Arnav POV

I kept staring at her face. That face. Which is portrayed as naive and innocent. But the reality is different. So different. For the first time I have no words to describe the hatred that I feel for this girl. Just look at her. How she successfully destroyed Di and my life..and now she is pretending to be all clueless. As if I am the one who has punished her for no mistake.

Why Khushi Kumari Gupta?

Why?

Damn it!!

YOU PLAYED WITH ME?!

MY FEELINGS...MY FIRST FEELINGS...OF LOVE AND AFFECTION....YOU DESTROYED MY SOUL!

I LOVED YOU SO MUCH. AND YOU WERE JUST HAVING FUN WITH ME? MY DEVOTION AND COMPASSION MEANS NOTHING TO YOU? ONLY THAT SNAKE SHYAM IS EVERYTHING FOR YOU? THATS WHY YOU SAID TO HIM TO LEAVE MY DI.

Kyun kia aisa tumne Khushi? Junoon ki hadd tak mohabbat ki tumse. Aur iska ye inaam dia TUMNE. Khoon ke aasoon rula dia mujhe. Meri hi Di ka ghar ujaad dia. Kyun Khushi? KYUN?(Why did you do this with me Khushi? I loved you so passionately. And this is the price that I payed for it. I am crying tears of blood because of YOU. You destroyed my Di's marital life. Why Khushi? WHY?)

I paced restlessly back and forth in my room. Watching her shiver due to cold weather. I cannot see her discomfort. But I cannot even console her. You did this to us. You did this. Damn it!

Then why am I feeling so uneasy? I should enjoy your pain. However, its hurting me. This gut wrenching pain of your betrayal and the hurt that I caused you is making me die every second Khushi. Every second. Neither I can be with you nor without you.

"Iss Pyaar ko kya Naam Doon?"(What should I Call this Love?) I said harshly to myself.

"Lo...bas itni si baat. Hum abhi aapki uljhan ko suljha dete hain"( Thats it... such a small issue. I will solve this puzzle for you).
Khushi said from somewhere behind me.

I turned around quickly almost loosing my balance. And what I saw made me gasp in shock. Khushi Kumari Gupta was sitting on my bed with folded arms and a blinding smile on her face.

"WHAT THE...HOW DID YOU COME INSIDE...I TOLD YOU TO STAY AT THE POOLSIDE, OVER THERE OUTSIDE...." She pointed in the same direction with another smile and when I turned to see what the hell she was referring to I fell on the recliner in surprise.

Khushi Kumari Gupta was still sitting in the same position. Trying to sleep and ignoring the cold which was making her shiver. I turned back to the other Khushi who kept waving at me from her comfortable position in my bed.

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON....

"Ab zara ghabrana band kijiyege aur jo hum keh rhe hain usse dhyan se suniye Laad Governer. Hum aapki Khushi nai hain. Matlab hum aapki wali Khushi nai hain. Hum to Bhavishiye se aaye hain. Aap chahen to humein Future Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada bula sktein hain"(now stop getting so worried and listen to what I have to say Laad Governer. I am not Khushi. I mean I am not your Khushi. I have come all the way from the future. If you want you can call me Future Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.).
She explained with a wink.

What a bizzare sight is this?

Is this really true?

A Khushi from the Future?

Or am I hallucinating because of todays events?

"How is this possible??" I murmured to myself.

"Everything is possible in Devi Maiyyas world. Now come out of your denial Swami and sit down here next to me. Because what I am about to tell you will make things crystal clear for you."
She said with a smirk.

Not really understanding what is real and what is not I just sat down on the bed beside her. I felt so exhausted. I gazed at her beautiful face. No tears. Only happiness. Is she really from the future?

"I think I am dreaming. Whatever. Just say what you have to."
I muttered. My eyes not leaving hers.

"Humare Harvard Wale Bewakoof, to suniye. Humein DM ne bheja hai. Taki aap woh sab dobara na dohraiyein jo pehle ho chuka hai. Dekhiye hum saaf saaf batatein hain. Aapne jo kuch bhi dekha woh aadha sach hai. Ab poora sach hum bta dete hain. Aapki wali Khushi ki sagaai hui thi yaad hai? Woh kiss se hui thi.. naam to yaad hoga?(my Hardvards fool listen to me carefully. DM has sent me. So that you wont repeat the same mistakes like before. I will clearly explain to you. Whatever you heard is half the truth. I will explain the complete truth now. Do you recall that I was once engaged? Who was I engaged to? Tell me the name...you remember dont you?)"
She asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Khushi's engagement? The one that did not last for very long....ofcourse I remember his name...his name was...I stopped in mid thoughts. And then my shocked eyes met hers. She wiggled her eyebrows wanting me to say the answer verbally.

