Arhi FF: Retribution (part 11 updated pg 55)

"Get in the car."

Khushi started at the venom in those words. She was trembling yet he didn't seem to care. Her hands were bruised and swollen but he didn't seem to notice. She didn't dare to look at his face lest she find utter disgust and hatred there. Instead she kept staring at her hands, shifting nervously, unsure of what to do or what to say.

"Are you deaf? I said get in the car now!" he repeated with irritation straining his voice.

"But-" her voice same out strangled.

"GET IN THE CAR NOW!" he boomed making her flinch. She finally allowed herself to steal a glance at the face of the man standing before her, surprised to find he was holding the car door open for her. Khushi stood, rooted to the spot, instantly wishing she hadn't looked at him. What she saw made her heart squeeze. He was hurt. His beautifully expressive eyes gave away his physical pain, as the angry tears threatened to spill over the bloodshot brims.

Khushi looked down at the ground, a wave of guilt washing over her.

"Um-um it's ok Arnavji. I'll make my own way. You-you don't have to worry."

Arnav's face darkened. In a matter of seconds he was pulling Khushi forcefully to the car by her arm. She cried out in pain when he pressed down on her bruises.

"Don't f*** with me!" he glared at her, pushing her into the passenger seat. After a minute of watching silent tears stream down her face, it hit him that she was in pain. He stared down and saw the purple bruises on her arm, the arm his hand was still wound round. Her eyes were closed. Anger threatened to take over him again as he thought of how she had got those but having another look at her pain-stricken face, his expression immediately softened with concern. His hand let go of her arm.

"Khushi," he whispered almost to himself," are-are you alright?"

Her eyes shot open. Looking into his sullen but gentle face, she slowly nodded. She saw him breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing that, she erupted, and buried her face in her hands.

"Khushi! Khushi are you ok!" he asked, petrified. He took her hands gently and coaxed her chin up to make her look at him. What he saw broke him. Shattered him to tiny pieces and it felt as if the shards were repeatedly stabbing him.

"Khushi'just please stop crying. I'm'." he paused taking his time to make sure she understood the words he was about to say, "I'm here now." He sighed with exasperation and rested his forehead against hers.

Khushi grimaced. He was only making her feel worse. She struggled against him to no avail.

"Please Arnavji. Please just let me go." She pleaded.

His head shot up and he glared at her, his eyes full of assertion. "No. Don't you dare ever say those words again. Got it?"

Khushi stared at him wide-eyed, she knew there was no room for negotiation. She looked down, head bowed in resignation. She kept her head down when she heard a long sigh, the slamming of the door and then the opening of the door on the driver's side.

She flinched when he heard him fist the steering wheel, but refused to look up. Arnav started the ignition rather fiercely and accelerated off. Though Khushi noticed that he immediately slowed down when witnessing her tense and bundle the material of her suit in her hands.

She gathered her courage and looked at him. "Thank you." she murmured under her breath. He just slightly nodded, not giving her so much as a cursory glance. They drove for what seemed like hours. Not even a single word had transpired between them after that. He had his eyes fixed on the road and she on the scenery outside her window.

Khushi knew long since that they weren't heading "home", wherever that was, but she knew even more that now was not the time to say anything. He was fuming, no doubt, she could tell from his clenched jaw and vice grip on the steering wheel. She dreaded to ponder on what was going through his mind. Thus she kept her eyes fixed on the endless green bushes that passed her by, wondering where they could possibly be.

The car came to a sudden screeching halt, waking Khushi out of her reverie. She looked around but there was nothing but endless trees around them-the nearest town was probably miles away. She looked up at Arnav questioningly only to see him resting his head on the steering wheel, having an inner battle with himself, if his scrunched up eyes were anything to go by.

After several minutes went by, Khushi lifted a hand tentatively to rest on his head.

"Arnavji," her voice shook, betraying the nonchalant mask she had attempted to plaster onto her face during the long drive.

Something in him instantaneously snapped. In some swift movement, he had jerked his head up and held her by the shoulders. This time he took extra care not to aggravate her bruises. His waterlogged eyes stared into her doe-eyed face.

"Khushi you idiot! How could you let him do this to you?", he croaked. He sighed and buried his now tear-stained face into her shoulder.

He mumbled into her shoulder, "How could you leave me?"