Heart wrenching adoration,Part-17

“Bye.Take care!” Arnav whispered softly as he left me on the doors of my class. He stared at me for a second with an unfathomable look in his beautiful caramel eyes before he turned on his heels and was gone. I gazed at his retreating figure until it disappeared in the surrounding crowd of teachers and students  and  then entered the class only to get caught in the ambush of my friends.

“Have I cropped two thorns or have got a wagging tail sprouting up on my back?” I asked tersely as soon as I drew level with my friends, to which they shamelessly giggled annoying me more.

“Will anyone bother to give me an answer? Why were you guys staring at me like that as if it were the first time you were seeing me? You all have suddenly not become too interested in homosexuality I hope!” I said sarcastically, making them laugh harder.

“Oh its not you, its him!” Dabba managed to chock through paroxysms of giggles.

“What?”I was still uncomprehending. God, was I that  dim-witted, or I had to do the ultimate  treachery of booking mental asylum for my buddies?

“Khushi, don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it till now!” Quru said incredulously, further entangling the perfect chaos in my head.

“What are you guys talking about? Why do you have to be so cryptic” I asked stupidly again. Seems like there was no escape from calling the mental asylum guys.

“Its Arnav! I mean he has feelings for you.” Shivani said matter-of-factly as if stating Dalton’s theory.

“What the hell....Now, where does that comes from? Have you guys gone mad?  Eaten something intoxicating or what? For God’s sake we are just friends and I don’t know how or why or where you guys saw even the teeniest tinge of impending romance in that! Seems like all those romantic novels of Durjoy Datta, Stephenie Meyer and Chetan Bhagat are getting to your head!” I admonished them , absolutely startled by their assumptions.

“Hopeless romantic, are we? Have you ever noticed the way he looks at you, the way he almost subconsciously orients around you? The way he gets possessive whenever he spots you with any other guys? You yourself told us how he cheers you up when you are low, how he cares about you, how despite not knowing you for even a fortnight, he considers you an integral part of his friends circle? In fact, we ourselves have seen how worried Arnav was last night when you didn’t turn up for dinner, how he scolded Akash , Aman and Anvesh for their little spat and whatever transpired last evening in the study room, how he himself didn’t even touch his food till Payal di fed you a chapatti forcefully!” Quru harped, glaring at me.

“Exactly! Khushi one has to be more than blind and absolute fool to not to see his feelings for you. We are not saying that he is in love with you, but he’s surely falling and falling fast. I’ve seen him talking with many girls before, chatting, laughing but that was mere civility, but with you there is something different! Arnav is very protective about you...very serious!” Ritu reasoned, nodding her head sagely.

“ I’m sure, you guys are misconstruing the things!”I mumbled, though even I couldn’t hear any kind of conviction in my voice. In fact, their reasoning had hit the bull eye. After all, even I had noticed Arnav’s possessiveness several times, especially when I were with Nk.

“Let her be guys! She will realise the apparent truth sooner or later and may then get on with the third law of motion.” Nikki commented glibly, her eyes dancing mischievously.

“Huh? Third law of motion?” I asked her foolishly, utterly perplexed.

“Oho Khushi! You are truly a tube light! Third law of motion! Ever action has equal and opposite reaction! Our eagerness may not be at par with Arnav’s but we shall definitely wait to see you reciprocate his feelings too!” Nikki said condescendingly, and darted out of the way and hid behind  others, giggling, before I could find something to throw at her.

“Guys, please go away! Let me do my work.” I was irascible since morning, unable to think of anything other than what my friends had said in the morning. Though they hadn’t broached the subject again, their words buzzed  persistently in my ear and mind!

“Woah! Chill girl!” An unfamiliar and annoying nasal voice boomed and I looked up from the diagram of Adipose tissue that I was drawing to find a tall, fat guys looking down at me. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbow as if he was hanging out with friends instead of being in the school and buttons were barely holding his shirt together and were in the danger of getting detached and thrown haywire any moment! His overly narrow trousers could even put jeans to shame ! His face was a jumble of moustache and his over-sized specs, absurd specs gave him the look of middle-aged uncles!

“I...I’m sorry, but I don’t know you.” I said cautiously not liking the guy a bit.

