Khushi darted her eyes on the small table clock on the table in the room, and got up to iron her uniform, arranging the rest of the things, and all her books according to the time table in her school bag, all her work going meticulously even when she was muddled up in thoughts, several possible outcomes polluting her mind. She had no idea what today was to bring to her, maybe a whole lot of teasing, which she was generally very intolerant too, and a bunch of snide comment was the least that she expected. Maybe compliments, but she didn't really care for them, or more precisely she was not hoping for any, since after the act she and Arnav and put up in the party, it pretty much appeared that there was something between them that no one knew, ironically, they didn't know anything themselves either.

She was angry at Vivek for not telling her before, though some part of her rational mind was countering her own thoughts, telling her he never had the time, but anyways, she was in a fit right now and anything that would usually sound right to her in a sane mind, would sound awfully wrong to her when she was cranky. Having ironed her clothes, she quickly dressed up for school, pleating her hair into a neat long braid, her bangs piled up on her head in a puff, the hair style she usually made when she was in a rebellion mood, and today was everything but rebellion mood.

Pulling her bag on one shoulder, she stepped out of the room, only to find the other four people in the house all stepping out from their simultaneously from every other direction none looking as if they had had a good night's sleep. She saw the drowsy state Aakash and Anjali were in, snapping their eyes shut again and opening them to swing the sleep of them and yet everything they did just made the whole scenario worst. Anita was dressed in a lab coat, and a simple dress underneath, looking deeply troubled, to which Khushi had little doubt as to why, the memory of the conversation she had overheard between her father and Anita replaying in her mind. But she had let everything slip when she saw him, Arnav in foul mood, the kind of mood he was in a most of the time, but this one had a ravaging look about, and she just didn't had to know why. She knew already.

Breakfast was a silent affair, with no one said much but concentrating on eating, a chat here and there between Anita and Khushi informing her that she would come to the hospital to meet her mother. Nobody seemed too eager to make conversation early in the morning, and after everyone was done with breakfast, Anjali and Khushi dumped the whole pile of dishes into the sink, letting it for the maid and the cook to sort them out for themselves. Outside a military car was waiting for the four of them, who kissed Anita good bye, as she went off towards the opposite side to the hospital while the kids headed for the other direction towards school.

Khushi could feel Arnav, who was sitting next to her sweating heavily, for the most obvious reasons, however she was pondering over factors of why he would be so troubled when he is such an expert at snapping at people. Nobody cared much for his anger either, excluding of course the girls who died for his looks, but apart from them everybody was pretty used to the cranky him, and insults or snide comments directed his way was not even all that probable. He was being uselessly worried for himself, she thought to herself, if there is any body he wants to worry about its me, I get to face the wrath alone, she grumbled in mute tone to herself, cursing whatever little curses she knew to Purab, if only she could get her hands on him, she would without a second thought strangle him to death.

Even though she felt terribly frustrated, and angry on him too for not telling her, she still kept her hand on his hand to let him know it would all be fine, and he looked at her for a moment, she giving him a small yet uneasy smile, and he as a show of appreciating the gesture let her hand stay on his hand without as much as even touching it. Anjali saw the show by her side and giggled away to herself, her eyes meeting with that of Aakash in the rear view mirror in front, their eyes communicating the words that they couldn't say just right now. Khushi did not bother to remove her hand from his and kept looking out of the window to figure out the best way to deal with this whole problem, but nothing that she had was loop proof. Some way or the other she had to face the wrath, and there was little she could do about it, what has happened, had already happened.

The car stopped and everyone stepped out of the car, Anjali and Aakash waving to their friends who had stepped out of their own cars in the parking lot, while Arnav and Khushi only stayed quite, feeling giddy under the sight of the people stuck on them. They tried to walk as much apart as possible from each other, but apparently since no one was seeing them, the whole attempt of walking at a distance looked fake.

"Guys chill, you can hold your hands, nobody minds" a boy chuckled from the open view large windows at Arnav and Khushi and both turned giving him a death stare, having him stumbling for support and turned away, towards their class silently. Khushi entered the class, Arnav behind her, everybody giving them a queasy expression, which though they were in a good mood to divide the class and punch everybody's faces, did nothing but just ignore, the gossip, chatter and giggles surrounding them. Khushi occupied her usual seat, a few boys lingering over around her their eyes glued to the seat, but she was smart enough to keep her bag on the seat, signifying it was occupied, giving a cold stare to all the boys around her who shifted away hastily from her.

