Chapter 43
No, you aren't dreaming. I am actually here, posting the next chapter 
But before anything, I want to give all of you a big thank you for still being here.
It has been a long (and tough) two months. I was busy with some personal things, which is why I was completely absent from IF. I know alot of you were worried, but it was quite unexpected. If I could, I would have definitely left a note about it. Hopefully you all aren't too mad at me,
All that said, I am very sorry for the delay. As a reader of many FFs here, I hate having to wait for updates and I feel terrible for putting you guys through the same. I tried to make this chapter as long and arhilious as possible 
Silent Whispers
-CHAPTER FORTY-ONE-
Silver Lining
"Arnav!
Are you listening to me?!"
Khushi
stared furiously at the man she was hopelessly in love with. It had been a good
eleven months since they were together, since he had said those three magical
words out loud and yet it felt like eons had passed. She couldn't remember what
life had been before him. All she knew was that it wasn't nearly as fine as it
was now and that was enough for her to never want to remember it ever again.
However, at
that particular moment, on a glorious Friday afternoon when she was off from
work, Khushi couldn't feel anything but annoyance. It was almost an hour since
she arrived and Arnav hadn't even moved an inch from the couch; he was staring
dedicatedly at the television, listening for an important announcement she
didn't give a damn about.
"ARNAV!"
He
glanced at her -finally!- his eyes dazed. "Hmm?"
"Are you
going to switch off that stupid TV or should I leave?"
He brandished
her favorite crooked smile and patted the seat beside him. Slightly elated to
see him pay some attention, she sat
down. However, to her great disappointment, his eyes flickered back to the
news.
"You
know," she said, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Sometimes I wonder how we ever
worked out."
"What
makes you say that?" His eyes were still trained on the screen ahead.
Smirking to herself, Khushi
confidently pushed him into the cushions and climbed onto his lap, her back to
the TV. Although slightly taken back, Arnav habitually wrapped his arms around
her waist, acting as if she weighed fifty pounds, instead of fifty kilos.
"Because,"
she whispered, her hands stretching out to run through his hair. "You clearly
think the stupid news is more important than me."
"That
would be an unfair assumption seeing how this is the first time I have ever watched
anything other than you in your presence."
"So you
agree that you are ignoring me?"
"I never
said I stopped watching you while I was watching the news."
She
grinned. "Very clever Mr. Raizada. But tell me - are you going to keep arguing or
are you going to take advantage of the fact that I am literally two inches away
from you?"
He
smirked. "I was trying to be a gentlemen."
She
enticingly nuzzled him. "Do you really expect me to believe that?" she
murmured. "Especially after dinner yesterday?"
He paused
breathless, failing miserably at ignoring her advances. "Well-"
She didn't let him
finish. Capturing his lips with hers, she pushed all his unnecessary
explanations out of the way. She felt him respond, slowly pulling her closer as
his tongue danced against hers. She didn't even know when, but all of sudden
his warm hands were underneath her shirt, sliding up her scorching skin.
Desire pooled deep in
the pit of her stomach. It was strange how need worked; you can't miss it if
you don't know it and you can't forget it if you do. Or maybe it wasn't desire
at all; maybe this was her body telling him just how much she loved him and his
way of returning it.
Whatever it was,
Khushi wasn't complaining. With his lips skipping along her jaw and his
unusually soft hands against her bare skin, all she cared about was he and
nothing else.
"What?" she asked winded,
when he unexpectedly leaned back to gaze at her. "Please don't tell me you have to watch the news again."
"Marry
me."
Silence.
It was as
if the whole world stopped spinning for an infinitesimal second.
"W-what?"
Khushi asked, his words reverberating through her ears.
"Marry
me," Arnav repeated, slower and louder. A strange expression was covering his
face.
Khushi felt
like she was rudely awakened from an enthralling dream. "I- I don't
understand," she said, shaking her head.
He didn't
answer. As she waited for the explanation that was sure to come with such an
absurd statement , Arnav's eyes, usually molten in shades of chocolate set
firmly on the decision he had made. And that was enough for her to rise, trying
to entangle herself from the mess she had willingly marched into.
"Khushi,"
he called, when she turned away from him, intending by all means to walk away.
"I
don't want to listen to this Ar-"
"It's
not a joke-"
"Then what
is it?" she asked, murderously whipping around. "You can't
seriously expect me to believe there is deeper meaning behind such a random,
baseless and utterly stupid question!"
He was surprised.
"Stupid? Khushi - I asked you to marr-"
"Exactly! Marry you! Do you even know what that
means?!"
"You think I
am saying this just because I have nothing else to say?"
"Yes! Yes,
I do! Decisions like this are not made in the middle of-"
"Decisions
like what?"
