FADING DARKNESS

CHAPTER 10: THE PARTY

KHURANA RESIDENCE

The party was on in full swing as Piya entered the party, dressed in a gorgeous purple dress that clung to her like second skin, falling to her knees. She had left her hair open, and the beautiful curls fell gracefully to her shoulders making her look even more ethereal. She had come late; her brother Arjun had already arrived before and Arnab was unable to come at the last moment due to an urgent meeting and so she had come alone.

Jeh smiled hurrying forwards as he saw her. "Piya!Hey!I've been waiting for u!! What took u so long? Ur bro arrived ages ago!!"

He pulled her into a hug.

"Hey Jeh", said Piya with a smile, hugging him back. "Actually I was supposed to come with Papa, but an urgent meeting cropped up and he couldn't come, so I ended up coming late and alone" she said with a laugh. "Nice party, by the way!"

"Thanks, buddy" said Jeh grinning as they pulled back from the hug.

Abhay arrived just then, his eyes falling on Jeh and Piya as they pulled apart from the hug. His jaws tightened, anger rushing through him and he didn't know why. Just then, Jeh moved off to meet some other guests and he got a clear view of Piya. He froze. She looked so'so..he couldn't describe her beauty in words. His eyes traced over her form, and that face, with those beautiful expressive eyes. Each day, her beauty only grew, he thought, as he watched her laugh and talk to one of the guests. He could only stare at her.

Piya felt a pair of eyes observing her, and she instantly knew, by the warm tingle that went up her spine, who those eyes belonged to. She turned around as the guest she had been talking to went to greet someone else, and felt goosebumps as her baby-brown eyes collided with those all- too familiar ice-blue once. She gulped at the intense, searing look he was giving her, as though he was looking right through her. He hates u, Piya, she repeated in her mind, but it was no use. Her treacherous heart hammerd painfully fast as the surroundings ceased to exist around her. Dear God, even after all his insults, all their fights, the venomous words, she was ready to melt with just one look from him. She gulped as he started walking towards her. Her legs already felt like jelly. This was not good.

********

Arjun put down the glass of drink his friend had forced into his hand and turned away from the crowd, his eyes suddenly burning with the unshed tears. He had never touched a glass of drink ever since that fateful day and it still didn't reduce his guilt. It was worse on this day. The day she had died. Or the day maybe, when he had killed her. He had killed his love. He closed his eyes. He wished he could be far away from this party, far from everything, in a place where he could see his Alisha again. All these years, and he still loved her so much. But he hated himself for it. His love had ultimately taken her life. And he had been a coward. He had never confessed how she had died, had hidden their fateful encounter on the bridge even from his family. Sometimes, he wished somebody would come punish him for what he had done, make him repent. He walked over to his car and got inside, resting his head on the steering wheel, letting his tears flow free.

**********

Abhay's legs automatically carried him over to her as though he no longer controlled them. As he reached her, his hand automatically rose, his fingers lightly tracing her cheeks.

Piya's eyes closed, a tremble going through her body at his touch. Even with all the hatred he had for her, he could make her feel so much. "Abhay'" her voice came out, breathless, shaky'