Random thought on Arshi as friends... You guys may not like it. Because nothing is there to like it. No proof read

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Arnav jumped from his bike and ran inside the hospital. He almost pounced on the receptionist to ask about the person he came here for.

“Second right 4th room” said the receptionist

Without wasting a second, Arnav rushed towards the room. He pushed the door and stood at the door

There she is… His best friend, his life, his love - lying on hospital bed, after attempting for suicide. His eyes moistened seeing her like that - helpless and lost; after little long time of their little fight.

“Khushi…” he whispered and saw her slowly looking at his side. But immediately after meeting his concerned filled eyes, she turned her face other side and closed her eyes tight

Seeing her avoiding him still, his eyes gained red color, his fists got tightly closed, he clenched his jaws in anger. He strode towards her and stood beside the bed

“Look at me” he commanded in his low voice with gritted teeth

She shook her head in no.

“I said look at me” he raised his voice little, making her sobs come out

Hearing her sobbing, his anger got vanished and his love and concern for her took over. Next second he sat beside her taking her in his arms hugging tightly

“Shh… relax… everything will be fine… relax… shh…”

Hearing his soothing words, her sobs got increased

“Pumpkin please… relax… sh… everything will be fine. You are fine now… You have me here with you… relax… shh…” He patted her head and rubbed her back trying to reduce her pain. He held her tight and sat rocking slowly. He let her cry how much she wanted. He knew, something is really wrong with her, otherwise, she never can take this step. He knew how much strong girl she is. Isn’t that the quality, which pulled him towards her? He sighed silently and held her more tightly towards him, giving her much needed support.

After few minutes, he felt her weight on him without any control. He looked down at her to see her sleeping peaceful. He smiled little,  made her lie on the bed.

“Don’t worry Pumpkin… Everything will be fine. You will find me with you, whenever you need me” He said kissing her forehead and left to meet doctor

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“Doctor, I’m Arnav. Khushi Gupta’s friend”

“Hello Mr. Arnav. Nice to meet you. I’m really waiting for someone, with whom I can talk about her. I couldn’t talk with her family that time as I have to attend some other serious case. But when I came back, no one is there with her. I was surprised to know that her family left her here. They came here and admitted her, but don’t know why they left”

“They left her here? I don’t know that. I just came from my official trip and came here as soon as I heard this news. What’s the matter doctor? Is everything fine with her?”

“Hm… Yes, she is fine physically. No worries about that. But emotionally she is very disturbed. I don’t know what happened with her, but she is not in her good mental condition. She is very shocked and depressed. She needs support, she needs someone, who can make her forget everything. She should be relaxed and happy. Otherwise it’s not going to be good for her or her baby”

“WHAT??? BABY??? KHUSHI IS PREGNANT?” Arnav shouted in shock

“Don’t you know? And why didn’t her husband come yet?” Doctor asked surprisingly

“No, I wasn’t in city from a week. I… I mean… oh god… she is pregnant?” Arnav sat with worried face

“Okay… that’s not my business. But please ask her family members to take complete care. She is really in her fragile state. She needs much more rest, and one more thing, looking at her I doubt that whether she took her food in past few days or not . And with this attempt and losing blood, she became so weak. Luckily it didn’t affect the baby. As it is her 3 month pregnancy, she needs to take much healthy food. And she needs to be in healthy atmosphere. You can take her to her home now. She is fine. Here is her prescriptions” Doctor explained everything which Khushi and her family has to do with her. Thanking Doctor Arnav left to Khushi’s room.

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To add much to Arnav’s worry and tension, Khushi took lot time to wake up from her sleep. When she woke up from her sleep, she looked around to see her friend pacing in worry and tension in the room. She smiled little, remembering his concerns and his warning about her behaviour and life. She never took them seriously. But now, she is facing the consequences. She shook her head to brush those thoughts. She looked at her friend and called in her low voice.

