Main tera Dushman, dushman tu mera Chapter 7 (A + B + C)

Chapter 7 A (Maha Update)

"Here you go, perfect medicine for you!" Arnav said.y

"Chote, why don't you make her drink it with your own hands?" Anjali suggested. 

"Di, I would have loved to, instead I am going to pack her suitcase."

"Suitcase, why?" Anjali asked, even Khushi wondered where they were going.

"Her parents wants to see her!"

Khushi looked at him, her mood suddenly was turned bitter. "And she will be going to see her parents for a week!"

"You are going as well?" Anjali asked.

"Sadly, I am sorry. My wife has to go alone."

"I am sad you will not be going with me!" Khushi mocked, even though she wasn't feel at her best, just because she didn't want to go to her house. 

"Aww! Chote, look at her. She feels so bad that you would not be going!"

Arnav looked at her amused face, when Anjali was looking at him.

"Chote, you should go and pack your stuff! I prepare for the gifts with mom!"

"Anjali di, gifts will not be needed.  You can give them when we all would go!"

"As you say, dear! Chote, do go with her!" Anjali said and exited their room.

"Excuse me I am not going with you at all!" he said. 

"Do not worry even I won't loose a chance to enjoy this week without you!" she said.

"Why did you say I will go with you then?"

"Just for fun my dear husband! I am sick, keep packing my bag pack! Put all the good dresses!"

"Even these?" he asked as he picked her inner wear.

Khushi had her mouth wide open. "Put that down, you man with a dirty mind! Leave everything I shall pack my stuff on my own!"

"No, it's okay, I will help you!"

"Shut up, Arnav!" 

"Look at this, what days have come a wife keeps on telling her husband to shut up. Learn something from your mother-in-law, even though she is modern but dare she even raised her voice in front of her husband."
"A person should be worth of respect as well. Stop comparing yourself to papa he is at the top you are not even close to him!"
That was true he didn't argue on that.
"But I will be generous enough and pack your bag pack!" he said. "Oh god it's a different feeling to see the storm going out of your life!" he said. "I can feel how your parents have felt it! But I don't know why they are welcoming you now!"
She looked down at her soup. He looked at her when she didn't say anything in return. "What happen?" he asked.
"Nothing, I am thinking what shall I do in a week? How would I spend the happiest week without you?" she said and grinned.
"I was thinking exactly the same. I might go to my girlfriend's house and of course I can do late night parties! Here I have packed your clothes. Dude, do me a favour you can live for more than a week if you want. See I am trying to being the best husband."
Khushi looked at him smiling. "If you can explain this to mumma papa, I can be away for two weeks."
"Oh lord, I love you for this. Perfect! You leave that on me I will convince mom, dad, they won't mind their loveable daughter in law having fun."
"And I love you for being sweet to me! This is the one advantage to live an enemy!"
"If this worked fine we will go often do this. Like me sometimes going out for a business trips and all that!"
"Perfect! You enjoy your days, I can live a week or two without you in a perfect solace!"

***

Khushi saw off to everyone in the house, and her driver drove out of the Raizada mansion.

"Driver Kaka, drop me at the airport!" she said.

"Airport?"

"Yes!" she said.

"Kaka, please don't tell this to anyone that I didn't go to my house."

"As you say, bitiya!" he said.

***

As Khushi sat at the airport, she had no idea where she would go. Tears flowed down her eyes as she wiped them before they made their way down her eyes. She looked at her passport, and thought she should go to America, but she didn't want to. She just wanted to have some time alone.

She closed her eyes and then opened it. The first name she saw on the flight board was America. She decided she would go to America then may be she was meant to go there. Luckily she got a ticket to the only flight that was going to leave to America, and she didn't have to wait much.

She didn't know why but she felt really bad when Arnav sounded so excited and wanted her to leave. She shut her eyes to stop herself from crying. She put her shades on so that no one has the idea that she was crying. But what made her feel guilty was lying to her in-laws that she was going to see her parents when it was not even on her mind. 

"I do not want to see you mom, dad, dadi, and Payal di. I don't like you all. Dad, you made me marry Arnav, but I haven't forgotten that you gave importance to more to a business than your daughter as always. I surely have gotten a best family who loves me unconditionally, but you surely lost me!

The thing is you never understood me. You as my parents too thought I was a trouble maker. The attention that I needed from you I got from my in-laws, Payal di was right, this was my real house, I know how hard it is tolerate me, but I was your daughter. At least you should have shown me some fake concern. You didn't do good by marrying me off to a person who would never want me as his wife, neither me him as my husband.

