Part 36 Only way.

Khushi stopped as she forgot to take her bag. Didn't Vinesh ask her to shift to his place? So, she packed her things and brought them to the temple.

"I will bring my bag," She said.

"I will also come."

They came inside and saw Akash taking their bags. Khushi snatched it from his hand and walked.

"Khushi..." Akash called her.

Without a second thought, Khushi walked on, her grip on Arnav's hand firm and unwavering. Arnav, understanding her silent plea, took her bag and walked alongside her.

When Arnav and Khushi came out of the Temple, they saw Akshara waiting for them wearing a burqa. She looked nervous.

"What happened, Akshara? Why are you looking nervous?"

"Listen to me. Keep your face calm. Don't look at our surroundings..."

"Vinesh's men are here... I think the main culprit is alerted by Vinesh's arrest. It seems the network is bigger than I thought. We need to act fast," Akshara said urgently.

Arnav tried not to look around.

"Where are they?"

"Two guys are watching you. One is standing in the opposite tea shop, wearing a sandal-colored shirt. Another is in the bus stand, wearing an ink-blue shirt."

Arnav volunteered and smilingly looked at Aman and NK.

"Check the bus stand and tea shop," he said, grinning as if he told a joke.

Aman and NK laughed, understanding Arnav's intention. Aman looked at the bus stand, and NK looked at the tea shop.

"Yes, there is a sandal colour shirt in the tea shop", NK said, laughing.

"The guy in the ink-blue shirt is looking only at us," Aman said.

"Yeah, sandal colour shirt also..." NK said.

"What are we going to do now?" Khushi asked.

"We should have to divert them..." Aman said.

"No... it won't work. Because we don't know how many of them are waiting. It's not easy to escape from them." Arnav said.

"No, you have to divert them and go somewhere else. Don't go to the place where you are staying," Akshara said.

"But how long we could run?" Arnav asked.

Akshara pulled Khushi towards her and whispered something in her ear. Khushi looked at her shockingly, and Akshara nodded, "Yes."

"Whaaaat?" Arnav asked, his shock mirroring Khushi's.

"Get married to Khushi immediately... that's the only way to save Khushi from them," Akshara said, knowing that this drastic step was their best chance at escape.

Arnav looked at Khushi, who nodded yes.

"Go to any temple and get married."

"What about this temple?"

"No, they are watching you," Akshara said.

Arnav thought for a while. He looked at Aman and NK.

"Do what I say"

"Tell me"

Arnav told them his plan. They nodded ok.

"Let's go, Khushi," Arnav said, his voice filled with determination. He started the bike, and without a word, Khushi sat behind him. Payal, too, took her place behind Arnav. They were a team united in their mission.

Arnav started the bike. Khushi sat behind him, and Payal sat behind him. He moved from the place. Aman waited a while and saw the ink blue shirt and sandal shirt following Arnav's bike in another bike.

"I think only these two are here," Aman said, starting NK's bike. NK sat behind Aman.

"I will wait here for a while. If I find anyone suspicious, I will call you," Akshara said.

"Thanks" Aman followed the bike.

Arnav rode the bike, looking at the rearview mirror. Aman reared up the bike and reached the followers.

"NK, ready..."

"Yeah..." he held the bike tight.

Aman slightly dashed their bike. Losing their balance, they fell on the road. They were poorly injured. Aman stopped the bike. He and NK lifted them.

They saw the traffic police rushing.

"Thank god, the police came..." NK intentionally said.

The men stood, putting in effort, and tried to lift the bike.

"Arrey, brother, wait... the police are coming. Tell them we hit your bike."

"No need... we have to go."

The police reached the place.

"What happened? How did you fall?"

"We just slipped, sir... nothing else."

Starting the bike, they left the place. Aman and NK looked at each other, smirking. Aman called Arnav, and he attended the call.

"ASR, our plan worked."

"Yeah, we reached the Dadar station. I brought Khushi and Payal by auto."

"That's a good idea. We are coming."

"Yeah, I bought our tickets. Come to the eighth platform."