"SHYAM." I said coldly.

"Yes. Shyam Jha your creep and cheat of a Jeejaji. He was staying at Gupta house as a PG intially. And then convinced Buaji about getting me married to him. And I was in no mood to marry him. But you forced me to say yes for the engagement when you denied your feelings for me on Diwali night. Anyways the engagement did not last for long and on Satyanarayan Pooja Day I saw his real face. I knew he was a married man. Husband of Di. Remember Present Khushi came to you and cried brutally on your shoulders?"
Her words started making sense slowly.

And I gave her a horrifed look. DID I COMMIT A MISTAKE? HAVE I MISUNDERSTOOD MY KHUSHI? I stared behind me at the sleepy girl who was trying to rest on the hard floor of the poolside.

NO I AM NOT WRONG

I AM ASR

MY JUDGEMENT IS NOT WRONG. I SAW THEM TOGETHER...

I turned around again to see Future Khushi making weird faces at me.
"What are you trying to say that I am wrong? That whatever I saw was a misunderstanding? If so then why did my Khushi hug Shyam? Why did she ask him to LEAVE DI? WHY?" I almost screamed at her face.

"Shhhh. Chup bilkul chup. Bachon ki tarah chilana band kriye. Poore Shantivan ko uthana hai kya? Waise bhi aapke tamashe ke karan koi aaj so nai payega. Laad Governer kahi ke. Humphh. Ab suniye hug ka matlab hota h dono bahein utha kr gale lagana kya aapki Khushi ne aisa kia?(Shhhh. Keep your mouth shut. You scream like a kid. Do you want to wake up the entire Shantivan? As it is after your act no one can fall asleep today. Laad Governer. Humphhh. Now listen the definition of hug is closing your arms around another person. Did your Khushi do so?)
She said the last line slowly as if talking to a 5 year old kid.

It took me sometime to grasp her words. She is actually right. Khushi was not touching him. Her hands were covering herself. As if his touch was creeping her out???!!?

"WHAT THE..." was all that I said.

"Wahi to hum bhi kehna chahte hain. WHAT THE. Arnavji zara sochiye aapki Khushi ne ye kyun kaha Shyam se ki woh DI ko Chod de? Aap ne poori baat suni? Nai na. Poori baat ye thi ki woh DI KO CHOD DE...KYUNKI DI USS JAISE RAKSHAS KO DESERVE NAI KARTI.(thats what I feel like uttering. WHAT THE. Arnavji just think why did your Khushi ask Shyam to LEAVE DI? Did you hear their conversation completely? No you did not. The complete sentence was ASKING HIM TO LEAVE DI....BECAUSE SHE DOES NOT DESERVE A MONSTER LIKE HIM)."

I got up from my bed and started pacing back and forth again. Deja vu. But this time my thoughts were running at 1000 kms per second. Whats the meaning of all this? What is this Future Singh Raizada saying? Did I misunderstand this entire fiasco? All her facts are true. This Khushi is not lying. Her words are matching all the incidents too. If whatever she is saying is the truth then this means only one thing.

I AM THE ONE WHO IS WRONG HERE. I DESTROYED MY HAPPINESS. I AM THE ONE WHO IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MESS. KHUSHI HAS NOT BETRAYED ME. SHE LOVES ME. I STARTED RECALLING THE MOMENTS OF OUR MARRIAGE.

HER CONFUSED AND HURT EYES....

HER PAINFUL CRIES....

HER INNOCENCE....

HER SACRIFICE...

I betrayed her. I killed her dreams of love and marriage. I successfully broke her. Arnav Singh Raizada won. But Khushis Arnavji lost painfully. I was sitting on my knees. My heart and head hurt like hell.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked around to see Future Khushi giving me sad smile. She made me stand and then made me sit on the bed. My head was in my hands. I felt so lost right noemw. Why? Why did I do this? I did not trust her. I just heard one side of the story. I accepted Shyams words over Khushi's innocence.

"I know what you are going through right now. But believe me this is the right time to correct your errors. In my past my Arnavji had no one to explain things to him. Lots of things happened after this contract marriage. You were kidnapped, I almost died, Di's child was murdered. Me being here today is a blessing Arnavji. You can save yourself from all the regret and guilt. Do you know Future Arnavji repents a lot. His guilt has reduced because of our new memories but still whenever something triggers those hurtful memories it kills him."

I looked up at her. Shocked to the core. She really stopped me at the right time. Khushi almost died and Dis child is no more?!?!? Oh god how wrong things could have gone. Thank goodness. I am not that guilty atleast. I am not like her Arnav. Not yet.