Karan saw the darkened expressions of the two and knew either it was from puzzlement over what had happened to the people around them, or maybe that something had gone terribly wrong. Karan kept his hand on Arnav's shoulder who was as expressionless as ever, waiting for Karan to continue saying what he wanted to.

"Arnav I had to tell you about it. There was no time, yesterday you didn't take my call, and.." Karan said hesitantly, seeing Arnavs anger rise, which he knew was very very close to exploding now.

"I don't want to talk about anything. Be quiet." He said sharply, turning his face away and taking out one of his life savers books to read to divert his attention somewhere else, but all he could see was her countering the boys alone, because he knew if he joined it would only make everything worst. But the very first thing that crossed his mind, was Vivek. Where the hell was that nut job gone now? As much as it made him furious he knew, she needed Vivek right now, and he himself was wishing pretty hard for him to turn up soon as well.

Just like a life saver, Vivek entered the class room, and shoved the boys away from her, going to sit next to her, his own mood very glum evidently disturbed because of something. He went to sit she looking at him gratefully for a split second, but annoyance of him not telling her about the dance took over her, and she stared at him disgustingly, evidently missing out the uneasiness in his face.

"It's your entire fault! You should have told me about the dance!" she bursted out at him, in a controlled pitch, locking her eyes with him which registered nothing but confusion and suddenly they had been ignited with anger, all the frustration bottled up inside him letting out on her already irritated form.

"Well I didn't! What's the big deal? If you were so curious you should have asked, you didn't so I naturally forgot! Stop blaming everything of yours on me!" he shouted at her, leaving her staggering back by the force of his words, no tears nothing, she was just gaping at him horrified, when suddenly without giving any warning he got up from his seat, and stomped out of the house, leaving her entirely flabbergasted. She took the merry chance to look at everybody eyeing her with a stunned expression, especially Arnav who she knew was seething in anger. Regardless of their stares and the unpleasant atmosphere around here, she did not leave the class and took out a book out of her bag to read. Soon the teacher entered, teaching a new type of chemical bonding between Metals, and the reasons for their conductivity, but her mind was less on her studies more on the things that had gone wrong. A furious Vivek was something she was least expecting, her mom at the hospital, the past connection of their elders, her complicated relation with Arnav, their was so much to ponder over, her mind was getting out of space accommodating studies in between. Yet she tried her best to keep her studies and personal life, a good bridge apart, and started fully concentrating on the Chemistry lecture, writing down notes like she use to, but this time out of urgency so that at least she could review them and get the lecture back in her head some time later.

The bell for the period getting over rang, and quickly collecting her computer lab things, she got up from a seat, without a word, walking out no one to escort her, now at full liberty to wonder about Vivek's whereabouts. She walked the entire length of the corridor ignoring, the glances and stares, the soft murmur and chatter surrounding her not paying much attention to anything when suddenly something stopped her dead in tracks and she turned around, blood in her eyes, her face flushing with exceeded anger.

"Hey sweetheart, will you look into my eyes once too?" a cheeky senior from behind called out to her, picking up pace seeing her standing still, her fists clenched as if she was about to knock him down. Though the boy, was undoubtedly very handsome, and certainly drool worthy, Khushi was not in the mood to care for whatever good looks could do, she only knew he lacked the basic decency, and that is what she hated the most. She stood face to face with him, locking eyes with him, the deadly glare that she was not use to of giving, her eyes burning in fury, narrowed so dangerously, one could have their knees shaking just by the distant feel of it.

"Is that enough, or do you want more?" she asked in a steely tone, her words stuck together with such ferocity the boy would have been certainly moved, but he continued to put up his play, not backing down, while the other students looked at the two of them, as a merry source of free entertainment.

"Nah dear, you don't call that an eye lock. I want that one, the sensual one you gave that nit wit Arnav." The boy said casually, extending his hand to touch her but she backed away, gritting her teeth, to what he had said about him, to what he was asking for, she was just waiting for one last word from him to let her barriers go down.

"Don't get so angry love. I am not asking for much, am I?" he said still calm, enjoying what he was doing to her, but the more he said the more she could start her insides burn with undying anger.

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Arnav was sitting on his seat, not having the want to leave the class next to Karan, who was saying absolutely nothing at all, studying Arnav's face constantly, trying to guess on his own what had happened. Whatever twisted questions he had asked Arnav had refused to answer, and besides it was making him more ferocious than before, so he had just decided to stay silent for the next of the period until he himself wanted to say something. A tap on Arnav's shoulder caused both him and Karan to turn to face a rather amused Vivian who was seated cross legged on top of the desk, in full chatter mood.