"Attention please, departure of a flight SH 1001 to America, passengers are requested to proceed at terminal 11."

Khushi heard the announcements and wiped her tears and took her luggage and proceeded towards terminal 11.

***

Arnav was getting ready for the party when his phone rang. He checked it and picked up the phone.

"Hello!"

"Hey, Arnav, it's me, Payal!"

"Hi, Payal, what's up?"

"I am good, how are you?"

"I am good as well as your sister going to be away for a week!"

"You are so mean. By the way, where is Khushi? Hasn't she left RM yet? We all are waiting for her."

Arnav looked at his watch. "She left like at 2:30 PM. Hasn't she reached GM yet? She called home and said she has reached already. Wait you are tricking me, right?"

"Arnav, why would I joke? Seriously she hasn't reached home. We thought she will leave home late!"

"I got no idea why did she say she has reached GM!"

"Did you call her?"

"Yes, multiples times, but her phone is out of reach!"

"Even driver kaka returned home after dropping her. Wait, Payal, I guess she has gone to America instead."

"America?"

"Yes, I guess her friends have gone for a vacation there!"

"How irresponsible this girl is? No wonder why her phone is unreachable. Okay, I shall call Lavanaya instead in a day when she will reach America."

"Payal, don't tell anyone that she has gone to America, as for yet, until it is confirmed. It was our plan to take a break from each other for a week!"

"I can't believe you both are doing this!"

"Payal, you understand how much we hate each other..."

"I have given up on both of you seriously. You are married and better deal with it alone."

"Good on you, thanks, Payal!"

"Bye, by the way how is your ankle now? Khushi told me that she fractured your foot. She sounded really worried!"

"She admitted that?"

"Yes!" she laughed.

"It's fine now, I can walk!"

"That's really well. Okay so I should let you enjoy your evening!"

"Good night, Payal. Nice talking to you!"

"Nice talking to you as well!" Payal said. "Bye!"

***

"Chote, where are you going late at night? To meet your wife?" Anjali asked as she sat in the family room watching news.

"What a joke! I am going to club!"

"Chote, you are married now, you should look after your wife. Call your wife and ask what is she doing? How is she doing? I am very disappointed that you let her go alone. At least you should have gone with her."

He ignored her, went to her, and kissed her forehead.

"Bye, di!"

Anjali shook her head at his ignorance.

"Come home soon!"

Arnav haven't gone far when he heard a news. He came running back,  "Flight SH 1001 that aired to America this evening at 4:30 PM, crashed. The only flight that went to America today. Over 200 people died in an airplane crash, cause has yet been investigated."

Arnav's heart beat stopped hearing the news.

"Shit!" he muttered.

"I know right, it's so tragic!" Anjali said as she looked at Arnav.

His phone rang, and it was payal's again. "Hello, Arnav, did you hear the news?" she asked, as she was unable to speak. "Arnav, what if Khushi was in that flight? Hello, Arnav are you there?" when he was too numb to say anything.

"Huh! Yes..."  Anjali got up the sofa and walked up to him.

"Chote, what happen?"

"Di, Khushi."

"Khushi, what?" Anjali asked afraid.

"Khushi was in that flight!"

"What are you saying, chote? How could our Khushi be in that flight?"

"Di...she...she...went to America not to her house!"

"Are you guys kidding me?" She asked."She called me and said she went to GM. And you are saying she went to America?"

"Di, I didn't know until, Payal called me. Even Khushi said me she was at GM!"

Anjali fell on the sofa in shock. "Chote, this can't happen. Our Khushi can't be in that flight!"

Arnav's brain had stopped working. "Di, I call the airport and ask them if Khushi boarded on that airplane!" he immediately said.

"Please god let our Khushi be safe!"

Nothing was suggesting to Arnav. He felt utterly sick. He raked his hand in his hair in fear. He ran upstairs to see if her passport was in the locker. He opened the locker with his shaking hands. Her passport was not there.

His heart beat went even more wild.  He called at the airport.

"Hello!"

"Hello, hi I am Arnav Singh Raizada, please can you check if my wife, Khushi Singh Raizada, was in the flight that got crashed."

"Hold on a moment sir. Let me check!" Lady said.

Arnav's heart jumped to his throat. His head spun and he held a cupboard for support. He couldn't stop thinking of her face. The time she left. He wished he hadn't let her go. He wished at least he had asked where she was going.

"Hello, sir. Unfortunately, yes, your wife, boarded on this flight!" 

