Random thought. Ignore typos and mistakes.

“I just want to help you…” she said in low voice

“Not again…” he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth “How many times I had to tell you that I don’t need your damn help. Arnav Singh Raizada never needs anyone’s help” he shouted back at her

“Please…” she pleaded with hopeful eyes

“Get out… I said get out… I want you out from my office before my boss comes here. Get out…” he pushed her out of his cabin and started working.

Everyone looked at Khushi with so much pity on her. She looked at them with a small smile on her face tears in her eyes

This is what, which is happening from almost one month from his return from Mumbai.

Arnav closed his eyes, and remembered the day when he met her for the first time in his office. He was spellbound by her innocence and beauty. Even though she reminded someone so close to his heart, he brushed that thought.

As he prefers silence, her too much talkativeness irritated him to the core. He remembered that day, around lunch time; his receptionist called him and said he has a visitor. He went to visitors’ lounge and looked at the innocent beauty and went to her. When he introduced him to her she gave a bright smile in return and told him that she was there to help him. Getting surprised by her answer he politely asked her what she was talking. But all he got from her was her saying that she is there to help him. And he refused her offer and asked her to leave. But she never backed from her offer. From that day onwards, she is coming daily to him and offering him her help. And today he lost all his patience and throws her outside his office before his boss comes him. He sighed ‘Who are you? Why are you doing this?’ thought Arnav

**********************

She opened her flat door and throw her body on the couch. She is feeling tired after day’s events. She looked around the flat and looked at the life size photo on the wall. She walked to the photo and caressed it

“I didn’t mean when I asked you to get out from my life. I’m, we were children that time. I was just freaking angry on you for tearing my doll.” She smiled remembering them as children “I never wanted you to go out of my life” she pouted “Then why are you asking me to leave? Why can’t you just recognize me? Why can’t you remember our friendship which we hid behind our childish fights? I can’t Arnav Ji, I can’t leave you in this situation. I can’t let you live alone in this whole word. Whatever it makes I will help you” she is determined, she decided.

***********************

“Please Ma’am; sir will not like you here. Please leave from here before sir comes. Otherwise it will affect my job, please ma’am” pleaded the receptionist

“I assure you, you won’t lose your job” she tried one more time.

“No Ma’am; sorry but I don’t want to take risk now. Please ma’am”

“Hmm… fine… at least can you tell me at what time he will come today and whether he comes in his vehicle or any other? Please”

“He will come at sharp 8.45 and… I think he will come by his own vehicle. But please… don’t let him know that I gave you this information” receptionist said with fearful eyes. She is feeling bad for the girl who stood before her, for getting rejected/thrown from their office everyday by their arrogant boss.

“Thank you” later the girl waited for Arnav at the parking. She stood up when she saw his car coming. Arnav pretending not seeing her, he left inside and ordered receptionist not to allow that particular girl inside. He sat in his chair but couldn’t concentrate on work. He closed his eyes and saw her innocent pure amazing relaxing smiling face. He groaned in frustration and tried doing his work, failing completely. He called his boss and asked for a leave and left. It’s almost lunch time when he came back to the parking lot. He was little surprised to see her in same place where he saw her in the morning. He walked towards her angrily. He held her elbow and jerked from her place

“What’s your problem miss? Why are you doing this? Who are you?”

“Key Key…”

“What? I know your name damn it. I’m asking who are you to ME?”

“I’m hungry; can we talk about it after that?”

“Here I’m talking seriously and you… unbelievable…” Arnav gritted his teeth and turned to his side avoiding looking at her face.

“Please Arnav Ji… I’m really hungry. In the hurry to meet you in the morning, I came without having breakfast” she pouted

Seeing her pout and hearing her endearment ‘Arnav Ji’; Arnav couldn’t oppose her “Fine… after lunch you have to tell me everything” commanding her, he entered his car and asked her to hop

“I have everything prepared at my home. If you don’t mind…” Khushi hesitated a bit

Arnav looked at her for a moment, asking the directions he drove to her car. He needs to know her, he is determined

************************

“Please come in… feel free and make yourself comfortable, I will arrange everything for lunch” she left inside

Arnav sat on the couch and observed the living room. He felt peaceful. He looked little up; he was surprised to his life size photo. He looked at showcase to see some photos of a family. One photo caught his attention. It was a photo of two teenagers. One is he himself and one is his crazy friend – his Pumpkin. He took that photo in his hands and rushed to the kitchen. He pulled the girl harshly and asked “Who are you?” showing the photo to her he asked again “Who are you? What’s this photo doing in your showcase? How did you get this photo with you? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?” He shouted at her

The girl looked at him smiling with tearful eyes.

