Staring at the ceiling with his head tilted back on the head rest of the chair, Arnav let his mind wander through the morning that changed the dynamics between him and Khushi drastically.
He had thought about that thousand times. He had been restless, confused, frustrated with what he felt at that particular time, when his lips touched hers. He relived that moment again and again trying to clear his mind, his heart. To know what changed inside him. What led him to kiss her and why he had kissed her in the first place?
The worst part was the after effects he felt of that kiss. He felt something he had never known before. He felt something snap inside of him free and busting out of his chest. It felt as if he had given Khushi something that would never get back.
And Khushi was not helping either. She refused to come in front of him. After that morning he had tried to find her to apologise and even after three days from that morning, he hadn't got any chance to see her, least apologise to her.
He not only want to apologise to her but he need to ask her by whom she came to know that he discussed their marriage contract with someone. Had lavanya told her? But how come Khushi know lavanya? Or was it someone else whom lavanya shared this piece of information with? He need to know, so that he could stop this.
Just...just talk to me once, khushi.
****
After taking a much needed shower to relax his mind and body, Arnav came out to find the same thing from the past few days. His food with coffee on placed on coffee table, but Khushi was not there as always. Having enough of this hide and seek game, he walked out of the room with determined strides to find khushi and have the much needed talk.
Enough of this childishness! They have to talk about this like adults.
Arnav took the turn in the hallway and collided with a soft body. On instinct his arms rose to grab the person and avoid any fall.
Khushi had been on her way to anjali's room praying with every step she took to not to come in front of arnav. She had been constantly convincing herself that chances of her and Arnav coming in front of each other are less as he must have been eating his evening snacks which she had placed on the coffee table before rushing out of the room in fear of confronting him. She was so busy praying that she hadn't heard the distinctive sound of Arnav's footsteps approaching her and collided head on with him. Her body acted on impulse and she had placed her palms on his shirt cladded chest.
Arnav was the first one to step back and look down at the person who collided with him. Though he knew who that person was as soon as he held her arms, he looked down and saw his wife's eyes scrunched up before they opened up to look up at him. He watched as her eyes widened and then moved on her hands on his chest before she jerked them back as if she was burnt.
Khushi took a step back from him and thought of a way to get away from this situation. She had only opened her mouth to give some lame excuse and get the hell away from here when Arnav spoke. "Don't even think about it." His voice had an edge of barely contained anger and impatience.
Khushi's eyes snapped up to him not having heard him using this tone with anybody till now.
He clasped his fingers around her wrist firmly. "We are going to talk..." He took step forward looking into her eyes intently. "And we're going to talk now!"
Not giving her any chance to protest, Arnav retraced his steps back to his room with Khushi. Locking the door once they were inside the room, Arnav turned, closed his eyes and breathed, "I am sorry."
Khushi who was expecting anything but that looked at Arnav and found him standing still near the door with eyes closed and not only heard the apology he whispered but also saw it written all over his face. He opened his eyes and she witnessed the guilt he was living with for the past few days. "I am sorry Khushi. I can't justify my actions or give reason for acting like that because there isn't any. I can just, from the bottom of my heart, apologise to you and I promise you this will never happen again."
"I am not asking you to forgive me but just know that..." Before he spoke more Khushi interrupted him.
"Stop, Arnav! You are not the only one who needs to apologise." Khushi averted her eyes from his confused gaze. "That day you were not the only one who kissed. I kissed you back. And for that I apologise to you. I am sorry Arnav. "
"Khushi..."
"No, Arnav. Don't take all the blame on yourself---"
"But I was the one who kissed you Khushi and stop this nonsense...you haven't done anything to apologise for---"
"Yes I had! Agreed that you kissed me but I too responded to that and I am sure if that time had I resisted even a bit you would have stopped. I know you that much Arnav." Her eyes filled with tears with shame that in weak moment she became vulnerable when there is no scope for her to be vulnerable at this point of her life when she needed to be strong.
"Khushi please...don't do this to yourself. You know that it was all my fault!" But Khushi just cried more turning away from him. "Dammit! Why the hell don't you understand."
Composing herself, Khushi turned her eyes at his pained and concerned face. "Okay," She sniffed. "Let's try to get past this. We have to live with each and clearly me avoiding you till now had done nothing good." She swiped her palms over her face. "We talked and Arnav, we both were at fault. So let's just be mature and accept it and try not to repeat it?"
