Chapter 37

Pearl_Oyster

@Pearl_Oyster

Part 37 (Update by Aisha)

Abhay was still holding the cell phone in his hand and was staring the empty space.

Did he hear that right or Arnav called him in his dream? What surprised him the most, or perhaps shocked him to death was his polite tone.

What was that man upto? Why has he called? Did Anjali tell him regarding their relationship?

No! That would have ended up in a threat from Arnav not a request to meet.

Did he want to talk regarding Khushi? Was he trying to persuade him to pacify Khushi? If that was true, Abhay was determined that he proves him wrong.

But still, there was something which caused him to be doleful and the more he thought, the more complex the matter became.

Arnav was associated to the two most important persons in Abhay's life; Anjali and Khushi, and both of them meant everything, unfortunately to both of them.

Realizing that the only option which would bring his curiosity to rest was to meet him he decided to go on with it.

**~~~**

Arnav had already reached the cafe and now waited for Abhay.

He pondered on how much he hated Abhay even before he met him and had controlled his urge to kill him when he had met him for the first time and today he actually called Abhay to meet him. He wondered what can sisters do to their brothers.

He was lost in his thoughts when he spotted Abhay entering the cafe and proceeding towards him.

Arnav stood up and forwarded his hand to greet him with a 'Hello'.

However, Abhay didn't accept the hand shake and just nodded his head.

"Have a seat" Arnav said, trying his best to not feel offended. If he was to judge Abhay and confide his feelings for Khushi, he had to be a polite host and not a person who shoots deathly glares.

"How are you doing, Abhay?"

"Fine. Why did you want to meet me?"

"We'll come to it and discuss it, but let me order something first" Arnav wanted to play a perfect host for the meeting.

"Get to the point, Arnav. I don't have much time" Abhay said, proverbially gritting his teeth.

Right now, the fact that Arnav was Anjali's brother didn't affect him. What was more important was that this man had ruined his best friend's past.

"In that case, let me be direct" Arnv replied.

"Sure"

"Do you love, Anjali?"

For a moment, Abhay choked. It was quite comical to see a brother asking a lover whether he loves his sister and lover hesitates for a "How dare you" stare. But in this case, it never came.

"Yes I love her" Abhay said, proudly, without hesitation.

"Will you keep her happy?" Abhay smiled a crook smile upon hearing that.

"I think you didn't hear your own question right Arnav" He said.

"Excuse me, I didn't get your point"

"I said loved her, not lusted her" The answer was direct, yet it conveyed the meanings, which Abhay's direct answer would never have.

**~~~**

Khushi laid down on her bed. Abhay had told him that he'll be away for lunch thus she decided to rest which was impossible because her heart was racing fast.

She had forgiven Arnav. She remembered how after coming out of her grief, she had promised to her heart that she will never forgive him and make sure he repents and suffers. But today, she had made him suffer enough.

It was not like she was sorry for hurting him so much, because they both knew he deserved it, but still Arnav had totally broken down today and her forgiveness was worth that.

Khushi sat up and hugged her knees. Now that she has finally forgiven him, does she need to give her feelings a chance? Can she really allow her heart to fall for him once again?

"But if he again betrays me..? There is no guarantee he won't." She asked herself.

"No no. He won't now. He has a sister and every time he would think of hurting me, he would always fear of same happening to his sister. After all, we harvest what we sow" She quickly added to her mind.

"But still... he had a sister back then" Her mind counter-asked.

"No, Khushi, you'll have to learn to trust again. He won't ever do that again to you. You know you have seen it in his eyes, you have felt it in his words. Haven't you?" She fought her desire to doubt him.

In the end she concluded, she'll give herself some time. She really needed time to get her feelings sorted out.

**~~~**

"What happened, Arnav? Fell short of words huh?" Abhay asked, breaking the silence which had crept in after Abhay had made that statement.

"Well yes, Abhay. But I am glad, my sister won't suffer the same pain which Khushi did." Arnav replied.

"I will never let Anjali suffer. I won't give her the pain you gave Khushi. I can never do that to Anjali because I love her. Really love her" Abhay declared.

The words stung Arnav and he didn't fail to notice the pun of that line. He felt like telling this man that Khushi has got over that pain and that he himself had suffered a lot. But he held himself back. He didn't want to create any rift in Abhay-Khushi's relationship just like he did before. It's upto Khushi if she wants to let Abhay know it, all he had to do was to bring Abhay under his confidence.

"I believe your words, Abhay. But I think we shall keep my association with Khushi apart, when we discuss Anjali"

"I am sorry, but I think it should always be discussed, that way you'll realize what a heartless person you are" Abhay had no mood of containing his three year long hatred for this man. He wanted it all out.

Arnav closed his eyes hearing those words and fisted his hand to push back his anger which was trying to shoot out of him. If only he would disclose Khushi's recent forgiveness, Abhay would shut up. And he would do it now.

"Abhay, I want you to know that I am really sorry for what I did to Khushi" He started.

"Khushi told me you have realized your mistake. I know it." Abhay cut in.

