Chapter 6
His hands lay fisted tightly in his knees as he forced himself from looking in the cabin next to his. She was covered, yes. But who the f**k had asked her to dress completely in red? As if the events of the previous night had not strengthened his need for her? He didn't need anything more, thank you very much.
But there she sat, covered in his colour, from time to time biting those luscious lips he had kissed the night before. As if he had asked for that. He closed his eyes when a bolt of desire darted through him again. He absolutely needed to get away... before he did something he would again regret...
Considering that last night's kiss was still heavily guilty on his conscience...
***
He had not said anything to her that day. Not even once he had summoned her in his cabin to pile the day's workload on her. It had felt odd because she had practically had nothing to do the whole time she had been in the office. It looked like he had forgotten about her or that he was ignoring her, since he had left early.
If it was the second one, then why? What had she done so wrong to spur such a reaction from him? Not that she craved for his attention, but he always seemed to be on her back the other days, giving her heaps of work that could shame the Himalayas. What had happened now?
***
She had made up her mind. She really did need air. She would go out again, but this time, she would not let her past, or better the reason of her existence, come in to bar her way. She had to make a place of her own in this world. Khushi tugged on a simple white anarkali and pulled on a pair of gold ballerina flats and left her apartment.
Khushi's outfit: http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o573/ShikhaKhushi/476328329057_zps359c8874.jpg
This time, she would do it.
***
She was going out. Again.
A frown marred his face as he watched her get into a taxi. His eyes had fallen on her even before he had turned off the ignition and now, there was obviously no need to. He reversed from his parking spot and sped to catch up with the yellow and black car.
Damn her!
Why this over-protectiveness? It was freaky!
If only he could find a viable way of sending her back to Shashi, he would. Arnav sighed and concentrated on the road.
***
She wandered in Bandra aimlessly. The loneliness was still there and she doubted that it could ever go. It would always be there like a scar in the middle of her face, like a void in her chest. But she didn't feel as numb and confused as she had the last time. She paused by several shops to peer inside. She looked at the sweetshops, not with longing, but because they reminded her of the sweetshop Buaji had in Lucknow and her eyes moistened.
She had spent so much of the time cooking in that kitchen, helping in the shop, alongside that woman who had raised her, thinking they were really related. They were not. At least not by blood. It did not sadden Khushi because she privileged blood bonds, but because she regretted not sharing any gene with that kind woman.
Instead, she had a treacherous woman for mother. Her blood was dirty, impure, stained with infidelity, deception and selfishness. She hoped she would never have any child. It would be a disgrace to pass down such genes. In fact, the day Madhumati had told her about her birth, Khushi had sworn she would never marry.
She blinked away the dampness and walked ahead, leaving Bandra. She went towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. It was already dark by then but she did not stop. It was the first time she was seeing the sea from this near. The hot salty wind assaulted her face as she stopped in the middle and peered down at the waters under her feet.
It was beautiful, yet so scary. It was thrilling. What would happen if the bridge decided to break into two, right then, right there, beneath her feet? What would it feel like to have the ground part from under you? She smiled dizzily. This feeling, she could assure it, was not a stranger one...
What would it feel like to rush through all these metres of air before finally breaking the water's surface and finding yourself closed in that stifling medium? What would it feel like to have every breath snatched away? What would it feel like to die?
She felt a shiver course down her spine as these questions revolved in her head, and suddenly, she wanted to feel the thrill of it. Not so many years ago, she had watched that film, Anjaana Anjaani. The actor or the actress, she could not clearly remember who exactly, but one of them had stood on the railing on the edge of the bridge to jump off. It was the actress, maybe, Priyanka Chopra. What had she felt?
Impulsively, her hands tightened on the railing and she took a deep breath. Before a second thought could halt her she fluidly hauled herself up on it and stood holding on to one of the masts. Her heart was beating like she had just run a marathon and she felt her world spin around her. Khushi had always been scared of heights.
Except as she gazed down at the black waters below, she felt like she had at least vanquished one of her terrors. Her hand slid off the mast as she tried to balance herself but she would never know if she could stand there straight because one hard tug at her ankle sent her falling on her back. She clamped her eyes and mouth shut, waiting for the impact that never came.
A furious, mahogany gaze greeted her sight when she allowed her eyelids to lift. It was hypnotic, beautiful. Not for long, though. The arms which had caught her threw her back on her feet brutally, making her dizzier. She held on to the railing for support, only to feel an iron grasp on her shoulder whip her around.
