Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Neena.
Happy birthday to you.

This shot. The teaser for which I had posted a few days back is dedicated to the Birthday Girl Haru2009

Happy birthday to the first and the greatest Friend I could find on Wattpad. Thank you for being their for me always.

I hope the coming year brings you a lot of good luck as well as good memories. And I hope and pray every dream of yours be fulfilled by almighty god.

I hope... I don't disappoint you with this one girl.

Enjoy.

Arnav sighed deeply, Smiling like a fool he let his thoughts wander off to his favorite pair of Hazel orbs. The ones which had never left his thoughts ever since he'd first seen 'em. He remembered the day His Aradhya Maasi had brought that little bundle of joy home. The first time he'd held her

He remembered her red button nose He chuckled remembering her cute little button nose which turned his favorite colour whenever she was upset or angry.. "Or shy" He whispered to himself. His eyes shone brightly

"But.." Arnav sighed. Out of nowhere.. Tears started to run down his cheeks

"Oh I wish.. Everything was the same!! Kaash yeh darr na hota. Kaash tum mujhe.. Kaash tum mujhe pehchaan leti Paakhi. Kaash mein apni paakhi ki ankhon mein fir se woh.. chamak dekh pata.. Jo hamesha mujhe dekhkar uski ankhon mein aa jati thi. Kaash yeh chaudaah saal kabhi beete hi na hote! (I wish there wasn't this fear. I wish.. I wish you had recognized me Paakhi. I wish I could see her eyes lighting up the way they used to whenever she saw me. I wish these fourteen years wouldn't have passed.)" He closed his eyes.. Giving way to another stream of tears.

Arnav inhaled deeply trying to remain composed.

His face lit up with a small smile as he remembered the time he saw her in the Sheesh Mahal just a few hours ago

Flashback

The whole crowd was confused seeing a girl walking timidly on the Ramp of the Fashion Show. Arnav was angry like anything. With his eyes spitting fire, He stood up from his place and the next second saw the scared and timid girl tripping on her dress. His heart stopped for a second and he made a dash for her. Holding her safely in his arms he let out the breath he was holding unknowingly. Her eyes were closed due to fear, Lips trembling nose red.

He felt all his anger leaving him the moment she opened her eyes. He saw a familiar pair of Hazel orbs staring at him fearfully. He felt a part of him breaking inside his chest as he realized something he didn't know how to put to words yet.

He gently made her stand on her feet "What are you doing here?" He asked in amazement. But somehow it made her more scared

"Take her away" He instructed no one in particular.

"NO ONE SHOULD COME TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS" He roared

"Yes Sir" Came the meek voice of his PA

"Sir.. The girl says that she came here by mistake." Said one of his staff members

Arnav looked up shocked.

"She didn't go? I had told you to take her away." Arnav said bewildered

"Sir.. I-I thought you wanted us to take her away. Not send her back. I had thought you'd want to know how she's here or who sent her to sabotage the show." The employee answered fearfully

"Of course she was here by mistake dammit! Why would she come here intentionally? Where is she? Where did you take her?" Arnav asked

"The study on the first floor." He answered meekly.

Arnav ran towards the said room with his heart beating wildly in his chest. The employee looked at his retreating form with shock.

Reaching in front of the old study he took a few minutes in composing himself

"Excuse Me" He said and saw her turning to him with a jerk. Her eyes still held the fear he'd seen the first time. His favorite pair of eyes were scared and he could do nothing to take that away from her.

"I was here by.. by mistake sir. Mein aapka show kharaab karne ke iraade se nahi aayi thi (I didn't come to ruin your show)" She explained

Arnav nodded.

"What were you here for?" He asked

"I-I did not come to ruin the show sir. Trust me" She repeated.

"I know. I believe you. Just don't be scared. I believe you. Okay? What were you here for?" Arnav asked softly moving closer to her.

"Humaari Jiji ki shaadi hai aaj. Last minute ladke waale dowry zyaada maang rahe hain, Hum yahaan apne.. Jija-ji se milne.. Unhe samjhane aaye the.. Par.. Wahaan aapke show mein.. humein jaane dijiye please! Agar hum waqt par na pahunche toh.. Sab kuch kharaab ho jayega! (It's my sister's wedding today. The groom side are demanding more dowry the last minute. I was here to meet my brother-in-law.. to explain to him.. But reached your show. Please let me go. If I didn't reach on time.. Everything will be ruined)" She pleaded with tears running down her cheeks

His eyes softened. No.. She didn't have to plead with him. He'd put the entire world at her feet if she wished so.

