One Night With You Part-10

At Khushi's flat


The mobile beeped when Khushi switched it on after charging her phone..."Private Number!!" thought Khushi...five missed call alerts from the same number...who is this??

"Khushi...the coffee is ready..", Khushi went to kitchen when Lavanya called her...

That evening after getting discharge Lavanya brought Khushi home...she was little weak...so Lavanya decided to stay over...Khushi was prescribed some sedatives to relax her body, which led her a peaceful slumber last night...no nightmare...

Khushi: Lav...when I was in hospital...who else were there?
Holding the coffee mug in her both palm...to absorb the warmth...
Lavanya: Only Aman was there...when you got admitted...after him no one was there...
Spreading the butter on the toast...

Khushi nodded her head at the confirmation...she thought Nikhil would be there...she needed to talk to him...
Khushi: And Nikhil?? didn't he come?? does he know everything??
Lavanya flinched on the question...she looked at nowhere...trying to control her anger...concentrating on the toast more than before...
Lavanya: yes he came...but i didn't let him to see you...
Khushi: what?? but why...?? (getting all confused)
Lavanya: why??!! (she almost shouted...her eyes wide scrunching eyebrows...perfectly reflecting her anger on Khushi's ques...and disgust for that Nikhil..)

Khushi: Lav..I..woh..
Lavanya: No Khushi...you know very well...if he wanted he could manage everything...he could manage those Agarwals...and also that ASR...but he didn't...
Khushi: Lav its not only about me...you know I needed money...and the work I did was wrong...so these all are justified...
Lavanya: I know...but I can see your distress Khushi...and this is enough...I have seen you when you were at Police station...when you came back from your those bloody assignments...when you came back from that party after not getting any money...whom you are trying to fool Khushi??

Lavanya frowned at her...thinking about those words she just uttered...may be these words...these events hurt Khushi till nowhere...but she'll have to stop this self torture...she'll have to live for herself now...

Khushi: I am not trying to fool anyone...I am just tired with this scarcity of money...thats why whatever came on my way I took that...now what??
Lavanya: I know...but this is the end..I don't know how this Raizada trust came in frame...but they are helping now... so I don't want you to continue this distress anymore...Please...

Khushi just couldn't say anything...she knew very well how much she was suffering...but she also knew there was never any other option...the reality always hit her like the wave of sea hit the stones...with such a force...when it can decay you at the same time can make you strong...

Lavanya: Khushi...(Looking at her very keenly...)
Khushi was looking down...a tear kissing her cheek came down...rubbing her hand on her coffee mug...for no reason...as the coffee was cold now...she looked at her best friend...who is trying to save her...from all the sheer torture she is going through...mentally and physically...

Lavanya shaked her head negatively...notifying the end of all these dramas playing in her life...in which Khushi is playing the lead role...Khushi looked at her friend...wiped her tears...gave a warm smile...reassuring Lavanya that she'll stop this injustice she is doing to herself...and she'll start a new life...as her mother is now getting help from a trust...she doesn't have to think about it anymore...

Lavanya smiled at her...and gave her the toasts she was preparing...she went to the kitchen counter...but Khushi was all lost...her mother...the trust...Raizada trust...she has heard about this family before...the Raizadas...one the most aristocratic families in Lucknow...their mansions...their business...are always on the top list...she has also heard about this family from her father...Shashi Gupta...but not that much...as he worked for Maliks...but he mentioned this Raizadas few times...but how come they suddenly come forward to help her mother?? this thought was itching her mind recklessly...

Khushi was sitting on her chair...thinking everything...She was quite confused with the recent events of her life...the police event was obvious...but her bail thats from AR...confusing...she got admitted in a five star hospital...confusing...Raizada trust taking care the expense of her Mother's treatment...confusing...so many confusion...at one time...she was lost in her own when she heard her mobile rang...she got up from the chair to go to her room...

Lavanya: If its Nikhil...you are not going to meet him...mark my word Khushi...
Lavanya with her stern voice...declaring the finality of her decision...not bothering about anything...except her friend's well being...
"Thank you Devi Maiya"...thinking that Khushi gave her friend a warm thankful smile and moved to her room to take the call...

"Private Number", little surprised Khushi about to press the receive button..the call got cut...she missed the call...she stared at the mobile for some quite seconds...when the phone rang again...the same Private Number...she took the call immediately..

