Part 17 Alone

"By the way, Khushi, won't you love me?"

She looked at him, jerking, and nodded no. Arnav rolled his eyes.

"Sheetal is an idiot. She put effort into something that will not happen... right?" he said.

Khushi nodded yes, smiling. Arnav sighed.

"Ok, you don't have to love me, but you must help me."

"What help?"

"Just pretend like loving me."

"Whaaat?"

"If we declare we are in love, no one will create further problems."

"No, they will create more problems."

"How?"

"She could not even tolerate me being your friend. Then how would they bear if you love me?"

"Who said she thinks of us, friends? She would not want me to fall for you. That's why she would have framed my love with Lavanya in your eyes. So that you would not think of loving me."

Khushi was silent. Neither she accepted what he said nor did she deny."

Arnav was glad about it. She was neutral. It was enough as of now.

They reached the sports academy and saw the repair work going on. They looked at each other. Arnav saw the academy coach assisting the workers. He went to him and wished him luck.

"Good evening, sir."

"Good evening, Arnav"

"She is Khushi..."

"Hello, sir..." Khushi greeted him.

"I knew her... I saw her in the State Meet."

"Yeah... by the way, what's happening, sir?"

"Repairing work is going. No practice today."

"Oh... ok, sir... we will come tomorrow evening"

The couch nodded ok.

Arnav left the place with Khushi.

"What will you do now, Khushi?"

"Can't we go to the stadium?"

"No, they follow a strict schedule. Many batches would be practising there in the evening."

"Oh... then I will go home and join Amma at the temple."

"Temple? What temple?"

"Chandni Chowk Shiv mandhir"

"Any special?"

"She wanted to go there. Today, she fixed it. As I'm going earlier, I will join her."

"Oh... ok, I will drop you."

"Mmm"

Arnav was thinking about something while driving. He dropped Khushi home and left. He decided to go to the temple, not because he was a devotee. He just wanted to do it for no reason.

RM

Arnav entered the home and got stuck to see his cousin Dhruv.

"Hi, Arnav..."

"When did you come?"

"In the afternoon..."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came here for a business purpose. Dad thinks of opening a branch in Delhi. I'm going to take over it."

"That's great..."

"Don't worry. I will not disturb you."

"It will be good for you."

That was when Arnav's phone beeped with a message tone. He checked the message and rolled his eyes.

"Damdn it, how did I forget it?"

"What happened, Arnav?"

"Today, the Burger should be vaccinated."

"Oh..."

"But, I have an important work..."

"Oh ho..."

"Do one thing..."

"What?"

"Take Burger to the hospital and get him vaccinated."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you"

"But, Arnav, I'm not interested in pets."

"Who asked you to be interested? Take him to the hospital."

Dhruv sighed.

"Ok, give me the details of the Vaccine."

"I will send it to you."

"Mmm"

Arnav sent the details and headed to his room. Dhruv lifted Burger and walked out. Keeping Burger on the petrol tank, he started Arnav's bike and left RM.

On the other side, Khushi went to the temple with her mother in an auto.

"Khushi, we have to buy flowers for the Pooja", Garima said.

"We can get flowers outside the temple, Amma."

"The flowers would be costlier there. If we buy on our way, we can get it cheaply."

"Ok, Amma. Let's see if any flower shop is on the way."

They looked for the flower shop. After five minutes, they found a flower shop.

"Bhaiya, please stop the auto", Khushi told the driver.

He stopped the auto. Khushi went to the flower shop and asked for flowers. She bought them for fifty rupees and came back to the auto again.

At the same time, Dhruv, who crossed the same place, got a call. He stopped the bike and attended the call. Burger saw a street cat and jumped from the bike to chase the cat. It chased the cat wildly. In that, he was supposed to be hit by a bike. Khushi saw that and shouted.

"Baiya, stop the bike..." She rushed to the dog and lifted it in her arms.

The next second, the bike banged her, and she fell to the ground with the dog. Her forearm was scratched. She hissed in pain. Garima got out of the auto and ran to her.

"Why did you run like that, Khushi?"

Khushi looked at the dog, which was looking at her, thankfully. Burger came close to her and caressed her with his face. Khushi stroked him lovingly. She stood up, lifting him in her arms.

That was when Dhruv came there.

"Burger... why did you come here? Idiot... come..."

He snatched Burger from Khushi's hand and said.

"Thanks..." he walked with Burger, who was looking at Khushi. Starting the bike, he went in the opposite direction to Khushi.

"Is not that dog looking cute?"

"Have you gone mad? Does anyone get hurt for a dog?"

"If I had not saved the dog, it might have died..."

Garima rolled her eyes and dragged her to the auto.

They came to the temple and worshipped God. Khushi took vermillion from the Pandit and kept it on her forehead. She turned behind, jerking, hearing someone calling her. The voice sounded like Arnav.

She blinked her eyes slowly, seeing Arnav standing. Arnav in Temple? What was he doing there?

"Hi, Aunty..."

"Arnav bituwa... you here?"

"Yes, aunty... I just came ..."

"I don't know you would come to the temple."

"I used to come to the Temple when my Mom was ALIVE, Aunty."

Khushi looked at him shockingly. What did he mean by ALIVE? Was not his mother alive?

Arnav saw the shocking expression on her face and smiled mildly.

"Isn't your mother alive?"

He nodded no.

"She died a few years ago, leaving me alone in this world..."

"I'm sorry beta..."

"That's ok, Aunty."

"Do you come here with your mother's memories?"

"With my mother's ALSO..." he smiled.

Garima gave him sweets that she prepared. Taking it from her, he tasted it.

"Very tasty, Aunty."

"Uncle taught me."

"Oh yeah, you have an expert at home."

"Yes, he is..."

"My Mom also makes tasty sweets."

Garima smiled, whereas Khushi gulped hard.

"Why didn't you think about starting a shop?"

Mother and daughter were stunned. A shop? They didn't even have money to run their lives. How could they think about starting a business?

"It needs money, beta."

"You can get a bank loan..."

"They will ask for security."

"Mmm..."

"We are leaving, beta."

"I will drop you, Aunty."

"It's ok, beta... we will go."

"I'm going to your area only, Aunty" He lied.

"Is it?"

"Yeah... let's go."

That was when Arnav saw a scratch on her forearm.

"What happened to you?"

"I fell ..." Khushi said.

Garima was supposed to tell him how it happened, but Khushi pressed her shoulder and prevented her.

"Didn't you go to the hospital?" Arnav asked.

Khushi nodded no.

"Aunty, I will take her to the hospital after dropping you home."

"No, no, it's a simple scratch."

"Maybe, but we can't be careless. If the wound gets septic, your practice will be affected."

Khushi became silent. She knew she could not deny him after that.

After dropping Garima at home, Arnav took Khushi to the same hospital where Arnav admitted Ashok.

"Is the wound hurt you?"

Khushi nodded no.

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"About your mother..."

Arnav nodded yes.

"I'm sorry...I don't know about your mother."

Arnav smiled.

"Your father...?" she asked hesitatingly.

"He is alive..."

Khushi sighed in relief, but Arnav's next stance horrified her.

"He is with another woman..."

She looked at him shockingly.

"He is not staying with me. He left me when I was fourteen years old."

Khushi gulped hard, gazing at him.

"Are you alone?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"I'm alone with many servants..." He smiled painfully.

Khushi felt her heart getting heavy. She felt sad for Arnav.

To be continued...