ArShi OS: Crime
He was left Shell Shocked.. The moment his Di had uttered those words, it was as if the life in him had drained away…
Tum badal gaye ho chottey…
Jabse tumhe pyaar hua hai, sab badal gaya hai chottey…
Tumne humei jawab dena band kar dia hai…
All he could do was just stare at Di…
Why?
Why was Di saying all this…
Di was the one, who had told him in the first place… That he would fall in love some day..
Then why? Why was his falling in love wrong now?
Wasn't Di the one who was the happiest when he had declared he would marry Lavanya?
Why was his Di saying all this… he just looked on at her… feeling as if he was staring at some stranger..
He left Di in her room… Feeling nauseous for some reason… Why were things never setting right in his life… How long would he actually go about taking care of everyone…
Arnav never had been one to brag about the things he did… The things he achieved… The main reason being he did it all for his family… For their comfort.. But then, till when was he expected to sacrifice his life and soul for them…
He was tired… Really really tired…
He loved his Di… He loves each and everyone of them… Then why couldn't they understand… That when loving them wasn't wrong, how could loving Khushi be wrong?
The way everyone had reacted today… He felt he was being convicted for some crime… As if he was in a hearing and pronounced guilty…
Was it so wrong?
He was a novice when it came to expressing love… But he was no novice when it came to loving… He loved with passion… That is, if he loved.
And he knew he loved her…
His Khushi…
She had been the reason he had held on to hope when he was held hostage…
Then why?
Why did everyone snub at them today… He failed to understand.. His mind just couldn't process it…
He passed from Akash's room and felt someone screaming something… It was Payal…
Well, wasn't it about time… He knew Akash wouldn't understand anything for now… Akash rarely lost his cool, but when he did, he knew his cousin moped around for days…
Seemed like Payal finally had had enough..
He sighed…
What was happening to his home… His family…
He always had been a man who fulfilled his duties… And this.. this was his duty again to make everything alright..
But this time, this time something in him didn't want to… Didn't want to shoulder this responsibilty…
Which felt new to him… Not bad.. Just new…
Would he be judged for this as well?
Would he be blamed..? Convicted..?
Again?
He sighed… He felt so drained right now…
As soon as he came to the room, found all the lights switched off… Had she slept already?
He hadn't seen her reaction as she left him… But She had felt so flustered when everyone had walked in on them…
As if she was at fault! Ridiculous!
He felt anger rising in him again… why would the purest of the souls in this house feel guilty for everything wrong?
It was all his fault!
Where were the days when he could protect his loved ones efficiently?
He missed the days of his glory… when he was clad with armors of steel…
Right now, all he felt was disarmed… ashamed…
Why didn't he just protect the fragile excuse of a being, he had for his wife… She was just so delicate… She HAD to be protected from the world…
And he had failed her… Yet Again…
He switched on the light… And made his way to the closet, to get his change of clothes… He saw her clothes neatly piled away in her thailis…
What the…
So she again had made up her mind to leave…
He turned around, ready to jolt her awake from her sleep.. And that's when he saw clearly… Her tear-stained face…
He stopped in his footsteps… The anger getting replaced by pain…
Actual physical pain…
It hurt watching her wilt away… Lose her essence…
Was this a price he was ready to pay?
He would trap her in here forever… And then watch her suffocate to death?
NO!
His mind shrieked… And his whole body trembled at the realization…
He moved in on his side of bed… Feeling more and more dejected at the circumstances… Closing his eyes… Willing for it all to be a really bad nightmare…
Suddenly, he felt her tug to him… Her face soaking wet with new tears…
"Arnavji… Hum galat hai…." She sobbed into him.. Not asking, but stating… Stating the most bizzare lie that could ever exist to his world…
He turned to her side… Hugging her petite form completely..
Engulfing her in his embrace… As if still trying to protect her, from god knows what…
"Nahi Khushi…" He breathed calmly, trying to control his turmoil.. Coming to a hard decision.. "Hum galat nahi hai Khushi…. Loving you is not a CRIME.."
He kissed her forehead… Calming her down.. Gently holding her till she fell asleep.. And made up his mind..
Yes, she would leave tomorrow…
And he, he would leave with her…