ARNAV

I walked into the palace that everyone called home except for me, everyone from the family was seated in the hall having their daily family meeting which I never attended, what was it even for? To discuss which other ways they were going to treat each other horribly?

I ignored them and headed straight to my room, I shut the door and the first thing I did after that was to punch the wall angrily.

I had only one question to myself today. What the hell Arnav? Seriously what the hell? What did I just do?

I mean Khushi, she was the girl that stole my breath away the first time I saw her at the club, and then I did everything I could and made sure she worked for my company, even when Aman was against it.

I passed almost every day by her house hoping I would get a glimpse of her, jeez I dint even realize I was behaving like a stalker.

Okay as if that wasn't enough, I did the most terrible thing I could have ever done, broke her and her boyfriend apart, why? Because I wanted her to be mine. She was going to be really mad at me if she ever finds out what I did.

And after all I did and she actually felt something for me, I ruined it all. What was the point of me doing all that I did if in the end I was going to let her go anyway?

I punched the wall angrily one more time, I was tired of feeling this way, I was tired of feeling all that I felt towards her when there wasn't a thing I could do about it. I wish I wasn't like this, then maybe today, instead of being here in my room and punching the walls angrily, I would be with her, on a date or something and I would tell her that I let kiss me because I've yearned to kiss her since forever, because I am attracted towards and if I'd say it in Aman's words, because I am falling for her.

Aman was right, there was no way I could feel all this emotions for a girl I was lusting for, I don't even know if I ever lusted for Khushi, all I ever wanted was to be with her, be around her, see her smile, see her dance like she danced that day in the club, eat ice cream with her and go on beautiful dates with her, I had never wanted things like this before.

The only motto I ever had in my life was that I never wanted to get married, because I dint want to bring any girl in this house and let her be treated like Ishani was always treated because despite me objecting it so many times, people dint bother listening to me and I was freaking sure I dint want that for any other girl.

There was the option of leaving my family and living separately which I couldn't do either because at the end of the day, they were my family, I loved them all, and I wanted to be with them even when I rarely sat with them in the same room.

And now that I had met Khushi, my thoughts were kind of changing, I was thinking about wanting to marry her in the near future but I also knew how that would become a nightmare for her in this family and I was scared that one day, I would start treating her like the rest of them.

How was I supposed to explain all this to her? That I was dying to be with her, I just couldn't.

I knock at the door of my room disturbed my thoughts, I ignored it hoping that whoever was outside would leave me alone.

I heard the knock a second time followed by Ishani's voice.

"Arnav, it's me, please open the door." She said.

I stood up and headed to open the door, once I opened it, I found her standing in front of me holding a huge tray that a plate with different foods.

"I heard you dint eat dinner today so I thought I would bring you some." She smiled as she walked in.

"You don't have to do this." I said.

"Relax Arnav, no one is making me do this, I am doing this because I care for you and I want you to eat, come sit." She said as she patted on the bed, I walked towards her and sat down beside her.

"Aman told me what happened. Arnav what is wrong? You told us you liked her so much then why did you behave that way with her?" Ishani looked at me worriedly.

"How long have you been living here Ishani?" I asked.

"Almost five years why?"

"okay for this five years, imagine you dint love Ayush, you were just married to him with no feelings, and for this five year the entire family of mine treated you like they always do, you weren't even allowed to study ahead, would you still consider staying in this family or you would just escape maybe run away too?" I asked.

"But why would I imagine that, I love Ayush." She said.

"That's the only reason why you are still with us Ishani, your love for Ayush, I don't want Khushi to go through what you are going through, I don't want her to leave her dreams behind, to become a house wife only, I mean it's not bad to be a house wife but it should be your own choice, not someone making it for you. I don't want her to stay in this hell because of me Ishani, so this is the answer to your question, I don't want this for her."

"But Arnav, you and Ayush are so different from each other, he doesn't have the guts to stand up for his wife mostly because he believes what everyone else believes, but you aren't like that, you would always go against everyone for her."

"That's the problem Ishani, I don't trust myself, I have been brought up the same way they have been brought up and I don't want that part of my upbringing to ruin her life."

"I understand what you are saying Arnav, but I can also see how much you want to be with her, so why don't you be? If you keep worrying about what will happen in the future you won't live this moment either and that way you won't live life at all.

Why don't you just accept that you feel for her, and go tell her what you feel for her and live your life right now, at this moment, who knows what tomorrow has but at least you will be happy knowing you had this moment." She explained.

"I don't think that would be good for her."

"It will be Arnav, look I know myself and I know I am not so strong to fight this family like you do, but I met Khushi and I have read a lot about her in the magazines and internet and one thing I know is that she is really strong and she demands what she wants.

If she would feel she isn't being treated right, she would walk away on her own, but look that decision is upon her to make, you can't make it for her okay. You see if you make all this decisions for her without letting her, in one way or the other you are doing what everyone in this family has been doing, isn't it? So I would say, make your own decision, sit with her, tell her what you feel and explain everything that scares you to her and after that let he make the choice of what she wants." Ishani explained, she was right though, by making this decision for her I was becoming the person I dint want to be.

"You are right, I don't know what I would have done without you in my life." I smiled at her.

"Nothing because I am here, now come on eat quickly."

"Did you have dinner?" I asked.

"Yeah I had with everyone else, and then Aman called me and asked me if you were okay because you weren't receiving his calls so I asked him what the matter was and he told me.

Then I thought I should come put a bit of sense in my brother-in-law's mind or he might lose the only shot at love he has." She smiled.

"Thank you Ishani, I appreciate you advise so much." I smiled at her.

"Okay finish eating now I hope I don't have to watch you like a baby, once you are done you can call the servant they would come take this things away. I'll head to sleep I've had a tiring day. Anyway goodnight." She smiled as she stood up and headed out of the room.

After talking to Ishani, I felt so light, all this while I was feeling like I had been carrying a burden over me, but now that she put some sense into me, I felt much better.

I looked at the food in front of me and although I wasn't hungry before, now that the burden had been lifted off my chest, I was, so I finished all the food Ishani had brought for me.

I tried to wait until morning so I could go and talk to her but I was impatient so I decided to drive to her place and talk to her right now and that's what I did, I headed out, got into my car and drove to khushi's house.

Let's say it was my bad luck because she wasn't home, the watchman told me that Ananya and her went out and he had no idea when they were going to be back, I thought I'd wait for a while so I parked my car there and sat in there for almost an hour waiting for her to show up.

Why was it that the only time I wanted to talk to her about the most important thing was when she wasn't around, I hoped she would come back but she dint so I convinced myself to head back home and talk to her in the morning.

I hoped she was going to understand why I said all that rubbish and most importantly I hoped that she was going to forgive me for being a douche.

I was a bit nervous though, I dint know if she would want to be in a relationship with me, I dint know if she was looking for anything long term, of course as for me I wanted to marry her in the future, but I dint know if that's what she wanted too.

What if she dint want the same things as I did?