Foundation of Marriage

Part 5 - New Year's Eve

As Khushi stormed out of Arnav's room, slamming the door behind her, the silence that followed was deafening. Arnav stood there, his chest was heaving, still fuming from the confrontation. But as the echoes of her retreating footsteps faded, so did the intensity of his anger. In its place, a deep sense of regret began to take hold. He had hurt her again. He knew it, and the realization twisted his gut. Arnav slowly walked over to the couch and sank down heavily, his hands running through his hair in frustration. He replayed the scene in his mind, the way Khushi's face crumpled in pain when he lashed out, the tears that filled her eyes, and the way she had looked at him, stunned and wounded by his cruel words.

"What's wrong with me?" he muttered under his breath. Arnav had always been in control, always knew what he was doing, but when it came to Khushi, all that control seemed to evaporate. Seeing her in someone else's arms, even if it was just a harmless dance, had set off something inside him, something dark and possessive. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and all he could think about was keeping her away from anyone who might take her from him. But why? Why did it matter so much? Why did the thought of her with someone else fill him with such rage? He shook his head, unable to find the answers as always. His emotions were a tangled mess, and for once in his life, he didn't know what to do. On the one hand, he had given Khushi hope on the engagement night, hope that there could be something more between them, something real. But on the other hand, he kept pushing her away, treating her as if she meant nothing, as if he didn't care.

It wasn't fair. Not to her, and not to himself. Arnav stared blankly at the floor, the weight of his own cruelty pressed down on him. He had been so harsh, so cutting with his words, and for what? To protect himself? To keep her at a distance because he was too afraid to confront his own feelings? The more he thought about it, the more disgusted he felt with himself. Khushi didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of his anger and confusion always. She had only been dancing, trying to enjoy herself amidst all the chaos of the wedding preparations. 

Arnav sighed deeply, leaning back against the couch and closing his eyes. He didn't know how to fix this, how to make things right. All he knew was that he couldn't keep doing this to her, couldn't keep hurting her every time he felt out of control. Sitting there in the stillness of his room, Arnav realised that he was more lost than ever. He always prided himself on his strength, on his ability to handle anything life threw at him. But when it came to Khushi, all that strength seemed to crumble, leaving him vulnerable in a way he had never experienced before. And it was this vulnerability that drove him to hurt her, to push her away before she could get too close, before she could see just how deeply she affected him. But now, as he sat there alone, Arnav couldn't help but wonder if he was only hurting himself and her in the process.

Arnav hadn't realised how much time had passed as he sat lost in thoughts of Khushi. The anger had faded, replaced by a deep longing and regret. He wondered how he could ever make it up to her. The room was dimly lit, and the silence was only broken by the ticking of the clock. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Akash walked in. He looked hesitant, almost shy, and there was a pleading look in his eyes. Arnav raised an eyebrow, surprised by his brother's sudden appearance.

Akash: "Bhai," he began, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. "I need your help."

Arnav: "With what, Akash? Is everything okay?"

Akash nodded quickly, then hesitated before continuing.

Akash: "You know how Khushi believes that if you see someone at midnight on New Year's Eve, you'll keep seeing them throughout the next year?"

Arnav: "So?"

Akash (embarrassed): "Well, tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and... I really want to see Payal at midnight. Khushi had been teasing us all day about it, and... well Buaji heard her. Now, she's strictly forbidden Payal from meeting me. But... Bhai, I have to see her! I need your help."