OS: When did you love me?

His words pierced her. Those cold words that he carelessly hurled onto her. How could he? She questioned herself, again and again. She didn't want to believe what had happened. Not after everything that she had done for him. For the first time in her entire life, Khushi wished to never see his face again. She wanted to go away because there was only so much pain she could take. She wanted to tell him how it felt to be wrongly accused. She wanted to tell him how it felt to love someone who despised you. She wanted to tell him how painful it was to be degraded, humiliated in front of everyone and not have anyone stand up for her. She wanted to tell him how it felt when the person you loved told you that you were the biggest mistake of his life.

'No, not anymore,' Khushi wiped her tears. 'I won't take it anymore.'

She stood up and strode over to the closet, pulling out a bag. She emptied her closet, stuffing whatever she could find of hers in his room. Zipping up her bag, she took a deep breath. Those words still echoed in her ears hauntingly, and she wished she could sleep so as to forget whatever happened. It took her every ounce of courage she had to not cry.

She wouldn't say goodbye to anyone, she thought. They don't care anyway. And they won't, ever.

And just as she opened the door, Arnav Singh Raizada came into her view. He looked at her with a softness that was unusual. But as his gaze travelled to the bag that she held, she saw that turn into something that she couldn't quite put her finger on... it was fear. Arnav Singh Raizada was scared.

'Wh -- what are you doing, Khushi?' he asked, his voice giving away his fright.

'What I should have done a long time ago,' her voice sounded like it didn't belong to her. It was cold and harsh. But that was what she needed to be at the moment.

'Khushi, put down the bag and let's talk about this --'

'Talk?' Khushi angrily thrust the bag onto the floor. 'After all that you said a few hours ago, you think I want to talk to you?'

'Khushi, I said that because I was angry. I didn't mean it, you know I didn't!' Arnav snapped. What had gone into her, he wondered. Where was the khushi who understood?

'Stop making excuses... I know you better than that!'

'If you did, you'd know why I said it!' he yelled at her. But she wasn't taken aback. She stood like a granite wall; nothing that he would say now would pierce her heart. Nothing.

'Are you justifying what you said earlier?' she asked in a low voice.

'No, I'm not' he sighed. 'I'm sorry Khushi -- I didn't mean it.' He looked at her helplessly. And she looked at him coldly. This was the man she had fallen in love with. She didn't doubt his love either. But she knew she couldn't take it anymore. She knew that a mere 'sorry' would not put things right. She knew that she needed to be away from him and he needed to be away from her. That was the only way things could be right again.

'Let me go... I don't -- '

'Khushi, for one minute, stop thinking about yourself!' the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and Khushi's hard composure finally broke into pieces. Now, her tears were uncontrollable, and so were her sobs.

'Thinking about -- about myself?' she asked, wiping tears. 'When have I ever thought about myself?' she yelled. 'It was all about you! YOU! You and your stupid family! YOU AND YOUR SISTER! You and your idiotic love! What kind of love is this anyway?'

'Khushi' A dull ache crept up in his chest as he spoke her name.

'DO NOT! DO NOT take my name, Arnav Singh Raizada! Never! I loved you so much. I love you, your sister, your family. I LOVED YOU. I loved you when you forcibly married me! I loved you when you accused me of being characterless! I loved you when you thought of me as a home wrecker, when you said that it's good that my parents are dead because they'd be ashamed of what I had become! I loved you when you stood silent, when Shyam slaughtered my character in front of everyone! I loved your family when they looked at me with those questioning eyes, not believing a word I said! I loved you when you were kidnapped! I loved you when you made me sleep outside in the cold! I loved you when you were harsh, cold, and callous! I loved you then, I love you now, when did you love me, Arnav Singh Raizada?'

'I always did --'

'No... whatever this is, this isn't love I don't want your love' Khushi whispered, completely broken. And so was he at her outburst. He felt numb and cold. He felt like this was all that was needed to break him too. Her question lingered in the thick air between them... 'I loved you then, I love you now, when did you love me, Arnav Singh Raizada?'

As tears welled up in his eyes, he stepped aside, unblocking the door. He knew what he needed to do. He knew that nothing would fix the mess he had made and the only thing he could do now was let her go. Because that was what he deserved. And she deserved better than him.

'I love you,' he whispered brokenly.

And as she stepped outside his room, she turned around and looked at him. Their gaze met for a brief second and she replied; 'I know you do,' after which, she walked away.

x silver

Comments are appreciated! :)