“I’m Gurucharan Singh Bhatiya, the most well-known boy of this place, the best tennis player and orator!Even our Principal is my fan!” He said coyishly, with a smile that made me feel sick, stretching out his hand . God, the way he looked at me gave me creeps and here he wanted me to shake his hand! I bit my lips, revolted just by the thought of having to touch that flirtatious, pompous brat!

“If you are unable to see then let me tell you. She’s not interested in talking with you Gurucharan, so you’re just wasting your time here!” I recognised Arnav’s husky voice, and a feeling of utter relief overwhelmed me.

“Arnav!” I squealed, getting up from my chair and distancing myself from an unpleasantly surprised Gurucharan or whatever was his name to skip over to Arnav’s side, without caring for all the watchful eyes in the Library for once.

“Oh hello Arnav!I was just introducing myself to this newbie!” Gurucharan greeted regaining his composure and winking at me. I had to work hard to not let my shudder show, but I could see that Arnav’s hand flexed his tendons rising.

“There’s no need of that! Besides, if I were you I’d definitely stay away from her.” Wow! That was a real threat!

“Hey ease out mate! I didn’t know she was your girl! Just...” Gurucharan 

stuttered but he never got to complete his sentence as Arnav had already pulled me out of the Library.

“Khushi, really! What am I going to do with you? You automatically end up with idiotic flirts like her even if you are left alone for a nanosecond!” Arnav said exasperatedly and I flushed.

“Well, that isn’t exactly my fault!...Besides who was he?” I asked curiously and I could clearly see Arnav gritting his teeth.

“He’s as big a flirt as you can ever find...literally worse than psychotic or something...no seriously! You should hear him brag in front of the girls! Your metabolism will fail digesting his...er talk! He opines himself greater than Bill Gates in personality and money!” Arnav asserted when he saw me look dubious.

“In fact, he is famous as Gurucharan Singh Ghatiya in the entire school!” Arnav winked making me giggle harder. I laughed freely, but sobered up when I saw him looking intently at me.

“ What are you staring at ?” I asked  self-consciously.

“Nothing! You have got a very enchanting laugh khushi. Always keep smiling!” He blurted fervently and stopped abruptly, his cheeks reddening as if he had said more than he wanted me to know.

Arnav turned back on his heel abruptly and walked away the way he had come, leaving me to ponder whether my friends were right after all!

Hi guys,

I’m taking your leave for a month guys. My class 11^th annual exams are on my head and are beginning from 19^th of February. There’s hell lot of course to complete and I’m barely getting time to update. I’m really sorry guys, but I can’t help it. I’ll be back on 1^st March onwards as my exams are ending on 28^th. Please forgive me guys and bear with me and please, please, please, don’t leave this blog. I’ll be back again with longer updates once my exams are over. Sorry again and bye! I’ll miss you all a lot. Take care!

Love,

Akansha

Heart wrenching adoration, Part-16

“Come on khushi! Don’t be such a spoil sport!” Nikki and the next second someone pulled my blanket away.

“What the! Guys, its 11 in the night and tomorrow we have school! I don’t know about you all but I’m not at all in the habit of sleeping in the classroom.” I admonished.

“Ugh Khushi! Since when did you become so prone to tantrums? Come on yaar, lets’ have fun!Don’t be such an oldie baby!” Ritu chirped as she nearly dragged me out of the bed and just at that precise moment my empty stomach grumbled loudly , embarrassing me thoroughly. Why do I have such a quota of bad luck?

“Aha! So this is the reason for your crabbiness!” Shivani chortled, taking me by my shoulder.

“Guys! Lets get some Maggi. Even I’m feeling quite hungry, besides khushi skipped her dinner too.” Divya suggested.

“Yeah, let’s have a rocking Pajama party complete with crisps, chocolates and cold drinks and of course, Ritu’s yummy magi!” Quru rubbed her hands together excitedly, looking over at Ritu expectantly.

 “All right! I’ll cook some. After all, khushi should also get to taste my famous maggi!” Ritu said pompously  flicking her imaginary collar.

“But how will you cook maggi Ritu? I mean we are not allowed in the kitchen this late in the night and anyways they must be locked.” I asked curiously.

