Chapter Three

Arnav froze. "…w-what?"

Lavanya nodded. "Khushi is blind."

"What?! How can that even be possible?!"

"Anything is possible."

"But… no. It can't be! … she needs her vision back."

"The doctor said that she could never see again."

"What?!"

Lavanya nodded. "Which is why I need your help."

"My help? What for?"

"Be with Khushi."

"What?!"

"Please be with Khushi."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're the only person I know who loves her very much."

"You need to get your facts straight because I don't love her-"

"Arnav, you know deep down that you do! That you still have those feelings that you've always had for her!"

"No I-"

"Arnav stop lying! Please-"

The bell rang.

"Lavanya?"

The two turned and saw the children coming out of room 207 and Khushi came out behind them, calling Lavanya.

"Lavanya? You're still here?"

"Uh, yeah, actually… um, I'm talking to a friend."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm meeting him after three years."

"Ah, a guy friend, huh? Nothing special?"

Lavanya chuckled. "No Khushi, he's like a brother to me," she said, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Oh! Sorry," she said, looking a different direction, seeming like she was talking to the wall.

Arnav just looked at her. He really felt bad for her.

"So who's your friend," Khushi asked.

"His name is Arnav," Lavanya said, looking at him.

"Nice name," Khushi smiled. "Hi," she held her hand out, "I'm Khushi."

Arnav slowly crept his hand out and shook her hand. "Hi."

Khushi held onto it and Arnav got confused.

"Oh, sorry," Khushi said. "See, the thing is, I like to feel people's hands so that I can remember them."

"Oh," Arnav nodded in acknowledgment.

"Think of it as in the movie Fanaa, how Kajol did it in the movie?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Arnav remembered how Khushi used to love that movie. She would always say that there was a girl in the movie who looked just like her. Of course, no one ever saw the resemblance and said she was wrong. Khushi would keep whining but everyone disagreed (of course, we know the truth).

"Um, Khushi," Lavanya said, "I'm gonna go check on the kids and make sure their parents picked them up."

"Okay," Khushi smiled.

Lavanya left, giving Arnav a look before leaving.

"Arnav?"

Arnav looked at Khushi. "Yes?"

"Don't tell me you feel uncomfortable just because Lavanya left. I mean usually when two people meet and the common person leaves, the two new people get awkward."

"Oh, no, no. It's nothing like that."

"Follow me," she said, still holding his hand.

Khushi walked them down, Arnav surprised that she knew which way to go.

"If you're wondering how I know, I've gotten used to the place and have it memorized," Khushi said, as if she had read his mind.

"Oh."

Khushi led him into her office, and she went to her desk and sat in her seat, Arnav sitting across from her.

"So Arnav, what do you do?"

"I'm a business man. I run AR Group of Industries."

"Wait, you're THE Arnav Singh Raizada? Owner of AR Group of Industries?"

"Yeah…?"

"As in THE Arnav Singh Raizada, who's company is spread all over the world?!"

"Yeah."

"Oh my gosh! It's a pleasure to meet you sir," she said, holding her hand out.

"Please, call me Arnav," he said, shaking her hand again.

"This is so cool! I'm a big fan!"

"Really?"

"I have been since your father was in charge."

"Oh," he said, pretending he didn't know.

He already knew that Khushi loved his company. She always had cut outs and fashion magazines with articles of AR.

"Are you interested in fashion," Arnav asked, already knowing the answer.

"A lot. I actually wanted to be a designer. But then fate played its game so… yeah."

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"Don't be - it wasn't your fault."

Arnav wondered if it could have been.

"So what brought you here?"

"Huh? Oh, um… well, Lavanya called me and told me to meet her here," he lied.

"Oh. Cool."

An awkward silence passed.

"I um, I should get going," Arnav said.

"Okay. You are a business man after all, always busy."

"Yeah," and he got up.

"It was nice meeting you Arnav."

The way his name sounded from her sweet voice soothed Arnav.

"Nice meeting you too, Khushi."

He turned to leave and when he walked out of the room, he peered in from the small window. Khushi was reading something, feeling the braille letters. Arnav felt bad again and then left.

*~*

Arnav walked into the storage room. He had just arrived home and could only think of the storage room. He went in and looked around for his stuff from three years ago. He found the crate where he had put everything away in after the incident.

He went through it and found the broken picture frame at the bottom. He picked it up, looking at the photo. Khushi looked beautiful, her smile wide and bright. Arnav thought about the Khushi from three years back, and Khushi now. There was a big difference from then and now. Although she smiled, her happiness wasn't entirely there.

Khushi was now alone, dealing with darkness in her life. She had Lavanya, her best friend, for support, but Arnav knew that wasn't enough. He looked down at her picture again and made up his mind.

Fine, he thought, I will try.