Seeing her face Arnav felt fear gripping his heart. Looking into her eyes he remembered someone in his life. shaking his head, he leaned on the wall gripping the photo tightly in his hand. He looked at the photo and closed his eyes. Tears rolled down his cheeks. “Please… tell me who are you? I can’t fight more with this life. Please… please…” he kneeled on the floor and cried his heart keeping his forehead on the photo.

Khushi rushed to him and hugged him sideways and slowly rocked him.

“Shh… Arnav Ji, shh… I never guessed the great Arnav Singh Raizada will become a cry baby…”

With that Arnav looked at her with surprise. She can see the fear, hope, helplessness, weakness and smile in his eyes, he somewhat can guess the person now, but he wants to be sure

“What are you looking at? Is this the way to greet your friend after a long time?” said the girl smiling while tears rolling her eyes. Her eyes pouring the affection towards Arnav

Arnav looked at her in disbelieve “Pumpkin?” he whispered.

Khushi nodded her head controlling her sobs.

“Are you… Are you really… really… my… my Pumpkin?” Arnav whispered. He couldn’t take this news

The girl hugged him tightly and cried her heart out. They both hugged each other and let their sorrows come out. They faced a lot in life till now. When they both were in 12 and 14, they are in neighborhood. They both were attracted at each other. But when they face each other, they never know what happens, but they ended up in big horrible fights. They both used to fight physically sometimes. Arnav likes to tease and Pumpkin likes to irritate him – the result was a BIG FIGHT between the children. Arnav always teased Pumpkin with her pet name and saying she is fat. IN the same way, Pumpkin irritated Arnav calling him Chote. That’s all… again a BIG FIGHT.

When days moved fast, in two years they learned so much about each other. Their attractions turned into their crush towards each other, but they never expressed their feelings to each other keeping their horrible fights in mind thinking their crush doesn’t like them back. After their families moved out in third year of their relation, both of them missed each other badly. They always wanted to be with each other. When they grow up their feelings towards their first crush stayed fresh in their hearts. They never could accept other person in their crush’s place. Along with them their crush grew into love. They waited for them and still waiting. But the worst thing is, they don’t know their original names or remember their faces that much. It happened 13 years back. They only remembered their faces as a 12-year girl and 14-year boy. That’s all. But Khushi is successful in finding his name and details.

But after meeting like this, in this situation both couldn’t believe that. They hugged each other tightly not to let others go. After a long time, they got relaxed and sat on the floor leaning on kitchen slab. Arnav turned to her kissed her forehead in affection.

“Where were you Pumpkin? I searched for you a lot, but couldn’t find because I didn’t even know your original name… damn!!! Where did you all go? Why didn’t you inform me about your whereabouts?” Arnav rained his questions to his childhood crazy friend

“Arnav ji… realx… I’m fine and I’m here with you now. I had my reasons for not informing you about my whereabouts. I will tell you everything, but not now. Let’s have lunch first, or else I will die with this hunger” girl said smiling at him

“You didn’t change a bit Pumpkin… you and your hunger. Chalo let’s have lunch” said Arnav smiling in return.

“And by the way, my name is Khushi” Khushi introduced herself to her best friend

“Khushi! Beautiful name… I’m Arnav, Arnav Singh Raizada” Arnav introduced himself feeling elated to have his crazy friend with him after a long time.

“I know. But how? I will tell later. First food then remaining things" she smiled and served food for both.

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

After lunch

Both sat in living room, holding hands and looking at each other after long years. Arnav’s eyes are moist where Khushi’s filled with tears of happiness. Arnav can see the happiness in her eyes.

“I’m fine Pumpkin, oh sorry Khushi… no need to worry about that” Arnav said knowing the hidden questions behind that happiness.

“I know, I can see how happy you were and are” Khushi said hinting Arnav indirectly that she is not going to tell anything about her without knowing his pain and life.

Sighing deeply, he said “So many things happened after our families went away Pumpkin. When I went for IPS interview four years back, Mom and Anjali died in a bomb blast in Lucknow. Then Dad went to depression. One day, Nani and Dadi went to temple, Dadi asked Dad to pick them up from there. Dad was drunk while driving the car. While returning to home they had an accident. Dad straight went to other car. Along with that other family, I lost Dad and Nani. As dad driving too fast, nobody survived from that accident except Dadi. Everyone is spot dead. That family’s daughter called me and informed me about accident. If she is not the person, I would have lost Dadi too. She was the one who saved Dadi in time. I wanted to meet her, but couldn’t. I lost everything Pumpkin. Now, it’s only me and Dadi.”

