Chapter 4 - Time
"She's not alone Aman. You go! I'll stay with her."
Arnav moved to stand in front of me. Aman hugged him and giving me a sunny smile, went off.
Within seconds I had turned around so my back was facing Arnav, clearly intent on ignoring him, but apparently that didn't go down well with him.
Grabbing my arm and turning me around roughly, he gritted through his teeth.
"What do you think you were doing?"
Don't answer him Khushi!
I looked away, making no attempt to pull my arm out of his grasp - my struggle wouldn't have borne any fruit anyway.
"I'm asking you something, Khushi! What the hell were you doing there? On the dance floor?"
Stay calm Khushi, stay calm! Deep breaths!
I continued to look away.
"Dammit, look at me when I'm talking to you!"
He cupped my chin with his free hand and tilted my face towards his. Then holding me still, he gritted out again,
"For the last time khushi, what the hell was that on the dance floor all about? You don't even like such parties an..."
Stay calm ki toh aisi ki taisi!
"And how does, what I do concern, YOU, may I ask?"
Arnav suddenly jerked back at my cold response and then, only one thing prevailed,
Silence...
Now everything was awkward. Ughhh I was beginning to hate that word "Awkward". Crap!
But before I could ponder much on my feelings for the dreaded word my phone rang in my jeans pocket, breaking the silence that had descended upon us.
"Pops, where are you? I've been waiting so long..."
"Yes pops"
"Why pops?"
"No"
"But?"
"Yeah okay! I'll come by myself."
Dejected, I put the phone down and looked around to find a ride. Maybe I could get a ride from someone. Craning my neck around, I spotted Rohan - our team leader. I could ask him for a ride, he'd mentioned earlier that he lived near my place. Perfect!
I was about to walk towards him when Arnav grabbed my arm and pulled me back to his side.
"What?"
He gritted out.
"What what?"
"What did uncle say?"
"Why do you care, moron?"
His hold on my arms tightened and I winced, but he didn't let go. He was scaring me. What had he done to my friend?
"For the last time khushi, what. did. uncle. say?"
I felt like a child being admonished. Not able to take the anger in his eyes, I looked down and spoke,
"He said, the car broke down while he was on his way here, and it'd take him time to find a mechanic wherever he is."
Before I could understand what was happening, I was being pulled towards the parking lot. As soon as I realized that, anger coursed through me. Blazing brighter than before.
I pulled my hand harshly out of his grasp and stumbled a few steps back. He turned angry but shocked eyes towards me. Oh you didn't expect that, now did you, moron!
Turning around I began stomping off in the direction where I'd spotted rohan earlier.
"Where the f**k do you think you're going?"
How dare he? When he knew I hated that word! Ughhh! Turning back around, I walked upto Arnav and poking a finger in his chest, threatened,
"a) Don't use that word with me, and b) who the hell are you to ask me that?"
"Don't piss me off khushi! Come, I'll drop you home."
He again tried to grab my arm but I pulled away.
"No! Don't you dare try to boss me around, you arrogant ass! I'll go home myself, thankyou very much!"
"Shut up khushi! You're not going home with that idiot!"
He screamed, oh I could scream too.
"Why don't you just get lost? Huh? Pain in the ass! I'm sick of your tantrums, just go away, acting like a bloody hormonal teenager"
He strode towards me, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides. As I saw him move towards me, I started walking backwards, unmindful of where I was going, till I hit the wall. And now, he had me cornered.
Wasn't it I who was supposed to corner him? I mentally scratched my head.
He held both my hands against the wall and pushed me further into it. Our bodies not touching, yet I could feel him all around me.
I was scared, so so scared…
"You are going home with me. Not Rohan, not any other bas***d. ME! And I won't listen to any crap now, got it?"
I didn't answer, nor did I move. I was scared, tired, exhausted, drained of all energy. I didn't want to fight but I was hurt, and I didn't know how to lessen the pain.
"Khushi, do you understand?"
"Why?"
He seemed taken aback as his grip on my arms loosened, slightly.
I looked up and asked again, my eyes watery, my breath lost.
"Why?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why are you doing this? Why are you being like this? What have you done to my best friend?"
Dropping his hands from my arms he stepped back. That did it! I slumped against the wall and started crying. Within seconds I was wrapped in his arms as he hugged me close, patting my hair, rubbing my back while I sobbed into his shirt, my hands still at my sides.
"Don't cry khush. Please don't cry..."
