AJHS - 7

Part - 7

Khushi POV

The sudden vibrations of my phone startled me. A familiar number appeared on my cracked screen. Recalling our previous conversation I quickly answered the call. 

Khushi...

Arnavji?

Are you free at the moment?

Jeeji had left the porch leaving me alone a while ago. With a sweeping glance, I observed that no one was around the house. Knowing that I could talk freely without any disturbance I answered in a polite tone.

Yes, Arnavji. What is it?

For the first time, I felt a strange nervousness talking to him over the phone. Earlier we either bickered, argued, or even fought on the phone. I bounced my knees in a display of my awkwardness.

Umm, I...were you sleeping?

No. No, I sleep around midnight.

Oh.

For a moment only silence echoed on both sides. Can he hear my shallow breathing? Am I making a fool out of myself? Why cannot I think of anything else to talk about? Think Khushi Kumari Gupta? Choose an appropriate subject...

Are you taking any meds for your amnesia?

Dropping my head on my hand I shut my eyes as embarrassment flooded inside me. You have no filter Khushi. You are hopeless. Devi Maiyya ye kya pooch lia humne. Ughhh. Did I offend him? Should I hang up now?

My musings halted as he responded to my question.

No. But I have been prescribed medicines for my shoulder injury. The accident left me with some nasty scars.

His last sentence dripped with sarcasm. Oh no. I need to make him feel better. He is not in a good mood. Come on Khushi talk about something interesting. Anything that will make him happy instantly.

Oh acha...waise Dhruv bahut fiqar karta hai aapki. Aap bhi usse bahut close hain shayad?

(Oh I see...well Dhruv cares for you. Do you seem to be close to him as well?)

That's true. Dhruv is a gem. Apni umar ki bachon se zyada samjhdaar hai. Shayad isliye main iss waqt sirf usse apne dil ka haal sunata hoon.

(He is very intelligent for being a kid. Maybe that is the reason why I have bared my heart to him).

I smiled hearing the love that poured out in the form of words out of Arnavji's mouth. If a 10-year-old kid could become a shoulder to lean onto for Arnav Raizada then why not me? In these tough times maybe I too could offer him a helping hand. This is not the time to keep grudges.

Hum bhi sunsakte hain....aapke dil ka haal. Hum bhi aapke dost bansakte hain Arnavji. 

(I could hear you too...when it comes to baring your heart...I want to be your friend Arnavji).

As I shared my idea with Arnavji the realization of what I had spoken dawned upon me. Will he reject the idea? Will he make fun of me? Am I doing the right thing? Should I stay away from this ASR business? The silence on his end was not helping much. However, my doubts evaporated when he finally chose to answer.

Dost? Mujhe to laga tum mujhse nafrat krti hogi. Kya waqai humare beech dosti hosakti hai Khushi?

(Friend? I thought you would hate me. Can we have a friendship Khushi?)

Jo bure waqt mein saath na chode wohi sacha dost hota hai. Aap sochkar jawaab dijiyega. Goodnight.

(A true friend never leaves the other in tough times. You think about this offer of mine. Good Night).

Hanging up the call I stood up and left the porch. As I passed Buaji and Jeeji in the living room my mind kept recalling the sadness that laced his words. Arnavji's amnesia has changed him so much. The man who claimed to be god had turned into a helpless soul. Devi Maiyya changed his fate. And he could do nothing at all. In the end, his power, money, and position did nothing for him.

Arnav POV

Dosti.

Dosti?

Friendship?

She wants to be friends with me. Me? Arnav Singh Raizada the man who has hurt her to the point that only anger and tears grace her features when I am around. But I could leap of faith and trust my amnesia. I could use this second chance wisely by being a good friend to Khushi Gupta.

If she is ready to forgive and forget the past. Then even I am ready to have a new beginning. And if we had our differences this means that we shared a past. No matter how bitter it was. This is an opportunity to know more about ASR. The cold indifferent and calculative businessman who is somewhere buried inside the deep layers of my mind. I mused.

Smiling to myself I switched off the night lamp. Today had been an emotionally exhausting day for me. However, it ended beautifully. The night has brought a strange serenity. A sense of calm washed over me recalling Khushi's offer of friendship. Lying on my bed under the comforter I made my decision. I would accept her offer of friendship. 

