When Dreams Become Nightmares: thread 2 link: p161 - Page 51

 

 

 

PART FIFTEEN

 

 

 

Arnav saw Anji's shocked, confused, and proud expression. He knew he has to do a lot of explanations today.

 

 

"Bhai? What was going on in here? Is this - " Anji couldn't speak as she was utterly shocked. My father is alive? Was he my father! Really? Then why did bhai talk to him so rudely? WHATS GOING ON HERE!!! Anji's mind was filled with thousand of questions, and the only person that could answer them was standing there mute, voiceless.

 

A tear again fell from his eye, and strolled down his stubble. Khushi and Dan gasped seeing this side of him. Seeing him cry, seeing the one and only ASR cry!

 

Anji, who always saw the most powerful man in him, as her brother, was shocked too to see him cry. And seeing him this way was not an easy thing to bear for her. She walked towards him and he looked away, not having any answers for the voiceless questions her eyes were asking him.

 

"Bhai, tell me." Anji came and stood in front of him. "What's all this my-daughter-not-yours thing!" she asked now getting hyper.

 

"Anji, I- I- I am your father, now." Arnav said looking at her and she smiled, shocking him.

 

"You always were, bhai! Not only now! You always were a father to me, all my life! And now too you ARE my father to me! Since birth you were the one to make me laugh, you were the one to pamper me, you were the one to remove my difficulties, you were the one to make me stop crying, you were the one to make me sleep, you were the one to bring the world down on my feet! Since birth you did what a father should do for his child. But who was he? And what was he saying!? Why was he here?" Anji said shedding more tears.

 

 

"Anji I am sorry, I didn't tell you!" Arnav said moving towards her and holding her shoulders in a light embrace.

 

"What you dint tell me bhai? Tell me." Anji asked looking at him. Although it was absolutely NOT an offensive look but somehow Arnav felt deeply hurt by it.

 

"Anji, I wanted to tell you before! The day he first met you! I- I just dint had the courage to do so!" Arnav said as he slumped down the floor, on his knees. He knew he is about to break his baby doll in uncountable pieces. "Our father, he is- he is alive."

 

Arnav finally told the only truth he ever tried to hide from her.

 

Anji gasped, the loudest one in her life. "Is he our fa-"

 

Arnav didn't want to hear the father from her mouth, especially for him, so he cut her in middle. "Yes he is."

Again a gasp from her.

 

 

"Anji he didn't wanted you to come in this world." Arnav said and a sob escaped his mouth this time.

 

"Why?" it was a mere whisper fro her which was only Arnav able to hear.

 

"He thought, he thought our mother- she ' cheated on him." He said between his sobs and now it was Anji's turn to slump downwards. She looked at him, her now broken brother. She was not able to recognize him. Whenever she saw him, he was a definition of strength and power to her, but only for the outside world. To her, he was always a loving and caring brother. But seeing him so broken inside made her cry as well.

 

In a broken voice Arnav told her everything, how they were happy family and then that man came and ruined everything, he just didn't tell her who that man was. He didn't wanted Anji to hate her best friend, Khushi, as her father was responsible for their sadness and broken-ness. He told her how she was born, then the words of his mother.

 

~~~~(Arnav remembering)~~~~

(This scene is when Anji was new born. And Arnav just 7 years old.)

"Arnav beta, (handling little Anji to him) this is your little sister." Asha said.

 

Arnav saw the baby and pulled his hands back.

 

"Ma I can't hold her, she's too delicate, ma, I may drop her. She would get hurt because of me." The 7-year-old said.

 

Asha smiled and handed him the baby instead.

 

"I know you wont. Infact, if you are there for her, I am sure you wont let even others to harm her." the trust in his mom's eyes for him, made him feel utter proud of himself. Arnav took the delicate small figure in his tiny hands "take care of her. Don't even let a rough wind cross her path. She is too delicate to know all this. So don't tell her. She might not be able to cope up. But you, you are my strong man nah? (Arnav mom looked at him with tears.) A child needs a father the most! You take care of her like a father. You become her strength. Don't let anything happen to her, ever." Saying so Asha hugged her little family. She knew then that the boy in front of her was able to protect his sister for all her life.

 

