Arhi FF 'Sandcastle' #2 Reposted all parts - Page 73

Chapter 21

Hey darling,

Now now now... don't roll your eyes at the endearment, sweetheart. It's only natural. With three letters and there is nothing in my life that you aren't aware off. I need to add, the romantic air that surrounded us, what with New Year eve just around the corner ;)

Well, there are few things I have been wanting to do for some time now but was too busy... err... lazy to get them done. So here I take these resolutions for the year ahead. Or at least, I hope so.

* Grow up. Yes, that is the first and foremost thing to do. I need to grow up. Not vertically, you know. I mean, 5'4" is a reasonable height, don't you think so? I need to act maturely. No wonder my parents never take me seriously whenever I suggest anything.

* Need to focus on my studies. Into third year and I still have no idea of what I learned from the two years. Not to mention, I had given my worse on a few papers and I highly doubt I will be flunked this time. And if that happened, my father will surely throw me out of his home. Not that I mind staying in a hostel, but if you ask me to move in with you, then I will make sure I flunk ;) But on a serious note, I need to consider spending at least few hours a week on studies.

* Need to find a part-time job. Enough of depending on Papa's pocket. I'm no more a kid. Okay... this would take lot of drama to convince them. They are not so going to allow me work somewhere else. But what can I do, Suriya? I'm tired of being treated as a pampered girl, I think. I don't want to be just that... Papa's princess. I want to be more than that.

* And then there is this wedding I need to look after. I can't even imagine a life without my sister, Suriya. She has always been for me. Though they hadn't confessed their love to my parents, I don't think it will take long for them to approach our elders. I can see that determination in his eyes, the love for my sister. Even if I don't get why Pussy Cat needs time before getting married, I think that is the best thing for her to do... to be with her boyfriend. They will make a great couple.

* There is one last thing I need to do and do it as fast and decent as I could. You know, there is this friend of mine who likes me. Though he never approached me directly, he never made any tries to hide how he felt too. I have no feelings for him in any other way other than a friend. Well, I had been stupid to think that I can deal with it when he comes to me. But I think I'm wrong. I'm going to take the initiative. I'm going to make clear that we can never be more than friends. I hope this will not create any distance between us because Viswa is really a great guy and a wonderful friend.

Okay, these are the to-do-list of mine, or the resolutions. Little weird, right. Now, it's your turn Mr. I'm expecting honest resolutions ;)

I can tell you this. I'm going to meet you on the New Year eve. Or to be precise, you are going to come to know me on that night. Three more days and two more letters to go darling.

Waiting for the night where we can share that kiss ;)

Love you,

Shona

"What are you doing here?"

Khushi controlled the urge to roll her eyes at the words her friend shouted as soon as she stepped into the small parlor that had been their workspace in the office building. Thankfully there were no one except for them and she could use the time to let her thoughts wander to find a way out as how to face Arnav after her little dramatic confession the previous night. She reached home as soon as she left Arnav and before she knew it, she fell asleep after having her medications. And she was glad she did that. By the time she was awake, it had been past mid night and her sister gave her an hour's lecture as how careless she had been lately. All in all, the day had passed easier than Khushi had thought.

"Preparing for my next show, of course." She replied as she plonked herself on the leather couch few feet away from his chair, her eyes fixed on the microphone and the various wires that connected in and out of it. She could imagine his eyes narrowed at her just as she could imagine Kiran calling him to inform her little stunt the last day by not having her medicines on time. And if there was anyone who cares about her as much of her family and never hesitated in voicing his concerns boldly and brutally, it was him. Taking a deep breath, she turned her head towards him and smiled without pretending anything as she let him see how scared she really was. "I'm not in a position to face him, Viswa." She confessed, allowing herself to feel the warmth that seeped into her skin as he took her hand in his.

"I'm not going to offer any soothing words, Megha." Viswa hissed with barely controlled anger as his eyes bored into hers. "What I think and wish for is for you to confess him your true identity. Not as Khushi, Megha. As his Shona. That's the right thing to do. And if I have a chance, I would by now tell him..."

Khushi shook her head, stopping him, as she shut her eyes to hide her threatening tears. "I'm not in a mood for lectures, Viswa." She said hoping he would leave the topic. "Let's go out after your show, grab some samosas and chai, what say?"

"If you promise to have just few of samosas," Viswa asked seriously, "and that you will think about confessing Arnav the truth."

"That's not fair!"