"Ok, we are coming."

Aman and NK headed to the Dadar station, where Arnav took Khushi and Payal. They then went to the eighth platform, where Arnav waited for them.

They got on the train and seated.

"Where are we going?" Aman asked.

"Goa," Said Arnav.

Aman and NK looked at him stunningly.

"Goa?"

"Yeah... Mumbai is not safe for us. You are also on leave. So, you, too, come with us."

"But, we didn't take anything."

"You can manage with mine."

"But, why did you decide to go to Goa? You asked Payal to be in Mumbai...!"

"I asked her because I didn't want to send her alone, but now, we are with her... and probably don't know who is behind us. We should not take a risk in this matter."

"What if they come to Goa?"

"Before they come to Goa, we will get married," Khushi said.

Arnav looked at Khushi, who was looking at him.

"Akshara wants us to marry ASAP. She said, then only they will stop their effort."

Arnav nodded ok. It took fourteen and a half an hour for them to reach Goa. Arnav made Khushi sit near the window. He sat next to her. Payal sat opposite them. Aman and NK took seats next to her.

"What's the plan?"

"We will reach Goa tomorrow at 7 o'clock. Tomorrow evening marriage..." Arnav said.

"Mmm..."

Arnav looked at Khushi and asked,

"I hope you have no problem getting married simply."

"We are getting married... it's more than enough for me," she smiled.

Arnav smiled.

That was when Arnav got a call from Akshara. He attended the call.

"Haan Akshara...?"

"Are you guys safe?"

"Yes, they followed us, but we tackled them."

"Don't be in hope. They are dangerous guys."

"Did any other fellow follow us?"

"No... only they two are Vinesh's man. I waited for half an hour. After that, only I left."

"You to be careful."

"Yeah, I know...Vinesh is still in the police custody. Somebody tried to bring him out of the jail, but they could not as it's a narcotic branch."

"Mmm..."

"Where are you now?"

"We are going to Gatkophar"

"Oh... be safe."

"I will call you later."

Arnav disconnected the call and saw Khushi looking at him.

"Why did you tell her that we are going to Gatkhopar?"

"As of now, I can't believe anyone. Not that Akshara is bad. She could have been in someone's trap..."

"Mmm..."

"It seems someone tried to bring him out of the case, but they could not," Arnav said.

"That's why we trapped him in the Cocaine case..." Aman chuckled.

"I expected this... by the way, how did you do that?" Khushi asked.

"Don't ask me how hard it was for us to get Cocaine. At last, we did it."

"That's why our plan succeeded... or else, Vinesh would have escaped easily."

They had dinner on the train.

"I'm Sorry, guys. I can only get the ticket on the normal train. Please adjust," Arnav said.

"No problem. If we had got trapped, our night would have been worse," Payal said.

Arnav nodded yes.

"Are you all right?" Arnav asked.

Payal nodded yes.

"She is lying," Aman said.

Payal looked at him and looked outside.

"Don't be upset, Payal. Akash doesn't deserve you," Khushi said.

"Do you think I deserve this heartbreak?"

"You would not have been happy with him if you had married to him, Payal. He searches for better. He won't be satisfied. Feel happy; you are free now."

Payal nodded and closed her eyes, leaning on the seat. Arnav and Aman spared a glance. After a while, Payal dozed off. Aman and NK stood near the door, feeling the wind.

Arnav leaned towards Khushi and asked,

"What did Akshara whisper in your ear?"

"She asked us to get married."

"Then?"

"Then what?"

"She said something that shocked you. Right?"

"Right"

"What was that?"

"I will tell you after our wedding."

"Why not now?"

"It can't be said"

"Why?"

"It's a secret."

"No place for secret between us"

"Maybe... but I can't tell you that."

"Why?"

"It's like that."

"May I guess?"

Khushi looked at him, cringing. Arnav leaned to her ear and said,

"She might have said you can't be away from the problem until you are a virgin... right?"

Khushi looked at him, widening her eyes. She turned towards the window, getting embarrassed, and saw a smirk on his face.

To be continued...