Posted:
So on public demand, i've written a sequel to my OS Shot through the heart. if you've not read it then please do. The link is here: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3234782
The blasting music muffled up as the doors shut
with a snap. With every hasty step the noise further faded away putting
distance between her heart and the torture. Yet the pain refused to fade away
like the music, instead growing steadily inside her heart to spread in her
body. She just wanted to be numb. Wanted her heart n brain to stop working and
leave her alone.
She did not notice the eager footsteps which had steadily followed her hasty ones as she has broken into a run the moment the doors snapped shut.
"Arohi..." Her body froze as she halted in the hallway. She looked around to notice the empty halls and closed her eyes to the inevitable. Tears were streaming down her face, and she could not muster up the courage to turn around and face him. The questions... The explanations... She wished that she would open her eyes and it would all be a nightmare, the worst nightmare of her life!
He had seen her tortured face, the pain in her
eyes. When he saw her run out of the hall, he knew what he had to do.
"Arohi" he called out again. When she
refused to turn around, he went and stood in front of her, gently placing a
hand on her shoulders. Arohi opened her eyes to see the understanding in
Aryans. They said that he had pretty much figured it out, so the explanation
part was taken care of. However, she had to tell him everything, she owed him
that much.
"Aryan... I'm sorry. I should've told you before that..."
"That's ok Arohi. I can understand why you couldn't share it with me. Probably I've failed in assuring you of my love and support which did not encourage you to confess. I thought we were friends first but... "
"No Aryan. For even one moment do not think that you've done something wrong. It's all me. I should've told you, as my fianc you had the right to know. I just couldn't... " Arohi looked at the floor, her voice choking, not letting her continue.
"What is more important to me is that do you still love him?"
Arohis eyes snapped to look at him. She couldn't bear to look in his eyes and not tell the truth. Answering his question was going to take a lot of courage and she was completely emotionally drained right now.
"It doesn't matter. The truth is that he's better off without me. His father has lots of dreams for him, Too many things are riding on his shoulders. I cannot be selfish and ask him to give it all up for me." She finished hurriedly, looking down dejected, blinking away the tears which wouldn't stop.
"I see... And was this a mutual decision? Because if it's not, then you won't be able to move on Arohi, with me or anybody else. He wont let you. Because from where I'm standing, I can clearly see that you still love him and so does he..."
Arohi closed her eyes in frustration and turned around. "I TOLD YOU IT DOESN'T MATTER" She clenched her fists again to vent out the anger, the helplessness and the pain. "Arjun is a very ambitious person Aryan. He too has many goals and dreams that he has to fulfill. If he doesnt concentrate on them now then... Then eventually he will regret marrying me. The frustration and the disappointment will tear him up. I can't do this to him Aryan. I can't... I cant ruin his life for me." She wiped the tears off her face, twisting her hands together, wishing this conversation would end soon.
"What life are you talking about Arohi?" Arohis head snapped up, eyes widened in shock as the much familiar voice, which broke and healed her heart at the same time, resonated in her ears. She turned around slowly.
Her eyes moved to watch Romit place a supportive arm around Shefali's shoulder, who was standing behind Arjun. "I'm sorry"... Shefali mouthed the words to her as tears spilled over her anguished face.
He knows.
Arohi looked at Arjun. His steady gaze locked the words in her throat. His unreadable eyes scared her. The wounds on her heart, inflicted by these very eyes, were still fresh, still bleeding. The hatred in them for her had broken her completely. She could not go through it again. She knew she won't survive. And yet she could not look away, could not break the eye lock which felt like her only link to Arjun right now.
An unusual silence filled the hallway as two people stared at each other, as if frozen in time, making anyone wonder if they were humans or statues.
Aryan made the first move.
"I think you should talk to him. I will see you tomorrow". Without waiting for her reply, Aryan turned around to walk towards the exit, his own emotions in turmoil, his mind and heart at war with each other. But this was not his battle to win, Arohi had to make a choice and he would just accept it. He had seen too much of the world to impose his love and an unwanted relationship on her.
