Love that Hurts

MALADY OF MADNESS

Raina was picking at her cuticles as she stood in front of her parents' house. The humble abode she used to call home, the place closest to her heart and the people dearest to her. It had been so long since she had seen them, when she had moved to the States, somewhere in her heart she had carried that grudge with her. Some part of her psyche blamed her parents for setting her up for this sham of a marriage, but as days passed she understood where they came from. She knew they knew how much she used to adore the Aryan she saw on it, how she would swoon as he would raise his bat to the audience after hitting a six or after completing a century. He was a star in her eyes, a star in the word's true sense. How would they have known, this very star would be an enigmatic blackhole that would suck all the happiness out of their daughter's life. Raina had lied that it was her first day at the Institute.

She slowly stepped upto their porch and rang the door bell. Her mother opened the door and gave her a sad, yet understanding smile. She knew what she was here to do, they had a huge fight about it on Raina's way. In the end, her mother had agreed to rip the band aid off albeit she was cautious.

Her dad was trimming his bonsai trees when she called his name.

"Beta! I'm so glad, you're here.", he embraced her with a genuine smile on his face.

" Akhir kar apko humari yaad agayi. How was your research work in New York? " , he asked, inquisitiveness etched onto his face.

"It was alright, dad. ", the truth was she had done all of what was required in the six months, she could've reviewed the rest from her home country as well but she chose to stay because she hated all of them at that moment and wanted to get away from them. He was in the middle of talking to her about the recent opposition alliance formed in the country when she interrupted, "Dad. I have to say something to you. "

"What is it Beta? And also, why didn't you bring Aryan with you? He has been visiting quite often these days telling me how great you are, how great it is going. He even has a surprise for you, but don't ask me since I can't reveal it. "

"It's about him and me. "

"What? ", from his expressions, it was apparent that he was rather clueless about the thunder about to strike him.

" Aryan and I, are divorced. We have been for the last year and a half, more if not less."

A bucket full of sorrow spread across her father's face, " What? "

"Yes, and it was he who filed for it. We separated amicably. "

"But why? You used to adore him. ", by this time it was visible that the news of their separation was taking a toll on him. Droplets of sweat were beginning to form on his forehead, and the sound of his breathing was becoming more noticeable.

" He wasn't even close to what I thought of him dad. He isn't a good person. Please don't let this worry you dad, this is my problem. I have my whole life ahead of me. A broken marriage and a divorce won't hurt me like you think it would. I have moved on from and you should too, so that nobody gets to hold that against me. "

The rest of her visit was a crying affair as her father blamed himself for all that had happened to her.

As she went on her way to Aryan's penthouse, all she could think about was how it wasn't that complicated, telling her father. Yes it was rather emotional and her father looked devasted, but it didn't even have an effect close to what she had conjured up in her head. It was just a strawman Aryan had concocted to scare her into submission. Raina was now completely free to move on and kiss his presence goodbye. She held her head high and puffed her chest as she headed into the penthouse. Aryan was busy playing fifa as she came into picture.

"Oh you're back! How was your day? "

"It was the best. Do you want to know why? "

Aryan smiled sinisterly as he walked upto her, "Did you gather up enough courage to do something stupid yet again? "

To Aryan's surprise Raina cupped his face tightly and smiled, "Oh yes love."

He just let out a pathetic laugh in response, "And what did you do? "

"I just snapped the sword you had hanging around my neck in half. That's what I did. So, I'm leaving. And there's nothing you can say or do to stop me from doing that now. "

She patted his shoulder with a victorious smile, "It was fun while it lasted Aryan, but I'm bored and tired now. "

She stepped up to grab her luggage in her room and began arranging her stuff. The silence from Aryan's end worried her. As she stepped with her suitcase, with a glass of what looked like alcohol.

He started laughing hysterically as he saw her all ready to leave.

"Leave, but one step out of here and I will fucking ruin you Raina Singh. "

Her eyes yet again travelled to the glass. He followed her gaze, "Oh yes this, this is Strychnine. You step out, I drink this, the timed message goes out to Abhishek saying you poisoned because I was refusing to pay for your father's medical bills and since we separated amicably you didn't get any alimony, so you were here blackmailing me into giving you money. And when I refused you opted to poison me instead, out of spite. I'll sue you, the media will rip you to shreds, you would lose all credibility, your dreams would all be flushed down the drain. "

"You would kill yourself over this? "

"Of course not silly. This is not a lethal dose, would just make me hallucinate and sick for a few days. I'll be fine, who will not be fine is you. So choose wisely. "

" This is madness! You're literally mad, you need help, you need to be institutionalized! "

"You wanted to leave, I'm giving you the chance to leave but alas it comes with a cost! "

"Sue me! You wouldn't win!"

"Well if that's the case I'll see to it that it never comes to the results, I would hire the best in town, drag you to court on days innumerable and stretch this case till every inch of yours would want to beg for mercy. Now how does that sound? "

Raina let go of her luggage and tears slowly started falling down her cheeks. Aryan ran to hug her, she hit his chest repeatedly and used all the profanities she could think of. She started pushing him away but he pulled her more into him, "I know, I know love. I know what I said just now was hurtful, but trust me I'm doing it for us, for the love we have for each other! I know you're mad at me, I'm ready bear your wrath but not the separation. "