Removed - Page 21

Originally posted by: ShikhaKhushi

Chapter 13 - Losing Everywhere...

As the door closed behind them, Khushi noted how beautiful her sister looked now, with the red colour in her parting and the mangalsutra around her neck and she felt a feeble ray of contentment tickle her. Now, at least one of them would be happy...this line actually made me cry

Without looking once at her, Anjali walked over to one of the mirrors and hastily started removing her heavy jewellery. The brides had been told to change as their attire was too cumbersome for their comfort. Their grooms had respectively brought them a new saree each, and they were to wear that to their sasuraals. They changed in a sort of uncomfortable silence that Khushi could not understand. Hadn't they been sitting in the same room, their hands linked tight with apprehension while they awaited their grooms to arrive only moments ago? Hadn't they been the best sisters in the world all along?

What had happened now? How had marriage come in between them? And this much? That her sister wouldn't even look at her? Biting her lower lip, Khushi came up behind Anjali and placed her hand on her shoulder, whispering her name. Anjali jumped briskly and stepped several feet away, her eyes cold.

"Kya hua?" Khushi whispered, hurt at the response. Anjali blinked and looked away. (What happened?)

"Hum chalte hain," she replied in an icy tone. But her sister grabbed her hand as she walked past to the door. (I'll leave.)

"Kya hua, Anjali? Tum aisa kyun kar rahi ho?" Khushi pleaded to know, her eyes welling up with burning tears. (What happened Anjali? Why are you behaving like this?)

She saw her elder sibling's eyes close to compress her fury and her jaw tighten. Anjali snatched her hand away. "Jaise ki tumhein pata nahin?" she gritted out scathingly. Khushi frowned, suddenly feeling dizzy. Why was her sweet sister being so venomous? (As if you don't know?)

"Humaara pati chheen kar bohot khush hogi, na, tum? Ab humein akela chhod do! Humein tumhaare jhuthe pyaar ki koyi zaroorat nahin hai," Anjali told her icily before she stormed out of the room, leaving Khushi petrified there. (You must be very happy after snatching my husband's affections, right? Now leave me alone! I don't need your false love!)...after all that khushi did for anjali this is what she gets...

What had just happened? Had Anjali really accused her of such a vile thing? Stealing her husband? Where had that come from? Where had her Anjali gone? How had she changed in so little time? While her tears left scalding tracks down her cheeks, she felt herself slide to the ground, curled up on her knees.

Even a little joy had been too much to ask. On this day, she had sacrificed all she had, and she had lost everything. Her love, her family and now, her sister. Fate was such a cruel thing...Poor khushi

***

She saw Anjali's eyes turn to chips of ice as soon as they settled on her, but Khushi managed to smile through her tears and she stepped forward to embrace her sister in a tight, warm hug. She couldn't just forget the past eighteen years just because Anjali might had misinterpreted something and said some hurtful words, could she? She felt her twin's arms wrap around her almost reluctantly, before she finally reciprocated with an equally fierce hug. Maybe for just that last moment on the home they had grown up in as two princesses, she had decided to forget that misunderstanding... Maybe for just that last moment, she had wanted to find again that girl who had been her dear sister for all these years...

And as Khushi pulled back to gently wipe her tears away, Anjali realized how wrong she had been in her judgment. Of course Khushi was not to be blamed for what her husband had done. Perhaps she didn't even know. How could she have said those things to her? But the arrow was out of her control now, and although Khushi's eyes showed nothing but affection, Anjali understood that she had been forgiven but she had also hurt her sister deeply. In a way, she had lost her... She wanted to apologise, at least once, but it was too late. There were already too many people, too many things between them, and she could not even see Khushi...i'm glad anjali realized her mistake...i won't blame anjali for what she said to khushi...its human nature to feel jealous when the person you love prefers someone else over you and then feel resentment towards that someone else. no matter how good that someone else is.

Khushi's eyes widened in panic. One moment she had been looking at her sister, and the next, a crowd of relatives and guests had pulled up as a barrier between them. She tried to look through the mass frantically but she found no one she knew. Instead, warmth enveloped her right hand and she looked up in fright, only to be dazzled by a pair of the kindest chocolate brown eyes that belonged to her husband. oh i just love Arnav here...

Her husband. It felt so odd to be married, she realised, staring at him. Calmness seeped in when he gave her a small half-smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly, (i was squealing like a fan-girl when i read this) as if to tell her he was there for her. Khushi teared up instantly. What was the use? She did not need to attach herself to this person too much. He would leave her like everyone else in her life did. Especially when she had told him about Barun... What kind of husband would want a wife who loved another?