Arohi did not break the link even to watch Aryan's dejected form make it's way to the main doors. She was silently pleading with her eyes to Arjun to say something, anything. Scream at her, hate her, abuse her... Anything so that she can react to it. Because she had no clue what she could say to ease his pain. Forgetting her own bleeding heart, she wanted to make his hurt go away... The same pain that she herself had given.
A flash of the past half hour went through her mind when she has consciously stomped on his heart, breaking it into pieces, and a tear escaped her eye. That was enough for Arjun to move towards her and brush the tear away from her cheek. Arohi gasped as his finger touched her cheek, her hand came up to hold his but he immediately pulled it back.
Confusion flashed in her eyes as she stared at him. "Why Arohi?" his voice was impassive, his body rigid, his hands clenched at his sides.
Arohi sighed. This was it. She had to come clean.
"Arjun I did it only because I did not want you to..."
"I'm not asking you why you did what you did" Arjun interrupted her.
Arohis eyebrows furrowed in confusion again as she stared at him with a question mark on her face.
"I'm asking you why you didn't have enough faith in our love... Or in me. Did you really think that our love is superficial? Or that I'm so shallow to blame all my failures on you??? If I fail that is..."
"No Arjun... I didn't mean to..." Arohi started off softly before Arjun cut her off again. Her trying to reason made something snap inside him.
"TUM SAMAJHTI KYA HO APNE AAP KO??!!" Arjuns voice roared in the empty hallway. Arohi flinched back in fear. She had never seen Arjun THIS angry, at least at her.
"Mother Teresa ho??? Sacrifice kar rahi thi mere liye??!! Mere future ke liye??" Losing control he stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. Arohi looked into his eyes unable to move, speak or even blink her eyelids. From the corner of her eye, she saw Romit leave Shefali and take a step forward, ready to physically stop Arjun incase he tries to manhandle her in his rage.
"Kaunse future ki baat karrahi thi tum?? I can't even think of any future without you Arohi... Tumne soch bhi kaise liya ki I will accept this nonsensical drama that you were playing inside sometime back?! I know you like I know myself. I just lashed out because you hurt me. I wanted to hurt you back. But if you think I'd any intentions of letting you go then you were wrong."
Arohi gulped, trying to wet her dry throat to make an attempt to explain. "Arjun... I..."
"Just shut up!" Arjun snapped, only this time his voice and eyes had softened. "Nothing you say is going to justify what you did Arohi. I know my dad can be insistent, and he may have emotionally blackmailed you. But I'm not a child, I can take a decision for myself. You both dont get to decide what YOU think is right for me."
Arohis fear turned into anger. Yes she made a mistake, but she did it for his own good, and he needed to understand that. "Par mein apne liye to decision le sakti hu na" defiance shone in her eyes as they met his. "Agar mujhe kisi aurse shadi karni hai toh..."
"Nahi! You cant take a decision for yourself too. Because there is no YOU or ME. There's only US... Without "you" there is no "me". " Arjun left her left shoulder to cup her face in his palm. "Tumhare bina mera koi astitva nahi hai Aru... Koi vajood nahi. Agar tum mere paas ho toh mein duniya jeet sakta hu, lekin tumhare bina toh saans lena bhi namumkin lagta hai."
Arohis eyes teared up again. She caught his hand on her cheek in her own. Relief, happiness, love... All emotions went through her body at the same time making her shudder. Her body started jerking with the fresh batch of tears threatening to spill over her beautiful face.
"And im sorry. For whatever I did inside." Arjun continued. "Mujhe tumhe hurt nahi karna chahiye tha. Mein jaanta hu tumne jo bhi kiya mere liye, meri bhalai ke liye kiya. You'll never do anything for yourself but for a while I just lost it. Seeing you with Aryan made me mad with jealousy and pain. I can't even think rationally without you. You are my weakness and my strength both. Please forgive me Arohi."
Sobs started raking Arohis body. "I... I... am... *sniff* I'm... *sniff sniff*... Sorrryyy..." Arohi started bawling like a small child. The only way she knew how to cry when she realized she did something wrong and could not stand the guilt or the opposite person mad at her.
