Love Me Again

Chapter 38

Dinner was laid out on the long dining table, filled with an array of dishes that Sonu had proudly prepared.

The atmosphere was lively, with everyone chatting and enjoying the meal. Virat sat across from Rohit, looking more at ease than he had in months. He was engaged in a deep conversation with Arjun, who sat beside him, their heads close together as they shared stories and laughter.

Rohit couldn’t keep his eyes off them. Every laugh, every exchange between Virat and Arjun felt like a stab in his chest. He tried to focus on his plate, but the sight of them lost in conversation kept drawing his gaze.

Arjun’s easy camaraderie with Virat, the way Virat’s eyes sparkled as he listened, it all felt too intimate, too close for Rohit’s comfort.

Rohit’s patience wore thin as he watched Arjun and Virat, who seemed oblivious to his presence, caught up in their own world. The coldness in Rohit’s eyes was obvious, but neither Arjun nor Virat seemed to notice, too engrossed in their conversation.

Rohit couldn’t take it anymore. He abruptly stood up, picking up his plate without a word.

The sudden movement caught Virat’s attention, but Rohit didn’t look at anyone as he walked to the kitchen and placed his plate down with a little more force than necessary.

Rohit made his way to the room he shared with Virat in Mahi’s house, his mind racing with frustration and jealousy.

This trip was supposed to be a chance for him to mend things with Virat, to find a way back to the love they once had. But since they arrived, it seemed like Arjun was constantly at Virat’s side, and Rohit felt powerless to change it.

He sat on the bed, staring at the room's wall, lost in thought. Every moment Arjun spent with Virat felt like it was taking Virat further away from him.

He had come here with the hope that Virat might start to forgive him, that they could begin to heal. But all he could see now was Arjun, always there, always smiling with Virat.

A while later, Virat entered the room, Samira trailing behind him, clutching her favorite stuffed animal. As usual, Virat didn’t even glance at Rohit. He helped Samira onto the bed, settling her in the middle before climbing in himself.

Virat Softly said to Samira  "Goodnight, jaan."

Rohit watched them, the familiar sting of rejection settling in his chest. Virat’s indifference was nothing new, but it hurt more now, knowing that moments before, Virat had been smiling with Arjun. Rohit slipped into bed on the other side of Samira, the little girl oblivious to the tension between her parents.

As Rohit lay there, staring at the ceiling, he couldn’t help but think back to when things were different. When Virat’s smiles were meant for him, when they didn’t need words to understand each other.

Now, all he felt was a wall between them, and the presence of Arjun only made that wall seem higher.

'Yeh sab kab tak chalega? Arjun ko dekh kar lagta hai jaise Virat uske saath zyada khush hai. Aur main… main bas ek paraya ban gaya hoon apne hi rishte mein.'

Samira stirred slightly, her small hand reaching out to touch both her fathers. It was a simple gesture, but it reminded Rohit of the bond they still shared, a connection that Arjun could never touch. He glanced at Virat, who was already asleep, his face peaceful, as if the weight of their strained relationship didn’t affect him at all.

Rohit’s heart ached as he turned to his side, facing away from Virat and Samira. This trip was supposed to bring them closer, to help heal the wounds that had been festering between them for months. But with Arjun’s constant presence, Rohit felt more distant from Virat than ever.