Yash stomped out of the office angrier than he had ever been in his life. Out of all the things he expected, what just happened in that office didn't even come near it! Just yesterday Yash was confessing to his best friend about how much he loved her. He'd guessed that she wouldn't take her father's rejection very well but for Aarti to flat out lie and turn her back on him like that. How could she do this to him?
Why she couldn't see that her father was just using her, Yash thought getting into the passenger side of the car slamming the door with all his might. Sameer looked like he wanted to say something but Yash gave him a glare that told him he didn't want to hear anything Sameer had to say. He felt so stupid, so betrayed, and so hurt. How could she have been so cruel? How could he allow himself to be used like that? He wanted to hit something so bad, to smash his fist over and over again till he didn't have the strength to lift it for another punch.
When they arrived he jumped out of the car and raced up to his apartment before the car came to a complete stop. "Whoa man, Yash, just take a minute to calm down!" Sameer called after him. Yash scoffed to himself.
"Calm down, how the hell can I calm down?" He spat throwing and stuffing his clothes into suitcases. He had to get out of this horrible town as soon as possible. He didn't want to spend another night in the same town as those two.
"Maybe you should try talking to her again," Sameer offered leaning against the door of his bedroom. Been there and tried that, Yash thought bitterly. She ignored him and only talked to him to beg him to spare her father the inconvenience and discomfort of a lawsuit.
"You know what Sameer; I don't want to see her ever again much less talk to her. She stabbed me in the back and made me look like an idiot," Yash said angrily zipping up the suitcases. He felt just like that, a complete idiot. "She obviously prefers his company before mine! I begged her, man; I practically fell to my knees and begged," Yash shouted throwing one of the suitcases to the living room. It barely missed Sameer and knocked into a lamp which proceeded to be shattered against the floor.
"I know you did," Sameer said quickly entering in the bedroom looking to the mess of lamp on the floor.
"Stupid woman, I never gave anyone what I gave her! Many women wanted me like she had me," Yash shouted throwing a second suit case to the living room. "How did she repay me? By embarrassing and rejecting me! Did you see his face, that freaking smug look on his ugly face," Yash shouted again turning and punching a hole into the wall, reliving the haunting memory. He leaned against the wall hurting more than he had ever hurt in his life.
She was right about one thing; he really didn't love her anymore. He could never love someone as traitorous as her. He even doubted love existed, honestly. Everything he had seen today told him otherwise. Sameer patted him on the back in attempt to comfort him. "Let's get you out of here," his friend told him with a flat tone. Yash nodded mutely and let Sameer guide him out of the apartment. Mansi was coming up the steps just as they left the door.
She rushed up to Yash and gave him a firm hug, surprising him. "I am so sorry Yash! I really am," she said with a down fallen face. He attempted to give her a smile but only the corners of his mouth managed to turn upward.
"Thanks Mansi but you don't need to be apologizing for anything," he told her sadly. Mansi scrunched her face into a worried concerned face looking like she wanted to say something but Yash knew all too well, there was nothing anyone could say to fix this mess. "I will wait for you in the car," he told Sameer giving his friend a chance to talk to Mansi before they left.
He lugged his suitcases down the cement steps to the car, and brutally tossed them into the trunk of his car. He glanced up at Sameer and Mansi and watched them talk in hushed voices, leaning in towards each other so much that their foreheads were touching. Yash felt the ache of longing and envy that was enough to nearly knock him to his knees. Why couldn't Aarti have chosen him? He'd never ask her to do the things that twisted excuse of a father she had made her do.
Why? Wasn't he good enough? Yash looked away from the couple unable to take the pain it caused watching them and got into the car. He closed his eyes leaning against the seat taking slow deep breaths trying his best to will away all these horrible feelings he was feeling. He would rather feel nothing than this!
Back in Nevada, Yash sat on the sofa and took a long drink from the nearly empty whiskey bottle. He spent nearly all of the week since his return in complete drunkenness. It was the only time he felt nothing and that's exactly how he wanted to feel. Life seemed to have lost all its colour and he didn't see the point in anything anymore.
