12. Cross road
Your name is a splinter inside me; a thorn stuck so deep and a scar so raw and red. Like an open wound never managing to heal.
*****
She wanted him to notice that something was wrong with her and at the same time leave the hell her alone. Feelings were more paradoxical and less fun to deal with.
*****
"Where are you off to?" Arnav asks NK, dangling car keys in front of him. NK, Arnav's cousin, was a distant echo of the older man. NK's dimples deepens.
"Khushi needs to buy stuff. So I am taking her out to buy stuff. For the you know...stuff happening tonight?" His eyes are dancing in amusement.
Arnav fails to see one.
"My driver will take you two. You aren't equipped to drive on Indian roads NK," Arnav pockets the keys. He studiously ignores Khushi who is standing only few steps behind NK.
"Arnav, I think I will be fine driving here given how this isn't my first time. Now hand me the keys," NK said making 'gimme' hands at Arnav.
Arnav stares at NK and past his shoulder at Khushi who has finally looks up after having a silent conversation with her shoes. "Don't take unnecessary risks while you are spending your vacation here NK." He swallows noisily when he notices Khushi's glare.
Something heavy like steel settles in his stomach, seeing NK and Khushi together. Its way worse than the first time he saw the two laughing and dissolved in smiles. It had then felt like an unsigned betrayal but now it feels like misery has shrouded his heart and continues to claws through it everytime he as much
as takes a look at her.
He holds up his hand when NK opens his mouth to argue, eyebrows scrunched and annoyed at his cousin's blatant rejection to let him to things his way. "Just...drive safe and..." Arnav waved his hand in Khushi's general direction as if his hand gesture could be translated to 'keep her safe'.
He cannnot decipher the look in her eyes when he throws the keys at NK who catches it deftully with a cheer.
Lavanya chooses that moment to come and swiftly smacks a kiss on his cheek. Arnav turns and smiles at her - all teeth, lacking the humane element a smile demands and snakes an arm around her waist.
An established couple on one side and a slow-burn to couple-dom on the other. A part of couple on each side hover over the invisible boundaries - pushing, pulling...embracing.
It seems like they have reached yet another stalemate in this endless game of chess with hearts and minds as board and checkers.
He knew then, that, two people in this game would get irrevocably hurt and heartbroken. He prayed to the dieties his grandmother and his sister prayed to that he wouldn't be one of those two.
And added a prayer that neither would she be.
Edited by greenteaholic - 10 years ago