M I quick...or M I quick???
hahaha...😉This quick update to celebrate 10 years of my IF...khudi ko treat day rahi hoon ;)Actually dayna kal thi...but phir I get lazy as usual :PSo be good guys and give sweet sweet comments...and for the time, the party is posponded as something else caught my mindEnjoy!!
Part 29Two blissful days were passed with Arjun teasing Arohi at any chance he was getting. It was a sweet torture that her body will always relish to get. His presence, her shivers. His hoarse voice, her goosebumps. His wonderful laugh and her jumping butterflies in stomach. It was all well connected now. Arjun was always amused to see his proximity reaction on her, not that she was making it less noticeable. Arohi was basking in the glory of this new found sensations. She felt herself light, free and unrestricted. That's what knowing about Abhinav's true identity did to her.
Pushing her legs deep into cool water of the pool late in the night, Arohi took a deep breath. She had a great time toasting and turning in the bed earlier. Damn, she was missing his protective hands around herself. She hardly slept a wink on that same bed which she had shared with him just two nights back. Looking down, her reflection was too observable in the crystal clear water that for a moment, she was stunned herself. It was not an ever so sad, full of worries and depressed Arohi, she was used to see in the last 11 years. But it was a happy, content, beaming Arohi who was adoring a silly smile on her face. "Is that really me?" She wondered keeping herself still, keenly observing the changes in herself. Sometimes, even a mirror can't show you everything. A silly chuckle escaped from her mouth along with a sigh before she started to murmur. "How changed I am now? It just seems like a matter of few days before when I was just like this...Surrounded with my best friends, getting the love of my mom before all of it was snatched away from me by destiny...I...I kept on trying to get love of the man (Akshay Sharma), who has never ever excepted it and above it, the man (Abhinav) I thought was my only option of happiness...was only option to escape from the torturous life also proved out to be a filthy person. And then, again, One man (Arjun) entered my life just to rescue me." Letting her feet into the water, she bend back on the floor keeping her hands open. "He was my best friend...He was my savior...And then, one day, I found myself married to him" The memory of that day ran through her mind, making her remember his guilty yet firm face when she have accused him. "Rashi is right, he didn't had any option...The friendship we used to share also have been subjected to the years of gap that even if we wanted, we couldn't have started it from the same point, we had ended it earlier" Running her fingers from her traces, she kept her focus up on the ceiling, particularly looking at nothing but analyzing her life. But, wasn't he being selfish while marrying you? Just like Abhinav. Her heart questioned... "His selfishness can't be compared to Abhinav by any means...Abhinav only wanted to marry me for the financial deal he had...while he...He married me purely out from love" She replied. Then why was it so hard for you to accept him? Her mind questioned next. "May be because I haven't expected it..." She sighs and moved her legs slightly into water, creating the soft ripples in the pool. "I haven't expected to see him standing infront of me as my husband and not as my best friend" She accepted. "With days, he tried to get me comfortable in his presence...No demands, no expectations...That's what he gave me but...already being shaken by the marriage incident, I was confused as how I should look at him. How I should treat him? As a friend or as a husband. He made it easy for me though ultimately by saying that first, he needs our friendship.
"Take all the time Arohi...You have all the time till my life...I will be waiting for my friend".
"And he had given me just that. All the time to understand things, to understand the feelings, scenarios. He was the one who gave me wings to explore the world. To be what I really want to be. With his efforts, I now know who am I and what I have to do. With his presence, I now know that it's not like you have to please someone to earn love. Love is selfless which can happen without any reason. Falling for him wasn't so tough..." Sighing she took a turn on the tiled floor making pattern on the cold floor. Their earlier interaction in this same place, her first moment to see his bare chest crossed through her mind, making her cheeks go flushed. "Slowly, he had created his place in my heart. He gave me plenty of reason to love him but there was something which held me back... May be...May be, it was this guilt that though I am starting to love a man who is now my husband, I somewhere had broken few hearts too. Shaina, who was made to marry Aryan by force but now seeing this drastic change in her, I wonder if this is what it was destined to be. I also somewhere feeling guilty for letting Abhinav down *Deep breath* but now, after knowing that Abhinav was nothing but a pawn of Grandpa's game, if somewhere I am feeling cheated, on the other hand I am feeling relieved too." And a smile popped up her face when she remembered about the few close encounters she had with Arjun. Their first kiss in Dehradun...If a storm was taking place outside, a storm did took place inside her too. The moment he had rushed into the bathroom, in fear. God! Her body felt a jolt just with imagining it. Their second kiss in his room and him asking her before proceeding. Her heart was singing with joy while thinking all of this. She felt loved. Unconditionally loved by him. "Without guilt, without any enforcement, without any promises...I can now say that I love him. I love Arjun Punj."
