Moonlit nights

Four

"Stop there.."said Khushi as she watched someone in school uniform pause..

She smiled,finally caught the thief..

When she approached,her eyes became wide..

"It's you.."she whispered looking at the teen age boy infront of her..

The boy looked closely at her. Was there a hint of dissatisfication? No. There was only surprise..

"Yes. It's me. Were you expecting someone else to be here? Like that Karan or that pretty boy with whom you were laughing?"Asked the teenager,trying to hide his fluster..

"But you..You never showed any interest in me. You were always so cold,aloof like an untouched mountain of snow. So frigid. You were even angry at me and scolded me many times. How could it be you?"asked Khushi, subconsciously..

Arnav gritted his teeth. This fool..

"Yes,I scolded you because you were standing in the middle of the boys and were not even aware of your surroundings. Khushi your so called friends were making films of you. They were talking about you in the group chats on how you are an easy girl. That you had so many relationships. That you were a bright girl who could keep so many men under her control..

Life is not always about being friendly or being silly. Khushi. Look around you. Even if you feel rebellious. Think about the after effects. You might feel good at this time,with doing these things. But Khushi,a day would come,when you would be afraid to even talk on the stage where you need to talk. What is the use of such life? "Said Arnav..

Khushi opened her mouth..

"No. Donot say I am objectifying things. Khushi. I am just telling the girl I love things. I am telling the woman with whom I want to spend my forever with this. I am not a pure saint. As you see. I have anger issues. I get angry. But Khushi. I donot get get angry. I donot feel rage. Anger is common. It's needed. But rage hurts.

Still if you want to see then see."said Arnav and pulled out his phone to show it to her..

Khushi gulped reading the comments. Her eyes wet..

But Arnav stood silently. It was harsh.  But he was there. He could have ereased these comments. He could have silently wiped them out of the forums. But he did not. He just deleted the extreme comments..

Yes,there were many extreme comments. On Khushi. On many other girls. Even boys too. Once Arnav Singh Raizada was involved,he spend a whole night,and erased them all. Then he even hacked their phones and laptops as a warning. But Khushi did not need to know that. This was his responsibility. He had to do it. Khushi was the trigger. But he had seen many students cry as their private photos were leaked. Even used against them. Some good students even had to help those few bad and lost ones in exams.. Arnav was the school president. He had his own way to know things..

But he thought it might help them too. Every pain was an opportunity to grow up. It might stop those students who were doing things that should not be done in school. Few stopped. But it was slow. Too slow. And the atmosphere was being currupted by these greedy beasts in human clothes..

So he went in. Pulled out the students of his school and few others who were involved in these. They had already made few gangs. Even had names.

No one knew it was Arnav Singh Raizada. There was no need. But Arnav Singh Raizada had the detail of the system every boy and girl in these gang had. He even knew how many porns they kept in the SD cards.

"I am not forcing you to love me. It doesnot matter. If you feel bad. Just take it as a wrong number. Like these letters are not for you. But Khushi take care of yourself. I would not be always around to take care of you. You would grow up. Have your family. Would go to work place. Schools are the best place and best reflection of society. Because we experiment what we see at home. When a kid sees fight he wants to fight or stops the fight. Same..Study well. Okay.."said Arnav and left. Not before giving her a gentle kiss on forehead..

The final year it was.. Actually it was Arnav's last day of class. He did not come after that. But letters were there for Khushi. As usual..

Soon the final exams were over. Arnav and Khushi did not get a chance to meet again. Arnav left for studies. Still as usual in a month at least a letter reached her.. But now,he wrote about his experiences. What he was doing. What he felt during certain class. What he did. He did not ask much about Khushi. Just told her to take care..

Two years later. It was Khushi's final year. A letter came. With a request. Arnav asked Khushi to open an account on Instagram. Because he knew, Khushi's school was over. Then there won't be a way to tell her things. In it he wrote his Id for her..

Khushi did open one. And in two days,Arnav send her a message. Just a message. Khushi smiled.

She did not reply. Wanting to see his reaction. But as usual Arnav kept sending her messages. At least once in a day.

Khushi stood at the entrance of her University. The University where she wanted to study. Not because it was a famous University. But because of that man,sitting under a tree,with a book..

Khushi smiled walking towards him..

"Arnav.."she called out. Arnav was feeling strange. Like his heart was racing like a race car. Something was different from rest of the days..

He looked up. Infront of him stood the girl of his dreams. With a bag across her shoulders,hair open. In her simple dress.

But he felt like he was in a dream..

A dream where he was seeing Khushi infront of him..

"Arnav.. Get up..I need to find my class room'Khushi said as she pinched the man .

"Ohh..Okk. Go left and then on the top floor. That is the Freshers meeting room. Today is the meeting. Go"Arnav  blabbered..

"Arnav Singh Raizada..Have you lost your mind? I am asking you out on a date. Do you think I care about freshers meet? Does it have anything to do with me? Would anyone here mess with me? With you being here?asked Khushi and finally Arnav came back to sense..

He held her hands and took her to the class where all the freshers were gathered..

"Darling. It's your time to shine. Even if no one would do anything. You would miss the beautiful opportunity to see many new faces. And would leave a impression of being arrogant on your classmates. Go and enjoy for an hour. I am waiting downstairs. Same place.. Just finish it and come okay"said Arnav as he kissed her forehead again and held her fingers in his..

She smiled and nodded..

Only Arnav knew just how many times he looked at his watch and how many times he almost walked towards that damn room where his Khushi,his life was. No one can understand. Just how hard it is to wait for few moments. That desperate wish to just pull her away and take her somewhere to hear her talks. To just get lost in her eyes in her hair,in her.. He could never express..

Khushi was smiling. But again and again her eyes were on the window. Was he there? Was he waiting or did he leave? What if he left? What if he is dating soemone else. What if someone is approaching him while I am here. What if he thinks,again I am giving more importance to things around me than him..

She was getting hyper too. But somehow she managed. She met few people. Exchanged contacts. Met the teachers. Then ran downstairs. There he was. Standing at the bottom of the stair. Looking at his phone. Her phone binged. A message..

Telling her,how hard these few minutes are..

And the butterfly flew. Into the arms of her lover..

And Sun and Moon stood witness of their Union..