Cursed love Introduction

[MEMBERSONLY]

Part 1 INTRODUCTION

***After 26 years***

The yellow rays of sunlight beamed brightly, making their way through the blue net curtains into the room.

The chirping of the birds and the light breeze brought a smile on her face as she came out of the washroom after shower.

Her wet hair wrapped in a towel, dressed in a reddish orange chudidaar suit.

"Do you think the decision you have taken is good for you? I mean you can find work here in Kolkata too, then why Mumbai?" I asked the very first question impatiently, as my sister or you could call my best friend came out of the washroom and the followed her immediately downstairs as she made her way to the puja room.

She just gave me the smile and that's what you could really expect from her.

"Wow this is good!" I snapped.

"Are you listening me what am u saying!?" I asked impatiently and she took the puja plate and lit the diya.

"Sssh!"

"What ssh? I am talking to you!"

She again asked me to keep quite and asked to focus on the puja.

Now come to a very important point.

"Who am I?"

Hi, I am Anshu.

The very first question, that would come into your mind would be wait who Anshu and what am I doing here?

Have some patience people. Let me introduce you to the very important person first.

***
"No, I am not gonna keep quite. First, tell me is it important for you to go to Mumbai?" I asked again even though she had answered me thousand times I just had to somehow convince her to stay here with me.

Well, guess what?

I think I just have to keep my mouth shut until my sis finish with her puja.

But till then, I can tell you about about my sister a bit.

She is one of those people that are really hard to find in today's world.
She is one of the person whom I envy. You guys must be thinking why do I envy her?

The reason is because of her I get taunt from my mother everyday. For her she is the idle girl that every mother wants, every father would be proud of.

Well it's 100% true my sister is truly the sweetest girl.

She is polite, well mannered, talks in such a low-tone that you literally sometimes have to stand at the distance of 1 inch close to her to hear what she is really saying.

When I first met her, at the age of 10 I thought I have some hearing problem, I literally visit the doctor. No jokes there.

Back to the point. She is well-educated, she is modern, but very shy and down to earth. She cares for younger, she respect the elders and she cares for people whom she consider the part of her world.

She is her baba's proud. The person she loves, respect the most in this world. And for her baba, she is his princess. It is not easy for a father without a wife to look after a child, but he did. He has given her the best upbringing. For her, her baba is everything and for him she could do anything. And I am proud to say that I got a sister and a best friend like her.

However, sometimes I am just too scared for her. She is too innocent and an easy prey for every bad people out there and her going to Mumbai alone scares me. It's not like that she is a child and can't take care of herself, as I said she is intelligent, she is bold. She can fight for her rights if the need arise, but may be it's just that I am over-protective of her or may be I just don't want her to leave me, and here call it my selfishness.

Here you go, finally she is done with her puja!

"Okay, first have prasad then karenge baat!" she said in her usual low-tone and with a very sweet smile on her face.

I let out fake frustrated sigh and brought one hand in front to take prasad.

"Both hands."

I weakly brought both hands and took the prasad from her and she turn on her heels to walk from there without answering to my question. Forgot to tell you she is really mean!? Don't take it seriously I am just kidding.

Opps, I really talk too much right I haven't even told you her name.

"Khushi!" I screeched.

She stopped and turned around.
"Yes!"

I went to her and took the puja plate from her hands and kept on the nearby table.

"Please stay Khushi!"

Khushi cupped my face and answered. "Anshu I know you will miss me. I will miss you too. But right now it's really important for me to go to Mumbai. You know baba has lots of expectations from me and now it's the time for me to make every dream of his, come true. The opportunities that I hope I would find in Mumbai I won't find anywhere. I have already looked for the jobs and companies wants to see me!"

"Do you even know anyone there?"

Khushi looked at me, I know she was clueless how would she would live there? Even she was worried just like me.

After thinking for a while, she spoke.

"Anshu I know it's hard. But I have saved money and with that I could stay in an hotel for a good week. After that when I would find a job I would manage to find a house or apartment on rent."

"Do you think it's that easy?" I asked.

"No, it isn't easy, but it's also not impossible."

"I know nothing is impossible for you!" I said weakly.

"Khushi promise me you would phone me as soon as you get there and you would be safe. I have packed 15 pepper spray bottles, and a hammer if anybody tried to create any kind off problem to you, you know what to do right!?"

