Arhi TS |Tunnel of Love Part| LAST part - pg 15 - Page 5

"Chotey, why are you taking the metro again? I understand yesterday you didn't have the car. But today..." Di said over the phone.

I held the phone to my ear, but only concentrated on the arrival of the train.

"Di I gotta go. I'll be home soon." I said hanging up, leaving a confused sister on the other side.

I stepped inside the same car as the previous day, and even grabbed my previous seat. I left my briefcase on the seat opposite to me, hoping to save the seat for her.

6 stops later, I became alert. This was her stop.

And then realization dawned upon me.

What if she didn't come today?

What if she only came yesterday, and that was it? I clearly hadn't thought this through as well as I should have.

I grounded my teeth together. I could not lose her so easily.

The doors opened, and the rush of a crowd seeped through. Faces, many faces. But I only searched for one.

The crowd disappeared and she was not there. She had not come.

Why did it even matter so much? I had seen the girl for perhaps 10 minutes yesterday, and all of a sudden she meant something to me. 

Since when did people make their way into my stone heart?

Why did I care that she was sad? Why did her empty eyes haunt my dreams? Moreover, why did I want to help?

Questions. My head filled with questions that I had no answer to.

Just as the doors closed, the familiar petite figure entered, quickly squeezing through the closing doors.

And I breathed a sigh of relief and thanked my lucky stars.

She met eyes with me again, and they widened. She was shocked to see me here again. She knew my face.

I almost smiled, but then removed my case from the seat I had saved for her, inviting her over.

After moments of deliberation, she finally took a seat in front of me. Again, avoiding eye contact, she gazed outside the window.

I watched her shamelessly, memorizing the way her eyes followed the scenery. The way they fluttered open and close again. The way her dainty fingers fumbled with her colorful clothing.

Why wouldn't she look at me?

I saw the way her chest heaved, and the way her lips trembled slightly.

So she felt it too.

The doors opened again, as everyone else left the car and the two of us remained.

"Why won't you tell me your name?" I asked.

Finally, she looked at him.

"Because I don't know you." She muttered.

"Arnav Singh Raizada. You've probably heard my name."

"Yes, I have. But I still don't know who you are. By knowing your name, doesn't mean I know you. I know Salman Khan's name, but I don't really know him. Although I wish I did sometimes...But anyways, why do you want to know so badly? For all I know, you could be some sort of serial killer. Or a stalker." She blabbered softly, but stopped suddenly.

I felt my lips quirk up to the sides.

"I'm a business man, I'm rich, and I have everything I need in life. I don't care much for others, or their feelings. The only people I care for are my family. I don't believe in god, I believe that one can make their own destiny. But I'm unhappy. Because my life is dull." I said, much to her astonishment. I had just told her one of the greatest truths of my life.

She looked back out the window then, avoiding my gaze. I sighed, realizing she probably did not want to talk to me. No one had ever acted this way with me. No one had ever dared to talk back, or question me. She was a first. And for some reason, I felt like she would be the first of more things to come.

"Khushi." She said, as soft as a caress.

"What?" I asked.

"My name. It's Khushi."

I nodded slowly. Khushi. Happiness. The name could suit her, but right now it didn't.

"Are you coming from work?" I asked politely.

She nodded.

"Me too. Do you take the metro everyday?" I asked.

She nodded again. "Do you?"

I nodded almost immediately. 

Well I did now.

"I've never seen you...before yesterday that is."

"I...I just started." She nodded and looked away.

"What's a rich business man like you, doing on this train?" She asked.

"You don't look like your name." I said, changing the subject.

I could have sworn I saw something flash in her eyes. Anger? As if her secret was out in the open. Nevertheless, she turned away and avoided my eyes.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I understand...why would you want to tell some random stranger about your life? It's just...I know that look in your eyes. I carry the same one."

She lifted her hand to push back a strand of hair that lingered on her cheek. It was then that the shiny gold band glistened on her left hand caught my attention.

She followed my gaze and immediately put her hand down, covering it with her other.

Was she married? But she wasn't wearing any sindoor. She didn't seem married.

"I'm engaged." She said finally, toying with the ring.

I felt a lump forming in my throat.

"But I'm not ready to get married."

"You're not?"

"No...But my family has forced me into this. I don't want to disrespect them by refusing."

"So you'll marry and be unhappy?"

"I guess so." She shrugged.

"How about you? Why are your eyes sad?" She asked softly.

I shrugged then. "Life is...colorless for me. And sometimes I wish there were colors." I said. The hazel in her eyes, the pink in her cheeks, the brown of her hair, those were the colors he now liked.

The train stopped then and the doors opened. It was her stop.

She glanced around before getting up and making her way out. And just before stepping outside the train, she looked over and smiled shyly. "See you tomorrow Arnav."

And I smiled. For the first time in a very long time, I smiled.

The next evening, I waited again. The same routine. Except this was a routine I enjoyed now. I didn't mind the crowd of people who pushed and shoved. I didn't mind the stares I sometimes got from the people sitting around me.

I waited for the sixth stop, and like always, she came. Those sad eyes brightened somewhat whenever she saw me, and it filled me up with a feeling of content. I thought that perhaps she was happy seeing me.

We talked after that day, casually. About anything, about everything. She told me about her work at an office. She told me about her Amma and Bauji and jiji and how she loved them dearly. I told her about Nani and mama and Mami and Akaash and of course Di. The conversation never lasted long; her stop always came sooner than later.

And after she left, I felt emptiness greater than the one I usually carried. However, I lived on the anticipation of seeing her the following day. And things were not so bad after all.

It continued so for about 2 weeks. We had become friends. 

A friend was something I had never cared for, but now I valued the relationship like nothing else.

One day, the car doors opened and she came in with red rims around her hazel eyes.

"They finalized the date of my wedding. It's going to be next week." She said.

"Next week? Why is it so soon?"

"I don't know Arnav. But we must comply, they are rich people. We are poor. I'm being told that I'm lucky to have even gotten this proposal."

"Khushi, don't say that. It's not true, any man would be lucky to have you."

Including myself.

She sniffled, covering her face with her hands. She did not care that people were watching her. And then I reached out and touched her head. She stopped sobbing immediately and looked up at me with teary hazel eyes.

And then I realized that she mattered. She mattered to me.

"Don't marry."

"What? How can I not get married?"

"Just say no. It's not too late Khushi!"

"I wish you realized what that would mean. Who would marry me then? If I rejected such a good proposal."

"Somebody will."

"I can't. It will hurt everyone around me."

"And what about your happiness?"

"My happiness lies in the happiness of my family."

"Don't get married." I said again.

"I have to." She said. And then it was her stop, and she left without saying another word.

A conflict. There was a conflict in my life.

No, this was different from some clause in a contract, or worrying over some deal.

I was not going to get what I wanted at the snap of my fingers.

What did I want in life? I now knew.

I wanted happiness.

I wanted Khushi.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you guys liked it! Leave your comments, and don't forget to hit the like button if you enjoyed this.😊

Happy Reading!