I brought my hands up, and pushed out of his embrace. Tears still flowing down my face, I accused him,
"You've become mean, you're ignoring me all the time, you're always acting indifferent when I'm around, you don't meet me, you screamed at me on the phone. We used to be best friends! What have you done to us? Where's my best friend?"
Grabbing my hand he pulled me back into his arms, I continued to resist but he just wouldn't let go.
"I'm sorry khush, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done all that. I'm sorry. Hit me, just don't cry please."
His apology had me crying harder and I finally hugged him back, clutching his shirt like a lifeline.
Sobbing, I mumbled against him,
"But why, why'd you do that?"
He pulled back slightly, while still holding me close,
"Because I haven't been a faithful friend khush. I'm a bad friend. I... oh forget it. Let's go abhi? It's late, you should get home."
He made to turn around and walk away but I caught his sleeve and pulled him back.
"What is it? Did I do something? Did I say something: did someone else? What is it Arnav? Please tell me, I'm going crazy. I can't lose you. "
"No, no! noone said or did anything. It's nothing. Let's go, please?"
He made to turn around again, and I pulled at his sleeve again.
"f**k KHUSHI! Let go!"
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"NO! What the hell is your problem, dammit? Why can't you just answer the question for once, han? Stop with all the weirdness, why are you acting all cut off? If I haven't done anything wrong then what's the problem? Answer me! Is it really about the stupid joke? Oh for god's sake, grow up! Payal was kidding, she likes annoying me. And forget that, don't you keep teasing me with NK all the time? It's the same thing, isn't it? Actually forget that too, why does it bother you at all? It's none of your business anyway, who I am interested in. So please enlighten me, what exactly IS your problem, Arnav Singh Raizada?"
"I don't know, dammit! Happy? I have no bloody idea why I feel he way I do, I don't even know what I feel. But I damn well won't tolerate jokes about you with other, other... men, even if they come from your own sister."
I was dumbfounded. I stared at him, unblinking. My mind in a state of shock, what was he saying. Did he actually care?
"What?"
I managed to mumble out.
"I don't want our friendship to suffer either khush... But, but I have been feeling weirdly ever since that call, I don't know what's wrong with me. But I'm sure of one thing; I cannot sabotage our friendship at any cause, specially not for feeling differently about you. I don't want to..."
"What do you feel?"
I whispered, while moving to stand closer to him, my breath washing over his neck as I spoke
"Nothing..."
Taking his hand in mine, I pressed it lightly,
"Tell me, what do you feel?"
"I don't understand it, I really dont. But for sometime now, I've been feeling differently about you, about us..."
He whispered, his breath fanning against my cheek.
I looked on dazed; my head tilted upwards, his thumb caressing my cheek. Was this really happening? Could this be real?
"...My heart beats faster whenever I think about you, it feels different when I touch you, and I feel jealousy course through me when someone links you to another man. It kills me to think of you with someone else..."
"but you yourself keep linking my name to NK's..."
"...which is different. I know Nk is harmless, and well that's, me. I can do that, noone else. That's how I feel..."
I continued to watch him, trying to comprehend the meaning of it all, the turn of events.
"I myself don't know what's wrong with me, khushi. If I'm near you, I want to be with you only but that would probably make you uncomfortable and I don't want that. That's the only reason I've been staying away. I'm sorry for all of it. You tell me? What is wrong with me? You're my best friend, its ridiculous to think of you like that. You're right, I'm an ass. A hormo..."
"Ssshhh, bus."
I pressed my hand to his mouth, cutting him mid ramble.
Initially he looked disconcerted but when he calmed down, I removed my hand from his mouth and instead cupped his right cheek in my hand, while leaning towards him on my toes, and pressed a kiss to his right cheek.
Moving back I slipped my fingers through his and lightly pulling at his hand, whispered,
"Let's go now?"
He nodded, a little dazed by my kiss I assumed and we started walking towards the parking, holding hands.
As soon as we were settled in the car, I turned towards him and with I finger pointed to his face warned in mock anger,
"And no ignoring me, EVER, or else..."
He chuckled lightly and put the car into motion, heading towards my house with silly smiles on both our faces.
...
That night, I slept with that silly smile intact. Everything was going to be just fine! We had time, loads of it, and that's all we needed - time.
A/N: See? An update on time! Just like I promised! 😃 I'm so happy with myself right now! For some reason this chapter is dear to me. I edited it god knows how many times, so I really hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, if not more!
Lots of love!
Sonia
NOTE: This work is solely my own! Please do not copy or share without my permission!
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