FF: It's Not Right - Chapter 22

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Chapter 22

'What do you mean he was looking at me strangely?'

'Sanka Devi, you won't understand what men are like! I saw how that Raizada boy was looking at you and so I told him you were engaged. I don't know why you're all getting so angry. Shashi, look Shyam is a very good boy and I think really we should make this true. We should get Khushi engaged to him.'

Khushi watched Shyam's face as her parents and sister argued with her Aunt. He had a shy embarrassed look on his face but Khushi could almost see the slimy smirk underneath. She wanted nothing more than to tell Buaji exactly what kind of man Shyam was but she'd promised Abhi she would let Arnav deal with his own problems and stay away from him.

'I'm not getting engaged to Shyamji and that's final!' Khushi walked into her room closing the door behind her trying to control herself. She heard the door open behind her, 'Jiji, please I don't want to...'

'Khushiji, I want to talk to you.'

Khushi spun around automatically to see Shyam closing the door behind him. 'What are you doing here? She stepped backwards so the bed was separating them. 'Look Shyamji, just because I didn't say anything outside it doesn't mean I don't know what you're up to.'

'What are you talking about Khushiji?'

The sickly sweet voice gave Khushi goosebumps and she walked further backwards. 'I know. I know that you're Anjaliji's husband.'

His face changed instantly and Khushi wondered how she hadn't been able to see through him all these days.

'Well it's good that you know Khushiji. Now I won't have to keep sneaking around, but that doesn't change anything. I still want to marry you.'

'What?!'

'Yes Khushiji, and you will marry me if you know what's good for you.' He began to walk around the bed to Khushi leaving her nowhere to go but back against the wardrobe.

'Wh...Why would I do that?'He was beginning to scare her now.

'Well, if you know what's good for you and your... family. Then you will.'

'My family? Wh...what do you mean?'

'You see Khushiji,' he walked towards her until he was only inches away, 'if you don't do what I want then just maybe your precious Babuji might have a little accident.' As he spoke he pushed Khushi  and she fell sideways knocking her face against the dresser. 'A little bit like that,' Shyam sneered as Khushi gasped in pain clutching her face. 'You have one week to decide what it will be Khushiji,' he bent down leaning his face close to hers and Khushi closed her eyes moving her face away from his but Shyam gripped her chin in his hand and kissed her near the eye where it was beginning to swell.

***

Arnav pressed on his horn again as he tried Khushi's phone for the 5^th time, and it went straight to voicemail as it had done every time apart from the first time he'd called that week. Arnav had gone back to Abhinav's office almost immediately but been refused entry by the security guards at the door and every phone call to Khushi during the week had gone unanswered. He had contemplated visiting her house during the week but he had barely had a single moment to himself while he discovered just exactly how much his brother-in-law had been deceiving him.

Arnav glared at the house as he tried her phone again as if he could force the door to open just by staring at it. He didn't want to call her house phone, he didn't want to knock on her door, didn't want to endure the pitying looks he would receive from her family as she would have no doubt told them all about his cheating scum of a brother in law.

He hit the steering wheel angrily before he got out of the car and walked to her door purposefully. He felt slightly relieved when Khushi's father opened the door rather than her insufferable Aunt.

'Hello Arnav, we weren't expecting you,' he ushered Arnav in and led him to the sofa. 'It's good that you're here though. Maybe Khushi will feel better if she visits your sister.'

Arnav instantly felt anxious, 'feels better? Is she ill again?'

'No, no, nothing like that. She's just been very quiet this week, and she hasn't even been to work. I think she had a fight with Abhi.'

Arnav pursed his lips together at the mention of Abhinav although he was pleased at the thought that Khushi and Abhinav had had a fight and she obviously hadn't told her father at least. 'Can I go in and see her?'

'Of course, of course.'

She was sitting at the desk, hands clasped in front of her in prayer and Arnav froze, 'what the f..?' He rushed over to Khushi immediately as she turned to him in surprise. 'Khushi what happened?'

He tried to reach out and touch the bruise still evident on her face but Khushi flinched away from his touch and moved back before she stood up. 'What are you doing here?'

'Khushi, how did this happen? Did... Did Abhinav do this to you? I'm going to kill that bast...'

'What are you doing here?'

'Answer my question Khushi! Did Abhinav hit you?'

The seething anger she could feel emanating from Arnav was a lot scarier than if he would have screamed and shouted. All week she had avoided everyone, her parents, Jiji even Abhi telling them she'd hit her face on the desk. But now she wanted nothing more than to tell Arnav everything about Shyam's threat but the reality check she'd had from him on Monday held her back. 'It's none of your business Arnavji. Now answer my question. Why are you here?'

Arnav clenched his fists together to stop himself reaching out and grabbing Khushi. Normally he wouldn't even hesitate but seeing that repulsive bruise on her eye made him almost afraid to even touch her for fear of hurting her. 'Khushi I... I came to take you home.'

'What?'

'Di... she... I... she expects you to come. You didn't visit her last week either,' he said lamely knowing how stupid it sounded after what he'd said to her last week.

'What? You mean you haven't told her yet? About... about Shyamji?'

'No... I...'

'She's not a child Arnavji! She doesn't need me to go and babysit her every week and she doesn't need you lying to her about her cheating husband! Just go home, tell her the truth and leave me alone!'

The door opened behind then and Khushi's father came in looking concerned, 'Khushi? What's wrong?'

'Nothing Babuji, Arnavji was just leaving.'

'But Khushi, I thought you could go with him.'

'What? Babuji I...'

'No Khushi, I've seen how upset you've been this past week. If you visited Anjali it might take your mind off your fight with Abhi.'

'How many times do I have to say it? I didn't fight with Abhi!'

'Khushi,' Shashi walked over to Khushi and put a hand on her cheek, 'for me? Won't you go for your Babuji?'

Khushi bit the insides of her cheeks to stop herself crying as she thought about Shyam's threat, 'I would do anything for you Babuji. Anything.'

'Then go. And when you come back, I want to see you smile.'

Khushi looked at the floor as her father left, she didn't want to look up and see Arnav who would undoubtedly have a smug grin on his face.

'Shall we go?'

His slightly hesitant tone had her looking up immediately. 'Erm... if you wait outside, I'll just come.'

Arnav thought about what Khushi had said as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently. Did he treat Di like a child? Was this why he hadn't told her yet about Jeejaji? He'd been convincing himself that he wanted to wait until he knew all the facts but really what other facts did he need? Jeejaji had been staying at Khushi's house for over 6 months and claiming he didn't even know her.

The image of her bruised face wasn't leaving his mind either. He wanted to drive over to wherever it was that Abhinav lived and kill him. How could he have even touched Khushi? What possible reason could there be? He'd been so protective of Khushi on Monday then why had they had an argument? Maybe Abhinav had only been protective of Khushi in front of him and then when he'd left maybe he hadn't believed Khushi either.

Arnav watched as Khushi left the house, in her usual sparkly clothes with her bag but there was none of her usual energy as she walked. She was subdued and looked down at her feet as she walked. She'd put some make up over her bruise but he could still see faint traces calling out to him. He wanted to touch her skin, comfort her, make it disappear but he only gripped the steering wheel tighter as she put on her belt. 'Is it... did he... was it because of me? Because of what I said?'

Khushi looked at Arnav perplexed for a moment before she realised what he meant, 'yes. It was because of what you said.' She regretted it as soon as she'd said it. It was unnecessarily cruel and not even true. 'I'm sorry... I didn't...'

Arnav clenched his teeth together as he started the car, 'don't. Just don't.'