Chapter 10

Sanjana and Karan saw an enraged Arnav heading to where the other two were standing. It was clearly visible in eyes. He didn’t like what he saw and he was going to do something about it. How much of the whole confrontation Arnav had actually seen and heard was unknown to the two spectators. All they knew was that no one was prepared for what was going to happen next. Not even Sanjana.

 

“Arnav!” Exclaimed Shyam, “I’m so glad you are here. You will never believe what SHE is doing! She’s trying it all over again despite knowing what happened the last time she was so characterless.” Arnav looked at his brother-in-law seething with anger. “Didn’t you have somewhere to go?” Arnav asked through gritted teeth. Shyam looked at him slightly scared. “Yes, I was just leaving when she...” Arnav cut him off. “Then leave!” he said making his anger known. He looked at Khushi then at Shyam who was scurrying out the front door. He turned towards her looking her in the eye. “What the hell are you doing in my house? How did you even think of coming here?” Arnav bellowed. Khushi looked at Arnav in the eye a he shouted at her. When she had first seen him she wondered how much of her conversation with Shyam he had actually heard. From what she could see now it looked he was still under the misconception that everything was her fault. Had he not punished her enough already? That too for something she hadn’t done? Ignoring everything that had happened a few minutes ago and all the thoughts that were running through her mind when she first got there she glared at him as he shouted at her. “Excuse me Mr Arnav Singh Raizada but you have no right to speak to me like that. What I’m doing here and how the thought if even coming here crossed my mind has nothing to do with you,” she folded her arms across her chest. Arnav couldn’t believe what had just happened. SHE, a low class, third grade girl had the audacity to speak to him like that. Arnav opened his mouth to speak but before a single word could come out Khushi released more of her anger. “Before you start of another rant accusing me of more things that I’ve done I suggest you get your facts straight and think about what you heard two minutes ago before you open your mouth,” she said with a straight face. Anger was boiling inside Arnav. How did she manage to become so courageous? The whole point of what he had done when he found out was so that she would be scared and neve think of doing it again. Not get more brave and try something else! "How did you get so brave all of a sudden? You ran out of this same house eight months ago because you were scared so where did the courage come from?" He asked folding his arms across his chest. Khushi laughed, "Here I was thinking you're atleast intelligent enough to be a ble to answer that question but you just proved me wrong again." Khushi rolled her eyes. "Excuse me!" Scoffed Arnav. "You see Mr Raizada, the day I stepped out of this house and this city I died. YOU killed everything that was good about me, " she said accusingly, "I had nothing left. Nothing to live for. My sister was here. My family was here and I had to leave it all behind because I was accused of being characterless and almost got raped by a business tycoon." Arnav could see the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes. It was his biggest weakness and considering the relationship they had now he couldn't afford to care. "Your little life story doesn't bother me Miss Gupta. All I really care about is what you are doing here and why you were with my brother-in-law," he said emphasizing the last few words. "As I said earlier, it has nothing to do with you." Khushi said sternly. Arnav grabbed Khushi by the shoulders tightening his grip as he spoke, "Of course it does dammit! How much of that conversation I heard?" Khushi looked at him, her eyes wide.  "How much did of that did you hear?" She whispered. "Enough! Enough to know what to do!" He shouted.

 

