Links to my other works
OS : It's the way you make me feel
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2164559
OS : A shoulder to lean on
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2308861
FF : Shattered Dreams
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2038441
OS : At peaceNoise, Noise & lots of noise. It hounded her & hammered her skull. She wanted to scream at all of them shocking them into silence. She closed her eyes & clenched her fists. This gesture of hers looked alien & still oddly familiar. Then it stuck her. HE did this whenever he was going through some inner turmoil. In fact HE did this whenever SHE was around.
Kushi shook her head like a dog clearing its ears of water. Why did all her thoughts converge on HIM. Even her legs seemed to automatically seek him just like her miserable heart & equally miserable thoughts. Now he had one more reason to hate her even more. She had sabotaged his Di's life. Whenever she thought of Anjali she wanted to just break down. Anjali who had always been kind & sweet to her even when Arnav had been at his monstrous best or rather worst. Anjali who had rushed to the hospital to reassure her when her babuji had been battling for life. Anjali who treated her as just another member of her family. No wonder she was the life & soul of Arnav. Who wouldn't love a person like Anjali. This increased her hatred of that sleazy slime ball even more. How could he do this to his wife. A wife who only thought of his welfare. Who always prayed for his well-being. A wife who was so loving, caring & trusting. Then her rage turned towards her Devi Maiyya. How could she punish her own child like this. A person who knew only to love & spread happiness around. A person who never had a harsh word for anyone. A person who knew only the language of LOVE. How can Devi Maiyya be so cruel to a gem like Anjali. And ARNAV. He had always said that things like GOD & LOVE dint exist. Now this only strengthened his argument. She had seen him slowly thaw & start revealing his true tender nature but now this would break his soul & will he even dare trust or love any one after this. She clenched her fists again.
KUSHI KUSHI.
She came out of her morose thoughts to find Payal gaping at her with her mouth open.
Jiji I am very tired. I need to sleep. I will talk about your engagement shopping tomorrow.
Without waiting for a reply she rushed to her room & collapsed on the bed. She wanted to cry but was scared that once she started she couldn't stop. No that was not true. HE had stopped her from crying more. She had sobbed her heart out again on his shoulders & as usual he had reassured her without speaking much. The moment he held her she knew that she couldn't tell him the truth. The truth would break him. For that few seconds she had looked into his eyes & was jolted by the concern & agony there. He couldn't stand her tears. Then her mind had flashed to the store room when he had moved away from her when she started crying. He had backed out again during her Character Deela attack. He had done it again & again now. She had never realized earlier but now it hit her in waves. He couldn't stand her tears or her pain even when it had been him who had given her those bitter gifts. Realization dawned as to why he had left the shop in haste few days back. He must have seen her cry holding that lehenga. She remembered feeling his presence back then in the trial room.
KUSHI. That husky, broken voice which always turned her spine into jelly & made her knees wobble. She had never been able to resist that voice when he spoke like that, called out her name like that. It almost felt like his soul & not his lips was screaming her name. She had jerked out of his grip & had fled before he had a chance to catch her.
She can't see him in pain. He would die if anything happened to his Di's happiness. She had seen the concern & blind fury in his eyes when he had guessed correctly that her fiance had hurt her. Kushi dint want to see him torn between his Di & her. She couldn't do that to him. NEVER. And she could never ever hurt Anjali.
She sighed. So that was it. She would talk to her family tomorrow, make them understand the implications of this to them especially Jiji's marriage & also the impact on Anjali & ask them to remain silent. That creep would walk away free but she couldn't help it.
She lay on the bed but sleep evaded her. She started pacing around the room restlessly & not wanting to wake Payal crept softly to the hall. She sat huddled on a chair. When the phone rang, she almost slipped off the chair, the noise jarring on her ears & tingling her nerves.
She snatched it off the hook.
"IT'S ME."
She almost dropped the phone due to the sheer relief that coursed through her body on hearing his voice.
"I knew you wouldn't have slept. Are you ok now."
She nodded silently.
He sighed audibly on the phone.
"Kushi how will I know if you shake your head. Say something."
"I am ok Arnav ji" she whispered.
There was silence on the other end that she thought he might have disconnected.
"Arnavji?"
She heard him take a deep breath.
"Kushi. I don't know what happened & I can only guess that you are badly hurt & it's because of your fiance. Please don't be stubborn & let me help you. "
She dint reply & he whispered Kushi again in that same husky, broken voice.
"Please don't."
"Don't what?"
"Please don't call my name like that. It breaks me". She started sobbing softly.
"Kushi"
"I am sorry"
"I respect your decision. I won't ask you again but remember anytime you want to tell me what happened I will listen to you & will help you. Do you understand?"
She nodded & then remembering his earlier remark replied softly "Yes"
"Stop crying. Wipe those tears. Look I know this might sound weird but this is what I want you to do. Go to your room, get into your bed, rest you head on the pillow. Just think I am there next to you. Close your eyes & try to sleep. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes" she whispered.
"GO".
She heard a click. He had disconnected.
She turned & walked back into her room, fell on the bed her head hitting the pillow with a thud. She closed her eyes & his voice, his words echoed in her mind. I AM THERE NEXT TO YOU. His voice even heard inside her mind soothed her, engulfed her with its warmth & concern. ARNAV she whispered. She drifted off to sleep with a peaceful expression on her face, his name on her lips.
He was staring at the phone long after he had disconnected. After a few minutes his restlessness subsided but he felt as if she was whispering his name. He looked around frantically & then slapped his forehead. GOD now he had started hallucinating. He was hearing her voice in his head now. Somehow now he felt peaceful, no longer nervous or restless.
He crept under the sheet & laid his head wearily on the pillow. He still couldn't shake the strange feeling that she was whispering his name. He closed his eyes & her face floated across his mental retina. In his mind she was looking peaceful in her sleep. He sighed & drifted off to sleep, her face the last memory before his mind hit a blank.
PEACE AT LAST FOR TWO TORMENTED SOULS!
Author's Note : Guys this OS is very personal to me coz this is slightly based on ME. Whenever i am tensed/depressed over my personal or professional life & unable to sleep i call out 4 my hubby. The moment he sits near me & starts patting me i fall asleep immediately. Hence this OS 😳
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