“I know…”

Arnav looked at Khushi in surprise.

“You know? But how?”

She smiled and said “Jeeji got married to her love” Arnav eyes twinkled little bit “Me along with Bua Ji went to jeeji’s house to bring them to pag phere rasam. When we are coming back, one car crashed with ours. Buaji along with jeeji and jeeja Ji died on the spot”

Arnav looked at Khushi with horror filled eyes. He nodded his head in no and whispered “NO… it can’t be. Please tell me what I’m thinking is not true. Please…” pleaded Arnav, but Khushi continued "I lost my conscious. It’s really dark, no one there to help. When I checked our car after gaining conscious, I looked at all the dead bodies around me. When I checked the other car, I found an old lady is taking her heavy breaths. Then immediately I searched mobiles and found one in her car. I called the emergency and with their help I took that old lady to the hospital along with the dead bodies. After confirming my family and other family’s death, I stood there not knowing what to do. I was shattered. But then suddenly I remembered the old lady inside the room. I kept myself strong for her.

I had to leave from there to complete my family’s last rituals. So, I checked the mobile and called the recently dialed number ‘Chote’ and informed him about the loss and also informed the hospital staff to take care of the old lady till the person comes. But when I saw YOU running inside like mad person, I felt like I know you. I felt like we are related to each other. I felt like we met before. I wanted to run to you to ask you, to assure myself that I’m not alone in this world, I have a person for me. But I couldn’t as Jeeja Ji’s family came to collect jeeju’s body. They all left me alone there, cursing jeeji for this accident.

Before leaving hospital, I asked one person who you are. He said you are Arnav Singh Raizada, son of Alok Raizada. I thought I heard that name somewhere. Later, I kept an eye on you. I followed you in all the social network websites. I also kept tab on the news about you being ASP. After returning from Mumbai, I followed you everywhere, observed you, kept note of your behavior. While knowing about you, I came to know that you are no one but my childhood friend ‘Chote’.” Khushi said

“Then why didn’t you come to me as Pumpkin? Why some damn Key Key?” Arnav asked with confusion and thudding heart.

“I just want to irritate you” Khushi said shrugging her shoulders like matter of fact

Arnav looked at Khushi with his mouth open. “Seriously…” Arnav asked in astonishment

Khushi nodded her head with mischievous eyes making Arnav narrow his eyes. Smiling at her childishness, he hugged Khushi tightly and kissed her hair

“I can’t believe that you are with me Pumpkin. Thank you… thank you for coming back… thank you for coming back to help me”

“Arey, how can I not come? How can I leave you like that? When I came to you, months back, I couldn’t see you like this Arnav Ji. I couldn’t see my love to suffer like this. I couldn’t see my life to shatter like this. But, I couldn’t come in front of you after reading about your affairs. So I decided to live as your friend. I decided to remove your pain as your friend and came here” there it is, Khushi said what she wanted to from long back

“Pumpkin!!! What did you? You… you… I mean…”

“Yes, Arnav ji… I loved you then and I love you now… that is the reason I came back here, for you, for me and for US”

Arnav couldn’t believe this. He always wanted her to come back into his life, if not as his better half at least as his crazy friend. After her, he couldn’t befriend with anyone. Going away from her made him realize how important she is in his life. The life with his crazy pumpkin was always excited. And he is sure it will be as excited as before. He doesn’t know how to react to this. His pure, innocent first love is now getting reciprocated. He is feeling like climbing the mount Everest.

“Khushi… I…” he was stopped by his crazy pumpkin as usual assuming things.

“Shh… relax… I know you are not interested in these love and marriage thing. I’m not forcing you. Just be yourself, stay happy and enjoy your life. That’s all what I want, nothing else. I will never ask you to love me back… as I can’t lose you in my life again Arnav ji. As you are the only person I know in this world and I know, you can’t love me… so…” her words got stopped, her eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat and her breath hitched – feeling his firm lips on her, feeling his rough hands around her and feeling his hard chest touching her softness.

Before she understands what’s happening and react, he broke the hug and said “You didn’t change a bit and talk a lot Pumpkin. I love you too…” with that he again kissed her accepting her presence in his life. So many things to be talked, so many things need to be know, so many things to be sorted, but everything can wait…

||_End_||

Thank you