And then something popped in his mind.

But wait… if Khushi is here… then… then where is he?

Chapter Two

"My dream is that someday I'll become a very big fashion designer. Maybe not "very big," but… big!"

~

Arnav steered right, turning at the corner.

~

"Not only do I want to be a designer, but I want to give back to the people. I want to open my own school and educate children. A lot of children don't get the education they deserve and I want to try my best to let them have it. Whether they're poor, rich, short, big, blind, deaf, whatever! They deserve to be educated."

~

Arnav stopped. He couldn't help but to remember Khushi's words. Arnav looked up at the big building in front of him. On a big sign, it read Great Woman School for the Blind.

Maybe her dream has come true, Arnav thought.

He parked his car and stepped out. He went into the school and walked up to the front desk.

"Hello Sir, how may I help you," the security guard asked.

"Um, I'd like to meet Khushi?"

"Khushi who?"

"Khushi Kumari Gupta?" He tried using her regular name.

"Ah yes. Take these main stairs up to the second floor and go left. She should be in room 207," she smiled.

Arnav nodded. "Thank you," and he went up the stairs and went left. He followed the room numbers.

212… 210, he looked to the left. 209… 207!

Arnav peered into the classroom since the door was open, and saw a bunch of little girls. They were all talking, playing, reading, finger-painting, giggling, having fun. Arnav didn't like kids so much but he couldn't help but to lightly smile to the sight, which was rare. After the incident had happened, Arnav didn't smile as often as he used to.

"Ms. Gupta! Ms. Gupta," a little girl called out.

Arnav turned to look at the girl and he saw her - he saw Khushi.

She was sitting in front of the girl and Khushi held her hand. "Yes sweetie?"

"I can't understand this word."

Khushi held her hand and moved it on top of the book, the little girl feeling the little bumps.

"Oh," exclaimed the little girl. "It says puppy!"

"Good," Khushi smiled.

Arnav just gazed at Khushi. She hadn't changed at all. She still had that beautiful smile that matched her name and brightened her up. But at the thought of that night, Arnav looked away and stepped back into the hall. He looked side to side, and then looked down at the floor.

"I knew you'd come."

Arnav looked up to see Lavanya.

Lavanya walked over to him and stood a few inches away from him. "Like what you see?"

"Excuse me?"

"The school."

Arnav looked around. "Nice job, I'll say. Good conditions, nothing cracking… good."

Lavanya just looked at him.

"What?"

She shook her head slowly. "Nothing…. It's just that… Arnav, you've changed."

Arnav looked away.

"I mean, especially the way you dress." She looked him bottom to top. "Black pants… navy blue button down shirt… black vest… black suit jacket… completely different."

"Well I have to dress appropriately."

"Ah ha, of course. After all you are THE Arnav Singh Raizada, owner of AR Group of Industries. You are huge business man, the leader of the fashion industry. Of course now you dress this way. But… back in college-"

Arnav glared at her. "What do you want?"

"To tell you what I've been trying to tell you for the past three years!"

"I don't care!"

"Well you have to! You have no idea what disaster happened that night!"

"Disaster? What disaster? My life was changed that night and that's all that happened!"

"You're wrong Arnav! I know what she said to you was wrong, but besides the change to your life, something drastic happened to her!"

"Bullshit! So she was in the hospital! So what? What, did she find out she was pregnant?"

"Arnav shut up! Don't say things like that!"

"Oh? Why not? What was it? Boy? Girl?"

Lavanya's eyes pooled with tears.

"Oh? Then twins? No? Triplets?"

A tear escaped and flowed down her cheek.

"No? Uh, okay, what's next? Oh yeah! Quadruplets?"

Lavanya wiped the tear away.

"Damn, more? So what's after that? Uh… quintuplets?"

"For fucks sake Arnav she was not pregnant!"

Arnav's eyebrows shot up mockingly, humored by her outburst."Geez! Lavanya relax, this is a school for little girls. Mind your language."

"You disgust me," she sneered.

"Don't blame me," he simply said, looking straight into her eyes.

Lavanya saw the hate he had for Khushi in his eyes.

"Anything else? No? Good," and he turned to walk away.

After he walked three steps, Lavanya spoke.

"She got into an accident that night."

Arnav stopped. Did he hear her correctly? He turned and looked at her. "What?"

"She got into an accident that night."

"What?! How?!"

Lavanya's lip curled up. "Now you care?"

"Shut up Lavanya! What happened," he said through his teeth.

"Just know this - she's-"

"Lavanya?"

Arnav knew that voice - that sweet melodious voice. It was Khushi. He turned to the door and saw Khushi standing there.

Lavanya went over to her. "Yeah."

"I thought I had heard your voice," she smiled softly.

"Yeah, it's nothing. Just talking to someone."