"Don't cry. Please don't cry. I'll drop you home" Arnav said

"Nahi sir.. Hum khud chale jayenge. Shukriya (No Sir.. I'll go on my own. Thank you)" She said

"Not sir... It's not sir. It's not sir for you Paakhi. It's not sir for you dammit!!" He thought desperately. It pained him to realize that.. His Paakhi failed to recognise her Annav

Arnav sighed.

"Kam se kam woh ab bhi apne ateet mein nahi jee rahi. (At least she's no longer living in her past)" He thought with a smile.

He looked at the file in front of him.

"Annav in ASR out! Get your ass back to work Mr. Raizada" Arnav picked up the file and began reading the contents.

Khushi closed her eyes trying to lessen the pain. Her hand rested against her cheeks

"Amma please" She cried. Her cheeks still stung due to the slap she had received

"Just.. Just leave!!" Madhumati dragged Khushi by her arm and pushed her out of the house.

"Don't ever.. Show your face to us henceforth. Do you get it!" She thundered over her form

Khushi looked at her Babuji hopefully who looked away.

"Amma.." She whispered

"Jao yahaan se Khushi.. Iss ghar mein ab tumhaari koi jagaah nahi hai. Hum nahi chaahte ki tumhaari manhoosiyat ka asar Payaliya ki zindgi par pade. (Leave from here Khushi.. There's no place for you in this house. I don't want a jinxed girl like you to affect Payal's life)" Garima said

Startled Khushi staggered back a few steps.

"I am a jinx" She whispered as her family closed the door on her face

Khushi flinched. Tears formed in her eyes.

"Amma! Amma! Hamaari baat... Hamaari baat suniye Amma..!! Amma! Humaari baat toh suniye! (Mother! Mother! Listen to.. Listen to me Mother!! Mother! Listen to me!)" Khushi rasped banging the door

"JUST GET LOST KHUSHI!!" Madhumati screamed

Khushi fell to her knees crying bitterly

"Di.. Kya hua? (What happened?)" Arnav asked suspiciously

"Kuch nahi.. chotte (Nothing Chotte)" Anjali shrugged

"Kuch hua hai Di. Aap aaj ajeeb behave kar rahi hain (Something has happened Di. You are behaving really weird today)" Arnav said firmly

Anjali smiled sheepishly

"Woh.. Chotte.. There's a girl. I found her.. Ermm"

Arnav sighed.

"You and your social works. Ab kaun hai? (who's it this time?)" Arnav asked

"Don't know.. She's just sitting in there without saying absolutely anything. I tried to talk to her.. But, She's not responding to me" Anjali told him

"You mean you don't even know her name? And you let her stay here? Unbelievable Di" Arnav exclaimed

"Chote.. Listen to me. I know it's not genius on my part. But she was looking really desperate and she was drenched in rain. I couldn't help but bring her home. To safety" Anjali whispered hoping to make her stubborn brother to see her point

Arnav sighed

"Fine. At least let me see her." Arnav said

"Sure.. Chalo na chote! Shaayad woh tumse hi baat kar le (Come chote.. Maybe she'll talk to you)" Anjali led her brother to the said room

Cautiously, Anjali opened the door in order to not startle the occupant of that room and knocked lightly

She looked up

"Can I come in?" Anjali asked softly

She didn't respond.

"Uh.. Come chote" Anjali looked back

Arnav entered the room only to get shocked to see her. He ran towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Thank heavens you're safe" He whispered in her hair

Anjali stood shocked by the turn of events

"Chotte?" She moved to their direction

"Where did you find her?" Arnav asked breaking the one sided hug

"Chote.. She was.. On the outskirts. I was visiting the farmhouse when I saw her. She was drenched in rain, Walking on a deserted road. I tried to ask her about her house.. But she didn't tell me anything. So I thought it was best to bring her home." Anjali explained

Arnav looked at Khushi and saw her staring at nothing in particular

"Are you okay? Where have you been. I have been looking for you all over the place for the last six days" He asked in the softest of voices

Finally after a lot of tries the siblings got a reaction from her as her eyes wandered to his face. She stared at him like a lost child yearning protection. For him.. Her annav who could read her inside out fanthoming her expression wasn't that difficult and it pained him to see her so vulnerable.

