Chapter 4 [A] : Doing It Right

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There are times in one’s life when he just doesn’t know what to do or how to react. 

Something similar was happening with Nikhil Kapoor , who was now standing , leaning on the railing of the terrace. The sun was up by now but the day was slightly windy and the atmosphere comparatively cooler than the other days.

NK ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes thinking of the mess that had been created oh-so-beautifully by his cousin.

Arnav had shamefully narrated the entire incident to NK. How he had checked his phone , how the missed calls from a certain person had infuriated him , how he had ordered for a call girl and then misunderstanding Khushi to be the girl , he had impulsively attacked her.

NK had been livid when he came to know about it, but without uttering a word he had left the apartment because he knew if he would have been there for another moment , he would have punched Arnav then and there, and he so didn’t want something like that to happen. He needed to be alone for some time and think properly about the entire fiasco, and so he entered the lift , pushing the button for the top floor (11^th floor) which was the terrace.

And now after about an hour , he still didn’t know what he , or Arnav was to do.

And Khushi. His little baby sister. What she must have gone through ! How traumatic it must have been for her !! A stranger assaulting her like that...! NK sighed , frustrated.

He knew Arnav deserved to be blasted and bashed and slapped and…but another fact that he knew was that Arnav was not a bad person. Had he known it was Khushi or any other girl , he would never have done what he did. But the main reason behind his action was that phone call. NK knew how uncontrollable Arnav always turned whenever she tried to contact him. Sheetal Verma.

But no ! That was not an excuse for what Arnav did. Intentionally or Unintentionally , he had committed a grave mistake and now it was his turn to rectify it.

So Even though NK was extremely upset with Arnav , he knew he couldn’t turn his back to Arnav. After everything that he had been through , he needed support and NK would always be there to provide a shoulder to his brother. He had seen the regret and shame in Arnav’s eyes when he had told him about what he did with Khushi.

Arnav had told him that he wanted to apologize to Khushi even though he knew that he did not deserve her forgiveness. But NK had asked him to not approach to Khushi so soon and give her some time, but he was determined to help Arnav in this.

Moving away from the railing , NK walked inside the building again. He was about to push the lift's button for his floor , but instead he pushed for the second floor button.

He needed to talk to Khushi first. Needed to know if she was fine….and if Shashi uncle and Garima aunty knew.

The door was opened by Garima. Her face lighted up with a warm smile as soon as saw NK standing there.

‘’Namaste Aunty !’’ NK greeted and bent to touch her feet , but she stopped and hugged him affectionately.

‘‘Namaste Beta ! And Why are you acting so formal with me huh ? Trying to butter me ? But let me be clear on this , I’m very very angry with you. Just because Khushi went to Mumbai to study , you forgot us nah ?’’ Garima said in a mock angry tone and folded her arms below her chest.

‘’Arrey no aunty its not like that. It was just that I have been really busy from the past few months and then I went to Chandigarh to meet mom and dad. How could you think I forgot you and Shashi uncle…you’re just like my parents to me.’’ NK said sincerely.

‘‘Okay, okay I was just joking…now come on in you !’’ Garima shook her head smiling as NK walked into the house.

‘‘Its been so long since you came here.’’ Garima said as she sat on the couch in the living room. ‘‘I actually told Khushi to invite you for lunch yesterday , but I guess that Pagli forgot !’’ Garima chuckled.

NK realized that Garima had no clue of what happened with Khushi yesterday. He sighed inwardly.

‘‘Erm…is Khushi home ? I wanted to talk to her.’’ NK said looking around in the house.

‘‘Oh…she is in her room doing god-only-knows what. Wait , I’ll call her.’’ Garima was just getting up but NK stopped her.

‘‘No , Its Okay, I’ll go to her room.’’ NK said.

‘‘Alright you go in. I’ll be in the kitchen preparing lunch. Call me if that pagli troubles you too much !’’ Garima said as she got up was strode to the kitchen.

NK slowly walked towards Khushi’s room mentally reminding himself of the things he would say to her. His baby sister.

NK knocked the door and heard a faint ‘‘Come in.’’ He opened the door and got inside the room to find Khushi standing in her room’s balcony .

Khushi turned and her face immediately beamed with a happy smile.

‘‘NK Bhai !’’ she sauntered towards him and hugged him tightly.

‘‘How’s my baby sister ?’’ NK stroked her hair affectionately.

