Rejecting Your Love: Chapter 21 - 22 on Pg. 16 (May 28th) - COMPLETE! - Page 8

17

At the park, I bumped into Sameer Mittal and I felt like dying on the spot. It had been a few months since I had last seen him, and I hadn't expected to run into him again.

He saw me and waved, but I turned around and started to walk away, my mangalsutra cold against my chest.

Then Sameer walked up to me and I stopped in my tracks as he said, "Sanyukta, wait."

I turned around to face him, my eyes glossed over with tears.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly, and I hugged him back... because I loved him, right? I had to hug him back. But it didn't feel right... it didn't even feel good. I felt disgusted. I didn't even know why.

"I missed you, it has been so long since we've met," he said to me.

I immediately wanted to push him off, but I couldn't do it... I kept telling myself that I loved Sameer, I couldn't want to push him off.

He broke the hug and I looked at him as tears poured out of my eyes.

Sameer took my hand in his and brought it to his lips to kiss it, but I yanked it away.

"I'm married," I told him. "I don't want to see you."

For some reason, I felt proud when I told him that I was married.

"Married to who? That Randhir Singh Shekhawat?" Sameer asked with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't even want to marry him Sanyukta. What is that middle class man going to give you? He won't be able to satisfy you."

I glared at him, feeling anger rise up within me as he spoke about my husband in that manner.

"He's my husband," I said defensively. "And as a wife, I can't tolerate a third person saying these things about him."

"Come with me Sanyukta," Sameer said with a cocky smirk. "I'll give you what you want... I'll get you jewelry, designer clothes... you like that stuff. Randhir will never be able to get you that."

"I'm not leaving my husband!" I told him, sounding offended.

How could he even suggest that?

"You don't need to... just spend time with me. I'll make you feel good and I'll get you everything you want... everything that the middle class man won't be able to get you," Sameer told me and I felt disgust fill me up.

What had I seen in him? I couldn't even believe that I loved him at one point in time. Then it hit me hard... my mother's words. I had never loved Sameer. I wanted companionship... that was why I deluded myself into believing I loved him.

I felt more tears fall from my eyes as I shook my head.

"You're disgusting Sameer," I said to him. "You cheated on me before... but I'm not cheating on my husband. I'm sorry."

He looked shocked to know that I knew about his affairs.

"You're all moral... I forgot," Sameer said, rolling his eyes. "All goody two shoes."

"It's not even about moral," I said angrily without thinking, disgusted at him. "It's about the fact that I love my husband."

I couldn't believe what had just come out of my mouth... did I seriously just admit that I loved Randhir? No way! I didn't love him. Of course I was just saying that so Sameer would feel bad... I couldn't really love Randhir.

"You love that middle class man?" Sameer asked. "He can barely make enough to afford basic things and you love him?"

"You won't get it!" I snapped. "And don't talk about him like that."

"Come with me Sanyukta," Sameer persisted, and grabbed my hand. "And I'll show you what real fun is."

That was it - I had had enough. I raised my arm and slapped him so hard across the face, that it hurt my own palm.

Then I stormed away from him, and bumped right into Randhir by accident. I looked up at him with my tear-filled eyes and he enveloped me in a tight hug without saying a word.

18

I leaned into his embrace, feeling strangely safe, protected, and at home. It was like I was meant to be in his arms. I closed my eyes as more tears spilled out of my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Randhir murmured.

I sniffled.

"No you idiot, I am not okay," I said, sobbing. "If I was, I wouldn't be crying!"

He rubbed my back affectionately and I leaned in closer to him... if that was possible.

I wondered if Randhir heard my conversation with Sameer or if he even saw me with him... but he didn't mention it to me. He didn't even ask me any questions about him.

I broke the embrace and turned around to see if Sameer was watching, but he had disappeared from the scene. That was good. I didn't want to see his annoying face again.

"Come here," Randhir said, and took my hand in his before taking me to a sitting area. He sat down, and then pulled me down on his lap.

My first thought was about people, but then I shoved that aside... what could they say? We were married.

He stroked my cheek softly, and more tears fell from my eyes.

"I hate him," I said to Randhir.

"Who?" Randhir asked, and I supposed he hadn't seen.

"Not you this time," I said. "Sameer Mittal."

I was sure that Randhir knew about their family. They were a well known family in the society.

"Why?" Randhir asked.

Then I told him the whole story... about how I thought I loved him, and how we had dated. I told him about how I saw him cheat on me with my best friend, and then finally, I told him about what he said to me today.

"Do you still love him?" Randhir asked me softly, as he wiped my tears with his fingers.

I looked at him sharply.

"Why?" I asked him. "So you could be all great and leave me so I could be with him?"

He smiled.

"Maybe," Randhir said and I hit him hard.

"That won't make you great you idiot. I don't love him... I was being childish and stupid!" I told him. "I hate him. I slapped him today."

"Someone with your anger... damn, that slap must have hurt," Randhir said lightly.

"It did hurt... my hand still hurts from slapping him," I said to him.

Randhir took my hand in his and then kissed my palm softly, making me feel weak in the knees.

"Do you love me?" I suddenly asked, and he looked at me suspiciously.

"Why?" he responded.

"Answer me," I said to him impatiently.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to say yes or no," he told me lightly. "I'd be risking a night with you."

I hit his arm, annoyed.

"It's an honest question," I said to him.

"My answer is honest too... and that is that I am not answering that question," he responded.

"I hate you," I said sourly.

"I know," he said lightly. "You say it at least a few times a day."

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes.

Then I got off his lap.

"You have no shame," I said. "So many people were watching."

"Why do you care about people watching?" he asked me.

I glared at him... what a dumb question!

"I don't want people to talk!" I said, annoyed.

"Not everything goes according to what you want Sanyukta," he said, and then he leaned in close to me and captured my lips with his.

My eyes opened widely in shock.