Agnisakshi (Under Editing)

13:May they be together forever-1

13: May they be together forever -1

"So Khushi, here is the form. Come on let's fill it together. What subject do you want to opt for?"Lavanya asked, tossing a few cheese balls in her mouth.

"What form is this, La?" Arnav looked towards the laptop screen.

"Mumbai university application form..." Khushi meekly looked towards Arnav. She was yet feeling an electric current in her body after the way Arnav held her to teach her bowling.

"Oh! So you are applying for teaching in a college? That is amazing! I did not know you have cleared NET/SET. Oh! Does this mean AR is going to be deprived of the tasty food you make? Now this is making me sad ..."Arnav ranted dramatically.

"Not teaching ...I ...I..." Now, Khushi was feeling embarrassed to tell Arnav that she was not a graduate. He must be holding such big –big degrees from very reputed universities and I am not even a graduate. Khushi frowned at herself.

"ASR, Khushi is joining the college as a student."

"Oh! Post-graduation? Interesting..."Arnav expressed his excitement.

"No ASR. An undergraduate course. Anyways most people don't complete their graduation by the age of twenty." Lavanya let it out slowly looking at Arnav's shocked expression. Arnav turned his face towards Khushi who was looking down at her lap.

"Please don't mind me asking but how old are you, Khushi?"Arnav looked seriously towards Khushi.

"Hey! You must never ask a woman her age!"Lavanya frowned.

"I asked what is your age exactly, Khushi?"Arnav spoke in a grave voice. "Answer me dammit!" He stood up, making everyone around look at him for a moment.

"Vees(twenty).."Khushi meekly answered.

"What!"Arnav looked at her in shock.

"I am twenty years old, Arnav ji."Khushi let out a sigh, tears welling in her eyes.

Arnav just stared at her in shock.

"Lavanya?" Arnav turned to Lavanya. "Can we talk in private for a second please?"

They both went to a corner leaving Khushi at the table alone, with just a few French fries for company.

"She had told me she was married previously? She doesn't even look like she is just out of her teens. How the hell is she just twenty? I thought she might be at least 23... At what age did she get married?"Arnav bombarded Lavanya with questions. The point that Khushi was Lavanya's relative and that she was not as well educated as La didn't quite fit in for Arnav. He had started getting suspicious of Khushi's past and that did not go unnoticed by Lavanya. She quickly made up a story to hide Khushi's dark past. She did not want Khushi to ever, even by mistake, think of that painful phase of her life.

"Khushi had just passed twelfth when she ran away from her home with this guy. He had threatened to commit suicide if she would not marry him. Her parents had disowned her after that and after some days the guys also left Khushi with a sore heartbreak. She does not like to talk about this all. Her parents died very soon after that and we were left with a Khushi who was sunk in depression completely."Lavanya said real fast in an attempt to make some sense. She knew ASR was really fast in detecting faults.

"Oh! That...That is really sad! Thank you for telling me this Lavanya ...because I had made up so many doubts in my own mind like about forced marriage and dowry etcetera. Everything because I remember her telling me that she was from comparatively rural area..."

Lavanya shot her eyes up at that. "No ASR. Nothing like that. It is just about heartbreak. Please don't ever bring the topic of her past, it is really traumatising for her."

"Sure, La but are you sure she likes me? I mean I am almost a decade elder to her."

"Most women like older men. Don't question Khushi's choice of crush, okay! She really likes you." La put her hand on Arnav's shoulder and he smiled. "Let's go back to her...she is alone there."

"You go ahead, La. I have an urgent call to attend. I will be back in five minutes."

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"Lavanya ji, what was Arnav ji asking you about ?"Khushi asked, really uncomfortable with the pain she saw in Arnav's eyes when he asked about her age. It was like he had guessed the whole of her past altogether.

"Nothing, Khushi. I..."

"I have brought food!"Arnav interrupted them, keeping plates in front of them.

"Oh! This is really spicy! My poor tongue! " Lavanya said, dramatically after having a forkful.

"That makes it so tasty, Lavanya ji . What is this, Arnav ji?" Khushi asked with the glimmer back in her eyes.

"Chilli garlic stir fried veggies. I knew you would like it."Arnav smiled to her making her blush. Lavanya looked at both of them happily.

God! Forgive me for hiding the truth about Khushi from ASR. But even you know that neither of them deserves such a disturbance like Khushi's past in their blossoming relationship. Please keep them happy together forever and ever!

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