Anyhow now to actually continue with the chapter!
Arnav sat listening to his heart beat, letting his mind wonder to that afternoon. Why did he always end up giving into her, years of control and she had broken it in a split second, he had known it the minute she had re-entered his life. And then after that of course she did what she knew best, left it all behind and walked away, leaving him to pick up the broken pieces.
He slowly stood up and walked into the bathroom, undressed and got into the shower, he turned the knob to hot and let the steaming water seep through his pores, let it burn his skin to the point it went numb and leaned his head against the tiles, not knowing for the first time in years what to do with himself. He had constantly attempted to move on ever since she had left him but her memories had never seized to thrive in his every dream, his every nightmare. He let the hot water flow down his face, his skin ablaze from the sensation and let his mind wonder back to the events of that afternoon...
....
"So that's why you walked out on her! Are you sleeping with her behind my back then? Is that it?" Lavanya was screaming, her face red with fury.
"Think of it whatever you want to Lavanya," his voice was uninterested, he didn't have time for an argument, in fact he didn't want Lavanya altogether, he wanted his Khushi back, even if it meant forgetting four years of his life. He wanted an explanation from her, anything would do and Lavanya was quite simply getting in the way! "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're standing there with this other woman and I'm supposed to thing whatever of it? ASR remember you are getting engaged to me! We are getting married goddamn it!" She was errupting with anger and that had hit a little too close to home. His eyes widened as he processed what she had just said. There he was trying to mend his broken relationship with Khushi and at the same time he was getting engaged to Lavanya. Thinking about it again however, he didn't even care. All he wanted was to talk to Khushi, she was the only thing that mattered. "Lavanya I don't have time for your shit! Just do whatever you want to do and get out of my face!" His tone was angry but controlled, his eyes dark with that anger which instilled fear within the strongest of men and Lavanya knew that was the end of that conversation. She stormed off with tears falling out of her eyes. He watched her walk away, his body rigid with rage.
He took hurried steps back to the room, he had broke away from Khushi abruptly, needing to deal with the situation at that moment in time. He quickly calmed his mind, allowing himself to be patient with the one person he spent too much of his life yearning to be with but by the time he had reached the room she was gone. He quickly ran down the steps, thinking she may have just went downstairs, only to find Tina chatting away with Anjali. "Where's your assistant?" He almost shouted. "Oh she wasn't feeling too well, so she left, is something wrong?" Tina asked indifferently but he just turned around and walked away. She had proved him wrong yet again.
....
He slowly stepped out of the shower, tied his towel around his waist and walked out of the bathroom. He walked over to the window and looked up at the starry sky, now letting the cold breeze of the AC close his pores and cool down his mind. That would be the last time he would let Khushi get to him, he loved her true but she weakened him and turned him into a person he shouldn't be anymore. He would not let her break him again.
Raaston mein kho gaya hai mitra
Ajnabi kyon ho gaya hai mitra
Kuch to kami hai saawan
saawan sa kyon na laage mitra
shaamo sehar kyon mann ka
aangan yeh soona laage mitra
dhoop leke jo gaya hai mitra
ajnabi kyon ho gaya hai mitra
----
Khushi sat looking into a sky full of shimmering stars, nature always baffled her, even when it changed it was beautiful. Her heart felt a lot lighter, she had made her decision and she was going to stick through it. He was getting married to someone else, he was now someone else's. He had moved on just like she had wanted him to. Sure her heart had leaped a thousand fences when she had felt his embrace that afternoon, when she had experienced the old Arnav once again as he had gently wiped away her tear but she didn't belong in his life any more. It had been a sudden reaction on his part, one he had possibly taken on the emotional stress of seeing her once again, but that was no longer him. He now loved someone else, enough to marry her. It was different now, they were different people, people who had moved on in life and interfere was the last thing she wanted to do. She had chosen her path all those years ago, giving everything else but him first place, so shouldn't he now have the right to choose his own path? Yes it would be painful to let him go, but was it really anything new to her? Hadn't she let him go for good all those years ago? She would have to let him be, life was good to him and her being there or not surely would not make a difference.
Dil ke taaron mein, kyon hazaaron mein
Dard jaage hain
Humne baandhe jo, reshami saare
Toote dhaage hain
Haale dil jo ho gaya hai mitra
Ajnabi kyon ho gaya hai mitra
Kuch tho kami hai saawan
Saawan sa kyon na laage mitra
Shaamo sehar kyon mann ka
Aangan yeh soona laage mitra...
----
He sat in front of the older woman, the fake smile plastered on his face as he pretended to disagree. "No no babua! This is the only way. Don't think of it as a hassle. It'll bring a bit more money in for us and you'll be comfortable," her concern was genuine, her face frowning with concern. They had known him since he had fought her friends case in Lucknow and she felt it was her duty to look after him now that he had shifted to Delhi. "Really buaji I don't want to trouble you," his voice a gentle facade, "even though it is the closest place I have found to work," he added a bit later, slyly trying to assure her that her convincing would be the only reason he would move. "Babua! I've told you already, you are staying here and that is final!" She finally chided and turned around taking his suitcase with her, walking towards the guestroom. Shyam smirked to himself, satisfied with the fact that part of his plan was already complete.
----
Arnav woke up, still groggy from a restless night of minimal sleep. He squinted at the rays of sunlight as it pierced through the closed blinds and slowly made his way over to the window to open them, with too many thoughts still occupying his mind. It would be yet another monotonous day, work, meetings, more work, oh and maybe a little argument with Lavanya, but that would soon pass, she always came back round. Even if she didn't it wouldn't make a difference to him. After Khushi had left he had tried to put his life back into pace, his mind had roamed around in her memories, he had felt incomplete without her and he had seeked escape, any escape and Lavanya had given him that. At first their relationship had been purely physical. One night he had been too drunk to walk straight and had woke up on her bed. From then on they had maintained that relationship where they had both got what they wanted without any emotional attachments in return. But then one night things had got a bit out of hand,one thing led to another and Lavanya had fallen pregnant, she had had an abortion but her parents had found out. His Di had got involved and fate had led them on to this path. She was now emotionally attached, craving his attention and he wanted nothing to do with her. Yes he was being selfish but he had never promised her love in return. The world was a funny place, he smiled to himself as he thought of this, amused at his own misfortune, things never panned out the way they were supposed to. He slowly put on his coat, his tie and then shoes, every move controlled with a common rhythm. He slowly sipped his coffee, letting every drip of caffeine flow through his body, then stepped out of his room, hoping for no surprises...
"I'll drive today!" He called out to the driver, opening the car door and getting in. Driving gave him a different sense of comfort. He put the car into gear, already processing his journey, preparing himself for the challenge of driving in Delhi. Arnav Singh Raizada always welcomed the feeling of a challenge. Checking all three mirrors, he slowly eased his foot off of the clutch letting the car move before adding speed then racing off. As the car built up speed he changed the gears, in perfect sync, the low click of each one falling into place giving him a sense of calm. After a whole day of feeling lost, he finally felt in control, just the way he liked it. He was relishing in the calmness, the satisfaction when suddenly a woman appeared on the road, he slammed his foot down on the break, the car swerved almost loosing control.
It came to a stop, slightly bumping off of her. He growled at her with fury as she toppled and fell to the side, hastily clicking off and removing his belt, he opened the door. "What the hell! Can't you watch where you're going?!" He screamed as he got out of the car, taking two long strides towards the woman who was now being helped up by a younger one. The younger one looked up rage scorching out of her eyes, her eyebrows arched ready for battle. He stopped in his track as he stood face to face with Khushi Kumari Gupta yet again...
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