Falling Softly

SECOND FIGHT

Aaryan's POV

My heart felt heavy as I bid goodbye to Natasha and Nishit. Their understanding gave me a reason to smile and not worry too much. I closed the door and turned around, but I couldn't find Kavya in the living room. When I reached the bedroom, she was sitting in one corner of the bed.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" she questioned, her tone a bit harsh. "You knew all the time, and how did I forget your face?" she asked aloud, her frustration evident. I had changed a lot since high school; I couldn't blame her for not recognizing me.

"I'm sorry, but why are you so upset? I asked for your friendship that day. You rejected it, and I know for sure that wasn't the letter I wrote," I clarified.

"And what happened the next day?" she questioned, tears visible on her face.

Her question surprised me; I had left their school even before the prize distribution celebration started. I moved closer to her, feeling her pain with every tear.

I sat beside her, but she quickly distanced herself. I stood up again, not wanting to bother her.

I was breathing heavily at that moment. What happened the next morning? I had no idea.

"Look, Kavya," I began in a desperate voice, "I don't know what happened, okay? I left your school that very day. I'm terribly sorry if something happened because of me."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "I've never seen a bigger liar than you." Her words stung like a snake's bite. Her shaky, disturbed voice made me feel horrible for putting her in this situation.

Her emotions were so strong; it felt like a wall that I couldn't penetrate, no matter how hard I tried.

"Once again, I'm sorry."

"Your sorry isn't going to change anything!" she nearly screamed. "I hated you all my life after that day."

She blurted it out, and I couldn't imagine being married to someone I had hated the most. She must feel trapped with me now. I should have brought this up earlier.

Leaving the room felt like the best option. She couldn't stand me for another second, and I didn't want her to be angrier.

"I don't know what to say," I stood there helplessly. "I don't know how to prove I didn't write those words. I don't have any proof." My voice got quieter and quieter. "If you have even 0.01% faith in what we had, you'll have to give me a second chance and trust me when I say it wasn't me."

With those words, I left the room, knowing she didn't want me there. I tried to sleep on the sofa that night, but after a few minutes, I went to check on her again. She was either asleep or pretending to be. The past few days had been emotionally draining for both of us. The fun of game night hadn't lasted long; I had ruined that too.

I tried, but I couldn't sleep on the couch. I sneaked into the room, trying not to wake her. When I lay beside her, I could feel the heat radiating from her.

She was definitely not feeling well. I checked on her forehead, her temperature had risen suddenly. Should I wake her up and take her to the doctor? I looked at the phone; it was past eleven at night. I stepped out of the room and called our doctor friend, Aditya. Aditya is a common friend of mine and Nishit.

I explained the situation to him, and he suggested some basic medication plus recommended putting wet cloths on her forehead. He said if her condition didn't improve by morning, I should take her to his clinic.

I quickly got dressed and searched for a medical store, but there was none open at this hour nearby. I wished I had a vehicle. I returned disappointed.

I went to the kitchen to prepare some wet cloths and then went back to the bedroom. I didn't want to wake her; she might just be angrier seeing me there in the middle of the night. I silently placed a wet cloth on her forehead and then went to sleep. After a few minutes, I replaced it with another cloth for an hour or two. This went on.

I checked her forehead, and it was better than before. I fell asleep right after that. When I woke up, her alarm blared. I turned it off and went to the kitchen to let her sleep a little longer before the day started. I prepared a simple lunch and packed her tiffin around the time she woke up.

I remembered that today was my first day rejoining, so I packed my lunch as well. When she got up, she looked a bit dizzy. "Why did you turn my alarm off? I'm late now!" she exclaimed, rushing to get ready and noticing the tiffin box.

I moved closer to her, trying to check her fever, which was still there. "You should rest; don't go to the office today," I suggested, seeing her condition, but she didn't respond.

I had to get ready too, so I went to the bathroom to take a shower. When I came out, she was about to leave.

"Why are you going?" I questioned, but she kept walking toward the exit. I reminded her to pick up her lunch box, but she didn't take it. It felt harsh, but I couldn't blame her.

I wished we hadn't met earlier than our first arranged marriage setup; things would have been much smoother. I had to leave for my office as well, so I donned my formal attire and left the flat.

Thank you for reading. Please give it a star; it encourages me.

◈✦✷✦◈ End of Chapter ◈✦✷✦◈

Listen to the song :
Few lines

नंगे पैरों पे अँगारों चलती रही, हाय, चलती रही
लगता है कि ग़ैरों में मैं पलती रही, हाय
ले चल वहाँ जो मुल्क तेरा है
जाहिल ज़माना दुश्मन मेरा है

Nazrein Bolein, Duniya Bole

Dil Ki Zabaan Haye, Dil Ki Zabaan

Ishq Mange, Ishq Chahe Koi Toofaan Haye

Chalna Aahiste Ishq Naya Hai

Pehla Yeh Vaada Humne Kiya Hai

credit : song writers