Part 2 Who are they?

Khushi came out of the classroom. Her mind didn't work. She walked towards the main gate robotically. Lavanya saw her going in the wrong direction. She rushed to her and clutched her hand.

"Hello, the staff room is on that side. Come with me" she dragged Khushi with her to the staff room.

Lavanya introduced Khushi to the staff of the school. A few welcomed her and a few smiled at her. Khushi was given a seat and a locker in the staff room.

"Shall I call you by your name?" Lavanya asked.

Khushi nodded ok.

"You can call me Lavanya... no teacher and all"

Khushi smiled.

"Keep one thing in your mind, Khushi"

"What?"

"Don't talk about anyone to anyone. these guys are so cunning" she said in a feeble tone.

Khushi ran her eyes on the teachers, raising her brows. Lavanya said many things about the school and curriculum. Khushi listened to half of them and didn't concentrate on them sometimes as she was lost in some other thoughts.

The last bell of the school rang. Khushi bid bye to Lavanya and left the school. She didn't see HIM again, but we can't say, he didn't see HER.

Khushi came home with a heavy heart. Throwing her bag on the couch, she fell on the bed and cried her heart out. Today, she met the person with whom she wanted to be for her whole life but FATE played a dirty game with her... with her life. She thought he became her past... but he came and stood in front of her today. He was a father of a little kid, Khushi Singh Raizada.

Khushi sat on the bed jerking. How dare he named her daughter Khushi! Why the hell did he name her daughter Khushi? She cried more. Just because he named his daughter Khushi, it didn't mean what he did was right.

ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA was her life once. They were college met.

Five years ago

Arnav and Khushi studied in the same college, Delhi. They were not just college mates. They were EVERYTHING to each other. Arnav was senior to Khushi. When he was in his third year of B.Sc., Khushi joined in the first year B.Sc. They liked each other and got committed. It was Arnav who proposed first. Arnav joined PG in the same college for only Khushi. Arnav stayed in the college hostel but Khushi was a day's scholar. Arnav's native was a small village in Lucknow.

Arnav and Khushi often met at the time of their college days. That was when Arnav said,

"I have many dreams about my future with you, Khushi. you are exactly how my mother wants her daughter-in-law to be. My mother would surely like you very much. I want to introduce you to my mother but not now but after getting a job. I don't want my mother to think I became irresponsible. That's why I'm waiting for our college to get over. I got an 'A' grade placement in the campus interview. So, there won't be any hindrance to getting her acceptance" Arnav said hopefully that made Khushi confident.

Khushi also waited for the day to meet his mother to get accepted.

The day for what Arnav and Khushi had been waiting came. The college got over. It was her last examination. Arnav was waiting for Khushi. Khushi came out of the exam hall with her friends. She smiled at Arnav who was standing under a tree. She rushed to him.

"I'm going to my native tomorrow night. I will tell my mom about you and soon we will come to your parents with a wedding proposal" Arnav said.

"Try to come soon, Arnav"

"I will try to come as soon as possible because I can't live without you" Arnav tucked her hair lovingly.

"I will be waiting for you, counting each and every second," Khushi said emotionally.

"I won't make you wait for long"

Khushi smiled at him pleasantly. Arnav took Khushi's leave. That was the last time they met. Arnav didn't come to her house with a wedding proposal. Arnav didn't attend Khushi's call at least once nor did he call her. Though Khushi was fed up she didn't lose hope. She believed Arnav would come for sure.

After a few days, Khushi's friends came to Khushi's house with nervousness. She showed Khushi a few photos on her mobile that she saved from Facebook. It was Arnav's wedding photos. Arnav Singh Raizada weds Sheetal Kapoor was written on the board. Khushi fainted seeing the photos. She needed six months to come out of the shock. She could not tolerate Arnav becoming someone's husband. She could not believe he was gone from her life forever. She wanted to die. She didn't like to live without Arnav. So, she tried to commit suicide. But, bloody fate didn't let her die. She was saved by her parents. She lived like a dead body. She was just alive...that's all... There was nothing more than that. She struggled to move on... She just could not...