“Arnav…”

In a lightning speed, she has him on her side. She looked at him surprisingly for his speed. “Ooo… relax Arnav. I’m fine”

“I know… Still, how are you feeling now?” he asked in his composed voice

“Hmm… I’m fine” she replied in her low voice

“Doctor said, you can go home. Let me drop you”

“I think… I can… go… alone…”

“Come…” without listening to her words, he pulled her from bed gently and led her towards the car.

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Khushi sat in the car and looking outside. Her thoughts went back two days. She never expected that she would face that day. She never thought that her best friend Arnav’s words come true. She kept her head on headrest and closed her eyes.

:::::::::::::::::::::

“What? You are pregnant with MY child?” asked Vijay with fake surprised voice.

“Yes, Vijay… I’m pregnant, with your child” She confirmed with much happiness in her voice

“So, what do you want us to do now?” the mockness is clear in his voice, but Khushi failed to notice

“What else? We have to get married as soon as possible. I don’t want this child to be called as illegitimate” said Khushi caressing her stomach lovingly

“Oh… stop it Khushi. People call illegitimate child as illegitimate child only, right?”

“Vijay? What are you talking? How can our baby becomes illegitimate child when we both are going to marry?”  Khushi asked in confusion. She felt some uneasiness in her heart

“Going to marry? Who said we are getting married? I never promised like that, did I? How can you expect that I will marry a fat girl like you? what does your so called friend Arnav calls you? umm… hmm… ha yeah… Pumpkin… I’m not ready get married with fatty Pumpkin” Vijay laughed with his friends making khushi step backward in shock.

“W...w...what are you saying?”  she asked

“I can’t stop myself from appreciating Arnav for judging me correctly. Whatever he said that’s correct. But you didn’t listen”

“What do you mean? Why are you bringing Arnav here? Whatever, I need to know, are we going to get marry or not?” Khushi asked in fury

Vijay stepped towards her in much anger and leaned on her “I’m not running any organisation to give refuge to some random girl. And I’m not any some great man to accept a bastard (A/N I’m sorry for using this word, I hate it) as my son”

Khushi shocked hearing the words from her man, her life, her love.

“Vijay? What are you saying? How can you use that word for our baby?”

“Stop it… this baby will be called as my baby when I accept it as mine. And I will never do that.  You have so many male friends and that Arnav, he almost lives in your house. Who knows, he might be the reason for this baby. Go and tell him, that the lust you both shared gave you the fruit. Go… I have nothing to do with a girl like you. If my parents sees you here then it will be problem for me” saying this Vijay is about to go from there.

“How dare you talk about Arnav like that? How dare you talk about ME like that?” she grabbed his collar and asked in anger. But immediately she asked almost in pleading voice “You said you loved me Vijay, I trusted you. Don’t do this to me. I don’t want our child…” she couldn’t continue as Vijay pushed her hard

“DON’T DARE TO SAY THAT THIS CHILD IS MINE. I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THAT TRASH AS MINE. YES, yes I said I loved you, because I want to taste you, because I want to win my bet, because you said no to me. No girl, absolutely no girl said no to me before you said. I felt rejected, I felt insulted. So, I planned. Yes, I planned everything to trap you. And as I thought you are such fool to step into my trap. You and your high class mentality helped me in trapping you. some costly gifts, some dates, some cute lovely words and some small kisses on her fatty ugly palms made you come into my trap. And then I planned everything. Whatever I said about us having sex in drunken state is a lie. I was in full conscious that day. My friends didn't mix any drugs in my drink. I was the one who mixed the drug in YOUR drink. That day, I used you, I tasted you before anyone can do. I TASTED YOU… I SAW EVERYTHING OF YOU… I TOUCHED EVERYWHERE, WHERE YOU WANTED YOUR HUSBAND TO TOUCH. You are not pure innocent soul anymore… I made you impure. No one, NO ONE will accept you. This is the punishment I’m giving you for insulting me, for rejecting me. Do whatever you want. I will never accept you or your so called baby as mine. Get out… security… security…” he called his security “Throw this girl out. Make sure of that she won’t step here again. I don’t want to see her here.” commanding his security, he left from there.

