Do comment and vote.

Arnav entered her room and sat on next to her.

"Khushi the police will be coming to take your statement tomorrow. Are you okay with it?" Arnav asked her who sat on the bed with a book on her lap.

"Yes... I think I'm ready for it." She said nodded her head.

"Just remember that I'm here if you want to talk to me." Giving a smile he stood up talking his coat.

"Do you have time Doctor?" She asked when he held the handle of the door.

"I know that your family must be waiting for you, but if you have time I would like to talk to you." She asked hesitantly.

"I do have time. Regarding my family, I don't have a family. Infact I never had a family." Saying this he turned around and sat on the chair.

"Ohh...I'm sorry..." She apologized to him knowing the feeling of being alone.

"Don't be, it doesn't matter. So what do you want to say Khushi? I hope you trust me as a friend" He asked her moving closer to her.

"I do Arnavji. I don't know how to start it. Before I tell this to the police, I want to share it with someone." Leaning on to the bed, she looked at him.

"Do you know who tried to attack you?" He asked not wanting to use the word molestation or rape.

"Yes he was my landlord's son, Shyam. He had been disturbing me since the time I started living in their house as a paying guest."

"Did you tell this to your landlord?" He asked her.

"Yes, he kicked me out labelling me as a characterless woman who seduces men. He told me that I was trying to hit on his son for money." Tears continue to flow from her eyes.

"It was night and I don't know where to go. That's when Shyam approached me. He told me that he won't disturb me once I gave into his demand. In anger I slapped him and I ran away. He caught me and took me to an old godown. He then tried to...." At this point Khushi covered her face with her palm and cried. Arnav moved towards her and stood beside her. He raised his hand over her head and paused, debating if he should do this or not. He closed her eyes and placed his hand on her head.

"It's over Khushi, you are safe now." He told her and felt her arms around his waist while her face pressed against his stomach. He held her head as she wetted his black shirt. Slowly her cries subdued and she realised the position there were in. She moved away with a jerk.

"I'm sorry Arnav, I didn't mean to do that." She moved away, looking around the room except his face.

"It's ok Khushi, I can understand. I'm glad that you let that out instead of keeping it inside you." He sat down on the chair and looked at her.

"You can look at me Khushi, remember we are friends."

Arnav waited for her to speak. He realised that she is not going to talk unless he start the conversation.

"How did you get in to an accident Khushi?"

"When he tried to force himself on me, I kicked him and ran out. I was running to save my life and didn't saw that car coming towards me. I got hit and when I opened my eyes, I was in this hospital."

"You are a brave woman Khushi, you should show him that you are not intimidated by this incident. You can overcome this."

"Thank you Arnavji. It means a lot to me."

"I will be there for you as a friend Khushi." He assured her.

"Will you be here when the police come to take my statement?" She asked hopefully.

"I will be, don't worry. Just say everything about him." He encouraged him and she nodded her head.

As he promised her, he made sure that he was there to support her when the police come to take her statement. Unlike the previous day, she gave her statement bravely. The police promised to look into the matter. Khushi turned to Arnav when the police went out.

"Are they going to arrest him now?"

"Yup, they will be."

"I don't have any evidence to prove that he tried to assault me." She said feeling disappointed.

"When you tried to resist him, you got some of hair and skin traces under your hands and nails. We do have evidence to prove and we will get him the punishment he deserves. Don't worry Khushi."

"Thanks a lot Arnavji. Thanks for being there for me."

"We are friends Khushi. You should take some rest now. I have to start my rounds now. I will see you later." Saying this he left while she laid back on the bed.

Khushi felt safe when is he around her. She liked talking to him. She liked the way he listened to her attentively. She liked his presence in her life.

It's been a week, since she got admitted in the hospital.

"Khushi, your wounds got healed and it's time for you to get discharged. We can take of this plaster off after two weeks. So you have to be careful when you go to work." Arnav told checking her chart.

"Discharge?" Khushi frowned not knowing what to do. She don't have a place to go, she need to find a place as soon as possible.

"You can get discharged tomorrow." Arnav informed her.

"Ohhh...that's good." Khushi tried to put a pleasant face in front of him.