This wasn't how it was supposed to work, he thought bitterly. She was supposed to love him back and they were supposed to get married, have children, and grow old together. He sighed and took another long drink from the bottle. Maybe he was wrong, maybe there was no happy endings after all, maybe those were just lies to keep people forming relationships and thus continuing the mess that is known as the human species.
Someone knocked on his door, but he ignored it, taking yet another drink. He didn't want to talk anyone at all he just wanted to sit there and drink; he didn't care what other people thought about it. He just wanted all of them to leave him alone! He scowled as the door opened. Seems that was the one thing people couldn't do, leave him the hell alone and stay drunk in peace. He grimaced as he glanced up at the woman standing in front of him. Why the hell did she come here? "Yashu, you shouldn't be doing this to yourself baby," she told him and sat down next to him wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She pulled him close to her in a warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against her shoulder feeling some of the pain ease.
"She must really be something," the woman added combing his hair with her fingers and he scowled.
"Please maa, don't mention her, she is nothing," he slurred and pulled away to take another drink but she took the bottle out of his hand.
"No more of that young man, I can't stand to see you like this Yash," she told him sternly.
"Well then don't look! I'm old enough to do what I want! If you've come to lecture me then you can leave my room now," he snapped and reached for the bottle.
"Yash, I want you to stop this! I know you're hurting and hurting badly but becoming a drunk isn't going to help anything," his mother scolded him.
"What do you know about hurting, maa? You and Dad are the happy little couple," he sneered as he tried to grab the bottle but in his drunkenness she managed to keep it easily out of reach.
"Yash Schindia!, just because I'm happily married now, doesn't mean that I don't know what heartbreak is. Now get yourself sobered up and take a shower because you smell horrible for GOD's sake! Now when you're ready, your father still has the CFO position open up for you. I know you don't want to work for your father but you need something to help keep your mind off of that woman," she told him, getting directly to the point like always. She was right in everything, though he wasn't ready to admit it openly just yet.
"Now go on get yourself into the bathroom and get yourself cleaned up. I will go make you some lunch and see if we can get you sobered up some," she ordered him and Yash frowned at her.
"I am a grown up man, I don't need you to baby sit me maa," he snapped standing up but tripped over his own feet as he tried to take a step.
"Oh, I can see that," she replied tartly with her hands on her hips before walking over and helping him up. Yash continued to complain as she helped him into the bathroom. She sat him down on the closed toilet seat as she started the shower. "Now be careful I don't want to lose you because you broke your neck," she scolded him before leaving. He scowled at the closed door as he removed his clothing with extreme difficulty.
Stepping under the hot water, his foggy head started to clear. As he cleaned away the dirt and grime Yash grew resolved to end his self pity right there. He wasn't going to let that woman destroy him, NO, he was stronger than that. As he got out of the shower feeling more sober, Yash decided that Aarti couldn't have been that special as he thought her to be. She was just probably like a million other women, he would find another one in mere seconds, just like that. The one thing he never had problems with was, finding someone to keep him warm, cosy and wanted. A smug smile almost painted itself across his face. The once playboy Yash Schindia was coming back.
Walking out of his bedroom in all neat looking, fresh and in clean clothing, Yash was feeling much better and he smiled a more authentically at his mother who handed him a cup of coffee. "Now that is much better Yashu," she told him returning his smile.
"Thank you maa," he told her before taking a cautious drink of the hot coffee. "You're right about everything. I can't keep doing this and I promise I won't be drowning myself in a bottle any more. I'll talk to dad later about taking that job," he told her and she smiled even more.
That night Yash entered the club where he first met Aarti. He walked up to the bar, greeting the bartender and ordering himself a drink. Yash was a little disappointed when Sameer refused to come with him, he seemed to think it was a bad idea that Yash wanted to go. He wasn't sure why his friend thought so; in fact he had expected Sameer to be thrilled.
The bartender handed Yash his drink and he thanked the man taking a drink scanning the crowd at the bar. There were several women there, many were quite attractive but he didn't feel motivated to talk to any of them. Just when he started to think that maybe it wasn't such a great idea, a brunette walked up to him. With a coy smile on her brightly painted lips and her fingers twirling her hair, she leaned towards him just enough.
"Hello sexy," he said seductively, "care to dance with me?" He asked her and her smile grew.
