Humdard | ✔

Chapter nine - Confession

He drove for about thirty minutes before finally stopping, precisely, in the middle of nowhere.

He swallowed a bubble of laughter whilst unbuckling his seat belt as he looked at her, sitting with her arms crossed to her chest, pouting and completely vexed by him.

He reached over to her side, did the same and then lifted her again. She held his collar, stubbornly fixing her gaze somewhere else, this time choosing not to waste her energy by struggling as he proceeded into the forest-like location.

She finally lifted her eyes from the ground when he stopped walking and looked at the cottage, resting beyond the wooden gate in front of her. She ran her gaze around, catching the sight of the flowers and trees adorning the lawn along with slides and swings. 

And unknowingly, her lips curved into a small smile, sensing the feeling the joy the air transported to her, after their journey across the colorful flowers and their fragrance.

She looked up slowly, to find him already staring at her with a smile. 

She resumed her grumpy face and huffed, looking away from him, thereby showcasing that she was still annoyed by his bossiness. 

Arnav chuckled, shaking his head at her antics and slowly walked them inside. The hit of memories attached to this place was hard, yet pleasant and he gulped his tears of pain and happiness mixed as he made her sit on a bench, carefully adjusting her back against the tree behind it.

He then knelt himself in front of her, while she looked away, taking her time to admire the beauty around her and ignoring him at the same time.

"Won't you ask why I brought you here?"

"Only if you give the answers." Her soft whisper laced with sarcasm reached him and he gave out another chuckle, this time a mirthless one.

He exhaled deeply whilst standing up and turned his back to her, facing the cottage.

"This was my mother's holiday spot." He started, the affection he held in his voice as he mentioned his mother made her heart ache for him and she looked at his back, her expression softening.

He inhaled sharply, blinking the moisture back to where it belonged.

"She used to come here often, with Nani and Nanaji when she was little, then with me and Di when we would visit Nani. But it became more special to me when, when she was no longer with us.." His voice cracked, causing Khushi to fist the end of her dupatta tightly at her incapability to get up and reach for him.

"I never brought anyone here after her death. Di visits, sometimes alone but mostly with Nani but I never came with them. I always preferred to be alone, here with my mother. But today, today I brought you here, with me." He paused to turn to her, "Do you know why?"

She indeed knew why and that was the reason why she looked away instantly, trying but failing to hide her misty eyes. He swallowed seeing her trying to hide herself and knelt in front of her again. He teared his eyes from her face and rested them at her fingers gripping her dupatta. 

He sighed, unfurling her fist and held her hands firmly, despite her protests.

"Do you know why?" He asked again, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"No. And I don't want to know either. Let go." She said through bated breaths as she continued her struggles, which froze in the moment as he spoke..

"Because you have become more special to me, more than this place, more than anything else.. You have become so special, Khushi..so precious to me.."