Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Author’s P.O.V.

Preety was in her college library when her phone rang off flashing an unknown caller ID on the screen. Getting out of the library, she answered the call and uttered in quite lower tone, “Hello.. Who's this?

The person from the other side of the phone call replied immediately, "You are Preety, right?"

Preety got silent at that only to get that person uttering, "Hey, relax. I am not that stalker. I am Mahin, Arhaan's friend. He told me that you are being stalked and help you out."

As Preety uttered, "Oh. I am sorry. I thought..", interrupting her, Mahin spoke up, "It's okay. By the way where are you now?"

When Preety replied, "I am at my college library.", Mahin spoke up, "Okay then. You continue. When will you be done? Do you have any plan later?"

Preety answered shortly, "No." only to make Mahin utter, "Which college are you in?"

Preety uttered her college name and hearing her, Mahin spoke up, "I went to the same college. Okay then we will meet at the restaurant right beside the college and talk in person about how to solve this problem. Okay?"

Uttering, "Okay, Vai", Preety cut off the line and got back to the library.

Mahin then called Abeer. Abeer answered the call and uttered, "Mahin? You did find some time to call me like really or by mistake it got happened!"

Mahin spoke up while letting out a scoff, "Stop being dramatic, Abeer. I was just caught up in my job and besides, its not like you call me everyday or something."

Abeer spoke up in defence then, "Okay, okay. I am sorry. Tell me. Is everything alright?"

Mahin spoke up, "I need you to accompany me to meet a girl this afternoon." only to get Abeer being himself running his horse of imagination as he uttered, "I will be there buddy. Just tell me where and when. I am so happy that finally, you decided to meet a girl. You and Arhaan were so alike in this matter. I just hated that, you know?"

While thinking this boy will never change, Mahin spoke up, "Yes, I know that, Abeer. But it's not like what you think."

Abeer spoke up confusingly, "Then?"

Mahin uttered, "To help out the girl. She is being" only to get stopped as he heard his mother calling his name. He cut off the line saying, "Buddy, ammi is calling me. Got to go. Will talk later. Meet me at the restaurant right beside our college. I will text you the time. Bye."

Mahin cut off the call and Abeer got thinking, "Restaurant right beside our college! Anyways I was going to go there in the afternoon as well. Then I will meet Mahin also. Not a big deal."

Arhaan's P.O.V.

When we reached home, it was almost afternoon. Seeing me earlier, api smiled heartily. No I guess not coming back home earlier but as it was for Khushi made her happy.

"But did I really do that! It was just I had less work today, wasn’t it?"

I was expecting to get full support from the within of me.

But it spoke up, "No. It wasn't, Arhaan." betraying me.

Letting out a sigh, I got upstairs to get some break as I knew what Api was impatiently waiting to ask me from her expression.

Getting freshen up, I got downstairs finding nothing else to do and sat in the living room with Api and uncle. Vai wasn't home yet.

After sometime Khushi got near us holding Esha in her arms. Both of them seemed to say something. When api uttered, "What's the matter with you two?"

Khushi tried to utter, "Api?" but interrupting her, Esha spoke up in between, "We want to go the park."

Before Api could utter anything, Esha started whinnying, "Mummy, please. Mama please.."

Khushi glanced at me for once and then turned to api and spoke up, "Api, I will be there with Esha and take care of her. Don't you worry."

As soon as Khushi completed her say, Esha started again, "Mama please, Mummy please.."

Api was getting confused what to say and turned to me.

The situation was like Khushi was more desperate to go to the park than Esha. Being curious, I spoke up, "What is it, Khushi?"

She uttered making a sad face, "I want to see the kids." only to get me confused as I uttered, "Kids?"

When Khushi kept quiet, Api spoke up, "Khushi used to teach some poor kids at the park."

Hearing Api, I turned to Khushi and looking at her face, I couldn't get to utter otherwise rather agreed and spoke up, "You two get ready. I will take you there."

Esha spoke up smilingly, "We are ready, mama. Let's go."

Then I noticed they were already dressed up to go.

Smiling at them, I turned to Api and she also nodded as she turned to Khushi and spoke up, "Take care of Esha. Don't let her.."

Interrupting Api, Khushi spoke up, "Don't worry api. I will be there with her."

When we were about to get out, Vai entered the house. Seeing us, he spoke up, "Where are you three going?"

Before we could say something, Esha spoke up, "We are going to the park, Abbu. Will you go with us?"

Vai spoke up smilingly, "No sweetie. I am tired. You go and have fun but don't get in the dust, okay?"

Esha replied like an obedient girl, "Okay, Abbu."

Vai then turned to me but before I could say something, Khushi spoke up, "Don't worry, vai. I will be there."

Vai smilingly nodded and uttered, "Okay, dear. Go ahead and have fun. Allah Hafiz."

Taking leave from vai, we forwarded towards the park hopping in my car.

On the way to the park Esha kept saying, "Aunty, today we will eat ice-cream and chocolates.. So many, okay?"

Khushi like a child uttered with the same excitement, "Okay."

Seeing their expression, I uttered, "Do you two really want to go to the park or ice-cream parlor and chocolate bar?"

Both of them replied together with smiling faces, "Both."

Letting out a sigh, I uttered, "Khushi, you are just like another Esha in this chocolate, ice-cream matter."