"More than anything," she gushed in desperation. Yash took her small tanned hand in his leading her to the dance floor, noticing her touch did nothing like Aarti's had done. The brunette pushed and grinded her body against his as they moved to the music but Yash couldn't help but start to compare every little aspect of hers against Aarti's. Frustrated with himself, he leaned down capturing the woman's lips in an angry kiss.
The brunette quickly responded his kiss sloppily, her hands roaming along his body. Yash felt disappointment as the kiss didn't produce the desired effect in him and once more found himself comparing her to Aarti. Clenching his jaw in frustration, he forced any and all thoughts of Aarti Dubey out of his head. "How about we take this party somewhere else," he asked the brunette once their messy kiss had ended. He was determined to forget Aarti, no matter what it took. The brunette purred grinding herself against him more.
"I'd party with you anywhere gorgeous," she replied and Yash forced a smile on his face as he led her out of the club.
Yash got up from his bed all alone with a scowl on his face as he walked towards the bathroom to shower and wash the brunette's cheap lipstick and perfume off his body. Last night's incident played in his head. He remembered the brunette kissing and rubbing her body against his, but her every action transported him to Aarti. "Damn! That wretched woman will never leave me in peace", cursed Yash. He remembered pushing the disappointed brunette away from entering his house. The disappointment look on the brunette's face made him feel extremely guilty. He gently lied to her saying he wasn't feeling well and told her to go home. GOD! There had to be a woman that could make him feel like he did when he was with Aarti...there just got to be someone!
Even if he had to date or hang around with every single woman that came along his path, then so be it. Aarti was nothing special...nothing at all, he told himself again as he got out of the shower and dressing. Yash quietly then snuck out of his room thanking GOD that his parents didn't see him last night and the fact that he didn't tell the brunette anything about himself, there was no way he would be seeing her again, ever!
Yash went to the club every week alone, because Sameer refused every single time to accompany him. Apparently he and Mansi had become something serious; he flew to Red Banks every weekend to be with her. Yash was happy for his friend but he was also filled with envy.
It had been six months since Aarti had thrown him aside but Yash managed to keep himself busy, so he would think about her as little as possible. "See you later sexy," Yash told the brunette before giving her a quick kiss good bye. He couldn't seem to remember her name, seemed like it ended in I. Priti, Rathi, or maybe Keerthi, he thought then shrugged, he really didn't care what her name was.
He walked over to where his friend was waiting for him. Sameer shook his head at Yash with a look of disapproval on his face. "When are you going to stop?" Sameer insisted and Yash looked at him confused. "The women, Yash. This isn't you!" Sameer told him, his look of disapproval growing. "I know that Aarti really hurt you," he started but Yash grabbed him violently and slammed him against the side of the building.
"Don't," he warned his friend. "Don't you ever say her name to me again, do you hear me! You know nuts about me Sameer, got it," Yash snapped at his friend. Sameer looked at him with surprise.
"I know a lot more about you than you think Yash, and we both know this player act of yours isn't you," Sameer shot back pushing Yash off of him. "I am just trying to help you. That's what friends do," he added with bitterness in his voice fixing his clothes where Yash had mussed them. "Since clearly you don't want my help, I will just keep my mouth shut. Anyways, I have to go pick up Mansi from the airport," Sameer told him once he finished.
"Mansi is coming to Nevada?" Yash asked surprised. It was the first time he had heard anything about it.
"Actually she's moving up here. I've asked her to move in with me," Sameer replied, smiling.
"So things are getting serious?" Yash asked with a smile that Sameer returned happily.
"Yeah, I've asked her to marry me," Sameer told him happily. Yash had to admit he was a bit surprised; Sameer was the one that always insisted he would never settle down with just one woman.
"That's great man. Mansi is an awesome woman," Yash told him honestly. Sameer thanked him then they said good-byes and Yash had completely forgotten about their previous disagreement.
That afternoon at Mansi's insistence Yash had lunch with Sameer and her, surprisingly he actually enjoyed himself. She was incredibly cheerful and it was extremely contagious. Yash found himself laughing and smiling like he used to and so easily. The mood only darkened when she had forgotten herself and started to mention Aarti. Mansi quickly caught herself before saying her name and replacing it with "a friend" but Yash knew she was talking about Aarti. Not wanting to ruin her first day in town, he kept a smile plastered on his face and the general appearance of not having caught on to anything.