"I have found a working women's hostel for you. I hope that you will move there." Arnav announced making her gasp.

"Hostel?? I could have arranged something, I didn't expect that you would be taking the pain to find a hostel for me." She said feeling bewildered.

"You can't go back to your previous landlord. I thought it will help you. So will you move there?" He asked her.

"I'm glad to have you here Arnavji. It's true that a friend in need is a friend." She said smiling at him.

Throughout the night Khushi think ideas to find money to pay the bills. She don't have enough money to pay the hospital bills. After paying the debt of her family, she only had a little money saved for herself. She laid down on the bed playing with the pendent of her chain. That's when she got the solution for her problem. The chain given by her parents, she know that it's time she let go of the chain and the memories related to it.

******

Next day

Arnav entered her room and saw her dressed up for getting discharged.

"I was waiting for you Arnavji. Can you do me a favour?" Khushi asked feeling embarrassed for what she is going to ask.

"What is it Khushi?"

"I'm really embarrassed to ask you this, but this is the only way. Can you please sell this chain and bring me the money?" She forwarded her chain which have a pendant of devimaiyya. Arnav know that Khushi won't agree if he offer to pay her bills. So he took the chain from her hand.

"Let's me see if anyone quote a good price." He told her.

"No, please sell it for the right amount Arnavji." Khushi told him and he nodded his head agreeing to her.

Arnav gave her the money and Khushi paid off the bills. Khushi stood near the hospital gate not knowing what to do. That's when she saw his black car stopped in front of her.

"Khushi why did you left without waiting for me? Come, I will drop you in your new hostel." He said opening the door for her. Khushi hesitated a bit, not wanting to disturb him with her issues.

"Trust me Khushi, you are safe with me." He assured her thinking that she may not be comfortable enough to travel with him. Khushi nodded her head and entered the car. They sat in the car silently.

"Can you please take me to my old landlord's house?" She asked him out of blue.

"What?? Why do you want to go there?"

"My luggage...I left my luggages there when he tried to..." Khushi couldn't finished the sentence.

"Do you think that it will be there?" He asked her.

"I don't know, I have to go and find it."

They reached their destination and he saw her moving towards a house. An elderly women opened the house and smiled at her.

"Bless the god, you are finally well bitiya. The police have arrested Shyam a few days ago. Mr. Jha is still in delusion that his son is a gentleman. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there to help you. I was away for somedays and came to know about this incident two days back." Her old landlord's neighbor Mrs. Susan consoled her.

"I'm glad that you are fine bitiya. I have kept your luggages here. I found that outside Jha's house and knew that it was yours. Are you going to stay here again?" The old lady asked out of concern.

"No, I'm moving to a hostel aunty. Thanks for keeping my luggages. I'm here to collect that."

"Did you come here alone?"

"No, I'm with my friend."

"Where is he then? You should come and have something bitiya."

"No aunty, we are in a hurry. I will surely visit you some day."

Khushi got her luggage and loaded it in the car. Arnav helped her as he don't want her to strain. He drove to the hostel. Arnav placed the luggages outside the hostel door.

"Khushi if you need any help, don't hesitate to call me." Saying this he gave her his card. Khushi smiled at him and nodded her head.

"I know I have already thanked you, but still thanks for everything you have done for me Arnavji." Saying this Khushi went inside the hostel.

******

Without Khushi's knowledge Arnav used to make sure that she is ok. He stopped by her hostel and office, just to see her. It's the first time he felt something like this, an urge to protect her, an urge to see the smile on her face. The more he tried to fight against the feeling, the more he craved for her.

Khushi resumed her work, some of her colleagues helped her in office. Within two days she can get her hand out of the plaster. Arnav used to send her good morning and good night messages. Khushi tried to kept a distance from him, not wanting to disturb him with her issues. Even though they are friends she know that there is big differences between them. He is a neurosurgeon while she didn't even get a chance to complete her degree.

******

The day before her appointment she got a call from Arnav. He told her that he will pick her up after the plaster is removed from her hand. Khushi tried to give excuses, but he didn't let her escape that easily. Finally Khushi told him that she will wait him outside the hospital after her appointment.

******

Khushi entered the car and greeted him. She couldn't understand why he is covered from head to toe when it isn't cold at noon.

