Chapter 4

It had been three weeks since she’d seen Arnav and it was the wedding week. All the ceremonies were taking place. The roka, sangeet and mehendi had already taken place and there were two days left before the wedding and Khushi was supposed to be excited about one of the biggest days in her life yet she didn’t feel anything. She felt empty inside because she was only doing it for her family and wasn’t going to get anything out of this marriage. For Rohan it might be a dream come true but for her it was going to be a lifetime of misery knowing that she loved someone with all her heart yet married her friend for her family. How she wished she could have seen him one last time, held him, touched him and she would have lived with that memory forever.

                      

Arnav hadn’t gone back to Khushi’s house despite the many invitations from her family and fiancée. Kajal had been bouncing between Khushi’s house and the office spending most of her time at the house with all the orders. Kajal had called him up to inform him that she’d be at Khushi’s house until late so she’d need a ride home and naturally Arnav would go to fetch his best friend and as planned he would wait for her outside in the car but then again when do things ever go as planned when it comes to matters of the heart. Arnav was sitting in his car outside Khushi’s house when his phone rang. “Arnav.......” he heard Kajal say in the tone he knew that always meant she wanted something. He rolled his eyes and sighed, “Yes Ma’am. How can I be of service?” Kajal flinched at the response knowing he wasn’t too happy but then again what did she care. She was his best friend and she could make him do anything she wanted. “I need some help so you have to come inside. And make it snappy. I don’t have all evening,” she said with a smug grin on her face. Arnav hopped out of his car and sighed in defeat. There were very few people who could have their way with him and Kajal was one of them. He walked into the house to find Kajal hidden behind all the clothes she was carrying. “Need some help?” he asked with a soft laugh. “No,” Kajal growled, “I just need my sketch book and my bag. Please?” she asked sweetly. Arnav shook his head and walked towards the lounge and realising he forgot to ask her where it was turned back but she seemed to have disappeared. He looked around the lounge and couldn’t find it. He turned to go back to ask Kajal where she had left it when he bumped into Rohan. “Hi,” Rohan said cheerfully holding out his hand, “Arnav? Right?” Arnav shook his hand, “Yeah.” Rohan had noticed that Arnav had been looking for something for a while that’s when he came over. “You’re looking for something,” he said, “maybe I can help.” Arnav smiled at him, “Yes, I am. Kajal said her sketchbook and bag were here but i don’t think they are.” Rohan sighed. In the few weeks Kajal had been there he had gotten to know her quite well, “You’re right. It’s not. She left them upstairs in the room when the Haldi was on. It’s the room at the end of the passage. The last door.” Arnav reminded of the haldi noticed that Rohan was covered in yellow. Arnav gave a small laugh, “Thanks.”

 

Arnav walked up the staircase and down the passage. He had a weird feeling but brushed it off and walked into the room. He scanned the room and found Kajal’s stuff on the table by the sofa. He picked it up and turned around to head back towards the door when he thought he saw something familiar. He turned around and looked at the huge wall that should have been empty. His eyes were wide with shock and he dropped everything he was carrying. He couldn’t believe what he saw. It was almost as if it wasn’t real. He closed his eyes and opened them again but it was still there. “How?” he whispered. He felt a hand on his shoulder and spun around. There she was standing in front him. So close. He looked into her eyes asking a thousand questions to which she only gave one answer. “Because I love you,” she whispered. She took his hand in hers and led him to the bed where they sat down. He looked from her to the photo and back to her unable to make sense of anything. She cupped his face with her tiny hands making him look at her. “I know you told me to forget you when you left. You told me to move on but how could I Arnav? You know what you meant to me and how much I love you. You were everything to me. My life felt empty without you. After the first two months I couldn’t take it. I hadn’t seen you and it was killing me. That’s why I put up the photo. So I could see you even though you weren’t with me,” Khushi could fell the tears rolling down her cheeks. Arnav felt something stab at his heart. How could he have even thought of hating her. He knew he never really could and that’s why he isolated himself from everyone and everything but listening to what she said how could he stop himself from loving her knowing there was only a day left before she became someone elses. He took her hands in his and noticed she wasn’t wearing her roka or engagement ring. Khushi looked at him and he immediately understood. She didn’t have to say anything. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him hugging her tight, Khushi having no bounds to her happiness reciprocated. “I thought you’d forget me, move on with your life. For the sake of your family, for the sake of others,” Arnav said his voice hoarse. “How could I, you were and still are the only person that will stay in my heart,” she replied through her tears. They pulled away from each other very reluctantly. Arnav had one last good look at Khushi before reality hit him and he turned back into ASR – the person he had become because of Khushi – he shot up from the bed and stepped far away from her.

 

Khushi was taken by surprise at what Arnav had done. The Arnav she knew would never walk away from her. She got up and walked towards him but with every step she took closer to him he took two steps further away from her. “Arnav,” Khushi whispered, dejection clear in her voice. “I’m sorry Khushi but this is wrong. We can’t do this... You’re getting married tomorrow for crying out loud. You shouldn’t even want to see me. You shouldn’t be thinking about me anymore,” Arnav shouted. “I know I’m not supposed to but I can’t help it Arnav! What do you want me to do?” Khushi yelled, “Wake up tomorrow morning and tell everyone that I can’t marry Rohan because I’ve been in love with Arnav Singh Raizada for three years! Hearing what she said Arnav looked up at her, answering her question without saying a word. She shook her head mumbling “no” to herself. No matter how much she wanted to she couldn’t. It would break her family, especially her father and she couldn’t risk hurting him. Arnav, by now had moved closer to Khushi, “If I was at your wedding would you let me stand and watch you give yourself away to someone else? Would you make me watch him apply sindoor? Would you make me watch himm tie a mangalsutra around your neck? Would you make me watch while you took the pheres with him? Would you Khushi?” he asked. She could see the pain in his eyes when he had asked her. She wanted to say no to everything but her hands were tied. She was helpless. It was too late now. He could see it in her eyes. She wouldn’t have, she’d have never done that to him and he knew she was helpless yet still he felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. He wanted to take her and run far away where no one would ever find them but he of all people knew how important family was and just as he would do anything for the sake of his family he understood she would for hers. How many more tests did god want to put them through? How much did he think they could endure without breaking? How far would he push them? How much longer would he test their love? No longer. Not saying anything more Arnav picked up Kajal’s stuff off the floor and walked away. Not as Arnav but as ASR. The one who wouldn’t care, the one who nothing mattered to, the one who didn’t know a girl named Khushi Kumari Gupta.