Phone fell from his hand on the floor with a loud sound and with it he himself fell on the floor with a loud thud.

Phone fell from his hand and with that he himself. His legs was shaking. But he shook his head. "That fatso can't leave this world easily. I just know that. She is one heck of a mischievous miss that even can mock death."

He called back at the airport. This time one of his friends. "Hello, Sharon, Arnav here. Dude can you check if my wife, Khushi Singh Raizada, boarded on the flight that flew to America today in the afternoon."

"Hey, Arnav. I hope she didn't. But let me check!" he said. "What name did you say? Khushi Singh Raizada?"

"Yes," he said as his voice betrayed him.

"Arnav, right now I have the latest names. What I see is your wife did bought the ticket to America, but she didn't board on it!" Arnav's nervous system all of sudden was relieved and returned to normal hearing that.

"Instead what I see is ticket was traded to someone else. And then for the second one is to Shimla. I think she went to Shimla!"

"Are you sure?"

"That's what my computer tells me. And I hope I am right. Dude, just try to call your wife and do let me know if I am correct!"

"Sharon, I hope you are right!"

"Good luck, dude!" Sharon said.

***

Someone knocked on the door and she walk to open it.

"Arnav, Payal di, Anjali di!" she said.

They all three were so relaxed to see Khushi, as they have gotten their breaths back after being suffocated for hours. But she wondered why they had come and why they looked worried.

Payal came into the room and slapped her.

"Di?" Khushi said, shocked.  Payal didn't see here and there and gave her another slap.

"What do you think of yourself? Without telling anyone you are here enjoying in Shimla and you didn't even bother to tell anyone," Payal shouted. 

Khushi cried and asked what she had done that she was so mad at her, except for the fact that she came to Shimla instead.

"Do you even know Khushi how scared we were? Arnav, thought you went to America. Have you heard the news? The only flight that left to America crashed."

Khushi was shocked. "I was going to America, but I changed my mind!" she said.

"Khushi, at least you have been enough responsible to tell me that you haven't gone to America, but have come here!"

"I didn't want to tell anyone," she shouted, and whined. "I wish I had gone to America."

Payal was so irked that she slapped her again. "Payal, please relax!" Arnav said.

"This is all you have been doing!" Khushi shouted, "since childhood. If I went against you, you slapped me. And I don't think I haven't done anything wrong coming here. I wanted an alone time. Nobody wants me, my own parents married me off against my wishes. Mom dad only had thought about their image and business. Not about my happiness. You never asked what I wanted!"

"Khushi, get hold of your tongue!" Payal yelled. "Have you ever thought because of you how many people suffer? Today you even know how worried we were."

Khushi couldn't breathe due to her sobs. Arnav and Anjali looked at each other. "Payal, let's go out. Chote, look after Khushi!"

Arnav nodded. "Don't worry!" he said to Payal. 

Payal looked at her angrily, but left when Anjali asked her to go with her. Arnav locked the door and Khushi sat on the bed. Sniffing, hiccuping. Her sobs raking her body.

Arnav gave her his handkerchief. "You have even come here?" she asked, as she blew her nose. 

"Come on, calm yourself first."

"Why are you being nice to me? Aren't you mad that you had to come here to see if I am really alive?"

"You should have told me, Payal, Anjali di were really worried about you."

"And you?"

"If that matters to you, yes, but I knew that you are such a stubborn lady that even you can mock death! And dude, I am not that lucky that I can free myself from you!" Right now he was joking, but he himself knew his insides were still shaking with fear.

She softly laughed and coughed. He looked around to see if there was water around. It was on the night stand. He stood up and went to get water for her. He filled the water glass from the jug. "Drink some water, Khushi!"

She looked at him through teary eyes.  "Have some water," he repeated. She took the glass and with both hands tightened around the glass she drank the water.

"When I came here I was going to call you and to tell Payal di that I was here in Shimla. But I was really tired and even my phone battery had died. And I had just closed my eyes and dozed off. I had just woke up when you came.

"Khushi, you seriously scared us. Thank god you are safe. How come did you end up coming to Shimla?"

"I don't know what made me change my mind."

"Khushi, next time please don't do anything like this. I seriously don't want to loose my enemy. I wouldn't have mind slapping you, but I guess Payal is a better performer. She gave you such a tight slaps, I must say you deserved them. Let's get a selfie done. It's a moment worth capturing I would say!"

He took out the phone and clicked picture of her in tears and looking at him and him at the camera grinning.

"Arnav!"

"Hmm!"

"What if I was actually..."

