T2 FF :Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi...Discont note on page 134 - Page 50

Chapter 25

Sakshi again picked up the phone and kept it back. It was the 8^th time she has done this in the past 15 minutes. After a long, hot, humid day, it was evening and the climate was getting better, with dark clouds engulfing the city into darkness, even before the sun could set properly. Now it had started thundering along with gentle cold breeze giving way to heavy downpour.

Sakshi was getting restless as Arjun had not yet arrived at her place and she wasn't able to acquire the courage to call him again and confirm about his arrival. Her parents too were giving her doubtful looks and repeatedly asking her about Arjun's whereabouts, which was irritating her more.

Finally after another hour and a half of impatient anxiousness the door bell rang loud. Sakshi instantly stood up and ran to reach the door. She unbolted it instantly and found Arjun standing clad in a white shirt and a pair of jeans. The shirt was wet at places, indicating light drizzles outside. The apprehension instantly vanished and Sakshi gave a bright smile.

Arjun kept his calm posture and looked at her. She was looking angelic in the blue and white embroidered salwar with pinch of pink at places, with the hair opened loose on her shoulder and the matching heavy accessories she had adorned with them. Sakshi was looking lost at him with the smile gradually increasing its width on her lips. Arjun could feel his resolute and his reason for accepting the invite, distorting and breaking, but there was something important he had come here for.

Arjun looked ahead and found her Father standing at a distance along with her mother. Arjun folded his hands at them while he stepped inside. They too nodded at him and invited him inside politely. Sakshi came back to her senses when Arjun stepped in and turned to find her parents waiting for them.

Arjun went forward to them and sakshi's mother invited him well when sakshi formally introduced him to them. Her mother asked sakshi to bring something for him. Sakshi nodded quite reluctantly and went inside to bring his tea. Arjun was left alone with her parents and it seemed a bit awkward to him.

Arjun looked at Sakshi's Father. His instincts told him, he was a tough man and when it came to something about his daughter he was the toughest man ever. Arjun signed while looking at him. There was an awkward silence between them. The only sound that could be heard was the tapping of the rain droplets outside on the glass panes. Arjun saw sakshi run inside to close the other windows, giving a brief look at him.

Finally when the silence became unbearable Arjun started,

'Mr Anand, you wanted to meet me, ' he started,

'Arjun, tumhe to pata hi hoga, tumhe yaha kiyu bulaya hai,'

'haan sakshi ne bataya,'

'Sakshi has told me about you and recommended me to meet you once,'

Arjun nodded his head slightly and her father carried on.

'Arjun, sakshi is my daughter, and just like any other father, I don't want her to make any mistake while she decides her future, I hope you understand that,' he said with hopeful eyes,

'Sure, Mr Anand, I understand your concern and it isn't anywhere wrong and that's the reason I am here,' arjun replied humbly,

Sakshi came in with a tray with three cups of tea and handed each of them. She had heard the conversation going on from the kitchen and knew what was coming up. She tried to gain Arjun's attention while giving him his cup, but Arjun completely ignored her fearful eyes. He had decided his fate before he came to meet them.

'Arjun I wont take much of your precious time, I know well about the work you do, so ill come to the point. Sakshi has already told me, she likes you and wants to spend her life with you. What about you Arjun?' her father asked again, keeping the cup of tea down on the table,

Sakshi looked at Arjun. He had his usual expressionless face, which actually scared her today. She was doubtful from the moment Arjun had accepted the invite to meet her parents and had even thought of revealing the truth about Riya to her parents but couldn't get the courage or the suitable time to follow her mind.

And now when Arjun was sitting in front of her, she was scared of his aloofness. She knew he was stubborn and arrogant and moreover, she was well acquainted with his existing love for riya.

Before meeting Arjun, she was never so scared or hesitant about anything she did in life. But after meeting him and watching the aggressive love he boared for riya, she sometimes regretted her decision to love him. She sat beside her mother, waiting for arjun to start speaking again.

Arjun was now in trouble. He had decided to tell them about his past life and also his present but one look at the concern on her father's words and gestures, he was in a fix. He didn't know, how to console a father. He wasn't unknown to his own father's misery once he had left home but then he was helpless there. But now he couldn't hurt another father for his own spoilt life.

Arjun kept the cup down and sat straight. He gave a brief look towards Sakshi and then back to her dad. He had to speak his mind today.

