Kyunki spin-off : Kyunki rishton ke bhi roop badalte hain
ICE REMOVED 20.3
Akshay Khanna Fa9La vs Ranveer Singh Didi Didi
GANGOR INVITE 21.3
Eid Mubarak
S S Rajamouli posts on Dhurandhar!!!
Why couldn't Genelia make it big?
CHAPTER 12
It had been a week since Aarti said those things in her father's office and Yash returned to Nevada. She entered in her empty house and tossed the keys as was her custom. She took off her heels and pushed them under the table. She looked over to the couch and remembered the day Yash came over for lunch.
She felt tears well up in her eyes and her heart ached. She wanted him gone that day more than anything. She wanted things to go back the way they were, now she had just that. In the diner no one whispered or snickered at her any more like she had wanted but now everyone looked at her with disapproval, concern, or pity. Aarti wasn't sure which look she hated most.
No one tried to talk to her and ignored her when possible but instead of simply not seeing her as they used to, they hated her. Arpita accused Aarti being a traitorous brown nosing douche bag when she had heard of what had happened, except Arpita had used much more colourful language. Even Ram Dulare, the biggest goody two shoes had started looking down on her and snubbing any conversation with her.
Aarti wiped a tear from her cheek and turned away from the couch. Out of all those people in the club why did Yash have to dance with her, and why out of all the companies in the country did he have to work for her father? Why did he care for her when she was the one person in this world that wasn't made to live like everyone else because as she had proven time and again, she could only screw things up! Aarti was sure it was some kind of defect at birth she had that made a simple thing impossible.
Mansi still wasn't speaking to her and the house seemed to be haunting her. She trudged towards the kitchen to start dinner but only threw it out when she was finished. She wasn't able to stomach anything despite her hunger, her stomach clenched on itself and threatened to reject anything she would eat.
Aarti asked herself for the millionth time, if she did the right thing lying to Yash like that and if it was then why did she feel so awful. She let out a loud sigh to break the silence as she dragged her feet towards the bathroom. She slowly took off the clothing staring at her reflection as if she expected it to tell her what she needed to hear but of course it only mimicked her movements. Scowling at her reflection she turned on the shower and stepped under the steaming hot water trying to ease the stress that attacked her body ignoring the fact the water had scalded her skin pink.
She stepped out of the shower once the water had gone cold and wrapped herself in a yellow fluffy towel, yellow was supposed to make people feel better or so she had heard but she didn't feel better. She walked into the living room and picked up her cell phone where it laid near her keys.
She needed her friend and needed to fix things between them. Especially since it was probably the only thing she could be able to fix out of this whole mess. Her spirits rose slightly upon hearing Mansi's voice.
"I'm so sorry, Mansi! I'm sorry I said those awful things to you! I didn't mean any of them at all," she sobbed.
"Oh I know Aarti, I'm sorry too. I guess I shouldn't have been so blunt," Mansi replied.
"No, the fault is all mine Mansi. I should've known you were only trying to help," Aarti replied.
They talked for hours and Mansi thankfully didn't mention Yash or the horrible incident once. Aarti apologized during the conversation nearly a hundred times wanting to make sure she still had her best friend. Aarti really loved that crazy blonde and the thought of losing her too was enough to kill her. When the call finally did end Aarti hung up the phone with a small sad smile, at least she still did have her best friend that had to count for something!
A month passed and things with Mansi had gotten back to normal. Aarti sat in the diner waiting for Mansi to arrive. The warm summer sun felt good on her skin, and she allowed herself to enjoy the simple pleasure. She looked up to see Mansi sit down with her and Aarti felt her heart leap to her throat when the guy that was Yash's lawyer sat down beside her. The look he gave her was murderous and Aarti swore if it wasn't for Mansi he would have reached over the table and snapped her neck. Not that Aarti could blame him after what she'd done to his best friend.
"Hey Aarti, I don't think you two have ever been officially introduced. Aarti this is Sameer and Sameer this is Aarti," Mansi said clearly missing the tension between them and Sameer's face suddenly changed to a softer expression.
"H-hello," Aarti managed to croak.