Khushi stood there in shock after hearing Vijay’s words. She trusted this man, she loved this man from bottom of her heart. She kept her best friend's words aside. She felt someone pulling her outside. She looked at her side to see the security with their pity filled eyes. They pushed her little outside and closed the gates. Khushi stood there for how much time, she don’t know. She slowly took steps towards her home, understanding that she was horribly cheated by her boyfriend.

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“Khushi… what happened? why are you looking like this? what happened? Tell me Khushi… KHUSHI” Khushi’s mother shook her hardly to get her out of her trance.

Khushi looked at her mother, then her father and then her little brother to see their concern filled faces. She slowly removed her mother’s hold on her hands and uttered “I’m fine, it’s just headache. I want to take some rest. Please don’t disturb me” She slowly walked towards her room

“Khushi… don’t lie, at least tell us what happened” Khushi’s mother shouted again.

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Khushi sat on the floor in the corner of her room. She is looking straight into the photos of her with her family and her best friend Arnav. Tears are rolling down continuously.

“You were right Arnav, you were always right. Whatever you said about Vijay is right, whatever you said about everything is right. It’s just me, who couldn’t understand you. I’m sorry for not trusting you enough. I’m seeing the consequences for not listening to you. I even insulted you and asked you to go from my life, pointing out the difference between our status, saying that you would never know what a high class life is and how it will be. I’m facing the consequences Arnav. I’m tasting the fruit of my arrogance, my harshness and rudeness towards you. I took your beautiful friendship for granted. Please forgive me Arnav. But I can’t accept this. I can’t accept my defeat. Sorry for doing this, I know you never will like this. But, I can’t take this insult Arnav. I can’t take this…”

She stood from the floor and went to washroom and took out the first aid kit. She took the scissors from the kit and rubbed its sharp edge on her wrist. Blood started coming out from her wrist. She looked at the mirror and said “You deserve this, for trusting wrong person” She left the scissors on the floor and moved to her bed. She lied on the bed and closed her eyes and slowly lost her conscious.

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Khushi trance broke with a gentle push on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked at the person with concern and love filled eyes. Tears formed in her eyes.

“Shh… relax… everything will be fine. Come…” he pulled her hand little to make her come out. She looked around and saw his apartment building. she looked at him confusedly

“If you don’t mind” he pulled his shoulders little up and said.

She hugged him tight and cried.

“Hey… come on… don’t wet my shirt… it’s my favorite shirt damn it. Don’t spoil it you crazy little girl” he joked gently pushing her out from his embrace.

Khushi bit her lower lip and smiled little with tears in her eyes.

He slowly released her lip from her teeths, and nodded his head in no wiping her tears.

“Come…” He led her towards her two bedroom flat.

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Arnav is a middle class man, working as a computer professional in some random company. He befriended with Khushi in their childhood, when they met in temple while his father helped her father in something, he couldn’t remember correctly. From that day, Her family became regular visitors to his family, despite their status. Khushi’s parents helped him in his bad phrase. They stood beside him as his family when he lost his parents in terror attack in some market. He never depended on them financially. But he depended on them emotionally. He still feels that without them, he couldn’t have make it up to here. He became most trusted person to that family. He did everything for them, which is in limits. He became best friend to Khushi, best guide to Khushi’s younger brother, best student for Khushi’s father and best son to Khushi’s mother. He is the person about whom they think first after their family.

But after Khushi asked him to go out from her life, he couldn’t stay near their house. He can’t see his love stepping in wrong path. He requested her, he pleaded her and at last he begged her to change her behavior. He stepped out of her life. Khushi’s father always wanted Arnav to be his SIL. He knew Arnav and he can understand Arnav’s love towards her. He pleaded Arnav to come back saying he will talk with Khushi. But Arnav never agreed to force her. He knew, Love will never come by force. It should come from the heart by feeling it. If she is happy with her life, then he will step behind and push her towards her life. He can give his happiness for her. Her happiness is most important than his. Khushi’s father felt overwhelmed by seeing the love Arnav for his daughter at the same time he felt pained seeing his daughter’s behaviour towards this pure hearted man.

