Part 11 Contract Signed

Khushi was stuck to see Arnav at her house. Where did he meet Shashi? What did her father say? Managing Director? How did her father know about him? Why did he meet her father instead of her? Was it not she who should know about his contract?

She saw a mild smile on Arnav's face. She could not conclude the meaning of his smile.

"Khushi, they are here to sponsor you..."

Khushi looked at Arnav, thunderstruck.

"She is studying in the same college as our MD," the man with Arnav said.

"Is it? Are you a student?"

"Yes, uncle. I'm studying in the same college as Khushi. I saw her performance at the state meet. She will definitely win a medal at the national meet this year. So, I thought of sponsoring her through our company."

"So nice of you, sir."

"He is our company manager, Govardhan. He is the one who is going to follow Khushi up" Arnav looked at Govardhan.

"Sir, I'm Govardhan. Manager of Delhi Cements company. He is one of the managing directors of our company, Arnav Singh Raizada. He is also an athlete. He saw her performance in the last State meet. He was so impressed by her BAREFOOT performance. He tried to find her, but he could not REACH her. He expected her to attend the National meet, but she didn't. Now, she joined the same college as him. So, he wants to help her. He wanted it to be official. So, we are here to sponsor her."

Shashi looked at Khushi proudly.

"Uncle, I want Khushi to be recognised. She is a talented girl. That's why I want our company to sponsor her."

"Yes, sir, if she signed our contract, you don't have to worry about her future. Our MD, sir, will take care of it," the manager said.

Shashi looked at Khushi and said,

"You are so lucky to have such a great opportunity, Khushi."

Khushi smiled.

"Before signing the contract, we want to explain our terms and conditions."

"What terms and conditions?" Garima asked, but Shashi smiled because they had already told him about them.

"She should not skip her practice unless she is ill. She should follow our diet chart, and we will provide her with food per her dietician's guidance. She will join the sports academy with our MD, sir. She should practice there in the evenings. She will be paid a stipend of twenty-five thousand every month."

Shashi looked at Khushi, who widened her eyes. Garima closed her mouth with her palm.

"For what are you paying her?" Garima asked.

"To win medals in the sports meets... if she wins, her stipend will be increased accordingly."

Khushi looked at Arnav, who was smiling at her. She gulped down hard. That was too much for her to handle.

"All the things needed will be given to her by our company. You do not need to buy anything, sir."

Shashi nodded ok, smilingly.

"This is the contract. Read and sign, Ma'am" Govardhan extended it to Khushi.

Without taking it, she stood hesitatingly.

"Khushi, what are you waiting for?" Garima asked.

"I think she is thinking about society. She will have to be with me on the ground all the time. Is it so, Khushi?" Arnav intentionally asked to clear the issue.

Shashi and Garima looked at her.

"You are a sports girl. Mingling with boys is unavoidable to you. why are you bothering about people when you have a goal to achieve?" Garima asked.

Khushi looked at Shashi, who blinked his eyes. Khushi took the papers from him and read them. The exact statement of Govardhan was printed in the papers. She looked at Shashi and then at Arnav, who was watching her. Khushi signed the contract with Delhi Cements company. Giving her a copy, Govardhan kept the original contract papers in his file.

"The contract will be affected from tomorrow onwards, Madam."

Khushi nodded.

"Arnav sir will pick you up tomorrow morning for the practice."

Khushi looked at Arnav.

"You should follow our instructions. We will assign you a couch. You should practice sincerely every day..." Arnav said.

Khushi nodded her head slowly.

"We will send a car. So you don't bother about transporting"

Khushi was silent.

"Bye, uncle," Arnav said.

"Bye, sir..."

"You can call me Arnav. I'm Khushi's classmate... her friend..."

"Ok beta..." Shashi smiled.

"Bye, Khushi"

Khushi shook her head.

Arnav left the place with Govardhan.

"I can't believe this," Garima said while taking Khushi's contract papers. She kept it in front of DM's idol.

"Devi Miya, thank you for showing a path to our daughter." She took a vermillion and put it on Khushi's forehead.

"Is not the boy seemingly nice?" Garima said.

"Mmm... he made our shop owner shiver."

"Is it?"

"yes... I was making sweets for tomorrow's wedding order in the sweet shop. That was when a worker called me and said someone was there to meet me. I asked who that was. He said they want to talk to you about your daughter. I was confused. Who wanted to talk to me about my daughter? Instead of raising a question to the worker, I thought to meet the person. Washing my hands, I saw two coat-suit men talking with our sweet shop owner, Lalaram. He spoke to me so humbly like never before. 'Come on, Shashiji, they are from the Delhi cement company. They want to meet you," Shashi imitated his sweet shop owner, Lala Ram.

"Really?" Garima chuckled.

"Yeah, I looked at the men and said, Namaste! I am Shashi Gupta. What do you want to talk to me? Govardhanji said, 'Our company would like to sponsor your daughter. Your daughter's expense is our responsibility from here on. We will provide everything she needs for her practice. We will also give her twenty-five thousand as a stipend every month.' I looked at them awestruck, and Lala Ram was horrified. He was giving me a salary of only fifteen thousand, but my daughter was going to get twenty thousand to RUN...!" Shashi laughed, and Garima joined him. Khushi smiled, seeing them laughing wholeheartedly.

"Lalaram would have thought Shashi Gupta would not continue as a sweet master in his shop any more..." he again laughed.

"From here on, we don't bother about anything... they will provide your food, needed things, transportation, everything...! Adding to it, twenty-five thousand rupees as a stipend. What a great opportunity...!" Garima said excitedly.

"Khushi beta, why are you silent? You should be happier than us..."

Khushi smiled but artificially. She didn't know why Arnav was doing her favour. She didn't want to be part of his gang, but Arnav created a team that consisted only of her. There would be no chance for her to avoid him from hereon.

"Will they send her food every day?" Garima asked.

"I think so..."

"What kind of food they will provide?"

"They will send it tomorrow. You can see then," Shashi said.

Khushi could not stop remembering what kind of food Arnav brought to the college that day. Would she get such food every day? Then, the practice would also be challenging, it seemed. However, she signed the contract. She could not back off anymore. She had to handle everything regarding. Khushi supposed.

The next morning

Khushi, as usual, woke up at 4:30 am and got ready. Precisely at 5 o'clock, Arnav's car came to her house.

Khushi bid bye to her parents and got into the car.

"Hi, good morning", Arnav smiled.

"Good morning"

"Put on your seat belt", Arnav said.

Khushi pulled both the belts. So she could not buckle it.

"Wait..."

Arnav pulled her seat belt and buckled it. Khushi leaned on the seat, closing her eyes. Arnav smiled and sat straight.

"I hope you are happy about our contract."

"Jee..."

Arnav raised his brows. JEE? Really? He chuckled.

"Our practice will be harder from hereon. So, you should take a balanced diet."

"Jee..."

"After or before lunch, a power nap is a must... it will keep us brisk."

"But, I have no habit of sleeping during the day."

"You are waking up early in the morning and doing practice. Yet, you don't need rest?"

"I will sleep tight in the nights..."

"Is it enough?"

"Jee..."

"That's okay. Try napping for ten to fifteen minutes. You will see the difference."

"Mmm"

Arnav stopped the car in front of the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. Khushi looked at the stadium awestruck. She entered the stadium with a slight nervousness because it was the first time she had entered it.

"You are a member here. You can practice here anytime," Arnav said, and she looked at him perplexed.

Member? She could not believe it because entering the stadium was her dream...! She never thought her dream would come true...!

To be continued...