"You shouldn't have brought me here Mam.. I am a bad-omen." She said in a small voice

"That's not true. It can never be" Arnav said gently squeezing her hands

"But.. It's true. They abandoned me. Everyone abandoned me.. Amma.. Babuji.. They hate me. I killed my parents.. I am a bad-omen." She said weakly

For someone who'd claimed not to have a heart, It was impossible to feel heartbreak. But Arnav Singh Raizada felt it. He felt his heart breaking into a million pieces as he heard her saying all this. Maybe because the only one his heart beat for was the one affected here. He cursed the Guptas with all his heart for reducing his Paakhi to this.

"No.. No you're not a bad-omen Paakhi. And you know your parents death was not your fault. It just had to happen the way it did and you could do nothing to stop that. How is all of that your fault?" Arnav asked

But Khushi was too lost to acknowledge his words

"They left me.. alone. All alone. Like they'd found me. I don't have a family anymore. I have nowhere to go. You shouldn't house someone like me in here Mam.. I don't deserve a shelter.. A roof over my head. I am jinxed. I'll ruin everything. Like I ruined my jiji's life. I'll snatch your happiness from you like I snatched my Annav's happiness from him. I snatched his mumma from him. Everything was ruined because of me.. Even Fourteen Years ago I.. destroyed Anji Di's Happiness. And now.. now I ruined Jiji's happiness. I should just leave.. from here. Lest I let my jinxed self ruin you and your family." Khushi said with teary eyes and tried to get up from her place

Arnav pulled her back, Looking at a bewildered Anjali who had obviously heard everything and figured the situation out. He gestured her to bring a glass of water for Khushi

Anjali quickly filled a glass of water and passed it to her brother who in turn made Khushi drink it

"This.. Is the first and the very last time I'm saying this Paakhi. You were not responsible for what happened that day. Nothing.. Absolutely nothing was your fault. Do you hear me? You did not ruin anything. You did not snatch your annav's happiness from him. You only used to tell me all those times when I went on to blame myself for the happenings of that day that It was not my fault. The fault was entirely of my father. He had murdered your parents and in the guilt of doing that had killed himself too after seeing my mother punishing herself for his sins and dying in front of his eyes. You don't get to call yourself a jinx for the mistakes of my father. Do you hear me?" Arnav explained softly yet sternly.

Khushi looked at him with so much vulnerability in her eyes that he was forced to hide her into his chest

"Don't punish yourself Paakhi. It hurts to see you this broken. Don't you know how much your Annav and Anji Di love you. We can't see you sad Paakhi. We're used to see you fluttering around like a butterfly. Don't do this to yourself Paakhi. You aren't a bad omen or a jinx sweetheart. You are our lucky charm Khushi. Don't ever think ill of yourself" Arnav said soothingly

"But annav.. Payal jiji's marriage got cancelled because of me. All of them blame me for what happened. I didn't mean it Annav. I didn't want her marriage to be called off." Khushi explained her side

"I know Paakhi. I believe you. I know you wouldn't think ill about anyone ever in your life. And not at all about the family who'd brought you up. If they blame you or hold you responsible for anything that's not your fault its their problem. You don't have to feel bad at all. If they genuinely love you. They'll surely realize that they were wrong and they'll come to you. But if not.. You know it's not the end. You will still have me and Anji Di with you. You still have Nani with you.. You still have a family who'll never leave your side even in the most adverse situation." Arnav said and Anjali nodded managing to put a smile on her face.

Khushi looked at them with confusion

Arnav sighed

"I know.. I had left you alone too. I'd left you alone to deal with everything on your own. But Paakhi.. I had been too preoccupied with the events of the last few days. I was too sad to even acknowledge what was happening around me. I didn't even realize that I'd left you alone. That there was no one left for you too. I'm sorry Paakhi.. I'm so very sorry. I forgot you in my grief. I'm sorry" He apologised fervently

"Please understand that We didn't mean to abandon you. Your annav wouldn't even dream of doing that. It was the circumstances Khushi that made everything hapoen the way it did but it was all in the past Khushi. This time. Now I assure you that none of us will leave you alone. Never." Anjali assured

Khushi looked at her hopefully.