Arjun cupped both of her cheeks and wiped her tears with his thumbs. "Pagal ladki..." he muttered to himself and pulled her in for a hug. Arohis hands went around Arjun, holding him in a tight grip, as if she was drowning and he was her float. Arjun cupped her cheek with one hand and drew her further in his arms with the other, fear and anxiety from the past month flowing away from his body in the form of silent tears.
"Arjun... Agar Shefali tumhe nahi batati toh tum kya karte?"
"Kya karta matlab? Mein tumhara peecha itni aasani se nahi chodta Miss Ahluwalia. Tumhe sachmein laga ki mein tumhe aise hi jaane deta??? And you think that you could live without me??? Look in to your heart and tell me"
But Arohi was in full mood now to tease him. "Pata nahi... Agar mein tumhe manaa kar deti toh tum kar hi kya sakte they..."
Arjun pulled back from her, his hands still around her waist, to cock one eyebrow and look in her eyes. "Mein KARHI KYA SAKTA THA??? Mein tumhare poore khandaan ka jeena haraam kar deta. Mein... Mein Shefali ke ghar ke saamne sharab peeke devdas banke gaane gaata. Tumhare uss Aryan ke office mein hadtaal karva deta... Banners lagvaata ke "Aryan Kapoor- Dusron ki biwiyaan churana band baro". Shadi ke din uske kapdon mein khujli ka powder daalta. Tumhe kidnap karvaata aur ransom mein honeymoon ke tickets maangta. Mujhe tum aisa waisa mat samjho!!!"
Arohi stared at him with her eyes and mouth wide open! "Aur mein phir bhi nahi maanti toh???"
"Toh mera naam bhi Arjun Singhania hai. Mein apne family trick use karta... Emotional blackmail!!! It works like a charm. Dad ne tumhe example toh dikha hi diya hai." Arjun chuckled. "Agar balidaan dena tumhari khandani bimari hai toh blackmailing hamari hai".
Arohi failed to see the humor as the facts caught up with her brain. "Arjun... I'm scared. How'll uncle react? He will think that I don't care what he feels. And after we get married..."
Arjun could not bear sadness on Arohis face. Pulling her closer he said "Uncle ko tum mujhpar chod do. Shaadi ke baad hum yaha nahi rahenge. He wanted me to travel the world na, so that's what we will do. You can also study further abroad like you always wanted. By the time we return in a few years, he will see how marrying you was the smartest thing I did." He winked at her, finally managing a small smile on her lips. Her soft, pink, rosy lips.
Arjun kept staring at them, realizing it's been so long that he's tasted the soft sweet nectar which haunted him day and night. Arohi immediately became conscious to the air that had thickened around them and to the eerie silence that surrounded them. She could only hear Arjuns breathing getting deeper and huskier with her own. She held her own breath to see his head lowering towards her, his lips aiming for hers. She closed her eyes to feel a glimpse of the heaven, that was going to be the rest of her life.
This sequel is dedicated to aparna4karanika and piamist for demanding a sequel after i made them cry 😆 and to cooljaya11 and AAKMH2 for egging me to write it!
Warning: Im a very bad editor and my word count goes all crazy once i start writing. So its a long one but please have patience and read it through... It means a lot to me 😊
******
EVERYTHING I DO... I DO IT FOR YOU
She did not notice the eager footsteps which had steadily followed her hasty ones as she has broken into a run the moment the doors snapped shut.
"Arohi..." Her body froze as she halted in the hallway. She looked around to notice the empty halls and closed her eyes to the inevitable. Tears were streaming down her face, and she could not muster up the courage to turn around and face him. The questions... The explanations... She wished that she would open her eyes and it would all be a nightmare, the worst nightmare of her life!
******
******
"Aryan... I'm sorry. I should've told you before that..."
"That's ok Arohi. I can understand why you couldn't share it with me. Probably I've failed in assuring you of my love and support which did not encourage you to confess. I thought we were friends first but... "
"No Aryan. For even one moment do not think that you've done something wrong. It's all me. I should've told you, as my fianc you had the right to know. I just couldn't... " Arohi looked at the floor, her voice choking, not letting her continue.
"What is more important to me is that do you still love him?"
