Prologue
The broken pieces of the glass lying on the ground pierced through her skin and she winced hard.
"AHH!" Winced Anjali with her eyes tightly closed and her palm securing her stomach. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to suppress the excruciating pain.
She leaned against the wall just beside the door with a sob.
Downstairs,
All were busy dancing around with loud music playing behind.
Khushi gently ran her hand on the left side of Arnav's chest and shook her head smilingly.
Aap apni dil ki baatein hamse kabhi nahi chupayenge. (You will never hide your feelings from me.)
His smile widened and he took her in a tight hug taking her aback.
"What are you..."
"Shh..."
All looked at the sweetest couple in awe and danced around them merrily.
Khushi reciprocated the hug by wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling into him like a kitten making him chuckle silently.
"I love you, Damnit!" He said huskily against her ears.
She smiled shyly and said, "I love you too, Damnit!"
He grinned and hugged her closely breaking her trance.
"Arnav ji, yeh aap kya karrahe hai? Chodiye na! Sab kya sochenge? (Arnav ji, what are you doing? Leave me! What will everyone think?)" Asked a horrified Khushi backing out from the hug.
"What do you mean by, Kya sochenge? Yahi sochenge ki hum donno ek doosre se kitna pyaar karte hai. (What do you mean by, what they'll think? They will think That we both are so much in love.) " Said Arnav being naughty.
"Aapko nahi lagta aap kuch zyaada hi besharam hote jaarahe hai? (Don't you think that you are being too shameless nowadays?)" Asked Khushi with a narrowed gaze.
"Jiski biwi tum jaisi ho uska besharam hona toh laazmi hai. (One is bound to be shameless if he's blessed with a wide like you.)" Said he caressing her cheek lovingly and she lowered her eyes shyly.
She took a step away from him only to be pushed closer to him by a giggling Nani.
"Thank you Nani!" He smiled and Nani winked in return.
"Haww! Chodiye hamein! Hamein Di ke paas jaana hai. (Haww! Leave me! I have to go to Di.)" Said Khushi.
Arnav loosened the grip on her and she took a glance at the sofa where Anjali was seated and found no one.
"Where has she gone?"
"She Must have gone to her room. I should go and check on her, if she needs something." She turned to leave but felt a grip on her wrist.
She turned with a smile.
"Mat jaao! (Don't go!)" Said Arnav desperately.
"What's wrong?" Asked Khushi worried seeing frown lines on his forehead.
"I Don't know... just a feeling. Don't go!" Said Arnav caressing her cheek.
"Di akeli hai Arnav ji. Aur Hum jaldi waapis aa jayenge. (Di is all alone, Arnav ji. I'll be back soon.)" Said Khushi placing a hand on his hand.
"Jaldi aana! (Come fast!)" He mouthed and she giggled.
"Besabr laad governor! (Desperate Laad governor!)" She mouthed and went away chuckling.
Why am I feeling so restless?
He thought seeing her disappearing figure.
Upstairs,
Khushi was few steps away from Anjali's room when she saw Anjali leaning on to the railing with bleeding leg and a painful expression etched on her face.
"Di!!" She gasped and rushed towards her.
"Di this..." Asked Khushi horrified looking at her feet which was now bleeding with several glass shards pricked.
"Pata nahi Khushi ji... hamare kamre main Dar...waaze par kaach ke tukde pade the hamein dikhaayi nahi diye. (I don't know Khushi ji... on my doorstep there we...re so many glass pieces and I didn't notice it.)" Said Anjali wincing in pain.
"Aap... aap hamare saath chaliye kamre main, hum aapki patti kardete hai. (You... You come with me to the room, I'll bandage your wounds.) " Said Khushi and supported Anjali to walk till her room.
After geeting inside the Arshi's room, she made her sit on the bed and gave her water to drink.
She took the first aid box from the drawer of the bedside table and knelt down beside her legs.
She flinched seeing the glass pieces pierced terribly in her feet.
She removed them one by one very gently and blew on it and Anjali winced.
