Arshi TS: Time wasted (updated part 3) - Page 3

Khushi felt his hands on her skin, leaving a burning trail along her arms that left them red. She pulled away and turned around, her face flushed. To any audience it, it would seem as she was getting flustered with all the attention she was getting. Only she knew the rage that had been awakened within her as Arnav touched her in the way he should have two years ago. In her anger, she forgot where she was and her emotions had taken her to an all new level. She brought her hand up and swung as hard as she could, making contact with skin. The sound of the slap echoed in her ears as the feeling throbbed in her hand.

As quickly as she had slapped him, Arnav reacted in the opposite way, he looked as shocked as ever. Khushi took this opportunity to say what was on her mind. "Who do you think you are?! You think I remarried? NO! This is the same mangulsutra YOU tied around my neck three years ago." She said as she grabbed her black-beaded necklace. "This is the same sindoor you used to fill my maang with;" she moved her hand to parting. "When I said let me live my life, when did I mention another man? You are the only person that I have thought about everyday for the past three years. How can you think I would forget the vows we made that night? You are still my husband, but that doesn't mean I consider you one. You are my husband in name and paper, but that is it. I still hold my karva chauth every year, praying for your life. Now my life consists of finishing my degree, my job and myself. I am not stopping you from anything, Arnav. You can live by your own rules, get a girlfriend, marry someone that matches your class and knows your likes and dislikes, someone that won't anger your or irritate you. It doesn't matter to me what you do to me anymore. Just leave me alone, for the last time, Mr. Raizada." Khushi turned her back to him and let the tears flow. She started walking out the door, not wanting Arnav to know how much it hurt her to say those words.

Arnav finally realized what all his taunts, his actions, what he did to her. He had lost the one thing he had truly needed. For the second time in his life, Arnav had lost again. His whole world fell apart in those seconds that it took Khushi to say what had been on her mind. He knew that he should let her go, she would be happier without him in her life. And that is what he did. He gave up and let the tears flow, the tears that he had not shed since his mother's death years ago. He no longer cared what people thought about him. Arnav Singh Raizada was broken and nothing mattered to him anymore.

Khushi headed out the door when she suddenly stopped at the person in front of her. "Khushi, why are you doing this to yourself and him?"

"Priya, leave it. You don't know him. This is for the better." Khushi replied, wiping away the tears. "This is better? How is this better? You are crying here and he is dying in there. Did you look at him? Have you seen the differences that have occurred in him? I almost didn't even recognize that man that everyone knew. I don't know the details of what happened between you two, but I know what you went through. I can tell what he's going through," she pointed in the direction of where Arnav sat. "Look at him, Khushi. Tell me this doesn't hurt you. If you can look me in the eye and tell me you don't care what he is going through, I will let you go and never look back."

Khushi couldn't turn around. She wouldn't. Seeing him in that state would break her even more. She turned slowly after Priya gave her another look. She saw Arnav in a chair, his face in his hands. She didn't see a grown man, instead she saw a little boy that had lost a person he loved and trusted leave him. She couldn't leave him. She knew that. She couldn't cause him anymore pain. "Arnav," she whispered to herself. And as if he heard her, he looked up and their eyes met. Both felt as if they were meeting for the first time. She remembered every moment they had shared together, every time they had touched. Every moment she had spend in his arms after he caught her. And she knew that he was thinking about the same things too.

Priya took her hand and led her to the table as Arnav stood up. "What do you think will happen by separating yourselves? Do you really believe this will do anything for you two? That you two will be happy? Khushi, you think you will be happy being independent. Arnav has everything a person can want, a multi-million dollar business, a huge mansion, properties everywhere, thousands of people that work for him, but he isn't happy. Even I can see this. Why can't you understand this?"

"BAS! Enough Priya. I am done listening. You don't know anything that has happened between us. How can you say all that you did without knowing anything? I already told him I am done, I listened to him. That was what he wanted," she replied tearfully. "Please don't do this."