He kept finger on her lips and shook his head. "Khushi, don't ever say that again. You only saw payal's anger, but you didn't see her concern, her relief. She was really worried about you. You cried in a whole journey to here. Your life is more important than anything. Yes, we don't like each other but I am sure we really don't wish bad for each other."

***

"She isn't happy in this relationship!" Anjali said to Arnav.

He nodded his head. "I have told you, di. We both will not ever be happy. In order to have a love in our lives we should have something in common. We have nothing in common. We can't even stand each other's site."

"I wish we had understood this before! She wouldn't have to run away like this to seek for happiness, and for some time alone. I talk to mom, dad. And see what they say. If you both are not happy then we won't force you to stay together."

Arnav couldn't just wait to give this happiness to Khushi, he knew they were soon going to be free from this unwanted relationship.

***

"Guess, what?"

"What?"

"Di said she will talk to mom dad regarding our relationship!"

"What about it?" she asked.

"She was quite sympathising with us. Especially you, as you said you aren't happy with this relationship that is why you were seeking ways to be alone!"

Khushi looked at him wondering what he really meant to say. "Really?" she asked.

He nodded. He stood up and took a deep breath. "I just didn't know that this incident although so stressful going to be so fruitful. We will finally be free from this relationship."

"Thank god! I don't have to seek a ways to be free you!" she said.

"I know!" he said.

"Excuse me, I update my brothers about it. Dude, now it will be a freedom. A real freedom."

"I know!" she said. 

Arnav left the room in excitement. Khushi locked the door and rushed inside the room and fell on the bed crying.

***

"Hi, Khushi!" Anjali said.

"Hi, di!"

"I am pretty sure, chote have told you everything!"

"Yes!" she said.

"I will talk to mom dad for sure, okay? Dear, you both don't have to bear the burden of this relationship at all! I know how it feels like. You don't have to seek for the ways to be alone. I know you hate each other. We thought you both could manage together, but you didn't. It's really our fault that we both got you married in a hurry. We really had let you both spend sometime. It's okay. It's not that too late!"

Khushi didn't say anything but did nod her head.

CHAPTER 7B 

"Heck, I don't think we can reach the airport, car is out fuel!" Arnav complaint. 

"What the, Arnav? How could be so careless?" Khushi said. 

"What do you mean so careless? You are saying as I did this purposely!"

"You can do anything!" she said.

Arnav gritted his teeth in anger. "It's good Payal slapped your face, you deserved it!"

"What if I slap your face now?" she said.

"Thankfully, I would be free from you now, fatso!"

"And you who? Mr. Pooh!" 

***Car stopped***

"Urghhh!" Khushi grunted.

"You were already a bad luck for me, see even car was so fed up with your shriek tone!" he said. "Wherever you go problem follows you!"

"Arnav, shut up!" she said in a hoarse voice. "Do something I don't want to miss the flight!"

Arnav mimicked her tone. "Arnav, shut up!" And made a face. "You shut up!"

He took his phone from his pocket and called Anjali.

"Hello, di!" he said as she picked up the phone.

"Yes, chote, where are you?" Anjali said. "Me and Payal are waiting for you both, it's almost a time for the flight to take off!"

"Di, we are stuck here."

"Stuck where?"

"Di, my car is out of fuel!"

"What?"

"Yes, di, what you guys do is leave now. We both will catch the next flight as soon as we get out of here."

"Okay, as you guys say. But please take care of Khushi. She is not feeling well yet!"

"Di, she is perfectly fine!" he said angrily.

"Okay, bye, we have to go now!" she said and hung up the phone.

***

"Now what we would, Arnav, we are too far from the airport, and this area is so desolate."

"Yes, I have heard here there are lot of scary wild animals. Wolves howl, and lion, tiger you could hear them roaring, I am pretty sure they will have a great supper tonight."

"Arnav, do not think that I will get scared, okay? Like a heroine in a films and will clung to a hero in a fear. First of all if I had my real life hero with me I wouldn't even have mind pretending that I am scared so that he could get worried about me, but from you I don't expect anything like that. And from none angle you do look like a hero. Wild animal!"

Arnav shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Oh really? What was that when it was lightening? Arnav, can I sleep with you? Arnav, I am scared of lightening. And you did clung on to me. And stop dreaming, I wouldn't have mind if I had one of my hot girls standing beside me, for whom I might have not mind going wild, you are nothing near to them!"

"Huh!" Khushi mocked. "Those girls are blind who go after you!"

"Yes, they are blind in love with me!" he said. "Now keep your mouth shut, I call someone for a help!"

