Part 53 Warning

"I suspect Arnav would be the werewolf," Shashi said, shocking Khushi. Her expression shocked Shashi too.

She composed herself and folded her hands with attitude, wondering Shashi.

"Mind you tell me what made you think so?"

"I'm a police officer. I suspect everyone... Arnav is not exceptional. Just because you love him, he can't get privileges..."

"I'm not talking about your police brain... I'm talking about Shashi Gupta's brain that's missing the logic. How are you so strong about the Mythological character? You know very well that werewolves can't exist...! Does it make sense? How could a guy be a werewolf? What is the SOURCE?"

Shashi was tongue-tied. He knew where this argument taking them.

"When a question is raised, I must find an answer. I don't mind if it's a fictional character or truth... I mind only about my daughter and her future. Apart from the police officer, there is a father in me who wants his daughter's betterment... only her betterment"

"Dad, you don't understand my question. I asked, what made you believe in the Werewolf concept..."

"I heard somewhere that a CURSE can be the reason"

"Curse...? Who would curse Arnav? Who could be the powerful saint that curses a human to become a werewolf?"

Shashi gulped down hard.

"Oh... I think you are thinking about your father who cursed the boy. Right?"

Shashi Gupta stood silent.

"Or... the boy who your father cursed is Arnav himself?"

Shashi looked away.

"So... this is the curse your father gifted to the little boy, right?"

"It happened once..."

"But, still you are suspecting...that means, you know very well the boy could not have gotten rid of the curse..."

"I'm not talking about it now..."

"Why Dad, it's because it's about your heartless father who gave more importance to the animals than humans...?"

"It's his nature..."

"Oh... so, would he change another one's nature? Who gave him the right? Who was he to do that?"

"Khushi, happened is happened..."

"How easily you said that Dad...! Happened is happened...? Yeah, happened is happened, LOVE happened between me and Arnav. So, there is nothing to think about us anymore"

"Khushi..."

"Even though he is a werewolf, I don't care..."

"But, I do..."

"It will not change anything, Dad"

"What do you mean, Khushi? Am I not important to you? Won't you obey me?"

"I obey you if you are right. I will say it on your face if you are wrong. You know that"

"So, you know the boy cursed by my father is Arnav...?"

"I told you... I don't mind who cursed him. I love him. I will be with him because he is my happiness. Most probably, if he is the boy, I have more responsibility to make his life right"

"You don't have to do that"

"Why?"

"Why do you do redemption for something that you are not responsible for?"

"I'm responsible... because the GREAT man who cursed him is my grandfather..."

"Khushi..."

"Stop being selfish, Dad...!"

"We can help him in another way..."

"In what way? Who are you to help him? First, understand what's meant by help. Snatching his happiness can't be a help, Dad. You know very well what's his happiness. It's me. It kills him if he doesn't get me. I will not let it happen"

"Khushi, do you realize the risk? How could you live with him if he is a werewolf?"

"I will live like his parents..."

Shashi rolled his eyes.

"Parents and wife are different...they are just a part of his life but wife is a BETTER HALF..."

"Exactly... I want to be his better half. I want to become his happiness... he is my future, Dad"

"So... you know he is a werewolf?"

"A stupid girl told me that but until I witness him transforming into a werewolf, I won't believe it"

"You can't witness it... he will kill you..."

"But his parents are alive"

"But he killed a man in the reserve forest"

"It can't be Arnav... and you don't have any other cases like that. How it is possible if he is a werewolf? Why didn't he kill anyone before and after the man?"

Shashi was speechless. He had no answer because Khushi had a point. Why didn't they get any cases before and after that? Why he didn't kill anyone if he was a werewolf? How?

"Answer me, Dad...!"

Shashi was silent.

"You can't... because there is no answer as same as werewolf. It's a myth. There is nothing called werewolf. Get it clear. Don't be confused..."

"Why should we risk?"

"I should have to... because he is ARNAV... my LOVE"

Shashi closed his eyes helplessly.

"If he is a werewolf, your kids will also have the trait... do you know that?"

"Dad, don't think so deep."

"How could I be not thinking about it?"

"What about his parents, Dad? What do you think about them? What mistake did they make? Why did they face this kind of terrible situation?"

Shashi looked at her shrinking his eyes.

"So, you know the cursed boy is Arnav..."

Khushi walked to the Pooja room and brought the paper on which Arnav's name was written. Shashi was horrified to see that.

"Yes, Arnav is the one who occupied my granny's prayers..."

Shashi looked at her helplessly.

"Granny wanted the boy to get a better future. If I, her granddaughter could not make it possible, who will do that?"

Shashi sat on the couch with a thud. His eyes tear up. Khushi felt bad for him. She sat next to him and touched his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I can't back off."

"Are you doing this for my mother?"

"Certainly not... I started loving Arnav even before I got to know the truth. In fact, he didn't accept me when I confessed on my birthday. He genuinely told me the truth. He told me he was cursed and also who cursed him. When you asked him to bring me to your father's funeral, Arnav saw the man and got to know he is my grandfather but he hid the truth and lied to me that he was not the man who cursed him. Do you know why? It's because he didn't want me to regret it. More than his pain, my Arnav felt about my pain. I swear, I will never get such a pure heart in my life, Dad. I can't miss it. If being cursed is Arnav's fate, this is my fate...!"

"No, beta..."

"Yes, Dad... why would I hear your conversation with your Dad who met you after so many years... that too for the last time? I got to know about the curse. When I learned about the curse, I didn't know Arnav was the boy. When I learned Arnav was the boy, how could I leave him? Doesn't my love have values? How could I leave him after knowing his miserable condition caused by my grandfather? You have no idea how I felt when I learned the truth. I was broken down, Dad. Because of my grandfather, Arnav was leading a painful life. I can't let him suffer alone"

"What about me? Why should I be punished for the mistake I had not made? Do you know how it feels being a father?"

"You are not only my father but also the SON of an arrogant father, Dad"

"Why should I let my daughter live in the hellfire?"

"I don't think it's a hellfire, Dad. When we have love, nothing seems hard"

Shashi looked at her painfully.

"I'm getting late to the college, Dad. Bye,"

Shashi was silent.

Khushi walked towards the exit and stopped.

"Dad... if you have any idea to stop this wedding, you will not see me ALIVE," She said calmly, making Shashi shocked. It was purely a warning.

"Don't try your smartness, Dad...! Being helpless is better than being daughterless, I suppose"

Shashi averted his gaze and Khushi left the place. She came out and got stuck, seeing Arnav standing with an unnamed expression. He gulped down, looking at her. It was not hard for Khushi to understand he heard their talks. She smiled at him casually as if nothing happened.

Clutching his hand, she walked out of the SP Bungalow premises. Arnav followed her, all the way looking at her. When they came out, Khushi asked,

"Will you ride the bike, or do you want me to do it?" She asked.

Arnav was gazing at her without answering. She snatched the key and sat on the bike. Kicking it, she started the bike and gestured for him to sit.

"Khushi..." his voice was broken.

"I said, sit..." She ordered.

Arnav sat behind her. Khushi geared the bike up towards the college. Khushi looked at him through the rearview mirror and saw his reddened eyes. She gulped down hard when a lonely tear flew in the air.

To be continued...