"Kya zaroorat thi akele upar aane ki? Hamese kisko kehdeti aap? (What was the need to come upstairs alone? You could have said anyone of us?)" Said Khushi not noticing Anjali who averted her gaze with a gulp.
She couldn't ask anyone to accompany her, could she? After all she was going to meet Shyam.
"Di, I am asking you something."
"Huh, after a long time all are so happy. So I didn't had the heart to disturb anyone..."
"Great! Both siblings are same." She muttered.
"Ab aap yahi rahiye hum aapke liye doodh laate hai. (You be here I'll bring a glass of milk for you.)" Said Khushi cupping her cheek.
"Chote ko mat bataiyega woh khamakha pareshaan hojayenge. Unhein hum baadmain samjhadenge. (Don't inform about it to chote he will get tensed unnecessarily. I myself will inform him later.)" Said Anjali.
"Jaise aapki marzi, par ab aap aram kijiye. (As you wish, but now You should take rest.)" Said she and helped her in removing the heavy jewellery and change into one of her loose dress.
She tucked her in the bed, covering her with a quilt and closed the door.
Kaach ke tukde darwaaze par. (Glass pieces at the door step.)
She wondered and walked towards Anjali's room.
Her eyes teared up seeing the blood stains on the floor as she opened the door.
"Itne saare kaach ke tukde! Aisa kaise hosakta hai? (This much of glass pieces! But How is this possible?) " She whispered kneeling down.
It was impossible for a glass to break to this extent and that too on a fluffy doormat. Also there was no sign of glasses anywhere except the doormat.
She thought about it and then her eyes struck at a figure standing in the poolside.
Her eyes widened seeing Shyam standing there facing his back towards her.
"What is he doing here?" She whispered but his words shook him to the core.
Shyam stood there smirking evilly.
"Aaj hamare aur Khushi ji ke beech ki diwaar toot jaayegi. Bohot yaad karenge hum aapko Rani sahiba!! (Today I'll break all the barriers between me and Khushi ji. I'll miss you so much Rani sahiba!!)" Said Shyam and laughed evilly.
"Bus kuch der aur... bache ke saath saath Ma bhi oopar... swarg main. (Just few moments more... along with the child, mother too will go up... in the heaven.) " He said with a glint of madness in his eyes joining two live wires which sparked.
"Iska matlab unhone di ko... (That means he tried to harm di....)" she was horrified to think about it.
She stumbled a step back in shock and tears rolled down her eyes.
How can one stoop so low?
If only she was late, he could have successfully harmed Anjali. The thought itself shook her entire self.
"Hamein... Hamein Arnav ji ko batana hoga! (I... have to inform Arnav ji!)" She said and wiped her tears.
She stood up and rushed to the corridor with a determined look.
This has to end today!
Downstairs,
Arnav was continuously glancing at the top of the stairs to get a glimpse of her but failed miserably. On the top of it his heart, it was beating like a maniac.
What's happening to me? Why am I feeling so strange? The same feeling I felt when Khushi fell in the.... cliff! I should go and check on her.
"Nannav mere bhai!" Said Nk pulling him aside.
"Leave my sleeves Nk!" He said annoyed.
"Itne bedard horahe ho Khushi ji se milne huh? (Why are you being so painless to meet Khushi ji, huh?)" He teased him.
"Nk bhai! Betaab... (Nk bhai! Eager...)" said Akash sighing.
"Bedard betaab same same! Say say!" He asked nudging him.
"Shut up nk! At least I didn't gatecrash their mehendi ceremony like you both did." He mocked and Akash and Nk flushed.
"That day I was scared out of wits when buaji..." he trailed off.
Akash and Arnav chuckled at his horrified expression.
"Arnav ji!" She panted looking at him from the top of the stairs and mistakenly kept her hand on the electric wire which Shyam had fixed for Anjali and got shock.
"ARNAV JI!" she shouted loosing her balance.
Everyone stopped dancing hearing her loud voice and Arnav felt his heart beat stop.
Khushi held the flowers to balance herself but it broke and she rolled down the stairs hitting her head hard on the railing.
"Khushiiii/ Khushi bityaa!!" All gasped.
