Arhi FF: Us Against the World

Chapter 7

Khushi Kumari Gupta born Khushi Sharma was a happy child. She spread happiness wherever she went. Her infectious smile, tinkling laughter and chirpy personality was the reason she was liked by everyone. Her parents doted on her. Her Amma made her delicious sweets to satisfy the cravings of her sweet tooth and her Babu ji told her interesting stories about princesses and castles. Her life was perfect.

She was 8 years old when they were driving to the wedding of a close relative in their car. She was happily munching on the chips listening to the old Hindi music that her parents liked on the radio when she suddenly felt herself jolt forward and everything was black. She woke up with a buzzing sound near her ear and looked around to see their car upside down with smoke coming out of it. She couldn't move her body but felt the choked voice of her Babu ji calling to her. She started crying then feeling ache all over her body and her father shushed her telling her that she was his brave girl. She asked him where Amma was and he told her that she was sleeping because she was tired. It was the eerie silence and the darkness around her that made her call out her Babu ji and admit that she was scared. He started telling her a story about the princess who was courageous and kind, who never gave up come what may and spread happiness wherever she went. His soothing voice dulled when she finally fell into a deep slumber on the lonely road amidst the darkness.

The next time she opened her eyes, she had met the kind and concerned eyes of her Mausa ji. He had patted her head and told her that she was going to live with him from now on. She had immediately refused as her Amma Babu ji never agreed to sleepovers. Seeing the tears in her eyes, he had told her parents had become stars and had asked him to watch over her. Her Mausi had hugged her and kissed her promising to fulfil the responsibility her parents had left her. Her Payal Jiji had held her close in her embrace offering her silent support and Jiji's Bua ji had frowned at her but patted her head with a sympathetic gaze. Her journey as Khushi Kumari Gupta had started from there.

She had felt empty inside, often muffling her sobs in the night as to not disturb her Jiji sleeping beside her. She had started calling Mausi and Mausa ji her Amma Babu ji respectively but the ache in her heart refused to go. They all loved her but she wanted her own parents more than anyone else. There was no one to tell her stories and her fear of darkness was increasing. It was one night she had wandered into the kitchen when she had seen her new Babu ji cooking something and smiling to himself. She had stood there watching him and he had gestured for her to come closer. She had been surprised to see him making the orange swirls in the hot oil and was fascinated when he dipped it in the sugar syrup urging her to taste it. They were the yummiest jalebis she had ever tasted and for the first time, she had felt like home. Her Amma used to make jalebis similar to this. She had sobbed into Shashi's arms as she ate and he let her.

With time, she had grown up to become the same happy child that everyone adored. Even though there was still a dull throb in her heart, she never let her smile falter lest someone sees the pain she hid very well behind it. She lived for others. She made her family laugh with her childish antics and learned to ignore the jibes of being an orphan from relatives. She never let Amma and Bua ji know that it stung her whenever they put Jiji first. She felt lucky enough to be part of their family. In all this, Khushi had befriended the loud and confident Preetika Kaur, a true Punjabi whose family had shifted to Lucknow because of her father's job. Preetika, known as Preeto, was the perfect companion that made Khushi feel like an equal and both of them kept everyone on their toes with their pranks. Khushi opened up more to her than anyone else.

When Khushi had gone to Sheesh Mahal, she had met a Rakshas. She had been scared but had defied him in her own way. That night, Amma and Bua ji had said in words what she had felt in years, an orphan. Her heart had broken on the bitter words but she had comforted herself knowing how upset all of them were. Her babu ji's kind words had made her feel a little better and she had thanked her Devi Maiyya for giving his unconditional support and love to her. Everything was well until she had met that Laad Governor in Delhi again and again. Preeto had teased her that it was fate and maybe he was her prince charming and Khushi had bitten her head off. Arnav had challenged her, pushed her, humiliated her and done everything in his power to break her. She had told him her innermost feelings, something she hadn't shared with even Preeto, and he had let her see a glimpse of the Rajkumar when he had apologized to her with unshed tears. He had cared for her too, letting her cry on his chest for her Babu ji, nursing her to health in Nainital, beating the goon who dared to push her, paying the hospital bill and finally putting his hand on her head to tell her that he's there for her. But she had stood strong, not letting him see the ultimate effect that he had unknowingly had on her - love. She had seen stars and flowers falling, seen him everywhere, experienced dhak-dhak only to be left heartbroken on Diwali. Up until now, Bua ji had used every trick in the book to get her to agree with marriage to her favourite Shyam Babua, even reminding her that she owed Shashi for taking in an orphan. She had given up then.