“Oho khushi! Don’t get so impatient! Just wait and watch. We are capable of literally conjuring anything we want!” Quru said smugly and I watched agape as my Ritu and Divya pulled out a steel  bucket, immersion rod and maggi packets from the cupboard. 

They poured water from the jug kept by the maid on our bedside tables and heated water with the immersion rod. Soon the maggi packets were torn and put in the water.

“Wow! You guys are genius!” I laughed, watching Ritu stir maggi.

“Well…thanks for the complement though we’ll try to not to get offended since you took so long to realise this apparent truth.” Dabba grinned at me.

Soon the simmering hot, yummy maggi was served in six bowls which were-as Ritu had put it- conjured up from the cupboard along with packets of lays and Kurkure and tetra packs of Fruiti. I stared amazed as my friends took the edibles out of the cupboard which was packed with clothes to the bursting point. It was surely the mythical ‘Bhanumati ka pitara’!

We sat cross-legged on the floor, eating and chattering away. Ritu stayed true to her words and her maggi deserved all the praise that my friends had been heaping on it.

“Hai! I can’t even move! My stomach is full to my throat!” Shivani mumbled, smacking her lips.

“Ritu, you rocked man! Your Maggi was absolutely delicious!” I appreciated fervently, to which Ritu beamed and opened her mouth to reply, but she never got to utter a word as at that precise moment we heard the door of the corridor leading to our room open.

“ Manju ma’am!” We squealed frantically in unison and immediately sprang to our feet.

“Oh God! Clear up fast guys otherwise we are screwed!” Nikki bobbed about on her heels as she stashed all empty chips packets and tetra packs beneath our beds.

We kicked our shoes away and immediately switched off the light groping in the darkness for our beds and by the silent winces banging knees and legs here and there suitably. 

All the hiding and scarpering to the beds transpired in a minute or two and we had just covered our faces with blankets, waiting with baited breath as Manju ma’am, our hostel warden switched on the lights and entered our room.

“Khushi!” I heard a frantic whisper from the adjoining bed and peeked from  my blanket to look at Shivani inconspicuously.

“Wrapper!” She mouthed, nodding downwards and I followed her gaze. To my horror, I realized that we had forgotten to hide a packet in our crazy haste.

I stared at Manju ma’am from beneath my blanket as she looked around, hoping against hope that she didn’t notice the wrapper and that I got the time to disappear it and it seemed someone up there heard my plea as Manju ma’am turned away, her back facing me. 

Grabbing at the golden chance with both hand and legs, I leaned forward and pushed the wrapper under my bed and then, I hid again in my blanket, exhaling in relief the breath that I had been holding, my heart pounding in my throat. Had Manju ma’am seen it, we would’ve been thoroughly gone! She gave Hitler a run for his money when it came to cleanliness and discipline!

Soon we heard the soft click as Manju ma’am walked off, switching off the light and for a moment there was absolute silence until muffled guffaws emerged from all corners of the room in the enshrouding darkness.

“Did you complete Physics Homework? I couldn’t...” Dabba was frowned as we emerged out of the hostel gates, hurrying towards the school when she was interrupted by a husky voice.

“Khushi?” Arnav called uncertainly, leaning against the wall.

I looked up at him sighing. Obviously he wanted to know the reason of my eccentric behaviour yesterday. I bit my lips deliberating. I was still not ready to let anyone else know about my horrendous past, but I had to tell him something. I didn’t want him to get mad on me or think that I was a gone case.

“Guys, you all carry on.I’ll catch up with you all later.” I said to my friends – who for some unknown reasons were looking amazed-and walked towards him, my eyes guarded. We regarded each other in silence  until he decided to break it.

“Are you ok?” He asked, his caramel eyes smouldering, burning with an intensity that seemed to turn my bones into sponge.

“I’m ok.” I replied, looking anywhere but his eyes. He remained silent for long and then spoke up abruptly.

“Ok! Lets go and have breakfast otherwise we won’t get even a teensy crumb if Anvesh finished with his onslaught.” Arnav joked lightly, smiling understandingly at me and I exhaled in relief.

He prattled on as we walked towards the cafeteria and I could see he was trying to distract me and give my spirits a perk. I looked at me wallowing in gratitude, my heart warming towards him. I hesitantly held his hand and gave it a swift squeeze. He looked up at me surprised, his eyes questioning.