"Hello Aarti," he said with a hint of ice on his voice. A teen came over to take their order and as much as Aarti tried to make up an excuse to leave, Mansi managed to worm her way around it and forced Aarti to stay. She didn't want Sameer to know she wanted to run away from him as far as possible, so she sucked it up and stayed. Mansi happily talked away, about Sameer, their relationship that appeared to might actually be something serious, or telling Sameer about work, life, and so on while Aarti tried to eat but her stomach was a nervous knot.
Every time Mansi would look away Sameer's face would harden and grow hateful and Aarti bowed her head shamefully. Her list of people who hated her was growing by the day, she thought sadly. Why did everyone hate her so much, she only did what had to be done! Why couldn't anyone see that but her!
Shortly after the run in with Sameer, Aarti decided to sell her grandmother's house. As much as she loved the house she just couldn't live there anymore. The silence was haunting her and made her think about Yash nearly constantly which made her heart break all over every time she woke up or came home from work. It took a while to sell, nearly a whole month before Dottie's daughter decided to buy the place. Aarti sold all the furniture that Becca, Dottie's daughter, and her husband didn't want, and rented a tiny apartment that was only five minute walk from work buying all new furniture. So nothing could possibly ever remind her of Yash and the time they had spent together.
Though she couldn't help but think of him on a daily basis. She hoped he didn't suffer too much because of her but then realized what a silly thought that was. Aarti was nothing special and nothing that a man like Yash could suffer over. He probably already had another girlfriend the first day he went back to Nevada, guys like him never stayed single for long.
Though the thought of him with another woman made her feel so jealous that she wanted to scream till her throat was raw but she forced herself to swallow the petty emotion. She had no right to be jealous! Yash was never hers or meant to be hers, and she shouldn't even be allowed to miss him what's more feel jealous!
Aarti stood up from her desk and picked up the papers that her father needed that morning and headed to his office. It had been three months since the incident with Yash. "You look horrible," her father stated harshly as he looked up at Aarti and she shook her head with disbelief.
"Well I'm not exactly feeling that great nor am I sleeping that well," she confessed with a little bitterness in her voice and he glared at her darkly. This man, she mentally groaned, this whole mess is his fault for making her lie like that and he still couldn't even be civil to her.
"Well when you come into work I want you looking ready for the day," he retorted and she laid the papers on his desk and sat in a chair in front of him. He gave her a confused look as she eyed him slowly and seriously, for the first time she really tried to look at him.
"Papa," she started.
"Mr. Dubey," he corrected her angrily and she frowned, he would never change.
"Papa," she repeated pointedly. "I want to talk to my father, not my boss!" Aarti snapped then sighed, leaning her head back into the chair, and glared up at the ceiling. "I am not doing so well, I don't think we acted right with Yash," she explained sadly, bringing her head forward to look at her father. His glare intensified when she mention Yash's name.
"Don't talk about that boy with me, Aarti. I am still trying to fix all that mess you made," he snapped and she sighed once more. He still blamed the whole thing on her and took no responsibility for himself! She wanted to scream, and curse, and storm out.
"Papa, if you hadn't pushed him like you did and I didn't lie like I did, you wouldn't have a mess to clean up," she snapped at him. "I know it's stupid but I…really…love him," she admitted sadly, playing with the edges of the leather chair and her father laughed a cold harsh laugh.
"You're right it is stupid Aarti. You don't know the first thing about love," he told her with cold amusement marking his face. "We did what we had to do, that is all. If you're not doing good and you don't feel well then deal with it. Stop acting like such a child and get back to work," He ordered her callously. Aarti looked at him in hurt and disbelief feeling as if he just sucker punched her to the face.
"I confess my feelings, and your answer is that I'm stupid, and I don't know what I'm talking about!" Aarti demanded. "I come to you for help…for comfort…and this is what you tell me, Grow up, deal with it and get back to work?" She asked not believing that her father would actually treat her in such a way.
"Yes Aarti, that is what I am telling you! Quit expecting me to solve all your problems for you, you're an adult woman and you deal with your own problems. Now grow up, deal with it and get to work," he told her raising his voice.
