Arshi SS: The Ghostly Girl

Chapter 13

"What happened and why are you angry at me?" Arnav asked sitting opposite to Anand on the bed.

Anand looked at him and asked, "Do you remember anything about our first year at Harvard?"

"Yeah, we won a project competition....umm you got a French girlfriend, then we both got into a fight with a guy and...."

"Only in bits! We both remember our first year days in pieces!" Anand said.

Arnav frowned and Anand turned the laptop he was using to Arnav. Arnav leaned and read the article titled "Memory Erasure"

Anand sighed and said "Scientists have developed memory inhibiting drugs. It's not available in markets but only in some high profile hospitals and some rehabilitation centres. It erases unpleasant memories from our brain!"

"Why are you showing me this? Are you trying to tell me that we're given memory inhibitors during first year?" Arnav asked.

"Your sister just admitted that she erased our memories!" Anand said.

"WHAT?"

Anand sighed and narrated his entire conversation with Anjali.

Arnav sat open mouthed and Anand said angrily, "So apparently you and your sister played with a poor girl's heart! You used her to hide your sexuality! You're so pathetic Arnav!"

Arnav looked down and then at him.

"Just use your brain and tell me, do you remember anything ANYTHING about Khushi?" Anand asked desperately, "I promised her that I would help her and bring justice to her! I need to find her killer!"

Arnav shrugged and said, "I don't remember but one thing is for sure....we all are in some way linked to her death!"

"We are" Anand said "I am going to ask you some questions. Will you answer me honestly?"

"Yes"

"Di ki kasam?" Anand asked firmly.

"Di ki kasam" Arnav nodded.

"Are you still in relationship with NK?" he asked.

Arnav sighed and said "Yes"

"How long have you been in relationship with him?"

Arnav looked down and mumbled, "7 years"

"Sorry?" Anand asked.

"7 years" Arnav said loudly.

Anand stared at him in shock and Arnav sighed, "Di doesn't know that. She thinks that I met NK from Harvard but I knew him earlier from high school. He was di's classmate!"

"Then?" Anand asked.

"We both kept it in dark. Then he went to Harvard and after three years I got a scholarship there. During my first visit back from hostel I decided to tell di. So I showed her the photo of NK and then you know the rest..."

"Complete it!" Anand said firmly.

"Complete what?" Arnav asked.

"The story. You showed di the pic and..."

"And she recognized her friend. Then I left the room purposefully so that she will look at other photos. She scrolled through the gallery and...." Arnav suddenly stopped looking at Anand who was smiling at him.

"What happened?" Arnav asked looking at his friend.

"How do you remember all this?" Anand asked smiling.

"I don't remember. You said this to..." he suddenly stopped and his face grew pale.

Anand smirked and said, "You're brilliant Arnav but even brilliant people fall sometimes!"

Arnav gulped and Anand said, "When I told you that I came to know about NK you assumed that I know how Anjali came to know about this. I didn't correct that! I only know that Khushi found out about you and your boyfriend NK!"

"So you..."

"Yes" Anand said standing up, "I didn't know how Anjali came to know about NK. She never told me! Then how the hell do you remember that when we both had our memories erased? How is that possible unless....your memory was not erased?"

Arnav sucked a deep breath and stood up. He gulped and looked at his friend who was staring at him in anger.

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