“Arnav, thanks!” I breathed smiling at him to which he reciprocated.

I had found a great friend in Arnav Singh Raizada!

Heart wrenching adoration, Part-15

The shrill ring of the school bell marked the end of our chemistry period during which we slogged through numericals relating to mole. Even though, chemistry was  one of my most favorite subject, yet somehow the sleepy faces of my classmates and friends got to my head too and I couldn't help a yawn or two in between.

"Ok kids! Study the concepts that we covered today, properly and solve all your back exercise questions related to mole...that's your assignment." Mrs.Latika Nair, our Chemistry teacher instructed us before going out, though I doubt anybody heeded her.

Her soft, mystical voice was lost in the post oh-so-boring- period imbroglio as everyone, especially boys shouted about boorishly while girls immediately broke into chatters, forgetting books, pens and papers to savor a few moments of fun before the arrival of the next teacher.

I looked about at the ensuing bedlam and found everyone up and about, except NK, who was still pretty much immersed in the chapter that we had just learned and was not able to tell a word from the other by the expressions on his face.

"Hey Nk! What's wrong? You look distressed." I asked, prancing over to his bench.

"Nothing yaar! This mole thing is so awfully troll!" He joked pitiably, making me feel sorry for him.

"Seems like you aren't able to grasp it?"I hedged.

"Grasp?I'm unable to make out head or tail of this thing!" He said bitterly, glaring at the book as if to burn it by the sheer intensity of his gaze.

"Um, maybe I can help you if you want. I mean, I've already learned it, so I can help you out with it."I offered helpfully, trying to cheer him up.

"Will you do that?Oh khushi, thank you so much! You are such a dear...my  life saver!" Nk chortled looking so relieved, one would think I had really saved his neck or something!

"Well...you are welcome. We'll get at it in the Study room,ok." I called back to him as I scuttled over to my bench as our History teacher arrived.

"You have  got to use the Avogadro's number for this Nk." I told him, explaining the question I had just solved.

It was twilight and we were seated in the brightly lit Common study room of our hostel with Chemistry book and notebook sprawled in front of us. 

"That's right, now you just have to apply the formula given mass divided by molar mass to take out the number of moles and..."

"Hey khushi!" A familiar voice broke through my concentration and I looked up to see Arnav striding towards me beaming.

"Hi there!"I replied back equally jovially, but he didn't see me. His eyes were affixed on Nk.

"Are you tutoring him?" He asked, his smile vanished from his face.

"Yeah why?" I asked, his sudden mood swing baffling me as usual!He grimaced and then shrugging, he pulled up a chair beside me.

"Anyways, khushi you asked me to explain you the Akkusativ case, so here I issued this Wir-2 for you.All the three main cases in German Nominativ, Akkusativ and Dativ-that you'll learn soon are explained in detail here so..." 

"Khushi, see is this correct?" Nk cut Arnav midway, passing his notebook to me. I looked apologetically at Arnav who looked quite annoyed with the interruption.

"Nk, you've solved it wrong...I mean there's a calculation mistake. It is not divided this way." I said correcting his answer.

"With stupidity, the Gods themselves struggle in vain." Arnav quoted Friedrich Von Schiller and I elbowed him in the rib to quieten him, though thankfully Nk was too engrossed to notice his petty insinuation.

"Arnav, why do you have to be so rude with Nk?"I frowned as soon as Nk was out of earshot an hour later.

"Why did he have to be so stupid and stick to you like fevicol?" He retorted equally miffed.

"What?" I asked uncertainly, trying to read the molten depths of his smouldering eyes, but he shaded them looking down at his hands clenched in a double fist. Was I imaging it, or did I rightly caught an edge that could pass over as jealousy in his voice?

"There you are! Trust you two disappear right from the face of the Earth when you are being searched for!" Anvesh, Aman, Akash and Payal di walked in, breaking through my musing. I smiled at them and turned back towards Arnav who was still looking down to face the conundrum. I sighed.Maybe  my imagination was getting too wild!

"What's up Anvesh?" I asked.

"Oh nothing much! Just thought to watch some movie. Are you game?" He asked as he switched on his lappy.

"Sure!"

We settled around and Anvesh immediately started 'Men in Black-2', earning resigned groans from the group, except me as I couldn't really understand their reactions.