"Wow, you hit big Arn..no, no in her terms, Raizada" he chuckled light heartedly, receiving a disgusting look from Arnav, who turned his head away ignoring Vivian's comment completely.

"She's fallen so hard for you. That dance, we were all so surprised to see the two of you dancing, and that too like that, of all the people the two of you, the people who are at each other's neck all the time" he blabbered away uselessly, making Arnav more and more annoyed, while Karan kept a hand on his shoulder pressing it, to remind him that he had to keep under control at least in school. Saying nothing, still tolerating, Arnav held hard on the cover of his book, almost on the verge of having the hard back cover getting dents due to the pressure he was applying on it through his finger nails.

"And the steps on the lyrics Subha Hone Na Dein were so well if you ask me, any guy would be very lucky to be in your place, after all she's so captivating" Vivian said in a half lost kind of voice, imaging Khushi or the dance, either or maybe both, that wasn't very clear with his tone, but one thing was very very clear, all of Arnav's tolerance had snapped, and in no time he had gotten up from his seat, holding Vivian by his collar tightly.

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Right at that moment, when Khushi was calculating her options in her head Vivek who was passing the corridor saw Khushi standing there in her full vicious demeanor ready to knock the playful nutty boy down, and quickly picking up speed he was standing next to her, pulling her hand despite the argument the two had gotten into earlier. Khushi looked at him with one good look, and pulled her hand away from his tight grip, her thoughts clouded with anger.

"Go away Vivek! Not now!" she lashed out him angrily, seething in anger, but he was still tugging at her hand not at all willing to give in to her demand.

"Chun, come on, it's no use" he tried to make her understand, feeling miserable but he knew he had blasted off on her for no reason at all, she had certainly been hurt by his outburst, and well obviously he knew right now was the time to stand by her, not away from her.

She looked at him one last time with a cold expression, but seeing the determination on his face didn't say anything more, and freed her hand away now diverting all her concentration back at the boy who was calmly enjoying himself a lot.

"You want something from me don't you honey? Here it is love" she said fiercely, before the corridor echoed with the noise of the loud, thundering slap she had just delivered on the boy's face, having her five fingers entirely imprinted on his cheek, his face going all red, everybody around her looking at her open mouthed, Vivek who was beside her as much shocked as everybody else was, the ferocity in her actions stunning him more and more.

"Next time you say anything about him, think TWICE. Next time you ask a girl for anything, think TWICE. You were lucky this time, next time your want for gifts, will cost you a rustication" she said under gritted teeth, the boy shocked out of wits, still oogling her like a crazed fool, not able to comprehend what had just happened to him, and by the time he recovered, she had already pulled Vivek away, and was heading towards her next class, every step of hers measured, her entire body rattling with fury.

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Arnav held a choking Vivian right by his collar, shaking him madly, while Karan tugged on his shoulder again to have him let go of Vivian but Arnav did not even budge a little and kept shaking the boy, knocking the breathe out of him, over and over again.

"How dare you say anything about her? How dare you?" he said in between gritted teeth, continuing to shake him more and more, until the boy was on the verge of losing conscious, and after Karan who had taken a while to gather up all his power, pushed Arnav away from him, letting poor Vivian catch his breathe while Arnav still rattled in anger madly.

"I didn't know..you..would. turn..beastly..I ..am sorry..I..didnt..mean" Vivian stammered away choking in between endlessly, going all blue changing color gradually to his normal color.

"Shut up and Get lost from here! Before I lose control and do something else to you." Arnav said dangerously, leaving Vivian with no other option but to leave, basically as it would be put as scrambling out of fear from being hit again that he left the classroom, leaving Arnav to gain his composure, Karan by his side trying his best to calm him down, and when he was done, the two left for the computer class half-heartedly, none really in the mood to study any more. They entered class, Arnav's sight first of all searching for Khushi who as he noticed was more angrier than he had ever seen her, thankfully Vivek was by her side comforting her, making him feel a bit relived. Though it did feel a bit odd that after Vivek and Khushi's heated argument earlier in the class, they were still standing together, he did not give much thought and walked past the two of them with Karan closely by his side, flashing a small smile at Khushi, who just noticed it, but did not really return it, still under the process of gaining control over her fury.

