Soulmate Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

“Arnav?” Khushi got up after hearing Arnav’s voice filled with dread. She patted on his shoulder, but still didn’t respond. Arnav just sat there recalling the officer’s words about his bas***d father dying.

“Why did he die?” Arnav questioned himself.

“Arnav. Who died?” Khushi said worrying about the unknown person. She patted his shoulder softly again.

“Why did Akhil Devraj have to die? That’s who dammit!” Arnav pushed her away with his one hand. Khushi just froze as heard that Arnav’s words. Arnav got up and paced in his room. He can’t die. That f***ing ba****d had to die. He needed to suffer…suffer for his consequences. He needed to suffer! Sufffer! Arnav says to himself quietly.

Khushi gets up from the bed and holds Arnav ‘shoulder stopping him from pacing around the room. “Arnav, calm down please. Look-“

“DO I LOOK HAPPY TO YOU?! He shouldn’t have DIED! He needed to SUFFER. Suffer what he did to maa. He needed to stay alive and sit in that black place forever and remember what he did!” Arnav roared loudly as the trees shook heavenly.

“He suffered enough. He sat in that place for ten years. Arnav ten years in one same place is enough punishment. “Khushi said to him as she touched his right cheek.

“IT’S NOT ENOUGH!” Arnav glared at Khushi. “How can you say something like this?! That guy sat there happily watching my mom got raped. He didn’t care if my maa was naked in front of FIVE men. Naked! He shot my maa! SHOT HER!!!” Arnav rumbled with a tremble voice.

Khushi just stood there shaken at Arnav’s loud voice. Her heart quivered, her fingers trembled, her body starting sweating, and her eyes blinked constantly holding back tears as she touched Arnav right cheek again and whispered, “What has happened has happened, we cannot change it, can we? Then why so mad? You should be happy because before he was breathing the air that maa didn’t anymore. He still got good food and shelter in the prison, that she up their misses. You should be happy that he’s dead, right? Remember, that Indian prisons can release the prisoners after 20 years. Would you want him out?”

“No.” Arnav whispered. Arnav looked at Khushi as she brushed her fingertips on his eyelashes as if trying to get anger away. He didn’t know what to do; he just stood there as if breathing for the first time in his life. He grabbed Khushi and held her tightly as he put his head on her soft shoulder.
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“Argh.” Arnav groaned from trying to put his shirt on. Khushi instantly opened her eyes and saw him up and ready. Hey Devi Maiya, I can’t smack him at least you can smack him to give him some sense! She threw their blanket off her and got up and went to him.

“Arnav, what are you doing?” she questioned him as she helped him put on the dark olive shirt.

“Going to work, what else.” He mumbled trying to hide the pain.

“Are you insane?” Khushi said to as she buttons his shirt. Arnav just looks at her as if asking what’s wrong. “You are not going to work for three weeks until your cast is removed. Aman is here so he could come and help you here. And that is final.” Khushi said as went to take a quick shower. Arnav just stood there frozen. He never had let anybody control him and now suddenly Khushi was doing it. I guess Mama-ji was right about when you get married your life is taken over. But Mama is still lucky, he didn’t get a control freak like me. Arnav thinks while shaking his head. He takes his laptop with one hand and turns to leave, when he hears a voice from the bathroom.

“Arnav!  I’m coming out in two minutes, so head toward the dining table.” Khushi commands him.

“What the-?” Arnav says as he gives a petrified look.
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Arnav sits on the dining table eating original buttered pancakes one time and typing a word the next time, while Khushi sits there observing his behavior and eating her strawberry pancakes.  Although Arnav feels Khushi gaze on him, he just ignores her. Just as he puts his fork and knife down, he sees Khushi tighten her jaw from his left eye. “What? Why the heck are you staring at me like that? Brain-che kyoi noks pegia, kya?“

“How dare you say that to me? My brain is perfectly fine! Why did you put your utensils down? Finish it!” Khushi glares at him. She gets up and takes her plate and his. Arnav just looks as if she was crazy. Didn’t she just say that I need to finish it? Unbelievable, can’t even remember what she said.
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After few hours, Khushi cleans the whole house, making it sparkle and feel fresh. She puts scented cinnamon apple candles in each location making the fragrance disperse throughout the house. She was happy today from all days. Today was the day her husband could live again, he wouldn’t be afraid anymore. She knew he was afraid. He was afraid that he would come back, but after the phone call last night they knew would never come. She saw in his eyes that he felt safe, he felt he could breathe.  But what worried her was that Arnav wanted him to be alive, she didn’t understand why.  Why didn’t he understand that one day he would have to die and it’s not like he’s going to back after his dead. She was frightened, yet she acted like she was mad at him for yesterday.  She was frightened the way he cringed into her last night when they were sleeping, as if he was having a nightmare of him.  The way he slept tensed, the way he tighten his grip on her waist, the way he walked, and the way he talked.  She was happy, yet was not.

