Chapter 1

Swati

@SwatStar_Arshi

This story is an Arshi story!! Been a big fan of "Iss Pyaar Ko KYa Naam Doon" and my first attempt to write a simple story. The starts from Sheetal Track and how Arnav and Khushi work their way in their marriage!!

Chapter 1 - Lost In Transit of Life!

It was a wonderful Sunday morning and Khushi was looking forward to Arnav's basketball match and a chance to talk to him when he is in good mood and settle things to normal between them. But then as usual Sheetal taking a dig at her and Arnav joining her this time, Khushi just had enough!! She never felt so angry and lost in her life... She could no more watch her husband playing basketball with his ex-girlfriend Sheetal and behave as if she never existed in his world!! How could he enjoy with a woman who hurled insults towards his wife in front of him? Did she even matter to him anymore??

She just gave up and did not even feel like crying this time!! Slowly she started walking away from the game and decided to visit her best friend, her Devi Maiya in Laxmi Nagar temple. She also thought of meeting her amma, bauji and buaji would lift up her spirit... Or maybe not...

She sat in the corner under the tree after aarti at the temple. She took a deep breath and paused to think about her life in last one year!! It was more dramatic than her favorite Salman Khan's movie or for that matter any Bollywood commercial movie.

She was a simple girl from Lucknow, just 20 years old yet to finish her graduation. She had hardly come once before to Delhi as a child and moving to Delhi was something her family never thought. Gupta family was happy in their small world in Lucknow until Arnav released his and Khushi's video and life became unbearable back in Lucknow for Gupta family.

Khushi had simple dreams, study well and finish graduation or may be a master's degree in food technology while earning and helping her bauji in his sweet shop... Even her jiji always wanted to see if she can achieve an extra degree in painting and arts after her graduation. Khushi even though younger sister, always behaved like the son of the family but Payal too wanted to help out her bauji.

But where are they now?? Her mind argued. Jiji's first marriage broke, well it never happened - Baraat had gone back from their door and her jiji had suffered a long depression before she met Akash jiju. So Khushi initially felt her sacrifice to marry Arnav forcefully was worth it for her jiji's happiness. But then today she doubted whether her jiji was happy; Khushi could clearly see some disconnect between her jiji and jiju along with continuous taunts and misbehavior from Mamiji. Khushi could never understand what problem Mamiji had with Payal and jiju never stepped up to stop or stood up for jiji. All knew Akash jiju always was a calm and silent person, but could he never read jiji's crest fallen face or see her tears whenever Mamiji picked on her for simple mistakes!! She was lost again this time for her jiji...

And about her own marriage, did she ever dream to marry at the age of 20 in the first place?? She did have big dreams about her prince charming and marriage but still marriage was never on her cards until she sets things for her family. She could have easily worked with bauji for 4-5 years, paid off loans for the shop, house and then saved some for her jiji's marriage.

But then here she was married twice to the same man at the age of 20!! Irony was both the sisters were married to richest men in Asia but their status never changed from Gupta sisters!! Even today they were still doing all the c****s in Raizada mansion, listening to all taunts, and tantrums from family members or the new guests and unfortunately lost the opportunity to do anything for their family. And how can they even think of taking any money or help from their husbands when they were declared gold diggers by Arnav and Mamiji in the past!!

And about her own marriage, Khushi had no clue what is right and what is wrong!! She never did any DNA test but just being curious about DNA test and asking few questions landed her in a situation where her husband blamed her for not trusting, acting childish, jealous and immature. He started ignoring her after the DNA incident and it hurts Khushi to the core.

What does he expect from her? She is just 20 years old came from a simple world with secure family background. May be they never had enough money but a very close knit family that respects and takes care of each other a lot. She had never seen his fashion world and its side effects - x and y girlfriends, too many affairs, live in relationships. All these things were alien and beyond her imagination!!

She had decided to help out Sheetal knowing she was Arnav's classmate at Harvard and had a kid to look after. Never realized it could back fire on her this bad. She could gauge Sheetal never liked her and never missed any opportunity to put her down in front of Arnav and family. But then what could Khushi do when neither Arnav and nor Raizada family found it important to stop her or fix Aarav's behavior. Raizada family women were enjoying their new company completely ignoring how rude they both were behaving towards Khushi and Payal. Di had found her lost baby in Aarav and Mamiji found her weight loss and makeup counselor in Sheetal!! 

Khushi was young, nave and Arnav acted far too mature, dominating and control freak. Even with love, they always had trust and respect issues. Khushi at this point was not even sure if Arnav really loved her!! She was amazed how it never bothered him when Sheetal treated her like ****!! He stopped being romantic, always busy yet found time to spend with Sheetal, Aarav and his Di. This was not her Arnavji or was he ever hers in the first place?? Would he ever listen a word against his Di or any other family members?? She wondered what went wrong and when?

Anyways Khushi had no clue how to fix problems in her marriage when she could not talk freely to her own husband who kept mocking her saying she was childish, jealous, insecure, clumsy or silly. She did not even know how she can fix her insecurities alone when he ignores her and spends time deliberately with Sheetal and the kid behaving like him!! Even though she trusted Arnav, her heart never trusted Sheetal ever!! She did not know how to take care of everything at home alone from cooking, all other c****s to everyone's mood swings... While Mamiji never liked both the sisters and always taunted them, Anjali Di was always in her self-pity mode and Khushi decided to be super careful while talking to her after their last fiasco of Anjali trying to abort the baby and made sure not to hurt her... Facing wrath from Arnav was last thing on her mind!! Khushi's family was simple, always together in happiness and sadness and she was struggling to understand Raizada family traits fully.

Can she even talk to Mamiji or Di?? Naniji always loved Khushi but then she was not sure how even she can share anything with old lady without burdening her heart?? She so much missed her best friend in the house Nanheji who had returned to Australia and was not planning to visit at least for a year!!

Then again she felt why she alone has to do everything and then explain or defend herself and her sister all the time?? She had seen her parent's marriage and looked at the beautiful bonding, unsaid words, understanding, companionship, respect and trust - Nothing that she could find in hers or her jiji's marriage. Somewhere her heart refused to take the blame and fix things alone, expected Arnav also to participate, feel and work towards their marriage. For god sake, they were married for just two months in reality and already the romance, sheen was lost!! Did they even build basic foundation in their relation as husband and wife and already started seeing major cracks??

Too many questions clouding her mind and no answers!! Khushi first time gave up and decided to head home since it was getting past lunch time and she felt very hungry. At the door she heard her amma Garima's excited voice telling buaji how Dr. told her with extra therapies and different medicines could help her husband move his hands and might even walk in 3-6 months!! Only concern was they needed more money for all these new treatment options.

Khushi opened the door in one go hugging her amma from behind and thanked her Devi maiya for bringing her home at the right time. Khushi was super excited with the news of her father's recovery and promised her mom that she will pay the expenses. She forgot her own worries after a long time and decided to tackle one thing at a time.

She decided her personal life could take a back seat and her bauji's recovery was the most important thing at hand. She needed to arrange money for bauji's further treatment and no way she going to tell or ask Arnav any money. 

Been a regular reader but this is my first attempt, hope you like...