ILWTCBB -TaaReyFF: Link To Second Thread - Page 31

"It's horrible you know," he says after a prolonged second.

I snap my head up. "What?"

"The way everyone expects everything to be okay, and no-body really knows how another person feels. We can try all we want to understand what the other person is going through, but we just can't. We don't know the feeling until we've been through it ourselves," Rey doesn't even look at me. "My dad...well he was always away for 'business'. Sometimes, it really was for business. Most of the time though, he was off to see one of his mistresses, and everyone knew it." His tone is slightly better.

I held my breath, not wanting to say or do anything that might make him clam up again. I can't believe he is confiding in me, of all people.

Rey continues, "He was never home, and when he was, he just locked himself up in his office all day. My mom turned a blind eye to all his...indiscretions, mainly because she didn't want to lose her status as Yuvraj Singhania's wife, but also because she really does love him. Or did. I don't know."

He stares out the window, an unusually melancholy expression on his face."So after a while, my dad got bolder and bolder, and he even started to bring his mistresses home. I walked in on them a couple of times, you know. The first time was when I was seven. I was so young, I wasn't exactly sure what it meant, so I ran to my mom. She slapped me-"

At this, I let out a quiet but still audible gasp. His mom had slapped her seven-year-old son? For telling her, her husband was cheating on her? What kind of mother was she?

"-and told me to never speak of it again." Obviously, Rey caught the horrified look on my face, because he quickly adds, "I know what you're thinking, but it's not like that. My mom was a fairly good parent, certainly a lot better than my dad, but he just drove her over the edge. She started taking pills, anti-depressants, and then added alcohol to that mix. She's usually boozed or drugged, so I can't really blame her for taking her frustration out on me. After a while, she just kinda stopped coming home. I mean, she would but just really late. My dad sends her over to Europe to stay at one of our other homes to keep her out of the limelight. Being an alcoholic is apparently more shameful than cheating." Rey's tone grows bitter.

I swallow, not sure what to say. He looks so vulnerable. It is the first time. I've ever seen him this way. I would be lying if I say it didn't tug my heartstrings.

"God, you must think this is just another poor little rich boy story." The melancholy expression is wiped off Rey's face when he turns to look at me. "I don't even know why I'm telling all of this to you, but..." He takes another deep breath and runs his fingers through his hair. "It feels kind of good to take it off my chest.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, wishing I could say something to make him feel better. I feel so bad. Atleast I still had my dad. Rey, though, didn't have either of his parents, at least not in the figurative sense.

Without thinking, I walk over and wrap my arms around him. He immediately tenses up.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you a hug."

"I don't need a hug." Apparently, the stony facade is back in place. "And if you tell anyone what I just said, I'll kill you."

I'm not even fazed. "Shut up, and just let me hug you, you idiot. Everyone needs one sometimes chuha. It's the universal medicine."

Rey remains tense for a few more moments, but then I feel him relax the tiniest bit. He shifts his weight, and for a second I think he's going to push me off, but he pulls me down so that I'm sharing the chair with him.

He slowly, hesitating, returns my hug, burying his face in the crook of my neck like a little kid.

I close my eyes, and rest my chin on his broad shoulders, trying to ignore the trill that runs through me when I feel his strong muscles through his thin t-shirt.

"you smell good," he mumbles into my neck.

My eyes widen in shock, but I can't help but laugh a little. Who knew that behind this whole bad boy persona lay a little kid. "You smell good, too," I mummer.

We don't say anything else, just sit there and hold each other. I'm not sure how long we stayed like that for. The night took a toll on me and I soon drift off into a deep sleep, so I don't feel Rey lift me up and gently tucks me into bed.

From that night onwards, I think it's safe to say me and Rey were no longer enemies. We were more of, let's say, acquaintances?

I sit on my bed, exhausted from the heavy day at college. Is there anyways I can just drop out? Maybe I can just like pretend to break my leg and get excused.

I hear the doorbell ring. Too tired to open the door, I shout. "Kaka, please go see who it is."

"Taaani," I hear dad's voice come from downstairs and a huge smile makes its way on my face. "Look who I have here."

I jump up from my bed and run downstairs, eager to see my surprise. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I see my surprise and go flying into his arms.

"Uday, I missed you so much." I feel Uday tighten his grip on my waist. "I missed you too sweetheart."

"Okay Okay, love birds. Save your romance for later. Come Uday, there is someone I want you to meet." I blush and un-wrap my arms from around Uday.

"Reyaansh." Rey jogs downstairs in track pants and a T-shirt.

"Yes uncle?" I see a shocked expression paint itself on my dad's face. I can't help but let out a muffled laugh. Rey looks at me and smirk. My dad regains his composure.

"Uhm Reyaansh beta, I want you to meet Udayvir Malhotra, Swayam's friend and Taani's boyfriend." Rey looks at me and I see the confusion in his eyes. The confusion in his eyes confuses me so I just nod my head. "And Uday, this is Reyaansh Singhania, one of my best friend's son. "

Rey says hi and shakes hand and without saying or even looking at me, he turns around and walks back up the stairs, into his room.

"Well then." Uday turns to my dad and my dad nods. He walks up the stairs and into his bedroom.

"So, Ms. Taani Shekhawat, you were saying you missed me? Well, can I know how much you missed me?" I blush at his words.

I shake my head, and turn around to walk into the kitchen. Before I can take a step, I feel Uday wrap his arms around my waist, and pull me into his chest. He brings his face into the crook of my neck. This would usually cause me to shiver and breathe heavily but today all it reminded me of was that night in Rey's room.

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I decide to enjoy the moment. After a while, I turn around to face Uday. "So tonight be ready by 7 okay?"

He leaves me and turns around and walks to the door. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He winks at me and leaves. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, it was a short update but it's one day early so be happy. 😃

I'm actually getting disappointed with the number of comments I am getting on this ff. I love writing this story, I really do, but if I don't get a good response then I might actually discontinue this ff. Sorry, I don't mean to hurt anyone.

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Chapter 7