"Seriously buddy! Don't you get bored watching this movie over and over?"Akash asked disgustedly.

"Yeah, we have even got all those ridiculous one-liners memorized!" Arnav grumbled looking disgruntled.

Aman seemed to be more a man of action than words as he immediately sprang to his feet and tried to snatch away the lappy from Anvesh who hung on to it tenaciously.The movie got fast forwarded in their ensuing battle and I gasped as I watched a man trot the gun at others, shooting them. I dug my nails in my palms as I watched the carnage and moans of pain of those shot and could feel sweat beads on my face, even though I knew it wasn't real.

"Stop it!" Arnav yelled staring at me and by the look on his face, I could clear guess that my expressions had given me away! 

"Khusi, are you ok?" Several voices asked at once, though their question got drowned in the jumbled hulla ballo in my head and the anguish that seared through my chest nearly chocking me.

Shivering, I got up and raced out of the room as fast as my legs could carry me ignoring the stunned gazes of everyone!

Heart wrenching adoration, Part-14

I stood beneath the shower and felt the icy cold water run freely, mingling with my tears that ran unchecked. I stood, unmoving with my scrunched shut as I fought with the grisly images of my horrendous past but in vain! My parents dead bodies, my mom’s blood-splattered, tattered tee that I had gifted her on her 31^st birthday, our house reeking of blood with things lying around shabbily...the images flooded my mind, nearly chocking me and I bent over, retching but nothing came out. Apparently, I didn't have anything in my stomach, which was quite a good thing as it turned out! I couldn't have taken another round of puking!

I don’t know for how long I stood there, lost in my painful abstraction but my di and friends voice brought me round.

“Khushi, are you ok?”

“Khushi open up!” 

They yelled anxiously. I sighed and turned off the shower. 

“I’m fine! Just give me a sec!” I called back, wrapping myself in a towel.

I emerged out of the bathroom wearing my bathing robe only to find my di and my friends waiting on me pacing back and forth anxiously.

“Khushi, are you alright?” Di asked worriedly, taking me in her arms.

“Of course di! Stop worrying please! I just vomited a bit and you guys are behaving as if I’ve just been diagnosed with some life-threatening disease and may drop dead anytime as soon as your backs are turned!...I’m absolutely fit and fine.”I asserted, putting on a smile.

“Oh really? Then why are you eyes red?” My di asked sceptically, making me grimace. Why was my sister  so perceptive when it came to me?

“Di, have you ever considered IB(Intelligence Bureau) as a career option? Because if you have, I can bet anything that you’ll be an instant hit!” I commented tactfully, earning a disapproving grunt from my sister.

“For God’s sake! I rubbed my eyes because some soap got in. That’s why my eyes are red...Now if your Spanish inquisition is over, you guys go and get ready for school and let me do the same. I don’t expect our hostel warden to not to drop me a line for being late even if I was sick last night!” I said exasperatedly when she continued to look dubious and then practically ran out of the room to evade the constant scrutiny of my sister and friends.

“Why is she screeching like this?”I asked irritably as Mrs.Sulochna Mudliyar kept on wailing.

“I’m cent percent sure that I didn’t misplace it ma’am!...I know somebody has hidden my copy...these students must have done that...all the marks and remarks I had entered in that notebook!” Sulochna ma’am hollered.

“What the!What have we got to do with her notebook?Why will we take it?Is she in her senses or what?”I asked in disbelief.

“Shh, khushi don’t get so irked. As a matter of fact, she is right, we did hide that wretched notebook of hers!” Anvesh said gleefully and I nearly fell from my chair.

“You, What?!!!” I screamed.

“Shhh! You’ll get us slaughtered!” Akash whispered frantically, glancing nervously at Sulochna ma’am who looked nearly in tears.

“Guys, you really shouldn’t do that! She looks so... bothered!”I mumbled, mortified. Bothered was an understatement by quite a wide margin.

“Yeah right, she’s hell winsome!” Arnav muttered sarcastically, and I caught a  bitter tenor in his voice.

“It seems as if you guys hold some sort of grudge against her.”I hedged cautiously.

