In order to meet Khushi, he had come four hours early...
Since, today he was always late, for every possible event, whether it was to his class, for his interviews, for the functions, even his mom would say he was born three week later than he was scheduled to born, but today.
What should I say!? Today, he was right on time. Not on time, but 4 hours early.
In these four hours, he did every possible thing. He stared blankly at the sky as he laid on the bench, ate the grass, sat on the branch of the mango tree in the park, looked at the watch every other second, but time was passing with the great difficulty.
He even tried to play games on his phone, but he would only concentrate he would stop thinking of Khushi.
Last night he didn't even sleep, just in the excitement to meet her. Most of the time he spent thinking what he would really wear, what he will say.
It was like he was here more for an interview, but to a girl itself. Where he was excited, one thing was truly bothering him was if she will come or not.
Well she had said that she will come and he believed her. With the honesty se had took the promise, he knew that she won't break her promise that she had made to him.
He knew she would come.
He even took few tips from his bhabi how to meet a girl, but after last night he had already surpass Payal's expectations.
In his first official meeting he had kissed her. What else was needed to prove that he was really good!? And top of that he had already asked her to come and meet him. So, technically second, official meeting.
Payal was quite proud of her devar.
***At RM***
"Chote, will never agree to it!" Payal said straight as she sat on the bed. "He is already in love with the girl and we can't force him!"
"Payal, I understand she loves the girl, but if dad gets to know by chance, that he is in love with a care taker of the house, you better know the consequences! I also understand where you are coming from but Payal we can't do anything in this matter we can't do anything," Akaash said.
"Shall we talk to ma she might help us!?" Payal asked hopefully.
"She won't be able to do anything, Payal!" Anjali said after a long time of silence. "Mom also knows how important is it for dad."
"Yes, if anything happens to his dream of collaborating with Gupta's he will be shattered and if he got to know why Chote is refusing, he will not tolerate!"
"Akaash if we think aside from the business collaborations can we think of chote and his happiness."
"There is no point telling me all this Payal, what you think I don't care of his happiness!? I am his elder brother and I worry about him just like you as his bhabi does and Anjali do as a sister."
"Chote had gone to meet Khushi, and he might propose her!" Payal said. "He will break down Akaash!"
"I don't know its either chote or papa they have to take step back,"Akaash said as a matter of fact.
"You are right Akaash," Anjali said, "But I am afraid they both are too stubborn that they would go to any extent to get what they individually want!" she concluded.
***At the church gate park***
Finally it was the time for Khushi too come...
Arnav jumped to warm himself up, as he combed his gelled hair with his hands. He took the dirt off that has gotten on his pants as he previously sat on the muddy ground.
His breath stopped as finally she had come, looking straight at him, she waved her hand at him and Arnav just raised his hand back. Dressed in a light brown knee length dress, and her get up was the same geek look, if you could think of jassi in "jassi jassi koi nahin," exactly that's how she looked. The only difference was if there was any random person who would look at her would ignore her, but it was Arnav who had seen the beauty behind her geek look, the real innocence behind her big glasses.
He sniffed as he still held his hand in a waving position.
"Hi," she said as she stood right in front of her. "Now please put the hand down," she said.
But he was too lost in her to realize that.
She waved her hand in front of his eyes, to get out of his hypnotized state.
"Hi, Mr. Arnav Antatoli Singh Raizada!"
"Hi!" he said still in a dreamy state.
"Well I fulfilled my promise of coming here!" she said.
"Yes, I know!" he mumbled as he smiled.
Still staring at her face.
Khushi could just laugh at him.
"Okay, see ya then," She said.
"Bye!" he muttered.
***At Gupta Villa***
"Mr. Gupta, I want your daughter's hand for my son Arnav!" Arnav's dad said all of sudden between the conversation.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Gupta looked at each other in surprise.
"Are you serious, Mr. Raizada!?" Mr. Gupta managed to blabber as he tried to sound as normal as he could.
"What happen Mr. Gupta, do you really think that I would joke on such a sensitive matter!? I know it's hard to believe, but I guess it's a high time to change our business partner status to relatives!" Arnav's dad said.
"What happen Mrs. Raizada won't you say anything!?" he then said to Mrs. Raizada.
"Uh-huh yes," Arnav's mom fidgeted abit. "Of course. We really like your daughter Lavanya!" she said.
"Mr. Raizada, Mrs. Raizada you guys really stole my thoughts! When last night the moment I saw Arnav, I had decided and told Mr. Gupta that I want son-in-law like AASR!" Mrs. Gupta said. "But didn't know it would Arnav, himself!"
