Chapter 5

piyaarshi

@piyaarshi

4. The day before...

It was a sunny bright morning in Delhi yet again. Khushi was still settling in this city since 15 days. A feeling that she could not dodge was the feeling of "belonging". Did she belong to this city? Would she have relatives here? Her Mom-Dad, siblings or husband? Or would she feel the same way in another city?

Hope is something that always keeps you going. It was the same for Khushi. Past 5 years, she has spent her days with hope. A hope that one day someone would come and tell her that she was family. Secretly she hoped it was her husband. But if it's meant to be then it'll be right? And it didn't!

With each passing day she lost a little bit of her hope. Hope to meet her family... maybe she had done something wrong? And that's why no one was looking for her? She didn't even want to be a percentage of pessimist. Hence, she left it all on Devi Maiyya now.

So it was her 15th day in Delhi and it was the marriage ceremony of her neighbor Sukanya.

Khushi still had the trait of fascinating people. Even she didn't realize, when she started involving in the random neighbor's celebrations.
Welcoming the guests, keeping the kids busy, handling the food and what not. It was during these shenanigans, Khushi's beloved friend Sukanya realized that her ex boyfriend kept texting her. All these while her phone was with either her Mom or her cousins, mostly in DND mode. When she finally got the chance to grab her cellphone, she saw a chain of messages she had received in past two days. The last text scared her to death...

"You seem to have forgotten me already. I'm going to come to the wedding and destroy everything for you. Mark my words Sukanya!"

She only trusted one person in that crowd. Khushi!
Sukanya immediately told her about the texts and asked for help. She had of course told everything about her past to the groom but didn't want a drama on their wedding day. The family and their society drama is too much to handle.

Khushi as usual jumped in to help out her friend. First thing they did was call him up patiently and ask what was his concern. He told that he was not over Sukanya and can't bear the thought of her getting married.

Khushi understood he needed closure. She asked him what does he want now, since everything thing is far beyond control. He asked Sukanya to meet him one last time before the wedding.

But the wedding was tonight. At that moment Khushi just wanted to help her friend and so she agreed with the guy. He sent the address and Khushi asked Sukanya to let her handle him. Sukanya agreed.

Khushi decided to go and put some sense into that man. Of course the ex didn't know that and everything was going according to the plan. Until Khushi lost her way while riding the Vespa in the streets of New Delhi. She stopped in front of a building which looked quite pricy.

A man in square glasses was pacing back and forth. Khushi approached him to ask if he knew the address but he spoke first.

"Khushi?"

"Ye..yes" For a moment she thought this was the guy and had cracked her plan. But the next couple of minutes proved it to be something else.

"Where were you? Why are you so late? And what the hell are you wearing?"

"Huh? - " Khushi had just started in confusion but wasn't able to finish.
She was pulled inside the building and few other female staff approached her. It happened so quickly that she didn't realize when the silver veil was put on her head or when her flats got replaced with high heels.

When she was pushed onto the stage she only heard one line "please welcome the show stopper Miss Khushi"

Khushi had just frozen in front of the bright lights. When she realized she was being pulled to walk ahead, she told the girls it was some mistake. She knew she was mistaken for some Khushi who was supposed to be the model here. But it was already too late.

Standing at the edge of the stage, she had stared into the raging eyes of a man. The eyes which had pain and anger in them. As she dropped into his arms, she opened her eyes to see an emotion she could not decipher.
And that's how Khushi met Arnav Singh Raizada, well the rest is history.

Present day

Arnav was sitting beside her and pressing cold cloth strips on her forehead. In that moment, he didn't realize that he was showing emotions which he wasn't supposed to. After the doctor had left he did not leave Khushi's side for a moment. As the family had slowly dispersed by the evening, Anjali stayed in case her bhabhi needed her.

Anjali knew something was not right with Khushi ji. She had secretly shared her concerns to Doctor Sharma. When the doctor analysed the situation, she informed Anjali that it could be a case of amnesia. But she suggested to bring Khushi to the clinic so they can check her medical history.
Since then Anjali sat there in her Chote's room staring at both the figures in front of her. One was her ill bhabhi and other was her confused brother.

After some time, Anjali also left the room. She knew Khushi was in safe hands of her brother and he would take care of her needs. Seeing Arnav in the calm and composed posture, she dimmed the light and left - hoping for a peaceful night especially for her Chote.

Rightly said he was calm up until Khushi moved a little in her sleep. She adjusted her head against his palm. With that realization dawned upon him. All that what was forgotten came in with a gush. All these years of hatred and pain. And the time when Khushi had betrayed him...

He removed his hand roughly and got up to leave the room. But he stopped at the edge of the bed staring at her feet. Sitting on the edge he rubbed his thumb over her ankle.

Accident, dislocated knee, recovery, physiotherapist - rang in his head once again.

Out of curiosity he moved his hand to lift her lehnga, just so he could take a look at her injury. He was startled by her voice.

"Ye kya kar rahe hai aap" she got up immeditaly and pushed him.
(What are you trying to do)

(That's all folks...
Sukanya and her ex boyfriend had their own past, I won't get into that. They are just supporting characters for this chapter. I would love to hear all your versions of Sukanya story in the comments.
Let me know your views!)
-shikhapiya ^_^