20 year old Khushi had gone through a lot more in her short life than average girls of her age. Lavanya, her soul sister tried her best to protect her and nourish her.
Arnav, the young CEO of Raizada industries soon falls head over boots for Khus...
Why is she so silent always? I mean I used to think that I was a silent person but this girl seems to be more silent than me. Although I seemed calm from outside, only I knew how restless I was.
She was staring outside the window of the car, leaning against the seat while I looked at her from time to time while driving. How can anyone concentrate on driving while such a beautiful girl is sitting on his favourite car's front seat?
"So, you are Lavanya's sister?" I tried to initiate conversation as we got stuck in Mumbai's world famous traffic. Given the amount of traffic and how far Lavanya's house was, it shall roughly take two whole hours. I can remain silent for two hours when I am alone but right now the situation is completely different.
"Huh...?" She stirred out of her trance. "Jee, haan, I am Lavanya ji's ...sister."
"Hmm, I know Lavanya since so many years. I know her parents too. I never knew she had a sister except Naisha..."
Lavanya had never told me about having another sister. I was friends with La since almost when she joined work. Being an extremely talkative girl, she had told me everything about her extended family. Lavanya was the only child of her parents and she had only one cousin, Naisha, who worked in AR's Delhi branch.
She hesitated a bit. "I ...I am a very distant cousin to her so she might have not told you..."
Seeing her hesitation, I decided to change the topic. She seemed very uncomfortable.
"So, where are you from? I mean where is your native?"
"Satara," she replied.
"Maharashtra? But Lavanya's family hails from Allahabad?"
"Very very distant cousin. Not even cousin actually," She paused for a moment. "I am her father's brother's wife's brother's daughter." She counted on her fingers.
"Oh great! So, you know anything about the sugar industry? Our research team was planning to extend into eco friendly material, sugarcane fibres was seen as a potential option." I said expecting her to build up a conversation.
"I don't know, sir."
She seemed more uncomfortable now, making me decide to keep my mouth shut.
What is her mystery?
***********
As soon as they reached Lavanya's apartment, Khushi rushed out of his car muttering a small "Thank you so much,"eyeing him with tearfully.
Arnav looked on feeling guilty and confused by her behaviour. She had looked very disturbed the rest of the way.
Khushi rushed up the stairs to Lavanya's house and rang the bell many a times.
"I am coming yaar..." Lavanya screamt from across the door. She opened the door "Hi baby! I have tried some cooking, do check it out!" She said in a sing song manner.
But Khushi didn't react, instead she ran inside the house into her room. She clashed her back against the bedroom door and slumped to the ground muffling her cries.
"Khushi?" Lavanya asked, holding her arms.
Tears started flowing down Khushi's eyes and she started crying out loudly.
"What happened Khushi?" Lavanya cupped her round face. Khushi hugged her tightly.
"You know Lavanya ji, that man he used to make my every day miserable. The whips of his belt if I incurred his displeasure or said no, the hot food spilt on my hands if he didn't like it, those terrible nights when I slept on the cold floor after being used by him."
Lavanya's eyes filled with tears hearing the outpour of the trauma her friend has bore for that one year ...those horrendous 365 days ...those painful 8760 hours.
She couldn't even imagine what Khushi had gone through in the young age of seventeen. Seventeen, that age when most of the girls of this modern era were studying, having fun in college with their friends and what not. In that innocent and fun loving age she was bearing this torture.
She smoothed Khushi's hair amd thought of what she used to do with when she was seventeen- frolick around with friends on their new scooters, try food of different restaurants and cafes, fight with her mother about her pocket money, chide her father for video games, celebrate various occassions- some relevant, some not and what not!
She felt thankful to the Gods that they had bestowed her a normal life but why did they give this sweet girl such a harsh life?
"Don't depress yourself by talking about this all, Khushi. Come we will see some comedy movie. Chalo, don't talk about that disgusting man." Lavanya said wiping their both tears and pulling her to get up.
"Sir's hand touched mine when the car took a turn," Khushi said.
"Khushi, no! ASR is not that kind of a man. He is nice, it must have been a mistake. Not knowingly... If you strongly believe so, I will confront him..."Lavanya tried to defend Arnav as she knew Khushi's insecurities.
"I know that, Lavanya ji. I know. I can differentiate between mistake, good touch and bad touch. In no way am I comparing him to that demon. I respect him a lot and his mother, she is like a goddess," Khushi explained, laughing madly.
"Then why were you crying? Why did you remember all that?"
"Arnav ji said sorry for a total 3 times for a slight touch that also on my arm that also by mistake. He asked me if I was uncomfortable. No man, in fact no one has ever said sorry to me, Lavanya ji. My father didn't when he wrongly 'sold' me off, that demon didn't when he did whatever he wanted to, his father didn't when he pushed me off the stairs. I don't understand, no man ever said sorry to me for big heinous crimes they did against me and he said sorry for touching me by mistake." Khushi laughed. Lavanya felt very bad for her state, she wondered when her life shall become better.
**************
Arnav was studying the statistics of his company's profit when suddenly his phone beeped. He was cent percent sure it must be Aman.
From : AMAN
Please have a look at the photos for the Indian collection. Revert soon when should I get them published.
Aman had sent many attachments along with the message. He opened the attachment but due to slow wifi they couldn't be downloaded. He switched on mobile data to open the attachments but once he did his eyes couldn't stray away from those photos.
ओह! यह छवि हमारे सामग्री दिशानिर्देशों का पालन नहीं करती है। प्रकाशन जारी रखने के लिए, कृपया इसे हटा दें या कोई भिन्न छवि अपलोड करें।
He had seen her beautiful smile just once but now as he got to see it at his own disposure as much as he wanted to. Suddenly he felt content, he felt something he had never felt before with any girl he had been with. He suddenly started feeling his heart pump ecstatically making him want to look at the photos even more. He felt this to be stupid and cliché but he had to accept it, he had started harbouring love for Khushi. His happiness.
