Drawn to you

Zero

New Delhi..Santivan

The gigantic palatial house called Santivan now had no Shanti..

Why? Due to the missing of the daughter in law of the house,Mrs Arnav Singh Raizada,Mrs Lavanya Raizada,formerly known as Lavanya Kashyap..

Lavanya had gone to meet her parents who had come to visit her,from London. Though Raizadas insisted on them staying in their home,the Kashyaps had denied it. So Lavanya wanted to spend some time with her parents and left,just informing Arnav. And she had not taken any driver too. Stubborn woman..

As she was late,Arnav called her again and again after reaching home. But she didn't pick up. Soon her phone was switched off.  Arnav called Mr and Mrs Kashyap. They told him,she had left after having meal together in the afternoon. And it made Arnav worried. The car had tracker in it. Due to the constant threats he received. As soon as he connected,it was shown,in the outskirts of the city.

Arnav called Police and drove there himself. The car had crashed to a tree. But Lavanya was no where. The FIR was written as it was clearly an accident. Yet no body was found.

Arnav returned home,as it was close to midnight already.  A high profile case like that required special attention and it was given.

Anjali fainted when she heard about the accident. She started blaming herself for not caring for her sister in law. She was four months pregnant. Arnav had no energy to console her. He just patted her back and left to his room. His life was collapsing once again and he could not find anything to hold on..

As he sat,flashback continued..

"Arnav..Arnav.."a chirpy voice chirped..

And a girl with long black hair,wearing traditional salwar suit,with lot of glitter was coming towards the man in simple white tee shirt and blue denims..

"Arnav..Khushi is here. Run.."said Aman and laughed out loud..

Arnav sighed closing his eyes. There she was. Again to call him Arnav. And to give him something. Her innocent eyes,her eyes filled with hope and dream,it scared him..

And he took it as fake. Her innocence. Her smiles. Her existence..He took it all fake. But Khushi continued to follow his footsteps. She was a constant in his life..

And on the insistence of his friends,he agreed to go on a date with Khushi. She was looking so happy. Like she won a lottery. Arnav never understood why she was so happy? Why was she so persistent? What kind of love it was..

Khushi took him to her favourite place. A garden. With lots of flowers. And lots of old trees. Pulling out the carrier in her bag,she laid down the dishes. May be she cooked them. Arnav ate them with skeptism..

As they roamed around,Khushi was hopping here and there like a butterfly. Arnav was looking at her,so excited about everything..

Soon the day came to an end. Khushi looked at the man before her. She had never seen him as a young boy. She felt Arnav was mature. He took things seriously. But the scene she saw yesterday told her,he was still a boy. A young boy. Still she cherished every moment she had with Arnav. As the bus stop came,she looked at the man getting down. He did not look back. Nor did he bid her goodbye. Just left. Khushi sat as the bus took her away.

As Arnav recalled,he remembered,looking at the gate again and again for that familiar face,that chirping words. He looked for her. After a week or so,went to her classroom. But her classmates told him,she had left.

Then Arnav forgot her..He had even had a fight with Aman. Telling him,how wrong he was. For Aman had made a bet with him,that he would like Khushi. And if he did not,then he would never force Arnav into anything. Arnav had accepted the bet. At told Aman,Khushi was also like other girls. There,just because of his looks..Both had made a bet. And Arnav had lost it. Because he had felt something for Khushi. He had started considering Khushi as his girlfriend. After that day. But Khushi had never appeared again. Arnav did not accept Aman' s bet. And it ensued a big fight. And a promise that,Aman would never ever utter her name again,before him..

Arnav Singh Raizada also got busy. But at times that girl,in the garden,laughing,playing,flashed in his memory,making him lost.

Soon he got married to Lavanya Kashyap,arranged by his grandmother after seeing a controversy of ASR and Super model Lavanya Kashyap. Arnav did not reject it. He had to get married. Why not Lavanya then. The grand marriage was the talk of the town. Many big shots came to bless the couple. But somehow,even at that moment,all he could feel was,her anklets,her eyes,laughing at him,from a distance..

As if telling him,how he broke her trust. How easily he hurt her. And at times Arnav wished to pull that shadow,and shake her telling her,it was she who broke his trust..

Flashback ends..

As Arnav slept,a not so peaceful night passed. Surprisingly he was sad,but not that sad,worried but not to the point of breaking down..May be it was her. Her thoughts, memories kept him sane..