Then You Look At Me 22

Aditya stood in between Arnav and Khushi, wondering what was the actual matter here??

 

His gaze flitted between Arnav and Khushi, as he realized the look in Arnav’s eyes. It was the look that his eyes had when he looked at Mya. He glanced towards Mya, who smiled at him, when she found him looking at her.

 

Aditya tried to remember the girl who had left his brother. Khushi! Was his Khushi Di that. . . . . . . .

 

“Oh my god!” Aditya said in a small voice. If his guess was right, which he was pretty sure it was, did he look up to the woman who had broken his brother’s heart??

 

And the worst thing was she hid all these things the whole time?!

 

Fury gripped Aditya as he clenched his jaw, “You knew.” he said, facing Khushi. It was a statement, not a question. “And you didn’t tell me.”

 

Khushi was silently crying now. Aditya took hold of her shoulders and shook her, “Why?? I thought of you as my sister! And you broke my brother’s heart??!” he asked, his voice a cold whisper. Mya, never having seen him like this, cowered. Arnav watched Khushi crying in dismay, and said, “Aditya.”

 

That was enough to stop Aditya, as he glanced at Arnav over his shoulder and said, “Sorry bhai. . . Clearly, this is a matter between you both. I won’t intervene.”

 

He was about to leave, when Khushi swayed on her feet. “Di!” Aditya’s arms went around her at once, and held her.

 

Khushi sobbed as she said in voice barely audible, “Tell him to go Aditya. I can’t take this now. Please do me this favor. Please. . . .” Aditya didn’t know what to do. He was in a fix. Not knowing what to do or whom to choose. On one side was his cousin, whom he considered his own brother.

 

And on the other hand his Khushi Di. His shoulders slumped as his hurt showed on his face.

 

Arnav’s face showed the raw pain that he was going through. She didn’t even want to see him. But WHY?

 

“Khushi. . . .” He started moving towards her.

 

But Aditya turned, putting Khushi behind him. “Bhai. . .” He said in a strained voice. Mya couldn’t take it anymore. “No Aditya. . Di. . . You come with me. . .” She said, taking Khushi’s hand. “Come. . .” She said as she supported a crying Khushi, and took her out.

 

“I’m sorry bhai. . . . I had promised that I’d take care of her. . . . . But give me some time, and I’ll make her see some sense. I swear, bhai.” Aditya said, not liking to see his brother upset. Arnav squeezed his cousin’s shoulder, as he nodded. “Thank you, Aditya. For taking care of her. For everything. . .”

 

“Don’t mention it bhai. . . . Come now. Lets go home. I live a floor above Khushi Di’s place. I’ll talk to her and hopefully your problems will be solved soon enough. She is a sensible woman. I’m sure she has a proper explanation for what she did. . .” Aditya said in a voice filled with doubt, making Arnav give a mirthless laugh. “Khushi? And sensibility? They have an age old enmity.” Arnav explained.

 

Aditya didn’t argue as he realized that Arnav would definitely know Khushi better than himself.

 

As they reached Khushi’s place, Aditya handed his keys to Arnav and told him to go upstairs and freshen up.

 

As he entered Khushi’s place, he saw her sitting huddled on the couch. Mya handed a mug of coffee to her. As Khushi drank from it, Aditya sat in between her and Mya, and when Khushi looked at him, he asked, “What is all this Di??”

 

Khushi sighed once, before answering him. “He betrayed me, Aditya. He broke my trust.” she said, cradling the mug with both of her hands.

Aditya remained silent for a few moments. “If infidelity is what you mean by that, lemme tell you one thing. We, Raizada men don’t have it in us to love more than one woman. Throughout our lives. . . .” he said, the grown up look on his face. Mya couldn’t help but grin proudly at that, as she put her head on his shoulder. His hand involuntarily went to her knees, securing her next to him.

 

“I have proof!. . . . . Lavanya. . . .” Khushi hissed. She sighed again, and looked tired. “Look Aditya. Can we please not talk about this now?? I have a busy day at college tomorrow, and I’d really like to rest now.” Khushi said, knowing fully well that she’d not be able to get even a wink of sleep.

 

Aditya didn’t say a word, as he got up and went out. Mya had decided to stay with Khushi, and they both went to bed.

 

As Aditya entered his place, he found Arnav in his casuals, staring out of the window. He remembered what Khushi Di had said a few minutes ago. She had mentioned some Lavanya. “Bhai, who’s Lavanya??” Aditya asked.

 

“What??” Arnav asked, wondering how Aditya knew about her, “She’s my assistant. Why???”

 

“Khushi Di mentioned a betrayal from you, some proof, and Lavanya. . . .” Aditya said and waited until Arnav put two and two together. “Oh. . . . If Lavanya is the reason behind this, she’s dead meat!” Arnav said, and Aditya wasn’t surprised a least bit. “Is there any way that we can bring her here?” Aditya asked. Arnav nodded and pulled out his cell phone from his pocket, and dialed someone. “Lavanya. I’m in Bangalore. I want you here. ASAP.” he said and cut the call.

 

Aditya grinned at his brother’s authoritative voice and said, “I so wish I could be more like you, Bhai. May be when I come to your age, I’ll learn. . . . .”

 

Arnav smirked as he answered, “I’m pretty sure that this isn’t something that could be learnt. Especially not by you. . . .”