Khushi seemed to utter something but Esha spoke up in between, "Another Esha! No mama, I am Esha. She is Aunty."

Hearing her, Khushi and me looked at each other and laughed out.

Khushi’s P.O.V.

Entering the park, the first thing I did was looking for the kids in their as usual place but they weren’t there. Not even a single kid. I didn't know why but it seemed quite strange to me.

I was lost in my thought when Arhaan spoke up, "Where are the kids you were talking about? I ain't seeing a single kid here."

I turned towards the orphanage but there was also no one got to be seen around let alone kids.

Then I looked back at Arhaan and spoke up, "A restaurant is right there. You take Esha to eat chocolate. I will be there in few minutes."

Esha spoke up smilingly, "Okay. Lets go Mama."

Before Arhaan could say something, I forwarded towards the orphanage. Entering there, I felt it was awfully silent. The kids were in their rooms but they were not happy as usual.

Seeing their faces, I could easily tell, there was something wrong. Seeing me, some of the kids got near me with sad faces.

Before I could ask them about the reason, one of them uttered by herself, "Aunty, you know, this is not our home anymore."

Some other kids also join her then, "Yes, aunty. It's not our home. We need to leave."

I got totally shocked hearing them and uttered, "What!"

Before I could utter something, Sadiya Aunty who manages the orphanage got there and seeing me, she spoke up, "Khushi! When did you come, dear?"

As I uttered, "Just now, aunty. But what are they saying?", she looked at the kids sadly and turning back to me, she spoke up, "You come with me."

"You go back to your room. I am coming back after sometime, okay?" uttering this, I followed aunty as she forwarded towards the office room.

Arhaan's P.O.V.

I got into the restaurant in the park and bought Esha some chocolates and ice-cream. She kept eating those all smilingly and I just kept looking at the entrance every minute expecting Khushi to get in.

It was almost half an hour but there was no sign of her. I was getting worried while thinking why was she getting this late!

Being impatient, I took out my phone and was about to call her but right then my phone rang off with the caller ID of my very expected one.

Seeing it, I answered immediately and uttered, "What are you doing being this late, Khushi? And why are you calling? Just come. We are at the restaurant in the park."

She spoke up getting me confused, "Arhaan, you get back home taking Esha. I have gotten something important to do. Finishing that, I will be home as soon as possible. Allah Hafiz."

Before I could say something, she cut off the line. I wasn't getting anything what was actually happening. The way of her pronouncing of the word important was not normal.

Besides, about Khushi's going somewhere alone was bothering me. What if she gets into some trouble!

Giving the thought a break, I called her but her phone was already switched off.

I kept sitting there being all clueless only to get out of the restaurant taking Esha after few moments with a hope to see Khushi somewhere around but I was wrong.

She was nowhere to be seen. I just couldn't get what important work she has gotten to leave like this and switch off her phone.

I called her again and again but her phone was still switched off. Finding nothing to do, I forwarded towards home and all the way Esha kept asking about Khushi.

All I could answer her, "Khushi has gotten some work to do, princess. She will be home after sometime."But it was more like I was trying to convince myself.

When we reached home, it was almost evening. As we entered in the living room where vai and api were sitting, api uttered, "Where is Khushi?" seeing just two of us.

Before I could say something, Esha spoke up, "Aunty had something to do. She will come after sometime, right mama?"

I just nodded at her. When Api got the sight of chocolates in Esha's hand and uttered, "Esha!"

May be Esha got what was Api about to do as she ran from there. Api then turned to me and spoke up, "What is it, Arhaan? Why did you?"

Assuming what api would say, I uttered, "Api, it's just Esha wanted to have that chocolate and went on plead" interrupting me at this point, Api spoke up, "Arhaan, I am asking about Khushi, Vai. If she had gotten something to do then you should have stayed with her and get home back together. Why did leave her alone?"

Hearing her, I got silent being confused what to tell her actually.

Api then forwarded while uttering Esha's name and I kept standing there for some moments and then sat with vai.

I was looking at the entrance every two minutes only to get vai utter, "What is it, Arhaan? What are you worrying about? And what work did Khushi get to do that even at this time?"

I told Vai everything then only to get him confused too. I dialed Khushi's no again but it was still the same. Switched off.

I was getting really impatient with the each passing minute. At some point I got out of the house and kept walking thoughtlessly at the entrance. After sometime Vai also joined me there with a worried face but I forced him to go back otherwise Api would take stress as well.

And after almost half an hour finally I got to see Khushi at the entrance. Spotting me, she forwarded towards my direction taking faster steps.

Though I was angry on Khushi for leaving like this, but when I saw she was alright, I felt relieved from uttered tension.

As she got near, I could feel something was wrong as the expression on her face was all blank.

Getting near, she forwarded some paper towards me but I didn't get to take that paper as my eyes got stuck with the clear sign of fingers on her right cheek and I was busy with handling my anger.

Keeping my eyes fixed at the red spot on her right cheek, I uttered coldly, "Who was it, Khushi? Who dared to do this to you?"

Without bothering to answer me, she just pointed at the paper again. Being unable to handle it, I got uttering more like yelling at her, "Forget the damn paper and answer me. Who was it? Who dared to slap you?"

She replied with the same blank face, "Kowshik Malik." only to get my blood boiled up...