a minute.

"Sorry" Khushi spoke before he could disconnect the call. She had been mum because she could not find the right words to say after his confession. She didn't even notice when the tears have started flowing out of her eyes. The disappointment in his tone, because she didn't trust him, made her feel even more guilty. But, when she felt that he was disconnecting the call, she knew that she had to speak and first of all, apologize.

Arnav heard as soon as he completed his monologue. It was merely a whisper. He knew his girl pretty well and that is why, he was sure that she must have started crying by now. She was really a child, at times. A smile made its way on his lips as he imagined her cute face and a nose that must have turned red sue to all the crying.

"Sshhh. Its alright." Arnav consoled her "See, it is red again." added Arnav teasingly.

"What?"Khushi asked and looked around in confusion to find the red.

"Your nose! Why do you cry so much? Are all girls like that? Because, Di is same. She just needs a reason to set her tears free."Arnav chuckled lightly.

And with that, Khushi smiled reluctantly.

Garima had been silently obeserving her daughter's behavior from past few weeks. She had seen the changes again. Khushi had gone all silent and gloomy, when she had confronted her about Arnav, after the whole fiasco. Khushi would never know, but Garima had always noticed her puffy eyes, after waking up in the morning. Knowing that her daughter cried herself to sleep, her heart went out to Khushi, but she controlled herself from consoling her, letting her daughter to get over it herself. Slowly, she observed that Khushi was changing, she was almost getting back to her usual self, or as she pretended. Garima knew that it would take time, but her daughter would get over it, eventually. But, recently she had observed that Khushi was behaving like she did a year ago. A little sneaky and mostly, lost in thoughts. She had understood the reason as she had caught her talking on phone, whenever she came back home and she noticed that she would immediately disconnect the call, as soon as she saw her. On being asked about who she was talking to, she would always answer - Lavanya. And the worst part was that Garima couldn't find any solution to that problem. She didn't want to involve Shashi, yet. She came to a decision of keeping mum, because they were leaving the town, anyways. She just kept in mind to not to leave Khushi alone and made sure that she was always busy in studies or some other work. She was sure that once they shifted to Chandigarh, Khushi would forget him eventually. But, that silence was taking its toll on her health. A few days later, she was even diagnosed with hypertension and high BP.

"What is bothering you, Amma? The doctor says that you're tensed about something and that is the reason of your high BP."Khushi asked Garima, after coming from a visit to the doctor. The doctor had told Shashi on phone about Garima's condition, which Khushi had overheard.

"I am worried about you. I know that what are you doing, Khushi. I am your mother. "Garima replied accusingly. Garima had finally decided to let it all out. Although, she didn't have it in her to have another round of confrontations and accusations.

Khushi understood in a moment that her mother knew about Arnav and her. She didn't have any idea about how to respond to that statement. She just couldn't bear that fact that her mother was not well, only because of her.

"I am sorry, Amma. But, from this moment, I assure you that I wouldn't do anything that you don't want me to do." Khushi said with a determination in her voice. She didn't say anything more, because she wanted to do something rather saying.

Garima looked into Khushi's eyes for a moment and decided to believe her daughter once more.

That evening, Khushi called up Arnav as soon as she got time and informed him that she couldn't continue talking to him anymore. Arnav was flabbergasted by that information. Khushi had tried to explain the condition, which he understood, but, was not ready to accept the solution she had offered. He tried to convince her that together they could find another solution, but she didn't budge. Arnav had disconnected the call in anger, eventually.

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Khushi shifted in her bed, as she recalled all the happenings of the past few months. They hadn't talked to each other. Her mother had also told her to avoid going to Raizada house as much as possible. She had missed him terribly, in past months, but she that was the least she could do for her mother. Things got awkward she had come face to face with Arnav, during that time. Every time, she looked at him, she had found him staring at her, accusingly. But, most of the time they had company, so, they just avoided talking to each other. Shyam was also back from the boarding school for board exams, but hadn't created a problem, probably due to exams or he had realised that they were not together anymore. Whatever the case was, Khushi didn't care. All she could think was that she was to leave Delhi and him, in a few days. But, she couldn't bring herself to break the promise that she had made with her mother, again. On realising that she would not able to talk to him again, tears spilled out of her eyes, yet again.

