Heart wrenching adoration Part-8

“I’m an orphan.”Khushi  continued,her tone was that of deepest melancholy.

I gaped at her, too stunned to find my voice to say anything comforting.Her face was warped with pain and it hurt me to see her that way.Her beautiful,doe-like eyes were dimmed with tears and her lips trembled incessantly.She clenched and unclenched her fists to keep her grief at bay,but I could see  the last vestige of her will power fading away.

There were lot of students in the mess and many of them shamelessly,obviously curious about khushi’s piteous countenance despite her earnest attempts to hide it and I disliked it for  I knew that many shallow and pigheaded amongst them were simply looking for some hot topic for gossiping around!

"Khushi,lets' go from here."I whispered firmly,urging her st get up.

I guided her out of the poking,sympathizing crowd of the cafeteria to the lush green lawn,proceeding towards our school library.I took her to the second floor- which was usually deserted- of our three-story library and gently helped her on a chair.

Just as I had correctly anticipated,the moment khushi found herself in the silent isolation of the library,she broke down completely!She covered her face in her hands and sobbed relentlessly while I,being unable to think of anything to make her feel better,gingerly stroked her head soothingly.

"Shh Khushi.Please stop crying!"I pleaded.It hurt me to see her face so warped in hurt and agony.

"Ar...nav..they...le.. ft...me!M..my par...ents.I loved ....the..m so much!"Khushi chocked,hiccuping.

"I know khushi,I know!Please calm down!Don't cry!"I implored again desperately.I've never been quite verbose when it comes to emotional talks, though I could well understand her pain,having felt it myself.

"I can understand the emptiness that you feel khushi!I know how scary,how..how terrible it feels to not to have parents...to be an orphan."I whispered,almost against my better judgement.Nobody in the school,apart from Akash and Aman knew about this hideous truth of my life,not even Payal,though I doubted that she had a vague idea.Still,I was filled with a desperate urge to tell her,to confide in her the truth of my past.

"I can empathize with you khushi because I'm an orphan too...well,I should rather say,almost an orphan."I continued,staring determinedly at my hands that I had clenched into a double fist.

"My dad died when I was two and my mom couldn't withstand the loss of her husband whom she loved so dearly and went into shock.She slowly lost her sanity and is till date admitted in an asylum in Lucknow,with no chance of recovering ever again!...She doesn't even recognize me."I said into the absolute silence for khushi had calmed down,maybe due to the unnatural gravity of my voice.

I raised my head a fraction to look khushi straight in her eyes and I could see the same pain smouldering there,though this time,it was meant for me!I was shocked to see tears brimming in her puffy eyes,though this time round they were meant for me!

"Khushi,shh,I didn't meant to hurt you!What..."I fidgeted bewildered.

"Arnav,that must feel so so terrible,to have your own mom not recognizing you!...I'm so sorry!"She chocked,looking even more despondent and low.

"Yeah,it does feel wretched!I never got to know her and its all because of a bunch of bloody,orthodox scoundrels who believed in age-old bullshit and screwed others life!"I swore so vehemently that khushi nearly jumped.

"Wh...what do you mean?"She whispered,frightened of my sudden mood swing. I stared at her as I mulled whether to tell her the greys  of my shady past,and just as I decided to go with my instinct and desire to confide in her,we were rudely interrupted.

"What are you two doing here alone?"Payal asked,staring suspiciously at me. 

Akash was close on her heels carrying a toasts and plum cakes wrapped dexterously in tissue paper.

"We got this for you two!There is a near bedlam over there.Not even a tiny crumb would've survived till your arrival."Akash said as he slumped into a nearby chair,unaware of his in-the-process-to-become-girlfriend's glare.

"Khushi,why didn't you wait for me!I was searching so frantically for you!" She chided gently,ruffling khushi's hair gently.

"Di,I didn't feel like eating anything.I'm not hungry."Khushi muttered,shading her eyes,which were still puffy and red due to her recent crying jag.

"Yeah,but you should eat something.It helps a lot in escaping the monotone of the boring lectures of teachers on first day regarding do's and don't do's by inducing a good slumber!"I joked glibly,winking at khushi,to make her at least crack a faint smile and I got the desired effect.

She laughed at my tongue-in-cheek comment,forgetting her ordeal for once and making me feel buoyant with her ebullience.I ignored the unnerved gaze of Payal as I reveled in her silver laughter!