Fated To Love You

Chapter 87

"Par main toh tumse pyaar karne laga hoon na," Siddharth said softly, his voice steady but filled with emotions.

Ruhi's breath hitched. As soon as Siddharth said that, she took a quick step back, as if his words had physically pushed her. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out. She shook her head quickly, turning her face away, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks. "Mujhe... mujhe tumse koi matlab nahi hai," she repeated, but this time, her voice was barely a whisper.

Siddharth took a slow step forward, watching her carefully. "Sach keh rahi ho?"

Ruhi's hands trembled. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to look at him, but her eyes betrayed her. "Haan," she whispered, but even she didn't sound convinced.

Siddharth let out a quiet sigh, his gaze never leaving Ruhi's face. He could see the struggle in her eyes—the way she was trying to hold herself together, the way she was forcing herself to say things she didn't truly mean.He took another step forward. This time, Ruhi didn't move back. She just stood there, frozen, her breaths uneven.

"Ek baar sach bol do, Ruhi," Siddharth said gently. "Mujhse nahi, khud se."

Ruhi's throat tightened. "Maine sach bola hai," she insisted, but her voice wavered.

Siddharth tilted his head slightly. "Toh phir jab maar mujhe par rahi thi.. to dard tumhe kyu ho rha tha ?"

Ruhi's nails dug into her palms. "Mujhe koi dard nahi huwa tha," she lied again, blinking rapidly to push back the tears that threatened to spill over.

Siddharth's lips curled into a sad smile. "Phir roh kyun rahi thi ?"

That was it. The last string holding her together snapped. Ruhi turned away sharply, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed silently.Siddharth didn't push her anymore. He just stood there, letting her cry, letting her release all the emotions she had been trying to bury.

Ruhi turned back abruptly and started hitting him—light punches on his arms, his chest, anywhere she could reach. It wasn't just anger; it was frustration, heartbreak, and everything she had been bottling up for so long.

"Itne din lag gaye tumhe realize hone mein!" she scolded, her voice breaking. Another hit landed on his shoulder. "Itne din lage tumhe samajhne mein ki tum bhi pyaar karte ho?"

Siddharth didn't stop her. He just stood there, letting her pour out everything she had been holding back.

Ruhi sniffled, her hits growing weaker, but she kept going. "Aur gadhe ho tum! Assignment aise submit karne ki kya zarurat thi? Pitna hi tha to mujhe bolte—jaan le leti main!"

At that, Siddharth let out a small chuckle, despite the sting of her punches. His smile only irritated her more, and she hit him again.

"Haso mat!" she snapped, her eyes still shimmering with tears.

"Main kya karun, Ruhi?" Siddharth said softly, catching her wrists gently. "Tum ro bhi rahi ho, gussa bhi ho, aur keh rahi ho jaan le leti... par abhi bhi pyaar dikh raha hai tumhari har baat mein."

Ruhi sucked in a breath, her eyes widening slightly as if she had been caught.Siddharth's grip on her wrists remained light, giving her the space to pull away if she wanted to. But she didn't move. She just stood there, looking at him with so many emotions swirling in her eyes that it made Siddharth's heart ache.A heavy silence settled between them.

Finally, Ruhi let out a tired sigh, her shoulders slumping. She looked away, biting her lip, and mumbled under her breath, "Haan, karti hoon pyaar tumse... par iska matlab yeh nahi ki maaf bhi kar diya hai maine!"

Siddharth was about to say something, but before he could, a sharp sound of someone clearing their throat made him freeze. His grip on Ruhi's wrist loosened instantly, and he stepped back as if caught doing something forbidden.

Both of them turned their heads towards the door.

Abhishek stood there, arms crossed, his sharp gaze locked onto them. His expression was unreadable, but the weight of his presence alone was enough to send a chill down Siddharth's spine.

"I don't remember giving my approval for this relationship," Abhishek said, his voice calm yet carrying an unmistakable warning.

Ruhi took a step away from Siddharth instinctively, suddenly flustered, while Siddharth swallowed hard, his confidence faltering.

"D-Dada, woh—" Siddharth started hesitantly, but Abhishek cut him off with a single look.

Without saying a word, Abhishek raised his hand, signaling Siddharth to stop speaking. His expression remained unreadable, but there was a certain finality in his actions.

"Abhi dono lunch karo chup chap," Abhishek said in a tone that left no room for argument. "Sham ko college ke baad baat karungga main."

Saying this, he extended the food towards them.

Ruhi hesitated, her eyes flickering between Abhishek and Siddharth. Siddharth, on the other hand, sighed in defeat and quietly took the food, knowing there was no point in arguing. Abhishek watched them for a second longer before turning on his heels and walking away, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with tension.

Ruhi went back to her seat, wiping her tears as she tried to compose herself. A few seconds later, Siddharth walked towards her desk, his footsteps slow and hesitant. He stood beside the table without saying a word. His presence was heavy, yet he remained silent, unsure of what to say or do.

Ruhi glanced at him briefly but then turned her head away, shifting slightly to the side as if giving him space. Siddharth took that as a silent invitation and sat down beside her, still not speaking.

Minutes passed in silence. Neither of them looked at each other. Then, after what felt like forever, Siddharth finally spoke, his voice quiet.

"Umm... mujhe bhook nahi hai. Tum kha lo," he said, gently sliding the tiffin towards her.

The moment the words left his mouth, Ruhi turned her head sharply towards him. Her eyes flashed with irritation and something deeper—concern.

Without thinking twice, she shouted, "Lagayunggi na ek thappad abhi toh saari akal thikanein aa jayegi! Chup chap khao khana!"

Siddharth blinked at her sudden outburst. For a second, he was taken aback, but then, as he saw the worry hidden in her anger, a small, tired smile tugged at his lips.

"Ah. Ah.. Aur t..tum?" Siddharth hesitated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ruhi's sharp glare cut through him like a knife. Her eyes burned with irritation, daring him to say something stupid again.

Siddharth swallowed hard. "Kha raha hoon, kha raha hoon!" he blurted out quickly, grabbing a bite and shoving it into his mouth as if proving his point.

Ruhi huffed and looked away, crossing her arms.

Siddharth continued eating for a few bites, stealing glances at her every now and then. The tension between them was still thick, but there was something softer in the air now.

After a moment, he looked at her again, his voice gentle this time. "Please... kha lo tum bhi."