The computer class ended sooner than any of them had expected, and relief it was when it did end, when everybody left the class, Vivek and Khushi in the last both walking together, the mist of unsaid words hanging between them, but since both realized the need for each other, they had let their anger and all the uneasiness subside. Khushi studied her best friends face closely, seeing the lost look in his eyes, his eyes searching for someone in the crowd of people worriedly. As much as she wanted to ask him what happened, a certain urgency had a rised and she excused herself from him towards the washroom, going towards the other side of the hall while Vivek continued to walk in front now picking up pace towards the person he really had been looking for since morning.

Khushi went into the washroom, her thoughts all in a mess, as she splashed water all over her face staring at the hazy reflection of herself in the mirror, the very feel of her own face making her mind function properly. Wiping away the droplets of water that were on her face, she firmly held the towel in her hand and walked out of the washroom, shaking her head in irritation seeing the girls around her giggling away endlessly. She stomped out of the washroom, but the anger did not last long as she thought of Vivek's troubled face, and Arnav's more than red face, forming creases on her forehead due to all the thinking she was doing. Going towards the locker room, to keep the towel back in her locker, she walked towards it and finding her locker, kept the towel inside, but as she was about to leave she overheard, the familiar voice of Vivek talking to a girl, and right at that moment she froze listening to their conversation. Standing on the edge of the line of locker, she made a certain angle to look at the faces of the two people talking, one Vishaka and the other him.

"Vishakaa, wait I need to talk to you..you don't understand..I was really busy, Ch..Khushi needed me I was so troubled with her state that.." Vivek tried to explain helplessly, holding on to Vishaka's hand who with one good force had detached her hand from his grip looking at him irritatingly.

"That you forgot to call me? Just once? I message you an infinite number of times you did not reply to any of them. *long pause* Now please don't give me any explanations, I don't want to hear anything. Go back to your Khushi she must be yet so troubled right now" Vishaka said sarcastically, her eyes holding the annoyment that had invaded her brain heavily, as he continued to stand there trying to make her explain the circumstances.

"I did call you at night Vishaka. You did not pick it up, I did want to talk to you but I become too busy to call, I am sorry na" he said in a feeble voice, seeing her form not even softening down a bit, continuing to stand ignorant towards him, as she kept her things in her locker and continued to leave.

"Vishaka wait! You can't do this to me! I said I am sorry, I was in a tight fix right then, but now its all okay, we can have her time, we can spend time together, I am sure Khushi wont be mind." He said convincingly, seeing her anger instead of calming down going more and more angry.

"Khushi! Khushi! Khushi! That's all about her all the time isn't it? What has that bitch done to you? That girl she's a player I am telling you, she's a player, she is playing you and Arnav together, and in the end you will be left alone when she chooses Arnav over you." Vishaka burst out, moving towards Vivek and keeping her hand on his cheek which had gone extremely hot, his body temperature rising, as he moved away from her touch and looked at her with eyes of steel.

"Don't say anything about her." Vivek said in a dangerously curt tone, his voice threatening for Vishaka to stop but she just continued ranting over how Khushi was the cause of ever problem between them.

"You don't understand Vivek. You are too nave. I know these newbies really well, they try to act like the 'I don't care' types, but instead they are always after catching worthy boys and playing with them" Vishaka said in a understanding tone to him, yet he was shaking terribly with anger, his eyes going all red, the hair on his arms rising up from the equal rise of temperature and anger within him.

"Vishaka, I said that's enough. Don't say anything about Chun." He repeated himself gone, this time his tone more lower than it had been, the volcano inside him on the edge of erupting.

"Seriously? You choose to believe that two month old girl over me? Someone who you have had in your class since the last three years? Who is she?" Vishaka said in an utterly pissed off tone, Viveks face now losing all expression, his eyes turning cold as replied to her the best answer that summarized his and Khushi's relationship.

"My best friend." He said in a bold, thunderous voice shaking Vishaka who was now holding a shaken expression on her face, apparently taken aback by his show of controlled anger.

"And me what am I?"

Vivek stood iced by her question not knowing what to answer, his mind was in a muddle answering that, in front of him was the girl he really liked, and wanted to get a good hand with his relationship with her, and on the other side was his Chun, his Chun who had helped her get to Vishaka in the very first place. He was stuck in between what to reply to Vishaka's question, but right on the spot his mind had decided which side he was on.