~~~~End~~~~

 

"It was her faith in me that I would protect you, which stopped me to tell you every time I thought I will." Arnav looked at Anji who was now crying like he was. "She asked me to not to tell you the bitter truth of your life, that your very father didn't wanted you to come in his life and hence tried to kill you and my mother, together." Arnav hugged Anji and held her shaking form in his tight embrace. "I dint wanted you to get hurt because of him, because of a no one in our life."

 

Anji was in his embrace for long, but then she came out and looked at him in the eyes, "did you and ma think of me as such a weak person?" she looked in his eyes and said, "If HE doesn't want me in his life, then me neither! I have the best person in my life! As my brother! And now as my father!" Anji said and hugged Arnav for everything he ever did for her. "You are all I could ever wish for, bhaiya. You are my angel in disguise! You are my everything. And you don't have to give any explanations to me. I know whatever you do for me will be for my best."

 

That was the moment he thanked the one above, for the first time.

 

Everyone present in the room had tears strolling down their faces, seeing the two. They never knew the Arnav Singh Raizada who appeared to be a ruthless winner, would be so delicate and broken inside.

 

"I am sorry." Arnav whispered and kissed her head.

 

"You don't have to be sorry for anything, bhai. Its him, I am sorry for, he missed the two best people that could be in his life." She said and smiled. Then hugged him again.

 

Arnav sighed and was very grateful to have an understanding sister like her. Anjali became more and more emotional. She sobbed and Arnav held her tightly, but she broke the hug and looked at him.

 

"I want to be alone for some time." Arnav looked at her worriedly, "don't worry bhai. Its just that- its just that, that I want to digest all this altogether. And make up my mind and heart more strong so that I could stand by you, forever." She smiled and went away to her room.

 

Khushi who was silent till now sensed Arnav's worry about Anji and came up to him and said, "don't worry, I will look after her." saying this she kept an understanding hand on his shoulder but was stopped by him.

 

"Anji do not need a friend right now, Khushi. She needs to cry it out and hence would be needing a shoulder." Khushi looked at him happily and understood that he will go after her.  "And that shoulder will be Dan's. She needs HIM, his support and love right now."

 

Dan's eyes widened like they were ready to pop out. Khushi too was in similar state. While UV gave a smirk. He knew nothing could be hidden from Arnav and that too about his sister! No way. He would have been surprised if Arnav didn't know.

 

Arnav walked towards Dan and he took baby steps backwards. At last he hit the sofa and was stuck. He gave his last prayer to the one above and Arnav came in front of him.

 

"You are nice and innocent guy, Daniel. I am proud of you and my sister's choice." Arnav said.

 

"You are?" Dan asked sheepishly.

 

Arnav laughed through his moist eyes and hugged him too, "Keep her happy, and never make her cry." Arnav broke the hug.

 

Dan was in shock! The Arnav Singh Raizada knew about his affair with his brother and he was still alive! In his house! ALIVE! He was in cloud nine. He still couldn't believe so he asked, "y-yo-you do-don't have any- any pro-problem with me- and a-Anji being together?" Dan asked nervous to the hell and Arnav raised his hand, Dan became scared and closed his eyes thinking he is going to slap him but Arnav kept his hand on his shoulder and smiled.

 

"If I had any problem with you and Anji being together then I would not have agreed when UV asked me to call you here. I knew Anji would be sad after knowing this truth. So I thought it would be good if you were with her in this sad phase of her life." Arnav said and smiled again. "Go, she needs you." He said indicating towards her room and Dan smiled sheepishly again and like a good boy obeying his elders, went to her room, obeying him.

 

---

 

Dan knocked in Anji's door.

 

"Bhai I am okay. Don't worry." Anji thought it was Arnav on her door.

 

"Its me! Dan." Anji gasped and opened the door quickly, before Arnav could see him in her room. And pulled him in.

 

"Are you gone mad? What if bhai sees you here!" she said glancing at the door.

 

"He knows. HE sent me here." Dan said shocking her even more.

 

"WHAT??" Anji said in loud voice but then glanced here and there to see if someone listened.

 

"Yes! And you know what!" Dan said excitedly, "He said, I am a nice and innocent boy!" he said moving his neck like a kid.

 

"What?? Really? He knows about you? And us?" Anji said and kept a hand on her mouth not believing.

 

"Yes he knows! And I think he had no objections about we being together! Isn't it great!" Dan was equally excited.

