They lay spent on the bed, away from each other. The distance between their bodies pierced his heart like thousand needles at a time. Khushi felt like as if she would burst into tears. She missed his arms around her after they made love. Those nights, when they cuddled into sleep. She turned to the other side and felt him climb out of the bed.
So, it was just sex, after all? Arnav ji, how could you?
Arnav turned towards her before wearing his shorts. He came back to bed and sat, his head resting onto the headboard. Khushi closed her eyes instantly, not wanting to look at him, after what they had just shared. She felt guilty for letting his way to her body when her heart was loathing him for his doings. It was all wrong. And she thought this would be their routine after all. A partner to quench their physical needs, it was just sex. Nothing else.
Arnav sat on the bed looking at the reflections the water made, the poolside their favorite hangout place. Where their love bloomed, where they shared their secrets, where they shared everything.
He looked at her one last time before walking out of the room in the wee hours of night. She burst into tears as soon as he walked away from there. It was done. Everything was over. There was no happily ever after's. there was only heartbreaks.
***
"Khushi, would you drop Aarav today? I am having an important meeting in next hour..."
Arnav said adjusting his tie while Khushi helped him with his laptop.
"Okay.."
She said slowly and walked towards the door.
"Khushi, wait.."
She stopped on her tracks and turned to his side. He walked towards her and hugged her. She was surprised, because after their passionate encounter last night she was craving for his one touch. She wanted to stay there, in his embrace to never letting go. She was so used to him, and it made her mad.
He kissed her both cheeks one by one and stepped away from her.
"Now, go.."
He said and turned on his heels. She looked at him incredulously before walking away from there. She touched her cheeks with her fingers as she walked towards Aarav's room. He had not kissed her from past few days and when they had made love last night, she shook her head, they had sex last night, he did not even kiss her other than ravishing her with his lips.
"Aarav, are you ready beta? Dad is going to be busy so I will drop you to school today.."
Khushi said marching inside his room.
"That's cool. Now, I will get to introduce you to my friends.."
He grinned grabbing his bag as they walked out of the room.
***
Khushi entered inside Arnav's study. It needed a cleaning its been weeks since he had used it. She flushed looking at the huge desk in the middle of the room, while memories flashed in front of her eyes. Arnav was very vigorous that night, she remembered and they had ended up taking advantage of that desk. She colored a bit more as she touched the cold panel of the desk and arranged everything accordingly.
Her phone rang with an incoming call and it was no one else but Arnav. She frowned and accepted the call, leaning onto the desk.
"Having a flashback of events are we?"
She gulped hard as soon as his husky voice reached her ears. She was blushing so hard that she felt her cheeks on fire. Why did he always know as what scandalous thoughts she was having? She cleared her throat awkwardly and sat on the edge of the desk.
"What is the matter Arnav ji? It thought you were busy.."
She managed with a parched throat when something cold touched her neck. She quickly turned around and collided with a hard chest.
"Don't lie Khushi. You were having a flashback of that night, when we made love on this very desk. Was not that amazing?"
He asked winking at her. She looked down and pushed onto his chest keeping a distance between her bodies.
"Is not this your office time? Why are you here?"
She asked as she cleaned the shelves ignoring him.
"I wanted to give you something and crack a deal with my wife. A deal of a lifetime.."
He grinned.
"How can you behave so normally Arnav ji, when everything between us is dying a slow death?"
Arnav stalked closer and grabbed her nape. He forced her to look into his eyes by angling her face towards him, when she refused to do so.
"Everything is perfect between us, don't you dare bad mouth our relationship, this is the purest thing ever happened to me..."
He breathed out, a new fire in his eyes while Khushi looked at him with fearful eyes.
"I don't know you anymore Arnav ji. And I am afraid that if I feel the same love for you anymore..you have no idea how I passed last week. It was the most difficult times of my life.."
Arnav's lips were on hers before she could utter anything else. She felt him kissing her hardly like she was never been kissed ever. His tongue thrust into her mouth and she felt breathless.
"I am sorry Khushi, I just wanted to make sure that you are taking the right decision. I wanted to know if this was really important to you. Because, this would be tiring, and having Aarav around is not going to make this easy for you. You will have to work hard and I wont be always there for you to help with this.."
He said and handed over a file to her.
"Lucknow Fashion House"
"Payal Singh Raizada? Jiji is my partner?"
Arnav nodded his arms crossed over his chest. She looked up at him, her eyes clouding with tears.
"Why?"
She asked as tears now made its way out. He smiled that lopsided smile of his and engulfed her in his arms.
"Because you are my life Khushi...and your happiness is mine. What makes you happy, can never make me unhappy.. I realized your turmoil last night when we made love. You were not ready last night, I knew and your actions had screamed at me that you were having a hard time pushing me away. I know how deep your love for me is. No matter, how hard you try its almost impossible.."
"I did try to block you out..but.."
"I know Khushi. even your silence speaks to me..you know that?"
She smiled meeting his playful gaze.
"I wish you good luck with your new venture. I am so proud of you, and your dream. I am sure this is going to be a huge hit. Two Lucknow sisters, and their own fashion house...I have just registered it and rest is your take."
Khushi smiled through her tears and hugged him close.
"I don't know why I said, what I said few minutes back. Will you forgive me Arnav ji?"
"Listen carefully, I was never mad at you, I guess I can never be mad at you, because every time I try, my love for you overpowers everything..."
She kissed him softly on his lips and rested her head against his chest.
"I love you so much Arnav ji. Please kiss me again?"
"You mean seal the deal with a kiss?"
"Something like that.."
She whispered parting her lips as reflect.
"You need not ask.."
***
Hui Ghum Yaadein
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