Khushi goes to their room and changes from her pjs to a coral anarkali suit that hugs her figure perfectly, puts down her wavy hair, http://www.bargello.com/Coral+Pink+Amadora-343-Anarkali-107-4464.htm.  She makes her way outside where she knows Arnav is, just as she knew, he was sitting there straight ahead tensed. She tries to find some way she could touch him so he wouldn’t she was trying to comfort; luckily she finds his top button unbuttoned.  She goes up to him and touches his chest slightly as she closes the button. He shifts his gaze back to her and pretends to start looking at the laptop.

“You know you could talk to me.” She says to him as she sits in the chair next to him.

“And what would I want to talk to you about.” He lies to her, yet somehow he wants to talk to her. Thankfully, Khushi senses that he’s lying. She gets up from her chair and massages his shoulder from behind.  He loosens his shoulder, letting her massage them better and says, “I’m confused, Khushi. Should I be happy that Akhil Devraj died or should I be sad that my dad died?  He was my hero, I dreamt of being like him. And then one day, the person who I dreamt of becoming, broke my heart. He tore me to pieces.  I lost everything, everything. The only reason I am alive is because of Di. If Anjali wasn’t there, I would’ve killed him and killed myself. I’m sorry Khushi…I’m sorry.” Arnav said as he softly cried into his hand for the first time in ten years. He broke his own promise.

Khushi stopped massaging his shoulders and went in front of him. She pulled his hand softly to see his face. “Why are you sorry? You of all people, Arnav Singh Raizada, should not say sorry,” Khushi said to him, forcing herself to abide with his weeping and shattered face, yet she trembled, “Please…please don’t say sorry. …please don’t cry. …please…”  Khushi said to him as she starting crying herself.  Arnav looked at her and picked her up and put her on his lap.

“Khushi, please don’t cry. I promise I won’t cry…I just meant that I’m sorry that I left you those past years. …I’m sorry that I can’t fall in love. I’m sorry I won’t be able to love you as the way you want me to love you. I’m me, Arnav Singh Raizada, a guy who shut himself and who’ll never recover. I’m sorry Khushi; it will take time for me to become alive again. “Arnav said to her as Khushi just crushed herself into him. I don’t care Arnav. I don’t care if you will never love me, I just want you. I just want to be there, where you breathe, where you sleep, where you eat, where you grow anger, where you grow sadden, where you grow happiness, and where you need to comfort. I want to be there with you, I don’t care if you don’t hold my hand as we walk our destiny. I just want you, Arnav Singh Raizada.  Khushi said to herself as she felt his warmth hand caressing her head, telling her to stop crying.

For who know how long, the two sat there listening to each breathing, comforting, and letting their feelings out to each other.  They sat there holding each other, as if scared to let go of each other.  Suddenly, two birds chirped as they flew above the soul mates, bringing them back to life. They softly let go of each other.
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“Arnav?” Khushi said to him,  who was busy trying to type with his one hand.

“Hmm?”  he answers to her without looking.

“We should go outside. “

“We are outside, can’t you tell?” Arnav said to her, raising his eyebrows as he types.

“Ooo foo stupid, I meant outside of home.”

“You want to go out. Are you blind, can’t you see that I’m hurt.”

“you don’t have to use your hand to go to the beach. Do you?”

“Beach?”

“Yep, let’s go. Please?”

“No. “

“Aarnav, please!” Khushi pouts.

“Can’t you see, look at my clothes. Do I look like who goes to those places. So no.”

“Well, we can change your clothes.”

“What? Khushi, how can you change my attire when I have no other attire? And no, I won’t purchase anything.”

“Oh don’t worry; I already purchased clothes for you that aren’t like your boring attire. So COME ON!” Khushi waved her hand as she jumped into the house.  Arnav sighed and followed her into the house to obey to whatever she said.
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They walked silently, touching each other’s hand. As Arnav, who was wearing an cotton shirt http://www.truckerdeluxe.com/brands/insight-clothing/insight-clothing-revol-raw-white-thermal (imaging as if i was cotton, not thermal) and khaki pant strolled along as his wife who knew started to jump and down in the cotton dress http://www.google.com/shopping/offerdetails?docid=10665744485775932642&ved=0CCkQxhA&ei=UNkQT9joGZfSMKq9AQ .

“Khushi! Calm down.” Arnav said as he paced to Khushi. He holds her hand, “What is it? Why are you so happy all of a sudden?”

“Look, the sun is setting. I always wanted to see a sun set”, she says to Arnav, “It’s so beautiful isn’t it? The ocean so calm and the sun so warmth.”

Arnav looks from the scenery to Khushi. He stares at her for a long time, not caring about the sunset. He goes near her and whispers into her ears, “Just like you, “and kisses her jaw.  Khushi widens her eyes at what she just heard and felt. She turned around and stared at him as a slight breeze gushed them even closer with making their hair rustle and wave slightly. Arnav raises his eyebrows and smirks, “Except, the sun is smart and you’re not.” Khushi gasped.

But both became unaware of the third eye that was watching them in between. The sun, the orange-red bright sun. The sun that brought light into people’s world.  The sun that now focused it’s light on the two people. The two people who stared into each other. The two people that shared one soul. The two soul mates.