ArHi FF: The tears I've cried/ ALTERNATE Ending. - Page 12

what a lovely ff, iv just read all the parts and really enjoyed it. im so glad that you changed it and gave us a happy ending...im a die hard romantic so for me that was awesome.

i can so imagine asr being a hands on, overprotectiv and a proud father. thanx so much for the lovely piece writting, when you start on your next piece please pm me.

Loved the way u started it...👏

Ohmygod. You write wonderfully! Totally loved reading this story, and I'm so happy that you put up the last chapter, so I didn't have to wait and bite my nails to read waht would happen next 😆.

Cheers!
Naina

i loved the happy ending and i am keen on reading the other ending that u wer planning to give...will b waiting

ok! i just caught up with this FF -
Firstly- i loved the dark mysterious Arnav portrayed at the beginning- the happy ending part- i read you did it because many wanted it - but ya- i can imagine how well the alternate ( sad ending ) would've been - I wanna read that too!! lol


the last two parts were sweet and warm- right from the way he demanded he wanted EVERYTHING from her to the way he adored his daughter- it was every bit beautifuL!!! and i loved it!! 😊

I want to read the alternate ending too ..

Alternate Ending

I am dying of thirst

by the side of the fountain.

C H A R L E S D ' O R L A N S

*WARNING* : this is the unhappy one. Best not to continue if you don't like such endings.

[Continued-]

"Di, I never want to get married." Arnav fairly shouted. He needed to get this over with. He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to fake it now. He realised that he had no taste for breaking hearts. Or just one heart.

"Never is such a long time, Arnav. One of these days this loneliness is going to catch up with you. Please. For my sake? I want to see you happily settled. With a loving wife and a house full of children. I can't be a mother, atleast allow me to be a bua' I want to you to have everything that I can't." Anjali trailed off wistfully with tears sparkling in her eyes.

Arnav felt his gut clench. Would this ever stop? Somehow he always hurt the people he loved.

"Di. You know I can never say no to you. But I need some time to think."

"Time is possibly the one thing you don't have. That's why I came to talk to you.

Khushi is leaving."

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Passport? Check. Documents? Tickets? Check. Check. Khushi started crossing things off of her checklist. Her flight to Bangalore was in 2 and half hours. She looked around the little house she'd lived in her entire life. Things packed in brown boxes. The loading vans were dismantling her home bit by bit. She was leaving. And she wasn't going to look back. Hopefully she would be able to put all of this behind her someday. She started working mechanically.

Bills to pay. Boxes to label. People to call. Prepare for new job.

She kept herself busy. She was too numb to feel anything yet. It was better this way. Her brain had automatically tried to erase last night. This way she would be able to survive.

Breathe. Walk. Eat. Respond. Sleep.

Yes, this way should be able to function. That was good enough.

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It had taken a while for Khushi to calm Naniji down. She had taken the news of Khushi leaving the hardest. Atleast, Anjali had understood her need to disappear. Khushi bid farewell to everyone in a daze, barely registering the wishes, sobs and babble that surrounded her. Some part of her brain commanded her to mumble standard answers but the rest of her remained numb. Like a wall of ice.

"You'll miss your flight." His voice wafted through the haze and she felt like she'd been stabbed.

The ice was starting to crack.

She turned around and saw him. Remain calm. Don't beg him. Do not beg him to take you back. Breathe.

"A-a-arnav is right, Di. I have to leave or I'll miss my flight." She hoped they wouldn't notice the breaking of her voice.

"I promise to call the moment I reach. Bye." Khushi faked the cheerful voice before climbing into the waiting car.

She looked at them one last time. Her family. Not any more.

Four years later

"You look beautiful! Just look at yourself." Khushi heard one of her would-be sister-in-law say. She tried to block out the babble of voices surrounding her.

She was getting married today. Married. The happiest day of her life. It was the happiest day of her life. It had to be.

"You looks stunning."

"Akhil is so lucky!"

"Beta, you'll have him wrapped around your little finger after he sees you!"

Khushi smiled mechanically at each compliment thrown her way. She tried to care. She really did. But it had been a long time since she'd been able to feel. Something. Or anything at all.

She liked her passive existence. Her life was stable. She'd made a place for herself in the world. A good job, a steady salary and now a loving husband.

"Khushi beta, someone is here to meet you. And for the rest of you'come on, get out! There's lots of work to be done downstairs! The muharat is about to start'

Khushi smiled as the gang shuffled out grumbling about old aunties under their breath.

She started to wear her bangles when she heard the door behind her click shut.

"You look so incredibly beautiful."

Khushi's heart stopped beating. The ringing in her ears got louder and louder. She knew that voice. She would know that voice anywhere. She whirled around, the bangles lying forgotten in her hand, to face the man who had haunted her dreams every day for the past four years. Nothing had changed.

"W-what are you doing here?" she finally managed after what seemed like an eternity, her eyes taking in his sight hungrily.

"You invited us."

"I know. But I thought you'd be busy, that only Nani and Di would come."

"It's your wedding, Khushi. The most important day of my oldest friend's life. I had to come." He said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Arnav walked towards her and slowly lifted her hand. He smiled at the confusion in her eyes before starting to adorn her empty wrist with the bangles. One by one.

Khushi felt the tears threatening to burst.

"Do you love him?" he paused, still holding her hand in his.

She looked at him sadly. "I've already loved once before Arnav, I don't think I will be able to do it again."

"Are you happy?" he tried again, starting to fill her other hand with the chuda.

"As much as I can be." She rasped. She needed him to stop touching her.

"I'm so sorry Khushi. I never meant to hurt you." Arnav said. His voice filled with regret as he bent down and tenderly kissed the inside of her wrist.

Khushi snatched her hand away like she'd been burnt. "That doesn't matter Arnav, 'cause it all hurts just the same."

She couldn't stop trembling as she continued, "I've made peace with my demons. Akhil's a good guy, he'll take care of me. And in return I will be a good wife to him. They say that time heals all wounds. Yes. It does. But it doesn't take the memories of the pain with it.

It was time to get all of this out.

"No, let me finish. I need closure. I need to tell you this before I make my vows with another man. I love you. I will perhaps always love you. It doesn't matter to me if you don't. I was so stupid to expect something that from you. I mean, what was I thinking? You can't force love out of someone. When I fell in love with you, I didn't put a condition on it saying that you had to love me back. Love doesn't come with a 'conditions apply' manual."

"I'm not worthy of your love Khushi. I've done nothing to deserve it."

"Yeah, well'love doesn't listen to reason either. She said, giving him a watery smile.

Khushi walked over to vanity and pulled out a faded blue colour livestrong band. She slipped it on over her bangles and held out her hand to him.

"Do you remember this? You'd given it to me on my fourteenth birthday. The only birthday gift you've ever given me, just so you know. So kanjoos" She teased him through the haze of tears.

"That's how I'm going to remember you. I'm going to carry this part of my past with me in the hope of making a happy future with Akhil."

She held his gaze for the longest time. Neither of them saying anything. But the silence was disrupted with the echoes of the wedding bells.

It was time.

Khushi brushed past him to open the door. But she halted, with her back to him, knowing that this would be the last time they would ever meet.

After all these years, the blue band still remains in her possession, around her wrist.

An unexplained oddity.

But that's okay. Some ties aren't meant to be broken or understood.

Well, that's that. It has ended. Finally. Tell me what you think. =)

-Nisaa Sarin.