188

Chapter 149

rulama

@rulama

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

(Thanx a million, Naughtymallu!)

FINDING KHUSHI

Part 41

After dinner, Arnav vanished from the scene. Khushi looked low & high for a glimpse of him.

Had Arnavji left out of fear of dancing in front of such a large and noisy crowd?, she wondered. Would she be left all alone on the stage? She peered anxiously for a glimpse of the fine lines of his dear form, but was disappointed.

Anyway, she had to perform. After the performances of Amma, Buaji, Naniji, Mamiji, Mamaji, & Nanheji, she couldn't disappoint them. Even Ganeshji & Anamikaji had danced. She quickly walked into her house, rushing into her bedroom to change for the dance.

Dressed in a plain green sari, her hair left untied, she walked up to Nanheji.

"Nanheji, did you see your Nannav anywhere?" she asked him, her eyes examining & discarding the men milling around her as they made their way to occupy their seats.

"Nannav? No, Khushiji. I didn't see him? Kya hua? Is he gumsum?" NK asked, a sly smile on his face.

Khushi stared at him, perplexed. Then she smiled.

"Gumshuda, Nanheji. Not gumsum!" She made her way towards the stage. NK followed her.

"Is Nannav going to dance with you?" NK asked.

"Haan..." Khushi said uncertainly.

She walked on to the stage, and stood in the centre. The curtain was lowered, but she could feel the expectant crowd waiting on the other side. She would have to manage all alone.

She had selected Baahon Mein Chale Aao to dance to. Arnavji would have to do nothing, just let her dance around him and cajole him. That way, he could participate in the event and still not dance. But where was he?

The crowd started whistling, eagerly waiting for the next show. As Khushi watched, small kids from the neighbourhood began to lift the curtain and peek under it to see why there was a delay in the starting of the next item.

Khushi swallowed nervously. Arnavji... Arnavji... her heart chanted. Where are you?

"Khushi Di... Khushi Di..." the children sang.

She motioned Gaurav to lift the curtain, & NK to play the song. There was no other way. She couldn't make the audience wait any longer. But how could she dance to Bahon Main Chale Aao when there was no one to come into her bahein?

As she pondered on this, the curtain lifted. The strains of the song wafted to her ears. She turned her head to frown at Nanheji. This was not Bahoon. It sounded like... like... The words vanished from her mind like water droplets from the desert air.

Arnavji was walking towards her from the wings, smiling at her astonishment.

He came to stand close to her, looking into her eyes. "I don't know how to dance." he murmured.

"I know." she murmured.

"But how can I not dance at our sangeet?" he asked.

Khushi smiled tearfully.

(Teri Meri scenes in slow motion, set to Tum Hi Ho, just for my lovely readers. Relevant VM has been uploaded in the blog)

He caught her arm and pulled gently. She twirled into his hold, her unbound hair flying around her.

Hum tere bin ab reh nahi sakte
Tere bina kya wajood mera ... he asked.

Tujhse juda agar ho jaayenge
Toh khud se hi ho jaayenge judaa...

Khushi passed her left hand over his shoulder for a firmer hold, caressing the strong muscles. He lowered her, holding her in the safe cradle of his arms, and bent over her, not losing eye contact.

Kyunki tum hi ho
Ab tum hi ho
Zindagi ab tum hi ho...

The audience watched them, spellbound, but they were too preoccupied with each other to see them.

Chain bhi, mera dard bhi
Meri aashiqui ab tum hi ho... Arnav stood behind her and lowered his face to rest his cheek against hers. She shut her eyes, revelling in the sensation of his prickly stubble against her baby-soft skin. His fingers trailed over the skin of her waist. Khushi jerked back, further moving into him, and she tried to catch hold of his straying fingers before she collapsed on the floor in a puddle of sensation.

He lifted her hands in the air, and gently let her left hand slide down his cheek in time to the music.

Tera mera rishta hai kaisa
Ik pal door gawara nahi...

He twirled her, and lifted her in his arms, over his shoulder.She felt as though she were swimming in a vat of honey, her limbs weighed down by a sweet weight.

Tere liye har roz hai jeete
Tujh ko diya mera waqt sabhi...

Her lush, silky hair fell over the expanse of his shoulder, and he rested his face against hers as she slid down to the floor.

Koi lamha mera na ho tere bina
Har saans pe naam tera...

He lifted her arms in the air, and brought them down. Khushi leaned further back against him, needing his support to stand.

She looked at the crowd. All were still, caught in the rapture of the magic they were witnessing.

Kyunki tum hi ho
Ab tum hi ho...

Khushi tried to take a few steps away from Arnavji.

Zindagi ab tum hi ho...

She turned around to look at him. He was waiting for her, unwilling to let her move away from him even for a second. Her feel moved towards him without her volition.

Chain bhi, mera dard bhi
Meri aashiqui ab tum hi ho...

He caught hold of her arms, and pulled her close to him, their faces close. She could see the golden flecks in his chocolate eyes, eyes that seemed to want to devour her, make her his... They stood still, lost in each other's gaze, till Khushi realised that they were on a stage in front of hundreds of guests.

Tumhi ho... Tumhi ho...

She moved ahead of him.

Arnav followed, unable to be apart from her even for a second. As she lifted her arms to make a sweeping motion through the air, his arms followed.

He caught hold of her lifted hand, clasping its slender digits in his warm hold.

Tere liye hi jiya main...

He curled his fingers around her nape & swan-like neck through the weight of her hair.

Khud ko jo yun de diya hai...

Teri wafa ne mujhko sambhala...

He lowered her to the ground, bending over her as her supple body lay almost horizontal to the ground.

Saare ghamon ko dil se nikala...

Somewhere in the crowd, two families, Anamika, Ganesh, & Gaurav were looking at them with wonder and tears of happiness in their eyes, but the pair on stage was in no condition to notice them.

Tere saath mera hai naseeb juda
Tujhe paake adhoora naa raha... hmm..

Arnav lifted Khushi from the ground, bringing her face close to his, his fingers lingering on her neck as she moved a few steps away from him. Strands of her hair clung to his fingers, unwilling to lose all contact with his warmth.

Kyunki tum hi ho
Ab tum hi ho
Zindagi ab tum hi ho...

Khushi walked away in to the darkness. Arnav stood waiting, every nerve, every sinew protesting the loss of her nearness.

Chain bhi, mera dard bhi
Meri aashiqui ab tum hi ho...

She turned around to look at him.

Kyunki tum hi ho
Ab tum hi ho
Zindagi ab tum hi ho...

Arnav looked at her innocent face, the beautiful eyes, her hair flying like a cloud around her...

Chain bhi, mera dard bhi
Meri aashiqui ab tum hi ho...

A picture of how she had fallen into his arms in Sheesh Mahal flashed through his mind.

The music died down.

They stood looking at each other, lost to the world, till thunderous applause brought them back to their senses.

"I love you, Khushi." Arnav said in her ear.

"I know." she smiled at him.