Chapter 11

It had been two days since Khushi had been to RM and she had had the “confrontation” with Arnav, if she could call it that. They had mutually decided that today they would tell his family their decision. She was sitting on her bed bracing herself for the reaction of his family because she had know them long to get to know what they were like. “You ready?” Karan asked leaning against her bedroom door. She took a deep breath and looked at him. “If I said yes I have to be. Don’t I?” she asked looking away from him. Karan sat down beside her on the bed. “There’s something that’s been bugging me since that day Khushi,” Karan said deep in thought. “What is it?” Khushi asked concerned turning towards him. “After everything you told me, after everything you said he did or tried to do to you... why did you say yes?” he asked looking for some emotion, some reaction in her face, anything but there was nothing. Khushi stood up and walked to the window across her bed. “He needs to know what it feels like. He needs to know how easy it is to destroy someone. He needs to know what I went through because of him. I’m not the same Khushi he knew a year ago Karan. Whether he knows that or not is his problem. All that matters to me is that Arnav Singh Raizada has hell to pay... and the time has come,” Khushi was emotionless when she spoke almost as if she was hell bent on destroying him. It didn’t go unnoticed by Karan and he was scared. Not for himself but rather for Arnav. The path Khushi was travelling was one of no return and from where he was standing it looked like she was going to take Arnav with her. He knew there was no point in trying to make Khushi understand. She was hurt, maybe even damaged and with her determination she was unstoppable. No one could reason with her. She had always been like that, even before she moved to Delhi but then her heart used to make her see reason. Now it was as if she didn’t have a heart. Karan could blame her. He knew how much she loved Arnav and he knew how much what he had done had hurt her. “I’ll wait for you in the car. Come down when you’re ready,” Karan said and made his way downstairs. Khushi grabbed her bag of the desk and shut the door on her way out. She got into the passenger seat, “Let’s go” she said.

 

Arnav had asked everyone to meet him in the living room because he had something important to discuss with them. As asked the Raizada family had assembled in the living room of Shantivan at one pm. Everyone was as curious as the next person because for the past year Arnav had been very secluded and isolated. He was hardly ever around his family and only spoke to them when it was absolutely necessary. The only people that ever had anymore contact with him was Sanjana and Anjali. After Khushi had walked out of Shantivan she had noticed how her brother had built up some sort of wall and that he wasn’t letting her in. Since their parents had passed away she had been a mother to him and that’s why when Shyam had accused Khushi of seducing him he couldn’t take it lightly even if he had feelings for her. Anjali had noticed since Aakash’s wedding how close they had become and knew that her brother was falling for Khushi but after speaking to him and hearing what he did she couldn’t believe it. She knew her husband would never hurt her but she also knew the kind of girl Khushi was and knew she would never be capable of committing such a heinous crime.  Seducing her brother that she might. But her husband, never.  Anjali didn’t know what it was but she had a weird feeling about what was going to happen.

 

Arnav walked in taking notice of who was there and who wasn’t. To his surprise his Shyam was actually there. Sanjana seemed to have disappeared in the time span of ten minutes but she knew everything so it was fine. The only reason he really wanted her there was to help him convince his family if needed but he doubted the occasion would arise. “I know you all want to know why I’ve called everyone here but the circumstances are such that should I go ahead without telling anyone there might be some problems,” Arnav said matter-of-factly. “But Arnav, what is so important that you’ve called us all here like this and that too on such short notice,” Anjali asked worriedly. Just then the door to Shantivan opened and Sanjana walked in followed by Khushi and Karan. Everyone stood up in shock as Khushi made her way to the living room. Their eyes were wide with surprise, more especially Shyam who had become scared recollecting the incident that happened a few days back. “Arnav... she...” Anjali said trailing off. Arnav looked at Khushi then his family, “This is the reason it was urgent. I wanted to tell you all that Khushi is back in Delhi and we’ve been meeting for a while. I also know that especially Di and Nani will not like what I’m going to say but I’m going to say it anyway. Khushi and I have decided that we want to get married.” He looked for a response but everyone seemed to have been paralysed from shock. “I know everyone doesn’t like this idea and is concerned about what happened but we’ve sorted it out between the two of us and it’s a mutual decision,” Arnav said looking at Anjali. Anjali had a strange feeling and wasn’t sure Arnav was telling the truth. She knew Khushi could never have done what she was accused of but she also knew what Arnav had done to her that day. She looked to Khushi for answers.

