Ch_10

Khushi's P.O.V.

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Entering my home, I rushed to my room. Getting freshen up, I made ablution and said my prayer. When I was done with my prayer, I got downstairs.

Kaki was preparing our dinner. So I helped her in the kitchen. When dinner was almost prepared, Abbu and Vai came back from office.

They were still looking tensed and directly went to their respective rooms. "Maybe they are going through difficulties in business." I thought in mind.

I wanted to know what's going on with them. I wanted to talk to them. I wanted them to talk to me. I wanted to be a part of this family but I never made it to be one. I tried my best but only to get failed.

They had always ignored me. And I still don't even know why!

At dinner time in the dinning table, I thought of talking to them but seeing their face, I lost my confidence. After finishing my meal silently, I cleared the table and got back to my room.

Entering my room, I heard my phone ringing. It was Preety. Picking up the phone, I went towards balcony. She was still upset as she was leaving and was hesitating to talk to me.

To divert her mind, I told her everything whatever happened in Esha's house. Hearing me, she spoke up, "Khushi, they seems to be nice people but about your tutoring Esha, talk to your family. What if they got to know by themselves and misunderstood you. You know what I mean."

"I am thinking of talking to vai tonight." I spoke up after keeping silence for a moment.

"That's good. But Khushi, can't you really talk to them about going abroad for higher studies? I mean at least try yaar." She spoke up hopefully.

I didn't want to disappoint her and spoke up, "I will try."

"Okay then. Let me know whatever they say. "

I replied to her, "Okay. Got to go now. Allah Hafiz." and cut off the line.

Then I went towards washroom and made ablution. After prayer, mustering up some courage, I forwarded towards Kowshik Vai's room.

I knocked at his door for several times and then heard him uttering with annoyance, "What is it, Khushi?"

I entered his room fearfully and found him working on a file. I uttered slowly while looking at him, "Is anything wrong vaia?"

He looked at me confusingly. So I again spoke up, "Abbu and you are looking tensed today."

Hearing me, the frowned his eyebrows and uttered, "Why are you bothering to know!"

Sarcasm was dripping from his voice. To my defence, I uttered confidently putting extra emphasis on some words. "Why won't I? I am also a member of this family, vaia."

When I heard him saying, "Member! Stop kidding yourself, Khushi. You were just an unwanted person in this house as well as in our life.", I could clearly see his eyes filled with hatred for me.

Though it was not my first time seeing it, my eyes got watery as I uttered whisperingly, "Vaia!"

He again spoke up filling rage in his voice, "Just because of you, my family turned out to be like this. If only you weren't there, then" but before he could complete his sentence, his phone rang off.

Glancing at the phone, he again turned to me and yelled, "Enough of your nonsense for today. Now get lost from here."

Being unable to stand it anymore, I left his room while sobbing.

I didn't understand what was he referring to when he said that it was all because of me.

Going back to my room, I took the photo frame and looked at the smiling face of my mother. In the picture she was looking at me smilingly while holding me in her arms securely but now whenever I looked at the picture, my eyes just got watery.

Tears started rolling down my cheeks as some words kept echoing in my mind, "You were just an unwanted person in our life as well as in this house."

Then the voice came to my mind, "Where is my sister? Is she alright?"

This thought just made my situation worse. Giving that thought a break, I kept thinking about my situation, "As I am an unwanted person in their life, should I just go abroad with Preety leaving my family behind? Maybe they will also be happy then if I leave. Should I just do it?"

While thinking like this, I didn't get to know when I drifted to sleep.

?

Areesha's P.O.V.

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I was trying to make Esha sleep while Muhib was working on a file. When I finally made Esha asleep, I turned to Muhib and spoke up, "Muhib, did you notice something?"

Without looking at me, he replied, "What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about Khushi. The girl seemed to be very nice but I think something is off with her." I spoke up and gave him a questioning look but he just kept working after nodding at me and uttering, “Hmm..”

I got angry at that and uttered, “Muhib, are you even listening what I am saying?”

He gave me the same response, “Hmm” to make me angrier. I was about to say something again but interrupting me, my phone started ringing.

I looked at the phone screen. It was Arhaan. While glaring at Muhib, I got out of the room taking the phone as Esha was sleeping.

Getting out of my room, I went towards poolside while attending the call, “What's up vai? What are you doing?”

He spoke up cheerfully, “Nothing much, api. You tell me what are you doing?”

When I started saying, “I was just thinking”, he cut me off and spoke up, “Please, don't tell me that you were thinking about that girl Khushi.”

“Arhaan, it was Khushi’s first time to come to our house. You know, she entered here with a smiling face but left with teary eyes.” I uttered with concern while thinking what might be wrong with her.

But Arhaan started saying, “And you think that I made her cry. Because of me she cried, right?”

I answered him in lower tone, “I didn’t say anything like that.”

“Api, what's  wrong with you? You are going on worrying for a random girl like this.” he spoke up and I could feel his irritation in his voice.

Finding nothing to say, I kept quiet. He also kept silent for a moment then I heard him letting out a sigh as he again spoke up, “Okay. I got it. Give me her number. I will apologise to her.”

Hearing him, I spoke up being confused whether I heard him right, “What did just say!” but he kept silent then.

Then I spoke up again, “Let it be, Arhaan. It's not your cup of tea.”

He then spoke up with a concerned tone, “Yeah. It's  not my cup of tea. And besides I don't like tea also. But if this makes you feel better, I will definitely do it, Api. Send me Khushi’s  phone number.”

❄️

Arhaan's P.O.V.

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Getting back home, I thought of calling api. But before that I took something as evening snacks as I thought she would get angry and worried for my health if I would tell her that I didn’t eat anything.

I didn’t want her to get worried for anything. I want her to be always happy as she is not just my sister but she is like my mother also. And I know, for her I am no less than Esha.

After having some snacks, I took a cup of coffee and while sipping it, I called her. But to my utter surprise, she was all worried for that girl, Khushi!

I just don’t understand api. Why she need to worry just for someone like that! But hearing her, it came to my mind that she was thinking of me as the reason for Khushi’s sadness.

And this was the reason why api was sad. I couldn’t stand that and spoke up even surprising me, “Okay. I got it. Give me her number. I will apologise to her.”

Hearing me, Api spoke up with a confused tone, “What did just say!” and I got silent then.

Then Api spoke up again, “Let it be, vai. Its not your cup of tea.”

Hearing her, then I spoke up with a concerned tone, “Yeah, its not my cup of tea. And besides I don't like tea also. But if this makes you feel better, I will definitely do it, Api. Send me Khushi's phone number.”

Api ignored the topic and spoke up otherwise, “Have you had something in the evening?”

I just nodded at that and uttered, “Hmm..”

After talking some more time on random stuffs, Api cut off the line. So I thought of letting the apology matter go and let out a sigh in relief but right then I got a message from Api.

I opened the message only to find the number that I wanted the least.

Then I started thinking what should I really tell her. Did I even do something to feel sorry for!!

Without thinking too much, I dialed the number and kept waiting for her to answer the call.

~To be continued