Part 15 What Curse? 

Khushi was confused seeing her Grandpa. She wanted to know all about him. She wanted to ask Shashi about them. She was not sure whether Shashi would answer her. Yet, she wanted to...

She rushed to the SP bungalow.

Khushi came home. She saw Shashi sitting, leaning on the sofa, closing his eyes.

"Dad..."

He opened his eyes, jerking. Composing himself, he smiled at her.

"How is your friend?" he tried to be normal.

"She is all right now... by the way, who was that Dad?"

Shashi frowned. About whom she was asking?

"Who?"

"The one who looked like an Aghori..."

Shashi was horror-struck. Did she see his father?

"I don't know" he looked somewhere.

"I saw you talking to him" Khushi didn't hesitate.

"He asked me for help..." he lied.

"What help Dad?"

"Leave it, beta... I don't like to talk about it"

"But why Dad? Don't I have the right to know about my GRANDPA?" She asked with a sharp gaze.

Shashi was shocked.

"I heard your talks"

Shashi gulped down.

"What curse did you talk about? Whom did he curse, Dad?"

Shashi nodded his head from left to right and said,

"I don't know beta..."

"Did Dhadhi know?"

He nodded yes.

"This is why Dhadi was angry with him?"

Shashi nodded yes.

"What's that about Dad?"

"Beta, please... you are a sensitive girl. You just came out of your Granny's memories. I struggled a lot to get out of it. I don't want you to stress yourself for something we can do nothing with. Please leave it"

"But Dad... Dhadi..."

"Yes, my mother was highly upset with my father for cursing a boy. She was stressed about the boy's future. Thinking about the painful life of the boy all the time only she should have gotten a heart attack. I do not doubt that. You are not less than your Granny. I don't want you to think about it. You are happy with your college friends now. Please don't spoil your happiness for someone beta... please..."

Khushi sighed and ran into his arms. Shashi hugged her lovingly.

"Why did he curse a boy?"

"He was angry... maybe immature...or, haughty"

"Did he give a painful life to the boy?"

Shashi nodded yes sighing.

"Is not the boy poor?"

Shashi nodded yes.

"Where is the boy?"

"I know nothing about him but my Mom"

Khushi was about to ask him again,

"Khushi, please leave it. My Mom kept the boy in his prayer and I'm sure he would have got rid of it as of now" he lied to console her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I can say that surely"

"Then why did Dhadi get a heart attack?"

"It's because of years of STRESS..."

"Is it a curse that can be absolved?" She asked excitedly.

"Of course... if there is a curse, there would be absolution too"

Khushi sighed in relief.

"Anyhow, I'm also going to pray for the boy from here on"

Shashi nodded smiling.

"Promise me you won't talk about it again... with anyone..." Shashi asked.

She looked at him pouting.

"Not even with Arnav. He turned good because of you. Don't bore him with your sad stories..."

She chuckled and nodded ok.

"Good girl" he kissed her hair.

Though Khushi nodded affirmatively she could not get rid of the BOY's thought because his name was also ARNAV.

Two weeks later

Shashi came home and sat on the couch. He ordered a servant to bring him coffee. He smiled seeing Khushi bringing him coffee.

"Good evening Dad"

"Good evening, beta..."

"What a surprise, you came soon today" Khushi asked, serving the coffee to Shashi.

"Just finished the collector's meeting and it was not so early though. It's 6:30..." he said taking the cup.

"For you, it's earlier"

"Mmm"

Khushi sat, taking her cup, and sipped. That was when she got a call from Lavanya.

"Hi, La..."

"Khushi, I have super cool news for you," Lavanya said excitedly.

"What news?"

"We are going on a trip"

"Trip? Really?"

"Yeah... coming 23rd for three days"

"My goodness...! That's really super cool news. By the way, how do you know?" Khushi asked.

"Don't you know some of our classmates are going to our professor's house for private classes?"

"yeah, just like a kids..." Khushi teased.

"Why not you tease us... you have CBM to teach you..."

"Of course, the best professor I have ever had..." Khushi flaunted.

"OK, get ready for the trip. Tomorrow will be the official declaration"

"Count me..." Khushi said excitedly.

"Done"

Khushi disconnected the call.

"What's the matter beta?" Shashi inquired.

"We are going for a trip..." She shouted in excitement.