 

Khushi was waiting to see the reaction of his family more especially at Nani and Anjali but when she looked at Anjali she saw it in her eyes. She wanted to hear it from Khushi. Khushi knew that what she Arnav had decided was unorthodox. People didn’t do that so she at least owed it to Anjali to tell her. “Arnav is right. I met him at the fashion show a couple of weeks ago. I’m not doing it under any pressure or anything like that. We’ve sorted out our differences and we’ve decided to move on. Whatever happened is the past and shouldn’t affect the future. We’ve decided together that we want to get married but it’s not going to be big. We’ll get married in a temple with just immediate family present. Amma and Babuji are in London and I told them not to worry to come because they aren’t going to miss anything,” Khushi said trying to convince everyone. Anjali stood up and was about to walk towards them when Shyam stopped her, “Arnav, how could you do such thing even after knowing the truth, after knowing that she tried to break your sister’s home. You know very well what she is yet you’re still marrying her!” he burst out. Anjali opened her mouth but before she could say anything Arnav had jumped to Khushi’s defence. “Whatever you said was a misunderstanding on your part jeejaji. Khushi did no such thing,” Arnav said firmly. Arnav’s response made Anjali swell with pride. She knew he regretted what he had done and he was trying to make up for it. “Very well then,” Anjali said walking towards the Arnav and Khushi, “I guess we should start preparing for the wedding then.” She noticed something was wrong and turned to Khushi, “Is everything okay?” Khushi looked at her unsure of how to say it, “Uhm... actually Di, we want the wedding to happen as soon as possible. I was hoping tomorrow. I know you’re going to ask me about the mehendi and haldi but...” Khushi trailed off. Anjali noticed something different about Khushi. She changed. She wasn’t the same happy-go-lucky girl that had big dreams about her marriage anymore. “After everything that happened I can understand. Everything will happen as per your wishes,” she said looking from Khushi to Arnav. Khushi gave her small smile and was led away from the rest of the family to discuss with Nani and Anjali how she wanted the wedding to happen making it very clear that she didn’t want anything grand.

 

Once everyone had accepted that they had reconciled their differences and the wedding was going to happen Karan pulled Sanjana aside. “Arre... What happened?” she asked concerned. “I’m scared Sanjana. What Khushi’s doing...” Karan said trailing off. “What? What is she doing?” she asked urgently. “She only said yes because she wants to show him what he did to her. She wants to hurt him, they way she was hurt,” fear was evident in his voice, “She said he has hell to pay and know is the time.” Sanjana closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “I know she hates him but she doesn’t hate him that much Karan. If she tries to hurt him, damage him or ruin him she’s only going to hurt herself more. Yeah she’ll hurt him but she’s going to feel twice as much pain as she gives him. She hates him because of what he did not who is. She loves him more than her life. That’s why she tried hating him so much when she left here. That love that she feels for him is going to kill her if she even tries to destroy him.” Karan shook his head, “You’re talking about her heart. Her heart that would stop her. You weren’t with her as much as I was in Lucknow. She doesn’t have a heart anymore Sanju,” Karan said close to tears, “she doesn’t have one. It turned into nothing but stone the day she came to Lucknow. She doesn’t have any emotion, any feeling. She doesn’t care for anything or anyone.” Sanjana looked at Karan with red eyes, “I hope for her sake what you’re saying isn’t true Karan. Arnav’s my brother and I don’t want anyone to hurt him but I know what he did Khushi and he had no reason to. I guess only time will tell but I just don’t want to see either of them hurt again because I know that they won’t be able to bear it. Not the second time round.”