But in between all this, it was Rashi who has decided to take the reins in her hands now. The changed equation between Arjun and Arohi was too delightful for her eyes. Her brother was opening up, becoming the same carefree boy who he was once. A person, she missed in all these years but Abhinav was still in town. Rashi wanted to know what his motives were. Are the planning on something next to destroy their life? She wondered but then. "No one will be allowed to mess their life now" Rashi promised herself.
It was a beautiful morning. Arjun was on his way to office when he his mobile rang with Aryan's call. "Hello...Aryan I will be there in another 15 minutes" Arjun said hurriedly while stopping on a red light. Aryan had informed him in the morning about the preponed meeting with the board of directors for which, Arjun was already running late. "The board meeting is delayed for an hour now...But do come soon...we can review the presentation together...You have the file and the USB with the presentation right?" Aryan inquired only to hear Arjun's Darn. "Arjun" His tone was warning. "I was just reviewing the presentation last night...The USB is left with my laptop" He explained, already turning his car back towards the home. "You...you my man...is losing it day by day" Aryan who was angry a moment ago was laughing on just the thought as how that usual workaholic man, Arjun Punj has been transformed in mere days. He was a silent spectator of the looks' that were passed between his friend and his Bhabhi. Arjun groaned. He doesn't like to be called a weak man, even if it's in a joke but then he smiled imagining Arohi's face. If she is the destination, he is ready to take every unlikable route.
Roy was just stepping up the stairs when Arjun came right out from the study room and noticed him moving up. Usually, all the body guards were restricted to get inside the house unless it's needed or if they are called. Raising his brows, Arjun safely put the USB in his pant pocket before calling him. "Roy". With the voice of his boss, Roy instantly turned and tried to hide the file that he was holding. "Yes Sir". "What are you doing here?" He questioned while moving towards him. "Sir, Actually Rashi Maam called me here" Roy answered with a face as calm, as he could get. But the hawk eyes of Arjun, surly had capture the sight of file, he was hiding behind. "What is it?" Arjun inquired moving his eyes down to the file before looking up at Roy. Seeing the color fading, Arjun knew that it is something that he doesn't want to tell him but if that concerns Rashi, Arjun will not dare take any restriction. Though Roy tried to hide the file better and gave a lame excuse but Arjun reached to him and took the file with a harsh pull. The first look inside and he felt betrayed. "Did something happen Roy?" That was a warning tone, he uttered only to see Roy fumbling with his words. "Actually...Sir...That day...We..." "Speak clearly..." Taking a sigh, Roy explained him about the turn of events from the earlier day that in return made him hell annoyed. "Why the hell I wasn't tell about it?" He inquired but Roy stood mum. And suddenly, the whole thing has started to made sense to him. Arohi's changed behavior, her difference of opinion and what he thought made him stumbled back. "Oh My! Oh God!" He murmured with a bated heart.
Holding the file firmly in his hand, he marched up straight into Rashi's room who was just standing infront of the dressing, drying up her wet hairs. "RASHI" His angry voice scared her. Rashi turned quickly after turning off the dryer and gave him a questioning look. "Bhai...". "Are you too much grown up that you can handle matters on your own...Even if that matter is associated with me" He questioned and show her the file in hand. Still confused, she gave him a narrow look in askance. "You saw Abhinav two days back?" He questioned and Rashi froze at her spot. A look at his back on Roy and Rashi knew everything is going to take a turn.
Arohi who just got dressed up for the day came out from the room to get down when the loud voices caught her attention.