"But where is Lavanya!?" Mrs. Raizada asked.
"She isn't at home right now. She had gone with her friends outside!"
"Oh okay!"
"So, Mr. Gupta what you have decided!?" Mr. Raizada asked.
"Mr. Raizada what's there to ask from my side it's yes! What say Mr. Gupta!"
"Yes," he said uncomfortably.
"Look Mr. Gupta we really want our children tie knot as soon as possible!" Mr. Raizada said.
"As you say, Mr. Raizada!! We have been long looking for a good son-in-law, and I am glad that it's Arnav," Mrs. Gupta said.
"Absolutely, I am happy that we are choosing, Lavanya as our daughter-in-law!"
"So, how about getting both of them engaged in this week and after three days their marriage!"
"Mr. Raizada we need to do lots of planning!" Mr. Gupta said.
"Oh, common Mr. Gupta, excuse me Mr and Mrs. Raizada we will be back soon!"
"Yes, yes sure you talk!" Mr. Raizada said.
As Mr. Gupta and Mrs. Gupta left Mrs. Gupta asked,"Mr. Raizada don't you think it's too early!"
"Mrs. Anatoli Singh Raizada, when the deals are good you don't think of these little stupid things!" he said.
"Mr. Raizada it's not a deal, it's about our son! We have to ask whether if he wants la to be his life partner or not! I just want to say say at least we should ask him first.
"Mrs. Raizada, I know his answer will be yes!" he answered confidently.
"I fear it's not!" Arnav's mom mumbled.
***
"Mrs. Gupta, don't be blind yourself!?" Mr. Gupta screeched.
"When blindness helps it should be used for your own purpose," she said proudly. "You have to say yes, when you go in front of them!"
"At least..."
"I know you will say yes, now come on!" she said without listening to his words.
"So tell Mr. Gupta what you have decided!?" Mr. Raizada asked as both Mr. Gupta and Mrs. Gupta entered the living room.
"From our side it's yes!" Mr. Gupta told them his final decision after thinking a lot.
"So, you ask your daughter and I know my son will say yes," Mr. Raizada said.
"Yes, yes, Mr. Raizada from our Lavanya's side is also yes!" Mrs. Gupta said as she was really happy.
"Okay, so see you at the engagement!" Mr. Raizada said as he shook hands with Mr. Gupta.
***At Raizada Mansion***
"Chote, papawants to talk to you!"
"Please, bhabi I don't want to talk to anyone at the moment!"
"Arnav!" Arnav's dad called as he stood in the living room.
"Look chote, papa is calling you please, let's go!" Payal pleaded. "I promise, I don't care, if someone is with you or not, but I am!" Payal said as she looked at Akaash and Anjali.
"You tell papa, that you want to marry Khushi that's it! Let's go!" Payal said and they both made there way to leave the room.
"Payal!" Anjali called from behind.
Payal and Arnav both stopped.
"Alright, I am with you!" she said.
Payal smiled and looked at Akaash who was still in turmoil.
"Let's go di!" Payal said.
"Okay, fine count me in too!" Akaash said.
"I am coming too," NK said.
"Perfect, come now! Now Mr. AASR, come on smile now, we all are with you!" Payal said and they all went downstairs.
"Here is my son, Arnav!" Mr. Raizada said the moment he saw him coming downstairs.
"You all see he will say yes!" Arnav's dad said to his wife.
"Arnav beta, your dad has decided both of you and Lavanya get married," Mrs. Raizada said.
Payal knew Arnav wouldn't find the courage to tell him the truth. Never. He would just simply stand like a statue in front of his dad. Otherwise, he is a tiger behind his back.
"Papa," Payal spoke. "I am sorry, I am coming in between this matter, but chote doesn't want to get married to la!" she said as she looked at Arnav and than at Mr. Raizada.
"What are you saying, Payal daughter!?" he calmly said. For him Payal meant like a daughter. He loved her more than his daughter Anjali. He respected her.
"Yes, papa chote loves someone else!" Akaash spoke.
"Please, dad I just want you to think for a while, listen to chote and then take decision!" Anjali chimed in.
"Yes, Mr. Raizada we should think of our son happiness!" Arnav's mom said.
"Who is she!?" he asked. His voice was cold and dark.
"Dad, she is Khushi. The girl that bumped into him in the party!" Anjali said.
"Yes, papa he loves her. That girl is really nice!" Payal said.
"That care taker!" Arnav's dad said bitterly as he was mentioning of a criminal.
"Mr. Raizada she is a daughter of someone!" Mrs. Raizada said.
