PHIR SE

Illusion

CHAPTER 13

ILLUSION

“What?”

Arnav scrunched his face, “Why are you so shocked? I just asked you to dance with me. This all was just to thank you for guiding me around the city.”

Khushi then realized that he had not asked her to marry him. Maybe she was daydreaming, which is not her fault. The ambience is just like how they propose marriages in movies.

“You were asking me to dance only?” she asked.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me properly. Let me repeat, Miss Khushi devi Upadhyay will you bestow me the pleasure of having a dance with you?”Arnav smiled.

Khushi giggled,"Angrez Lard governor!”

“What? What did you just call me?” Arnav looked at her in shock.

“LARD GOVERNER!”and she ran away to her room with both the cakes. “Thanks for the cakes, Raizada ji!”

Arnav shook his head and smiled as he caught a glimpse of 10 year old Khushi in the young woman who ran to her room.

***************

“Sir! I didn’t understand what you did at all!”

“When do you understand, Aman?”Arnav chuckled on his armchair.

“Sir, you made these all arrangements to propose her right? Then, why didn’t you propose her?”

“Which idiot told you that I was going to propose her and give her the fairy tale wedding she wants? I am sure I never said that!” Arnav shrugged.

“But... But this all candle light, cake and etcetera are arranged only when you are proposing a girl! I have seen this in movies, read it in books...”

“You too fell for the illusion, Aman. Sometimes what’s real is something you can't see.
All these arrangements relate to proposing and all that shit, so Khushi’s mind must surely have thought of marriage with me at least once.
This was all just to insert that  thought into her mind, without me actually saying all that crap to her.
She is a storyteller but today I told her a story without saying even a word about it to her.
You yet seem very confused Aman. So, leave. Let me sleep, that Syam was really tiring!” Arnav mocked as he went towards his bed while Aman nodded confusedly and left the room.

***************

Khushi sat on her bed with her laptop on her lap. She was typing the climax of her story with one hand while relishing the cake with the other hand. However, her mind yet wandered around Arnav. She was describing the same terrace scene which happened with her as the climax of her story, dreamily.

Tu nazm nazm sa mere

Hontho pe theher jaa

Arnav turned to his right sleeplessly thinking of the friendship Khushi and Dev held years ago.

Main khwab khwab sa teri

aankhon mein jaagu re

Khushi’s mind struck at Dev, her childhood love. “No! I can't fall in love with anyone except you, Dev. I am quite sure I loved you! I was made for you, that is what everyone told me!”she sighed to herself.

Tu ishq ishq sa mere

rooh mein aakar bas jaa

jis or teri shehnaai

us or main bhaagun re

A paper ball hit 15 year old Dev on his head, making him turn to the direction from which the paper ball landed on his face. He scruched his face although he was not surprised to see Khushi outside the door doing weird actions. She was signalling him to come to the river bank once his class gets over. He smiled at her craziness.

Mere dil ke lifaafe mein

Tera khat hain jaaniya

Ter khat hain jaaniya ve

Naacheez ne kaise paali

Jannat ye jaaniya ve

Khushi and Dev were sitting near  the river bank when suddenly they both broke into a tiff. Angrily Dev went away. Khushi, angry about this tiff also tried to move away. Unfortunately she slipped and was about to fall into the river when Dev came and held her hand pulling her into a hug.
“ Trust me, I won't ever let you fall.” Khushi giggled.

Haath tham le piya

Karte hain waada

Ab se tu aarzoo

Tu hi hain iraada

Khushi's eyes were covered with a dupatta as she attempted to catch Dev. In frustration of not being able to catch anyone, she hit her foot against a wall, leaving her greater toe blue.
“AAH! DEV!” She screamed in pain.
He immediately carried her in his arms and tended to her now violet foot.

Mera naam le piya

Main teri rubaahi

Dev and Khushi both danced in the rains, jumping on puddles, skipping with the same rope.

Tere hi toh piche piche

barsaat ayi

barsaat ayi   

Dev was watering his plants when Khushi came tiptoeing to play a prank on him. She had turned the water supply off. Surprised by this, Dev stared inside the water pipe to check for any blockage in the pipe. At that very instant, Khushi turned on the water supply causing  him to become completely drenched. She came out of her hiding place, giggling on the success of her well executed prank. Dev sprinkled water on her from the pipe drenching her with him.

Tu itr itr sa mere

Saanson mein bikhar jaa

An innocent Khushi bent to Dev’s shoulder while gazing the stars. "You will marry me when I grow up?”

"What? No ways! You will irritate me throughout my whole life like the Sankadevi you are if I marry you!” he teased her.

“You won't marry me?” she cried.

“ No, don’t cry. Of course, I will marry you. Who else shall agree to take the responsibility of such a crazy girl?”he consoled her.

“Promise?”she looked up to him.

“Pakka promise!”

Main fakir teri qurbat ka

tujhse tu maangu re

****************

Khushi stirred slightly as her alarm rang. She let out a big yawn and went into the balcony to do her excecise. She did the Surya namaskara then stood upside down on her head .

Scene by scene the whole last night came into her vision. She blushed thinking of everything Arnav had done for her the last night. His thoughts made her lose her balance and she fell!

“OUCH! This Raizada! He is really making me out of my mind. Why did I think of marriage with him?" She held her forehead and ranted.

"Marriage!" She gasped and stood up. "It is Esha’s marriage today! Hey devi maiyya! I need to get ready really fast!”

She ran towards the washroom.

Arnav smirked from outside the door, Glad to know that my thoughts have already occupied your mind. Time for part 3 of plan to start, Khushi.

************

Khushi descended downstairs to her sister, Esha’s room. She had been assigned the duty of decorating the bride on this special day.

After doing so, she went to her mother who had joint her hands together while talking to some men. Who were they? She thought as she recognised bone of them.

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