No matter how
hard they tried they just couldn’t. Their memories of one another kept haunting
them not letting them be set free from each other. How could two people that
loved each other more than their lives and with all their heart ever forget
each other? How could fate keep them apart? Would destiny not unite them again?
Would their love survive this separation or were they just never meant to be
together?
She was
blushing as she stood next to Barun. They both exchanged rings and hugged each
other. Everyone was applauding and congratulating them when they heard a voice
on a mic. They turned to look at the stage everyone clearing a path so the
couple and their family could see. Arnav Singh Raizada was standing on the
stage in front of the keyboard, “Ladies and gentlemen I’d like to take this
opportunity to congratulate my sister Avani and her fiancée Barun on their
engagement. I hope that you two stay together always and love each other in the
future as much as you do now,” he said to Avani and Barun. Arnav moved to sit
behind the keyboard. He started playing...
Tujhe
sochta hoon main shaam-o-subha
Isse
zyada tujhe aur chahoon toh kya
Tere
hi khayaalon mein dooba raha
Isse
zyaada tujhe aur chahoon toh kya
Bas
saare ghum mein jaana
Sang
hoon tere
Har
ik mausam mein jaana
Sang
hoon tere
Ab
itne imtihaan bhi na le mere
Sang
hoon tere
Sang
hoon tere
Sang
hoon tere
I
think of you every morning and evening
How
could I love you more than this
I
am lost in your thoughts in all the time
How
could I love you more than this
In
every sorrow
I
am with you
In
every season
I
am with you
Now
don’t test me anymore
I
am with you
I
am with you
I
am with you
Everyone
shouted and cheered as ASR sang. Everyone was delighted to hear the rock star
perform at his sister’s engagement. The couple were smiling and everyone was
watching the singer entertain them but no one heard the hidden meaning in his
words. He searched for her knowing she felt exactly as he did. Khushi had
disappeared from the crowd and was standing on her own against one of the
pillars trying to control her emotions. Arnav looked around the room for her
but couldn’t find her yet his heart was beating fast. That meant that she was
there.
Meri
dhadkanon mein hi teri sadaa
Iss
kadar tu meri rooh mein bas gaya
Teri
yaadon se kab raha mein judaa
Waqt
se pooch le waqt mera gawaah
Bas
saare ghum mein jaana
Sang
hoon tere
Har
ik mausam mein jaana
Sang
hoon tere
Ab
itne imtihaan bhi na le mere
Sang
hoon tere
Sang
hoon tere
Sang
hoon tere
You
are present in my heartbeats
You
are embedded in my soul to this extent
When
have I been distant from your memories
Ask
time, it is my witness
In
every sorrow
I
am with you
In
every season
I
am with you
Now
don’t test me anymore
I
am with you
I
am with you
I
am with you
The words of
Arnav’s song sinking deep into Khushi’s soul she came out from behind the
pillar and he saw her standing at the back of the crowd. She couldn’t deny that
even though things had calmed down this past month she hadn’t seen him but his
thoughts and memories haunted her everyday. He was all she thought about and
all she saw. She was hoping not to see him here tonight but it was impossible
and she knew that. She looked to the stage and saw him looking in her direction.
Their eyes locked. They couldn’t see or hear anything else. In that brief
moment it was just the two of them.
Tu
mera thikaana
Meri
aashiyaana
Dhale
shaam jab bhi
Mere
paas aana
Hai
baahon mein rehna
Kahin
ab na jaana
Hoon
mehfoos inn mein
Bura
hai zamana
Bas
saare ghum mein jaana
Sang
hoon tere
Har
ik mausam mein jaana
Sang
hoon tere
Ab
itne imtihaan bhi na le mere
Sang
hoon tere
Sang
hoon tere
Sang
hoon tere
You
are my destination
My
home
Whenever
the sun sets
Come
to me
Just
stay in my arms
Don’t
go anywhere
You
can be safe here
The
world is bad
In
every sorrow
I
am with you
In
every season
I
am with you
Now
don’t test me anymore
I
am with you
I
am with you
I
am with you
The end of the
song brought them both out of their trance. And Khushi realizing what had just
happened ran outside. She thought she could be alone for sometime because no
one would have seen her. Barun and Avani had realized halfway into the song
that Arnav was not only singing it as a dedication to them but also that ASR
was trying to say something to someone through his song. Barun saw Khushi run
outside and was going to go after her but was stopped by Avani. She told him to
look at Arnav. Arnav had walked of the stage and was now walking towards them,
“They need to do this Barun. She has to tell him. No matter how hard they try
they can’t stay away from each other,” Barun nodded and turned to Arnav who had
now reached them. “She’s at the back. Probably by the pool,” Barun said to
Arnav.
Arnav jogged
to the back of the house and saw Khushi sitting in a little bundle in the
corner between the two walls looking at her reflection in the pool. Arnav sat
down next to her. She saw his reflection next to hers but didn’t look at him.
How could she when she told him she never wanted to see him again. “I tried
really hard but I just couldn’t. Every time I thought I had forgotten you your
memories came back to haunt me, to remind me that I can’t forget you even if I
want to,” she said looking into the water. “I even tried to hate you thinking
that it would help me forget but I could never hate you no matter how hard I
tried and no matter what I told myself you did,” she explained. There was
silence for a while and Arnav spoke, “I don’t really think I need to say
anything. You know that I could never forget you. Not even in my wildest dream.
