GOMTI SADAN

Khushi stood at the door of her house, waiting for someone to show up. She once again rang the bell.

Her buaji came and opened the door wearing an irritated expression. Seeing Khushi on the door, the expression turned to anger.

"Lo aagyi maharani. Time ka kono pta hai ya nhi tumhe. Pta nhi kha kha muh kala krva kr aayi ho apna. (So here comes the queen. Have you seen the time? I don't know where you go to disgrace your name?Shameless!)" Taunted her buaji.

Khushi was used with these taunts and hurting words.

She felt happy and contented at office rather than at home. Who would love to visit hell!

It wasn't a home but a prison for her but she cannot voice out her thoughts.

"Jldi picha chutte humra tumse. Pta nhi tumre ma baap tumhe kyu chor gye or khud chal bse.
Haye re nand kishore! (I wish to get rid of you as soon as possible. Why your parents left you and themself died.)"

She stood there head hung low until her buaji finished. She then went to her room.

Upon reaching the room she glanced over it. It wasn't a room but a store room. She didn't had a room of her own despite having an empty room in the house. She rememberd that buaji said about using that room as a guest room rather than appointing it to her.

There laid her bed on the floor made of a very old and worn out mattress at one side of the room. The other side of the room covers all the worn out furniture, trunks, broken chairs and other unwanted things like her.

She kept her bag and went to freshen up. After freshing herself she went to kitchen to prepare dinner.

Khushi works like a mechanic, a robot which works all day and night continuously. She never feels tired. She wants to repay the favour they have done by giving her a shelter after her parents demise. She would to anything they ask her to do. Even at the cost of her life.

She feels thankful that she has someone whom she can call as hers, despite being treated as nothing but shit. She feels sorry for those who have no one in their life to depend upon, to look at when needed in crises.

She thank her goddess for at least giving her a family.

After preparing dinner, she set the table and went to call all for the same. Everyone had their dinner except her. She would always have her food when all had theirs.

After having her share of dinner and cleaning all the mess of kitchen, she retired to her room.

She came towards her bed kept just beside a small window. She lit the bulb and sat by the window. Glancing outside for good few minutes she closed her eyes thinking deeply about her life.

She is alone. She has no one whom she can claim as hers, only her's. She let her thoughts ramble upon her prince who would come and take her away from all this and give her immense happiness. Who would love her, pamper her, feed her, trust her, laugh with her, cry with her, hug her, comfort her, cuddle her, correct her, scold her...

Imagining all these things with her husband, she pictured a man in her thoughts.

Arnav

She quickly opened her eyes in shock.

"How is this possible? No!! He is my boss. How could I imagine him as my husband, my prince, my savior. Nhi yeh galat hai. Chahe mei unke liye joh bhi mehsoos krti hu, pr unhe apne pati ke roop mei dekhna galat hai. (No its wrong. Whatever,I may feel for him but seeing him as my husband is wrong.)"

"Nhi khushi. Chahe tu unse py... pyar krti ho pr voh tujhe sirf ek employee ki hesiyat se dekhe ge. Voh itne raees or ameer hai or tu.. unki biwi toh door unki naukar banne layik bhi nhi hai. (No Khushi whether you lo.. love him but he will only see you as his employee. He is so rich and and wealthy and you don't even have a status to be his servant, being his wife is out of question.)" She thought and unknown to her a lone tear escaped her eye. She let herself cry and sob harder on her fate.

LIVING ROOM

"Shashi jldi se shaddi ke liye ha krdo. Itna acha rishta hai. Rishta nhi sauda hai sauda. Aree yha dahej dena nhi pdega balki mill rha hai. Isse achi or kya baat jo skti hai bhla. (Shashi say yes for the proposal. Its a good alliance, infact its not an alliance but a deal. We don't have to give any dowry but are receiving it. What could be more good than this!)"

Khushi has been offered an alliance for her marriage. Firstly they declined as they didn't want to waste any money on her. But when they were offered good  amount of money in return, they couldn't deny. Who would!!

So without enquiring about the groom, they accepted it blindly.

"Voh toh hai jiji. Voh toh chahta hai ki shadi ishi hafte ho jaye. App thik khe rhe hai. Acha hi hai, bhoj utre ga humre upar se... Toh fir thik hai jiji hum kal hi baat paki krte hai. (It is di. He wants that marriage should happen this week itself. You are right! Infact it's good, that burden would be removed from us... Then its decided, I will say yes tomorrow morning.)"

"Yeh hui na baat Shashi babua. Bas ab jald se jald Shyam babua le jaye usee yaha se. (Thats like my brother. Now Shyam just takes her away as soon as possible.)"

"Hmm" was the only answer that came from Shashi.

ARNAV'S ROOM

"Mujhe Khushi ko apne dil ki baat jaldi btani chahiye, par kese... Aur agar usne na krdi toh... Agar uski zindigi mei koi or hua toh. (I should tell Khushi about my feelings, but how... What if she says a no... If there is already someone in her life.)"

The random thoughts kept nagging the great ASR all night. "What if" was all he could think. He couldn't sleep. The mere thought of losing her kept him awake and disturbed. He kept twisting and turning on his bed.

"Nhi... Acha soch Arnav, acha soch. Koi nhi hai uski zindigi mei. Agar koi hota toh voh itni udas nhi hoti. Or vese bhi kitni seedhi hai voh. Na kisi se zada batein krti hai, or na hi voh chotte chotte kapde phenti hai. Na hi us mei attitude hai. (No. Think good Arnav, think good. There is no-one in her life. If there would have been someone then she would have not been this sad. She is simple and straight. She doesn't even talk much, neither she wear those mini dresses and nor has any kind of attitude.)"