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Arnav made Khushi lie on bed and covered with quilt. He stood smiling at her and turned to leave, but stopped by the tug. He closed his eyes and turned back to look at her

“Relax Khushi, we will talk later. You need rest…”

“Arnav, mom and dad…” Khushi asked in her low voice

“Not now Khushi. We will talk later… you relax…” Arnav feeling vulnerable seeing her in this situation.

“Khushi? Aren’t you going to call me Pumpkin anymore? Do you hate me Arnav?” she asked in her vulnerable tone

Arnav immediately sat beside her and cupped her cheeks

“I can never do that Pumpkin. I can never… Chaahe Main Jitna bhi chahun aur chaahe tum jitna kaho ya kitna bhi jabardasti karlo lekin main yeh nahi kar sakta. Kabhi nahi (how much I want or how much you force me to do so, but I can never hate you, never)”

“Arnav…”

“We will talk later… please for now, you take rest. You need rest”

“But I want to tell you that… I’m…”

“I know… But please listen to me, don’t stress yourself… we will talk later. Please” he said in low voice. He really wants to go out of this room. He can’t see Khushi like this. He can’t see her helpless. He can’t see her seeking his help. For his luck his mobile started ringing. He looked at Khushi after seeing the name on the screen.

“I need to attend this call Pumpkin. Till I finish this call, you please take rest. I will be back finishing this call” saying that he left the room, closing the door

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“I’m disappointed with you Arnav. We are coming there. I don’t want you to give shelter to her”

“We will talk about that once you come here, uncle. Please come” Arnav said and cut the call. He sat on the sofa and held his head in his hand. He never expected that he would see days like this. He sat there waiting for Khushi’s parents to come. He silently prayed to God to give strength to face the situation with cool mind.

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Evening, Arnav’s apartment

“How can you Arnav? How can you allow her here?”  Khushi’s father asked

Khushi sat with fear and sadness filled face.

“I gave her place, because she is OUR Khushi uncle. I agree that whatever she did is wrong. Whatever path she chose was wrong. But it’s not her fault. She is a victim uncle. Loving someone from our heart can never be wrong or mistake. I can never accuse her for this. Because I know, how it feels when our love never come back from the person we love. But everyone can not take that normally uncle. She is kid, she is innocent. She trusted him, she loved him. But she failed to notice that she is trusting wrong person. She is loving the wrong person blindly. I agree uncle. But cursing her or throwing her away from our lives, is not the correct thing. She is our Khushi. We can’t abandon her uncle. I can’t…” he finished in low voice.

Suddenly he felt Khushi hugging him tight from back and crying her heart out. He closed his eyes to control his emotions. He kept his hands on her and turned to her.

“Shh… Pumpkin… don’t… you won’t look good while crying. Shh… stop it… relax… you shouldn’t cry like this… shh…” he hugged Khushi from front and soothed her by patting her head

Khushi’s parents looked at him with surprise and unbelievable expression. Khushi’s younger brother ran to Arnav and hugged him from back

“Thank you bhai… for supporting Di. Thank you”

“Really Arnav… Thank you so much… thanks a lot…” Khushi whispered. Nodding his head in no, he wiped her tears and made her sit. He turned to her parents and looked with pleading eyes. Sighing deeply they nodded their heads, accepting to forgive her for Arnav’s sake.

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It’s Khushi 5 month. Arnav came home little late after returning from his small official trip. He is feeling tired. He didn’t get time even to drink his evening tea. He opened the door with key and entered inside. But he felt surprised seeing Khushi in his house. But more shocked to see her having lot of tablets in her palm

“Khushi? What the hell are you doing?” he rushed to her. He pushed her hand making all the tablets fell from her hand. He is hell confused and angry on her

Khushi looked at arnav in shock and fear

“What’s wrong with you girl? what the hell are you trying to do? Is it that easy for you? ANSWER ME KHUSHI” he shouted at her

“I can’t do this anymore” she said in her angry voice

“What?”