"I knew this boy, would only show me his bad attitude. At least should have loved someone of a status!" he snapped.
"Mr. Raizada love doesn't care about statuses!" Arnav's mom said. "We got married. I am Italian and you were Indian, we fell in love despite of our backgrounds!"
"At least we had a class!" he snapped.
"Did you marry me for a class!?" Arnav's mom asked. Even though she knew the answer.
Mr. Raizada couldn't able to look into her eyes.
"Mr. Raizada you had loved me, and I loved you!" she said. "We were in love did our families had any objections!?" she questioned him.
Everyone was happy that they were so close. Arnav's dad expression were changing as there was a hope that he would agree.
"Don't worry chote we will convince him!" Payal whispered in his ear.
"Please dad, please say yes!" Anjali said then Akaash and then Payal.
Even NK too had joined them who stood quite in fear of Arnav's dad.
"Please uncle!"
"All of you shut up!" Arnav's dad shouted.
A pin drop silence spread in the hall.
"I want to ask, Arnav! Arnav do you love that girl!? Do you want to get married to that girl!?" he asked.
Everyone looked happily at him. They all knew that he is happy, but just in fear he wasn't saying anything.
"Look, you don't have to worry, before taking any decision, I really want to hear from your mouth, about your wish, what you want!? Do you really love that girl, Khushi!? And you don't want to marry Lavanya!"
"Now, common speak!" Payal said as she shouldered him.
"No!" he said.
"Is that your final decision!?" he asked.
"Dad, I am ready to marry Lavanya!" he said as he looked somewhere on the floor at the distant. Everyone immediately shot their surprised looks at him.
"Chote, what are you saying!?" Payal asked in disbelief and then Anjali and Akaash.
"Arnav you don't have to be afraid, I want your happiness!" Arnav's dad assured
"I said what I meant, dad! I am ready to marry Lavanya!"
"See, I knew my son will take the right decision after all he is the son of the Rajwansh Singh Raizada!" he proudly said as he came to him and hugged him.
"Now, you all got your answers," he said as he looked at the couple of shocked faces.
They couldn't believe the boy who didn't sleep, eat, top of everything who went crazy after that one girl for whom he was ready to fight with the whole world had said suddenly refused to get married to her, well that was a far thing he had refused that he doesn't even love her.
Even then, when his dad was ready to get him married to his lady love, if he would have said yes!
"Chote, are you crazy!?" Akaash asked.
"Chote, if you had to say no in the end why did you waste our time!?" Anjali snapped. "Ma, explain him something this guy has gone absolutely mad!" she added.
"Please di, please Akaash, I talk to him. Chote what happened why did you say no!? Are you okay!?" Payal asked as she calmed down others and tried to talk to Arnav.
"Bhabi what you heard was my final decision!" he said.
"Chote, did Khushi say anything!? You went to meet her!? Did she say no!?"
"Bhabi it's my own decision!" he said and left from there.
But Payal wasn't going to sit quietly she knew some kind off conversation happened between them. That made Arnav to take such a decision, but what!?" she thought.
***
But Payal wasn't going to sit quietly, she knew some kind off conversation happened between them. That made Arnav to take such a decision, "but what!?" she thought.
She had to talk to Khushi, because at this point Arnav wouldn't talk about the matter.
Arnav absentmindedly paced towards his room and shut the door as he entered.
***Few hours ago***
Khushi smiled as Arnav gave her the 2000 watts smile, totally mesmerized by her and her beauty.
He himself didn't know what has happened to him. He never felt for a girl to an extent, where he doesn't even know who he, himself really was.
Afterall, she was worth it. Khushi snapped to bring him back to the reality which was even more beautiful than the dream itself for him. "Huh!" he gasped still in his dreamy state. "I am sorry!"
"So, I fulfilled my promise of coming here, Arnav Anatoli..."
"Please call me Arnav!" he cut her off.
"Yeah...yes, you did!" he stuttered most of the words dissolving in his mind, he didn't even know what he was saying or what he should say.
Not able to wait more he put his hand in his blazer pocket and took out the red rose. He squat down on his knees.
"I know what I am going to say is quite early, but could you please answer me yes or no!"
"Answer in yes or no, to what!?" she asked slightly confused.
He immediately bent on his knees, "would you marry me!?"
"What!?" she lightly moved her head. She got a reply which she had expected, but not really at the same time. "You know anything about me!?" she asked.
"I might don't know that much about you, but as much as I know I think is enough to say that I love you! Would you marry me!?"
Khushi stayed mum, but Arnav didn't mind. Because he thought her answer would be yes. He was 98.99% sure, since last night encounter.