Aarti looked at the aged man before her. Her father, the man that should love and cherish her, but she saw no love or adoration in his eyes, only stone coldness and disappointment. "Oh my GOD," she said dazed with shock. "What have I done," she asked herself with horrified realization as tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. Her father looked at her with a bored expression.
"Everyone was right and I…," She started, getting up from the chair. "How could you! How could you do this to me, your daughter," Aarti shouted at him.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Aarti, but I am a busy man and I don't have time to set aside to listen to your claims for drama," he told her with a dismissive way of his hand. Aarti slammed her fists down on his desk feeling furious.
"My claims for drama??? I can't believe you papa. You've done nothing but shove in my face how inadequate I am, as your daughter and in life in general. I adored you and tried to appease you, but it's never enough!! I find one person in this damn world who is happy with me the way I am, who loved me and you wrenched him away from me," she told him and marched to the door. She threw it open and turned to look at her heartless father once more.
"I gave up everything for you, papa. My life, my happiness is ruined and all I ever wanted was for you to love me. I see now that being miserably alone is better than being with someone that does nothing but make sure I'm never happy," Aarti finished and stomped out into the lobby. She grabbed the few personal items she had and left the building with the intention of never returning.
Aarti sat the window seat staring at the sun sink slowly into the city skyline. A few snowflakes fell slowly to the street below. She always thought she'd hate big cities but in the three months she had been in Indianapolis she found she loved it. It had been four months since she had yelled at her father, realizing the big mistake she had made and the real betrayal she had committed against the people who really cared about her six long months ago. Aarti didn't talk to her father again after that day and her father didn't try to speak with her either.
She had thought about calling or going to see Yash several times. She even dialled his number countless times but quickly hung up; she was just too ashamed of herself. He probably had already moved on and didn't want to hear from or see her again. She'd betrayed him so badly the last time she saw him, that she doubted no matter what she said, he wouldn't be able to forgive her. She couldn't even forgive herself, so how could he.
Aarti sighed pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes and blinking back tears that threatened to fall. She looked at her text book opened up at her lap. She tried to go back to reading the paragraph she had read like five times and still didn't get what she really read. Her phone started to ring on the small coffee table. She sighed again grabbing it and answered the phone. "Hey how's my best girl?" Mansi asked and Aarti smiled.
"Oh fine I guess," she sighed returning her attention back to the skyline.
"That doesn't sound very convincing" Mansi stated and Aarti laughed quietly.
"That's because I am not very convinced. How are things in the casino city?" Aarti asked breathing on the window fogging it up and drawing a smiley face on the window.
"Great! I love this city. It's so alive! Sameer is wonderful, for a pretty boy he can be really sweet!" Mansi cheered and Aarti let another small smile spread across her lips. Aarti was really happy for her friend though she also felt really jealous too. She knew if she hadn't been so stupid she could've had that too. The familiar ache in her chest stung as it did the first day, and she knew it always would be there. Some wounds time simply couldn't heal.
"That's awesome Mansi. You two are really great together," Aarti told her. Mansi was silent for a moment.
"I told myself I would stay out of it but I can't resist. How come you never ask me about him? You know that he and Sameer are really close," Mansi asked finally and Aarti felt her chest tighten and the ache grew worse. She knew who Mansi was referring to, none other than Yash.
"I've thought about asking. Almost every day I think about it," she admitted honestly. "But I don't want to know," she finished sadly.
"You don't, why not?" Mansi asked with confusion in her voice.
"I know he has moved on, it's only logical, but if you tell me so, it becomes real. Real that he's forgotten me and that makes it real of the wonderful girl that has entered in his life and managed to heal all the hurt I've done. The envy would be enough to kill me!" Aarti explained blinking back the tears that wanted to fall.
"Hmm...there's a lot of assuming going on, how can you be so sure that it's like that?" Mansi asked and Aarti felt her stomach flip on itself. She cursed Mansi for being so mean.
"It's not assumption Mansi, it's how life works, now can we please change the subject." Aarti pleaded.
"Sure, how is school going, any hot guys there?" Mansi asked and Aarti could almost see her wiggling her eyebrows. After a month of moping and eating up her savings, Aarti has decided to enrol in the University of Indianapolis to do a 3 months crash course in Information Technology and get out of that horrible little town. She couldn't stand being in the same place as her father.