It would be refreshing to know more about the enigmatic Khushi Gupta. Doing my nightly breathing exercises I fell asleep as the sound of night crickets echoed around me. And dreams of being friends with Khushi greeted me for a change.

Anjali POV

I yawned yet again as Akaash brought another cup of coffee for me and him. It was 5 am. And we stood around the main gate of the airport impatiently waiting for Vikram to arrive. Well, only I was getting restless because Akaash was daydreaming lost in his thoughts. He was doing that a lot for the past few days. 

But the excitement to see Vikram was too much so I filed this information at the back of my mind. I will interrogate my brother later. 

His flight has arrived already. Then why is he not here yet?

Relax Di. Give him some time. I am sure he is waiting at the belt to collect his luggage.

Oh yes. Of course.

However, I did not have to wait for long. Because in 10 minutes a smiling face walked in my direction dragging a trolley in his hand. Without missing another moment I sprinted towards my hubby who by now had both of his arms wide open to embrace me. For a long moment, he kept twirling me.  I could hear the whistling of Akaash as he teased the both of us. But both of us were lost in our world. The spinning stopped and now we stood amongst the crowd in an intimate hug.

Di if you don't mind can I say hello to Jeeju?

Giggling like a fool I left his arms allowing Akaash to share his famous man hugs with Vikram. The two loved to act like thugs all the time. I wish Chotte was here too. If he was not suffering from amnesia I am sure he would have hugged Vikram as well. Vikram has always been close to both of my brothers. Arnav would have teased me tirelessly if he have not had that terrible accident.

Hey, wifey come back from Anji land. I am here...

Tapping my shoulder Vikram gave me a look of complete understanding. He knew where my mind had drifted to. And as usual, my man diverted my attention rather quickly.

I know hubby.

Grinning and joking the three of us drove away from the airport terminal. Maybe watching Vikram and me together will make Arnav realize that having a companion to share your happiness and sorrow is a great idea. 

Khushi POV

Two days passed rather quickly. Eating my lunch at noon I made a mental list of all the things that I would need for tonight's party. When Jeeji and I had informed Buaji about Anjaliji's party invitation she coaxed us to attend the event. She did not want us to lose a good friend like Anjali Raizada Shekhawat. According to Buaji, we should not judge Anjaliji by our past experiences with ASR. My thoughts halted as I heard Jeejis voice.

Khushi I will wear my orange saree for tonight's event. What about you?

Umm. I will wear my blue saree.

In a few hours, Arnavji will be aware of the bond that I share with the rest of the Raizadas. And his family will know that I am Dhruv's Hindi tutor. Meeting Anjaliji, Naniji, Mamiji, and the rest of the family will bring back the old memories. I tried to bury my past, my feelings for Arnavji. However, Devi Maiyya has other plans for me.

Quickly finishing my meal I left the dining table. The thoughts of Arnav Raizada caused my head to throb all of a sudden. Maybe a nap will help me to get over him. Bolting my bedroom door I lay on the bed. I am trying to help Mr. Raizada because he helped me and even saved me several times. My offer of friendship is a reciprocation for all those times. That's it.

Never again will I fall for a chameleon-like him. I don't want a repeat of what happened on the occasion of Diwali. Kabhi nahi. My self-respect is my priority. That door has been shut. And will remain so forever. 

Maybe I am thinking too much. Maybe he will reject my offer and I won't even have to meet him ever again. I mused and sometime later lost the battle with sleep.

Arnav POV

I know I am a total stranger for you Arnav. But believe me when I say to you that your sister loves you more than me.

I simply stared back at the man who introduced himself as Captain Vikram Shekhawat to me this morning. It was late in the afternoon and he stood leaning against the doorjamb as I sipped my black coffee sitting on the comfortable recliner.

He was a man of a few words. I accomplished that in the last few hours. My sister's husband was an army man and a good orator. After Dhruv and Khushi he too made his name in the list of friends.

I get what you are trying to say, Captain.

Giving me a smile he left the room leaving me to my thoughts. After Di's anniversary party I will call Khushi. She should know that I want to be friends with her. A smile bloomed on my face as  I recalled her words.