"You know enough to love me, but do you even know I am married!"
Arnav laughed taking no words of her in a serious way, "Khushi you are kidding me!" he said still laughing.
Khushi too lightly laughed, but that had NK meaning that she was joking.
"I am not joking!" she said with no sense of humour in her voice.
He laughed a forceful laugh, but it turned out into a sad laugh. The pain could already be seen in his face.
His laugh vanished, clouded by a complete shock and disbelief. The rose fell from his hand, on the floor, just like his heart from the excitement to the gloominess.
Suddenly there was a 360 degree turn that he hadn't expected at all.
Not even in his dreams. May be he was expecting too much.
He had kept his gaze fixed at her, looking deep into her eyes. They were deceiving. "Was she lying, was she telling him the truth! No!" he tried to convince himself.
In his mind, he was battling. "It's your dream Arnav, get up," he shrieked. "You think whatever comes into your mind!" he said with a nervous smile thinking it was his dream.
"It's a reality Mr. Arnav!" she spake.
His eyes shot at her.
She was standing a few feet away.
It was hard to believe, but it wasn't his imagination.
He felt he didn't exist anymore, the bright colourful aroma was now slowly turning into a grey shade.
"And how did you dare to think that I will marry you!?" she asked. There was a tint of anger in her tone. Arnav all of instance looked at her as she asked him, once again chilling his mind. "You saw me and fell in love with me!?" she asked, but it was more like a tantrum.
"I am married, do you get that and if you don't believe, I call my husband," she said as she called someone on his phone and asked him to come.
After few minutes a man in his mid 20s came from behind, "What happen Khushi baby!?"
"Hey sweetheart meet Arnav!" Khushi said as she gave him a peck on his cheek. Karan wrapped his arm around her waist and made her come closer to him. And she placed his hand in his chest. Arnav noticed each and every action of their.
He wanted to shout, he felt someone has knifed his soul.
"Remember last night I told you that this guy came into my room..."
"What the!?" Karan jolted. "this guy!?"
She nodded.
"Khushi, I wasn't there at that time otherwise, I surely had given him piece of my mind," Karan moved forward as he was about to hit Arnav when Khushi stopped him.
"Calm down Karan baby, he is just crazy!" she laughed. "You know these big people. I won't be surprise if he would make a mountain out of a molehill!"
"But just look at his courage right now he just proposed me!"
"How dare he!?" Karan snapped. "Baby tell me, I will break his bones!"
Arnav couldn't say anything, Karan had been tried twice to get to him, but he just stood there like a pillar. He had no idea, his mind and soul was totally murdered.
"It's okay baby, just leave him alone...I guess this much humiliation is enough for him and I am sure from next time he would think twice to say I love you to anyone and propose them for a marriage!" she said resisting to laugh.
"I know baby these rich people only think of their own good. If they love you, they just come to you. In case you had said that to him, he would have totally said no!"
"If she had asked for a life, I would have given that too!" Arnav's mind said.
"Exactly," she said as she gave him disgusting look.
"Anyways, forget about it baby...Let's go we don't have time for such creeps!" Karan said as they both turned around to leave from there.
The moment he saw Khushi going away from him, he came out of his trance. He wasn't going to accept that Khushi, the girl for whom he was ready to give his life was saying all that to him.
He immediately held her by her arm. Khushi angrily turned around, freed her hand and slapped him.
"Don't even dare to touch me, last night and today you had done the mistake and I bared it. But next time, I won't!" she warned him. "Better stay away from me!"
Karan got angry as he touched Khushi, he too came forward and held by collar. Arnav's hand turned into a fist, but he didn't move an inch. For the whole time, he was looking at Khushi, who only looked at in anger, as he had done a crime.
"Karan leave him, let's not just waste our time. We have better things to do in our lives!" she said and Karan immediately freed his collar and pushed Arnav back.
"And one more thing," she spake and threw the rose in his face and it lapidated his soul. "Take this rose, your so called heart," she snapped. "I don't need it!"
"I have my heart and my love!" she said looking at Karan.
Than she gave him one angry look, before she shortly moved her gaze from him. Then she looked at Karan calm, and composed as she have him her best twinkling smile.
Arnav felt that she had nothing for him, but a pure hatred towards him. She made Karan wrap his arms around her waist.
"Let's go sweetheart," she said and didn't even looked at once back at Arnav.
Arnav couldn't do anything. Nothing. He literally felt his dream shattering, he himself felt broken from inside as she slowly distanced away from him, hand in hand with the person she said was her husband.
His heart eroded when Karan lightly kissed her on her cheek.
