Heart wrenching adoration Part-27

“So, what has Ranveer got to do with you? How come he knows? Khushi breathed, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears and I gently rubbed her tears away before answering.

“Ranveer is my dad’s elder brother’s son...my cousin!” I sighed.

She remained quite after that, possibly sensing my weariness after baring my heart in front of her.

 So we both simply sat together, saying nothing. I was simply content to hold her in my arms, especially when she didn’t seemed to mind our proximity.

“Arnav?” She finally whispered.

“Hmm?”

“ You know, you are so so courageous!” Khushi said earnestly and I exhaled a bit in relief. Even though I had told her everything, I couldn’t help but feel a bit fearful that she might misunderstand me.

“So you really don’t think that I’m some wacky , off-the-track teenager who is  every bit selfish , rude and horrid enough to hate his own father for a better part of his life?” I asked with dark humour. 

Khushi stiffened a bit at my tone, possibly catching the edge in it, perceptive as she was. Then she gently disentangled herself from me- much to my disappointment- and looked at me full in eyes.

“No Arnav, I really don’t think so because you are not what you think yourself to be. I know that you feel crappy for misunderstanding your father so terribly, for hating him, when he wasn’t at fault, but you’ve to realise that its not your mistake either! You didn’t know! In fact, its not even your family’s fault; anyone would want to keep such a ghastly truth. So, if anyone is at fault, its that wretched family of your father’s who so cruelly tore your family apart just for some bullshit!” Khushi concluded decisively and I let her words wash over me; let them ease the burden of guilt that I had been shouldering for so many years.

“Thanks khush!”I chocked slightly. I couldn’t deny the relief that washed over me as she didn’t hold me guilty! I had been pretty sure that she would run out on me, shouting how very wretched and bad I was.

“ Anytime! And now if you should, we should really get going before my di calls up the C.B.I. Who knows, maybe she’s already at it, thinking I’m missing!” Khushi murmured shaking her head . I laughed and got to my feet, offering her my hand which she took impulsively, making me happy with her small acceptance.

We walked chattering  to the hostels and sure enough Payal waited there, looking not too chuffed with khushi’s disappearance just as khushi had predicted. She swelled like a bull-frog as she saw her scurrying towards her; beside her Anvesh flashed me a thumbs up, grinning hugely.

“Good Gracious khushi! Where were you? I’ve down this one hour and, searching everywhere for you without any success and you...”

“Chill di! I was just strolling around. Let’s get in. I’ve got loads of home-work to tend to. Night Arnav!” Khushi said casually, before prancing away from her angry sister, who followed her looking nowhere near finish.

Anvesh grinned at me cockily, his eyebrow disappearing in his fringes and I wheeled around, scowling at him. He tagged along with me shamelessly, apparently not giving up. I was ambushed! 

I walked down the corridor, ignoring him studiously and entered my room to find Akash and Aman lolling on the bed with laptop. Seriously, the guys never left it! You would think they were glued or something!

“Pay up!” Anvesh cawed smugly.

“As if we have any other choice!” Akash said bitterly, tossing some currency in Anvesh’s direction which latter caught with atypical skills.

“You guys have been betting on me?” I asked incredulous. Could they get even more stupid than they were?

“Oh yes! Obviously Akash-who seems to think Payal can do anything in the world-put that she’ll catch you red-handed in your small little moments of romance with khushi and drag you by your scruff, the way she has  assumed parental authority over khushi nowadays and is taking it to extremes!” Aman said quietly.

“Only I didn’t think that you’ll be that brain-dead! You have enough senses to choose somewhere reclusive-you know, away from everyone’s eyes!” Anvesh leered, looking devilish.

“You guys are...mad!”  I gasped, unable to find a better word.

“So what we should’ve done? Placed a bet on who you spend your time with? How thick will we have to be to do so, since you so obviously are happy to spend your every minute with khushi, that is to say when you aren’t in classroom-“

“Or bathroom-”

“Or sleeping-”

“Or on playground!”

“Oh shut up!” I yelled angrily.

“Ease out chote!” My di’s soft voice rang in the room and I looked at the laptop screen from where she grinned at me. 

Obviously my friends and brother were chatting with her on skype. My jaw dropped in horror and I blushed furiously. They were pulling my legs regarding khushi in front of my elder sister!

“Di what?...How?....You...” I couldn’t scramble my wits enough to form a sensible sentence. Akash, Aman and Anvesh sniggered in unison and I cast them a deadly look, promising violence.

“Calm down chote! You can fry an egg on your face! And dear Lord! Arnav Singh Raizada is blushing! That has to be a first!” My di chortled, making me turn a darker magenta. I glowered at the trio in my room  for putting me in such an embarrassing situation and it seemed Akash and Aman sensed the snap coming so they immediately excused themselves from the room, urging Anvesh to do the same.

“You guys carry on. I think I’ll loll around here a bit.” Anvesh piped.

“Your funeral!” Akash murmured, leaving the room.

I chatted a bit with Anjali di who urged me over and over again to keep my relationship light with khushi –merely refrained to friendship-, as she very aptly pointed  that ‘Khushi was very young and didn’t need any distractions from her studies and so did I, what with barely a year and half left for boards’ and I nodded vigorously. I had thought about that too, though the idea of mere friendship with khushi didn’t exactly go too well on my side. I wanted more...

After an hour or so when my di finally left me and I snapped my lappy shut , I found Anvesh sitting on his bed observing me, a thoughtful look on his face.

“What do you want?” I asked irritably, not attempting to hide my irritation.

“Nothing! Its just that I know you don’t like me extracting a mickey out of you and khushi every time, but I really couldn’t help it. You too are too adorable for your own good.” He smiled, catching me off guard. Sensible talks without a trace of fooling about wasn’t exactly Anvesh’s forte.

“And...I want to tell you that...just listen to your heart! You have endured more pain than most grow-ups that too at such a young age when most people can’t even rub their nose clean, so that ought to entitle you to get happiness earlier in your life. You have owed it!” Anvesh added with a sudden ferocity and darted out of the room, leaving me bemused.

That’s the best part of friendship...it makes you feel all comforted and at the top of the world even when your insides feel twisted and crappy!