The Bet is up

Chapter 3

She unlocked her apartment and entered inside the dark and lonely home. A home which used to be filled with the light of happiness and cheerfulness of her family is now just another empty house.

A lone tear escaped her eyes and she quickly wiped it off. She laid down on the sofa and closed her eyes in darkness not wanting the light. She had developed a hatred towards it.

"Khushi, Aye Khushi get up bacha." Khushi's mother, Garima called her out.

Khushi was lying lazily on the sofa as she was very tired after her school and tuitions back to back.

"What happened mummy? Let me sleep na." She whined.

"Get up Khushi and have your favourite adrak waali chai." She said whilst caressing her hair.

She got up lazily and kissed her mom happily seeing her favourite chai.

"Thank you Mummy I love you." She squealed.

And with she started talking about her day in university, how she made a new friend name Payal and how big the university was.
Garima listened to her with a smile on her face and pride in her eyes. She wanted her daughter to be a free bird and always chirp like this.

"Didi." Khushi woke up abruptly hearing that and realized she was dreaming again. She wasn't in her happy place anymore, the darkness had overtaken it. Her eyes filled with tears again but she resisted it.

"Didi, here is your chai. I tried to make your favourite one." Meera told.

Meera was only a year younger to Khushi. She lived with Khushi and her parents since childhood when her mother used to work here and now she is living here after her mother expired. Khushi never treated her as a maid but as a sister because Meera provided her much needed support always. She always felt that there is at least someone in her family.

"Thank you, Meera." Khushi took a sip from it.

"You go and freshen up, I'll serve the dinner." Meera said.

"Yes in a minute." Khushi said plainly.

"Didi?"

"Haan."

"Are you okay?" Meera asked, concerned.

"Hmmm." She answered

Meera knew she might be hiding her tears. Every second she is living in pain and still never ever expresses it. A chirpy and bubbly girl suddenly transformed to an aloof and quiet one and how can she not when she was left with nothing but loneliness in life. Guess this damage can't be repaired!!

Khushi and Meera silently ate their dinner with Meera describing her day and her crazy antiques which made Khushi laugh a bit. Meera was relieved to see her smile. Suddenly she remembered what happened in afternoon. She didn't want to make her upset again but she had to tell her no matter what.

"Didi." Meera called.

"Hmm." She answered whilst eating.

Meera gulped nervously and said "He... He called."

Khushi's eyes snapped at her in horror.

"Mom... Mom." Arnav shouted in the living room of the big Raizada mansion.

"What happened Chhote? Stop shouting like this have some manners." Ratna Singh Raizada, Arnav's mother, came out of the kitchen and scolded him.

"I am getting late and I couldn't find you so." Arnav said making a puppy innocent face.