"Please, I don't want to be with a sick man like you!" she muttered.

Arnav gave her I-handle-you-later look. Before that he had to find a way to get some help. He dialled the hotel. "Hello, thanks for calling at hotel Charles!" Manager said.

"Hello, hi, Arnav Singh Raizada here. We had stayed at your hotel and we recently checked out. The problem is my car is out of fuel. Can you please manage to get a new car or get someone to help me?"

"Yes sure, sir. Please may I know where you are at the moment?"

"It's a jungle area, I can't see anything nearby but in a distance a dim lighted city. However, we were going to the airport."

"You must be nearby Park Avenue, sir!"

"That I don't know. We surely are half an hour away from the hotel already, towards the airport, and at the highway!"

"Sir, please give us the time, I send someone to help you out there!"

"That will be awesome!" he said and hung up the phone.

Khushi stood beside him, shivering, her arms wrapped around herself. He looked at her and took off his jacket. "Here, wear this jacket and get in the car!"

"Excuse me, I am not that weak that I need your jacket. Stop being so filmy. I can bear this cold."

He shrugged his shoulder and wore his jacket back. "Why are you being so dramatic, by the way?"

She looked at him coldly and went to sit in the car. "There is no point talking to you!"

Her teeth cluttered as she sat into the car.

He laughed and sat on the car bonnet as he looked around. He rubbed his hands to keep it warm and hugged himself.

Khushi looked at him and shook her head. "Don't know what he thinks of himself!"

Arnav took out his phone to check the weather. "Woah, -7 degrees!" It was not completely dark but it was getting dark anyways. He got up the bonnet and started walking forward as he stood at the edge of the hill to see a city properly.

"Khushi, come here fast!" he shouted.

Khushi couldn't hear him, but she saw him gesturing towards her, looked like he was calling her.  She got out of the car.

"What?"

"Come fast!" he said.

She walked towards him. "What?"

Arnav wrapped his arm around her and pointed towards the city lights. That one by one was being lighten. As now people slowly switched on the lights of their houses. Then at the bridge they saw cars, it felt bridge was a river with cars a water shimmering diamonds streaming down the bridge.

"It's so beautiful!" she said.

"I know, right?" he said and he didn't realise he was standing too close to her and his warm breath was hitting her cheeks.

Khushi smiled to herself as she was looking at him.

"Stop looking at me!" he said, without arching his head to look at her,

She made an angry face. "I want to say is unwrap your arms around me!" 

Arnav instantly removed his arms around her.

"View was so beautiful, I thought my girlfriend was standing beside me, sorry!" he said.

Khushi felt something but she looked at the city lights to fade away the feeling that was so strong.  "When we will separate I will settle here in Shimla!"

"Wow! You got plans too! What else would you do? Would you get married again? I mean to someone whom you will be able to fall in love?"

"For quite some time, no! Surely would enjoy my freedom that I couldn't able to before marrying you. But yes, surely, I will get married to someone nice whom I will love!"

"What you would do?" She asked.

"Oh me? I have no idea yet, but surely I won't get married soon as well, or may be never. I have my girlfriends I can probably enjoy with them!"

Khushi was shaking her head, "you gotta be kidding me, Arnav. You are always talking about your girlfriends. Are you a playboy, I exactly explain myself before you make your assumptions if I am saying this because I am jealous, in that case, no, I am not."

"No, I was not going to ask that," he said, "looks like you know me really well, don't you?"

"Well, I have started knowing you!" she said. "I am feeling cold, I am going back to the car," she said, and already had started walking down towards the car.

"Listen!"

She stopped and turned around. "Take my jacket, inside the car it must be really cold! Don't think I am worried about you, di said to take care of you!"

"I am fine," she said, Arnav watched her go and mentally slapped himself, for wrapping his arm around her, "Hey!"

"What now?" She asked as she stopped and turned around once again.

"What do you eat that you don't feel cold?"

"Until now normal veggie food, tonight I might kill you and eat you, moron!"

Arnav laughed. Khushi resumed her walk and softly laughed to herself, she stopped and turned around.

"Arnav!"

"Yes!" 

"Come and sit in the car you might catch cold!"

He smiled and didn't argue. He walked after her and they both sat in the car.

"Twenty more minutes and our help will be here soon!" he said.

"Hmm!" she muttered.

"What happen, Khushi?"

"Nothing," she sniffed her nose. He took out his jacket.

"Move forward, Khushi!" he said.

She did without being assured why he asked her to do so.

He wrapped his jacket around her.

