Note to my readers
Thanks for the patience
Sorry again for not updating yesterday
I never planned for this story to grow this long
Now due to work pressure I am not able to make it sometimes
I am considering updating on alternate days
But let me see
For now I will keep updating everyday
May be the time can be 9.45?
What say?
Thanks for the lovely comments and likes
Part 23
Khushi woke up with a jerk of someone calling her 'Khushiii! Khushiii!'
And once again she remembered Arnav...
Without intending to and without her control a smile creeped up her face and the whole day seemed brighter.
She tried to clear her head and think of practical things. But she couldn't help admitting to herself that waking up to his voice felt wonderful.
One more loud 'Khushiii' had her scrambling out of the bed, freshening up and running out. The way he was screaming it looked like he was in some kind of trouble.
But when she stepped out, he was sitting on the dining table, with the morning newspaper and a cup of coffee.
'What the hell did you yell so much for?' Khushi said, annoyed for being rushed early in the morning.
'I was wondering if you can make some breakfast. I am hungry,' he said lazily, casting aside the paper.
'I don't believe this! You woke me up for that. Get your breakfast yourself. I am not your wife,' she said.
He grinned at her then, a notorious glint in his eyes, 'Khushi if you were my wife, I would not be hungry for food.'
He had done it again. Made her blush and flee the place. He laughed out loud as she disappeared. This was fun! He was beginning to get to her.
He was happy to know that she got affected, even by his words.
His heart felt lighter. He was making some progress with her.
She came back wih some poha, fruits and milk. Silently she served him. Her hands trembled nervously, as she came close to him to serve her.
He did not push her by trying to touch her.
He let her take her place.
As they ate silently, he saw her open and close her mouth several times, as if she wanted to ask him something.
But each time, she closed her mouth and focused on her food.
Exasperated, he said 'Out with it!'
'What' she said, uncomfortably.
'The question you are dying to ask me,' he said directly.
'I did not want to ask you anything,' she said, digging into her Poha.
'Liar. You forget I know you. Ask me Khushi,' he said softly.
'Nothing,' she said digging into her food.
He got up then and came close to her,'Ask. I know something big is buzzing in your head,' he said.
Khushi's head went lower as she looked into the plate. Finally he heard a whisper, 'How many?'
Arnav wasn't sure he heard right. 'Repeat,' he commanded.
'How many,' she said, a little more louder.
'How many what?' he asked.
'How many women have you woken up to and shared breakfast with in the past 7 years,' she said.
Arnav looked at her, with a hurt expression on his face. He did not answer and looked away.
Feeling equally hurt and upset, Khushi left the place.
'You are going to work?' he asked a little later, seeing her dressed for work.
'Yes' she said, headig towards the show cabinet.
He came and blocked her way
'No' he said.
'Arnav I have a business to run'
'So do I'
'People wait for me'
'They wait for me too'
'What will I do at home?'
'What will I do at home?'
'Watch movies, play games, sleep'
'I need company to do that'
'I am not here to give you company'
'Then I am coming with you'
'What'
'Yes'
At the end of their shout session, Khushi gave in muttering 'Some people never change. They remain pushy jerks'
Arnav grinned victoriously
A little later they were watching a movie where the man was a total casanova
'I know some jerks like that' she said, taking a dig at him
'You mean a hunk of a guy who left you seven years ago?'
'Yes'
'The one who shut the door on you?'
'Yes'
'And shut you out of his life'
'Yes'
'And kept dating woman?'
'Yes'
'And kept looking for the one woman his heart wanted'
',,,,,' silence
'And kept wondering what happened to her?'
'...'silence
'And kept thinking that he was wronged while she was the one who was wronged?'
''...' silence.
Finally Arnav turned to her,
'Khushi, you accused me of distrusting you. Did you not make the same mistake?' he asked her.
Defiantly she looked up and glared at him, 'No. Don't you even dare compare. You heard I am engaged to NK and assumed I slept around behind your back. I saw you with La and that is why I assume the worst about you'.
He ran his hand through his hair, and in a frustrated voice continued,
'Did you for once stop and think a guy who had the chance to bed an army of girls did not do so in college but did it at the fag end?
Did you stop and ask yourself, why I had La in the room that day, when I had so many chances in all those months we were together?
Did you wonder why I did what I did?'
'Yes. I have.
Every day in 7 years I have asked myself why you did it. Why you stabbed me behind my back with my friend.
Why you cruelly closed the door on me.
I might have stabbed you too about NK, but I tried to explain.
But you did it and just shut me off.
That hurt more than the actual betrayal,' she said.
Arnav was silent, unable to explain the folly of his actions.
'I don't know if this helps.
But nothing happened with La.
Not then, not later.
Nothing happened with the scores of women you saw on my social networking site. I am assuming that is where all this data came from.
Not because I wanted to be loyal to you.
Not because I was determined to be in love with you.
But I did not know how to stop thinking of that beautiful lovemaking I shared with you.
It had soul, it had love, it had passion, it had innocence.
It had everything I could not forget.
I did try to make out with some women.
But I was always haunted by that night when we made love and the memories of you.
I desperately tried to block out those memories.
But I never succeeded.
I did not sleep around because of you.
I could not sleep around, because of my own memories.'
Khushi listened to his confession in stoic silence.
Today, she got an insight into what he had gone through in 7 years, not knowing what had made her betray him, feeling cheated and yet unable to forget.
As she rose to leave, he held her hand and said quietly
'Khushi I am not the best of people.
But one thing I am sure of.
I gave the best of myself to you
And I have never found that missing part again,,,,
She was silent, but her hand continued to be in his hold...
Edited by rima - 12 years ago
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