"She is so simple. How can someone be this innocent and naive and beautiful too." He blushed in her thoughts.

He was thinking ways to ask for a date or corner her in his office to confess his feelings. But he doesn't even want to scare her with his proposal.

He thinks that there is no task made yet which he couldn't do. But alas, he got to know this today that describing your feelings is the most difficult one.

On the other side, sleep was far away from her. Thinking about her future kept her on her toes.

What will she do if her family throws her out one day? Where will she go?

She is hated and unloved to an extent that they need a silly mistake done by her to kick her out.

These were the thoughts which would mingle with her mind and mess it up further. She would cry the whole night to feel sober and fresh for the next day.

Its truly said that letting your emotions out in the form of tears helps you heel. It will make you feel fresh and relaxed, though for some time.

Silently complaining her goddess that why she had made her an orphan despite giving her foster parents who are equal to strangers. Why had she left the little Khushi who was just 8 that time all alone. Why has she not taken her along. Why was she  the alone to survive the accident.

Slowly and slowly complaining about her miseries, she drifted into the slumber.

NEW DAY

GOMTI SADAN

Khushi woke up and searched for her mobile to check the time.

5:10 a.m.

Stretching herself a bit, she got up to freshen up and started her daily routine of making breakfast for all and serving them before leaving for the work. Then she did some preparation for the the lunch and went to get ready.

Coming in her room she again saw the time.

8:00 a.m.

"Chal Khushi jaldi kr aaj toh tu bhut late hai. (Khushi do fast. You are very late today.)" mummering to herself she changed into her new suit, wore some bangles and put some gloss on her plumpy lips.

Taking her bag she was running out of the house without having anything for breakfast when suddenly her buaji called her from behind.

"Ae Khushi hume tumse baat krni hai. Tanik thero. (Oh Khushi, I want to have a talk with you. So wait.)"

"No buaji. I am already very late today. Can we talk once I return. Please buaji." She pleaded.

Glaring at her, Buaji grabbed her hand and dragged her inside.

"Baat jaroori hai. Isliye roka hai tumhe. Vrna tumhare muh lgna hi kon chahta hai. Pta nhi subah subah kha muh kala krvane ja rhi ho. (The talk is important that's why I had stopped you. Otherwise who would like to have a talk with you. Where are you going this morning to get your face blackened?)" She growled.

Tears pricked her eyes while few rolled down.

"You are getting married in a week to Shyam." Buaji dropped a bomb.

Khushi sprang her head towards buaji with wide eyes and more tears gathered around. Seeing her not speaking anything, buaji continued.

"Toh tum jaha bhi kaam krti ho vaha pe istifa de do aaj hi jakr. Kal se tumhe kaam pe nhi jane denge hum kyuki Shyam babua nhi chate ki tum kaam kro... Sun bhi rhi ho ya nhi hmri baat. Ab jao or jaldi aana bhut kaam hai.
(So whereever you work, give your resignation today. From tomorrow you are not going to work because Shyam doesn't want you to work.... Are you even listening or not?  Now go and come fast. There is alot of work to be done.)" Buaji completed and went inside.

Khushi was not in her right mind - set to think anything. Her marriage with the person she even don't know. Who is he, why he wants to marry me and etc. thoughts ran across her mind.

AR OFFICE

Upon reaching the office building she glanced at huge building with longingness. This was the place from where she could achieve something for herself. Bur alas today maybe her last day. Last day of many things:

Last day at this office.

Last day to see Arnavji.

Last day to admire her Arnavji.

Last day at the place where she gets happiness.

Last day where she gets some peace.

And many more lasts...

Sighing and wiping off her unshed tears she entered the building. She greated all the people she met on the way with a smile who royally ignored her. But Khushi never let her smile fade.

Reaching her desk she touched her table and got back in her memory lane and memories attached with it. How she got excited when she was appointed her own desk though everyone gets that at work but it was something she can say as hers.

Its her last day at the desk.

Devi mayia's idol placed at the corner got her attention. Taking blessings, she sat at her chair and caressed the arms of it.

Last day sitting on it too.

Sighing she started her work which was to type a resignation letter. With a heavy heart she typed it while few pearls left her eyes.

After taking a print out she glanced at the paper in hand and cried.

"No this was not what I had thought. I wanted to work, work for myself, for my happiness, my satisfaction. How could you Devi mayia, how could you!! This was my dream. Dheere dheere aap sab kuch kyu le rhi hai mujh se. Kya gunah kiya hai mene ki aap mujhe uski itni badi saja de rhi hai... Nhi mujh se nhi hoga. Please please kuch ki jiye Devi mayia. Thak chuke hai hum. Kuch khushiya de di jiye hume.
Ab esi zindigi nhi ji skte hum. Humari sh.. shaddi... pta nhi kese honge voh insan. Agar voh bhi hunse nafrat krte ho toh... Devi mayia hume aap pr pura bhrosa hai app joh bhi krti ahi ache ke liye krti hai. Bs ab aur kuch bura na hone de humare sath.
(Slowly  slowly you are taking everything from me. What mistake have I ever committed that you are punishing me like this.... No I can't do this. Please do something god. I am tired. Give me some happiness. I can't live this life now. My ma- marriage. Don't know how would be he. What if he too hates me... God I believe in you. I have faith in you. But please don't let anything wrong happen in my life again.)" Weeped Khushi.

Getting up she made her way towards Arnav's cabin.

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