“Grudge? Its an awful understatement khushi!...She was our class teacher last year and left absolutely no stone unturned in making our lives miserable! She was supposed to teach us geography despite that fact that she wasn’t even acquainted with even ‘G’ of it!...and the assignment she gave us! We were forced to study all sorts of irrelevant, rubbish MCQs when we should’ve been learning important concepts! I won’t be surprised at all if I fail in geography when our results come in May. All she did perfectly was to run to our Vice-Principal or class rep to unfurl her long list of complains against our class. In fact, if it were up to her, she would’ve climbed all the way up to the central cupola and yelled from there for any one who were listening how very notorious  and good-for-nothing her class was, though other teachers never had even a word of complain against us!” Anvesh concluded his monologue, throwing a dirty look at Sulochna Ma’am. I blinked.

“Uh...Oh! So where did you hide it?” I asked.

“On the top of that cupboard  in the kitchen in which cutlery is kept.” Arnav said smugly.

I gazed at Sulochna Ma’am as she continued with her tantrum and that was when I noticed other smug, taciturn faces in my vicinity. With a jolt I realized that everyone were in the secret!

“I’ll go and call the Vice-Principal! When these little devils will get punished, they will automatically hand over my notebook.” Sulochna ma’am snapped , throwing a malevolent look particularly at us and I had an uneasy feeling that she knew that Arnav and Anvesh were the mastermind of the entire debacle. 

As soon as she was out of the dining area, everyone was in splits! The sound of laughter reverberated in the room and several people even thumped Arnav on the back appreciatively! Arnav raced across the room into the kitchen and emerged with Sulochna ma’am’s notebook, grinning ear-to-ear and holding it as if lifting a trophy. 

He cautiously slipped it into Sulochna ma’am’s bag, between bundles of Answer sheets that she were checking. Apparently, she had left it there with our hostel warden Rajeev Sir, who was in with us in the entire prank!

While the notebook was being planted where it should’ve been, several guys stood on the tables to gaze out of the glass panes at the top from where corridor was clearly visible, in case Sulochna ma’am turned up! Girls kept tab on the door.

She soon returned with Thomas Ma’am who in her usual genteel disposition queried us and the students ran helter-skelter to sit.

“Children, did you really take ma’am’s notebook?”

“I know they did!”Sulochna ma’am sniffed but her voice was drowned by a loud chorus of ‘No ma’am!’ to which I could wager I saw our Vice-Principal’s mouth twitch and I had an inkling that she knew that we were the culprits, but she too decided to play along! After all Sulochna ma’am’s constant complains had kept her on the edge too!

 “Sulochna, why don’t you check your bag and drawers once?Maybe you kept it there and forgot about it?” Thomas ma’am said making Arna nearly burst out laughing, but he controlled somehow. 

“Arnav, come hear and help ma’am!”Thomas ma’am beckoned and we nearly gave ourselves away! Asking the thief whereabouts of valuables that he had stolen!

I watched curiously as Arnav sauntered to where the two teachers stood and put on a good show of searching. He finally pulled the notebook out.

“See ma’am, it was in your own bag and you were accusing us! What will we do with stealing your copy?” He asked, lifting his chin up and giving a confused Sulochna ma’am a condescending look as if having done her a great honour. At that precise moment the bell rang.

“Brothers and their sisters, with this we come to the end of today’s blame game! Now, let’s go to our classes!” Anvesh said dramatically before marching out majestically.

Everyone practically rushed out of the room unsteadily, with red faces from trying to control laughter for so long! As soon as were quite a distance from the dining room, everyone nearly rolled on the floor, laughing except me as I stood mesmerized staring at Arnav who was laughing so freely!

  

Heart wrenching adoration, Part-13

I walked through the familiar patio, looking around at the numerous plants that I had planted and tended to with my mother. The sweet smell of freesia made me feel heady and multi- colored petunias swished gently to the wind as if welcoming me.

It felt so beautiful, the most serene place in the entire world- my home! Suddenly a scream broke through my reverie and with growing horror,I realized what was happening! It wasn't a sweet dream, but the worst of nightmares!

I ran to the huge french window and peeped in.The tall, ugly man dragged the whimpering, bruised woman by her hair and laughed rancorously along with his accomplices.

"See, what I told you Rajveer!Just look where your insanity of being honest has landed you!I'll kill your entire family and you couldn't do anything about it you bigheaded fool!"The man laughed, his cadaverous face contorted in a cruel sneer.