Aarti laughed at Mansi's choice of subject change; she had a fianc but still found time to talk about men. "I am too busy learning to take notice of guys," Aarti told her.
"Well, then there can't be any guys there that is hot, otherwise you would have noticed no matter what," Mansi teased her and Aarti rolled her eyes.
"You are a constant flirt Mansi, you're going to drive poor Sameer nuts!" Aarti scolded her friend playfully. They continued to talk for a while longer until Aarti had to finally hang up to get her reading done. She glanced out the window looking to the city draped in the early night. She smiled sadly before turning to her book but she put it down after two hours and only managed to read three pages.
Tonight she couldn't concentrate on the words on the pages, her thoughts kept going back to Yash. She couldn't help but wonder what he was doing at that exact moment or who he was with. She felt a pang of jealousy thinking of him with another woman at this very moment. She sighed again covering her face with her hands feeling pathetic and depressed. Would she ever be able to feel good again? Aarti got up off the window seat and headed towards bedroom. She might was well try to catch up on her sleep since she obviously couldn't study.
The next day Aarti didn't have any classes but decided to go to the campus library to pick up what she wasn't able to do yesterday. She looked around the large library with the walls covered with books, and book cases that towered over her. She loved this place and always felt as if she stepped into a new world. It was the only place she could feel relaxed and at peace. She sat down at her favourite table near a large window. She felt a smile sneak up on her face as the late fall morning light warmed up her skin.
"Wow Aarti Dubey smiling, now that does make it worth coming here on a Saturday morning," a man said with a playful smile sitting down in the chair in front of her. She looked up at him and rolled her eyes.
"Good morning Aman," she replied with a light sigh.
"Don't act like you don't love my company," he told her with a smug smirk and Aarti found a smile breaking across her lips.
"I don't believe I ever made such claims as not liking your company," she replied back to him.
"It was implied with that sigh you made after you said so dully "Good morning Aman." So what has my little study bunny smiling today?" Aman asked her breaking as he tucked a piece of his rebellious brown hair behind his ear and she laughed shaking her head ever so slightly at him.
"Study bunny? Hmm...that is a new one," she said with a tiny grin.
"I know, I have a way with words, that is why I am a philosophy professor you know," Aman told her with a wink. "So," he insisted. "What has got my overcast comrade actually smiling?" he repeated when she looked at him confused.
"This is my favourite place and my favourite time of day," Aarti replied with an indifferent shrug and he smiled.
"You're so peculiar Aarti," Aman replied taking off his glasses to clean them with a little cloth he always kept in his vest pocket. Aarti smiled at him knowing that was his form of a compliment.
The man was in himself peculiar as well, but that's what she liked about him. Almost all the girls she talked with thought they were having some secret love affair, but he was only a good friend to her. Shortly after meeting him, much to her surprise he did ask her out to dinner but she refused. There was only one man ever for Aarti, and she pushed him away.
"Christmas is coming up, you going anywhere?" He asked replacing his glasses then leaned over on the table and drumming his fingers softly on the large wooden table. Aarti sighed again but much louder this time. She was tired of talking about Christmas break, and it seemed like everyone asked her just that.
"Mansi keeps asking me to go to Nevada but I told her no. Seriously, how could she really ask me to do that?" Aarti told him with a scowl.
"That sounds like a great idea Aarti, why wouldn't you go?" Aman asked with apparent genuine doubt.
"Seriously, you're asking me why?" she shot back with disbelief.
"Yeah seriously," he replied mimicking her voice and she narrowed her eyes at him but a smile spread across her lips.
"Gees, lets list the many reasons why I will never step my foot into Nevada ever again! First I'd have to go see Mansi who's living with Sameer. He hates my guts now, and is best friends with Yash, which brings me with my reason number two. I could run into Yash and for reason number three I could run into his girlfriend! Fourth reason, there is no way in hell I could handle that!" Aarti listed angrily holding up her fingers as she counted.
Aman started laughing so hard that the librarian shushed him, giving him the evil eye while she mumbled something along the lines of professors should know better. Aman gave her an apologetic look then turned back to Aarti.
