This is a Short Story related to Arnav and Khushi's contract/hate marriage track.
On their wedding night what if Arnav couldn't bear to let Khushi sleep outside in cold Delhi air? Can there be a different end to the torturous night? Can he really ha...
Anjali asked Khushi and Arnav to get changed and come for tea.
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Khushi enters the bedroom she shares with Arnav and took out her clothes from the jhola (a jute bag) that Buaji had got her in Pag Phera. Arnav picked up his clothes from the wardrobe.
To avoid the interaction, both head for the bathroom but reach out for the door handle at the same moment. At the contact a moment of awkwardness crept in. Their eyes darted here and there and fall on the deck chair outside where dhadkane became one... jo tum mehsoos karti ho, jo main mehsoos karta hoon.
Khushi watches him, desperately hopeful, "Aapko kuch yaad hai?" [Do you remember anything?]
Arnav cannot give in "Nahi. Mujhe kuch yaad nahi hai." [No. I don't remember anything.] and since he cannot lie, he turned away. Arnav missed the disappointment that flicks across her face.
He too had to ask.."tumhe?" [and you?]
She too chose to lie..."nahin... bilkul nahin..."[no, absolutely nothing]. Maybe given his reply, she had no choice...
Both were slightly relieved that they got away with it, but it still hurt..no matter what the reason was for refusing to admit the truth... they felt terrible..
They pause for a moment and, now they are rivals. "Pehle main jaaonga," [I'll go first] he is brusque.
Instantly outraged, Khushi claims that she got to the door first.
"Mera ghar hai, I'll go first." [It's my house, I'll go first.] how terribly adult Mr. Raizada!
Even though they had denied remembering their interaction to each other, the Rabba ve moment they shared earlier unlocked something in them. Both felt they hadn't lost everything, and so they were able to go back to their usual flirt-fighting.
"Iss ghar mein humara bhi adhikar hai, hum aapki patni hain."[I have a right too in this house, i am your wife.]
And thus in the confusion of a fight, the simple truth burst out. Whatever the marriage might have been, she wears his sindoor and mangalsutra, and she is ready to claim her haq... (days later, she'd say... I did not ask for this tie, it was foisted on me, but now that I am responsible for it, I shall take care of it...)
Khushi loved this man, even if she had not said it to herself yet. Somewhere perhaps, despite his insane behavior, she could sense the facts lying beneath. The undeniable fact of love that tied them together. She couldn't turn away from the tie he'd forced... she couldn't say it was a sham. She will take it to a place that makes sense... fix what is broken.
Haha..she can play childish too "Di dekhiye na. Arnav-ji hume pareshan kar rhe hain".
Slightly guilty and irritated Arnav turned to save himself as if told on to a parent. Khushi took this opportunity of Arnav's distraction and rushes inside the bathroom. Arnav was left dumbstruck and angry at the obvious lie and falling for it.