"Promise?" She asked unsure

"Pakka Promise" The siblings said in unison

"I want a promise hug" She demanded childishly making the duo smile at her cuteness and crush her petite frame between them.

"Did you have your dinner both of you?" Arnav asked

Anjali shook her head earning a glare from Arnav

"Kabhi kabhi toh lagta hai that I'm the elder one. Now come on. Let's have dinner together. (Sometimes I feel like I'm the elder one)" Arnav commented shaking his head

"Kitni pyaari lag rahi hai.. bacchon ki taraah sote hue (How cute is she looking sleeping like a child)" Anjali cooed softly.

Arnav smiled.

"Kabhi nahi socha tha Di.. Ki Mumma ke jaane ke baad.. Kisi ke liye pareshaan hona mumkin bhi hai mere liye. Par yeh.. Meri paakhi mujhe woh har cheez karne par majboor karti hai jo mein soch bhi raha hota karne ki. Sirf Paakhi.. Sirf aur sirf yeh mujhe itna darra sakti hai apne liye. Jaanti hain.. Cheh dinn se gayab thi yeh.. Pata nahi kahaan thi. Aur yeh cheh dinn meri kyaa haalat thi aap soch bhi nahi sakti. Mujhe lagaa tha meine zindgi ki sabse keemti cheez kho di. Di meri jaan meri halaq mein thi jab tak meine isse sahin salaamat nahi dekha tha. Jab.. Jab meine usse dekha toh jaakar saans le paya mein theek se" Arnav said

Anjali smiled.

"Sach kahun chote.. Kabhi nahi socha tha ki tumhaare muh se yeh shabd kabhi sunungi. Jiss Arnav Singh Raizada ko pyaar ka matlab tak nahi pataa.. Woh aaj.. Iss taraah ki baaten kar raha hai. Pyaar ho gaya hai usse. Woh bhi ek aisi ladki se.. jisse woh saalon baad mila hai! (Truth be told I'd never imagined I'll hear hear you saying all of this stuff. The Arnav Singh Raizada who didn'tknow the meaning of love is talking like this today. Arnav Singh Raizada has fallen in love with a girl he's met after years." Anjali said

"If this is what you call love. I'd gladly accept it to be the same Di. I love her, From the depths of my heart and mind. I have fallen in love Di. Undoubtedly, With a girl who was the centre of my world then, and who is the centre of my world now. I didn't fall in love with a girl whom I've met just a few days back, But with a girl who hasn't left me alone even once in these last fourteen years. Her Eyes, Nose, Lips, Her smiles, Laughter, Craziness. I haven't been over any of that as yet and never do I wish to." Arnav confessed.

Anjali couldn't help but smile. Was it not what she had always wanted? For her chotte to be happy? Sharing his life with someone who'd love him back just the way he does

"So.. You just confessed that.. Your Paakhi.. has never left your thoughts? Huh? And poor Me never got to know that my chotte was in love with from so long, That too with his childhood sweetheart" Anjali mused

"What to do? You were busy with your Shyam Ji." Arnav teased. Anjali looked at him startled

"Alright. Leave all that, But chotte.. How did you recognise that it was Khus- I mean it was your Paakhi and not some random girl?"

"I will always recognise my Paakhi even in the crowd of hundreds and thousands of people. Because of her beautiful doe eyes. Jinhe jhoot bolna nahi aata, Mujhse toh nahi. (Which can't lie, At least not to me)" Arnav said.

"I'm really happy for you Chotte. May your feelings be reciprocated" Anjali prayed.

"Amen to that" Arnav said softly

So... I hope this story made sense.

The main motive..was to portray a scenario in which the Great and Mighty Arnav Singh Raizada confesses his feelings for Khushi. At least to himself.

Khushi's POV about her feelings is not given here.. Because I wanted this to be a Shot wholly about Arnav's feelings. I hope I'm not disappointing you.

So.. Birthday Girl. Neena. How did ya like it?

I hope I did justice to what I had tried to do.

Leave your reviews please.

Vote and Comment.

Love
Vinny

PS none of your guesses were correct. So.. better luck next time.

And thank you for implanting an idea in my brain. And You're hopefully getting another OS from the same teaser from the Pagh phera episode.