"Decisions
like this Arnav! People don't just wake up one day and decide that life
is getting boring, so let's gets married! People don't just stop in the middle
of making out and say Hey - look at that; we are good at kissing so let's get
married!' People don't do that! And if they do, then-then they are crazy!
And. I. Am. Not. Crazy."
He stared at
her, his features slyly turning up into a knowing smile.
"Stop
looking at me like that!"
"Khushi
-"
"No!
Don't Khushi me! You know how I feel about-"
Everything
suddenly stood still; one minute Arnav was standing in front of her, and in the
next, he was digging into his pocket to pull out a small indigo coloured box.
"I do," he said, kneeling down on his left leg
as though they were amidst a flawless climax in an unrealistically perfect
movie. "I know you and I know how you feel. I know you are afraid to lose,
I know you are wary of what we have, I know you don't want this to be over. I know."
Khushi was dumbstruck, her heart thudding in
anticipation.
"But that is what I can't ignore Khushi," he
continued. "I can't ignore how good it feels being with you, I can't
ignore how happy we are and more than anything, I can't ignore the regret I
have everyday knowing how much more we could have, but don't because we are too
scared to move forward."
She looked at the floor, not having the guts to look into
his earnest eyes.
"So that's why I
am asking - not because I don't believe we will last without the instituation
of a marriage holding us together, but because I want to show you the world
that you don't think exists; because I want not having to plan how to get a few hours with you every morning; because I want
not having to wonder if there is a
smile on your face everytime I drive away from your house and-"
He gently opened the box to reveal a beautiful platinum
ring with a single solitaire diamond sitting delicately on top.
" -more than anything, because I want to know, where ever
or how ever I am, that I can always come home
to you."
Pin drop silence overtook the room. Khushi stood frozen,
feeling emptiness like no other creep through her mind. This was it; this was
the moment she dreaded about since the day she realized she was in love with
him. The moment her mother had indefinitely been caught in once, and was
obviously gulliable enough to say yes. Was Shashi's proposal as convincing as
Arnav's? Or did her mother not even need one?
As the seconds ticked away, the room steadily began to
close up around her. She looked at Arnav, waiting for him to give up, almost asking him to walk way; but he did
nothing. He kneeled quietly infront of her, without even a sigh on his face for
the strain his knees were surely in. It seemed their time together taught him,
if not her, many things and one of them, perhaps the biggest, was patience -
enough to wait for her and definitely more than she thought anyone could ever
have for her.
Finally, unable to put up with the ringing silence any
longer, Khushi asked in a soft voice, "How long have you been planning this?"
True it wasn't the most pressing matter right now, but it was so much more
easier to address than any of the other things.
A sheepish smile spread across his face. "Is this where
you become speechless by my impeccable timing and say yes with tears of joy?
She rolled her eyes and stretched out her hand. Even
though he didn't need it, he still grasped it and stood up.
"Well?" she said, when he didn't answer and instead
simply watched her with hooded eyes.
"Ask me what you really want to know," he replied,
serious.
She shrugged. "There are many things I really want to
know Arnav. But needless to say, you will find a way around all of them,
because you made up your mind... nothing I say will change that."
"No," he interjected. "Everything you say matters. If you
say you don't want people to know, then we will go somewhere where no one can
find us. If you say you don't want any pomp or flare, then we will walk down to
the garden and get it over with. If you say you don't believe in vows and
promises, then we will go to court and sign a few pieces of paper. If you say-"
"-that I am not a marriage material? Then what? You will
leave me and walk away?"
A line appeared on his forehead.
"It-it's not always sunshine and daisies with me Arnav,"
she said quietly. "I know what I am. I know how difficult I can be. I can't
even tell you how I feel right now. How do you think I will ever be good enough
to be your wif-"
"No one is
marriage material," he interrupted. His hands cupped her face, forcing her eyes
to meet his. "Because there is no such thing. Listen to me - I wanted to marry
you since the second it dawned to me that living without you is futile. I
didn't doubt even for a second, then nor now, whether you were the right one or
if we were even compatible together. In fact I bought this ring just minutes
before I knocked on your door that day, wanting to apologize for my insensible decisions."
Khushi couldn't believe that. He wanted to marry her even
before she, herself realized she was in love with him?!
"The point is - you have always been more than good
enough Khushi. You think you are damaged and unworthy and what not, but the
only thing you have proved over and over again is how much you love the people
around you. Even a blind man can see that."
She blinked, letting his soothing words wash over her.
"If you are thinking how I can be so confident," he
continued. "Then that's just how I am. I
have grown up knowing what I want. I don't do test runs or trial periods ... I
just know. And if you are asking me why, then the answer is simple - I love
you. Those three we-"
"You don't understand," she cut in, shaking her head. "This
is not about us Arnav. It's about me...