"Nothing" he said coldly to her seeing her staggering back, the evident hurt and shock registering on her face very clearly. He saw as a few tears cascaded down her cheeks, and as much as there was an inner will inside him to wipe them off, he knew he wouldn't do that, because he had himself let that position slip away, for the greater good.

"Nothiinng? I thought there was something between us..something..that joined us..something.." she stopped between, the panic and pain in her voice over shadowing her ability to speak as she continued to lock her eyes with him which were giving no expression, just a distant look which she could not bear.

"If there was something between us, its all gone. Every single piece of it was gone right on the moment, when you doubted the purity of Khushi and my relationship. Every single thing of it is gone now Vishaka, you destroyed it, everything." He said in a gay manner and in a blur of emotion and anger consuming him, he walked straight past Vishaka leaving her alone to gather herself, but little did he knew that except for the two of them there was someone else in the room as well, who had heard every word as clear as crystal, inwardly breaking apart with the thunder she had caused in her best friends life. Khushi Kumari Gupta held herself responsible for every wrong that had happened in his life, she was a best friend to him, a best friend with a curse, it was all her fault, in the need of finding support, she had let his happiness sink into nothingness.

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Regarding The Title

My Heart Goes On- Okay, so I won't blabber uselessly over the merry delay of updates, and get directly to the point with why this chapter has been named this. The chapter saw the making and breaking of many relations, nothing went to the way it was expected, everything in the life of every character has happened with what destiny had chose to right, and yet everybody can do nothing but live with what they are given. Arnav and Khushi, who have an equation more complex than anything in their lives, and thought subconsciously there are something's getting clear, consciously both of them are still hidden from the real relationship that they share. This chapter was eventful (atleast I think so) as well as a lot of emotion going hand in hand, specially the foremost emotion of defense, defending our loved ones. This feeling does not come from the brain it comes naturally from your heart, and that is why this chapter has been named what it has been named.

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Events In The Chapter

If you ask me, this chapter had a lot happening, yeah I keep opening new dimensions in the story with every chapter, I just hope its not too much to handle for you readers, and things just don't get messed up in your head.

About the Hunger Games influence in the first half of the update, many would have guesse,d yeah I was reading hunger gamed the day before I started writing this update, hence Katniss and Peeta's love story has been mentioned in between. But please don't take it a as a filler, for allt he smart ones who can understand the depth and implicit meaning to ArHi's conversation are very close to knowing how ArHi will confess their love (that is when it happens to eachother) and at what basic dynamics their relationship will be revolving on.

Sorry for no Aakash and Anjali dialogue, I have been going through not a very good time in my own personal life, so all humour from inside me has been eradicated currently.

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Precap

"Oh erm..no..I saw her at dad's military party when I was five..I developed I don't know..maybe a crush on her..but..it doesn't matter now..I don't care anymore about her." He said blushing hard, but suddenly it all went away and he was looking at deep vexation at Khushi who was grinning at him stupidly.

"And you said what? Peeta is stupid? You like a girl since age 5 and you call him stupid? How ironic Raizada, how ironic." She giggled away joyfully, looking at the sketch of the girl in her hand carefully, her eyes twinkling in mischief with them, she was just glad she had come across this, it was the best thing ever.

"Shutup Gupta! Its different, You don't understand, he kept waiting for Katniss I am not waiting for that girl" he said in utter disagreement, annoyed over the fact that she was trying to capture him in the net that he himself had made earlier. It was just nor fair, he had use his brains over time to compete with her vivacious, smart nature.

"And what if you find her? What will you do then?" she asked softly, noticing the expression on his face changing, her eyes fixed on his face because she had to know what he would do, she just wanted to know it more than anything she had ever wanted to know and suddenly he answered, the answer taking her aback, her face going grim with disappointment.

"Nothing."

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P.S: So I finally updated eh? 😆 Yeah there is nothign funny about it, and people would have thrown chappal's at me if I would have delayed any longer, but as I said I am too consumed up in my life and merrily never find free time for myself. And btw my other FF: We Are Together, its completing a year on 7th September, so all of its readers, dont forget to stalk the thread on Thursday, you will be getting week long update for it the whole week!🥳

I hope this chapter was worth the wait I put you people throw, very thankful to everyone for the comments you gave on the last chapter, the response was over whelming.🤗

Leave back your comments behind, and dont forget to hit the like button.😉

Love,

Batool😳

nav_bat2012-09-03 10:32:44