She had seen Shyam as an acquaintance, not even a friend. How could she then see him as her husband? Her smiles had grown forced, she had felt uncomfortable being alone with him and felt her resolve to break whenever she saw Arnav's eyes on her, asking questions that she didn't have answers for. She could do this for her family at least. She had to physically stop Preeto from marching to Bua ji's house and giving them a piece of her mind. When Khushi had come to know of Shyam's treachery, amongst many other emotions, she had felt the relief of not getting into an unwanted relationship. She had been devastated by the hurt she would cause Anjali ji, and in consequence, Arnav. Her Amma's pleading look, Bua ji's apprehension and Jiji's fake smiles had led her to the decision of not disclosing Shyam's true face. Somewhere, she still felt responsible for her Jiji's broken marriage.

During her Jiji's wedding, Arnav had come closer to her. She felt warmth spread through her at the way he looked at her with burning desire. She felt goosebumps erupt on her skin when he came closer to her. She felt uninhibited when he had danced with her touching her everywhere with the Haq that only he seemed to have. The way he had flirted with her afterwards, the way he had pulled her closer and kissed her, the way she had returned his kiss and the way they have looked at each other with knowing smiles, basking in the newly found dynamic in their relationship. He had screamed at her in anger and for the first time, she had seen the mask slip and knew that he cared more than anyone if she was in that ambulance. She had hissed not with pain but with the intensity of his stare when he used his mouth to pull out the broken bangle from her wrist. The smile she had seen on his face when she was forced to show him the bangles he gifted her had her heart soar. If anyone ever told her that Arnav Singh Raizada will bring her bangles and become a waiter for her, she would've sent them packing to a mental asylum. But he had done that and so much more. The dhak-dhak was stronger than ever and for the first time, she was feeling the emptiness inside her fade and she felt complete knowing that her feelings were reciprocated.

When Shyam had shown up on the terrace and confessed his love towards her, she had finally felt the anger course through her. To this day, she had ignored his advances praying to Devi Maiyya to give her strength and let him see sense, but he didn't give up. He was repeatedly trying to approach her, manipulate her, threaten her and manhandling her. She had tried to scrub off his touch on Sangeet and when she had finally gained the courage to tell her family, her Bua ji had warned her not to create any more drama on this wedding even before she could get a word out. She had borne it all. She had pushed Shyam off her and asked him to leave Anjali ji because he didn't deserve her, ignoring the bruises forming around her wrists and arms.

Later, she had been dragged by a furious Anjali ji and was blamed for wrecking her home. Her character was left in tatters with the kind of accusations she and Mami ji hurled at her. No one stood up for her, not even her own family. Her every attempt to stop them was squashed and she was finally numb. Seduced, characterless, whore, the disguise of innocence, golddigger, were just some of the words thrown. Babu ji's whimpering, Amma's disappointment, Bua ji's glare, Jiji's crying, she thought death would be an easier punishment. Until he had come. He had openly declared his love and trust for her. He had protected her.

Last night, she had the same dream. Darkness, a lonely night and her real Amma Babu ji calling out to her. Arnav had again held her in his embrace and she had pretended to sleep. Was it fair for her to keep him like this when his sister was suffering? Would she be able to prove herself when everyone was against her? And lastly, would Arnav even want her at the expense of his relationship with his sister?