Opposite Poles..Part 39

Part 39

“Damn it!” Arnav was frustrated, tossing and turning in his bed.  He got up and opened his laptop and gazed at it unfocused.  Nothing.. literally nothing made him feel better.  Not even talking to his Di, his favorite gardening or a long drive! 

“Damn it, Lavanya!” closed his eyes.   “Making me wear, …. Was no less than a slap!” someone slapped him… he winced!

“What have I done?” first time he asked himself about any of his decisions.  He was unsure..!

“Charges of theft and fraud against me…! ….. Who will talk to a thief? …. Making me wear… against my wishes….! A.R.N.A.V. Arnav  S.I.N.G.H. Singh  R.A.I.Z.A.D.A.  Raizada, Arnav Singh Raizada… someone was reciting with tearful eyes…!

“No! Khushi, Stop it!” he screamed and got up with a jerk.  “Damn it!” he turned and closed his eyes again.

“Chote?” Anjali had pulled the curtains and a bright light had entered his room. 

“Get up Chote!” she said.  He looked at her and took his cell from the table.  He had ten missed calls from Lavanya.  

“Lavanya!” he called her back.  Anjali was staring at him intently.  He was not bothered. 

“ASR!” she sobbed from the other end.  “This is not done ASR.  They can’t make me apologize to her…! ASR do something.  I cannot stand that girl…! She is… she is … I mean …! ASR… I am not coming to the office today!”  She said between her uncontrollable sobs.  He clenched his fists.

“All this, you should have thought before slapping her!” he said with gritted teeth and disconnected the phone.  

“Slapping her?” Anjali was surprised.  “Nothing  Di…!” he dismissed her and went to the bathroom.

*********  **********   *********

“Jiji, I wish I never entered that office…!” said Khushi gravely.

“Khushi, What happened?” Payal asked concerned.  Khushi shook her head.  “Nothing Jiji, I am used to it now!  .. But sometimes, I feel I should have been in a better place!” she said holding her Jiji’s hand.

“You will be Soon, Khushiji!” came a soothing voice.  Sham joined them.  Khushi looked at him. 

“I will take  you out of this mess, Khushi ji! Don’t worry.  Soon you will be cleared of all your charges…!” he assured her.  She gazed in the darkness blankly.  

“Aree Payaliya…!” Buwaji yelled from inside.  Payal got up and went inside.  Khushi was all lost in her thoughts. 

“What am I doing here, Shamji? There was no reason to meet him in the first place… And now? I … I just can’t get out of this!” she chocked.  Sham inched closer.  

“Why is the world so complex? “ She had no answer.  She had no answer for any of her questions.  She had no answers…!”  Sham placed his hand on her shoulder.   She looked at him.  He gave her assuring smile.

“Don’t worry, Khushi ji! I will help you…!” he said tightening his grip.  

“No, Sham ji.  I don’t want help! I want … !” she couldn’t complete as she lost words …!

“Don’t worry, I am there with you…!” Sham said soothingly.  Tears rolled down from her cheeks.  Sham thought for a while…

“Khushi ji… As I said, you can use your position…!” he said in a bear whisper.  Khushi looked at him, unable to understand.

“Khushi ji… you are being tortured, humiliated, insulted..... in that office.  But you have access to literally everything.  You can … if you want to!” he stopped gauging her.  She looked at him confused.

“Look, he insults you, so do others in the office.  You can pay back …. Use the information you gather there in his office…!” he started slowly… he was ready to wait…. He knew…. If she agreed…. He would have a trump card in his hand.  She was vulnerable… she was insulted… she had hatred… she had vengeance… she wanted to settle the scores… she had no means to do that!  Sham could provide her a weapon… powerful enough to bring his empire down… !! He stroked his fist and licked his lips lifting his grip on her shoulder.

She got up and said, “I would better be going…!” she turned to leave.  He caught her hand.

“Khushi ji, I know, you are upset! Sit with me for some time.  You will feel better!” she smiled faintly.

“Khushi ji, you want to bring his empire down…!” he looked at her intently. 

“Yes!” she said under her breath.  “I have a plan..!” he said not looking at her.  She turned to face him.

“What interest do you have in this, Sham ji?” she was bang on the target.  He startled.

“No! I mean, , Khushi, I want to pull you out of this mess! I want to help you!” he urged her.

“Again help? Sham ji, I told you! I don’t need help! I will handle it myself !” she was furious.  She got up with a jerk.

“Good night Shamji!” she said turning and going inside the house.  Sham banged his fist in frustration.  He again had lost the opportunity.  

*********   ******  ********

“She was hanging over the cliff.  She was losing the grip.  She was at the point of death…. Any time the wind would take her to another world… she closed her eyes frightened to death…!”

“I want to help you, Khushi ji.!” Two dark kind eyes were looking at her from the cliff.  She looked down … the darkness gave her no judgment of the ground below…. She looked up… the dark eyes were still gazing at her…”I want to help you!”…. She lost the grip…. She had a free fall…. ‘I want to help you…!” the voice trailed off….

“Khushi..!” Two strong hands caught her in the mid air.  She opened her eyes to meet with the brown pair.  They both were floating in the air… whirling and twisting… the grip of hands was strong enough to hold her …. The whirling stopped… they both were falling down… his grip tightening around her… CAREFUL!! He whispered in her ears…. She could feel her feet touch the ground lightly…. He steadied her… released her from his grip…. His brown eyes smirked…”Khushi Kumari Gupta…!” he whispered .  She looked up the cliff.

The dark eyes gazed at her from about… ‘I want to help you, Khushi…!” the voice trailed.  She looked at the hands holding her… and found herself on the flower bed…!   

“Khushi.. UTHO! You are late!” Payal was waking her up. 

“JIJI, SONE DO NAA!” she protested.  Payal pulled her out of the bed.

“Khushi  ji.. Chai! Tea for you!” sham was with a cup of tea.  She looked at him. 

“I want to help……!” a trailing voice echoed.  She flared up “BOLCACCHAN…!” she muttered and went to bathroom.   

***********   *********   *********

Khushi entered the office.  Everyone glanced at her.  “Hmm… the slap has echoed everywhere…!” she  thought and came to her cubical.  She turned to look up.  He was gazing at her.  

“Khushi…!” Regi and Rekha were at her desk.  She smiled faintly.  

“Khushi… if you want to…!” started off Regi.

“No! Regi sir, please… No!” she said with determination.  Regi had a hard look at her and then said..

“As expected…!” she smiled broadly at him.  “As expected,  what?” she asked, though knew the answer…

“You are sweet as Jilebee!” he said smiling at her.

“Jilebee ki Kasam!” he said with twinkling eyes.  She grinned at him. 

“thank you!” she said.  Rekha looked up.

“Khushi, we want you to come with us!” she said.  Khushi winced.  “Now?” she asked frightened, looking at his cabin.

“Don’t bother about him.  He knows!” Rekha pulled her up from her chair.

“What?” she asked getting dragged along.  They took her to the canteen.  All her friends were waiting for her.

“Jilebee!” they all screamed.  The canteen lady brought trays of Jilebees… Khushi’s eyes popped out.  She looked around.  “Jilebee…..!” they all screamed and had a blast.   Khushi’s eyes filled with tears.  She was overwhelmed.

“Thank you!” she said looking down to send back the tears. 

“No, Khushi! You are exemplary!” Rekha said grinning at her and fed her jilebee.  Khushi forgot everything.  “A Super Model!” Regi whispered in her ears…!  She grinned.

He turned his back on them.  No one had noticed him at the entrance of the canteen.  He climbed his cabin with a line of smile.  Lavanya’s absence in the office went unnoticed.