Part 37 Safe Zone

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

"There is nothing to be wondered about. This is world marketing. A girl would be valued only until she is a virgin. For that, they would spend money in millions..."

Khushi looked at him surprisingly.

"Yeah, the girl's worth lessens if she is not a virgin... Akshara told me."

"But she said many people had her."

"It's because they would not leave the girl until she became useless... I mean, until her value goes down."

Khushi gulped her fear. She leaned on his shoulder.

"I'm scared... What if they follow us?"

"Until I'm with you, no one can touch you."

"I know that's why I'm scared; their first target will be you," Khushi confessed, her voice trembling with fear and suspicion.

"Mmm... You are right. We will be careful."

"Mmm..."

Taking his mobile, Arnav checked it. Khushi saw that and sighed.

"I don't know what you guys check on the mobile often..."

Arnav smiled.

"You know, before I lost my vision, the mobile used only to speak. But now, more than speaking, people are doing much more in that, and everything is useless. People kill their soulful time on phones," Khushi pouted.

"I will get you a mobile. Then, you will understand many more useful things can be done on mobile. Of course, I agree that many people use mobile phones and waste their time. It doesn't mean using mobile is useless. You will understand that soon."

Khushi entwined her fingers with his.

"Do you know how tense I was?" She asked, her voice filled with her feelings for him.

"I, too, was tensed like hell. It's hell to see our beloved one with someone. That too when she thinks the person is her boyfriend."

"I could not understand one thing..."

"What?"

"How do these guys choose a particular girl?"

"They would have an agent in every area. They collect details about the girl and the weakness of her family members. They hit them with their weakness so that they would fall into their trap easily. That's how they hit Akash in his weakness called MONEY. He and your mother fell into their trap."

"Don't talk about them. I feel like breaking his face whenever I think of him. How cheap...! I feel ashamed of them. I know they are greedy, but I didn't think they would dare spoil my life."

"They thought they would give you a luxurious life."

"Who asked them? They wanted a luxurious life. To get that, they made me a scapegoat." Khushi was furious.

"You don't want to talk about them. So don't talk. If you get angry often, your liver will be affected. So be cool."

"Who would be the agent from our area that can accurately calculate my brother's weakness?"

"I guess any of Akash's friends... Or, his colleague..."

Khushi became thoughtful.

"Any guesses?"

"Prathik..."

"Who? The one who misbehaved with you in the restaurant?"

"Mmm... After he misbehaved with me, he vanished from Goa. No one knew where he went. From my point of view, analyzing his behavior, I see that he might have been the one."

Arnav stared thoughtfully out the window.

"What are you thinking?"

"I am thinking about the possibilities. You may be right. Pratik should be considered."

"Yes, he is the worst man I have ever met. He will go to any extent to do what you want."

"Mmm... ok, sleep for a while. Otherwise, you will look tired at our wedding tomorrow," Arnav smiled.

Khushi nodded and leaned on his shoulder. She smiled at him and raised her head. Arnav nodded his head, like, WHAT?

"You smell good," she whispered, biting her lip.

Arnav rolled his eyes smilingly.

"The first doubt I got on that idiot Vinesh is the smell."

"I know... that's why I came to you applying my favorite perfume."

"You have no idea what I went through when I smelled it."

"Yeah, I saw that on your face. You were thunderstruck..." Arnav smiled.

"If you had uttered a single word that day, everything would have finished."

"No, Khushi... our condition would have been worsened because they were what we thought. Thank God we didn't do anything like that..."

"Yes, you are right. They might have taken me away from Mumbai too..."

"They would not have to take you to Mumbai. We could not have done anything even in Mumbai because their network is huge."

Khushi circled his bicep and leaned on him again.

"Relax..."

"Mmm..."

Arnav touched her hair protectively.

"I hate Akash for what he did... how beautiful our lives were...! Because of his greediness, we are in trouble now."

"Don't think of him. Tomorrow is our wedding. This is the time to relish. Think about it."

Khushi tightened her grip around his hand and closed her eyes. Arnav settled his cheek on her head and closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, both of them slept.

Payal slowly opened her eyes. She didn't sleep. She could not! How could she sleep when her life pushed her into the deep valley? She smiled, looking at Arnav and Khushi. Thank God, at least they were together.

That was when Aman came there. He was surprised to see Payal up. He sat beside her.

"Don't you sleep?"

"No... I just..."

"Yeah, you can't sleep..."

Payal was silent.

"What are you going to do?"

Payal nodded her head from left to right.

"I don't think about anything."

"Are you not going to get married?"

Payal looked at him, frowning.

"Marriage? I'm not in the condition to think about it."

"Yes, you should not think about your marriage. Not only now but always."

Payal looked at him.

"Don't get married. You should prove how deep your love is! You should not marry anyone and think about your ruined life. Akash will get to know about you one day. He should feel terrible for spoiling your life. Don't get married and be like this always."

"Do you think Akash will not get married?"

"Of course, he will, yet you should make him feel bad."

Payal stared at him for a few seconds and asked,

"What are you trying to do, Aman?"

"Come out of the grief... get married..."

"Aman, I'm not in the condition to laugh."

"Do you think I'm joking?"

"I not only liked Akash but trusted him..."

"That's the mistake you have made..."

"If Akash himself is not trustworthy, whom could I trust?"

"You are lying."

"Means?"

"You know Akash was not trustworthy... yet you trusted him because your love for him blinded you. There were many guys in our batch. Many of them were indeed trustworthy. Leaving everyone behind, you liked Akash."

"He was so calm and polite...he didn't even talk to girls..." She chocked.

"I, too, didn't talk to girls... why didn't you look at me?"

Payal looked at him, getting stuck. She composed herself and said,

"I think talking about the past is unnecessary."

"You are talking about your past? I'm talking about your future."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Will you do anything I say?"

"If it is up to my capacity..."

"Everything related to us is in our hands only."

"Saying is easy..."

"It will be easy if you divert your mind."

"Aman..." Payal blinked her eyes.

"I don't want to beat around the bush... let me reach the point... I want to marry you... what say?"

Payal looked at him shockingly.

"I mean it, Payal. I love you."

Payal frowned.

"From college... I wanted to tell you, but Akash took the lead."

Payal looked outside, feeling awkward.

"No hurry... take your time... I will wait."

Payal looked at him and was supposed to say something,

"Don't... don't say anything without thinking. I won't accept. You will have to accept my proposal, and that's final," he said strictly.

Payal was stunned.

"If you think I'm your good friend, take my advice seriously. Aman loves you so much. You will be happy with him. He will protect you like nothing. He will not leave you alone for any reason..." Aman gave himself a conduct certificate.

"Is this a new way of proposing?" Payal asked.

"Think whatever. I want you to be happy and know I can make it possible."

Closing her eyes, Payal leaned on the window.

"Don't lean on the window. It's not safe. Lean on the seat."

Without opening her eyes, Payal leaned on the seat. Aman also leaned on the seat and closed his eyes.

The next morning

The train reached Goa at the right time. After washing their faces, all of them got off the train. When they came out of the station, somebody surrounded them. Khushi was horrified, whereas Arnav, Aman, NK, and Payal smiled.

"Hi, Dudes..." They hugged Arnav, Aman, and NK.

Khushi looked at them bewildered.

"They are our college mates," Payal smiled, making Khushi sigh in relief.

To be continued...