Arohis eyes snapped to look at him. She couldn't bear to look in his eyes and not tell the truth. Answering his question was going to take a lot of courage and she was completely emotionally drained right now.
"It doesn't matter. The truth is that he's better off without me. His father has lots of dreams for him, Too many things are riding on his shoulders. I cannot be selfish and ask him to give it all up for me." She finished hurriedly, looking down dejected, blinking away the tears which wouldn't stop.
"I see... And was this a mutual decision? Because if it's not, then you won't be able to move on Arohi, with me or anybody else. He wont let you. Because from where I'm standing, I can clearly see that you still love him and so does he..."
Arohi closed her eyes in frustration and turned around. "I TOLD YOU IT DOESN'T MATTER" She clenched her fists again to vent out the anger, the helplessness and the pain. "Arjun is a very ambitious person Aryan. He too has many goals and dreams that he has to fulfill. If he doesnt concentrate on them now then... Then eventually he will regret marrying me. The frustration and the disappointment will tear him up. I can't do this to him Aryan. I can't... I cant ruin his life for me." She wiped the tears off her face, twisting her hands together, wishing this conversation would end soon.
"What life are you talking about Arohi?" Arohis head snapped up, eyes widened in shock as the much familiar voice, which broke and healed her heart at the same time, resonated in her ears. She turned around slowly.
Standing a few feet behind
Aryan, her eyes met Arjuns. For the first time in her life she could not read
them. His eyes, which were a window to his heart, which told her what he was
feeling in just one glance, refused to give away his emotions to her now.
Her eyes moved to watch Romit place a supportive arm around Shefali's shoulder, who was standing behind Arjun. "I'm sorry"... Shefali mouthed the words to her as tears spilled over her anguished face.
He knows.
Arohi looked at Arjun. His steady gaze locked the words in her throat. His unreadable eyes scared her. The wounds on her heart, inflicted by these very eyes, were still fresh, still bleeding. The hatred in them for her had broken her completely. She could not go through it again. She knew she won't survive. And yet she could not look away, could not break the eye lock which felt like her only link to Arjun right now.
An unusual silence filled the hallway as two people stared at each other, as if frozen in time, making anyone wonder if they were humans or statues.
Aryan made the first move.
"I think you should talk to him. I will see you tomorrow". Without waiting for her reply, Aryan turned around to walk towards the exit, his own emotions in turmoil, his mind and heart at war with each other. But this was not his battle to win, Arohi had to make a choice and he would just accept it. He had seen too much of the world to impose his love and an unwanted relationship on her.
Arohi did not break the link even to watch Aryan's dejected form make it's way to the main doors. She was silently pleading with her eyes to Arjun to say something, anything. Scream at her, hate her, abuse her... Anything so that she can react to it. Because she had no clue what she could say to ease his pain. Forgetting her own bleeding heart, she wanted to make his hurt go away... The same pain that she herself had given.
A flash of the past half hour went through her mind when she has consciously stomped on his heart, breaking it into pieces, and a tear escaped her eye. That was enough for Arjun to move towards her and brush the tear away from her cheek. Arohi gasped as his finger touched her cheek, her hand came up to hold his but he immediately pulled it back.
Confusion flashed in her eyes as she stared at him. "Why Arohi?" his voice was impassive, his body rigid, his hands clenched at his sides.
Arohi sighed. This was it. She had to come clean.
"Arjun I did it only because I did not want you to..."
"I'm not asking you why you did what you did" Arjun interrupted her.
Arohis eyebrows furrowed in confusion again as she stared at him with a question mark on her face.
"I'm asking you why you didn't have enough faith in our love... Or in me. Did you really think that our love is superficial? Or that I'm so shallow to blame all my failures on you??? If I fail that is..."
"No Arjun... I didn't mean to..." Arohi started off softly before Arjun cut her off again. Her trying to reason made something snap inside him.
"TUM SAMAJHTI KYA HO APNE AAP KO??!!" Arjuns voice roared in the empty hallway. Arohi flinched back in fear. She had never seen Arjun THIS angry, at least at her.
