arshi -the bride [blog story] ch16 1 Jan 18 - Page 26

CHAPTER -6

TEMPEST

arnav was feeling angry now. he had promised himself that he wont get angry on khushi anymore but the girl just cant stop making him go back on his promise. he stopped and looked back khushi was walking so slow that even a turtle would have outpaced her hours back. after his talk with aman he has decided to go with everything as earlier , no panic decisions or actions. he told aman to make sure shyam does not meet my grandfather at any cost. while i decided to got khushi admitted in the primary school here and decide what step should i take to tackle shyam bhai's upcoming attacks.

arnav stood straight not moving a step , his hands on his hips as he wait for khushi to reach him. khushi has been unusually silent and sad from the morning.she is not her usual childish chirping self , jumping here and there and commenting on everything or anyone pass by them. to top it all she has been walking so slow that even slow motion will be ashamed in front of her for being so fast. her head down she walked as if each step she was taking was heavy as a mountain.arnav's anger was increasing by each passing time now.he paced towards her making her halt suddenly and turn her head towards him.

"whats wrong?" arnav asked in the softest tone he could make right now, scratching his head with his fingers.

not getting a reply , he lost his control.

"what is your problem seriously. my life is already a mess right now, don't make me...lose my mind now. so tell me why are you walking so slow and sad." arnav burst out first than tried to again control his anger looking at her shaking.

" i...i cant read" khushi's meek voice reached arnav's ears , he took a few deep breaths.

"but you were reading my books one day. i thought you liked reading that's why i.." arnav told her as memories of her peeking into his books came back. he thought that she was interested in studying . yes her being busy in school for half a day would certainly make some things easy for him or he wont have to see or look after her all the time but add to that selfish motive of his he had really thought to give her something she might have missed due to their sudden marriage.

"i was looking at the pictures." khushi replied still head bent down.

"payal was educated i thought you must be too." arnav's word trailed off. what was he thinking no child is interested in studying at this age neither was he at that time. she just wanted to look at the rare pictures that she can find in the book. i don't remember from where her sister's thought come to me but i do remember that she was educated, she was homeschooled . gupta's were rich though not as much as them but they were quite influential and respectful in their village .

"i learned few hindi basics three months back i don't remember now" khushi pouted her lips , she was having a cold feet. she never went to a school before and after her parents death she has been living a very sheltered life with her massi . garima had hired tutors to make her read and learn basic things but being the naughty child she was she never given it much importance. all other girl used to play and do household work only while she was put a up with a extra burden of studying too. she had run at every chance she get from there.she have heard how cruel teachers in school are and how hard study is. she like arnav was wanted to join school to give her a escape from punishment in house.

"its fine , they will make you learn from the beginning and you are not so late in joining the school anyway.normally kids of your age or a little less join school. but don't worry if you are intelligent enough , i can talk to the administration to make you skip a few classes . you will have to work a little harder ." arnav said in soft voice trying to ease back her tension.

arnav turned back and told her to walk with him. they will get all this cleared today.but khushi didn't budge from her place .

"come on khushi . lets go. from tomorrow you can come to school with rakesh uncle's daughter's. you can make new friends ,play with them and study ." now arnav was feeling like a parent who was trying to convince his child politely to go to school.is this how first days are like.

he looked at her nodding her head .arnav took a sigh of relief . that was easy.

tinkling sound come so loud making arnav turn back towards khushi. he saw little khushi running with a speed of torando to the direction they had come.

"what the?"

arnav ran back after her and outpaced her in few minutes , she tried to ran here and there to get away from him .she did not want to go to school . arnav felt like he has become a child again and playing catch me with his friends. god, this girl is really fast he thought and made a final dash towards her and caught hold of her hand.

khushi cried aloud and didn't move a muscle in her body to make arnav easy to walk her.arnav dragged khushi as she kept on crying like any child would at their first day of school. it was time for some tough love.

khushi whined and begged , even tried biting his hand to leave her but he didn't. they finally made to the school . arnav talked to the principal who was his know and few other teachers . he didnt leave khushi wrist for a minute.her cries would stop when they were merely walking but as soon as some teacher would come in vicinity she would crying like no tomorrow.arnav kept on giving her angry glare at her behaviour tried to calm her down.

at last he left khushi in her class and walked away not glancing back once.