"Oh… okay," and she went back in.

Something didn't seem right to Arnav.

"Why is she acting like that," Arnav asked.

"Like I was saying Arnav, just know this - after that accident… Khushi changed as well."

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows.

"Her life changed."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning this - Khushi is blind."

Chapter One

Arnav Singh Raizada stepped out of his car and headed to work. It had been more than three years since the incident, and he was a much different man now. He was now in charge of his own business: AR Group of Industries, which was spread around the world.

He walked into the office, the receptionist standing up immediately.

"Good morning Sir," she said.

He just walked past her without a response and went straight to the elevator. You'd think that was rude but she didn't mind. In fact none of the ladies minded. He was just too good looking that no one minded.

Heck, they didn't care at all that their boss, who they all believed was 'sex-on-legs', was like that.

He got out of the elevator, headed to his room, and sat down at his desk, diving straight into work. He worked away, all the way to lunch. He decided to take a five minute break, then went right back to work, when his office phone rang.

"Yes Marissa," he said into the phone.

"Sir, you have a call-"

"Tell them to call later," and just as he was about to hang up, she quickly spoke.

"Sir, she says it's an emergency," his secretary said.

"If it's an emergency, then have her call the police."

"She said to tell you that her name is Lavanya."

Arnav paused. "What?"

"She said her name is Lavanya."

Arnav stared straight for a few seconds, lost in thought. "Transfer the call."

"Okay sir," and she did.

Arnav waited for the person to speak.

"Hello," a female voice spoke. "Is this Arnav?"

"Yes, this is Arnav Singh Raizada speaking."

"Arnav! Arnav, this is Lavanya!"

"So what?"

"Arnav please! Do you know that I've been looking for you for the past three years?!"

"What for?!"

"Arnav you know what happened-"

"I told you then and I'm telling you the same now! I. Don't. Care!"

"Arnav please-"

"Lavanya enough!"

"No Arnav! You enough! I've been trying to get to you for the past three years! This time you have to listen!"

"I told you before, no!"

"Why? Huh Arnav? Why?!"

"Shut up Lavanya!"

"Just because of what happened?!"

"Lavanya-"

"No! No, no, no, no! Just because of what happened doesn't mean you can ever get over her so easily! You know deep down you still do!"

"Shut the fuck up Lavanya!"

"NO! You know you still love her and still want her to this day!!!"

"I don't-"

"You do! …anyways… the reason why I called-"

"You think I still want to talk to you?"

"You do - you will. Now listen carefully-"

"I won't-"

"You will! And you will want to because this is about Khushi!"

"I don't care-"

"Please meet her!"

Arnav paused. "What?"

"Please go to Khushi?"

"Why should I?"

"Cause you're the only person I know who loves her very much!"

"You're wrong!"

"You know I'm right. Now meet her!"

"I won't!"

"You will! You have to-"

"I have to? So the great Lavanya is now breaking down, is she?"

"I won't say anymore. Meet her at the Great Woman School for the Blind. She'll be there," and she hung up.

Arnav put the phone down and leaned back in his chair. It had been three years that Lavanya had been trying to get hold of him, ever since that night. Some things were better off to be forgotten and left alone.

So why couldn't he leave this alone?

All he kept hearing in his mind was "Great Woman School for the Blind" and it ringed in his ears. And then a question flew in his mind: had her dream really come true?

Prologue

It was dark. It was late. It was 3 o'clock at night, the moon shining brightly, only to be hidden by the clouds. Like the darkness of the sky, one man's heart was turning just as dark - perhaps even darker.

He stormed into his house, his footsteps echoing throughout. He stomped up straight to his room and threw his phone, it skidding across the floor. He threw everything off his table, broke everything that came to his hands.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror, huffing and puffing to get his breath. His eyes were full of fury, his eyes practically blood shot from rage.

He noticed something in the mirror and turned back to look at the real thing. It was a picture frame - a picture frame with a picture of a beautiful girl.

A girl he had loved oh so dearly.

He picked up the picture and looked at it. Inside, he felt hate form and his heart ache.

He looked back up at the mirror, looking at his condition - his glasses were broken,  his shirt torn up, his pants covered in mud. All that had happened was all her fault... and he probably could never forgive her. With the rage building up within him, it had gotten all the way to his head and he threw the frame at the mirror, the mirror shattering into pieces, falling to the floor.

He huffed and puffed. "No one... and I mean no one... messes with Arnav Singh Raizada."

He looked down at the broken frame on the floor. The picture had come out of it, and he picked it up.

He stared at the picture in rage. "Khushi Kumari Gupta, I hope something bad happens to you! You have unleashed a whole new side to Arnav Singh Raizada... and I will never forgive you! I hate you Khushi! I HATE YOU!!! I HOPE SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS TO YOU!!!"