Hum bhi sunsakte hain....aapke dil ka haal. Hum bhi aapke dost bansakte hain Arnavji. 

How cute. Khushi sensed my sadness through the phone so easily. A few words from her were enough to cheer me up. I remember hopping around my room humming tunelessly surprising a shocked HP who passed by.

Oh my. I cannot wait for this day to end. It would be nice to hear Khushi's voice again. 

Payal POV

Hailing a taxi both Khushi and I left for the Raizada mansion. We were both clad in six yards of orange and blue. Our bangles clinked with the slightest of movements. Khushi was lost in the thoughts of meeting the Raizadas after so long. 

However, I was lost in my musings. Last night Akaash had said something to me that kept echoing in my mind till now. I could not help but feel restless about meeting Akaash again. 

Cannot you be mine Payal?

Why did he have to spoil our friendship? Things were running smoothly then why did he have to say those words to me? Why? Ughhh. We have no future. We come from different backgrounds. I work at a tailor's shop and exist on a budget. I shop from Sarojini Market. I have a hand-to-mouth income. Savings, EMI, bills, and rent. That is all I think about. I don't have time to be in a relationship.

Cannot you be mine Payal?

Kyun Akaash? Why did you have to ruin it? If I come across him at the party then I will have to make a few things crystal clear. But what is the point of making him understand when like a stubborn idiot he repeated the same mistake yet again. Why cannot he move on?

Jeeji we have arrived.

Blinking in her direction I composed myself and hastily paid the cabbie. The mansion was decorated with fairy lights that glowed from afar. Taking a deep breath I advanced towards the entrance with my sister Khushi tailing me.

Arnav POV

The party and the crowd made me uncomfortable. I just wanted this function to end as soon as possible. I was ready to accept Khushi's offer of friendship. A while ago I had tried to excuse myself from the party but the disheartening expression on Di's face made me give up the idea.

A man called Aman had been speaking with me for the past 10 minutes. According to him, I trusted him the most when it came to business decisions. He seemed like a nice guy. 

If and when you feel like relearning more about the Raizada business then we could sit together sometime.

I knew that he would suggest something similar. It's high time that I get back to my work. But something was holding me back. An emptiness. A vacuum within my heart. Despite having a great loving family I felt loneliness clouding me. Sighing I simply nodded in his direction. He took the cue and left me to my musings.

I was trying to find another excuse to leave the party when suddenly the person occupying my mind walked towards Di and Vikram Jeeju along with another woman. What the?! What is Khushi Gupta doing here? Did Dhruv invite her? I slithered towards them bewildered by the beautiful surprise that stood before me.

Khushi what are you doing here?

Chotte you know about Khushi?

An expression of happiness and hope crossed her features. She probably misunderstood the situation. I knew that the truth would crush her hopes but I never approve of the idea of lying because in the end the truth gets revealed hurting others in the process. Another voice from behind me enquired about Khushi.

Khushi Maam! wow, you are here at our party. 

Dhruv, Chotte, you both know about Khushi? And Dhruv why did you call her Maam?

I rolled my eyes as Di fired one question after another without any pause. As if the confusion was not enough Nani too joined the lot making me huff in exasperation. Thankfully my intelligent nephew took care of the situation drawing everyone's attention towards him.

Anji Bua Khushi Maam is my Hindi teacher. Chachu and I met her a few days ago.

I shook my head as my melodramatic family continued with their theatrics of shock and disbelief. In the midst of this all, I witnessed something unexpected. My brother Akaash and the lady who came along with Khushi were having an ogling contest. And it seemed that no one was ready to back down. 

I could sense grief enveloping my brother. Why is he so gloomy? Filing this information at the back of my mind I eyed Khushi Gupta who was being introduced to Vikram Jeeju. Khushi's female companion was her sister Payal Gupta. Oh. So Akaash is interested in Khushi's sister. Hmmm. 

Watching Khushi mingle with my family caused my heart to stutter. She looked like an angel clad in a blue saree. Her face glowed with happiness when she greeted my Nani. They seem to be very close. Maybe before my accident, she shared a good bond with my family.