Mr Anand, before the answer to your question, there is something I want to tell you. I don't know how much Sakshi might have told you, but it isn't her fault, she didn't know either.'

'Arjun, tum,' sakshi stood up,

'Stop sakshi, let me speak,' arjun told her raising his palm at her.

Mr Anand and his wife looked at both of them surprised. There was something hidden between them and sakshi is even scared to open it. They looked at each other scared and looked back at Arjun, who again started speaking.

'Mr Anand, before I met sakshi I was already married my colleague, Riya and a year back we divorced,' Arjun told them,

'what? Sakshi tumne hume nehi bataya? Ye divorcee hai?' Mrs Anand stood up instantly,

'Ma mein ye sab apko...' sakshi came in to explain but Mr Anand cut her in between,

'megha baitho, kaho Arjun tumhe kya kehena hai?' Mr Anand nudged his wife and turned towards Arjun,

'4 years back, I fell in love with my colleague, Riya and eventually after some initial trouble we got married.' Arjun stopped,

'trouble matlab? Ghar se nehi mane?' Mr Anand asked him,

'meine ghar bohot pehele chor diya tha, Mr Anand. Dad ko mere IPS join karne se aitraaz tha, wo chahte the mein unka business join karu, isliye..'

'tumne ghar chor diya? Aur tumhari ma?'

'unhone Dad ka saath diya aur..i don't have a family behind me Mr Anand,' Arjun replied ashamed to speak of his recklessness and ego,

'fir?'

'Riya ke ghar se bhi humari shadi ko leke khush nehi the, isliye humne ghar chor diya aur fir shadi kar li. Kuch problems ki wajah se hum ek saal pehele alag ho gaye,'

A silence followed after this. Mr Anand was looking at Sakshi who was looking at arjun with a sad face.

Sakshi looked at Arjun, but he remained quiet, with his head lowered. He didn't know himself what had actually went wrong between them. All he knew was he still missed her and longed for her. The little closeness they had these couple of days made it more clear to him.

'tum sakshi ke bare mein kya sochte ho? Kahi uske saath tum..'

'papa, ap..' sakshi started but her dad stopped her. She looked at arjun who straightened the leaned forward.

'nehi sir, agar mujhe sakshi ko dhoka dena tha, to mein apko ye saab nehi batata. Mein chahta tha ki ap meri sachai janne ke baad ye decide kare ki sakshi ko mere saath rehena chahiye ya nehi,'

'aur agar mein inkaar kar du to?'

'mein chala jaunga. Mujhe apke faisle pe kuch nehi kehena,' arjun stated and sat back.

Mr Anand stood up and looked at sakshi, who was looking at arjun with a shocked expression. He could easily see the pale face and hurt eyes, losing the lusture she had all day. He was now angry with Arjun for hurting his daughter, but there was hardly anything he could do right now.Morever it was good. He looked at his wife and she understood his eyes.

Mrs Anand turned to sakshi and held her hand. She squeezed it little and sakshi composed herself. Arjun hadn't missed a single emotion that the family was going through. He didn't want this but he didn't want to hurt sakshi a bit more. He had understood marrying her would just put her into the deep dark hole, where he was struggling to survive.

'tum abhi bhi isse shadi karna chahti ho sakshi?' her dad asked her,

'papa mein wo..' she looked towards Arjun, he too was looking at her for an answer,

'Sakshi, tum itni kabil ho ki apne decisions khud le sako, so if you want to marry him even after knowing about him, you may but ill suggest you not to marry him. Baki tum khud decide kar sakti ho,' Mr Anand said and looked towards Arjun,

Arjun stood up and Mr Anand walked away towards their room followed by Mrs Anand, who gave a disgusted look at Arjun before leaving.

Arjun kept looking at the silent Sakshi, sitting in front of him. It pricked his heart to see the usually jovial face turn into a faded color. She was sitting quietly, but he could understand the storm brewing inside her. Her face was red with embarrassement and she was scratching on the leather of the sofa trying to calm her anger.