Khushi looked at him in affection.

"You are being too sweet!" she said.

"Sorry, mam, no bad intentions. Just being selfish so that I don't have to take care of you in case if you fell sick again."

"Aren't you feeling cold?" she asked.

"When would my muscles will come to use?" he asked. "I am a man!"

She softly giggled. "Thanks for letting me know that, and the jacket, it is really warm!"

"You are welcome," he said. "It's  getting more and more cold!" he said. "I wish I had kept blanket."

"I know!"

He saw her, she was drowsy.

"Sleep, if you want to! I will wake you up when the help will arrive!"

She nodded.

He got out of the car and called the hotel again. "Hello, I have been waiting for help for the past half an hour, where is the person you have sent in?"

"Sir, weather is getting worst. Chances are it is going to snow. May be weather conditions are not well that's what taking a lot of time for the help to arrive!"

"Please man, do something. My wife is sick!"

"Sir, I have done my best and sent a person for help, that's the least I could do."

"Give me the number of the guy whom you have sent!"

"Okay sir, please right the number down!" Arnav got back inside the car and jot down the number on the piece of paper. He looked at Khushi her colour of the skin was turning pale.

"Thank you!" he said and cut the phone.

"Khushi, are you okay?"

She opened her eyes and nodded. "It's little cold!"

Arnav looked around there was nothing that could have kept her warm.

"Khushi, come at the back seat!"

"Why?"

"If you want to keep yourself warm, come!"

"What? What are you thinking of doing?"

"Don't worry, you can trust me!" he said. She got out of the car to sit in the back seat. And he too did the same.

He wrapped his arms around her. She looked up to him. "Help will be here anytime soon!" he said.

"Thank you, Arnav!"

"It's okay, I will make you pay for this!" he said. "By the way, I don't want my enemy to die like this!"

"Very funny!"

"Hmmm...You cannot speak and still..."

"Arnav!"

"Hmm!"

"You aren't bad!"

"What made you think I was not good before?" he joked.

"Can we be friends?"

"Sorry, I don't friends with enemies!"

"You won't get a good friend like me!"  she said.

He looked at her tired eyes. She moved back.

"What happen now?"

"I don't take help from enemies!" she said.

"It's a very tough decision for me to take!" he said, "but since friendship is from your side, I accept it!" he said.

She smiled, as her heart did the flip again. They both looked into each other's eyes. Her eyes shut.

"You sleepy?" he asked. He touched her forehead she was awfully sick.

"It's really cold, Arnav. I can't take it anymore," she finally told him. 

Arnav felt her pain. In this condition there was nothing he could have done either. There was not a single car that had passed by, also he had no lighter with which he could have lighted the fire.

"Khushi, please be little more strong, help will be here and don't sleep. You probably have hypothermia."

He was going to call the person whom the hotel manager had sent in. But he wasn't picking up the phone now. "Damn it!"

Arnav had only one way now he had to call the emergency, and even looking at Khushi he knew she won't be able to take more cold than this, when her teeth were cluttering. 

"Hello, hi, it's an emergency, can you please send an emergency vehicle, the exact location I don't know but roughly I could tell that it might be park avenue."

"Sir, don't worry about that we will trace your call, but what kind of emergency it is?"

"Look my wife is not feeling well!"

"Okay, sir, ambulance will be there, till then please tell what is the condition of the patient."

"She has a high fever, colour of her skin is pale, and few days ago she suffered from fever."

"Is there any warm clothes that you could find around, she must have hypothermia. Keep her awake."

"No, the problem is we don't have enough warm clothes."

"Is she feeling anxious? Dizzy?"

"Anxious, dizzy, no!"

"Is she talking?"

"That she does nonstop!"

Khushi hit him.

"Sorry?" Nurse said.

"Yes, she is talking, I meant!"

"Please, wait up, emergency vehicle will arrive at the place in just few minutes. If the condition of the patient worsens you can call again."

"Thank you so much!" he said and hung up the phone. 

"Why are you doing this?"

"Well, you are cold, Khushi! I can't risk your life! If you look at yourself in the mirror you will get to know!" he said.

She looked away as her eyes were filled with tear.

"Khushi, are you crying?"

"Don't give me this much attention, I am not used to it!" she said.

Arnav made her look at him. "Khushi, look at me!"

"What's bothering you, beside you are feeling cold and sick?"

That was it she couldn't hold it now, "Arnav, I lost the bet!" she said.

He looked at her confused. "Khushi? What do you mean?"

"I love you!" she said, as she slowly moved her eyelids up to see him.