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kacha papad paka papad

dadi gye jalandhar laye waha se bander

khushi kept on singing something she learned today in school and kept on jumping here there while they make their way back home after her school got over.

could any one have thought that she was the same girl who was crying while going to school and now jumping in joy as if she had come back from picnic. she have even told him her best friend of one day's name hundred times till now. she was licking her kulfi and singing god knows what poems and rhymes or maybe a collab of all. arnav chuckled at her behaviour. he wanted to enjoy these few minutes of peace before he dealt with the storm probably rising at home.

he had decided to use the peaceful way out at least at first. try convincing his brother to let the matter go which will be better for both of them . if he dont agree that way than he might have to get his hand dirty and give his brother a taste of his medicine. he dont want to go that way.

he looked at the sky which was heavy with the dark clouds , he can see the storm was coming . khushi flinched on the sound of thunder . arnav caught hold of her hand and walked her with him .

he just hoped this tempest wont destroy the peace he was hoping to establish.

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arnav was happy to know that his grandfather had been out of the village from yesterday making shyam bhai to put a full stop over his plan for a while. he did not wanted to create a rift in the family so arnav had requested to talk with shyam privately and solve this matter without hurting anyone. to arnav's surprise shyam has agreed immediately .

now they stood in front of their fields looking at the calm set of dusk. both have been standing there silently without a word for a while.when shyam suddenly broke the silence .

"you used to straight jump into that small pond without a single doubt that i will come rushing to save you, to help you.i remember how we would hide all day on the trees eating guavas in the harvesting season wishing no one will find us. we were so lazy to even do one little work. playing all day and night" shyam trailed off as his eyes get wet.

"bhai! " arnav looked at his brother with same memories running in his mind. they used to be so close. they would eat together, laugh together , cry together and fight together what has changed now. why they feel at the opposite edges now.

"i .. i did not meant to be rude to you bahi.i just ..um... i just want to live my dreams.you can have all this , all these lands and houses and everything , i dont want it. at that that time i thought deceving was the only way to ..to make sure my path is clear. khushi is now my responsibilty so to protect her i just made that man say those words. "

arnav tried to explain to his brother. no matter how his family is , he loves them . he can't bear a word against them neither he can hurt them . arnav is just weak this way , he might not support the wrong that his family do but neither he fights back or hurt them or hate them completely he just cant.

"how can we be so different arnav? " shyam looked at arnav with a question on his mind.

arnav did not knew what to answer his brother . he have lived and grown up in the same place with same upbringing so how come their thoughts be so pole apart .

"i have followed everything our grandfather and father told us. i took the responsibilities of these lands and our family as i grew up. i married to the girl of their choice , i tried my best to give them what they want. i hoped for a heir , a boy. i never let their respect go down . i stood their as pillar as a replica of all of our ancestors where did i go wrong?" shyam choked on his words as emotion rushed through him.

he was ready to take down his brother and tell everything to his grandfather and make sure that everything his brother hold dear would be taken from him. that moment when he has heard his own disgusting thoughts echoing in his head , he have felt like world has stopped , he has felt like a completely different person . he has felt evil. he was no longer his little brother's saviour when he would do some mischief . he was the one destroying his brother, his own blood for what? just because he was not cable enough to give a boy to his family.

"you are not evil bhai. it's just me that is the odd one out" arnav finally said the words out loud. he is the exception here . he is the one who just don't fit in.how he become who he is , hope his life experience changed him or made him the way he is or was he just born this way.

he saw shyam square his shoulders , putting back the emotions ready to burst out at bay .shyam looked at his brother with a stern look as if he never did not had any emotional break down just few minutes back.

"i am not telling anyone about your little game but that does not mean you would do that again. do you understand."

arnav nodded his head obediently . he know was wrong to lie to his family but he did not have any choice.

shyam further added "i might not be against you chote, but i don't stand beside you either"

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following updates will be on blog only . only a small excerpt will given on the IF so do comment and tell what do you like and what not.

now there will be a little twist in the story i hope you will like it how i plan to take story further.

next update will be on MONDAY