True Colors : ARHI FF Thread 1 - Page 10

Chapter 7

The drive back was in total silence. Khushi still felt rattled. What had she done to deserve this kind of hatred from Mamiji or from Arnav, she thought sadly.

Suddenly she said, "She is right you know…".

Arnav asked, "Who is right? Mamiji?"

Khushi said, "Yes. She said you don't even hold my hand and I don't have a baby till now. Both of these are facts. I probably will never have a baby, if you don't even hold my hand".

Arnav was quiet, choosing to look ahead and ignore Khushi.

Khushi said," What are you getting out of this marriage Arnav? Why not call it quits?"

Arnav said," I am doing this for Di".

Khushi asked "Why are you doing this to yourself? Why are you hurting yourself?"

Arnav said scathingly, "I am paying the price of trusting you"

Khushi said "And why are you doing this to me?"

Arnav turned and glared at her and said, "You are paying the price of breaking that trust I had in you".

Khushi asked "How did I break your trust. What was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to now your Jiju was married?"

Arnav said, "Please don't tell me that you did not see it when a man is interested in you or you did not do anything to encourage it."

Khuhsi said,"What if I did? Shyam was still apparently a bachelor. I did not know he was married remember? Can't an unmarried man be attracted to me?"

Arnav said," Not when you were also attracted to me. You almost kissed me…." He said and broke off and then continued," And then you got engaged to him. What about that?"

Kushi closed her eyes in despair. So it was about that too? He was hurt that she had encouraged another man or permitted another man to court her when he himself had been attracted to her. How many times she had explained Buaji's part? It was of no use. Arnav's mind was a wall she could not penetrate. She thought she had…when he had been jealous of Dhruv…How could she tell Arnav that it had always been him. He had always been the one she had loved…but she had known it then. Arnav had not been the easiest to love and it hadn't been easy to understand the emotions…Shyam had happened between all this…After all this time she could not make understand all this…and she was tired…she did not want to try.

When they reached home, she ran up to the house and flew up the stairs. She did not come into the bedroom till past midnight…Arnav lay wide awake till she came in…He had heard her racking sobs…and it had created havoc in him. Had he been too harsh? She had just been hurt by Mamiji too…

For the next few weeks, Arnav never saw Khushi at all much. She never showed up when he was having breakfast, though the food was always ready and waiting. She left the bedroom much before he woke up and came in way past midnight. When he came home at night, again the food was there but she was never there…

Sometimes he heard her come in past 9'o clock or at 10'o clock. It worried him because she did not use the car. She was out in the streets late at night. But sometimes he heard a car drop her. He guessed it must be Dhruv. It made him angry but his pride would not let him ask her anything.

Things went on like this for a month..till one day Arnav reached home at 10'o clock and sat with his laptop.

He assumed Khushi was either out or hiding from him.

He continued working and did not realize when it struck 1'o clock. He went into the bedroom and put the lights on. When he looked at the floor to see if Khushi was there…he found it empty.

Arnav was alarmed.

He went through the rest of the rooms quickly but she was not in them as well.

He picked the phone and dialed her number frantically. Her phone rang continuously and she did not pick it up.

Arnav's mind went blank with worry….Where was she? What had happened to her? Or was she just with Dhruv?

A thousand fears ripped him apart…and he was contemplating calling Payal, when his phone rang.

"Hello Mr Raizada. Your wife has met with an accident…"

Guys thanks for your overwhelming response. Encourages me to go on. Hope you like the update.

Why Arnav hates her was very nicely written... I loved your ideas...!