Arnav threw a pair of jeans on his half packed suit-case, in frustration. He was leaving for Mumbai in a few hours. The past months had been hell for him. He had missed talking to her, touching her, looking at her and KISS her. For a moment, he thought of calling Khushi, but rejected the idea as soon as he recalled her last phone call. There was a classic war going on between his mind and heart. And, in the end, his mind won and he didn't call her.

Khushi had visited to Raizada house for lunch, next day. Anjali had specially requested Garima that she wanted to spend time with Khushi before they left Delhi. Khushi's eyes searched for him, as soon as she entered into Raizada house, but couldn't find him. During lunch, Anjali had disclosed that Arnav had gone to Mumbai for an exam.

"But, he could have easily got an exam centre here in Delhi."Khushi voiced out her doubts.

"I don't know what has been going in his mind for past few months, Khushi. I asked him the same think and he gave me an excuse that one of his friends, who had shifted to Mumbai, was leaving for the US and wanted to meet him before leaving. So, after the exam, he would be staying in Mumbai with his friend."Anjali said worriedly.

For the next couple of days, Khushi kept regretting that she couldn't talk to him for once last time. She couldn't really understand the reason behind his sudden departure.

"Is he that angry with me that he doesn't want to see me, anymore?"Khushi often thought.

While she was helping Garima in packing, she would keep recalling the time they had spent together. Her eyes were always red due to all the crying. In short, life was a complete mess and she didn't have any idea of sorting it out. It felt like a never ending gloom has enveloped her life.

There were only three days left for their departure. Khushi had again visited Raizada house to spend some time with Anjali. Garima had readily allowed her, because they were to leave soon and she knew that Arnav wasn't there. Khushi pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door. The door was answered soon and she looked upto see Arnav standing in front of her.

To say she was surprised would be an understatement. She had been preparing herself for the fact that she would not be able to see him ever.

"You are back."Khushi stuttered. The statement felt more like a question, a plea for assurance.

"Hmm..."Arnav replied. Though, he was back and the reason was Khushi, but he still hadn't gotten over the fact that she refused to talk to him, all those months ago. He wanted to talk to her, but he wasn't ready yet. So, he simply gestured her to come inside and left for his room.

Arnav spent a few minutes in his room, pacing. He was trying hard to resist the temptation of going down and see her. Suddenly, the thought that she was leaving in three days, made her even more anxious and he finally gave into the temptation and went downstairs. He saw her talking to his sister. As he made his way towards the dining area, he noticed the tears that she was trying to hold back and somehow, he felt guilty for behaving like a jerk. As he took his seat exactly opposite to her, their eyes met and he mouthed a "sorry". That had an instant effect on her, as he noticed a faint smile playing on her lips and then she mouthed "Sorry" too.

Khushi felt like an instant relief had washed through her, as she saw Arnav smirking in front of her. All was not lost. The happiness that she felt at that moment had almost overshadowed the gloom that was looming over their future.

"Di, please save my Chandigarh's phone number. Though, I'll call you as soon as I reach there, but I thought it would be better if you have my number, beforehand." Khushi said and looked at Arnav suggestively.

"Yeah, Khushi. I should save it right now. tell me."Anjali said while pressing buttons on the keypad of her cellphone and gesture Khushi to tell the number.

Arnav understood and took a note of the phone number, mentally.

The next three days passed like a whirlwind. Khushi didn't get a chance to talk to Arnav properly, as she was so busy in helping Garima with all the packing and then there were neighbours, visiting their place for some work or the other. The little time they got, they talked about Chandigarh and Arnav's future plans.

Finally, the time to leave Delhi had arrived and she couldn't fine him anywhere. She waited, tried to control her tears, but all in vain. And then she left. Without seeing him. Without talking to him.

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Hey guys,

I am extremely sorry for keeping you all waiting for too long. But, more than that I am thankful to all my readers for sticking to the story. I love you people. I am really lucky to have readers like you.

Thank you so much. 😊

Coming to the update, I hope it makes sense.

Feel free to leave comments about story, characters, or any doubts you have. I would love to answer. 😊

Lots of love 🤗

Mishthi