"15 pepper sprays my goodness Anshu, and a hammer?" she asked me surprised and I grinned.

"If you didn't have your intern exams I would have taken you along with me! Seriously stop worrying about me."

"I know that's why I am regretting. And hello I am not at all worried about you. I am actually jealous of you. You would get to see all those super stars there and beach wow. And I want you to just want you come back soon so that you could look after DJ who always find excuse to taunt me!"

"Oh really?" she asked as she pulled my ear and I screamed.

"Why you have brought down the whole house?"

"Oh Khushi leave me DJ is coming. She asked me to clean the room and I haven't, she would beat me up with her cane please let me go," I pleaded and ran from there.

Wait up, let me tell you who DJ is? DJ the one from Kabhie Khushi Kabhie gum. She is my dadi and Khushi's Nani. Me and Khushi call her DJ. Why? I call her DJ because she keeps on screaming at me all the time. Okay, now I am leaving gotta run before DJ catch me off guard.

***No one's point of view***

"Anshu...where is this girl?" DJ screamed as she made her out of her room.

"Good morning DJ!" Khushi wished and touched her feet.

"Live long bitiya!" she blessed her and kissed her forehead.

"Here you go have arti!"

"Here you are Khushi bitiya and there that Anshu. Why don't you just give your some qualities to her? Look she hasn't yet cleaned her room yet."

"DJ why you worry so much? I would clean it!"

"You will but dear who would take care of me and of this crazy girl after you would leave!"

"Yeah yeah, you only need an excuse to taunt me!" Anshu complained as she appeared immediately hearing DJ's complains against her.

"You are nothing, but dumbo!" DJ mocked.

"DJ!" Anshu whimpered and stomped her feet.

"Go clean your room, your ma must be coming!" DJ said.

"Anshu go and clean your room!"

"What?" Anshu asked.

"She is asking to clean your room!" DJ screamed.

"Khushi madam please talk little louder normal people like me really can't make out what you say!"

"She speaks in a tone enough for people to hear not like you so that whole Kolkata hears you, alarm clock!" DJ jabbed another taunt.

"Yeah...yeah...I am going nobody cares for me in this house...But I am not going to clean anything!" Anshu concluded and walked from there.

"See this useless girl!"

"DJ...just sit here!" Khushi said as she made her sit on her rocking chair.
"She is just little careless right now but she will learn everything on my behalf. I have taught her basic things!"

"You have taught her, but did anything get into her mind. Yesterday, she was like DJ I have baked a cake for you would you like to taste? I was like sure! It looked more like a rock then a cake itself!"

"Yes, the kitchen's condition was worth looking!" Khushi said laughing and seeing her laughing DJ all of sudden started crying. "Khushi bitiya how would we all live without you? Your mama, mami, me, Anshu your baba will miss you!"

Seeing her crying Khushi too couldn't held her tears back. "Please DJ don't cry. If you say I won't go!"

"No, bitiya if it wasn't for your career I wouldn't have let you go and I won't stop you from taking the step ahead that you have decided to take towards your career. My blessings are always with you! I wish you loads of success in your life. I want my Khushi to be independent, and successful."

"So, promise me you won't cry when I would go!"

"I can't promise, but I would try my best!" DJ said as she wiped her tears and Khushi kept her head in her laps.

***Mumbai***

~At Raizada Mansion~

Clock struck 12 PM at the RM clock.
He stood by the pool side, staring blankly at the stars. His hands shoved in his black, Adidas track pants pocket. In deep thoughts, he stared at the stars that shone brightly in the sky.

The moonlight shone on his handsome face, highlighting his charcoal black eyes. His glistening medium cut black hair, danced as a light cool breeze pass through them.

***Flashback***

"Arnav," his mom said.
A smile crept on Arnav's face as he heard his mom's voice. He turned around and ran towards her to hug her.

"Ma," Arnav said as he hugged her.
"Beta it's really late why are you still up? Don't you have to go to school tomorrow?" Arnav's Mom asked.

Pulling away from the hug Arnav held his mom's hand in his. "Mom come," he said and made her sit in the wooden rocking chair in the balcony of his room and himself sat in her laps and nestled his head on her shoulder.

"Ma I was looking at the stars," Arnav said pointing one of them(stars.)
His mom gave him the warm smile and kissed his hair.

"Mom what these stars are!?" Arnav asked tilting his head to look at his mom, who was now looking at the stars now.