 

"YAY!! I am so happy! Now we can marry soon! Without the fear of bhai getting angry!! Bhai has no objections!!" Anji jumped in joy and hugged him.

 

"Me too!! We can marry!! Without the fear of me getting killed by your brother!!" Dan said jumping excitedly too but Anji stopped and slapped his shoulder. Then Dan realized what he said and made a puppy face, "sorry!" holding one ear.

 

Then they both smiled at each other jumped in joy and hugged again and shouted "I AM SOOO HAPPYYY!!" together.

 

Arnav, Khushi and UV peeked inside the room and looked at them and passed a smile saying they-are-hopeless. And then moved to their own respective rooms.

 

---

 

After hugging Dan and nearly planning half of the wedding with him she remembered and went to Arnav's room to thank him.

 

Anji hugged Arnav and said, "bhai I am so happy, you like Dan!" she again jumped in joy and hugged him more tightly.

 

"I know where my sister's happiness lies. So I ought to give it to her. Right?" he said cupping her face and Anji replied "right!"

 

"You really don't have any objections na bhai?" Anji asked confirming that Arnav really liked him, and was not just pretending so that she became happy after all that mess.

 

"Well," Arnav made a serious face and Anji's heart sank. Then Arnav gave a fake mean smile to her and said, "I did all my background research on him once I came to know my kid sister is seeing him. Then I came to know about him that he is a really good man and his background was also clear, his parents live with him and were doctors too, they are really simple people and when I dint find anything fishy about him, I made up my mind to go with my sister's happiness. And keeping in mind that he fears me a lot-" Arnav smiled more meanly, "he will never harm you! Otherwise he very well knows the consequences."

 

Anji smiled and so did Arnav.

 

She talked to him for some time then went up to Dan's room to plan the other half of the wedding.

 

Arnav smiled at her antics, she was so happy now, when she was too sad just a few minutes ago.

 

"I am glad I could bring this brimming smile on your face back, beta." Arnav whispered to himself. He always secretly called her beta. He loved calling her that as he in real, considered her like his own daughter.

 

---

 

Everyone dismissed to his or her rooms. But Khushi, she was still in shock. If Arnav knew about them, why didn't he protest? Why didn't he show his anger or his disagreement to this relation? Why? She couldn't take it anymore so she did what she always does- ask him directly.

 

She knocked and Arnav opened the door. She was standing there silent. Not speaking anything. Then she threw her question directly. "How do you know about Anji and Dan?"

 

Arnav smirked at her question, he expected that, "I am Arnav Singh Raizada. She is my sister, I even know who comes and goes out of her life, and I know whom she met years ago! Won't I know about her not-so-secret-affair? I know everything!" he said proudly.

 

"Really?" Khushi can't believe him, did he really know? Khushi tried asking him more, "okay, so tell me where she met Dan for the first time?" I know you are fooling around, so tell me now. I bet you don't know they met at the McDonald's, 2 years back.

 

"At the McDonald's, 2 years back." He answered matter-of-factly. Thank god I have a secret bodyguard appointed behind Anji. He tells me everything. That day he called me to tell that she is at the McDonald's and some guy named Daniel is talking with her. He mentally patted himself for answering her question right. Her big doe like eyes told him he was right.

 

"Where did she meet me?" Khushi threw another question.  We only know that Anji and me met in the philosophy class. She thought thinking that finally she would win over him.

 

"In the philosophy class." He answered back, Khushi's jaw dropped open.

 

"How do you know!?" Khushi asked shocked.

 

Coz that day Anji told me herself that she made a cute friend, Khushi, in her philosophy class. But he can't tell her that. "I know, you know." He said shrugging his shoulders.

 

She looked at him confused to hell, Is this man a ghost who enters everyone's mind just by seeing them by his eyes! Do he has some extra magical powers!?

 

"What is it that you want to ask now!?" Arnav said sighing as if he was tired of her questions.

 

"Are you some kind of psychic? HOW do you know everything!!" she said puzzled.

 

"Well, if that is what you want to know, you will have to look at my mirror. It's magical! It tells me everything that ever comes to anyone's mind. I just have to ask it. It would never deny me!" he said dramatically, making his eyes big and making hand expressions near his face.

 

"Really?! It can tell anything which comes to anyone's mind!!" she said as she believed him like a kid and got excited.