"You bastard!Just leave my wife!" Dad yelled, even as blood sprouted from his mouth. 

Men holding on to him, again punched him in the gut and banged his head on the nearby pillar. Fresh blood poured out and dripped over his eyes,making him lose consciousness.

"Dad!"I screamed,but no one could hear my voice.

"Kill this pig!" The chief ordered his men, ignoring my Mom's pleas for mercy.

A man placed the muzzle of the gun on my dad's head and the next moment a loud bang echoed, followed by an equally loud and ominous silence as my father slumped lifelessly on the floor, his forehead nearly blown apart, being shot point blank. 

"No! Dad!....please,Oh God!No!" I wailed seeing my father's mangled body, unable to move a single inch.

"Now, its your turn sweetums!" The chief fluttered coyly, spinning my numb mother around by her hair.

For a second her kind, almond eyes bore into mine with a debilitating force as she shed endless tears.

"Look after yourself khushi! I love you!...We both love you!" She whispered, but it sounded so clear as if she had shouted out loud.  

"Mamma!"I moaned,stretching my hand as if to touch her,but the glass stopped me.

The man raised the gun once again and I struggled violently to move, but my muscles didn't budge even to blink.

"No!Not her!Please don't kill my mom!...please!"I shrieked, but nobody heeded me. I tried to run, to save her anyhow, but I was frozen, my limbs turning trecherous. I looked up through the haze of tears that filled my eyes as another bang echoed, marking the end of my world...my childhood,my innocence.

"NO!"I yelled,till blood came from my mouth as my mother slumped like a broken twig, beside my father, in that grisly pool of blood.

"I'll come for you khushi!"That familiar,loathsome  voice whispered in my ears.It seemed to emanate from everywhere, as if the wind itself carried it.

"You don't have long to live....I'll kill you...crush you like a cockroach,like I killed your worthless parents!I'll come...."

"Khushi, wake up!"

"Khushi!"Several voices called me.

I woke with a start, my heart pounding against my ribcage fir to burst and my cheeks and pillow wet with my unending tears. My duvet was wrapped around my legs and my T-shirt was clinging to me uncomfortably, being absolutely clammy.

"Wh...where am I?"I rasped and my throat felt as if it had been slashed. I couldn't comprehend what was going on.

"Oh God,what's wrong with her?"Someone gasped fearfully.

"Nikki go and call her di!" I heard the familiar voice of my friend and it awakened me a bit from my abstraction, helping me to catch up with my bearing.

Suddenly I had a queer feeling in my gut and nausea, which was threatening to overtake for quite sometime gripped me. I jumped up and bolted for bathroom, clamping my hand firmly on my mouth.

"Khushi!" Divya and Qurratual followed me in.

"Easy!" They rubbed my back soothingly as I puked my guts out, my eyes watering.

They gently helped  me to wash my mouth and dragged me to bed, feeding chocolate.

"Here, you'll feel alright." Divya popped some more chocolates in my mouth. I felt someone wipe my clammy forehead.

"There, are you alright?" Ritu asked concernedly, looking fearful, but I never got to answer as my di came running in.

"Khushi, what happened?Are you ok? She said that you were screaming in your sleep.What..."Payal di was berserk with anxiety.

"Hold on di! It was just a nightmare!" I assured her, not wanting to share the heinous episode that I had witnessed once again.

 

 

 

Heart wrenching adoration, Part-12

Khushi’ POV

“Hey guys!” I called out.Arnav looked up at me and smiled equally enthusiastically.

“Hi khushi!” He greeted, walking towards me with Aman and a lanky guys with boyish features and carefully tousled hair towards us, in his tow. Arnav’s eyes smouldered, striking against his russet skin and I was struck again by what a vibrant shade of brown they were.

Akash pointedly cleared his throat, trying to look affronted, making Arnav and Payal Jiji roll their eyes at his childish by play.

“Good Morning guys!” 

“Good morning bhai.” Akash said, his expression clearing.

“If you guys are done through your byplays then can you please introduce me to the new entrant in our group?”The lanky guys asked with a dramatic sigh, pulling up a chair beside me .Arnav opened his mouth immediately but was cut short.