Then he saw the rose, that he had given her, that now laid in front of him, crumpled, resembling his heart, under the feet of his lady love.
Broken apart his body was betraying him and he fell on his knees. Rain poured heavily.
***
"What did he do?" the Cupid asked as they saw Arnav from heavens.
"Love!" female Cupid answered.
"Like us?"
"Yes!"
"Why he is so sad then?"
"He loved, he failed! His love showed her back to him."
"Could someone seriously get this big punishment for falling in love that also in a worst way?"
"It's not a punishment, however, a test."
"Please god bring her back...please God tell me it's a bad dream," Arnav pleaded as tears rivered down his eyes, mingling in the rain.
"So do we have to help him to pass the test!"
Female Cupid couldn't answer her partner. As she looked at Arnav.
"Does your silence means she wasn't meant for him!?" he assumed.
She shrugged her shoulder.
***
As she chose her route different from him, the dream that he had decorated, fell like a castle made in the air. Was his love that weak?
The dream that twinkled in his eyes streamed down in the form of tears.
"What if I had decorated a world of love? What if I listened to my heart. Tell me what was wrong in it?" he asked as he looked into the skies.
Unknowingly, he had connected his soul with the person who really didn't even care.
It was his innocent heart that thought the world is just like the way he had been seeing it, but now he knew he was wrong.
He was told once, young love is nothing, but a innocent mistake, and he did, unknowingly. He did that sweet mistake and tripped badly.
The tears in his eyes were telling him that the strings of heart are easy to break and hard to join...But that easily, it would break, he didn't know!
His innocent heart misunderstood the reality of the love...
Love is nothing, but a game.
Her beautiful face was still so vivid and clear in front of his eyes.
Only one sight of her, he had fallen in love with her.
He had loved...
Nothing much happened...His heart devastated that would never ever learn to love.
It was only his childish heart was at mistake.
"No, it was his first love and it wasn't a mistake. Because he knew his love for her was pure."
"What if I loved someone, God? What if I listened to my heart? Is it a crime to listen to your heart. Answer me!" he shouted. "Why did you brought her in my life, if we weren't suppose to be together? Why?"
"Why you stupid heart of mine fell in love?" Arnav shouted as he brutally hit chest.
"Why even blame when the expectations were set too high!?"
"It was the sweetest mistake I did!" he admitted. "But never again!" he told himself followed by the bitter conclusion.
"Thank-you Khushi for being the first and my last love," was his last words he said at her back.
***END OF FLASHBACK***
After 5 months...
Three days before Arnav, Lavanya marriage.
"Yes, please make sure the marriage planners are here in an hour...It's quite..." Khushi said. She was busy on phone and hasn't realized someone coming. She bumped into the hard steel body.
All the bags from the person's hands fell to the floor.
"I am so sorry!" Khushi apologized as she immediately squatted down and picked up the bags.
"I am really really sorry!" she again said as she held bags in her hand.
Her gaze then slowly fell on the person's shoes. As she slowly stood up as she continued to look up until her eyes looked at the person's face, who stood tall in front of her. After five months she was seeing him, again. He was no more a Arnav that she saw last time at his and Lavanya's engagement.
He looked no like that cute, adorable, childish Arnav, but a man who is a grown up man, dashing business man.
The great businessman "Arnav Anatoli Singh Raizada!" who had made his own name in the world of the business. He was no more Arnav that the world might have known few months ago.
His style, his persona, his identity...It took little time for her to back to the reality.
For Arnav, the moment he looked at her, all over again the words she had told him played in his mind.
He felt the same old Arnav returning, whose heart was literally crushed. But over this time, even though short, he had learnt too have control over his heart. He stood emotionless in front of her. No anger, no pain, nothing, but a plain expression on his face.
"I am sorry Arnav!"
"AASR!" Lavanya said from behind. "He is Arnav Anatoli Singh Raizada!" she corrected her.
"I am sure you have been taught to be respectful," she further added. As she stood shoulder to shoulder with Arnav.
"Maid," she shouted.
"Yes, La mam!" maid said as she came to her.
"Take these bag from the care taker and put in my room!"
Maid nodded as she obeyed her order. "Next time you better be careful, Mrs. Khushi!" she snapped angrily. As Arnav kept looking at her.
"ASR, I am really sorry, nowadays, care takers has forgotten their place!"
Arnav didn't say anything as it didn't matter who Khushi really was.
Khushi didn't care either, to pay much attention and left from there and continued with her call.
"I swear, if it wasn't for mom and dad, I would have thrown her out of the house!" she fumed.