"Mother Teresa ho??? Sacrifice kar rahi thi mere liye??!! Mere future ke liye??" Losing control he stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. Arohi looked into his eyes unable to move, speak or even blink her eyelids. From the corner of her eye, she saw Romit leave Shefali and take a step forward, ready to physically stop Arjun incase he tries to manhandle her in his rage.
"Kaunse future ki baat karrahi thi tum?? I can't even think of any future without you Arohi... Tumne soch bhi kaise liya ki I will accept this nonsensical drama that you were playing inside sometime back?! I know you like I know myself. I just lashed out because you hurt me. I wanted to hurt you back. But if you think I'd any intentions of letting you go then you were wrong."
Arohi gulped, trying to wet her dry throat to make an attempt to explain. "Arjun... I..."
"Just shut up!" Arjun snapped, only this time his voice and eyes had softened. "Nothing you say is going to justify what you did Arohi. I know my dad can be insistent, and he may have emotionally blackmailed you. But I'm not a child, I can take a decision for myself. You both dont get to decide what YOU think is right for me."
Arohis fear turned into anger. Yes she made a mistake, but she did it for his own good, and he needed to understand that. "Par mein apne liye to decision le sakti hu na" defiance shone in her eyes as they met his. "Agar mujhe kisi aurse shadi karni hai toh..."
"Nahi! You cant take a decision for yourself too. Because there is no YOU or ME. There's only US... Without "you" there is no "me". " Arjun left her left shoulder to cup her face in his palm. "Tumhare bina mera koi astitva nahi hai Aru... Koi vajood nahi. Agar tum mere paas ho toh mein duniya jeet sakta hu, lekin tumhare bina toh saans lena bhi namumkin lagta hai."
Arohis eyes teared up again. She caught his hand on her cheek in her own. Relief, happiness, love... All emotions went through her body at the same time making her shudder. Her body started jerking with the fresh batch of tears threatening to spill over her beautiful face.
"And im sorry. For whatever I did inside." Arjun continued. "Mujhe tumhe hurt nahi karna chahiye tha. Mein jaanta hu tumne jo bhi kiya mere liye, meri bhalai ke liye kiya. You'll never do anything for yourself but for a while I just lost it. Seeing you with Aryan made me mad with jealousy and pain. I can't even think rationally without you. You are my weakness and my strength both. Please forgive me Arohi."
Sobs started raking Arohis body. "I... I... am... *sniff* I'm... *sniff sniff*... Sorrryyy..." Arohi started bawling like a small child. The only way she knew how to cry when she realized she did something wrong and could not stand the guilt or the opposite person mad at her.
Arjun cupped both of her cheeks and wiped her tears with his thumbs. "Pagal ladki..." he muttered to himself and pulled her in for a hug. Arohis hands went around Arjun, holding him in a tight grip, as if she was drowning and he was her float. Arjun cupped her cheek with one hand and drew her further in his arms with the other, fear and anxiety from the past month flowing away from his body in the form of silent tears.
They did not realize for how long they were
standing this way until Shefalis sniffing noise made them aware of their
surroundings. They slowly drew apart, wiping each others tears, when Arjun held
her hands to his chest.
"Sirf sorry se kaam nahi chalega. Uthak
baithak karni hogi." His naughty mischievous smirk, which Arohi loved like
anything, adorned his lips again.
"Uthak baithak to tumhe karni chahiye... Wo
bhi kaan pakadke!!!" Arohi faked anger and turned away from him.
"Kya!! Kyun???" The smirk wiped off
Arjuns lips to be replaced with a cute pout. The small wedge formed on his
forehead when he furrowed his eyebrows, made Arohi want to kiss him right there.
"Kyuki I loved that song! You know I'm a Bon
Jovi fan, and you ruined it for me!!!"
Arjun chuckled at Arohis child-like frown. His
eyes suddenly became serious. He held her elbow and turned her to him.
"I'm glad that I ruined it. It'll be a reminder for both of us, never to
take each other for granted. I promise you Arohi, I will never ever take any
decision in my life without consulting you. No matter how small or how big.
Even if I dont agree with you, I will always discuss it with you and try to
find a mutual solution. N you have to promise me that you'll never go all sacrificial
on me again. Nothing matters more to me than you."