I-I -"
Words failed her. How could she possible explain what was
so genuinely wrong with her?
"What?" he asked gently. "You don't believe-"
She stared deep into the face she loved so much. "I run
away," she finally whispered, mustering the little courage she had left. "When
things get difficult... I run away."
Khushi felt Arnav's fingers slacken against her cheeks. Never
in the entire twenty five years of her life had she foreseen a situation where
she would be stripped naked of her deepest secrets.
"And I can't even imagine
putting you in a situation like that," she croaked. "Not when I know how it feels to be left behind."
She was so vulnerable, so fragile that it was nothing
less than a miracle that she hadn't
shattered into a million pieces. Perhaps the only thing holding her together
was the tiny shred of hope that Arnav hadn't still fled; that he stood before
her, his face impassive.
If truth be told, Khushi was very much prepared for this
moment to be their last. So many people had left her already that his departure
would do nothing but convince her -even more strongly- that she was unfit for
any companion, let alone an ideal one like him.
Because she was just like him; the man who fathered her.
She was ruthlessly ambitions, cunningly calculative and stone-heartedly cold.
In short, she was nothing like the woman Arnav deserved.
And it was only fair, he knew that.
After what felt like an eternity, she felt his fingers
gently entwine in hers. "Then I will come find you," he said simply. "Everytime
you decide to run, I will come find you."
She was struck by his words, feeling as if a blistering
ball of fire dropped into the pit of her stomach, awakening her frozen mind
with a jolt.
"And remind you," he continued, taking courage from her
softening expression. "Of this very conversation and all the things you feared."
"A-and what if I don't come back?" she whispered.
"Then I will come with you."
She did not understand. Did he really not care that he
was walking into a relationship that she, herself, did not believe will work?!
"The point is," he said, catching on to her blank face.
"I am not leaving you. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever. And this ring is just
to make sure that you don't leave me.
It doesn't matter if you don't believe this piece metal is strong enough to do
that, because that's not what I am placing my belief on."
A line appeared on her forehead.
"What I believe in is you
Khushi; you had so many chances to run... but you didn't. You stayed, even when
no one thought you would, and that's all that really matters to me."
She was tongue tied.
Maybe this was it. Maybe this was how they were always
supposed to end up since the day they met and she had done nothing but delay it
by denying what she was seeing in his eyes.
He loved her. Truly and completely.
More than she imagined anyone could; more that she
assumed he could; but most importantly, more than she could ever give back. But
she was okay with that, because if he still believed she was the better person in this relationship despite
everything she told him, there was no doubt that she would never even have to think about leaving him.
He seemed to have sensed her new found resolve, for he
pulled her close, his arms encircling her petite waist, the mischievous smile
she loved so much back on his face. "But you know what, I don't think it will come to any of
that."
She wordlessly
asked for an explanation.
"Because
you like that hopeless job of yours too much to even think about running
anywhere."
She
snorted. Only he could ever say something like that after such a strenuous
conversation. "No," she interjected, her lips quivering.
He
looked at her, curious.
"Because
you love me."
A
small smile lit up his face; she had uttered the exact same thing to him once,
when they -mutually that is- acknowledged
their relationship. "And?" he asked, mirroring their conversation from then.
"And I
love you too."
For a
second, nothing happened, as if she hadn't
said what he had been waiting to hear for the past one year.
But as
her words rippled through the air, her voice seemed to sink in. Arnav's eyes,
glistening with a life of its own, widened in astonishment. He wasn't expecting
her -not even in the slightest- to
admit her feelings out loud. And for the first time in her life, Khushi didn't feel insulted with his surprise. Nothing
outweighed the sheer happiness spreading infectiously through his face.
"Arna-"
He
didn't let her talk. "I could give you the world right now!" he gasped, before lifting
her of her feet and kissing her like never before. She giggled in exhilaration,
feeling like a little girl in his arms.
"Seriously,"
he continued when she was back on solid ground. "You can't even begin to understand what you have given me by saying
yes!"
Regaining
her balance, Khushi stepped back. "Did I say yes?"
His grin lingered without fail. "Do you honestly think you
have a choice now?"
She shrugged.
"Okay, if not for me, you can at least say yes for the
sake of this poor ring. It has been suffocating in this tiny little box for
almost a year now."
She rolled her eyes in answer and proceeded to take a
seat on the sofa.
"So," he pressed, when she coolly began to watch the news
he had forgotten about. "Can I do the honours?"
She bit back a grin threatening to break out on her face.
"That depends."
"On...?"
"On whether Bhaiyya gives you permission to marry me."