***At the wedding day***
"Yes, pandit ji, I bring Lavnaya down..." she hurriedly said to the priests.
"Arnav son just an hour, than my princess will be yours!" she said as she kept her hand on his shoulder.
There wasn't any response from him, but a smile. Even Payal stood at the side. Looking at Arnav, who sat in the mandap...It was only her that knew that it wasn't his own decision. He was forcing himself into the marriage. His decision was wrong, he doesn't love La and to some extent may be La doesn't love him either. How much truth that was nobody knew!
Payal had talked to Khushi, then even she was distorted to know the fact she was married. After that there was no hope.
Payal understood, she couldn't do anything about that fact and especially when she had heard that Khushi was now pregnant with Karan's child.
"I don't know what's destiny has chosen for my chote!" Payal thought. She instantly wiped her tears before they could escape her eyes.
5 months it had been. He had shut himself from the world and himself.
Life didn't take a minute to turn his world into a big mess. Surely, everyone was quite impressed of the AASR success, especially, his dad. But no one was acquaintance with the real him. No nobody was aware of his state.
Almost the whole family, except Payal, were quite convinced that Arnav really wanted to marry Lavanya.
***
Everyone turned their faces towards the beautiful bride, Lavanya that came downstairs, accompanied by her mother.
"Princess please smile, this is a big day of your life!" she said. La looked at her as she stopped at the staircase, for a while. "Everything will change for you today!" she added.
"What happen, princess!?" she asked as she saw la looking in her eyes.
"Yes, everything will change mom!" she said. There was a tone of grief in her voice, as her whole prospective to see things had been changed.
"Today was a big day..."
She had to talk to Khushi, because at this point Arnav wouldn't talk about the matter.
Arnav absentmindedly paced towards his room and shut the door as he entered.
***Few hours ago***
Khushi smiled as Arnav gave her the 2000 watts smile, totally mesmerized by her and her beauty.
He himself didn't know what has happened to him. He never felt for a girl to an extent, where he doesn't even know who he, himself really was.
Afterall, she was worth it. Khushi snapped to bring him back to the reality which was even more beautiful than the dream itself for him. "Huh!" he gasped still in his dreamy state. "I am sorry!"
"So, I fulfilled my promise of coming here, Arnav Anatoli..."
"Please call me Arnav!" he cut her off.
"Yeah...yes, you did!" he stuttered most of the words dissolving in his mind, he didn't even know what he was saying or what he should say.
Not able to wait more he put his hand in his blazer pocket and took out the red rose. He squat down on his knees.
"I know what I am going to say is quite early, but could you please answer me yes or no!"
"Answer in yes or no, to what!?" she asked slightly confused.
He immediately bent on his knees, "would you marry me!?"
"What!?" she lightly moved her head. She got a reply which she had expected, but not really at the same time. "You know anything about me!?" she asked.
"I might don't know that much about you, but as much as I know I think is enough to say that I love you! Would you marry me!?"
Khushi stayed mum, but Arnav didn't mind. Because he thought her answer would be yes. He was 98.99% sure, since last night encounter.
"You know enough to love me, but do you even know I am married!"
Arnav laughed taking no words of her in a serious way, "Khushi you are kidding me!" he said still laughing.
Khushi too lightly laughed, but that had NK meaning that she was joking.
"I am not joking!" she said with no sense of humour in her voice.
He laughed a forceful laugh, but it turned out into a sad laugh. The pain could already be seen in his face.
His laugh vanished, clouded by a complete shock and disbelief. The rose fell from his hand, on the floor, just like his heart from the excitement to the gloominess.
Suddenly there was a 360 degree turn that he hadn't expected at all.
Not even in his dreams. May be he was expecting too much.
He had kept his gaze fixed at her, looking deep into her eyes. They were deceiving. "Was she lying, was she telling him the truth! No!" he tried to convince himself.
In his mind, he was battling. "It's your dream Arnav, get up," he shrieked. "You think whatever comes into your mind!" he said with a nervous smile thinking it was his dream.
"It's a reality Mr. Arnav!" she spake.
His eyes shot at her.
She was standing a few feet away.
It was hard to believe, but it wasn't his imagination.
He felt he didn't exist anymore, the bright colourful aroma was now slowly turning into a grey shade.
"And how did you dare to think that I will marry you!?" she asked. There was a tint of anger in her tone. Arnav all of instance looked at her as she asked him, once again chilling his mind. "You saw me and fell in love with me!?" she asked, but it was more like a tantrum.
"I am married, do you get that and if you don't believe, I call my husband," she said as she called someone on his phone and asked him to come.
After few minutes a man in his mid 20s came from behind, "What happen Khushi baby!?"
