Chapter 3

_Chaverah_

@_Chaverah_

[MEMBERSONLY]

Chapter 3:

"I'm your One-night stand, Sir.."

Silence perched in its highest peak.. Silence so scary that one might scream to be freed of it.. Silence so petrifying that nothing can save your soul from dying.. Silence so agonizing that not even a jiffy of it is worth to be had in any one's life.. Silence was at its loudest decibel!!

Khushi almost shrieked when she felt Arnav holding her elbow and dragging her.. She dint dare to look up to him.. She knew she couldn't meet his eyes.. She ain't worth it.. Why did it have to happen like this? Why? Before she could think anything further, she felt him nudging her onto his bed.. Tears din't cease.. Why wasn't he saying anything? She was dying to hear him shout at her.. In her words, bark at her.. But all she could hear was his breathing.. Loud, hard and labored..

"Sit.."

Khushi felt her tears warm against her cheeks as they kept flowing down with no barriers.. His voice was as warm, soft and warm as it had always been around her.. Dint he hear what she just told him? Then why is he being so nice to her.. She felt him leaving her hand and the moment she lost his touch, she felt hollowness engulf her.. Again! But before she could go any further, She felt his hands on her face.. Stunned, she tried moving back, only to have his hand go around her back and settle on her waist, holding her still..

Khushi bit her lips trying to stop the sobs threatening to spill out.. Her tears fell down her face.. She then felt it.. His warm breath over her face.. His rough hands over her cheeks.. He kept wiping her tears that were adamant on not ceasing anytime soon.. His warmth left her for a moment plunging her soul into darkest depths.. But he returned back.. He thrust something cold onto her lips.. Trying very hard, Khushi opened her eyes only to have them blurred instantly at the sight before her.. His eyes were so warm and loving.. Full of concern and comfort.. He was asking her to drink some water? Even after she told why she was here? Khushi felt her head being bent and she obliged into drinking water.. As a new set of tears made their way, she felt his huge warm hand wiping them and cupping her face lovingly..

"Not yet, Butterfly.. Not yet.. I know you too much to settle for your single statement.. I know you more than you can ever imagine.. I'm not going to get stuck with your conclusion.. Give me everything.. Every single detail of the past 12 years and I'l make the conclusion.. A conclusion that is the truth.. And dont you dare lie or hide.. You know very well how I can find it out! Begin.."

Arnav saw Khushi looking at him baring her soul out for him.. He knew in an instant that its not going to be easy.. He stood up and picked her.. He sat down on the bed and cuddled her into him, making her sit on his lap.. He felt her stiffening but not protesting.. He ran his hand lovingly in her hair and pulled her head to rest on his chest..

"If you think that I'm going to leave you at your worst, then you haven't understood me yet, Khushi Gupta!!"

HE felt her relaxing against him and he instantly tightened his grip on her..

"We went to Buaji's the next day.. She was devastated.. We spent for about a week there.. Buaji had a little girl, Arnav.. Payal.. Back then, she was just a baby.. I was 14, and she was just a 4 year baby.. She's so sweet, Arnav.. She loves me.. And then, two days before we planned to return back, Amma and Bauji went for some shopping.."

Khushi's voice began to break.. Arnav felt Khushi's grip tighten on him.. He felt her shudder against him and he instantly tightened his hold on her.. Kissing her hair, Arnav rubbed her back in an attempt to console her.. HE felt his shirt getting wet..

"They.. They never returned, Arnavvv!!!!"

Arnav took in a sharp breath.. He immediately hugged Khushi and let her vent out her pain and agony.. Rocking her against him, Arnav spoke not one word but kept consoling her.. Kissing her occasionally..

"I.. I din't know anything else.. Buaji said that I was under shock for about a month.. When I came to my senses, I steeled myself away Arnav.. I dint care for anything or anyone.. Buaji kept blaming herself that it all happened because of her.. That if we din't stay so long, we would have been happy n my home.. I din't want to think of anything that connected me to them Arnav.. I couldn't handle myself.. It was too much for me to bare.. I dint even dare to think about you.. Coz I knew.. I knew the moment I would, I would have come back running into your arms.. I dint want you to worry for me... But then I promised myself.. I promised that one day, I'l return back to you.. One day, when I'm well settled.. But.. I.."

Arnav kissed her tears away.. He knew what was coming up.. Hugging her to himself, he crushed her into him..

"I.. din't.. like this.. I.. why Arnav? Why m.. ME?!!!"

Every word.. Every tear.. Every moment was tearing him apart.. Arnav's heart bled along with hers.. Her pain piercing his soul.. Wrenching his breathe.. Kissing her fore head, cheeks and nose ferociously, Arnav whispered to her lips..

"Shush.. Khushi.. Shush.. Its okay.. Its over, Butterfly.. I'm here.. We'l begin it again.."

But his words stopped in his throat as he felt Khushi nodding negatively vehemently against his chest.. Wiping his misted eyes, he pulled Khushi from his embrace and cupped her flushed, red, puffed face..

"Butterfly, what is it? Tell me baby.. Look at me, Khushi.. Its your Barky, Butterfly.. Please let it out.. All of it.."

Khushi hugged him tight and cried on his chest.. Hiccuping, Khushi continued in her hoarse voice..

"I stayed back with Buaji.. I stuffed myself into a shell.. I dint want to be accessible to any one.. No one dared to even glance at me.. And then, You came.."