"Ehem..." They heard someone clearing their throat trying to attract their attention. "Sorry to break up your lovers quarrel but I think we have something bigger to deal with." Sanjana said casually sitting on the stairs with a nervous Karan standing behind her. She got up and walked towards them with Karan trailing behind. At Sanjana's approach Arnav realised he was still holding Khushi and immediately released her from his grip and backed away. "Before you say anything Arnav just listen to me. I... We heard everything that just happened. You're so loud that your voice travels through the whole house. You made it clear to Khushi that you heard part of her conversation with Shyam but how much of it did you hear and PLEASE don't beat around the bush and just come straight out and say it." She glared at Arnav as she spoke. Arnav didn't have a choice and had to succumb to his sister because he knew that if need be she can become ASR or even worse. "All of it. From the beginning," he said in a monotone. "Well you must be having mixed feelings after hearing all of that," Sanjana smirked. She turned serious and turned to speak to Arnav directly, "You heard everything and you saw both their reactions to that situation," she said looking towards Khushi, who was looking at the ground feeling very anxious and nervous unaware of what was to come, "What do you think about the decision you made eight months ago? Do you still think you were right and whatever you did was best for Di?" Sanjana looked at her brother as she asked him softly. " He looked at her and she saw a hint of guilt in his eyes. He didn't need to say anything. His eyes said it all. Sanjana immediately understood and turned towards Khushi who was looking at Arnav and didn't seem to notice anyone else in the room. Sanjana smiled at the realization that there might be a chance her brother was going to try to rectify his mistake. She took Arnav's hand in hers and looked him in the eye, "The choice is yours Arnav. You decide what happens from here onwards and you know I'm with you no matter what. As long as you make the right decision." She pulled her brother in for an embrace and whispered, "I trust you with my life and I know you won't ruin anyone else's without cause." She pulled away and stood next to Karan watching her brother deep in thought about what to do next. She noticed Khushi stealing glances at Arnav not sure what decision he was going to make but scared that it would ruin her life, or what was left of it. Sanjana took a deep breath and held it.

 

The events of what happened eight months ago ran through Arnav's mind. He thought about what he'd done and how he he had hurt Khushi. It all made sense now. What she had told him in the room and what he heard now. Could he have been wrong? Was he wrong? A million questions ran through his head. Every moment he spent with her flashed before his eyes, regret flooding them. He should have listened, he should have stopped her. There were a lot of things he should have done but he didn’t. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice. He lifted his gaze from the ground to Khushi only to be met by her own. He remembered the effect those hazel eyes had on him. It was his biggest weakness, unknown to everyone. For a few seconds he thought he saw her let it all go. Everything she had been through this past year. The pain, the hurt, the anger and the heartbreak. He knew what he wanted to do now. He turned to Sanjana and Karan, “I know what I want to do but I’m not going to force anyone into doing anything they don’t want to.” He looked at Khushi. “Let’s hear it. How do you plan on getting rid of this son of a ...” Sanjana said. Arnav stood in front of Khushi almost as if he was only speaking to her and not the others, “It’s Khushi he wants and it’s Khushi he won’t get,” he moved away from Khushi and stood in the middle of the room addressing all three of them, “I’ll marry Khushi. That way he won’t be able to do anything about it. He wouldn’t dare touch her if she was my wife, he’s not that brave.”

 

Khushi’s eyes were wide with shock. She couldn’t believe what he just said. He, Arnav Singh Raizada, was going to marry her so that Shyaam would stay away. Something she would have wanted him to do a year ago when all of this had happened he had only thought of now. She didn’t realize when Arnav made his way to her. She remembered everything he had done to her that day how he had killed her. He looked into her eyes and she could see the regret that flooded his. “I won’t do it against your will Khushi. I know how much hatred you must have bred for me within this year so I’ll only go ahead with it if you are willing. Once he confesses everything was his fault and he realises he made a mistake you’re free to go and no one will stop you,” he was sincere. She could hear it in his voice. She had nothing to live for anyway. What will she lose? She had no family, no love when she left so she couldn’t lose it now if she decided to marry him. If she married him at least Shyaam would stop chasing her as well. Right? It didn’t matter how sincere he was. She had let her guard down for a moment, but that was exactly what it was... a moment. Nothing could decrease the amount of hatred she had for him. If it became unbearable she could always leave. She’d do this for his sister because she had no part in anything that happened but for him... for him this would be punishment. He murdered her and she suffered for a year with no one’s shoulder to cry on, with no one to share her pain. She couldn’t burden her friends with it so she never told them but she had a feeling they figured it out along the way. Now it was his turn to feel how it’s like to be dead and living at the same time. “I’ll do it,” she said with a straight face.

 

Sanjana looked at Arnav then Khushi. There was something wrong and she could feel it. She knew Khushi and Khushi wouldn’t just agree like that. There had to be a catch but whatever happened now wasn’t in her hands. Whatever happened after this she has no say in. Whatever happens now is between the two of them.