"Bhai...I...I was just trying to know his intentions for being in the city...You are so busy with this new project that I didn't want to get you in more trouble". Rashi explained helplessly. In reply, Arjun just moved two steps ahead and looked down at her with blaze. "I am never too busy when it comes to people I care about...She is my wife damn'it. I have the right to know when someone is trying to harm her...Don't I?" He questioned only to see Rashi biting her lower lip with down casted eyes. He rubbed his temple just to lower down his temper. He knew that he was being over protective but then a thought strike him. "Did by any chance you have tell her about Abhinav...About his real face?" He questioned next and Rashi just turned her face to other side, knowing that she did have go against his vision in this matter. "I...I thought...Telling her might will alert her about Abhinav's real intentions...She will be cautious of him in future" And the next second, Arjun was holding Rashi by her arms. "You really did it" He was disappointed. "What else you have told her?" Outside, Arohi's heart dipped witnessing the furious encounter. Why Arjun is so angry to Rashi for exposing Abhinav infront of her? Did he want to hide it?. And the next moment, her silent questions were answered by him. "And here... I was thinking that finally, finally, she has started to feel something for me...That finally, my love is finding its destination...But no...It's her regret...She has been pushed for it...She has been forced to think like this...to act like this..." With a painful sigh he stopped. All the dreams that he seems to finally have built in his eyes, crashed just inside. "Bhai...I just want her to realize..." Rashi started again but was cut... "Realize? Rashi, you for once should know that Love is not realized when other tells you that it's there...A person should feel it herself...How do you think that she will ever believe on the institution of love when till now, every relation she had believed on deceived her...Her grandfather...her fianc...Somewhere she also feels that I have deceived her too...Do you think that after coming to conclusion that every relation she had created over the years were just lies, she will be happy to fall in love with me? ... I agree...I agree I have forced her into this marriage...and that was the only selfish thing I have done in my whole life...Just because it was the only way infront of me to save her... But never for once I have forced her to love me just because I love her... Never for once I have forced her to accept our marriage just because it's too sacred relation for me... If tomorrow..." Arjun stopped and gulped down his saliva. "If tomorrow she comes and tell me that she couldn't survive in this marriage...I will let her go...because love can't happen coz of a relationship... But a relationship is made out from love...I don't want her to accept me cause of some past regrets" Rashi didn't have any reply to his argument. She could tell him that she had witnessed care...love in Arohi eyes...all she needed was a slight push that she thought this information will do but...Everyone has their own set of thinking related to an issue.
Coming out from the room, Arjun noticed Arohi standing near the door. Definitely, she had heard the discussion between the duo. The hurt was still visible in his eyes. His hands curled into a fist because he surly want to bang someone. Arohi could clearly see the frustration on his face. He was looking like a man who lost the most important battle of his life. Her heart sored just with his look. She wanted to sooth out his fears, sooth out his worries. "Ar..Arjun..." she started to say but right then, he moved away, banging the wall on the side in frustration and was out in the next one minute.
Standing up in the stairs with a fast beating heart, she saw his figure disappeared before she heard the falling sound on bed. Turning around instantly, she found herself face to face with Rashi who was looking lost for the moment. "Rashi..." Her heart went out to her but before she can approach, Rashi put up her hand, stopping her in midway. "Stay there Arohi..." And she did stop. "I...I am sorry if you feel that I am anyhow pushing you into this relationship...I am sorry that I even lectured you onto things that I shouldn't have..." She licked her dry lips before giving a last glance to Arohi and turning her face away. "Rashi". Arohi was shocked to hear this all out. "Can you please leave me alone?" She requested and no matter how much Arohi wanted to go and comfort her, she stayed back helplessly and left the room in silence. "Both of these brother and sister are same...They share their joys on a large scale but their sorrows...their pains...are just for themselves to bear" Roy, who was still standing in the door said and left her alone to .
Later in the afternoon, as Rashi had locked herself in room while Shaina was taking a nap, Arohi get back into her room feeling extremely worried for Rashi. "I so don't know what exactly he is thinking...But I do know, he is wrong" His teary eyes flashed infront of her vision which made her shudder. Somehow, she wanted to decrease his pain. Taking out her mobile, she dialed his number but for the first time, he had cut it right in the middle of second ring. Upset, she dialed it again just to know that it was switch off. Disheartened, she moved towards her cupboard to change into some old clothes. She needs distraction or otherwise she will be just mad thinking about what ifs and what not. She needs to paint. Painting was always her favorite hobby. It was her solace and right now, she so needed that peace. But as soon as she opened the cupboard, a gift fall out among the gifts that Rashi and Arjun has stored in her cupboard over the years. Few of them were still packed while others were out gracing her room now. She picked up the fallen one that was a box. She was sure it has a dress. Removing the wrap, she pulled off the maroon cover which held Rashi's brand tag, Punj Designs engraved in decent gold color. Inside as expected was a dress. A black one having white strips in the bottom. The fabric was so soft and mate. The shoulders were sleek and the neck was just what she would have liked. Covered. She instantly fell in love with it. Below she found a little note.