‘‘Bhaaiii ! Stop calling me baby first ! I’m a grown up girl now!’’ Khushi pouted breaking the hug. ‘‘And secondly I am…fine.’’ Khushi hesitated before saying the last word and NK knew why she did.

NK sighed. Time to talk to Khushi.

Khushi precisely at that exact moment was reminded of the previous day and said before NK could utter a word. ‘‘Bha...Bhai...yesterday...i...i came to your apartment to…but…you weren't…there was some other guy...’’ she talked as she felt her breathing escalate at the thought of the incident.

NK saw how terrified she looked as she tried to speak . He held her by her shoulders and tried to calm her down.

‘‘Shh…shhh relax Khushi. It’s fine. Its Okay. I’m here to talk to you about that…just relax.’’

Khushi calmed down slightly and breathed deeply closing her eyes. She opened her eyes and saw NK standing there with an uncertain look in his eyes.

‘‘Come Khushi , lets sit and talk.’’ NK said and plopped himself on her bed.

Khushi nodded and sat beside NK crossing her legs as he started speaking.

‘‘Khushi….i know about it and…the person you….met in my house…was my cousin Arnav. You’ve met him once long back , I don’t know if you remember.’’

He paused to check her reaction, and the look on her face told him that she remembered him.

‘‘Khushi I….i haven’t come here to defend him..or…or give you an explanation for what he did. I know. I know what…he...did was absolutely vile and nasty...but….Khushi what I want you to understand is that , Arnav….he is not a bad person.’’ NK said in a single breath.

He waited for Khushi to react someway or say something but she remained silent , her face blank , not giving away anything.

After a couple of minutes she finally spoke.

‘‘What are you exactly trying to say ?’’

‘‘Khushi…I really don’t know what to say here. Arnav’s actions were nothing short of loathsome but….’’

Khushi’s eyes were suddenly filled with unadulterated fury as she heard NK trying to justify that despicable person.

‘‘But what ??’’ Her voice first came out as a whisper but as she spoke further her tone turned louder filled with contempt.

‘‘But what NK bhai ? Don’t tell me you’re here to give me a damned justification for you cousin’s…what did you just call it ? ahh…ACTIONS !! That was not an action ! That was Sexual Harassment !! Do you understand ??’’ Khushi was on her feet now. Her eyes spitting fire.

 NK stood up and tried to calm Khushi down. ‘‘Khushi…listen to me first…I’m not justifying him…I am…’’

‘‘NK bhai, I didn’t expect this from you ! You consider me as your sister don’t you ? But what you do when your cousin sexually assaults me? You come to me and bloody defend that cousin of yours !!!’’ Her orbs teared up by the time she stopped speaking.

She slumped down on the floor and started sobbing. NK’s heart ached seeing her condition.

He hugged her tightly. ‘‘I’m sorry chhoti. I’m…I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.’’ NK whispered as he stroked her back.

Thankfully Garima was in the kitchen that was which was at the other end of the apartment and thus she couldn’t hear the commotion in Khushi’s room.

Sometime later as her sobs came to a halt Khushi , broke the hug and once again , a blank look shadowed her face.

‘‘Khushi…just listen to me once. Just once listen to what I have to say and then decide how you want to go about it. Ok ?’’ NK asked hesitantly.

At Khushi’s slight nod NK proceeded.

‘‘Khushi , Arnav…he isn’t fine. I…I can’t tell you what it is…but…but he has suffered a lot a lot in his life. And that day...he was disturbed. ’’

Khushi’s opened her mouth to retort but then decided to keep silent and listen.

‘‘I know that does not justify his actions…not at all. But my point is that…Arnav is not the vile person that he portrayed himself to be yesterday. I know him right from our childhood and he has been living in my house from the past 3 months. I’m saying this not as a brother , but as a person who knows his brother inside out . And I can bet my life on the fact that my brother might not be a saint , but he ain’t a rapist either.’’

NK paused for a few seconds , taking in a deep breath he spoke again.

‘‘And….another thing….he…that day he actually misunderstood you.’’

‘‘Misunderstood me ?’’ Khushi's face scrunched in confusion.

“He…thought you were a….Harlot.” NK sighed at the end.

Khushi’s eyes widened hearing that. He had thought she was a prostitute ??

Khushi then covered her face with her palms.

Did she feel better hearing NK’s words ?

The answer was No !