"Beta it is believed that when somebody dies God make them stars."

"Really mom?" Arnav asked now sitting up in her lap.

"Yes, my son now come on get up it's really late," Arnav's mom cuddled him in her arms and give him kiss on his forehead.

"Mom you will never leave me right?"
A tear fell from Arnav's Mom eye at his innocent question.

"I will never leave you," Arnav's mom answered again and embraced him in a hug.

***End of flashback***

"Chote!"

"Ma!" Arnav said in joy and suddenly turned around, with a huge smile on his face to the source of the voice.

Arnav's smile completely faded away...

He turned around again for a second to wipe the tear that has managed to slip down his eyes.

"Anjali di!" he said and walked towards her. Now his face lightened up in the dim light in his master bedroom...

"Chote what happen? Are you okay?"Anjali asked in a low voice, but in a concerned tone.

"I am okay di...Why haven't you slept yet?" Arnav asked.

"Was thinking of Ma?" Anjali asked and Arnav weakly nodded. "Di why aren't you slept yet?"

Anjali wiped the tears from her eyes and said "I went downstairs to get water and then I saw your rooms light still on. So came to talk to you."

"Talk?...Yeah, come sit," he said and himself settled beside her.

He rested his elbow on his knees as he leaned forward, and his hands folded. Turning his head towards her he asked "Yes, di. What you have to talk about? Is everything alright?" quite in a serious tone.

"Yes, everything is okay. Just came to tell you Nani is leaving in 3 days. She has to go to Mt. Abu!"

There was a sudden rush of memories that played like a fast forwarded scene. Nothing was clear and vague.

"Chote!" Anjali said as she saw him clenched his hair at the rush of unknown vague anamnesis.

"Do you have headache, Chote. Come I massage it!"

"No, I am fine. And what happen to me, nothing!" Arnav claimed as a mere second ago what happened, he has no idea about.

"Yeah, Nani is leaving to Mt. Abu but why?"

"I don't know she said she has her friend there and need to go their and meet her!"

"Oh okay, that's good! I will talk to the ticket agent he will book a plane ticket for her!"

"No, Chote she doesn't want to go by air but train!"

"But why would she go by train? You know how risky it is!?"

"Oh common my sweet little brother!" Anjali said as she ruffled his hair.

"Just travel by train once then you would know how much fun it is!"

"No, I am fine!"

"Hmm."

After a few seconds of silence Anjali spoke "Chote" followed by a brief silence again she continued..."Chote, I don't know how to start but should I ask you something?"

"Yes Anjali di, of course," he answered with a weak smile on his face.

"Why don't you just get married?" she then suddenly asked.

Arnav fell quite and with a long sigh he got up from the bed.

"Anjali di you know what my stand is on it?"

"But Chote why?"

Arnav stayed quite. His eyes fell at the fly in the pool water, that was continuously fluttering its wings to save its life.

Somehow Arnav resembled that fly. So far his life has spent in struggles. It was true that we all face hurdles in our life, at some point of our lifetime. And they are important too because without them life would be pointless or at least boring. However, for Arnav it was at every point of his life. He was only 12 when he lost his mom and dad. It was a tragic death,but one doesn't even know if it was a death but it was concluded because even after 14 years nobody was able to find both of them. Leaving the whole family, business on his shoulder, but he always faced his problems as a warrior. And presently this is what the fly was doing. As a warrior fighting with its enemy, water.

"Anjali di it is better that we don't discuss about this. I am not just ready to get married."

Somehow he always managed to not to discuss about these kind off topics. But sometimes he just couldn't. For instance the present situation.

He first look at her, over his shoulder and then back to the fly.

Anjali got up from the bed she then proceeds towards him and stands beside him. "Anjali di you should sleep!" he simply said still looking at the fly and the moment ago against the hope, fly escaped. She escaped her death.

"Chote, how would you live your life alone?"

"Just like I am living right now!" he snapped.

"Chote, I am married I have a family to look after once your jiju comes back from his business trip even I will leave. Nani, is too old, even she needs someone to look after her and especially the moment when she needs the most."

Arnav glanced at her his eyes narrowed. "What all those care takers for?"

Anjali let out a brief sigh. "It's just too useless to talk to you!" she snapped.

"Good Night!" she wished and went out of the room. "When you are ready just come and tell us!" she muttered on her way back and shut the door.