Khushi diverted her concentration to education. She studied... She completed her master's. That was when her father fixed her marriage with Suman Mathur who was Shashi's friend's son. Shashi Gupta liked Suman's sincerity and polite nature. So he didn't think of anything when Suman's father forwarded the proposal. Khushi tried her best to avoid the marriage. But, her parents took the usual weapon in their hands called emotional blackmail. Khushi was left with no choice other than to marry Suman.

Now...

Khushi sat on the bed, hearing a calling bell sound. She wiped her face with her saree pallu and opened the door.

"Hi... Khu..." Suman stopped, sensing something different.

"Why are you looking gloomy? Is everything fine?" he asked.

"Mmm"

Khushi walked in. Suman came in front of her.

"What happened dear?"

"Nothing Sumi..."

"Are you sure?"

"Mmm... Tell me what would you like to eat?" Khushi asked.

Suman folded his hands and looked at Khushi.

"What?"

"What's the matter?"

"I said, nothing"

"No... something is there..."

"Sumi..."

"Today is my turn of cooking but you don't even remember that"

Khushi got stuck.

"I do remember. Just thought to cook randomly" she lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, baby"

Suman was observing Khushi who was extremely disturbed. Yet, he didn't disturb her as she was already disturbed. It was not hard for Suman to connect the dots. Khushi joined a new school that day. something would have happened to upset her in the school.

"How was your new school?"

"Fine"

"At last, you achieved what you wished for... you should have enjoyed your day with kids... right?"

"Mmmm"

"Anything interesting?"

Khushi nodded no.

Suman was sure now. Khushi was the girl who started reeling off everything to Suman every day. That day, she got her dream job but she had nothing to share with him. this was weirdly weird. He wanted to find out what made Khushi upset.

........

Arnav was sitting in his room, leaning his back on the couch. His eyes were blankly staring at the roof. Tears rolled down from his eyes sideways. The ring he was wearing on his ring finger was one of their love symbols. He looked at the photo that was in his hand. In that, Khushi was leaning on him. both had pleasant smiles on their lips. He caressed her face with the unbearable pain in his heart.

That was when he heard an ear-preaching noise. Someone bumped into the main door. Arnav closed his eyes, tightening his jaws as he knew who the person was.

He hid the photo that was in his hand as Baby Khushi rushed inside the room.

"Daddy, Sheetal came" she whispered.

"Mmmm"

"she is swaying a lot," She said, making face.

"Mmm"

"She is stinking"

"Are you hungry?" Arnav changed the topic.

"Mmm... let Sheetal go to her room. We will have dinner later"

"Ok, I will come getting fresh," Arnav said.

"But, why haven't you changed yet?"

"Daddy is a little tired"

"Why Daddy?"

"I went to a function in which I didn't get a chair to sit. I was standing in the entire function"

"Are your legs aching?"

"Mmm"

"Shall I press them?"

"No, Beta... it's not aching a lot" he caressed her hair. If this one little girl had not been there for him, he didn't know how his life would have been.

That was when Sheetal threw up in the living room itself.

"Chiiii... she vomited today also," Khushi said frowning.

"You don't go out. I will be back"

Taking his casuals, Arnav went to the washroom not minding about Sheetal.

The servants cleaned the living room floor. Rahim's wife Fatima helped Sheetal to reach her room. she made Sheetal lay on the bed and left the room.

Arnav came to the dining with Baby Khushi and had dinner. Fatima felt bad for Arnav as she knew his complete story.

"Chachi, you know today, a new teacher came to our class," Khushi said to Fatima.

Arnav stopped eating and looked at Khushi.

"Is it?" Fatima asked.

"She taught us rhymes with dance," she said excitedly.

Fatima smiled.

"You know her name is also Khushi..."

"Wow... Then she must be a nice woman..." Fatima said.

"Yes, she is so good... and looking so beautiful. I like her very much." Khushi said spreading her hands.

Arnav was looking at her blankly gulping down.

To be continued...