 

They ordered pizza and as they ate, Arnav asked Aditya “Tell me about Khushi. How has she been? What did she do all this time? Everything.” Aditya told him everything, and as he told him about her accident, Arnav’s face turned horrified. “She isn’t under that much pain now, Bhai. Regular exercise heals it soon enough.” Aditya assured his brother. After they were done, both of them went to bed, Arnav thinking about Khushi.

 

The next day, there was this prize distribution function, for which Khushi had to be present. She got ready, with not any interest, and left. Mya and Aditya had to go too. Aditya told his cousin, that they’d all be back by evening as they left.

 

Arnav opened his laptop and worked on it until noon, when he got a call from Lavanya. She had arrived at Bangalore. And she wanted to know where she should meet him. He gave her the address that he had earlier taken from Aditya. By the time she came, Aditya, Mya and Khushi had come in too.

 

Mya took two mugs of coffee that Khushi had prepared and went upstairs to give it to the men. When she handed it to Arnav, he refused, citing that he only drank sugarless coffee. “It IS sugarless. Di prepared it for you.” Mya told him. A lump formed in his throat, as he asked “She did??” Mya smiled as she nodded and said with confidence, “She loves you.”

 

Arnav took a sip and closed his eyes, feeling overwhelmed. Mya was standing near the window, waiting for Aditya, so that she could give him his coffee, when Aditya almost ran into her. “Mya! Get that woman off me!!” he whispered. Mya glanced at the direction where Aditya was pointing. “Who is she?” she asked, staring at Lavanya. “The woman I was telling you about this morning, Lavanya!” he whispered again. Mya gasped as she turned to Aditya and said with a violent expression on her face, “That biiitch!!” She again turned to Lavanya, with a defiant face, an eyebrow raised, as if telling her to step off her territory.

 

Lavanya rolled her eyes, and came out to sit next to Arnav. But as soon as she sat next to him, Arnav got up. He was amused to see the whole exchange between Mya and his cousin, but all his amusement went out of the window, when Lavanya came to his line of vision. “Come.” he said, and went to the door.

 

She followed him quietly as he went downstairs and knocked on the door leading to Khushi’s place. Aditya sat on the steps, pulling Mya next to him. They didn’t want to interfere in this matter. Khushi opened the door to find Arnav standing there. “Who lives here ASR?” Lavanya asked as she came to stand next to him, and was shell shocked to see Khushi there.

 

Khushi didn’t even have to look at Lavanya to make out it was her. Her surprise turned into irritation when she heard Lavanya. “Are you here to show off your new girlfriend, Arnav Singh Raizada?” Khushi asked sarcastically. Arnav barged in, angry at the way Khushi was treating him, pulling Lavanya along with him.

 

“I am engaged. To you. So stop giving this crap about girlfriend!” he said through gritted teeth. “You aren’t engaged. . . . At least not to me!” Khushi said in the same tone too.

 

“Oh yeah?!” Arnav said as he walked towards her. Catching hold of both her hands to show the engagement ring and his mother’s ring to her, he said, “And this proves that, right? Khushi Singh Raizada?? Or no. Wait. May be you’re telling that we’re not engaged because you already think of me as your husband?!”

 

“You’re no husband of mine!!” Khushi hissed, as she freed her hands from his.

 

Arnav’s shoulders slumped, as he asked, “Why?. . Why Khushi???”

Khushi used all her self control to stop herself from easing the affliction that was etched on Arnav’s face.

 

She brought her cell phone, opening the MMS and almost shoving it to his face, “This is why!!!” she muttered.

 

Arnav was astounded as he saw the whole MMS. He looked at Lavanya who was almost ready to run at the first chance. “When??” Arnav asked Lavanya. “When did you do this??”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. . . .” Lavanya said, her shaking voice telling that she knew exactly what he was talking about. “I didn’t do anything! It was this Khushi!!” she yelled, as Arnav glared at her.

 

Khushi snorted, and replied, “Yeah! Right!! I would fabricate something like this against the man I love, so that I can leave him instead of marrying him, right?!”

 

Arnav was trying to remember when this may have happened. Of course. The day of Khushi’s convocation! He had forgotten to take his tablet, causing his blood sugar level to drop. He remembered Lavanya support him, when he was about to fall down. The next morning, when he had woken up in his apartment above his office, he had felt grateful for having Lavanya as his secretary!! All that for this??!!

 

“The party after we clinched the Khurana Group deal. My blood sugar level fell down. I fell unconscious, and you did this?!” Arnav hissed.

 

‘Devi Maiyya be merciful!!’ Khushi thought, ‘What have I done??!!!’

 

“ASR. . .” Lavanya began, when Arnav slapped her hard. So hard that she scrambled to the floor. Before Khushi could come out of her thoughts, the crack of a slap reverberated in the living room.

 

“Arnav!” Khushi called, and held his arm.

 

She turned to Lavanya and said, “Lavanya! Get out!! Just go!!!”

 

As Lavanya ran out of her place, Khushi sighed, turning her gaze to Arnav, who was staring at her hands that were on his arm. He snatched his arm out of her hold, and glared at her.

 

“You didn’t trust me?? You didn’t trust ME??!!” Arnav asked in a voice full of the hurt that he had kept hidden for almost a year.

 

Khushi’s breathing turned shallow as she saw the agony on Arnav’s face turn into fury. He stormed out of the house.

 

“Arnav! Arnav. . . . !!” Khushi yelled, as she ran behind him, ignoring the light stinging in her leg. . . . . . . .