“I can’t do this anymore… I can’t take these insults anymore. Why did you stop me? In fact why did you come home? I need to die… I want to die… I will die…” she rushed towards laundry room and took some cleaning liquid to have. Arnav pushed that and dragged Khushi out of the room.

“Leave me, let me die. I don’t want to live… leave me. I don’t have anyone in this world. I don’t want to live alone… leave me”

Suddenly he pulled her his front and slapped her hard, making her fall on sofa. Khushi held her cheek and looked at him and whispered “Arnav…”

“What’s wrong with you? Can’t you see how we are feeling seeing you like this? Why can’t you understand my feelings? Why can’t you understand our love towards you? Why can’t you just understand what I’m going though? Why can’t you just accept me in your life? Why are you pushing yourself away from me? Why can’t you just sit and talk? Why are you hell bent to not to take my help? Why can’t you let me take things in my hands? Why can’t you give me the control when you can’t? Why can’t you just trust me with your life?” Arnav shouted in his high volume leaving Khushi hell shocked. Her desire to die or her pain of being slapped long gone
“Why can’t you accept me Khushi? Why are you making it difficult for me?” Arnav asked weakly sitting on sofa

“Arnav…”

By then Arnav came out of his anger. He composed very fast and looked at her confused, surprised and shocked expression

“Khushi, dieing is not the solution for any problem. You have to be strong in your life. Whatever you did or Vijay did, what’s the mistake of your baby in all these? Why are you hell bent on killing that innocent soul? Why are you not thinking about the baby who is going to fill your life with happiness? Why are you hanging to the person who gave you nothing other than hurt and pain? Why can’t you punish him showing that he can’t control your life anymore by being happy?”

“But… it hurts Arnav”

“I know… but you should overcome this pain Khushi. For the baby which is growing inside you. It’s YOUR baby, not someone’s. Please let it come into the world” he begged again

“Arnav…”

“Yes Pumpkin… show the world that you didn’t do any wrong, show the world that you are bearing YOUR baby inside you, show them that you are strong, show the world that no one can control your life.”

“But… How can I? I don’t know anything. I did lot of mistakes in my life. I always made fun of you whenever you warned me or tried to help me or tried to guide me in right path. I don’t think I can make myself strong or I can face this world or I can live alone”

“Who told you that you are lone?”

“Arnav”

“If you feel like that, then let me help you… let me suggest you… let me make you feel that you aren’t alone in this world. Let me make you feel you are special. Let me live in your life Khushi. Let me do what I should do. Let me be with you whenever you need me. Let me be with you to take care of you. Let me make you happy. Let me make you live your life happily with your child and your family. Let me take care of you… Let me warn you whenever you are going to do a mistake. Let me guide you in right path… Let me khushi… let me help you... please just let me…” Arnav pleaded holding her hands in his with so much love in his eyes for her

“YOU LOVE ME” she said in low voice, that’s not a question but a confirmation

Arnav eyes went wide but in a fraction of second he composed and said “Yes, I do… as your family does, as your friends does”

Khushi shook her head in no.

“Arnav… oh Arnav… Now it’s confirmed that I’m such a fool… oh Arnav…” she hugged him tightly “I’m sorry Arnav… for hurting you with my stupid acts. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. I promise you I will never do this. I will do whatever you say… I will listen to whatever you say. Please guide me… please be with me… I don’t want to lose my precious friend anymore… please Arnav…”

“As I said, how much I want or how much you force me to leave you, I can never do that. You are my Pumpkin. You will always remain as my pumpkin” he said

Khushi looked at him with a bright smile and twinkling eyes. Her face is bright without any fear of facing the world… She hugged him tight again which he returned with determination of giving her whatever she NEEDS by becoming her support.

°°°End°°°