Chapter 24

She believed him when he said there was no one else.

She believed everything he told her about the past.

There was no denying that.

She knew he would not lie about it.

The pain in his voice was testimony of his truth.

What she wasn't sure about was what he wanted.

And whether she wanted what he wanted

Which brought her back to the point-What did he want?

He had not missed the chance to make use of her momentary lapse, to snuggle close to her, his hand resting behind her in the couch.

'What do you want Arnav?"

'Can we kiss and make up' he said raising his hand to her cheek and angling his face close to hers.

She still felt weak in the knees at his proximity. But she was too wise to allow any of this now. She slapped his hand away with a firm 'NO'

'Hmm. Too bad. Shall we declare peace and seal it with a kiss?' he asked, his eyes dancing with laughter as he saw her turn and glare at him.

'Can you be serious Arnav. What exactly is your reason for coming and staying with me?

If you want to get over me, why are you trying to get close?'

'Why do you think I am here Khushi?' he asked.

'I don't know<' she said honestly

'I am here for you Khushi.

I am here for us.

Both of us are stuck in a time freeze-that happened 7 years ago.

Both of us have not been able to move ahead, for whatever reasons.

Can we help each other move forward, either with each other or without each other?

What is the point in being stuck in a past we both know is full of a lot of misunderstandings?

Let's start again and then decide what we want from each other

And if we can make it a forever?"

Arnav was talking of forever?

Was she hearing it right?

'You have not been watching romantic movies or reading romantic books by any chance are you?' she said, looking at him suspiciously.

He smiled then and said 'May be. But can we try?'

'Ok. But it is better you get over whatever you feel for me.

Because we don't have a future together.

Not because I hold grudges.

I am just too battered inside me.

And I won't ever be disloyal to my parents by doing the very thing I denied them in their life time----find a man to be happy with.

That part of my life is over. I am sorry Arnav. I don't mean to hurt you,' she said stubbornly and got up to leave.

His eyes filled with tears-both for her and himself.

What had she done with her dreams?

And how was he going to convince her?

He felt lost and he slumped in the couch feeling dejected.

Did she not want him at all?

He wanted to find a ray of hope in this dark tunnel-and he found none because she was so determined to reject a future with him.

She tried hard to focus on the cooking.

She had hurt him-again.

She felt mean.

She was acting pricy.

But how could she change?

She was protecting herself, the only way she knew how to.

She was being faithful to her parents, the only way she could.

Was she wronging him?

But he did not even say he loved her.

All he said was he was attached to the memories and wanted to find out what he wanted form her and visa versa.

May be he wont even like the dull, lifeless person she was now

What then?

Confused, she headed towards the room she locked away and went inside.

Khushi sat in the room, looking at her Mom and Dad and Arnav's pictures alternately.

'I don't want to hurt him Ma and Papa. It hurts me more. But I don't know what he wants.

I can't bear it if he leaves me again. You both left me too.

I can't think of even trying to build of a life with him.

I am so scared,' she told her parents, wishing they would speak.

When he came in he saw her emerging out of a room.

What was in that room?

From the time he arrived he had seen it locked away.

She went into it once in the morning, locking behind her both on her way out and in.

He was curious to know.

But would it be invading her personal space?

After a while she knocked on his room,' Arnav I have to go out. I have to buy some household stuff. I will be back in an hour' she said.

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

Suddenly, the room came back to his mind.

He headed towards it.

He debated if it was right or wrong to enter.

He hovered outside the room thinking hard.

Coming to a decision, he tried the handle and it was loose.

Pushing the door he opened it-----