Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

2.13 | Scars

Posted on June 01st, 2017 | Edited on November 2nd, 2018

| . . . C H A P T E R - 2.13 : S C A R S . . . |

That evening, I returned with Arnav to his place, ready to gather my luggage and meet Armaan and Riddhima back at the penthouse as they were back from their medical camp.

However, there they were sitting with Anjali waiting on us to get back. I also took a moment to acknowledge Anjali was back. Armaan didn't want for me to walk to up them and jumped over the couch to embrace me in a big bear hug. "Little sis! I missed you."

I chuckled leaning into his familiar hugs, "I missed you too."

Pulling back, he seemed to observe my smile didn't reach my eyes. "Doesn't look like it."

Before he could have questioned, Riddhima gave him a gentle push, "Move it now." He gave her an accusing glare which she didn't pay attention to and instead took me in a hug as well. "How are you?"

Oh, getting this hugs from them two. Unknowingly, I shed a tear which instantly concerned her. Before she could ask, I shook my head to assure her, "I'm fine. Just, happy to see you two, you know?"

Anjali placed a loving hand on my head, "I'm sorry I wasn't here while you stayed. I hope Arnav was a good host."

"Di," he whined at the insinuation that he could have been rude.

I found myself to smile and assured her, "He tried."

He rolled his eyes at me, "I did better than try, Khushi."

Ofcourse, I knew he had. I wouldn't admit it though.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

After dinner, we made our way back to the penthouse. Within the safe walls where it was just Riddhima and Armaan, my shoulders sagged and I dropped myself on the couch. Armaan questioned at once, "Did he send anything else?"

I shook my head, "No. But I don't know... what is happening in life?"

Riddhima sits next to me, placing a comforting hand around me. "Khushi, he's just wanting to scare you by saying he'll tell Arnav and all. Trust me, he won't. If he wanted to, he already would have."

"It's not that, Ridzzi. I don't care about what fabricated lies he tells Arnav. I... I am more scared about what Shyam tells him."

"Shyam?" Riddhima echoed.

Armaan asked, "How is he involved? There's nothing he could tell Arnav that would be different than Vivek's version of lies."

I inhaled deeply, bracing myself for their reactions when I tell them this party of the story I have kept to myself since it happened. "No. There is something I didn't tell either of you..."

Both returned confused stares with impatience. Neither in the mood for me to beat around the bush. Armaan must have observed I was hesitant and hence leaned over to put his hand on my arm and gently asked. "What is it, Khushi? You know you can tell us anything."

I gulped the choking tears threatening to fall down my cheeks and shook my head. "You'd hate me."

His other hand tilted my chin up so I would look at him in hopes of convincing me otherwise, "Hey, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that you can tell me about yourself that would make me hate you even the slightest. Are you forgetting? You're my doll."

Lowering my head, I mumbled. "You'd still be disappointed in me for this."

Riddhima expressed, "Sweetie, whatever it is that you are scared of telling us, trust us - we are always going to be on your side. Doesn't our whole lives growing up together prove that to you?"