"Hey sweetheart meet Arnav!" Khushi said as she gave him a peck on his cheek. Karan wrapped his arm around her waist and made her come closer to him. And she placed his hand in his chest. Arnav noticed each and every action of their.
He wanted to shout, he felt someone has knifed his soul.
"Remember last night I told you that this guy came into my room..."
"What the!?" Karan jolted. "this guy!?"
She nodded.
"Khushi, I wasn't there at that time otherwise, I surely had given him piece of my mind," Karan moved forward as he was about to hit Arnav when Khushi stopped him.
"Calm down Karan baby, he is just crazy!" she laughed. "You know these big people. I won't be surprise if he would make a mountain out of a molehill!"
"But just look at his courage right now he just proposed me!"
"How dare he!?" Karan snapped. "Baby tell me, I will break his bones!"
Arnav couldn't say anything, Karan had been tried twice to get to him, but he just stood there like a pillar. He had no idea, his mind and soul was totally murdered.
"It's okay baby, just leave him alone...I guess this much humiliation is enough for him and I am sure from next time he would think twice to say I love you to anyone and propose them for a marriage!" she said resisting to laugh.
"I know baby these rich people only think of their own good. If they love you, they just come to you. In case you had said that to him, he would have totally said no!"
"If she had asked for a life, I would have given that too!" Arnav's mind said.
"Exactly," she said as she gave him disgusting look.
"Anyways, forget about it baby...Let's go we don't have time for such creeps!" Karan said as they both turned around to leave from there.
The moment he saw Khushi going away from him, he came out of his trance. He wasn't going to accept that Khushi, the girl for whom he was ready to give his life was saying all that to him.
He immediately held her by her arm. Khushi angrily turned around, freed her hand and slapped him.
"Don't even dare to touch me, last night and today you had done the mistake and I bared it. But next time, I won't!" she warned him. "Better stay away from me!"
Karan got angry as he touched Khushi, he too came forward and held by collar. Arnav's hand turned into a fist, but he didn't move an inch. For the whole time, he was looking at Khushi, who only looked at in anger, as he had done a crime.
"Karan leave him, let's not just waste our time. We have better things to do in our lives!" she said and Karan immediately freed his collar and pushed Arnav back.
"And one more thing," she spake and threw the rose in his face and it lapidated his soul. "Take this rose, your so called heart," she snapped. "I don't need it!"
"I have my heart and my love!" she said looking at Karan.
Than she gave him one angry look, before she shortly moved her gaze from him. Then she looked at Karan calm, and composed as she have him her best twinkling smile.
Arnav felt that she had nothing for him, but a pure hatred towards him. She made Karan wrap his arms around her waist.
"Let's go sweetheart," she said and didn't even looked at once back at Arnav.
Arnav couldn't do anything. Nothing. He literally felt his dream shattering, he himself felt broken from inside as she slowly distanced away from him, hand in hand with the person she said was her husband.
His heart eroded when Karan lightly kissed her on her cheek.
Then he saw the rose, that he had given her, that now laid in front of him, crumpled, resembling his heart, under the feet of his lady love.
Broken apart his body was betraying him and he fell on his knees. Rain poured heavily.
***
"What did he do?" the Cupid asked as they saw Arnav from heavens.
"Love!" female Cupid answered.
"Like us?"
"Yes!"
"Why he is so sad then?"
"He loved, he failed! His love showed her back to him."
"Could someone seriously get this big punishment for falling in love that also in a worst way?"
"It's not a punishment, however, a test."
"Please god bring her back...please God tell me it's a bad dream," Arnav pleaded as tears rivered down his eyes, mingling in the rain.
"So do we have to help him to pass the test!"
Female Cupid couldn't answer her partner. As she looked at Arnav.
"Does your silence means she wasn't meant for him!?" he assumed.
She shrugged her shoulder.
***
As she chose her route different from him, the dream that he had decorated, fell like a castle made in the air. Was his love that weak?
The dream that twinkled in his eyes streamed down in the form of tears.
"What if I had decorated a world of love? What if I listened to my heart. Tell me what was wrong in it?" he asked as he looked into the skies.
Unknowingly, he had connected his soul with the person who really didn't even care.
It was his innocent heart that thought the world is just like the way he had been seeing it, but now he knew he was wrong.
He was told once, young love is nothing, but a innocent mistake, and he did, unknowingly. He did that sweet mistake and tripped badly.
The tears in his eyes were telling him that the strings of heart are easy to break and hard to join...But that easily, it would break, he didn't know!
His innocent heart misunderstood the reality of the love...
