kaho Na Pyaar Hai

A Heated Argument

Ariyana's POV

The days after the conversation with Vivek had been strangely quiet. Ruhaan and I kept our distance, not because we wanted to, but because we were both trying to make sense of what had happened. I could feel the tension building between us, and it was becoming harder to ignore.

It wasn't just Vivek's confession that was troubling me. It was the way Ruhaan had acted afterward. His jealousy, his protectiveness—it was all too much for me to process. I had never seen him like that, and it made me question everything.

That evening, I sat at the kitchen counter, staring blankly at the phone in my hand. I wanted to text Ruhaan, but something held me back. The last few days had been filled with too many unspoken words.

My phone buzzed, interrupting my thoughts. It was a message from Ruhaan.

Ruhaan: "We need to talk. Can we meet?"

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. I had been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, I wasn't sure if I was ready.

I typed back quickly.

Me: "Sure. Where?"

Ruhaan: "Same place as last time. 7 pm."

I hesitated for a moment before typing.

Me: "Okay."

Third Person POV

By 7 pm, Ariyana was standing outside the small café, nervously tapping her foot on the pavement. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew that this conversation would change everything. She had to face the truth, no matter how painful.

Ruhaan arrived a few minutes later, his usual confident stride softened by the seriousness in his eyes. He stopped in front of her, his expression unreadable.

"Hi," he said quietly, his voice betraying the unease he was trying to hide.

Ariyana nodded, forcing a smile. "Hi."

There was a long silence between them before Ruhaan finally spoke.

"I don't understand, Ari. One minute, you're fine, and the next minute, you're shutting me out," he said, his voice tight with frustration. "What's going on?"

Ariyana bit her lip, her thoughts racing. "I'm not shutting you out, Ruhaan. It's just... everything is happening too fast."

Ruhaan's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, too fast? We're just talking. I'm trying to understand you, trying to figure this out."

"I don't need you to fix everything," Ariyana snapped, her voice sharper than she intended. "I need you to stop trying to control everything."

Ruhaan's eyes widened in shock. "Control? What are you talking about?"

"Exactly this!" Ariyana gestured between them. "You're always stepping in, always trying to protect me, but sometimes, I just need space. I don't need someone to fight my battles for me."

Ruhaan's jaw tightened, and he took a step closer to her. "I'm not trying to control you, Ari. I'm just trying to protect you because I care about you."

"I don't need protection! I can handle my own life!" Ariyana's voice was trembling now, frustration spilling out. "You don't know what it's like to feel like you're constantly being watched, judged, and told what to do. You don't know how suffocating it can be!"

The words hung in the air, thick with tension. Ruhaan opened his mouth to respond, but Ariyana raised her hand, stopping him.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," she said, her voice cracking slightly.

Ruhaan was silent for a moment, his eyes searching hers for any sign of what she was really feeling. But he didn't press her. Instead, he turned slightly, his voice softer now. "I'm sorry, Ari. I didn't mean to make you feel like that."

Ariyana shook her head, wiping away the tears she didn't realize had formed. "It's not about what you meant, Ruhaan. It's about what's happening between us. I'm scared. I'm scared of this... whatever this is. And I don't know if I'm ready for it."

Ruhaan's POV

Hearing her say that stung more than anything else. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make Ariyana feel scared. He stepped closer to her, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm.

"Ari," he said softly, "I'm not going anywhere. I know things are complicated, but I'm not going to let you go through this alone. You don't have to be scared of me."

Ariyana looked up at him, her eyes red but determined. "I don't know if I can do this, Ruhaan. I don't know if I can handle all the pressure... from my family, from you, from everyone. I just need to breathe."

Ruhaan's heart clenched. He wanted to say the right words, to make everything better. But the truth was, he didn't have all the answers. He didn't know how to fix everything, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't going to walk away.

"Take your time," he said, his voice steady. "I'm here, Ari. Whenever you're ready to talk, to figure this out, I'll be here. You're not alone in this."

Ariyana's POV

Ruhaan's words lingered in the air, and for the first time in days, Ariyana felt the weight on her chest lighten, just a little. She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that everything would be okay, but the doubt was still there. She wasn't ready to confront her feelings, and she wasn't sure if she ever would be.

"I'll be okay," she whispered, though she wasn't sure if she believed it. "Just... give me some time."

Ruhaan nodded silently, his gaze never leaving hers. Without saying anything else, he turned and walked away, leaving Ariyana standing there, feeling more lost than ever.

Third Person POV

As Ariyana watched Ruhaan leave, she felt the familiar ache of confusion settle deep within her. There was something undeniable between them, but it wasn't enough to erase the uncertainty in her heart.

The night air felt colder than before, but as Ariyana stood there, watching the world go by, she knew one thing for sure—she wasn't ready to let go of Ruhaan. Not yet. But the question remained: would she ever be ready to give her heart fully to him?