 

"Yes, as I told you, it would never deny me. After all I am its master!" Arnav said proudly, folding his hands on his chest. Dear lord! She is just too innocent! Arnav thought and smirked internally.

 

"So can I ask it something!? PLEASE!!" she asked him with her best pleasing smile and he looked at her in awe! How can he deny something to that smile!

 

"umm yes," then he had an idea, "actually no, I mean you cant ask it. For you it is simple and common mirror, but it only knows me as its master so only I can ask it. It would not listen to you." Khushi's face fell at this, "but you can tell me. I can ask for you. What say?" he said rubbing his hands internally as he knew he would come to know her secrets now. You are just too nave to be fooled Khushi! These things only happen in fairytales! Saying mirror-mirror-on-the-wall thingy and asking anything!  He thought to himself but was enjoying it.

 

She was in deep thought now. Then she decided to come in and check. She came in and looked at the mirror. It was a normal mirror to her, as he said. She made faces and thought of various ways but to her dismay; it was looking like a normal mirror! Stubborn mirror of the stubborn laad governor!

 

"Ok I will tell you." She said looking down in defeat. "But you have to promise! You wont tell what I asked to UV! He will get angry." She said pouting like a kid and Arnav was fascinated. But then he became confused. What is it that Khushi wants to hide from UV? She tells him everything. And as far as he knew, uv dint even frown at her, forget being angry?

 

"Tell me, you wont tell him right?" she said with hope filled eyes.

 

"Okay I wont." He said a bit confused.

 

"Pinky promise?" she asked as she extended her pinky towards him and smiled. This is the only girl who can so mature and childish at the same time!

 

"Okay, pinky promise. Now tell me." he held her pinky finger in his and asked.

 

"YAY!" she clapped and smiled.

 

Can she ever be any cute? No! He asked himself and then answered too.

 

"So tell me." he said standing behind her and looking directly in the mirror. This is going to be fun!

 

"Ask it, when will my father return!!" she said as she mentally jumped.

 

Arnav's face fell. His breath stopped. His heart raced. How can she even ask for it?

 

Arnav just stood there rooted to his ground when she nudged him on his shoulder, "ask nah!" but Arnav couldn't react. How can he tell her that her father is already out of jail and is searching her! After 2 minutes when Arnav didn't react she said, "ohh I forgot! It tells what one is thinking! I asked something else. So ask it, what goes on my father's mind when he thinks of me!" she again jumped and praised herself internally for the intelligent question.

 

Arnav was again tongue-tied. What is he going to say! She just loves her father too much, even more than what I thought. Arnav was caught in his own game now.

 

"What are you thinking? Tell me!" she nudged him again.

 

"Enough of the games! I am tired! Go and sleep!" he said as he held her elbow and pushed her out of his room. "Goodnight!" saying this he closed the door on her confused face.

 

Khushi just stood there for a second. What did I do wrong, this time? She thought and then concluded that it was a part of his sudden mood swings and then left the place.

 

Arnav touched his door affectionately and murmured to himself. "I am sorry Khushi, I don't have answers to your questions." Then he closed his eyes and sighed.

 

---

 

Uv came running to Arnav's room in the middle of the night. He knocked and a sleepy Arnav opened the door.

 

"VIJ! He is back from Sydney!" UV said out of breath.

 

Suddenly the whole sleep went out from his mind and he panicked.

 

"How?? When??"

 

"I put up my men in each of the airports of London. One of my men works in London Heathrow airport! I gave a photo of vij to him and told him to inform me if he sees him. He called me right now to tell that he just came to back to London from Sydney." Uv explained and Arnav ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

 

Just few hours ago Khushi was asking about her father, and now this! How will he deal with him!

 

"What are we going to do now!" UV said, as he too was about to go in his panic mode.

 

"I have a plan." Said Arnav and had his evil smirk on.

 

 

---

 

PRECAP:😈

 

So guys what say!

 

I know I know I am so evil to not give a precap *rubs hands evilly*

 

But what do I do.. I am so fond of your comments! So do comment and reply soon if you want a long precap. And who knows reading your replies I may post 16^th part directly. *Winks*

my friend -Tintin. asked me to reply to all the comments so i tried...hope i dont offend anyone by my answers...sorry if i missed out anyone...thanks to all those heart warming comments and keep reading...

 

MUSKAAN.