Priya was going to start again when Arnav broke in. "It's enough Priya. I tried and it didn't work. I hurt her enough. I don't want that. She's had enough pain to last the rest of her life."

"You are both so trying! Why don't you understand that she is still hurting! She cries herself to sleep each night. She keeps her Karva Chauth every year. She has your photos. You are right, Khushi. I don't know anything about what happened. But I know how much you love him. And I can see the love he has for you. You both deserve another chance. Khushi, he isn't going to hurt you. I can tell he won't. He knows what he did. How much longer are you going to punish him?"

Khushi stayed silent, not knowing what to say. Arnav stood up and walked around the table to her. He took a deep breath, "Khushi, I...You know I'm not good with expressing my feelings. I talk business and orders and money. I don't like when people talk about their emotions. Only because it comes naturally to others and I don't know how to. But I will try my best." Arnav took a deep breath. "When you leave me, I feel like I'm missing something, I can't breath. I remember Di telling me that when I meet that special person, I will forget to breath when she is in front of me, but I can't seem to breath when she is far from me. I will see her everywhere, hear her everywhere. I laughed at her, thinking that she was crazy, but knowing that she had a sense of truth in words. Even then, you were all I thought about and it made me mad. How could this happen? How could a simple girl make me go crazy? I was stupid and ignorant. I didn't want to acknowledge what I was feeling. But after you left, I finally realized that I couldn't go on without you. I finally acknowledged that I loved you."

Khushi looked up and saw that he was saying the truth. He was sorry for what had happened. She saw the love she had prayed for and pined for ever since she realized what she had felt. "Khushi, I have loved since I saw you. That is why I always tried to hurt you, to convince myself that it meant nothing to me if you were pain. But it always came back to haunt me. I could never get rid of the pain that I felt after. As if I had been the one that was hurt. I wish I knew that before it was too late." He paused and took a small box out of his pocket. "The day you left, I had planned to say all this. I had gone out to buy this. But when I came home to give it to you, you had left. I have carried it with me for the past two years, hoping I would have the chance to give it to you. The day has come, if you will accept it. I love you, Khushi. Will you marry me? This time with all the rituals and the love and honor that should have been there from the beginning?" He asked as he took the ring out of the box and held it out to her.

Khushi stared at the ring as if she had turned to stone. She saw the ring which held a huge two 3 carat diamonds in the middle that were surrounded by smaller diamonds. She started to cry, not being able to hold it anymore. She finally nodded and watched as Arnav smiled as he slid the ring on to her left finger. Arnav held his arms out as Khushi jumped into his arms and hugged him hard as she let the tears fall. When she pulled back, Arnav kissed her hard, pouring everything he couldn't say into this one kiss. It was a kiss filled with promise, love, honor, respect and passion. It was a kiss that promised nothing but love, promised that no more pain would come to her because of him. Finally Khushi pulled away and both realized that the whole caf was watching and clapping. Khushi turned a deep red color and hid in Arnav's chest. Arnav smiled and put his arms around Khushi while Priya smiled warmly at the couple.

"Priya, I can't thank..."

"Don't even start ARNAV. I did it for her. But if you hurt her again, it won't be good for you.

"Don't worry about that. I've learned my lesson.

Khushi remembered the time, "Priya, we are going to be late. We should go." She tried to free herself, but Arnav kept his arms around her. "Don't worry, I'll talk to Adi. He won't mind you two not being there today. Let's go to lunch," he walked the two ladies out.

"But Arnav, we should be at work."

"But you won't. Adi is a good friend. He won't mind if you are with me."

Priya spoke up, knowing that the matter was settled, "That's great. I can't wait to hear stories about you two. I've heard many about you."

"Really? About me? It's Khushi's turn then. Time to hear what your friend would do to me." Arnav smiled as he tightened his arm around Khushi's waist.

Khushi felt a burden lift off her shoulders. She smiled, finally finding her peace. She had found her rajkumar. Now it was time to plan her dream wedding.

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