"How can I repent? How will I justify all this to that poor soul? Kya karoon main Khushi? Main to maafi bhi nai maang sakta? Arey usse to ye bhi nai pata ki maine ye zabardasti ka rishta kyun daal diya uspe? Kya bolun ki pyar hai tumse ye kehne aaya tha aur ek galat fehmi hogai aur uski wajah se tumhari zindagi khraab krdi?(What will I do Khushi? I cannot even apologize to her? She does not even know the reason for this forced marriage? What will I explain to her? That I came to confess my love for you but due to a misunderstanding I destroyed your life?)"

Future Singh Raizada caressed my hair with so much love that my eyes blurred with tears of guilt.
"Yes. Say all of that. But also admit that why you took such a drastic step. Tell her how complicated, confused and screwed of a Rakshas you are. Tell her that you could have thrown her out of the house if she was anyone else. But you proposed marriage. Not in the expected way but you did. You offered a marriage deal because you wanted to bind her to you. Because you were desperate for her love. Because Arnav is nothing without Khushi."

And after a night full of tears and sadness I smiled a small smile. She is right its time for repentance. Its time to make everything right. Its time to show how madly I am in love with my Khushi.

"Thank you. I will forever be greatful for today. For the first time I feel like believing in Devi Maiyya."
I said holding her hand in relief. But she quickly slipped her hand out of my hold.

"Dekhiye Hum Future wali Khushi hain. Agar aap humein aise haath lagaiyenge to humein lagega ki hum apne wale Arnavji to Dhoka de rhein hain. Aur hum to sapne mein bhi kisi aur ke baare mein nai soch saktein. Aap Apni wali Khushi ko jitna marzi haath lagaye na(listen I am Future Khushi. If you will touch me like that I will feel that I am cheating my Arnavji. And I cannot even betray him in my dreams. You touch your Present Khushi how much ever you want)."

I laughed softly hearing her words. She feels she is betraying my future self by touching me. And here I had the audacity to think that she has cheated me. What a fool am I. When she said Present Khushi my eyes wandered back to the shivering girl sitting outside near the poolside.

DAMN IT.

I rushed outside and carefully picked her trembling body. Slowly I walked back to our room and made her lie down in a comfortable position. And then covered her with the comforter. After a while her body felt at ease. And she hugged the comforter cutely.

Not wanting to disturb her any further I walked out to the poolside.

After a while Future Singh Raizada came and stood beside me.

"Now that my job is done I should leave." She said softly.

"No. No dont go. I...I feel better with you. Only you can understand my turmoil I..." I said selfishly.

"Arnavji be strong. You have to do correct your mistakes. And only you can do that yourself. No one can help you in that. And I am with you always. You know that. It will take time but Present Khushi will understand you. I know myself. Now stop being a baby. I have to go back home. If I wont go then Arush will create a huge mess. He is too possessive about me. Just like his father. Junior Laad Governer. Huhh."
She replied.

"Khushi ARUSH....he is...he is..." I felt moved by her words.

"Our 2 year old son Arush. Half you half me. Ar-Ush = ARUSH. Yes he is our son. With your possessive instincts and my bubbly personality. My little devil. As it is future you has gone to London for a business meeting. He only has me. And Di can only handle him for so long."
She explained with in her chirpy voice.

I have a son...

A SON...

ARUSH SINGH RAIZADA...

HALF ARNAV HALF KHUSHI...

NO HE SHOULD NOT BE ALONE. I SHOULD ASK KHUSHI TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.

"You leave asap Khushi. Take care of yourself and Arush. I promise to rectify all my mistakes. Its time to take up responsibilities. I wont be a coward anymore. Thank you very much. It was nice meeting you Future Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada." I winked.

Saying so I held a hand out for her to shake. She shook my hands enthusiastically.

"Hmmm. Ye hui na baat. Ab aap lag rhein hain na humare Arnavji jaise. Devi Maiyya aapko, Khushi aur Di ko himmat de iss sab se ladne ki. Jeet sach ki ho hogi. Acha chalte hain. Namaste.( Thats it. Now you look like my Arnavji. I hope you, Khushi and Di will be blessed with courage by Devi Maiyya. Truth will win. Okay its time for me to leave now. Goodbye)."

Another cold wind blew making the poolside door rattle. My eyes turned to see if it caused any damage. But it looked okay. I turned back to only to see an empty poolside. There was no one standing beside me.

Just like it was before.

With determination I walked back to my room. Khushi was sleeping like a baby right now. I wanted to hold her in my arms. But knew that it was too soon for that. So I sat beside the bed holding her soft hand in mine.

We will have our Happily After Khushi.

With thoughts of repentance I slept in the same position. Holding my happiness, my love, my wife.