Looking at her face, Arnav knew that whatever he says, would not get in her head. She has convinced herself that by just responding to the kiss, She too is at fault. Stubborn woman! Reluctantly, he nodded.
Khushi smiled slightly at him. "Well, you can't drink that now." She referred to the coffee she has placed for him.
Arnav suppressed his irritation at her behaviour. "It's okay. I'll have the snacks."
"No, I can make you another coffee." Khushi offered.
Arnav scrunched his eyebrows looking at her fidgeting form. It looked as though she wanted to get away from here as soon as possible.
But why? Is she uncomfortable being here with me?
Then it struck him! If he's right, she's afraid he would ask her about the source from she got to know about him being discussing their marriage.
"As I have promised you Khushi, I would protect yours and your family's reputation. But for that I need to know who told you?" Arnav carefully read each and every expression that passed through her face.
Khushi stopped breathing the minute he asked the dreaded question from her. She can't tell him about lavanya. She don't want him to get dragged in this mess. But what she could tell him?
"Uh...umm Arnav remember my friend payal with whom you talked to on the phone that day?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"That day in the park I was with her. I am sorry but like you I have also told her about our marriage contract. But Arnav she not just my friend. She's practically my sister. I have known her from childhood. I had to talk about our marriage with somebody. I just had her." Khushi looked at him with guilty eyes. "I am sorry Arnav. I yelled at you so much when I had done the same thing which you did."
"Forget it Khushi. Just tell me how you knew that I had told someone? Arnav demanded.
"Payal...she had read things about you in the newspaper. She was convinced that a rich powerful playboy like you would never leave a chance to gloat about how he would...he would live his bachelor life even when he would be married. This led me to ask you if you had done that. When you said yes I snapped and yelled at you."
"That's it?"
"Yes. I know that when I told you this it must have looked childish but at that point I was tensed if you had actually done that. I have full trust on payal but I didn't know who you told this to." Khushi searched his face to see of he had caught her lie. She found nothing. She was now looking at the shrewd businessman Arnav Singh Raizada which she has seen so many times on the newspapers. Be it for any takeover he had done or award he got.
"But your friend...Payal was right wasn't she? I had done exactly what she thought of me doing!"
"Look Arnav. She only wanted me to be safe. First of all she was not at all happy hearing about my this kind of marriage. Then I was marrying you and the kind of image media has made had done nothing good in her mind."
"The I promise you Khushi this truth of our will not go out. I will shut that person's mouth with whom I shared this. You don't have to worry now."
Khushi let out a forced smile. She knew the damage had already been done but he was not at fault. He didn't know with whom he was sharing that information and what it will do to her.
"I'll make another coffee for you." Khushi took the cold coffee and left the room.
Arnav watched her heading out. I know Khushi, you lied. Your eyes are your biggest weakness. They reveal all the things you want to hide. This time they revealed you lied. But why?
****
Anjali looked around, trying to find that one car among the rush as classes got over in the college and students rushed out chattering with each other.
She glanced at her wrist watch before again roaming her eyes around the place. "Where are you?" She mumbled to herself. She tapped her right foot feeling impatience creeping on her.
Just then two strong arms embraced her from behind. Anjali let out a surprised squeal before it turned to full fledge laugh. She turned in his embrace, the smile intact on her face.
"You are late." She pouted complaining to him.
In response, he pulled her closer to himself. "Sorry. I got stuck in some work. It won't happen again. I promise. Now, smile please?"
"Chalo...maaf kiya. But only this time huh!"
"I promise this is the last time."
They proceeded to walk to towards his car. Her hand in his. "You know what is next week?" She excitedly asked him.
"What?" He asked.
She stopped to glare at him before throwing her hands up. "My birthday!"
"Arrey! No need to get this hyper. I remember. I was just pulling your leg! "
He opened the passenger door for her. Anjali slid inside and watched as he rounded around before getting inside the car from the drivers door.
"I will kill you for this!" Anjali folded her arms.
He started the engine and pulled the car from the parking lot. As his laugh rang inside confines of the car, Anjali hissed. "Shyam manohar jha!"
A/N : So...how was it? Drop a comment!
One thing, that due to my approaching university xams I will not be able to update whole Dec month.
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