As they stood up from their table about to leave, the little "pain" Yash cringed very visibly as the nasally high toned voice called his name. "I didn't expect to see you here, Yashu" the brunette from before stated as she walked up to them. Yash groaned inwardly, he never introduced any of his "touch and go" girls to anyone but Sameer, and that was only if they had accidently run into each other.
Mansi raised one eyebrow at him and Yash felt embarrassed for Mansi to see another woman by his side and that in turned made him angry. He was a single man, he could be seen with any woman he chose, he thought heatedly. "Hi Sameer," the brunette squeaked to his friend that gave Mansi a suspicious look. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly.
"This is my fiancee," Sameer replied with a hint of irritation.
"I am Mansi and you are?" Mansi shot with the same hint of irritation.
"I am Nidhi," the brunette replied with a cheerful tone. Ahh...Nidhi, Yash repeated silently, he knew it ended with a I. He suddenly draped his arm across the brunette's shoulders bringing her closer to him.
"She is my girlfriend," he told Mansi wanting to prove that he had moved on from Aarti and didn't miss or need her at all. The brunette gave a soft squeal wrapping her arms around him with a huge grin, obviously thinking they had officially become a couple. He would worry about that later, he thought watching as Mansi gave the woman a quick once over. It was clear that Mansi didn't like what she saw.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Nidhi," Mansi told her with sarcasm dripping from her voice.
"Well we got to go," Yash announced pulling the brunette along with him.
"Oh Yashu, I can't believe you finally said it, this was the first time! I was starting to wonder just how you saw our relationship but now I know. I am so glad we have gone on to the next level," The brunette started and Yash frowned slightly. Great, he thought bitterly as she continued to ramble on and on saying the words "Now that I am officially your girlfriend," at least a million times.
"I so need to call my parents, now that I am officially your girlfriend and you should call yours," she announced. Like hell, Yash thought but he didn't say anything. "Oh my gosh," She suddenly stated nearly shouting stopping in her tracks. "I have never met your parents! We should set up a lunch date or something! Call them Yashu, and let set something up for tomorrow" she demanded.
"No," he snapped harshly and she looked at him confused. "There is no way in hell I am going to have you meet my parents, nor do I have any intention of ever meeting yours," he told her bluntly losing his patience finally.
"But Yashu," she started and he scowled. "You said," she began to say but he cut her off.
"I lied, okay. I lied, don't you get it woman, I am using you like I have used so many others," he told her straight; knowing he was being hurtful but he simply couldn't take it anymore. Ignoring the pained look on her face he walked away leaving her standing there. This was all her fault, Yash thought bitterly. How was it possible that six months later and so much distance between them, Aarti still managed to screw with his life? Damn you woman, how I hate her, he cursed silently.
That night no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't sleep, his mood fouler than it had been in a long time. He got up from the bed walking to the kitchen grabbing a beer from the fridge. Taking a long drink he once more cursed Aarti, and proclaiming her to be the root of all his problems. He finished the bottle quickly and grabbed another finishing it off just as quickly only to grab another.
Drunkenly he stumbled back towards his bed room, feeling haunted by memories he had fought hard to bury. In the back of his dresser he grabbed a well hidden pillow case and sitting on the bed, he buried his nose in the cloth smelling the painfully pleasant scent that lingered there after all these months. Longing, need, and desire filled him as he asked silently why did she do this to him, and why couldn't she love him back? Lone tears start escaping from his eyes, moisten the pillow case.
All the carefully guarded pain and rejection came running back to the surface so strongly he felt crippled by it. Yash clenched his jaw feeling himself grow angry remembering that day, forcing all the unwanted feelings away from him and focused slowly on his anger and indignation. He wouldn't allow her to do this to him again, he wouldn't...Yash vowed as he got up from the bed quickly making him become a little dizzy in his drunken state.
He stumbled over to the dresser stuffing the pillow case back where he had found it, telling himself he should just throw it away instead. "Damn you, damn you to hell, I will never forget nor forgive what you have done! I HATE YOU AARTI DUBEY!" He swore loudly.
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
