Arnav held the beer can on his hand and gazed towards the woman near the door. How he wished her to be near and not so far. It was the sweetest dream he had 5 years back when he decided to make Khushi his life partner. All his dreams broke into pieces when he got that she has run away from their wedding.
Khushi stood at the doorway looking at Arnav who sat on the bed, hurt and sad. She looked at him with pain, the pain that was his but was hurting her, she leaned her head on door as she observed him intently. His ever so chirpy eyes were brimmed with tears and the smile always adoring his lips was no more. He looked physically drained. He was upset, his heart was broken and she knew, it was all because of her.
A loud sound took both of them back to reality. During his deep thinking, Arnav actually squeezed his beer can too hard. The loud sound and the unrecognisable shape of the can are proves of how bothered he felt right now.
"Why are you back?" He asked in his ever husky voice.
He was out in a business party when he saw her. She was laughing and smiling with some of his clients and then he came to know that she is Miss K, his investor who he wanted a meeting with. When their eyes met, he left the place and she followed him until they reach Arnav's hotel room.
"Arnav, listen to me, I am sorry for what I did and I..."
"Sorry?" He exclaimed biting his teeth.
He moved closer to her. She stepped backwards with his every forward step. She was pinned to the wall. She tried to escape from her right and he blocked her with his arm. She then tried to move through her left. He extended his other arm and captured her between his arms.
"You didn't think once about the reputations of both our families, you didn't care for my feelings. You ran away from the marriage, insulting me in front of the whole world and you are sorry, Khushi?"
He moved forward angrily. She felt his warm breath on her lips as he again whispered 'you are sorry' near her face. She was a bit nervous seeing him like this.
"Will you just give me 5 minutes and let me explain?" She asked.
He lost his temper like never before and moved further into her face, this time holding her arms.
"Your time starts now." Their lips almost brushed.
"Arnav, I.. actually, me.."
His hold on her arms tightened each time she spoke a word. Khushi flinched in pain, the more she tried to get him to let go, the tighter he gripped.
"Arnav.." she tried to speak as tears rolled her eyes.
"Time's up, Ms K." He said as his grip tightened. "Time's up."
"Arnav, you...you are hurting me.'' She said.
It was only until he saw her tears realised what he was doing. Without saying anything Arnav let go of her arms, but the anger didn't subside.
Khushi looked up to his face and wiped her tears composing herself for a major verbal onslaught.
"I am sorry, Arnav..."
"Exactly what are you apologising for?'' He looked at her with his jaws clenched. "Khushi, I am talking to you, god damn it. Exactly what are you sorry for? For spoiling the respect and reputation of our families? Or for breaking my heart into pieces? Or for just disappearing somewhere for 5 freaking years?"
They had went to same college and their start was not so good. They always fought. But after major upheavals Khushi and Arnav had reached a point in their relationship where they had learnt to accept each other for who they were, they became good friends, as each day passed their closeness grew. Eventually, Arnav realised that he had fallen in love with Khushi. When he proposed her, she accepted instantly which made Arnav feel that they were ready enough to fully accept each other as their future husband and wife. Everything seemed to be going well until Khushi left Arnav on the podium alone on the marriage day without any information or letter. He was devastated and it took a few days for him to become normal and today, she appeared from nowhere and saying she is sorry?
"You know what Miss Gupta?" Arnav said irked. "Just go to hell!"
"You hate me so much?" She asked as he turned to leave.
"I don't want to waste my any feeling or emotion on you." He said in a low voice. "You don't deserve even my hatred."
Khushi closed her eyes as tears rolled down. She felt like someone pricked her heart with a needle. She doesn't remember the time, but feels like she had loved Arnav since forever. How would she make him understand that he was his life?
Her trance was broken by a ring on her phone. She looked at the caller I'd and wiped her tears. Arnav frowned at her and his anger increased. Who the hell was so much important for her that she couldn't cut it?
"Hello!" She said and he grabbed hr phone turning the loud speaker on.
"Mamma!" Arnav was stunned hearing a little boy's voice.
"Yes, baby." Khushi was shocked by his sudden move but replied trying to control her emotions.
"When will you back?" He asked back.
"Mamma will be late, you go to sleep and do not bother Neelu aunty, ok?"
"Okay mamma. Love you."
"Love you too, beta."
And the call ended.
Arnav was still in shock. He couldn't figure out what he was hearing. She had a child?
Khushi looked at him and noticed his stunning. She took the phone from his hand. She knew he deserved an explanation but she couldn't decide how to start. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to say but stopped by hearing his voice.
"Did you chose someone else over me?" He asked trying to reach a point.
"What?" Khushi was stunned for another time. How come he thought of that? That would be the last thing she would do even in her dreams.
"Khushi?" He pulled her arm. "Did you dump me for someone else? Wasn't I good enough for you? I lack somewhere from loving you? Was there something I was unable to give you? Didn't you love me back? Did I.."
"Stop it, Arnav! Just stop." She begged him to stop, covering both her ears with her hands.
He stopped seeing her state. He held her hand and asked iin the most polite way possible.
"Wasn't I worthy of your love?"
"You were always the one who I loved." She said cupping his face. "I didn't want to leave you but I got a call that my friend Aparna and her husband has faced an accident and had been admitted in the hospital. I rushed there as I didn't get a chance to speak to anyone. Aparna was pregnant and they were coming for our wedding. When I reached there, I was informed that she had delivered a boy but neither she nor her husband were saved. I returned to the venue but everything was over by then. Arush is Aparna's son."
"Why didn't you come to me?" He asked after listening to her patiently.
"My own parents abandoned me without letting me explain once. What would have I expected from you?" She said putting her forehead on his chest.
"You didn't expect much from me, but at least you should have had faith in your love." He said enveloping her in his arms. "I would have stood by you."
"I am sorry." She said hugging him tightly.
On one hand Arnav smiled as his dark life can now have a hope of ray, while Khushi adjusted herself comfortably in his arms in a hope that finally Arush's would have a happy family.
I hope that was good :)
Love,
Shiri ❤
Seher Hone Ko Hai