I need to get her alone. There are a lot of questions in my mind that need to be addressed. And only Khushi can answer them. As if God heard my request music started playing in the background and Vikram Jeeju asked Di for a dance. Taking the cue from him I sauntered towards Khushi raising my hand in a silent request for a dance. My action startled her. But sharing a glance with Payal she placed her hand over mine.

Tere jaane ka gham

Aur na aane ka gham

Phir zamaane ka gham

Kya karein?

I coiled one hand around her waist and clasped the other hand with hers. Her eyes widened as I began to move with the beat of the music. The sadness and longing of the song caused a weird sensation in my heart. Like I lost something precious because of my errors. 

Raah dekhe nazar

Raat bhar jaag kar

Par teri toh khabar na mile

I arrested her eyes with my own and verbalized the words that I desparately wanted to say since the beginning of this party. She should know how I feel about her being friends with me.

Khushi I want to be friends with you.

Bahut aayi gayi yaadein

Magar iss baar tum hi aana

Iraade phir se jaane ke nahi laana

Tum hi aana!

My words left her surprised. She halted her movements for a minute. With a sweeping glance, I realized that we were the only ones who were not moving on the makeshift dance floor. I spun her around making Khushi blink twice.

Meri dehleez se hokar

bahaare jab guzarti hai

yaha kya dhoop kya saawan

hawaayein bhi barasti hai

Phir to humari jodi khoob jamegi Arnavji. Aaj se hum aapke pakke dost hain.

(In that case, our bond will be great Arnavji. From this day onwards I am your best friend).

She smiled saying the words. And the sight caused strange happiness inside me. Why do her feelings matter to me? Her tears made me sad last time. And her smile made me happy this time. We share a deep connection. I could not help but question my doubts.

Toh hum ekdusre ko bahut ache se jaante hain right? Di aur Nani ki baat se toh yahi zahir hota hai.

(So we know each other well right? I heard Di and Nani's words).

Hmmm. Aisa hi smajh lijiye Arnavji.

(You could say that Arnavji). 

Ab tum meri dost ho to mujhe sab kuch batana pdega. Hum kaise aur kaha mile? kyun itna ladte hain? Etc etc.

(Now that you are my friend I expect you to tell me whatever you know. How and where we met? Why do we argue so much? Etc).

Pehle hum bhi toh dekhein aap kitne ache dost saabit hote hain.

(Well for that to happen I first need to know how great of a friend you are).

I smirked hearing her response. If her answers are vague then it is fine by me. This will give me another excuse to spend some quality time with Khushi Gupta. Now that we are friends it is gonna be really interesting. I can know more about my past in her company.

Dekhte hain Ms. Gupta.

(You will Ms. Gupta).

Dhruv POV

Khushi Maam is the same woman who trained Lavanya Kashyap in Shantivan. The intense conversation between Anji Bua, Great Nani, and Vikram Uncle connected the dots of my research. 

I stood behind them as they kept talking about the old times. Great Nani also mentioned how she always wished for Nannav Chachu and Khushi to be a couple. But Chachu chose Ms. Kashyap and her dream became just a dream.

My eyes shifted towards the dance floor where Nannav Chachu danced with Khushi Maam with an ecstatic look on his otherwise gloomy face. Their chemistry was too obvious. He loved her. He still does. He only needs to realize the same. 

humein pucho kya hota ha

bina dil ke jiye jaana

Bahut aayi gayi yaadein

Magar iss baar tum hi aana

I trudged upstairs to my room as a tear cascaded down my eyes. I know what I feel for Khushi Maam is just a crush but still letting go of someone who you adore is not easy. With a sad smile, I dialed my Pops number. Feelings have no space when it comes to duty. My mission is to make Nannav Chachu a happy soul. No matter what I lose in the process. Nothing is more important than Chachu's happiness.

Hi Pops. I have an important update to share.

O...

Koi toh raah woh hogi

Jo mere ghar ko aati hai

Karo peecha sadaaon ka

Suno kya kehna chahti hai

Tum aaoge mujhe milne

Khabar yeh bhi tum hi laana

Bahut aayi gayi yaadein

Magar iss baar tum hi aana

.

.

.

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To be continued.