Khushi dashed down the stairs, her heart racing from the weight of the unexpected storm. Stepping into the living room, she was met with the warm, bright smiles of-Arnav, Aman, Akash, and Maddy. Their laughter felt like a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding outside.
"Hello!" Khushi managed to say, her voice slightly faltering as she tried to sound cheerful amidst her rising unease.
"Khushi! How are you?" Arnav Singh Raizada greeted her, his magnetic presence wrapping around her like a warm embrace. But today, there was an intensity in his gaze that set her heart fluttering. As she met his eyes, a sense of confusion intertwined with longing stirred within her.
"Is she alright?" Arnav's voice shifted to a tone of peculiar seriousness, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Yes," Khushi replied, nodding more firmly than she felt. Yet, deep down, her heart was burdened with unexpressed fears, especially concerning her sister, Karishma.
"I'm glad you're here, Arnav," Mr. Ahuja said suddenly, breaking the charged silence. "Otherwise, Mrs. Ahuja and I might have to visit you."
Khushi's heart sank as she keenly watched her father. The weighty implication of his words hung palpably in the air.
"What are you talking about, sir?" Arnav asked, brows knitting together in confusion.
Mr. Ahuja took a deep breath, his expression shifting to one of solemnity. "I wanted to apologize for something I did five years ago." He paused, shooting a meaningful look at Arnav.
"Sir, it's okay. What happened in the past should stay there. Besides, you are much older; please don't apologize," Arnav responded diplomatically, though Khushi noted the tense undercurrent in his tone.
But her father wasn't finished. "There's one more thing I want to say."
Arnav leaned in, sensing the gravity of Mr. Ahuja's next words. "Yes, Mr. Ahuja?"
"I wanted to finalize my daughter's relationship with you. I should have approached you about my daughter a long time ago."
Time seemed to freeze as shock coursed through the room. Arnav's heart raced, an exhilarating jolt of happiness lighting up his features. But Khushi felt a sharp ache as she looked around, realizing that the excitement in the room was not for the relationship she dreamt of; her father was proposing a tie between Arnav and Karishma.
"Indeed, we should discuss this later," Khushi interjected quickly, her tone surprisingly firm yet trembling on the edge of despair. "Karishma di needs care right now. She's still weak."
Khushi's heart shattered as her realization of her father's intentions deepened. Desperate to change the topic and steer the conversation away from Karishma, she managed to perk up. "Why don't we head to Karishma's room?" she suggested, masking her tumultuous emotions with a smile that felt like a desperate façade.
Once they gathered around Karishma's bedside, Khushi tried to listen to their chatter, but a void grew inside her, echoing her silent fears and unfulfilled wishes. After a brief visit, she gestured for her friends to leave, an urgency propelling her. "You all go. Di is resting. Sir, could we talk privately?" she asked, pulling Arnav into her room, the dread pooling in her stomach.
Once inside, she shut the door and leaned against it, her pulse racing. The moment felt charged as if time had been suspended, the air thick with anticipation and despair.
"Khushi," Arnav knitted his brows, stepping closer. "What's going on?"
Just as she prepared to summon her courage and speak, he leaned in to kiss her neck. She gasped, instinctively pulling back. "Sir, listen to me!" she exclaimed, her voice edged with urgency.
"Hmm? I'm listening," he whispered, undeterred as he pressed closer.
"Please, stop," Khushi insisted, desperation curling in her chest. "I need to tell you something important."
But before she could reveal her emotions, Maddy knocked frantically on the door. "Khushi, open the door!"
Khushi opened it slightly, her heart pounding. "Yes?"
"Karishma di ko hosh aa gaya, vo tumhe bula rahi hai," Maddy informed her.
"Yaa, let's go then," she replied, forcing a strained smile and leading everyone back to Karishma's room.
As Arnav lingered in the doorway, he stole a glance at Karishma, his expression unreadable. Mrs. Ahuja appeared, her face clouded with concern. "Khushi, your father is calling for Arnav. Come downstairs now," she instructed gently.
Khushi nodded numbly, stepping out of the room to follow her mother. Downstairs, an air of anticipation clung to them, thick and heavy. Mr. Ahuja took a steady breath. "So I can take that to mean you agree?" he directed at Arnav.
Arnav's heart soared but was quickly tempered by confusion as he replied, "Sir, I'm not sure what you mean."
"I meant your relationship with my daughter," he responded, the implications settling heavy over the room.
"And you know ring size of Karishma?" Mr. Ahuja continued, a proud glint in his eye.
"Engagement? What engagement?" Arnav's voice dripped with bewilderment. "With whom?"
"Yours and Karishma's, of course!" Mr. Ahuja declared, the words cutting through the air like a blade.
Khushi's heart sank as she registered the collective shock around her, her world narrowing to the pain radiating in her chest. Arnav glanced at Khushi, bewilderment etched across his features. Khushi," Arnav whispered, his voice strained, trying to reach out to her.
As tears brimmed in her eyes, Khushi quickly wiped them away, not wanting the world to see her pain.
But before he could say another word, she interjected, forcing a smile that felt like a knife twisting in her throat.
"Congratulations, Arnav sir! You and di make a great pair," she forced out, each word tasting like shards of glass.
"Sir, I think it's time for you all to leave. We'll see each other at college tomorrow," she suggested, her mind spinning while trying to remain strong.
Aman chimed in. "Right, we should head out, buddy."
As they turned to leave, Khushi dashed to her room, the weight of her unspoken words suffocating her. Just as she collapsed onto her bed, sobs escaped her lips, echoing the turmoil swirling in her heart, a storm far more fearsome than the one raging outside.