"What the hell were you doing?" came the deafening yell.
Her head snapped up to his face. Arnav Singh Raizada. Again. She wondered how he easily guessed where he could find her. This was the second time.
"Main tumse kuchh poochh raha houn, answer me, dammit!" (I asked you something,...)
"Hum sirf-" (I just-)
"Tum sirf kya? Sirf yeh dekhne ki koshish kar rahi thi ke iss unchaayi se chhalaang maarne ke baad tumhaara kya hota hai?" (Just what? Just seeing what would happen if you jumped from here?)
"Nahin, hum-" (No, I-)
"This is the second time, Khushi!" Arnav bellowed, making her cringe. "This is the second time you're trying to kill yourself. What's your problem?"
Her eyes widened. "Hum atma-hathiya karne ki koshish nahin kar rahe the!" (I wasn't trying to commit suicide!)
"Oh really?" he sneered humourlessly. "So, you were standing up there for fun? And that day, when you stepped in front of that car? Was that for fun too?"
Something snapped in Khushi as she stared into those dark eyes and she shrugged his hands from her shoulders. "Jo bhi ho, hum hi marjaate! Aapko kya farak padta?" (Whatever I do, I would have died! Why do you care?)
"Mujhe farak padta hai, dammit! Kyunki tumhaari zimmedaari mujhpar hai! Aur agar tumhein kuchh hua, to javaab mujhe dena padega Shashi Gupta ko!" He stepped nearer to her and gripped her upper arms so tight it would certainly leave an ugly bruise. "Lekin ab nahin." (Of course I do care, dammit! You are my responsibility! And if something happens to you, I am answerable to Shashi Gupta! But not from now on.)
She tried to struggle out of his clench but it was of no use.
"For now, I'm taking you back to the apartment. I want you to leave tomorrow, Khushi Kumaari Gupta. A car will be waiting for you but when I return from the office, you must not be seen. I don't want a suicidal person on my hands, you understand? And yes, tell your father to get you treated."
***
Arnav sat in his room, still plunged in the dark, with his elbows on his knees. The images from the bridge kept haunting him. What if he had been too late? What if she had fallen?
He covered his face with his large hands in a useless attempt to block everything out. He had wanted her to go. There, he had given her the best reason to. That way, Shashi would never be able to blame him. It was his 'daughter' who suffered from mental problems.
He wished to know what had happened to her to make her like this but he shouldn't care, should he? After all, who was she to him?
Comments (17)
hope to find out kushis truth soon.continue soon.
11 years ago
I don't know how I missed the three new stories of yours...I am so angry at myself I was really sad when "Tied to You" ended, and then "Your Love broke me" followed (It is the first story of yours that I started following...)And I was sulking that you will not start any new ones sooner...But here there are many more new ones..👏I finished reading all the five chapters in one go (and should go and read the other two as soon as possible 😊 ), and as always, extremely curious about the way you have built the story. I really like how your stories created this out-of-the-normal, but yet so-normal environment around me, whenever I read them (not sure whether I expressed it properly, or whether I sound like half crazy..but I know I am not good with my words, so that's ok..😉 ) Will be waiting eagerly to see what happens next...
11 years ago
How can he ask her to leave? Given she appeared suicidal to him but still. He cannot leave without her too. If he thinks he will forget her once she leaves he is badly mistaken. I'm thinking when he will get to know her real story.
11 years ago
Heartbreaking! Hope Arnav helps Khushi to heal...
11 years ago
Arnav is trying to send her back, I think Sashi will definitely find an excuse to keep her with Arnav.
11 years ago
Wonderful twist, I wonder if Khushi will really leave the company and if Arnav will let her go even though he told her to leave.
11 years ago
wow intense updatei really feel for Khushishe must have gone through some heavy stuff to be like thishope Arnav doesn't let her go this easily😊
11 years ago
My heart went out for Khushi.she has faced worst of experiences in a tender age.Arnav must have been shock with the sight of her on bridge.i really hope he wont let her go that easily.
11 years ago
loved the updatei am feeling very bad abt khushihope all this mess in her life gets cleared soon
11 years ago
i liked the update very much...it was nice...i feel pity for khushi...she is getting screwed from all the sides...poo poor heri hope she finds happiness soon 😊
11 years ago