You left me for six months and I still hadn’t forgotten you. Did you really
think telling me to forget you will actually work?” he asked her. Khushi looked
deep in thought, “Maybe. I was hoping it would but I guess it didn’t,” she said
softly. ‘And how did you figure that one out?” he asked looking at her
reflection for something, anything. “The song,” she replied. “That’s why I used
it. I knew only you’d understand what it meant. For everyone else it was just a
song,” he said with a small smile. Khushi finally turned to look at him and Arnav
saw the tears that had escaped her hazel eyes. Arnav felt daggers stabbing his
heart at the sight of Khushi crying. “Arnav,” she said in a broken voice Arnav
wrapped Khushi in his arms and pulled her closer to him. “Don’t cry please. I
can’t stand it when you cry. You must have had a reason for doing what you did.
You wouldn’t just do it for nothing. I know you,” he said. Khushi sobbed, her
head resting against his chest, and wrapped her arms around him hugging him.
“It was best for you. It’s better that way. Maya is a better choice for you.
Your mother is right Arnav. I’m bad for you and I’m bad for your career. You
shouldn’t be around me,” Khushi said between sobs. “Stop it Khushi,” Arnav said
pleadingly, “You know I can’t so why are you making me. I can’t love her. She’s
your sister and you know I’ve always loved you and only you.” More tears fell
from Khushi’s eyes hearing what Arnav was saying. “I know that. And I love you
too but we just can’t be together. Not in this life. Not as long as I am who I
am. It’s dangerous for you and I can’t play around with your life,” Khushi said
unable to look Arnav in the eye. Arnav just hugged Khushi tighter and she did
the same. They sat there in each other’s arms wishing they could stay like that
forever.
Unbeknownst to
Arnav and Khushi someone had been watching them and heard every word they had
said. A tear escaped her eyes and she wiped it away with her hands. “Ma, what
are you doing here?” Avani asked as she stood next to her mother who was
standing on the balcony overlooking the swimming pool. Avani and Barun had both
been looking for Sadhna and had searched the entire house but couldn’t find
her. Avani had finally decided to check her bedroom. “Avani did you find her,”
came Barun’s voice from inside the room. “Yeah, she’s here on the balcony,”
Avani said looking at her mother curiously. Avani was Arnav’s best friend but
when her parents had passed away the Raizadas had adopted her making her one of
them. Barun came up behind them and stood next to Avani. “Ma, are you okay?”
Avani asked putting a hand on her shoulder. “You were right. You all were
right. I shouldn’t have done what I did,” Sadhna said looking down at the pool.
“Ma,” Avani said confused. Sadhna turned to look at Avani and Barun. “Maya
isn’t right for Arnav and she never will be. It was Khushi and it’ll always be
Khushi,” she said to them. “But Ma, you were against the idea of them together
from the start then why?” Avani asked her mother. Sadhna didn’t say anything.
Instead she showed them the two figures that were sitting together, in each
other’s arms, by the pool. Barun and Avani immediately understood why Sadhna
had had a change of heart. “I didn’t realise he loved her that much. I thought
that whatever Khushi had done then was because she wanted to ruin him but there
was another reason. She loves him just as much as he loves if not more. I can’t
separate them,” she said teary eyed. Avani looked at Barun and he understood
what she wanted to say, “Ma there’s something you need to know,” she said as
the three walked into the bedroom where there was privacy. Barun and Avani told
Sadhna everything they had heard the day Yug Gupta stormed into Khushi’s house
and told her to stay away from Arnav a month ago. Sadhna was shocked at what
she was hearing and decided not to let this matter drag any further. “But Ma,
you told Mr Gupta yourself that Arnav will get engaged to his daughter after
mine was done,” Avani said to Sadhna panicking. “Don’t worry Avani,” she said,
“Arnav will get engaged to his daughter next week as planned.
Arnav and
Khushi realized that quite some time had passed since they’d been outside and
people might begin to get curious. They both stood up and Khushi straightened
her dress. Arnav grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. He pulled
her towards him and she looked into his eyes. She didn’t need him to say
anything because anything she needed to know she found in his eyes. She could
see herself in them and no one else confirming that Arnav always thought of her
and she was the only person on his mind. She wasn’t much different. Arnav was
the only thing she ever thought about, the only one she missed. Arnav wiped
away her tears and she threw her arms around him hugging him. “Don’t worry,
we’ll find a way out of this,” he said confidently. Khushi pulled away from him
and nodded before they both returned inside and joined the rest of the guests. Just
then the whole Raizada family walked in with Barun and his parents in tow.
Sadhna cleared her throat to get the attention of everyone in the room. “Thank
you,” she said, “for being a part of this function this evening and your
presence is highly appreciated. We’d also like you to attend another engagement
ceremony next week. That of my son Arnav and Yug and Sheela Gupta’s daughter.” Arnav
and Khushi froze at Sadhna’s words. Suddenly she had realised that it was too
late for her and Arnav to find a way out. She was right. In this life they
could never be together.
An hour later
the crowd started dispersing and everyone left. Khushi had maintained a
distance from Arnav since his mother had announced the engagement and Arnav
didn’t like it. Once all the guests had left Barun, Khushi and his parents had
also left for home. Barun could tell that Khushi was upset and knew exactly why
but he didn’t say anything to her or anyone else. She needed space and he knew
that so he gave it to her. Khushi was angry at the games fate was playing with
her but there was nothing she could do and she just had to accept that what was
going to happen was going to happen and no one could change that.
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