Chapter 2

Pearl_Oyster

@Pearl_Oyster

PART 2

Khushi stared at his manly frame, trying hard to believe that it was not one of her nightmares. But here he stood, in flesh and blood, in broad daylight.

Yes... He is here. Her mind declared. And the declaration aroused the bitterness which had been growing in her heart since past three years.

Yet, she was at a loss of words to express the hatred she wanted to.

"How are you, Khushi?" He asked in a casual manner.

"Why do you ask? It's none of your business" She hissed out.

"Oh. Still angry with me? Come on, Khushi, It's been three years. I had thought that you must have gotten over it. But doesn't seem that way. Look, Khushi.. You should forget...what happened. That's in the past. Now we can be friends. That was just a ....mistake." Arnav offered with a smirk.

The words stung Khushi's heart. He thinks they can be friends? After all the pain she has gone through? Pain that he caused her?

"Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada! Don't you ever dare to assume that I'll forgive you or forget what you did to me. I hate you from every corner of my heart. Let alone friendship, I don't even consider your worthy enough to be my enemy. It will be good for you if don't cross my path...ever" Khushi bellowed, failing to maintain her calm.

Before she could say more, Arnav grabbed her wrist and pulled her to himself.

"Don't yell, Khushi. If you don't remember, let me remind you that I am Arnav Singh Raizada. The owner of AR fashion house. No one talks to me in the tone you just used. If not for the sake of our wretched past relationship, I would have made you regret your words. And don't think I offered you to be friends with me because I have any interest left in you. I don't. I was trying to help a lone, helpless girl. Nothing more" He finished the words and pushed her away.

"And another thing, You still look feisty" He commented and walked away, knowing full well she'll hate hearing that.

Khushi's eyes brimmed up with unshed tears and she realised that the hole in her heart was opened once again, the pain refreshed.

She picked up the bags which had fallen on the floor and ran to her car.

~~***~~

"Khushi..?" Abhay knocked the door for the fourth time.

"Maybe she still has not returned from the mall. God save us from these girls and their love for shopping!" Abhay muttered to himself and used the duplicate key to unlock the flat.

He walked in and threw his briefcase in the direction of the couch but he missed and the briefcase landed on the floor with a loud thud.

Abhay swiftly switched on the lights of the room and ran to the briefcase.

"Thank the devil Khushi isn't home yet, or she would have ripped my throat for this" Mumbling to himself he picked up the briefcase and placed it on the table.

Loosening his tie, Abhay walked into the kitchen and hunted the fridge for something to eat.

"Nothing of my taste" He exclaimed and finally opted for the orange juice.

He was walking back to the hall with the juice filled glass in his hand when Khushi collided into him making the glass fall down and break into pieces.

Without stopping, she rushed towards her room and locked it with a slamming noise.

Abhay was standing still at his place, trying to figure out what just happened. And then he followed the way to her room.

"Khushi.." he knocked urgently and waited to hear footsteps approaching the door.

No sound was heard except the sobbing of Khushi.

"Khushi... Open the door." He knocked again. The sobs grew louder.

"Khushi, please open the door. I won't ask you anything. I just want to see if you are alright... Khushi..." he was practically shouting now.

"I am not killing myself. Get lost, Abhay. I want to be alone" He heard her pain dipped voice.

"I am not going anywhere. Open the door, Khushi." He retorted back. Silence answered him.

"I am right here, Khushi. If you need me, you can yell anytime. I am waiting out here." He said, despair heavily hung in his voice.

Her sobs were suppressed down and she was lying on the bed, her face against the pillow.

FLASHBACK

------------------

The night was spent in their passionate love making. Next morning, she woke up alone on the queen sized bed. She looked around, but the room showed no trace of Arnav being around.

A feeling of despair began to develop in her heart. She tried to get down the bed and realised that she wasn't dressed. The realisation further made her scared.

Where is he?

She thought while her eyes searched the room to find her clothes.

After getting dressed up she decided to call him. She picked up her cell phone from the side table and found a note placed underneath.

She opened it with trembling hands and read.

"I am leaving, Khushi. But before that, I have something to clarify. I know that you love me, but I don't love you. I think this is high time I let you know this. I don't believe in love. What you thought to be love, was nothing for me but lust. You are a beautiful girl. And I admire you for that. But I have no other feelings for you. We are done. Usually I don't acknowledge these things but this time I should. Thank you for the night - Arnav"

The small piece of paper turned her world upside down. Her heart sank and darkness engulfed her.

She fell down on her knees beside the bed and cried endlessly because the tears wouldn't stop.

FLASHBACK OVER

*****************

Her pillow was soaked with her tears. The scars of her heart had once again gotten fresh as new. And she had no medication to cure them.

So she cried, more, more than she ever had.

The feeling of loneliness was hitting her hard. She has no one to call her own.

Her Amma and Babuji were long dead in a car accident when she was a kid. Her Buaji was the only one who took care of her. But two years back, she had lost her too.

And then she had no one left. It was the time when she met Abhay. Abhay Singh, owner of Singh group of Industries. Abhay too was a lonely person who had lost his parents and his fiance in a plane crash.

Khushi and Abhay had soon developed an unspoken bond of understanding among themselves.

And today, he was her best friend.

Abhay had offered her a job in his company but she had refused. And then he had helped her find a job. Now, she shared his flat with him.

A loud 'thud' sound pulled her out of her reverie. She quickly wiped her tears and hurried out of her room.

The noise was originating from the kitchen. She walked in large steps and stepped into the kitchen.

"Sorry if I disturbed your silent mourning. I was trying to cook something for me and then this canister of flour landed on the floor. But no worries, I'll clean this right now. You can go back to your tomb." He said mopping the floor.

Khushi couldn't help but smile.

"Get away. I'll do this." she said.

"No. I am doing this. You should not stop your wailing session for something stupid" he taunted her but Khushi snatched the mop from him and cleaned the floor and then started preparing the dinner.

"So, when are you going to explain me the reason?" Abhay asked while leaning against the kitchen slab.

"Reason? For what?"

"For painting the town red" he snapped.

"I didn't paint the town red" Khushi answered, chopping the vegetables.

"Khushi...! I am serious."

"So am I."

"You are not going to tell me?"

"There is nothing to tell"

"Did you meet him?"

"Met whom?" Khushi tried to sound casual, her gaze fixed on the vegetables she was chopping.

"You know who"

"Voldemort?" Khushi faked a laugh.

"KHUSHI" Abhay's voice turned strict.

"Fine! Yes, I saw him" She replied.

"And that's why you cried buckets!" Abhy said.

"I have bought a shirt for you. Lemme show it to you." Khushi tried to excuse herself out of the kitchen.

"What did he say, Khushi?" Abhay grabbed her wrist, not letting her move out.

"Nothing much. We met in the mall and then he said we can be friends. Means, he and I. He said, I should forget the past." tears gathered in her eyes again.

"Shh.. No crying." Abhay wiped the lone tear which escaped her eye and hugged her.

"Why don't you tell me his name, Khushi? I promise, I'll make him realise what hurting means"

"No. I don't want you to interfere in this. I'll handle it myself." Khushi answered.

"Okay. If you want this, I'll stay out of this. But I don't want to see you crying next time."

She nodded in his embrace and Abhay let her go.