Arjun walked to her. He kneeled down and took her hands, in both of his, but she took them back instantly. He signed and held her knee,

'Sakshi listen to me,' he nudged,

'what? what else do you have to say ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte?' Sakshi stood up with a start,

'Sakshi, mein tumhare liye hi..' arjun called her,

'mere liye kya ACP Rawte? Tumhe abhi kaha tumhe kuch nehi kehena tha na? Agar nehi kehena tha to aye kyu?' sakshi stood up,

'Sakshi, meri baat suno, mein nehi chahta ki tumhe aur zyada takleef ho,' Arjun too stood up,

'tumne meri takleef ke bare mein kab socha hai Arjun? Aj achanak itne pyar kaise aa gaya?' she replied with a smirk,

'Sakshi calm down, mein tumhe hurt nehi karna chahta, per meri halat samjho, mein khud nehi janta mein kya karu? Tumhe kaise samjhau? Tum bohot achi ho sakshi aur mein ne tumhe bhi sirf hurt kiya hai, I cant take this guilt anymore.' Arjun told her cupping her face,

'tumne aisa kyu kiya arjun? Kya mila tumhe? Tum kehe sakte the na, ki tum mujhse shadi karna hi nehi chahte, ye sab kyu kiya?' sakshi asked arjun in a chocked voice,

'Sakshi...' Arjun couldn't explain more. He signed and looked down, leaving her face. He stepped back and looked back at her, she was tremdously hurt. She was crying helplessly standing there looking at him. Her eyes were pleading him to stop there and hold her back, but he couldn't lose control of his resolute.

He gave one last look at her and turned to the door. He could almost hear her silent sobs. He quickly opened the door and stepped out. It was still raining heavily with thunder storm. He had taken a few steps towards the road when he heard the main door of the house bang shut and looked back. The lights were glowing inside but he felt there was a sudden gloominess he left there.

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Riya was searching for vishal in the whole house but he was no where. Vishal's aunt, who had brought him up after his parents dismissal, had made his favourite makkhan wali coffee' and had handed the cup to Riya to give it to him. Riya had come just a few hours and Aunty, as she is called by everyone, has accepted her like their family member. Riya felt at peace too, no other place in the city could be as adorable and safe as this house.

Riya took the tray with their cups of coffee and searched his room. He was no where. It was raining heavily outside, so he must not have gone out too. Finally she reached the terrace and found him sitting on the parapet getting wet in the rain.

Riya kept the tray at the side below the shade and called him loudly. But the wind was strong and the sound of the water droplets on the trees and plants beside was cutting her voice. After trying for a couple of times more she finally decided to reach him. She ran to him avoiding the rain as much as she could, all the time calling him.

She reached him but still he didn't respond. That's when she realized he was lost in his thoughts. She shook his hand and he jerked out surprised.

'Riya?' he called her surprised,

'kabse bula rahi hu? Kaha khoye the? Chalo tumhari special coffee thandi ho jayegi,' riya asked him,

'coffee? Really?' his eyes suddenly gave a sparkle and he hopped down from the parapet,

They rushed to the shade and sat down with their coffee mugs. Vishal was sipping his coffee quietly looking at a distance which seemed quite unsual to riya. She knew Vishal was good at masking his emotions and always hid his disturned and troubled self well behind his guard. But today was different. Either he was too much disturbed or upset or there was something graver.

Riya tried to start an usual conversation but it didn't last long. Vishal did not reply back with the usual chirpiness and fell silent after exchanging a word or two. Also riya noticed, he called her Riya', everytime he called her, during their conversation. There was something seriously wrong with him today.

'mujhe nehi pata tha tumhe barish itni pasand hai?' riya started another conversation smiling at him,

'pehele pasand nehi tha, fir bohot pasand aya, aur ab firse pasand nehi hai,' he replied in a lost tone,

'vishal tum kitna jhoot bologe? Agar pasand nehi to bheeg kyu rahe the? Bimar parna hai?'

'kisi ko to pasand hoga na? uske liye..' he said,pressing his lips,

'kise?' riya asked again,

'tujhe..tujhe nehi pasand Riya?' he asked with a smirk,

'firse riya? Ab to kuch gadbad sure hai? baat kya hai?'

Vishal didn't reply and smiled at her, but there was a strange dejection in it. Riya frowned at him and he instantly masked his gloomy self.

'Aise maat ghuro Diana, hume samajna muskil hi nehi na mumkin hai, samjhi...' he laughed loud clicking his mug with hers, toasting to their friendship.

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Laila...😡😡😡