Book 3 of the Singhania family - A sequel to Kismat and Vishwaas, can be read as a stand-alone.
Aarav Singhania - A 25-year-old accountant working in his brother's company. For the world, he's a sunshine boy, who does everything in his capacity to b...
Muskaan stares at the bed before throwing her bag onto it causing Aarav to flinch.
"Yeh kya hai?" (What is this?)
Aarav reaches for Muskaan's shoulders, but she slaps his hand away. Hurt by the outburst, Aarav clenches his hands into fists, locking them behind his back.
"There must be a mistake! I specifically asked for two beds. Let me go-"
Aarav goes to move out so he can get a manager, only for his steps to halter at the words of Muskaan.
"I don't care what you have to say."
He doesn't turn back to look at her as he listens to her next words, "I just don't care."
"You don't mean that, Muskaan." The whisper is ever so quiet, that it's almost missed.
"I do!" The shout is so loud, that it's heard by the workers walking past their room.
Tears flood Aarav's eyes, blurring his vision. She just told him she didn't care. Muskaan looks over her shoulder at Aarav's back before asking, "Why is there only one bed?"
"I said I'll try to find out!"
Their voices rose with every word, yet they were both still facing away from each other. The more Muskaan looks at the bed, the more her eyes darken. "Muskaan, I'll work it out. But can you not behave like it'll kill you to be close to me?"
"Don't raise your voice at me-"
"WHY? You get to raise your voice and I don't?"
Muskaan turns to face him, "I'm not raising my voice!"
"You are!" Aarav turns her way, eyes red, "And will it kill you if we have to share a bed? Will it kill you if you have me close? Will it kill you if I touch you?"
Somewhere in Aarav's rant Muskaan found herself pressed against him, his hand on her shoulders, her front pressed against hers. "Will it kill you?"
"YES! If I have you anywhere close to me right now, it'll kill me!"
Muskaan flings herself out of his embrace as she yells, "Yes! It will kill me!"
"Fine then, I'll go get you a separate room! So you don't even need to see my face. Just come find me when you want the stupid picture of the fake relationship!" Aarav grabs his jacket off the sofa as he makes his way out, only to be pulled back.
"This was all your idea! And now you're turning it around on me?" A finger jabs into Aarav's chest, right where his weeping heart is. "You signed up for this! So now put up with it!"
Aarav's eyes darken, and his jaw clenches, "I am putting up with it." His voice was low but it held a dark emotion. "I'm putting up with being your little toy for your pictures, knowing damn well that you don't feel the way I do!"
Aarav steps closer, "And THAT kills me."
Muskaan does budge from her place, fire in her eyes. She doesn't say anything, just listens to him. "It kills me that you don't want to be anywhere near me!"
"No! I don't want to be anywhere near you because I don't know what I'll do if you're in my proximity for another second!"
Aarav takes in a sharp breath before taking another step forward.
"I don't know if I'll touch you," Standing where she is, she feels Aarav come closer.
"I don't know if I'll hug you," Muskaans pushes him away, hoping he'd budge, but he's standing unmoved.
"I don't know if I'll pull you in," She attempts to push him away, her fists hitting his chest.
"I don't know if I'll kiss you!" Her fists repeatedly hit his heart, faster than the beats of his heart. Aarav's breath hitches and her voice falls into a whisper. She looks away from his teary eyes, tears of her own dropping down her cheeks.
Her next words come out almost like a whimper, so soft, so delicate that all the anger flies out of Aarav.
"I don't know if I'll fall for you."
Muskaan presses her forehead into Aarav's Chest. His heartbeat was louder than her heavy breathing. "Do you know what else kills me?"
Aarav's hands move to hold her, his palm flat on the small of her back. "What?" Muskaan peers up at him, her eyes glowing in the dimly lit room, her shoulders shaking as she muffles a sob. She clings to him, tears running down her face.
"Knowing that I make you suffer like this kills me." Her eyes sought solace in his teary gaze, but the pain reflecting in his eyes just reiterated her words.
Aarav smiles gently her way, before dropping his face down. He rests his forehead on hers, eyes locked as he heaves a sigh. He didn't know what to say so he just let the silence linger.
Muskaan rests her hand on his cheek and the other on his chest, an undeniable tension forming around the two. "I put you in this misery," Muskaan manages to croak out before she takes a deep breath, trying to hold back her sobs.
Aarav looks into her eyes, not letting her move her forehead away from his. He watches her close her eyes as she finishes her sentences, "So now, let me take you out of it."
Aarav's breath hitches as he processes her words, "Muskaan--I-- You don't mean that-"
His words are left unfinished as Muskaan opens her eyes. He looks at him, detaching their foreheads. A soft breeze rustles past them as if it could push them closer. The lights in the room flicker, shying away from their moment.
The tension grows with each second, "I do mean it, Aarav, let me take you out of your misery."
Her words stir an uproar within him, his fingers press further into her skin as if it's a dream and she'll vanish.
"How will you take me out of my misery, Muskaan?"
Aarav shuts his eyes when he feels her move her hand up his chest and around his neck. Her other hand follows. Now with her arms around his neck, she shuffles closer. Her chest pressed up against his, the tips of her sneakers touching the tips of his. "Let me show you."
Aarav feels her stand on her toes in an attempt to reach his height. She strains her feet to get closer to him. "Please." The whisper slips past Muskaan's lips casing Aarav's wrap around her, now with her coiled in his arms he waits.
Eyes closed, Aarav waits in anticipation.
He feels his heart stop when he feels tender pressure on his lips. He felt his soul slip out of his body when the pressure became heavy. Aarav felt everything around him stop, the breeze stopped, and the flickering of the lights stopped. He stopped.
What do we think? I know I'm leaving you in the middle of a scene but I won't make you wait too long for the next one :)
See you in the next one! :)
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