Khushi slapped him on his elbow and walked away from him, towards the microphone and picked up the pile of sheets he had prepared for his on-going show just as the commercials ended. She sighed in relief when Viswa walked past her and positioned himself in his chair and plonked beside him. "He knows that I love him." She said after pausing for a brief second and looked at him. "No, not as Shona, of course. But I proposed him. And he said no without any second thoughts."

Viswa snapped his head towards her, his eyes narrowed in anger as his fingers found the button on the system easily to extend the commercial break that had been playing on the radio from the time she stepped in. "I fail to see the point here, Megha." He bristled, "it is a known fact that Arnav is in love with some Shona and he is going to turn down any other woman other than her. Or," he looked into her eye as he hissed in a low deep whisper, "is this why you said no to me? To have this hide and seek with your boyfriend?"

She sighed. This was one thing she was never comfortable with. There was no way for them to have a chance yet he, in the situations like this, never let the opportunity go and remember her how he felt about her, and that he wanted her to be happy with the man she loved. Wasn't it the reason for Viswa to back off without having a chance with her when she said about her pen pal? Wasn't he the first person to know about her condition? Wasn't he the one who stood by her, no matter what?

Closing her eyes, she leaned to her right and rested her head on his shoulder. "Arnav and you are... banks of the shore, Viswa. I can only be with one and you know that it's him. But I'm unable to approach him, knowing the heartbreak he would have after knowing the truth. It isn't easy for me too, Viswa. To hide this near him and being as friends. I have the best intentions for him. I can't let him face the pain along with me."

"Or may be," he said calmly, the seriousness in his voice is the same as before, "you are scared, Megha. Scared that he might leave you alone after knowing your condition. Scared that he might not want to do anything with a weak heart you have. Scared that he might not be interested in you with all the emotional baggage you are intended to bring along with your love. if you ask me, you are just scared that he might decide something that you aren't ready for." He smiled at her painfully as he asked, "am I wrong?"

Khushi smiled while shaking her head. "No," she said finally, "you are right. I know he is not a person who turns on his back for such reasons. Yet, I'm a girl and am bound to have my own insecurities. Yes, I'm scared that he will leave me."

"If you ask me, I would say that you are stupid, and being unfair." Viswa said with a small smile, staring at her with concern and disappointment. "Why did you skip your medicines?" He demanded.

"Firstly, I'm not asking you." She said with a wink before lowering her eyes, avoiding looking at him. She hated explaining herself and Viswa wasn't making it any easier for her. In fact, he was the one person who made her difficult by his love. Though Khushi knew he backed off from expressing it openly after she told him that there would be no future for them, he did love her even today, and that had been hard for her to deal with. He was her friend. He was the one she leaned on whenever she was low. Even now, it was Viswa she turned to. She loved Viswa. It was just, she was not in love with Viswa. "I'm sorry I did something as nasty as skipping them, but it all happened so soon that I didn't even have time to breath. Aman, Arnav's friend and brother-in-law, was home and he knew me as Shona. He could actually recognize me. So I left home and then met Arnav and..."

"And it all happened... the confession." Viswa said lazily as he switched the buttons on the board with much ease that the radio picked up a series of songs. He then turned towards her with a smile that said he understood her plight yet not able to accept her reasons. "When you said you are in love with him, I accepted the reason enough to back off without having a fight, accepted that I can't have you in the way I wished to have you. When you said you want to join here as RJ, I accepted that because I saw that it was what you wanted, not to mention I will be here to look after you. But if you are telling me to accept your reason of hiding the truth near your boyfriend, that is something I can't do, Megha. There is no happiness in your eyes. This is killing you and anything that makes you worried, I'm not going to accept it in any way. I'm not like Kiran to watch you suffer or like Bindu who's waiting for that one moment where she could tell Arnav herself. I'm not going to entertain this anymore."

"Viswa..." she tried saying otherwise but stopped. Something in his eyes told her that he was up to something and that scared her. "What are you hiding?" She demanded, her voice choked with unknown fear. "What are you up to?"

"Well, nothing much. Really." He said with a shrug. "Bindu called me early this morning. Arnav wants to know where you are and how he can reach you. And well, she is unable to say that you are RJing tonight, and so she said you are having plans with your friend and your boyfriend decided to meet this friend so he can meet you..."

"Arnav is coming here?"

Khushi almost shouted at the news just as Viswa smiled at her, determined to take matter in his hands.

"I wouldn't have, Megha." He said after a pause, "I respected your decision and I know what a heartbreak is and so I let you deal with things alone. But not anymore. Not after you skipped your medicines thrice from the time he arrived."

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