Arnav stared, perplexed. "What?"
"I know you heard what I said the first time."
Khushi had the immense pleasure of watching his infuriatingly
handsome smirk whipped clean off his face.
Oh, how sweet revenge was! Their love aside, it was high time he was put on the spot instead of her.
"But you don't believe in all these things," he argued,
quickly recovering his voice.
"I don't," she agreed. "But Bhaiyya does."
Arnav sat down beside her. "Are you actually telling me to ask your brother your hand in marriage?"
"Yes."
It seemed he needed more time digesting the news, which
truth be told, was more than suitable for Khushi, who used the time to relish
his discomfort.
"Unbelieveable," he finally muttered, slouching on the
cushions. "Why didn't Anjali think of a condition like this?"
"Why? So that you can blackmail my brother into
agreeing?"
"It's called having an advantage."
"Yeah, well... it sucks to be you. I guess Anjali doesn't
think her brother's opinion is important enough to be asked."
He narrowed his eyes in answer.
Grinning to herself, Khushi turned back to the TV, almost
hearing Arnav's brain working out a way to either convince her presently
unhappy brother or get out of the only condition she placed.
"My offer is still up in the air you know," he said
suddenly, sitting up. "We can run away to Vegas and get married - no pheres, no ceremonies, no relatives.
Just you and me."
"Oh that offer better be confirmed and not to mention, fulfilled
Mr. Raizada," she replied, nonchalant. "Convincing my brother is just to put
the ring on. Getting married -for real-
is a whole other list of conditions."
"And you have no plans whatsoever to make it any easier
on me, do you?"
"No."
Her answer seemed to have pushed his patience, for he swiftly
knocked off the TV remote from her hands and smoothly slid her into his lap.
"Too bad then. As stubborn as you are, I won't rest until I make you mine. And
no, I am not saying that as a poetic notion."
"Do you ever say anything that you don't mean?"
"No."
And that was where their conversation ended for he had other
grand plans for their lips. It was a while later, when they were snuggled on
the couch lost in thoughts of their own while the sun set gracefully outside,
that Khushi had time to really understand the change their relationship
underwent in a few short hours.
Arnav was ecstatic; that was for sure. He was acting as
if he got everything he ever wanted and more.
Lavanya would be just as ecstatic too, though of course,
she wouldn't be receiving the news until much later that evening.
Her brother too would come around. For some reason, she
had a strange feeling that both Shyam and Arnav would get along amazingly well;
they were much too alike for anything else. Sitting down and having a first
real conversation was the only thing standing in their way.
As for her, you may ask? Well, Khushi wasn't sure she
had words to describe anything her heart was feeling at that particular moment.
And for a change, she was glad she didn't.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Not what you were expecting? 
After penning down all the ordeal and trauma Khushi went through in her life, it just seemed right to include all the good things happening to her also.
After penning down all the ordeal and trauma Khushi went through in her life, it just seemed right to include all the good things happening to her also. Please do like & comment!
I am sorry again for the long wait! I don't know when I will be able to post the next chapter, but I will try hard to update within the next two weeks 
Archi
P.S. - THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL COMMENTS! I wish I could reply to each of them, but nonetheless, I enjoyed reading them thoroughly. Also, a big welcome to new readers 
I accepted all the buddy requests I got!
I accepted all the buddy requests I got! Your reaction
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Comments (69)
He will always come find her aww ❤️
1 years ago
He proposed omg wow. She said ILY back double wow
1 years ago
He proposed. She didn't actually say yes. But it can be a no.
1 years ago
Oh wow asr asked khushi to marry her n khushi being practical one shared her feelings to him n asr he said he will always find her wow loved it. U r too good with words.
1 years ago
Woow! Such an amazing chapter, Archi!❤️
2 years ago
Amazing chapter...thanks for the PM
9 years ago
Hi, I am just starting your story... Actually just read the Prologue. Intriguing! I am glad I have a long way to go. Can you pls let me know when you update. Also do you have other stories?
9 years ago
Awesome story. I read all chapters in one sitting. I really loved it. Khushi is accepting changes I mean good changes in her life. Shyam n arnav are so alike n awesome big bro. This story is progressing so well. I m really like to c wht will happen when shashi n new strong Khushi n shyam comes face to face. N fight the battle to get complete freedom from past. Anjali akash n payal all 3 r great characters. Love them too.
9 years ago
He proposed!Loved the whole proposal scene.Khushi's reaction was typical.I am sure even Arnav knew she won't agree to marriage so easily.Would love to see how Shyam reacts to this.So glad you updated.Will be waiting for the next chapter.
9 years ago
a wonderful update...looking forward to arnav and shayms chat...continue soon
9 years ago