“But of course letting other effect an introduction with a lovely girl like her can be indisputably considered absurd to the point of foolishness, so I’ll myself do the courtesy...Hi there! I’m Anvesh Mehta, the heart and soul of this school and the most reliable one to turn to if you wants anything, which also entails my shoulder to cry on in the times of distress.” The guy concluded his monologue with a slight bow.

Initially I had wondered whether he was flirting with me but now as I caught the undercurrent mockery in his voice, I grinned.

“Sure!It was very nice to get to know you Anvesh and I’m very grateful for your offer. I shall definitely count on you when the need be!” I replied in an equally mischievous tone, making his smile stretch wider, showing all his sparkling white teeth.

“Aha!I’m sure we are going to be good friends!” Anvesh said as if surmising the conversation.

“I’d wager that!” I grinned, shaking his outstretched hand.

“We should better get going to our classes. Its about time.” Arnav’s clipped voice caught me by surprise and I looked at him, curious about his sudden mood swing.

But he was quite interested in the spaghetti that he was eating all of a sudden  , not that he had eaten much of it. But, I didn’t get the chance to ask about his sullen countenance as at that precise moment my friends called out.

“Khushi, here!” Divya Singh and Qurratual Ain, or rather Dabba and Quru as I had christened my new friends were waving at me.

“Excuse me guys! I’ll see you all later!” I said, scrambling to my feet and slinging my bag on my shoulder. I walked off, with one last glance at Arnav.

“P.E. period!” Divya squealed excitedly, snapping her book and notebook shut.

I looked up from my book groaning. 

We had just finished with two continuous physics period during which our teacher, Mr. Shyamal Panda, who was popularly known as Mario among students due to  his striking resemblance  the famous character from the video game, had droned on endlessly about the Laws of motion. That was horrible enough already, since not even ‘P’ of physics ever penetrated my skull and I always managed to pass my physics exams only by thoroughly memorising each and every word, and here I was surely going to  publicly embarrassing myself on sports field!

I was never the sporty type, but was simply languid in literal sense of the word. I had always preferred to curl up with my favourite book on the couch rather than sweating out on the grounds. Beside I simply didn’t have the necessary hand-eye coordination for playing without injuring myself.

“Khush, what are you waiting for?Lets’s go!”Divya chirped, shutting my book and pulling me by arms.

The weather was pleasant and golden sunlight sweeped the ground as the sun peeped from behind the wisps of cottony clouds. The trees swayed and birds chirped meerily, lighting my mood a bit.

“Lets’s play football guys.” Sania  suggested to general agreement and I groaned in horror! God,this was going to be in parlance with massacre!

“Um, you guys play!I just don’t feel like it.” I tried to be crafty to hide my chagrin.

“Why?What’s wrong?Are you feeling alright?” Dabba and Quru asked concernedly.

“I’m fine guys!Just feeling lethargic.” I assured them.

“Oh,then you should play khushi. You need the perk!” Shivani enthused, pulling me along benignly.

The game began and I attempted as hard as I could to stay out of the ball’s way to avoid the ensuing bedlam as my classmates ran around behind it. I didn’t want to fall flat on my face and reveal my excruciating clumsiness!

“Khushi!” An all-too-familiar voice called me and I turned around to find Arnav jogging towards me.

“Hi Arnav!” I smiled.

“I didn’t know you played football.” He mused , making me blanch.

“Oh no I don’t!” I cried making a face and he raised his eyebrows.

“I can’t even run a yard or two without sustaining sprain or ligament tear.This would be the death of me, practically like handing oneself over to sharks!” I mumbled.\

Arnav gave me a skeptical look, rolling his eyes. 

“I’m not over exaggerating Arnav,but simply stating the fact! Anyways, let’s leave it at that! By the way, why are you here?Is it  your  P.E. period too ?” I asked.

“Oh no! Our school is hosting the cricket tournament that C.B.S.E organises every year and since, I’m the captain of the cricket team of our school, I’ve to get my team to start practicing.”

“Wow! Cricket team captain! You truly are versatile, an all -rounder, aren’t you?” I asked awestruck by his dexterity in every field.

Red tinge suffused with the russet perfection of his pagan-god like face, as Arnav Singh Raizada blushed deeply!