"Well you don't have to hang out with stick in his ass Sameer or Yashu boy or his hypothetical girlfriend. Stay in a hotel and visit your friend in neutral ground," he told her. Aarti opened her mouth then shut it as she chewed her lip in thought. That really wasn't that bad of an idea.
"I don't know," she said slowly looking towards her book.
"Well how about if I go with you? I don't have any family, as you know, and I don't have any plans yet, it is perfect. I have been dying to finally meet this girl you keep talking about. When she is busy with stick up his ass Sameer, we could go do some tourism. I heard there are some great places there." Aman explained, starting to sound excited.
Aarti grinned at the idea, it sounded like a wonderful plan and she really did miss Mansi a lot. It had been months since they had been with each other. "Plus if you happen to run into lover boy, it will give you a chance to apologize. Which whether you like it or not, you need to do Aarti, so you can start forgiving yourself and start the process of turning page," he told her giving her a serious look. Aarti's stomach clenched on itself at the idea. NO, she couldn't do that!!. There was no way she could face Yash ever again and she wasn't going to ever turn the page because there was nothing for her to turn too.
Aman gave her a questioning look and she sighed yet again. "Well, if you're going to be there…" she started, and he nodded. "I will think about it," she told him and he looked disappointed. "I swear Aman, I will honestly think about seriously going to Nevada with you," she told him and he nodded once more with a small smile. "Now what kind of professor are you that you won't even let me read this chapter that I have been trying since last night!" She playfully scolded him.
"Oh, sorry Miss, I didn't mean to interrupt!" Aman got up giving her a pat on the back. "See you later Aarti, and don't think too long," he called to her quietly and went on his way.
Four hours later, Aarti entered her apartment throwing her bag to the corner. Thanks to Aman, she still wasn't able to read that chapter. All she could think about was his plan for Nevada and whether or not to go. Despite her fear of being in the same city as Yash, no matter how big it was, she was seriously considering it.
After another few hours of silent contemplation Aarti pulled her cell out of her bag, calling Mansi as she threw herself to the couch. "Hey Aarti, what's up," Mansi answered melodically.
"Hey Mansi, that invitation still good for Christmas break?" Aarti asked and Mansi quickly and loudly told her it was. "Then I think I'll go," she said slowly. Mansi squealed so loud she had to pull the phone away from her ear.
"That is awesome!" Mansi yelled excitedly. "What finally made you change your mind?" she asked curiously.
"A friend of mine, he came up with a convincing plan. He'll be coming along too," Aarti told her.
"HE??" Mansi exclaimed and Aarti knew she had made a very bad mistake when she mentioned that her friend was a man. "You are bringing a guy with you! I thought you said you weren't going out with anyone?" Mansi asked her and Aarti cringed. Why the hell did people always assume, if a man and a woman were friends, it had to automatically mean something more than just friends?, she wondered.
"I said he was a friend, Mansi, and that is exactly what I meant...FRIEND, nothing more." Aarti told her pointedly.
"Yeah he is a boy and a friend so he is a boyfriend. Is he cute?" Mansi asked totally ignoring what Aarti had said. She shook her head; Mansi was hopeless, completely and totally hopeless.
"Mansi, he is my friend nothing more and I mean it! Seriously, Aman is like a brother to me," Aarti argued with irritation.
"Alright, alright I was just teasing...Geez, relax lady! I can't wait to see you again. I got to go, Sameer is watching some silly sports game and telling me to be quiet, talk to you later" Mansi stated and hung up. Aarti then called Aman and let him know that she'd had agreed to go to Nevada. He was almost as excited as Mansi was.
"This will be good for you Aarti, you'll see," he told her and Aarti frowned.
"Do not get any funny ideas in your head, Mister. I am going to see my friend and nothing more. Got it," she told him.
"I don't know what you're talking about Aarti Dubey, I was simply referring to the change of scenery," he told her with a confused tone but she wasn't buying it.
"Good! and it better stay that way, because I will tell you now that I am NOT going to see Yash," she told him with insistence.
Anupamaa
Members Lounge
Hindi TV Shows
Cricket
