The Way We Were

Author's Note: INTERMISSION

Hello fam 💖

Let's do a gentle revision as I see some things have started being a high level mystery for my readers.

So, back in '89, Arnav was in a convent school since four years, having taken up the Raizada name and not allowed to keep in touch with his own family. For some reason, his family kept him away from his home, his palace and Subhadra Malik was not aware of where Arnav was staying at all. At the same time, Anjali applied for a scholarship on Khushi's behalf to send her brother's childhood best friend to the city so that Arnav would at least have Khushi one school down.

One fine evening, Sashi Gupta, the trusted right hand man of Arvind Malik, stepped out of the city, and Arvind and Ratna Malik faced their fate amidst rumors of Garima Gupta's character assassination. Turning life upside down,  Garima took the decision to move away with a mysterious understanding from her own husband.

Owing to being an unruly teenager with a craze of pulling pranks of epic proportions, Arnav Singh Raizada got himself rusticated from his convent school, along with his cousin Akash and friend Aman. However, due to the influence of his name, and maybe destiny, the school one block down took him in.

Khushi and Arnav met in Class XI, after four years, and started their friendship where they had left it off. However, on knowing why he lost his parents, Arnav turned sour in private and Khushi was left to ponder alone on his mysterious issue until she realized Arnav didn't know what she did. What every Raizada except Arnav, Akash and Anjali knew.

The friendship strained and they left school without a goodbye, only to realize destiny wasn't done torturing them, throwing them in the same college, thousands of miles away from home. Friends turned strangers, they avoided the other like plague. However, Arnav still cared, like Khushi still loved.

Events led to Khushi losing focus and repeating a few semesters, while going through what one calls, a one night stand.

Meanwhile back in Delhi, Payal and Akash realized their love during college, talked to their parents and were ready to be engaged. Arnav intervened and told Akash of his- or rather Anjali's- version of the night his parents' death, leading to Akash calling it quits for the sake of his mental health.

Meanwhile also in London, Lavanya broke up with Aman impulsively on seeing him supporting the insufferable alter ego Arnav developed, aka ASR. However, after understanding the gravity of what she did, she saved her relationship in the nick of time. Soon after being back in Delhi, she tied the knot with Aman.

Meanwhile also in Delhi, Mahendra Singh Raizada recommended Sashi Gupta work with the Oberois, as the latter had experience to handle financial matters for big estates. For some reason, Ratna Malik's blood trusted the family of the so called mistress of his brother-in-law.

Meanwhile again in London, Khushi had graduated, and once back in Delhi for good became a self employed sweets caterer, thanks to her well wishers. Opportunity knocked at Payal as well, her dance classes getting noticed by the Delhi elite, mainly Khushi's clients, and Payal got offered a choreographer job in Mumbai.

Presently, in '95, Payal Sharma and Khushi Kumari Gupta are moving to Mumbai to start a fresh chapter of their lives, away from the Raizada name, until the mysterious family secret unfolds for the Raizada cousins to take a call about their love.

Next chapter, an interlude back the present present, the movie theater! Much love! ❤️