She lowered her eyes, her cheeks burning with shame, letting him lead her to the car which waited to take them to his home. Her new home. Their home... No. This would never be, because he would soon hate her too. Like Anjali did now...(i don't think arnav can hate her ever...but alas! khushi doesn't know that)

***

All night, Khushi lay restless in bed. She had not been allowed to stay in Arnav's company for one single moment. Under Dadi's strict orders, the bride and the groom had been ushered into separate room for the night and she had explained to them that the day must have been pretty tiring and what they needed for the time was some sleep. The next day, would be Khushi's Muh dikhaayi, where only women would be allowed and which spelled that Arnav would be again forced to stay away. Then, she would have to cook the dinner and serve it herself as the nayi bahu of the Raizadas.

So it was only at dinner that they would be together, but then too, they would be surrounded by many people. The only time she would be able to talk to him would be at night. The night that was supposed to be their suhaag raat...

***

Khushi sat on the bed uncomfortably, the heavy jewellery irritating her. Things had gone well till now. Her cooking skills had been greatly appreciated and Dadi had not stopped praising her at all during the evening. (I wish these events were elaborated...but no biggie...i understand you must move forward and you can't write every single event in detail) Now, she eyed the door of the room nervously, waiting for the instant when it would burst open with the loud giggles of the female relatives and her husband would been pushed inside.

But none of that happened. Everything was silent when the door was opened. Arnav came in and closed the door behind him. Her stomach lurched when he locked the door. This was so frightening, her heart was thrumming like mad. She closed her eyes tight while he approached her. At once, her heartbeat picked up speed and it was all she could hear beside the sounds of his footsteps. She felt acutely conscious of herself.

The mattress caved in slightly where he sat, very close to her and Khushi's breaths became quicker, shallower. When he felt his hand close around hers, something in her snapped and before she could realise what her mind had propelled her into, her eyes had snapped open and she had jumped off the bed, panting a bit...Oh Nooo!!

She turned away, embarrassed, and pressed her palms against the wooden window sill, her gaze wandering on the view below her while her mind groped for the right words. She felt him stand, maybe disappointed by her behaviour, and he came near to her to look down too.

"I understand..." he mumbled uneasily. "Yeh sab tumhaare liye naya hai to-" (... All of this is so new for you-)

Khushi bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Could she bury that secret in her heart and deceive her husband for the whole of their married life? Or should she tell him the truth? She did not expect to get anything. And she had nothing to lose either...

Slowly, she looked up at him, into those earnest dark pools that she would soon fill with hatred for her. "Humein aapse kuchh kehna hai, Arnavji," she whispered. Worry clouded his face and he lowered his head slightly. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she blurted it out. "Hum kissi aur se pyaar karte hain..." (I have to tell you something, Arnavji. I love someone else...)

Arnav Singh Raizada froze. ( I can practically hear the sound of Arnav's heart getting smashed ) 😭😭There was no emotion on his face. She tried to make out what he could be thinking right now, but she got no hint, so she told him her story. She told him how she had met Barun, how things had taken a sudden turn in her life, how and why she had given in... His expression revealed nothing of what his mind whirred about and she stared at him quietly, munching on her lip as guilt gnawed at her. She wanted him to say something, to scold her, to curse her to be cold to her like Anjali had been the previous day. She had ruined his life. He had all the rights to hate her.

But he didn't. He stood there, his eyes fixed on the ground, his face void of any feeling. It made her feel guiltier than ever.

"Arnavji," she dared herself to whisper as another tear slipped down her cheek.

Without looking at her, he took a few steps towards the bed to take a pillow. Then, he went over to the recliner near the French doors that opened on the balcony. He pause halfway there and turned his head to glance at her over his shoulder briefly.

"So jaao," he told her evenly before he dumped the pillow on the recliner had settled there for sleep, his face turned away from her. (Go to sleep.)

Khushi watched him for a few seconds. Strangely, the rejection hurt her more than she had expected it to. Maybe it was because of the hurt she had already suffered during the past few days and her heart was so wounded that the least cold breeze would cause it to sting... Almost mechanically, she removed her jewellery before she lay down to sleep. But sleep was something that had also abandoned her. The night was spent with tears flowing silently, mourning the loss of so much, amongst all this, the sister she had cherished above all, and the husband she had barely known...( i feel sorry for both of them )

This is the first time i'm writing a comment in this style ...you know quoting and all...please tell me if it bothers you...i'll delete it...i am absolutely in love with this story...i wish i could post a better ( elegant) comment...but i have very mediocre writing skills...actually i have none😭...i apologize for any mistake i made...please forgive this unworthy one...i'm eagerly waiting for the next chapter...take care

i just loved the update awsome