ArShi OS: Love in Denial

"What the-"

This house was getting worse day by day. He had always known that his family was crazy but with one new member adding on to the family he was sure things had finally gotten out of his hands.

He had a tough and tiring day. With new deals coming in everyday, he was not getting any time for anything else to do. He would only be back home after 12 when everyone would have already retired to their respective rooms.

At that time all he wanted to do was fall off to a deep slumber and not wake up for another 14 hours at the least. But a certain someone' had not let him sleep a wink since she had entered his house.

No, she didn't bother him directly but her presence was his undoing. It was difficult to have her around and yet act like she was not here.

Now that he thought of it, he couldn't even remember what came over him that he had ever even thought of becoming her friend.

Ofcourse, he had liked spending time with her eventually leading them to share their deepest and darkest secrets but then she had started liking him. He didn't have a problem with that. Liking people was something natural, something no one could stop even if they wanted to.

What he had actually disliked was her continuously sticking to him. She had just refused to leave him alone irritating him further.

He had finally yelled at her and told her to stay away from him if she couldn't stop liking him and that is exactly what she had done.

Her last words of parting still echoed in his ears. That was the last time she had spoken to him and everytime he would close his eyes, the guilt of driving his best friend away from him killing his inside out.

"I love you Arnav and if keeping myself away from you would stop you from hating me, then I will never hesitate to do that. Goodbye."

That was what she had said. His selfless Khushi. She had not even thought about herself even after he had yelled at her, it was him she was thinking about. He wanted her to go away and so she did that. She went away.

He had not seen her for 7 months. Only she knew where she was. Her family had refused to tell him about her whereabouts but then even he was Arnav Singh Raizada. He had eventually found her at her old home in Lucknow.

He had gone to get her back but she had refused to come back saying she had promised her best friend to never come back and she would keep her promise.

He had gone back home and told his family about his encounter with Khushi. Everyone had been extremely disappointed with him and his behavior and so they had personally gone to her and asked her to come back but she had been stubborn and said she wouldn't come back.

But his family was also no less, they had blackmailed her to come back with them or they would disown her as their daughter'.

Yes, that was what she was, their daughter. She had them all wrapped around her little finger since the day he had introduced her as his friend.

They had always given her more preference than him. Pampered her more than he had ever been.

So she had finally given in and come back to stay with them for some time. She would only come out of her room when she was sure he was gone to office, never giving him a chance to explain himself or ask for forgiveness.

He had tried speaking to her but she had blatantly refused. She had maintained her distance and would always go away when he would come to the same room as her.

He hated himself more and more everytime he saw the lost look in her eyes. She had stopped smiling, or even if she did, it was never around him.

Now, here he was, standing near the entrance of his house, shocked to see all the family members standing in a line with party caps on their heads and whistles in their mouth as they shouted in chorus "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARNAV".

It was his birthday today? What? How did he not remember? And what new drama had his family come up with?

"What are you guys upto?" he asked, perplexed.

"Its your birthday, Arnav and we want to celebrate it with you." his sister said, caressing his cheeks lovingly.

"Di, have I ever celebrated my birthday?" he asked.

"No, you haven't. But you will, this year." Came Nani's quick reply as if expecting this question already.

"Exacly Nani, I haven't celebrated my birthday till date and I wont celebrate it today also." He said and started walking away when he heard Di's voice.

"She will be hurt Arnav." It was as low as a whisper but he could clearly make out what she had said and stopped dead on his tracks. She? Is di talking about-?

"Khushi." Di answered his unasked question.

"Yes, Khushi organized this party for you." NK completed.

"Where is she?" was all he could ask.

"She is not going to come out Arnav and you know that." Mami intervened.

"Then why did she do this?" was his next question.

"Because she loves you. And because she would do anything for you and your happiness."

"But I don't love her Di. She was, is and will always be just my friend. I can never think of her in that way."

"That's her problem Arnav. Its her fault that she fell in love with a guy like you then. Its her fault that she likes a guy who is still in denial that he doesn't love her because clearly I can see you dying every single moment in your life. Killing yourself piece by piece for hurting your best friend. Hurting-"

"Di, stop it. Just stop it right now. I don't love her and we are not having this conversation ever again." Arnav cut off his di not being able to face the reality.

He was scared. Of what? Even he didn't know. But there was something stopping him from facing the reality, the truth. He loved her. Somewhere deep down he knew that but he was not ready to accept it.

Walking up the stairs he suddenly stopped when he heard a sob from somewhere upstairs. He looked up only to see the one person he never wanted to hear anything that he had just said.

Khushi stood there as tears continuously rolled down her cheeks before a sob left her mouth and she instantly covered her mouth so he would not here but it was too late. He had already looked up and straight into her eyes.