CHAPTER 7C

"I love you!" she said, and slowly moved her eyelids up to meet his eyes. Slowly because she didn't know if she should be. And simply to just look at him was now difficult. The look of understanding she could see in his eyes, hope in her heart grew, but slowly she saw a laugh on his face, that she actually expected above all the hopes.

He was trying to laugh as he was told a joke, but he couldn't more than just a nervous, momentary laugh, "you are kidding me, right?" 

"You could ask me to do anything now," she said, and suddenly his maneuverd laugh vanished from his face. He could feel the sickness taking over him. 

Fleetly, finding himself out of words, especially when he should have to answer her back, but what exactly he would have said? His silence was debilitating her. His mind wasn't able to process the overwheming emotions, and he was afraid his own tongue will betray him if he chose to speak. He looked outside the car to calm his violent furious mind. Khushi misunderstood his silence.

"It's okay, Arnav, we never said what the person among us will do! You don't have to accept me, you can tell me to do anything. The only reason I came to Shimla was I couldn't control my feelings towards you!"

Arnav heard her due to already shocked by her confession he chose to stay tight lipped. Did he feel the same for Khushi, he didn't know. 

Khushi's heart fluttered in fear, she knew he would hate her much more now, she shouldn't have confessed her love, but they had promised that they will be true to each other. She too looked away from him when he didn't say anything. In her head she already knew it was the end of their relationship.

Emergency vehicles siren wailed, and Arnav went out of the car. Khushi cried as her heart cried and covered her face. She knew she was rejected once again first by her parents and now by her husband. But he wasn't at the fault either, just because she was in love with him didn't mean he had to accept her, she thought. 

"Mam, please come out," paramedic said, Khushi saw a man standing in front of her, as the gush of cold air seeped down to her bones, when the window of the car opened. 

She looked at him melancholy.

"Sir, you can go by the taxi to the hospital, we take the patient to the hospital!" one of the paramedic told Arnav, and the other wrapped warm blanket around her. 

"Mam, can you walk?" Nurse asked, as she held both her hands. Khushi was only looking at Arnav.

"Do you feel anxious?"

She shook her head, and nurse helped her walk. 

"Sir, she is responding, that's good. Nothing to worry about I guess. She will soon be fine!" Nurse said to Arnav, but he hardly heard him. 

"I am fine, I don't need to go to the hospital!" she said. 

"Mam, its important for you to get to the warm place at least."

She wanted to protest and run away, but she was tired of running. But in her mind she had already thought of it, however, next moment she found standing still walking towards the ambulance. The thought dithered her.

Arnav saw the door of an ambulance close and with that a glance at Khushi.

He took his belongings from the car, and Khushi's phone. Out of the havoc created by his own mind, he could hear every single beat of his heart beat, it was rapid. 

He recalled the moments they had spent together, starting from their fights at the college itself, and then at the mall, then engagement day. It made him smile, then the chain of emotions and memories followed. Clear and vivid. The way she had taken care of him, plus she was so worried at the hospital, he did have joke about it but now it seems to be precious. 

Their selfies, the first kitchen, the time she was hurt when he called her "Tom boy."

He hadn't seen her this side of her ever, the way she said she didn't want to leave her in laws. Then the realisation, more than getting mad she was hurt.

He now cognized why? He now capiched what bothered her was that nobody actually paid attention to her.

Even though unintentionally, he did care for her, no matter how he or  they both said, regardless of how their relationship started, they did take care of each other when they were in need. 

He was surprised he understood her so well, that the things she never said, he apprehended. 

He smiled to himself and sat in the taxi. 

What he would have asked her to do? He had never thought about it. How stupid enough they had been to even make bets that should have known that it doesn't work especially when they were already bonded together. How confidently they had made the bets when they didn't know how it would have turned anyway, in reality. 

"Driver take the taxi to the hospital!" he said.

***

"May I know in which ward my wife, Khushi is?" Arnav asked the receptionist.

"She is in the ward 50, sir!" nurse told him.

He nodded and went to the room 50 by the given directions. For the first time he was little unframed and anxious to meet Khushi, because more often they both were ready to cut each others head off. He did not notice how restless and shaky he was.

"What I would say to her when I will meet her?" he jittered.

"You have come?" she asked, he looked immediately hearing her voice without realising he was in Khushi's ward already. 

"First I was thinking of leaving to back to Mumbai. Then I thought what I would really say to the family."

"I wouldn't have mind!" she said. 

"Are you feeling okay?" 

"Yes, do not forget, we just needed a lift so we got it."

