AAD Chapter 6: Family Comes First

I hope this gets a lot of comments because I literally had to crawl out of writers block to finish this so if it's a bit crappy I apologise. I've found out that if I get mad at Arnav for all the times he's wronged Khushi, it motivates me to write. I'm like Bruce Banner, if I get angry, instead of turning in to the Hulk, I write. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, thank you everyone who commented on the last chapter. It means a lot that people are reading my stories. Here's the next chapter, enjoy :)

Chapter 6: Family Comes First

 

 

Devi Maya Mandir, Lucknow

 

Khushi kept looking at her phone and hoping that it would ring. She had come to the mandir over an hour ago, prayed and got her prasad but Payal hadn’t shown up. She had called her sister many times but it would always go to voicemail.

 

Arnav had gotten a text from Aman that said that she would be going to the mandir. He had asked Aman to stall Payal as long as he could so he could have a private moment with Khushi. He had been driving around for over an hour, going from mandir to mandir in hopes of finding her. He was about to give up when he saw her.

 

Khushi was waiting outside the mandir contemplating whether to leave or to stay when someone grabbed her and pulled her away. She was about to scream but it died in her throat. Fear paralyzed her and she stood absolutely still. Her capturer smirked before leaning forward and claiming her lips.

 

When he had seen her standing outside the mandir something snapped inside him. He dupatta was flying in the wind, she was wearing a small scowl on her face and she was biting her lips. He couldn’t take it any more. He had to have her. He parked the car quickly, got out and grabbed her. He pulled her to a spot where no one could see them. The expression on her face made him want to devour her and that’s exactly what he did.

 

Khushi couldn’t feel anything. She stopped breathing and prayed that it was just another one of her horrible nightmares and that it would end soon so she could wake up and go about her daily life. But alas life wasn’t so kind to her.

 

As soon as his lips connected with hers, he was transported to heaven. One hand went around her waist to pull her forward and the other went to cup her face so he could deepen the kiss. At the back of his mind he knew she wasn’t responding and that what he was doing was wrong but he couldn’t care less at the moment. He probed her mouth with his tongue until she was forced to open it to allow him to taste her further. His hand moved down from her face to her neck and to the rest of her body.

 

One part of Khushi’s brain knew that he was touching her body in an inappropriate way outside a temple but another part knew that it was fruitless to try and stop him. But the numbness was dying out and the rationale part of her mind was coming back as his hand went under her kamiz. She became instantly alert as soon as his hand came to rest just under her bra. She could tell that he was too absorbed in the kiss to stop and she had to do something before things got way out of hand.

 

His fingers lightly caressed her skin, imprinting it to memory. Arnav couldn’t believe it; she was softer than he remembered. Just as he was about to slip a finger under her bra, he felt something push at his chest. He ignored it and slipped a finger under her bra and revelled at the feeling of her nipple hardening. He slammed their lower halves together and started grinding. He then felt a stronger push with brought him out of his lust filled haze. He slipped his hand out of her kamiz and stared at an enraged Khushi.

 

“Why are you doing this to me?” choked out a disturbed Khushi.

 

Arnav straightened and stared at her with cold eyes. “Because I want you to pay.”

 

Khushi was confused. “What are you talking about?”

 

“You ruined my fashion show. Fashion shows cost a lot of money to plan, put together and do. Since you wrecked it, I need some compensation.”

 

Khushi was enraged. “That’s it! All this because of that? You’re ruining my life and putting my family to shame because of your stupid sho-”

 

She didn’t get to finish her sentence as Arnav grabbed her shoulders tightly.

 

“How dare you? Do you know how hard I’ve worked to get to where I am today? Of course you don’t. I bet you’ve never worked an honest day in your life. You seduce rich people and live off them.”

 

Khushi managed to free her arms and she slapped him hard across the face.

 

“How dare I?! How dare you? You don’t know me well enough to accuse me of things like this. I may not be rich like you but I’ve worked hard to get everything I have today and I’ve never needed to seduce anyone. Speaking of seducing, was I the one who was shoving my tongue down your throat a minute ago? No I wasn’t, it was you. And you have the audacity to accuse me of such shameless acts. Especially outside a mandir. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

 

Arnav stared at her in surprise. He never knew she had it in her to defend herself.

 

Good. I like a feisty girl.

 

Khushi looked equally shocked. She hadn’t expected any of those words to come out of her mouth but she was so tired of being used like that.

 

Before she had a chance to run away, Arnav grabbed her and shoved her against a tree. He pinned her body to it with his and held her hands behind her back.

 

“So you do have a voice. Good, but now I want you to listen and I want you to listen carefully. I always get what I want and right now I want compensation. You have no idea of what I’m capable of. I already have your house and some pretty damning evidence against you. I’m sure if you and your family know what’s best, you will come with me by the end of this week. Face it Khushi, you really don’t have much of a choice. How much do you love your family?” Khushi turned away and didn’t respond. Tears were streaming her face. Arnav shook her a little. “Answer my question!”

 

“I love them more than anything!” Khushi shouted back.

 

“You don’t want them to be homeless, do you?”

 

“No.”

 

“And you don’t want your family to hang their heads in shame, do you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then you know your only real option is to come with me.” Again, Khushi didn’t say anything. “You’ll like the life you’re going to have more than the one you have now, trust me. Look, I’ll make you a deal; you can come with me after your father leaves the hospital, ok? I have my sources everywhere and I will be waiting.”

 

He released his hold on her and walked away.

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Payal was at the pawnbrokers. After the encounter with Aman she had rushed home. She was absolutely livid.

 

How dare he try and help us after what he’s done? We may be poor but we can look after ourselves. Does he really think that one good deed will erase all his bad ones? Hell no! And how can someone work for a devil like him?

 

She had rushed upstairs to her room and took out all her wedding jewellery.

 

I don’t want to get married now. Actually I don’t want to get married  ever. Men are absolute scum and Arnav and Abishek to thank for showing me the light. From now on I’m going to concentrate on me and my family. Besides, I have my whole life to get married, IF the right man manages to convince me.

 

She packed the jeweller up and headed to the pawnbrokers. Once she got there, she let the elderly man behind the counter examine her jewellery.

 

“Are you sure you want to sell all of it?” he asked.

 

“Yes.” Payal had a passive face and talked in a neutral tone.

 

“Betiya, you’re in the prime of your youth. A girl like you should be getting a dozen proposals a day. How are you going to get married without any jewellery?

 

Payal thought for a moment before she replied. She thought about her father who lay unconscious in the hospital. She thought about her sister who was suffering because she tried to help her get married on a lower dowry. And she thought about how their family was crumbling because of her. Because of her stupid marriage to Abishek that didn’t even happen.

 

“Some things are more important than marriage bhai saab. So how much can you give me for all of these?”

Yes I know it's a little short but as I said, writers block.