But before she could get lost in those molten brown eyes or before he could even say a word she ran upstairs, into her room and banged close the door.

She locked the door and turned around as she finally let go off the pain that ran deep inside her heart. She let go off the self-created boundary as her knees finally gave in and she slid down on the floor with the door being her support.

She could hear the family banging on the door but she could only care less. She didn't have it in her anymore to look like it didn't matter to her that her best friend hated her. She could not keep up with the facade anymore.

She broke down that night, not being able to bear his hatred, those words he had spoken to her. He had called her a desperate only because she had wanted to spend time with him.

He had asked her to go away from him and she went away then why did he get her back? To hurt her some more?

No, she would not let him do that. He had already hurt her enough and now she would do what was best for her. Walk away. She would go away from here and make sure that he would never be able to find her again.

Making up her mind she walked towards the closet and silently packed her bags as tears fell out of her eyes, breaking her piece by piece, minute by minute.

It was 3am when Khushi walked out of the house. Not wanting anyone to know so they could stop her, she had silently left a note in her room saying she was leaving and would not be coming back.

She walked on the empty streets of Delhi, aimlessly. She was too tired, mentally and physically. All the crying and thinking was taking a toll on her.

She had only walked for half an hour when she felt her eyes giving up and her body swaying from one side to another. Before she knew it, her eyes had closed and she had finally fallen on the ground, unconscious.

Arnav, on the other side was feeling very uneasy. As if the encounter with Khushi earlier was not bad enough that he could suddenly feel himself getting restless by each passing minute.

He didn't know what was bothering him but there was something that was not right, his heart told him that something was wrong.

Hastily getting up, he walked towards Khushi's room to check on her but what he saw shocked him.

The door was ajar and the room was empty with a white paper on the table. Walking towards it, he opened it and read the contents of the paper as a sudden scare creeped into his heart.

He was suddenly feeling scared. Scared that something might have happened to his Khushi and if that was true, he was the only person responsible for it.

If something had happened to Khushi, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Not letting more bad thoughts to come into his head, he ran out of the house onto the main road as tears came out of his eyes.

His love. His Khushi was in danger and he could do nothing about it.

He loved her and he could not deny it anymore. He could not hide it anymore. He wanted her in his life and he would not let anything stop him from doing that.

He ran for a while before he saw a crowd of people hovering around something as his heart started beating louder and louder. And suddenly he knew she was here.

He ran towards the crowd, pushing them away as he came to a halt in front of the unconscious body. He slowly walked towards her and was right next to her when his knees gave away and he fell on the ground, next to her with a thud.

Looking at her lifeless body he could feel his own body going numb.

But this was not the time to become a Bollywood actor, it was time to act like a smart person. His love needed help, she needed medical care.

He hastily got up picking her up in his arms as someone helped him to get her to the hospital.

The doctors had checked her up and had said that she was still unconscious and would need some time to wake up.

Arnav, in the mean time went and sat on the stool next to her and held her hand tightly in his.

"Khushi, please wake up. Please, please don't do this to me. Please don't punish me like this. I am so sorry. So sorry for everything I said. I never meant any of it. I love you Khushi, so much. I just didn't have it in me to tell you. I am a coward Khushi and you deserve someone so much better in your life. I cant keep you happy. I am a workaholic and get angry so fast. Khushi, how will I keep you happy? How will I give you what you deserve? I am so sorry Khushi. Please. I love you Khushi. Just come back to me and I promise I will do anything you say." He cried when he felt a drop of tear fall on his hand.

He looked up and saw Khushi looking at him with tears running down her cheeks. He could not bear to see them anymore and so he hugged her tightly, trying to soothe both his and her pain.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Khushi say something near his ear.

"Anything?" she asked as he looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"Will you do anything I say?" she answered his unasked question.

"Anything." Came the instant reply.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Just say it Khushi and it will be yours."

"You cant back out later, Arnav."

"I would never do that."

"Marry me." Was all she said as he looked at her in shock.

"Khu-? How? Don't do this to yourself Khushi. You would regret it all your life."

"I could never do that Arnav. All I have ever wanted is you and all I would ever want will be you. Just marry me and let the rest of the things come on its own. Just embrace what you get right now Arnav and things would automatically fall in its place. Please? Give me a chance? Give US a chance?" she cried

He looked at her, the strength she had. The trust she had on them. How could he let go off this. He had to do it. Embrace what he was being given at that moment and he knew this would be his most prized possession.

"Yes. I will marry you, Khushi." He said with utmost care and love seeping out of his eyes and words.

He got up from his place as he sat next to her and was immediately caught in a tight hug as happy tears finally fell from both their eyes.

"I love you Arnav."

"I love you Khushi."

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So? How was it? Too filmy?

Do tell me what you think of it!😊