Khushi: hello...
Man: hello..
Khushi: yeah..who is it??
Man: Khushi?
Khushi: yes..
Man: H..hi..this is me...Arnav..
Khushi: Arnav? (flinched a little..thinking about Arnav...where she met him..)
Arnav: yeah..orphanage...

When it clicked her mind...Subhadra Devi's grandson!!
Khushi: Oh Arnav...Hi..I mean Namaste Arnav ji...
She heard Arnav's slight chuckle...
Arnav: Hi..umm..
Khushi: say...how you call me??
Arnav: umm..woh..Can we meet?
Khushi: Ji?? (her eyes went wide.. "Why does he want to see me?" thought playing in her mind...)
Arnav: I said can we meet??

Khushi felt some confusion in his voice...then she understood she sounded confused..
Khushi: No no..I understood...I mean..why??
Arnav: what why??
Khushi: why do you want to meet? ME?
Arnav: Something important...can't say anything on phone..
Khushi: Oh...(she looked lost...thinking of what to say and what not..)
After about brief thirty seconds silence...she heard his voice...
Arnav: So??
Khushi: Huh??
Arnav: Khushi?? You ok??
Khushi: uu..ummm...I..I am..I am good...I mean fine... (she could sense his smirking face on her stammering and her confusion..she slapped her forehead on stupid behavior...)
Arnav: so...can we meet??
Khushi: yes of course..!! why not??
Arnav: so when??
Khushi: when...umm...you tell...
Arnav: ok...today evening at 6..at Cafe Bizz...
Khushi: okay..done...(sighing without any reason..)
Arnav: okay then...bye..
Khushi: wait...how will you recognise me??
Arnav: I know you..I mean I have seen you...remember??
Khushi: oh yeah sorry..!! (biting her tongue...)
Arnav: its ok...(Khushi could hear his chuckle..) and yeah..save my number...!!
Khushi: yeah...
Arnav: bye.
Khushi: bye..(she heard the click of the phone..)

The call disconnected...

At RM

The sunlight was kissing his face...his ruffled hair resting on his forehead...his face was bright...he was feeling better...the water in the pool was dancing with the wind...again the reflection of the sun from the water was gazing over his toned body...a positive vibe was visible in his persona...the morning was good...his mini garden was adding some extra effort to his relief...

Arnav was staring at the phone...it was refreshing talking with this girl...Khushi Kumari Gupta...Khushi...Happy...he chuckled unnaturally...confused girl..he thought...but her voice...so soothing...nice...then he remembered the day he met her 1st...her chirpiness caught his attention...her jovialness remarked her in his mind...he'll meet her today...this time not any accident like last time...last time which reminds him the moment he first met her...her eyes...always haunted him...why...he just couldn't figure out...

Suddenly his mind went to that night...the success party night...that girl...her eyes...tears...no..not only tears...pain...hurt...distress...agony...helplessness...storm...yeah...a silent storm...her eyes were pleading for help...why couldn't he help her...if he wanted he could...easily...but that man...forget it...no meaning of thinking of these...he brushed away his thought...when Hari Prakash came to call him for his breakfast...



At Khushi's flat

"Khushi..", Lavanya's voice brought her back from her shock...yes Khushi was shocked...but more than that confused...because why a person would want to meet her when he or she doesn't know each other properly...she was trying to put two and two together...when Lavanya came in her room...

Lavanya: What happened??
Khushi looked at her with wide eyes...as if she saw a ghost..
Lavanya: No..don't tell me that Nikhil...I promise you this will be the last time when he can use his hand to call someone...
Khushi: no Lav...its not him...
Lavanya: then??
Khushi: Arnavji...(lost in her thought..)
Lavanya: Arnav...now who is this??(with irritated voice..)
Khushi: You remember?? I told you about Subhadra Dadi at orphanage...??(looking at her...as if she was trying to remember something..)
Lavanya: yeah..
Khushi: her grandson...
Lavanya: O..but why did he call you??(with a confused look to Khushi..)
Khushi: He wants to see me...(no expression...neither in her voice nor on her face..)

Lavanya: Okay...nothing is making any sense to me...care to explain??
Khushi: I don't know either...let me meet him 1st..
Lavanya: But you are not well...(moving her eyes from top to bottom of Khushi..)
Khushi: Oh...he doesn't know anything about me...so I can make up something...not to worry...
Lavanya: Handsome??(with naughty smile... twigging her one eyebrow...)
Khushi: Lav..(rolling her eyes..)
Lavanya: Just asked... (shrugged her shoulder...as if she doesn't care..)