"Really? When?"

"Coming 23rd... for three days..."

Shashi stared at her blankly. He could not believe Khushi had forgotten her mother's death anniversary. It was 24th and Khushi had forgotten it. Shashi kept silent. He didn't want to spoil her cheerful mood. It seemed she got a very good friend in her college that made her forget her grief completely. He was glad about it. So, he decided not to remember Khushi about her mother's death anniversary. Khushi didn't need to be there as his presence was enough to give Shrad. He smiled seeing his daughter's change. After all, a college trip was a beautiful experience in anyone's life. So, he let her enjoy it.

The next day

The whole college was talking about the trip. Khushi was also so excited about the trip. She came to the class and NK was noting down the names of the students who were interested in the trip even before the official declaration because he knew it was authentic information.

Khushi came and sat next to Arnav.

"Hi Chotte..."

Arnav smiled softly.

NK came to them and asked,

"May I write your names?"

"Why doubt?" Khushi smiled.

NK was about to write their name, but he stopped hearing,

"No, I'm not coming," Arnav said.

Khushi and NK looked at Arnav disappointedly.

"But, why Arnav?" Khushi asked feeling sad.

"I can't..." he said plainly.

Khushi looked at NK sadly and said,

"I'm also not coming"

Arnav looked at her stunningly.

"But why?" NK asked.

"I'm not coming... that's all..."

NK wanted to say something but he kept silent as he didn't want to talk about it in front of Arnav. So, he left the place. Arnav waited for him to leave the place. Arnav didn't know what to say. He saw Lavanya coming. Clutching Khushi's hand, she dragged her with her. When they came out, she saw Preethi and NK standing.

"Why don't you come to the trip?" Lavanya asked.

"I'm not interested"

"Why?"

"I just..."

"Lie... you are not coming because Arnav is not coming"

Khushi was silent.

"Why Khushi? Are not we your friends?"

"When did I say you are not my friends?"

"Then what?"

"Leave it guys... go and enjoy the trip"

They sighed and turned to get into the class. She was stuck to see Arnav standing behind her. She smiled at him casually and went to her place. Arnav followed her.

"Why don't you go, Khushi? You should enjoy the trip" Arnav said.

"Without you, how could I enjoy the trip?" She asked making him bewildered.

"Khushi please, don't make me guilt"

"I said the truth... if you don't come, I can't enjoy the trip. I will be thinking about you... I will miss you. Then how could I enjoy the trip?"

Arnav closed his eyes. He didn't know what to do or what to say.

"You know Lavanya told me yesterday about the trip. I was thinking about it for the whole night. I thought I could walk with you on the FULLMOON night in the chilling climate"

Arnav gulped down hard.

"I'm sorry Khushi..."

"Hey, I just said what I felt. I can understand..."

Arnav plainly looked at her, like, YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING.

"It was a FULLMOON day. That's why you are not coming. right?" she asked making him sweat.

"What do you mean?"

"Your parents will go to the temple on Full moon day. So, you want to be at home. Right?"

Arnav let out a strong sigh.

"Leave it, Arnav..."

"You will miss the wonderful experience of your life, if you don't go, Khushi"

"Won't YOU (stressing) miss it?"

Arnav was silent.

"I'm not going... that's final," she said firmly.

"But... I'm not even talking to you freely like others do... what company do you think I can give you?"

"Just be with me...! That's the great company I can have. It's enough" she said making him stun again.

Arnav clutched his nose bone closing his eyes.

"I feel content being with you Arnav. My heart always wants to be with you"

Arnav was suffocating. He didn't know what she meant. He was supposed to ask her something but stopped to see Lavanya and Preethi coming towards them.

"Are not you coming?" Lavanya asked again intentionally.

Khushi nodded NO.

"You were so happy yesterday when I told you?"

"Yeah, but not now"

"Khushi..."

"Please Lavanya, try to understand... I'm not coming. I'm fixed"

Lavanya and Preethi glanced at Arnav and then looked at each other. They left the place upset.

"They think you don't go on the trip because of me"

"That's true"

Arnav was about to say something, but Khushi stopped him.

"Don't try to manipulate me, Mr. CBM...! You can turn my NO into YES by only your YES to the trip. I will come if you come. Otherwise the big NOOOO" she said stubbornly, making him feel helpless.

To be continued...