Love is nothing, but a game.
Her beautiful face was still so vivid and clear in front of his eyes.
Only one sight of her, he had fallen in love with her.
He had loved...
Nothing much happened...His heart devastated that would never ever learn to love.
It was only his childish heart was at mistake.
"No, it was his first love and it wasn't a mistake. Because he knew his love for her was pure."
"What if I loved someone, God? What if I listened to my heart? Is it a crime to listen to your heart. Answer me!" he shouted. "Why did you brought her in my life, if we weren't suppose to be together? Why?"
"Why you stupid heart of mine fell in love?" Arnav shouted as he brutally hit chest.
"Why even blame when the expectations were set too high!?"
"It was the sweetest mistake I did!" he admitted. "But never again!" he told himself followed by the bitter conclusion.
"Thank-you Khushi for being the first and my last love," was his last words he said at her back.
***END OF FLASHBACK***
After 5 months...
Three days before Arnav, Lavanya marriage.
"Yes, please make sure the marriage planners are here in an hour...It's quite..." Khushi said. She was busy on phone and hasn't realized someone coming. She bumped into the hard steel body.
All the bags from the person's hands fell to the floor.
"I am so sorry!" Khushi apologized as she immediately squatted down and picked up the bags.
"I am really really sorry!" she again said as she held bags in her hand.
Her gaze then slowly fell on the person's shoes. As she slowly stood up as she continued to look up until her eyes looked at the person's face, who stood tall in front of her. After five months she was seeing him, again. He was no more a Arnav that she saw last time at his and Lavanya's engagement.
He looked no like that cute, adorable, childish Arnav, but a man who is a grown up man, dashing business man.
The great businessman "Arnav Anatoli Singh Raizada!" who had made his own name in the world of the business. He was no more Arnav that the world might have known few months ago.
His style, his persona, his identity...It took little time for her to back to the reality.
For Arnav, the moment he looked at her, all over again the words she had told him played in his mind.
He felt the same old Arnav returning, whose heart was literally crushed. But over this time, even though short, he had learnt too have control over his heart. He stood emotionless in front of her. No anger, no pain, nothing, but a plain expression on his face.
"I am sorry Arnav!"
"AASR!" Lavanya said from behind. "He is Arnav Anatoli Singh Raizada!" she corrected her.
"I am sure you have been taught to be respectful," she further added. As she stood shoulder to shoulder with Arnav.
"Maid," she shouted.
"Yes, La mam!" maid said as she came to her.
"Take these bag from the care taker and put in my room!"
Maid nodded as she obeyed her order. "Next time you better be careful, Mrs. Khushi!" she snapped angrily. As Arnav kept looking at her.
"ASR, I am really sorry, nowadays, care takers has forgotten their place!"
Arnav didn't say anything as it didn't matter who Khushi really was.
Khushi didn't care either, to pay much attention and left from there and continued with her call.
"I swear, if it wasn't for mom and dad, I would have thrown her out of the house!" she fumed.
***At the wedding day***
"Yes, pandit ji, I bring Lavnaya down..." she hurriedly said to the priests.
"Arnav son just an hour, than my princess will be yours!" she said as she kept her hand on his shoulder.
There wasn't any response from him, but a smile. Even Payal stood at the side. Looking at Arnav, who sat in the mandap...It was only her that knew that it wasn't his own decision. He was forcing himself into the marriage. His decision was wrong, he doesn't love La and to some extent may be La doesn't love him either. How much truth that was nobody knew!
Payal had talked to Khushi, then even she was distorted to know the fact she was married. After that there was no hope.
Payal understood, she couldn't do anything about that fact and especially when she had heard that Khushi was now pregnant with Karan's child.
"I don't know what's destiny has chosen for my chote!" Payal thought. She instantly wiped her tears before they could escape her eyes.
5 months it had been. He had shut himself from the world and himself.
Life didn't take a minute to turn his world into a big mess. Surely, everyone was quite impressed of the AASR success, especially, his dad. But no one was acquaintance with the real him. No nobody was aware of his state.
Almost the whole family, except Payal, were quite convinced that Arnav really wanted to marry Lavanya.
***
Everyone turned their faces towards the beautiful bride, Lavanya that came downstairs, accompanied by her mother.
"Princess please smile, this is a big day of your life!" she said. La looked at her as she stopped at the staircase, for a while. "Everything will change for you today!" she added.
"What happen, princess!?" she asked as she saw la looking in her eyes.
"Yes, everything will change mom!" she said. There was a tone of grief in her voice, as her whole prospective to see things had been changed.
"Today was a big day..."
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