Arohi grasped his hands in hers. "I promise"
"Things are not always going to be easy or
simple. There will be times when we individually and together will be tested.
Our love will be put up on trial. But I promise you I'll never lose faith in US
or our love, no matter how dark the times get. No matter how much you fight
with me or hate me, I will never leave your side. Promise me Arohi you will
always be there with me, through the good times and the bad".
"I promise... I love you Arjun"
"I love you more..." Arjun whispered
looking into her eyes as he slid the simple gold band onto Arohis ring finger.
Romit whistled and Shefali clapped her hands, the only witnesses to the
informal engagement of their best friends. The only people that stood by them.
Friends, who took on the role of family, when need be. Romit and Shefali both
turned around, starting to go back to the party, to give their friends a much
needed private moment. Hand in hand, they both did not realize that they had
silly smiles on their tear streaked faces.
Arjun rested his forehead against Arohis, her
hands in his, soaking up the moment, the peace and calm in his heart, which had
come to beat at a normal pace after a very very long time.
Look in to my eyes... you'll see
What you mean to me
He kissed her ring clad
finger and pulled her in his arms again for a hug. Arohi rested her cheek on
his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. After spending some
blissful silent moment in his arms, Arohi decided to break her track record for
not talking in the longest time ever.
"Arjun... Agar Shefali tumhe nahi batati toh tum kya karte?"
"Kya karta matlab? Mein tumhara peecha itni aasani se nahi chodta Miss Ahluwalia. Tumhe sachmein laga ki mein tumhe aise hi jaane deta??? And you think that you could live without me??? Look in to your heart and tell me"
But Arohi was in full mood now to tease him. "Pata nahi... Agar mein tumhe manaa kar deti toh tum kar hi kya sakte they..."
Arjun pulled back from her, his hands still around her waist, to cock one eyebrow and look in her eyes. "Mein KARHI KYA SAKTA THA??? Mein tumhare poore khandaan ka jeena haraam kar deta. Mein... Mein Shefali ke ghar ke saamne sharab peeke devdas banke gaane gaata. Tumhare uss Aryan ke office mein hadtaal karva deta... Banners lagvaata ke "Aryan Kapoor- Dusron ki biwiyaan churana band baro". Shadi ke din uske kapdon mein khujli ka powder daalta. Tumhe kidnap karvaata aur ransom mein honeymoon ke tickets maangta. Mujhe tum aisa waisa mat samjho!!!"
Arohi stared at him with her eyes and mouth wide open! "Aur mein phir bhi nahi maanti toh???"
"Toh mera naam bhi Arjun Singhania hai. Mein apne family trick use karta... Emotional blackmail!!! It works like a charm. Dad ne tumhe example toh dikha hi diya hai." Arjun chuckled. "Agar balidaan dena tumhari khandani bimari hai toh blackmailing hamari hai".
Arohi failed to see the humor as the facts caught up with her brain. "Arjun... I'm scared. How'll uncle react? He will think that I don't care what he feels. And after we get married..."
Arjun could not bear sadness on Arohis face. Pulling her closer he said "Uncle ko tum mujhpar chod do. Shaadi ke baad hum yaha nahi rahenge. He wanted me to travel the world na, so that's what we will do. You can also study further abroad like you always wanted. By the time we return in a few years, he will see how marrying you was the smartest thing I did." He winked at her, finally managing a small smile on her lips. Her soft, pink, rosy lips.
Arjun kept staring at them, realizing it's been so long that he's tasted the soft sweet nectar which haunted him day and night. Arohi immediately became conscious to the air that had thickened around them and to the eerie silence that surrounded them. She could only hear Arjuns breathing getting deeper and huskier with her own. She held her own breath to see his head lowering towards her, his lips aiming for hers. She closed her eyes to feel a glimpse of the heaven, that was going to be the rest of her life.
Don't tell me its not worth dying for
I cant help it its nothing I want more
You know its true'
Everything I do' I do it for you
This one is dedicated to the lovely Kritika Kamra as an advance birthday gift 😃 I hope you guys liked it. I have tried my best to keep the words limited but i still hope it was not too long to be boring. Please do leave me your precious comments as they make me a better writer 😳
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