Arhi FF 'Sandcastle' #2 Reposted all parts - Page 18

Chapter 13

"Why can't you understand Amma?"

Arnav heard the angry words echoed the living room. He was about to leave the place to give the family some space as they clearly were involved in yet another serious discussion but decided against it. It surprised him, to know that he wanted to know what the matter was, as he realized there would be a reason, as silly as that might sound, for the girl to be upset on her loved ones. And thus he moved forward, to find Bindu and her mother seated on the dining table, with Kiran stood few feet away from them as he leaned against the wall that led to the kitchen with a cooking apron, while she stood in the middle, her hands rested on her hips.

He stood there for a second as he tried to understand what the reason was, for them to have the fight. He looked at her, her back facing him. She was in one of her half-sarees - a blue skirt and a gold dupatta that hung loosely around her, exposing the length of her waist. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, leaving her almost bare back with the blouse holding together with hardly two or three buttons and a dori. He turned his gaze away, cursing himself for even looking at her in that way. And he cursed Kiran for speaking dirt with him earlier that day about Khushi being a girl and not a kid.

"I have plans today and I can't pay a visit." Khushi continued shouting at her mother with an edge in her voice, "and there is nothing wrong with me that needed immediate attention. Why can't you just leave me alone for my own good?"

Arnav cleared his throat, making his presence just as Kiran nodded at him in acknowledgement. Before he could step in or out, he heard Kiran inviting him as he explained the situation.

"Come on in, Arnav. Don't mind this fuss... actually, Khushi is slightly ill and is rejecting to visit a doctor. Why don't you try to convince her?"

He watched Khushi as she turned around, startled. If he knew them better, he would have said that Khushi looked at Kiran as if he betrayed her. But the thought disappeared as soon as it appeared as he saw Khushi smiling at him sheepishly. "It's nothing, Suriya. Really. They are just worrying unnecessarily and trying to spoil me further. I am fine."

Arnav nodded with a smile as he stepped in. he looked at Khushi while she tried to avoid looking at him. Though it confused him, he could see her paleness. She was looking weak, and tired. "I am sure they are worrying unnecessarily," he agreed with her as he sat on one of the chairs. "But I think you need to follow their orders, Khushi. You do look weak."

"I am fine."

Khushi hissed with suppressed anger and Arnav knew that it was his cue to stop pushing her forward. He watched her as she retreated to her room and sighed. He then turned to the women and asked calmly, "what happened to her?"

"It's just,"Bindu tried to explain only to be interrupted by Kiran who, in a low yet sharp voice, said, "she's suffering from fever. That insane girl wanted to roam around the city late last night and now, as usual, doesn't want to visit a doctor."

"If you knew she was roaming late night, why haven't you stopped her?"

Arnav was surprised by the way he demanded him. He had no idea why, but Arnav felt temper rising in him to know the girl had been roaming around the city. It shocked him to know that he cared for her. He cared for Khushi to an extent that he was literally shaking, trying hard to suppress his anger and not to shout at her family for not taking care of her.Andthat shook his existence.

"I tried."Kiran said with a shrug as he seated beside Bindu with his arm across his fianc's shoulder. "The stubborn girl that she is, wanted to be in fresh air as she tried to clear her head... regarding her love affair."

He didn't bother to reply. He was not much surprised to know that the family was aware of her love affair. The room was filled with uncomfortable silence as Bindu served them with the breakfast that obviously Kiran had prepared. He tried to push all the incoherent thoughts he was having about the girl and her shifts of personalities from a pampered kid, to a matured girl, to an innocent girl stuck with her feelings for a man and to a stubborn girl who refused to seek medical help for her illness.

He glanced at the family after he was done with his breakfast. Sure enough, each of them was lost in their thoughts that they hadn't realized he was ready to leave. They hadn't even realized none of them hadn't touched their plates. Arnav shook his head, irritated that he cared for Khushi enough without any logical reason and with the fact the family knew about her little secret but were unable to help her in any way to reduce her pain. It was bullshit, he thought bitterly.

"Why can't you just find out who the guy is and help her?" He said finally, unable to stop himself. He saw the family staring at him, finally acknowledging his presence. "About Khushi," he said again, "I know I am no one to advice you, but... I don't really see what the problem is."

"Thanks for the concern and the... err... advice, Arnav." It was Kiran, yet again, to speak and the man was surely touching his nerves. "Don't you think we would have already tried our best to help her regarding the same? If the man she loves sees her as a kid, what can anyone do about it?"

Arnav looked at the man, deciding to give a piece of his mind. "What is it in her that makes anyone look like a kid, Kiran?" He asked without caring that there were women - her mother and sister - with them. He was beyond caring that he was being mean, and direct to the point. But he was tired of the mind-f**king session this Kiran seemed to have since the morning. His own irritation and helplessness that he was unable to reach his Shona was increasing by each passing second that Arnav didn't think what he was speaking. "I accept I said the same not so long ago. That's because I am committed to a girl and has no interest whatsoever to look at others. But seriously, Khushi isn't a kid and if you want the man she loves to acknowledge her as a woman, then you have to stop treating as one first. Stop pampering her the way you are doing and stop looking after her like this. Give her space to take care of herself. Give her space so that she could see and understand how this world works. If she takes life a little seriously... if she brings that matured girl within her out in the open, I am sure the guy would treat her the way she deserves." He took a deep breath and added, "on the other hand, I don't think the guy deserves Khushi. I can say how. Love is not just about physical attractions, though it does play an important role. Love can happen anywhere and anytime. If this guy is blind enough that he failed to recognize who Khushi is, then I am sure he isn't the right guy for her."

"I don't see how it is any of your concern, Arnav!"

He turned around to find Khushi, not dressed in kurti over a pair of leggings, a scarf around her neck, gazing at him. "Why didn't it occur to you that he doesn't know that I love him?" She asked in a composed form but he could hear suppressing anger in the edge of her voice. "Why didn't it occur that he might already in love with someone else and that is the reason for him not to understand my feelings?" She continued, "we can't say anything without knowing what others really feel about us."

Arnav fixed his eyes on hers, something about her said she was hiding things near him - things she didn't want the world to see. And in that moment, all he saw was a pair of hazel eyes looking back into his with helplessness and something beyond affection. He found himself drowning into her eyes. The world around him slipped slowly but surely and nothing and no one existed. It was him and her. And no one else.

Arnav looked away as soon as the thought flickered in his mind. He shut his eyes, shocked that he had felt in that way. He hated himself for not being able to control his thoughts. He raised his eyes after few seconds to see Khushi smiling at him.

The shrill ring of her mobile helped him to gather his scattered thoughts and watched Khushi speaking into it briefly with a small yes', before disconnecting the call. She then faced the family as she informed that she had to go due to some work and that she would reach home by the lunch. She informed them that she would visit the doctor on her way back.

He watched her halting at the door, as she increased the volume of a music player. She glanced at him over her shoulder just as the music filled the room, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

You look into my eyes

I go out of my mind

I can't see anything

Cos this love's got me blind

I can't help myself

I can't break the spell

I can't even try

As the lyrics made its way to his numbed mind, he watched Khushi leaving the room...

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