"So Khushi told you that I'll be meeting her?" He asked.

"Khushi and I have promised not to hide anything from each other anymore" Abhay stated as a matter of fact.

"Okay. So do you know what I and Khushi talked about when I met her today?" Arnav enquired, before he could break the news.

"No I don't"

"In that case would you call her and ask?"

"Why?"

"I want you to" Arnav said, his eyes giving a 'I-mean-it' look.

"Okay" Abhay shrugged his shoulders and dialled Khushi's number and waited her to pick up.

**~~~**

Khushi had not slept but had closed her eyes which flew open with ringing of her cell.

"Abhay" She said, receiving the call.

"Khushi?"

"Abhay" She said again in a sing song manner, suppressing a smile.

"Shut up" Abhay said.

Khushi laughed.

"You met Arnav today?"

"Yes I did" "What happened? I mean what did you two talk about?"

"I'll tell you once you come back" Khushi replied.

"No no. Tell me now" Abhay insisted, giving a side glance to Arnav who was listening the entire convo with rapt attention.

"Why are you so keen?" Khushi said, seriously.

"I was just... curious... about the realization and stuff" Abhay made an excuse.

"Ohkay. Actually today Arnav sobbed to apologize and he said that now that he had placed the pain on his sister, made him realize how much I suffered and Abhay he had broken down so much I forgave him with all my heart. You do the same okay. I really have no hard feelings for him now" Khushi told him, with a contended look on her face.

"Oh... That's good" Abhay said, after repeating the words in his mind and throwing a purposeful glance at Arnav which Arnav acknowledged by nodding.

"Yes it is" Khushi replied on the other side of the line.

"Okay then, will talk to you later"

"Sure"

**~~~**

Abhay cut the call and faced Arnav back.

"See Arnav, I hated you because Khushi hated you. And now that she has no hard feelings for you and I can feel the contentment in her voice, I too have no hard feelings for you as well. All I want is Khushi to be happy" Abhay said, for the first time in a soft voice.

"I love Khushi" Arnav knew this was the time to let Abhay know of this.

"What?" Abhay was nearly stunned with the revelation and he gaped at Arnav.

"I know that comes as a shock cum surprise for you but that's the truth, Abhay. I love her. Just the way you love Anjali. And trust me, this time there's no betraying her"

"Because it's your sister at stake" Abhay cut in again.

"No. It's not because my sister is at stake. It's because betraying Khushi would be like betraying myself. Breaking her heart would be like letting a spear drive through my heart. She is all I want. I can't imagine my life without her. I love her so much" Arnav said, the words coming out on their own and Abhay could see the passion in his eyes which he had for Anjali.

"So what do you want from me? Why are you telling me this?" Abhay said.

"Your help, Abhay. I want you to help me. It's you whom she trusts more than me. It's you with whom she shares her pain. And I want that place. I want her to know how deeply I am into her. And for that, I'll need you. It's you who can assist me in winning my Khushi back."

"Promise me, you won't do that again to her. You won't leave her mid-way" Abhay said.

"I promise. I would die rather than doing that again" Abhay came forward and placed his hand on Arnav's shoulder.

"Even though, I still don't like you, I'll help you, Arnav. But before that I'll need to talk to Khushi. I need to know what she thinks of you as of now"

Arnav smiled hearing that.

"Thanks, Abhay"

**~~~**

Khushi woke up with a start and found Arnav calling, a small smile creeping up her face.

"Hello" She said yawning.

"So I disturbed your nap. Sorry" Arnav said, in a sweet voice.

"Nahi Nahi, it's okay. Tell me" Khushi quickly added.

"You asked me na what made me realize?" Arnav edged her on.

"Oh yes. I want to know" "Yesterday Anjali told me that she loves Abhay and wants to marry him" Arnav said and for an instance, Khushi was about drop the phone.

Arnav hates Abhay and Abhay hates Arnav. How will this ever happen?

"And then?" Khushi asked, hesitating.

"That made me realise, the intensity of pain you would have went through. I realised what would happened if Abhay deserts her. I pictured Anjali in your shoes and that was enough for me to know the deepness of hurt I caused you"

"Oh" Khushi found herself at loss of words.

"And so I met Abhay today"

"Whaaat?" She bellowed, on receiving another surprise.

"Yes"

"Are you guys done meeting?" She asked, quite scared.

"Yes"

"Did both survive?" Khushi asked, terrified and Arnav roared with laughter.

"Seriously Khushi, you thought one of us would die by the time we ended the meeting"

"Well yeah! It's not like you meet each other quite nicely. But still what did you talk about?"

"I just asked him whether he loved Anjali and he said yes and I eventually believed him" Arnav didn't disclose that he had also confessed his feelings.

"Oh" And then it clicked in her mind.

"Umm Arnav, you won't mind if I call you later"

"No why?"

"Actually... I am getting another call"

"Okay sure. Bye"

"Bye" She threw the cell on her bed and stood up.

"If Arnav knows that Anjali and Abhay love each other, Arnav can never betray me again, because he knows that this time it wouldn't just ruin him and me but two other people too"

**~~~**