A Promised Marriage

Chapter Seventeen: Lies

Aradhya's Pov.

The image in-front of me was terrible to watch. Rehan was sitting on the bed, his eyes were red and swollen and he was panting like he could barely breathe. His body was shaking like he was about to collapse at any moment. I ran toward him and sat on his bed along with him and asked

'Rehan, what's the matter?'

No response from him, he just looked at me and said,

" I - can-t breathe.."

All the things in his room were thrown about, broken furniture, and empty beer cans everywhere. I realized why Rehan didn't want to talk to me. He was suffering, he was struggling with the loneliness and depression and no one was helping him. I could see myself in his situation from 2 years back.

A thought occurred to me that I could use this opportunity to help him, to be of use to him. I sat beside him and hugged him, not bothering about our past relationship. I was there just to let him know that he's not alone anymore.

"It's okay, you are going to be fine," I said while caressing his hair, "Just relax and take deep breaths."

"My chest.... It hurts... It hurts so much," he cried while clutching me tightly.

I was shocked. I have never in my life seen him so vulnerable and broken. It was like I was watching a different person; someone I would never want to see like this.

"Why are you here? I will hurt y-you!"
He said while grabbing me with all the strength he had left. He was clutching to me in a way that he probably believed was protecting me from himself. But I couldn't help but notice that at that moment I felt more scared for him than for myself. This pain that he was going through was so deep and intense, I didn't want to let him suffer like this for a second longer.

"Bondita, please leave!" He threw a lamp towards the door. He was so angry and his actions were so unpredictable that I got scared. I wasn't scared of him or his anger, I was scared that I might lose him if this situation went on for a few more seconds. I had to calm him down somehow

I held his hand and took him in my arms, hugging him tightly. I didn't know the right words to use at that moment, but I realized that his anger was just his way of showing his frustration.

"Aradhya listen to him and leave from here" Rehan's mother who has been watching everything from the door said stepping inside the room but she wasn't looking at us, she was staring at her son. The pain in his eyes was clear for everyone to see. Rehan tried to move away but I didn't let him.

"No! I won't leave until he's alright" I said with determination

"Aaru you should really leave, this is not your scene
We'll take care of him" His mother said, her tone firm like usual,

"No, I will take care of him" I said as I stared him back fiercely

Rehan's mother sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to take me out of that room, atleast not until I wanted to. She stood there just looking at me with a resigned look on her face

Rehan was panting so heavily, I could tell that his body was exhausted. I was caressing his hair and trying to keep him calm.

"Aradhya he could hurt you! H-h

"I'm not scared of him hurting me. I can handle him, I promise you" I replied and kept caressing his hair.

His heartbeats were so fast, that I was worried for him. I felt his body trembling beneath my hand and it was a very scary site to watch.l
You are not understanding he could kill you!" She said making me shocked

"Are you hearing yourself? He is not some animal who would kill somebody just like that! He's having a panic attack, and I don't know why you want me to leave him and what happened when I was away, I don't know anything and I will not leave Rehan while he's like this. I need to take care of him!" The conviction in my voice was making her doubt herself for the first time.

Rehan started to close his eyes and leaned back into me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I could feel his body relaxing, he didn't look as tense as he was when I came. I kept caressing his hair and stroking his back.

"This is strange" I heard Aunty whisper but I ignored her and focused on Rehan. All these things were so confusing. First Rehan broke my heart, ignored me, my mother never allowed me to met him then he came into my room and this. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. It was like they were lying to me, like something was wrong with Rehan and I was just trying to help him through this dark phase of his life. I tried to remind myself.

⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. ๋࣭ ⭑⚝.

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