"How are you Khushi?"

"I'm good. Glad that I can use my both hands now." Khushi said looking at her hands.

"Why are you wearing all these Arnavji?"

"Ohh...hmm...I had some errands to make in the morning. You know how cold it's in morning, then I didn't get a chance to take it off."

"Ohh, it's a sunny day. May be you can remove the hand gloves and the scarf now."

"Do you mind if we go for lunch? I didn't get time to have mine." He asked her trying to change the topic.

"Sure, I don't mind that."

Arnav drove to a decent restaurant, not a posh luxurious one. They ordered food and waited.

"Hmmm Arnavji, how long you been here in Himachal?" Khushi asked trying to break the silence between them.

"Two years. What about you?"

"I moved here six months ago. So where were you before you moved here?"

"I was working abroad."

"Then why did you leave from there? Most of the doctors don't do that." She couldn't help from asking it.

"Yeah, most of the doctors don't do that. Why I moved here? I have been asking myself that for the last two years."

"May be devimaiyya wanted you to be here, for some purpose." Khushi replied.

"You are a firm believer of God, aren't you?"

"Yes I am. My amma babuji used to tell me that whatever happens, it happens for a reason. Devimaiyya does everything for a reason."

"I find that as an excuse to mitigate the pain one have gone through."

"It may be, but it's keep me going." She replied and the waiter placed their order. They had the food along with making small conversation.

"Where did you grew up Arnavji?" Khushi asked and saw him getting uncomfortable. She remembered that he was an orphan for all his life and she felt stupid for asking such a question.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to...."

"I grew up in an orphanage in Mumbai." He revealed about a piece of his past to a person for the first time. After that Khushi didn't ask any questions.

"Where is your native place and why did you move to Himachal?" Arnav asked her.

"I'm from Lucknow. Eight months ago I lost my parents to an accident. It was hard for me to live in our house which was filled with my parents memory. I also don't want to trouble the people who care for me." She answered him.

Arnav asked her something after a few minutes.

"So do you think that God did that for a reason?" Khushi understood that he is talking about her parents.

"At first I couldn't accept the truth. Then I tried to cope up with the fact that they are gone. I don't know why devimaiyya did that to us. I still wonder why she took away my parents from me." Khushi said as a tear rolled down from her eyes. She composed herself and wiped the tears. After that they didn't talk anything.

When they were about to move, Arnav started to wear the gloves.

"Why do you need this now? I think I should remind you that it's past noon."

"Seems like I forget that. Can you wait here, I will be back soon." Saying this he went to the washroom. He made sure that there is no one and exposed his hand to the sunlight. He felt a slight pain along with his skin turning into bright red colour and his skin started burn off slowly. He worn his gloves and scarf and went outside.

Khushi saw him coming with his hand covered in gloves and a scarf around his neck.

"I have some skin allergy Khushi. I totally forget to apply my ointment, because of that I can't expose my hand and neck." He tried to justify his act.

"Ohh...I didn't knew that...is it something serious? Your allergy??"

"Yeah, I had this problem from childhood. Now I'm adapted to it." He answered her knowing well that this will help him in future.

"Hmm...I paid the bill Arnavji." Khushi informed him.

"Why did you do that? I was the one who brought you here?"

"You have done a lot for me, this is the least I can do for you. Please don't make a fuss out of it." Khushi asked him and he nodded his head.

Arnav dropped her back to hostel and he went back to home.

******

At night
Arnav laid down on his bed in the cold atmosphere of his room. He thought about his outing with Khushi. He have never went out with a girl. In his 75 years of life it's the first time talked about his past to someone. He thought about the narrow escape he had today. He need to be careful with the time. From now no outing at noon, he mentally noted that.

Meanwhile in hostel, Khushi couldn't sleep at night. Her mind got flooded with his thoughts. She remembered what they discussed, how he made her comfortable. Her mind and heart is in a battle. Her mind warned her of getting hurt by him. Her heart encouraged her to be close to him. Khushi Kumari Gupta is known for taking decision by heart and she know that she can't help it.

******

Sorry for this small update.
Do comment and vote.

Precap
Arshi going for a temple visit.
Arnav take a drastic step in his life.