"What?"

"You came, Arnav.. As ASR.. You were ruling the world.. Every paper, every tabloid spoke about you.. My heart knew no bounds, Arnav.. I was jumping with joy.. Every single day I kept planning how to meet you.. By then, I'v had my own business.. 'B'sB Interiors', my baby.. I really wanted to meet you.. But then, such a fool I was.. Buried so long in my insecurities, I wondered if you would even recognize me.. And.. And I couldn't make myself to come upto you.."

Arnav felt his anger rising up.. How can she even think like that? Who gave her the right of deciding for both?! He pulled her out of his embrace and held her arms a bit stronger than he intended to making her look at him with her eyes reflecting her pain.. Pain so raw that Arnav w anted to kiss away all her fears.. But he had scores to settle..

"You did WHAT?! What the fu*k do you mean by you THOUGHT? YOU thought that I wouldn't recognize YOU?! Look at me Khushi!!! 12 years, Butterfly!! 12 bloody damned years!! I have bben waiting for YOU! Searching for YOU!! Why do you think I'v not had not even a single fling all these years?! Because I LOVE YOU, you fool!!! And.. How could you even think like that, Khushi? Was that all you knew about me? About your Barky? Is that all?"

Khushi threw herself onto Arnav and wailed out.. HE loves her?! God!! Why? Why now?!! She kept crying when she felt him pushing her more into him.. Rubbing her back he kept kissing her hair..

"I couldn't think stright, Arnav.. I''v been living alone for so many years.. I.. I din't know what I was thinking.."

Arnav, though couldn't calm down, understood her plight.. Wasn't it the same he went through back then? If not for Khushi, he would have still been in the same condition.. He knew things would have been different if Khushi had taken a single step to him.. But the point that kept haunting him was, he wasn't there for her when she needed him the most.. Tightening his hold, he whispered softly..

"I know.. I understand.. And.. What happened..?"

Khushi shuddered in his warmth.. She took a deep breath and continued in her broken voice..

"Last week, Buaji was hospitalized.. Thouhg I'v always been aloof with her, its a fact that she took care of me all these ears.. So I went to her.. That was the first time I saw Buaji's in-law's family.. I dint know why Buaji never let me meet them.. I heard from the Doctor that she had been subjected to severe shock leading in causing a brain-attack.. Payal is now around 16 and we have her in Boarding School.. I never knew the reason untill now.. That was where Pratap Singh met me.. He's the elder brother of Buaji's deceased husband.. Him being the family of Buaji, I went cordial with him but made sure that my aloofness was always present.. 2 days back, a few mwn came to my house along with Pratap Singh.. I hated the very sight of him.. I never like guests at my home.. Specially ones I dint invite.. But.."

Arnav held her tight as shivers racked through her body again and again.. Rubbing her back and whispering that he was with her, he kept kissing her soft hair..

"He told that his business was doing Brot*el.. And his men held me captured.. They were 6 of them Arnav and I couldn't take them down.. He then told me how he saw Payal the last summer and wanted to introduce her into his business.. He told this to Buaji which led her having the Brain-attack.. He thought that his track was clear and he could take down the child but.. But then I came.. He saw me at the hospital and at that moment his plans changed.. He now wanted to introduce me.. I kept struggling against his men but they din't budge.. And then he nailed the coffin.. He sowed me how his men were around Payal's school.. He showed videos of how they followed her everywhere.. He also showed how his men were at Buaji, ready to kill her at his command.. He had his men around my Office too.. So, he offered.. Offered that either I accept this or get Buaji killed and Payal introduced along with me.. And.. And I agreed.. And I was sent here.. To you.."

Arnav went still at the truth.. His insides froze at the realization of what all his fragile butterfly went through.. His heart clenched and soul wept.. He kept crushing her into him as she wailed her soul out.. As the two Lovers wept their hearts out, time and life ceased to bargain with the powers above, pleading them not to let such things happen, even to the cruelest people.. After an hour or so, when he felt her sobs subsiding, Arnav pulled himself out of the embrace and knelt down facing Khushi.. He wiped away her tears and held her hands in his..

"Today, I'm telling you Khushi.. YOU are the only woman I'v ever looked up for in my entire life.. You know my deepest secrets and my darkest fears.. You know the Arnav who lay hidden deep down this arrogant ASR.. YOU are the ONE I NEED, Butterfly!! Everything of YOU is MINE to cherish.. And I'm NOT going to settle for anything less.. You know I'm not good at words.. All I wanted to say is, I Love You, Dammit!!!"

With that, Arnav took her lips slowly and gently.. Letting her know how important she was for him.. He caressed her lips with his sending shivers run down her spine.. Khushi knew nothing more than the fact that she was safe.. Finally in the arms of the man she secretly loved all these years.. And that she was being loved with utmost care, passion and gentleness.. And with that, she gave in into him.. Arnav smiled at her lips when he felt her surrendering to him.. Holding her tight to him, he whispered,

"I love you, Butterfly.."

Before Arnav could deepen the kiss, he felt Khushi slacking onto him.. Panic stricken, he moved away to look at her and found her asleep.. Hugging her petite form to his, he shed the tears of her pain silently.. Kissing her one more time, he tucked Khushi into his bed and took her hand in his, caressing it, all the while looking at her sleeping form and peace filled beautiful face with all the love he had for her..