"Dear Arohi...
This is the dress that I have purchased for you after the opening of my first boutique.
I so hope you would have been here. But God knows better for us.
The day you will be there with me, I will love to see you in this piece.
Miss you,
Rashi"
"Awe Rashi..." She felt ever so in love with her friends who were missing her. Opening few other gifts, she noticed she had a note which specify the date on which it was bought and the reason behind it. Not just Rashi but Arjun notes were too found by Arohi beside few gifts. She so wished she had been there with them but...Life plays its games. "I can't see Rashi like this...As soon as Arjun get back home, I have to talk to him...I...I just have to clear out all his misunderstandings...I need to tell him that..." And she stopped. How she will tell him?
On the other side, Arjun was hell angry. After attending the board meeting in silence, he stepped out only to bombard every one with his flare. From one spelling mistake to leave application, all were treated like a sin in his eyes. He shouted, growled and set them straight on their position. Aryan and Rajveer gave eachother concern looks before looking back at the scenes that were created by Arjun. He was never this angry and even if he was, it is so unlike him to bust someone without any solid reason. Yes, He was a strict boss and a very intimating one but that all was just limited to his work and their work. The poor secretary, Siya was coming back to her desk sniffing. Probably, Arjun has loosen his temper on seeing the report she just has delivered. It was not her mistake, the file was made by the IT section but she just had to bear his wrath.
"Damn it..." Tired after spending the whole day in aggression, he cursed and hit the office chair which moved and strike with the wall creating a loud thud. Why? Just why he has to always walk on eggshells...Can't he be just happy for some time...Can't he be that carefree man for once that he is somewhere inside? Finally, he felt his life was coming on track, that he is just an inch away to hold her in his arms just to never let go...and there, she slipped just like dry sand. "It's her regret that was making her come close to me...Cause she thought she didn't have any choice...It was an act of paying off then" And something inside him broke just with this thought.
It was late in the night. Arohi was sitting in a half laying position onto the living room sofa keeping her head on the armrest. Her eyes were stuck on the door, hoping each second that the next second, he will get in but the seconds, minutes and hours passed but there were no signs of his return. Rashi had not came out from her room the whole day nor was she in mood to talk to anyone. Arohi, Shaina and Aryan all had tried but she was just so hurt. This was the first time her brother has ever shouted on her. The food Rupa took to her room was returned just the way it was. Shaina and Aryan had been accompanying her till 10pm but then she forced Shaina to go and take rest. She is not supposed to be worried right now and Aryan agreed. For once, Aryan knew that whatever is the reason of Arjun's anger in office and on Rashi, it is Arohi who can make him calm.
At 2:17am, Arjun Punj entered back his home with an extremely worn-out face only to come face to face with Arohi who was sleeping down on sofa. Probably, she was waiting for him. He wondered but then the next second, his thoughts were bounded by his own irrational thinking. "It's her regret...It's a paying off...She is just feeling responsible" He convinced himself, tearing his eyes off her with hard efforts before moving away towards stairs.
First he went in to check on Rashi but found the door locked. "I had disappointed her too..." He fell deep into self pity. For the first time, he was feeling himself this wrecked. His legs give away feeling exhausted and he landed on bed right away. Two tears rolled down his face before he nuzzled into his pillow to cry himself to sleep after a long time.
Arohi's hazy eyes opened up just to see the earlier opened door close. She sit straight and looked at the time. 4:47 it said. "Is Arjun back home?" Getting up after correcting her dress, she went up as quickly as her feet could take. Without knocking at the door, she entered his room just to find him sleeping in a dishevel manner. The coat was thrown carelessly down on floor and his attire from office was still worn by him. His hairs were messy as if he had disturbed them too much today. Her heart goes out to him on seeing the tear traces. She wanted to just wake him up right away and tell him that he has misunderstood it all. That he has mistaken her sincerity but she just couldn't do it knowing how weary he must be feeling. "In the morning, I will tell you Arjun...will tell you..." She murmured while pushing the few hairs off his face before pulling the comforter after his body. Setting the AC temperature, she left the room after giving him a last glance.
Next: Same as earlier :P
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Edited by ..oneOone.. - 10 years ago
Anupamaa
