Fasten your seatbelts guys, this one's an emotional ride. And thanks to all, who are on-board.❤ Don't forget to check an imp note at the end too.
Also, pls watch the video posted above, this Lucky Ali song is a gem and reflects khushi's life here.
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Khushi opened her eyes, trying to get the remnants of sleep away. She glanced over at the large French window of the bedroom and saw him standing there, looking outside. Rohit. Her husband whom she married almost a year ago. He was not a morning person so she was surprised to see him up and ready already.
Her mind wondered to a memory of a morning of some 5 years ago, when someone else used to stand near the windows and look outside and she would get irritated. Because that someone would force her to wake up too and come to the window to see the morning glory. That someone who used to be her everything...her childhood sweetheart, her best friend, her lover, her Arnav!
She still remembered the time when they were in a relationship, those were the most beautiful 6 years of her life! She was just 15 and they all were in high school when Arnav proposed her to be his girlfriend. He was 1 year senior to her and was considered most handsome boy of their school while she was touted as the prettiest girl so when they got together, they looked like a Disney couple from a teen movie!
And then started their cute, sweet romance. They went to the same university in Delhi, she and Rohit pursued arts while Arnav pursued engineering. And after her 18th birthday, on her every birthday since then, Arnav used to whisk her away to Mumbai, for he loved that city. And her elder sister Payal had to make excuses for her at home, sometimes saying it was a college trip, sometimes group outing organized by Khushi's class, sometimes some of Khushi's friend's engagement and what not.
Her mind wondered to their last escapade to Mumbai, shortly after their families got to know about them and her parents banned her to meet Arnav anymore. An angry young man that Arnav was, he came to her house the very next day with his mama-mami and nani and directly asked for her hand in marriage. Khushi had stood shocked at his impulsive step and so were her parents. Her babuji was skeptical of him as he himself was barely 23 but seeing her pleading face, he relented and thus they had gotten engaged a week before her 22nd birthday. The wedding date was set a year later though, so Arnav could settle in their family business.
And when Arnav asked her parents to let them celebrate her birthday in Mumbai, they didn't object much. Besides her jiji Payal, Arnav's cousin Akash, their school friend Lavanya and her best friend Rohit were coming too.
If only her parents knew that she won't be sharing the room with Payal but with Arnav, just like every time they visited Mumbai. Arnav had booked the same hotel, with a sea facing room on its 35th floor.
Flashback:
Khushi woke up to the sound of the bathroom door opening and a freshly showered Arnav came out. He noticed she was up and with a goofy smile, started taking small steps to her
"Good morning my sleepyhead fiancé" he kissed her on her lips. Arnav was such an early riser, no matter when they slept. And then again, he didn't want to miss watching sunrise reflecting on the ocean water.
"good morning" she wished back and looked at the bedside alarm clock. It showed 7 am. She could use some more minutes of sleep before they had to meet everyone for breakfast.
"Khushi, come here, see how beautiful it looks." Arnav who was now standing near the balcony of their hotel room, asked her to join him in the sight-seeing...
She knew what he would be looking at. Arabian ocean! She could never understand what was with him and his love to watch the deep sea!
She pulled on the robe and went to him, hugging him from behind and keeping her chin on his back.
"Arnav, sometimes I feel you love oceans more than me" khushi mock complained as she noticed his intense look as he watched the tides hitting the shore.
"haha no sweetheart, I don't love anyone more than you. But you know na what I feel about these deep waters? It attracts me like anything, calls me, the tides invite me to find out what's hidden in its chest. Shayad iss liye kyunki-"
"Tumhare naam ka matalab samundar hain. Arnav means ocean! I know. We have talked about it so many times. You feel since your name is literally a namesake of it, you have some spiritual connection with these oceans" Khushi could not understand his strong pull to oceans though. And every time they talked about it, he told her his name itself connected him to it.
"Maybe I have a connection to it, or maybe I am supposed to connect with it fully, one day. Mann karta hain iss gehre paani mein puri tarah sama jau(I wish to lie within these deep waters)"
"ARNAV!" Khushi admonished and slapped him, did he even understood what he said?
End of Flashback
"Khushi? what happened?" Rohit's concern filled voice broke her trance. And when he reached out to wipe her cheeks, she realized, she had been crying. 4 years to that fateful day, 4 years when Arnav chose his love for ocean over their life together and ultimately left her alone. And she still felt the pain as raw as it was then.
She looked at her husband of 1 year. Rohit Bahl! Her other best friend. Someone who always stood by her through thick and thin. Someone who pulled her out of the darkness that surrounded her after Arnav went away, supported her even when she had given up on herself.
How was she ever going to pay him back? Why was he so good?
Khushi's heart warmed with affection looking at him and instinctively she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him to her.
Rohit's traitor heart hoped it was finally a start of something between him and Khushi.
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A/N – The shayri part in the sneak peek was Rohit's feelings for khushi, as its him whose unsaid love she didn't understand and next chapter will be his POV. There are very few stories with a positive third angle for khushi while quite a few have someone in arnav's life than her. So please give this one a chance too and be patient with all 3-4 chapters this SS will have and its spin off. Having said that, right now arshi are separated but I am an arshi fan so have faith in me :)
p.s. As promised, I have already shared the link of epilogue of prev SS and glad some of you already liked it, thanks. If this SS makes you sad, go back and read that one :D Also, some of you had inboxes closed so I couldn't DM you, message me in that case & I'll send the link.
