Tum Dena Saath Mera

Chapter 23- Ignoring him

"Arohi? " Karthik jerked her to break her trance..

"Karthik... I.. I.. " Arohi shuddered confusingly avoiding his eyes.

"I will drop u in hostel. " Karthik said blankly and walked to car.

Arohi silently walked behind him.. Both didn't say a word in the car.. Arohi looked up at Karthik but he was silent.. As soon as they reached hostel, Arohi immediately tried to get down but was held back by a hand.

"I will be waiting for your answer arohi..But I expect a true answer" Karthik said and arohi nodded without even looking at him..

Karthik pov- Finally I confessed my feelings to Arohi...she hadn't expected this, I understood from her expression. She was shocked but when I asked her for an answer I could see confusion in her eyes....i didn't want her to take a decision in haste so decided to give her some time to think.I said I will drop her and went to the car.. We were silent. But I could feel a strong gaze on me and saw her looking at me pleadingly from the corner of my eyes...I didn't want to face her with a mixture of emotions in her face. As soon as we reached hostel I could see her rushing taking her bag but I held her wrist and reminded her I would be waiting for her answer but I wanted her to be truthful. Bcoz somewhere I felt her eyes were speaking different than the words she spoke...I could see a different emotion in her eyes that day when we were close but in the evening she shouted on Anisha for teasing her with me and even today I somewhere saw love in her eyes but she was trying to hold back the emotions like I used to..

Arohi pov-As soon as I reached hostel I rushed to my room.. Nishta wasn't there today...i remembered she had a night shift today... I directly went and laid on bed.. "I love u arohi" the words echoed in my ears.. I tried to close my ears but the words still echoed.. Tears rolled down my eyes..

"why did you make things all the more difficult for me Karthik? " arohi said crying."This shouldn't have happened."

Sleep was far from her eyes.. She twisted and turned on bed. She remembered the first time she saw Karthik photo in his house and she had a crush on him few years back..then their meeting  on his moms B-Day. where he took her in his arms. His jokes, his respect for elders, his care for everyone, made her crush for him strong. She had totally forgot about him until they met in office.. She had promised herself on never falling in love with someone. But she hardly knew love happens beyond ones control. She remembered them meeting in Chennai and how Samar teased her seeing them together and she got angry that day. She remembers how Karthik convinced her parent's for picnic. She remembered how she misunderstood him and trusted Renu over him and reminded him of priya n how he was broken..she then remembers their dance together in picnic and how he was tensed on seeing her state in water,how he was most of the time with her, how they were close,how he surprised her on her birthday. How he got along with everyone in her family,how he pampered her..Then his confession...She throws away stuffs when his first gift a chain and pendant given on her birthday cones in front of her...she takes it in her hands crying..

"Why did you do this Karthik? I would have forgot about all the time we spent together as a sweet memory but with this proposal you ruined everything..." Arohi said crying.."We can never be together Karthik..never.. I can't hurt two families with my decision. "

Next day office went as usual...karthik tried his level best to make things between them normal but he would find arohi getting uncomfortable each time he was around.. Slowly she started making excuses and leaving him boggled...She started avoiding situations where they were together...Shekhar understood the situation after Karthik told him everything..

"Hey guys chalo aaj office K baad movie K liye chalte hai.." Shekhar said to everyone during lunch.

"I'm sorry shekhar.. I'm not coming. " came in Arohi's spontaneous reply.

"Kya arohi ek movie toh hai..n pvr b tumhaare hostel K paas hai.." shekhar tried convincing.

Arohi looked up at him and saw him indicating Karthik angering her further.. "You guys carry on.. I have other work. " Arohi said before walking out.

During work again shekhar tried convincing in person. "Shekhar please... There's no point wasting time convincing me.. You people go and enjoy. "

"Are you avoiding it bcoz Karthik would be there?" Shekhar asked directly.

"I don't think I need to answer it when I know you know everything. " Arohi snapped back.

" Arohi he loves.." Shekhar tried speaking but was cut off by arohi.

"Shekhar I don't want to discuss on that topic.. I have many works to be done. So please don't disturb me. " Arohi shouted looking at her computer screen. All stared at him..

"Fine! " shekhar said and walked away annoyed...

"I'm sorry shekhar for being rude" Arohi mumbled to herself after he left.

Days passed but Arohi kept avoiding Karthik.. Each time he approached her to talk she excused and left. Karthik was hurt with her behaviour but he knew she needed time too...

One day after office Anisha said we will go together and pulled her along.As soon as she reached down she saw Karthik waiting for them..and she understood this was her plan..

"I'm sorry Anisha, I'm going out with Nishta..and I don't want to cancel that plan. " Arohi said before walking away from his car.

"I thought we were friends" Karthik said blankly.

Arohi turned back and fake smiled " You are right.. We WERE friends.. " and walked away..

Arohi pov- Yes Karthik was right we were friends.. But he ruined everything with his confession.. He said he would continue loving me till his last breath.. Our relation can never go back as it was..not after knowing his feelings for me and I knowings my feelings for him too..

"Arohi!" Karthik called out but she left..

Next day was Friday.. The last day when Karthik expected Arohi to confess her feelings..As her parents had decided on meeting the groom and his family that weekend on Sunday. But yet again Arohi was avoiding him...Karthik tried speaking but she ignored him.

After office everyone left after which Arohi decided to leave. She had been avoiding the whole group after she knew all four of them knew Karthik feelings for her and were someway or the other trying to bring them together.

She left and was waiting for a bus. But there seem to be no bus turning up.. She waited for half an hour but didn't get one. Then she decided to walk so as to catch a Rick. Her phone rang.. And she saw it was Karthik. She hung the call.. But it rang again and she hung it frustrated.. But soon felt someone following her. She turned to find two drunkard men smiling looking at each other then at her as a prey.. She understood she wasn't safe there. She rushed fast to the Rickshaw stand but they continued following her...she ran.. But was soon stopped by a car..she turned to find the two men approaching her. Suddenly she heard a horn and noticed it was Karthik's car which blocked her path. She stood there confused but was soon pulled in by a strong hand.. She was dragged from there and made sit in car. Soon he went to other side and drove the car not before giving a death glare to the men who were following her....She looked at the person sitting besides her and saw a very angry Karthik driving.

A/n- Now what next???To know stay tuned