"I go and talk to the doctor," he said, unconvinced by her detail.

"I am allowed to go to home!" she said.

"It's alright, you can take some rest, I can postpone the flights...we can go tomorrow instead."

"It's not needed!" she told him. "I am feeling okay," she said getting tizzy. 

"Are you sure, you don't want to take rest?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "I just want to go home!" 

He helped her to stand up. "Thank you, I am fine." She didn't take his help, he looked at his hand that was not taken, he moved it away and tugged in his pocket. 

"Khushi, we can go tomorrow!" he tried once again to convince her. 

She shook her head. "Arnav, I am really tired, please, I want to go home!"

"I book the tickets then!"

"I have already," she said. "Our flight is in an another half an hour. I don't want to miss this flight, airport is not that far, only ten minute away. I have called in the taxi too."

He nodded. 

***

"Hi, doctor."

"Hi!"

"I am Arnav Singh Raizada, Mrs. Khushi Raizada's husband," he introduced himself.

"Oh!" doctor said. "Hi, how are you?"

"I am good. How are you?"

"I am very well. Please tell me, how can I help you?"

"I was here to ask how Khushi is doing?"

"She is absolutely fine. Nothing much to worry about. Often because of cold body temperature goes down."

"She can travel right."

"Yes, absolutely. She is fine to go."

Arnav moved forward for a handshake. "Thank you, doctor."

"You are welcome and have a great new year."

"Thank you, you as well."

***

"Khushi, you want coffee?" he asked when air hostess came to offer coffee, but she was too lost to answer.

"Yes, she will have it," he said, on her behalf. Air hostess passed on to the coffee tray to him

"Thank you!" he said. 

"You are welcome, sir. Hope you have a comfortable journey!" 

Arnav placed his hand on her shoulder to grab her attention but she continued to stare out the window. 

"Khushi, have a coffee!" Arnav said. She still didn't answer.

***

At RM!

Arnav and Khushi both sat in the family room the next day.

"What happened to all you?" Arnav asked.

"Chote, we have realised that we did a mistake by getting both of you married!" Mrs. Raizada said.

Khushi's heart beat stopped for a while as she already knew what was coming next.

"Anjali has told us everything, so we have decided that we will rectify our mistake. We and your in-laws are sorry to both of you for making decisions for you. So you guys can both decide what you both want. We will be happy with your decision. Even if it means you don't want to live together with each other."

A shock prevailed on his face.

"Let's go everyone!" Mr. Raizada said abruptly, and one by one everyone left. 

"Congratulations, Arnav!" she said, and moved her hand forward for a handshake. "We are finally getting what we wanted!"

She laughed looking at his confused face. "Arnav, you are such a fool. You were right, I was joking. Oh god, I didn't know that it was so easy to make you fool," she laughed. 

Arnav got up the sofa and she too stood up as well "You were kidding?" he asked.

She stopped laughing. "Why, Arnav? What you think only you can make fun of me? Leave my arm!"

"You are such a great actress!"

"That's so I am!" she said. "Don't tell me you actually took that to the heart!" She whispered, looking deep into his eyes, hiding all her pain. "Me going to Shimla instead of home was all planned. I didn't know my plan will go all this good. Phew! Yes, Arnav, it's finally the end of our unwanted relationship. Remember this because of you my parents forced me to marry you. A person like you cannot be my love interest. You will always be my enemy!"

"Arnav, let go of my arm!" she said coldly as he hadn't reoeased her arms yet.

Arnav released it. 

"You played quite well, Khushi. Thank you for this, even now I can't wait to get free from you.!" 

"That was your big mistake, Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada. You have really hurt me, you always fooled me, now look at yourself."

"Yes, it was my mistake, but seriously did not expect this from you!"

"You are saying this as you are hurt."

"Not really, but surprised!"

"Everything is fair in love and war, Mr. Arnav. Never consider your enemy to be  a weak person!"

He laughed. 

"If that's so you haven't seen me playing dirty, Khushi. Wait and watch now what I do!" he challenged her. 

"Let's see what you do!" she said, and left. 

Arnav shook his head as he sighed. "Lord, I have seen many woman but not like her, always riding high on her hormones. Crazy woman."

***

"Mom, dad, you think we have taken a good decision?" Anjali asked worried. 

"Anjali, bitiya, don't worry they won't separate. It's just a drama. Before they become one they need to know each other really well. We have seen their caring side for each other, now you see their loving side."

"Ma, what we will do?"

"We won't do anything, it's them who have to do everything," she said.