Beintehaan (Completed)

51. The Storm

“ Would you like to order now mam?” the waiter asked impatiently for the third time. Priyanka pursed her lips uncomfortably. How was she going to turn him away? “ umm am waiting for some-"

“ yes two coffees please” Arjun breathed, appearing suddenly out of nowhere. The waiter looked startled, but nodded and walked away, “sorry am late, I had stuff to take care of” he smiled at Priyanka. She shook her head brushing it off, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

“sup?” he grinned.

“sup?” she frowned “you were the one who called to meet up right” she reminded him of the sudden call he had made at the middle of the night the day before, nearly sending her into shock.

“ ahhh..yes” he nodded furiously “ I just….had something to tell you”

“ which you couldn’t tell on phone..” she trailed, noticing how edgy he seemed “ is everything alright Arjun?” she asked him gently.

“ of course everything is alright” he snorted “ why wouldn’t it be?” he huffed, not giving her a chance to speak “ what? Now I can’t even ask you to meet me so that I could see you once?”

Her heart skipped a beat and she stared at him wordlessly.

“ look…I just had to tell this really important thing to you and I  didn’t want to do it over the phone” he sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.

Priyanka blushed looking away from him “ I need to tell you something too”

“ you do?” she nodded, she had to tell him that she really liked him, she couldn’t hold it with her anymore.

“But I’ll go first” he said.

She frowned “ no I want to”

“no. I made the call so I will tell what I have to say…I want to get it over with” he mumbled.

“ok..how about we both say it at the same time?” she offered.

“ ok I count to three and we both say it out alright?” she nodded, her heart hammering against her chest, what if he also wanted to confess?

“ one!” Arjun began. What if he liked her too?

“two” she wringed her hands nervously,, oh god she wasn’t ready for this.

“three!” she squeezed her eyes shut.

“I think am in love with you!”

“ am leaving this company!”

A beat of deadly silence settled upon them. She opened her eyes slowly to meet Arjun’s frozen face. “ you are leaving the company?” she asked.

“ did you just..sa..y” he stuttered

“ why are you leaving the company? We still haven’t figured out our story”

he shook his head “ did you say what I thought you said?” he leaned in closer “ answer me Prinku”

She looked away, her hands tightly clenched together, regret pooling in the bottom of her stomach. She should’ve never told him.

“ you know what?” he suddenly said “I need to get outta here” grabbing his bag he got out of his seat. Priyanka shot after him “Arjun!” she yelled running after him.

He hurried across the lonely parking lot. The sky above them rumbled a low warning of a storm brewing.
“Arjun wait!” she yelled running to keep up with him “don’t go” she caught his hand pulling him to a stop.

He whipped around, his eyes dark with an unknown emotion “ why? Why should I stay?”

She flinched, his hand slipping out of her grip “ I just..”

“why would you even like a guy like me Priyanka? What do you even know about me?!” his hands closed into fists.

Her breath caught in her throat, moisture stinging her eyes “i…”

“ you don’t even know who I am” he grabbed her roughly by her shoulders “ or what I am”

“ Arjun..”

“ am not a good person Prinku” his eyes were so blank as he said it “ am not who you think I am”

Priyanka’s lips pressed into a thin line to keep her chin from quivering “Arjun..”

He shook her harder “am not who you think I am!” he repeated.

She wrenched herself from his grip, tearing away “ I don’t care who you are!” she yelled, the tears she had been holding back finally escaping.
“ and don’t tell me you are not a nice guy cause I know who you are…you may think I don’t but I do” she yelled, a drizzle pattering on their heads.

Arjun shook his head angrily “ I should leave.. that’s what I should do” he raked his fingers angrily through his hair “ that would be the right thing to do”

He turned to leave and Priyanka caught his hand “ stop!”

“ let me go Prinku”

“ look at me Arjun!” the rain pelted down on her, chilling her down to her soul that was growing colder by the minute.

He turned to stare at her, his eyes colder than the rain “ look at me and tell you haven’t felt it too” she told him, grabbing his arms “ tell me that in all the times we have spent together, you haven’t felt what I’ve felt”

He twisted trying to let her go but she held on, her yes blurring, her chest burning with pain “ that every time we are together it feels.. feels right…tell me Arjun” she begged him.
He couldn’t go, not after she realized how much he meant to her, she couldn’t let him walk away from her.

He stood still in her arms, his chest rose, as he breathed heavily. Slowly his hands moved up, cupping her cold cheeks.

She closed her eyes, melting into his touch. He bent down resting his forehead against hers. She could feel his heart thundering against her hand.

They stood there, drenched in the rain, amidst the storm raging around them. Suddenly his eyes flew open and he jerked away from her, icy coldness flooded her body.

He stared at her in shock “ I can’t do this Prinku” he breathed “ I can’t…am so sorry” he whipped around and walked as fast as he could away from her.

Her legs shook and gave away, her knees hit the ground as her sobs took over. She cried as the rain pelted down on her hard. Cried for the hollowness she felt in her chest, where Arjun had reached in and stripped out her heart. Shredding it beyond repair.

********************************

His bag slipped from his frozen fingers. He stood with his back to the wall, hidden in the shadows, watching her. Watching her cry in the rain.

But that was all he could do. Stand from a distance and watch. Watch as she cried her heart out for him. For someone who was a monster.

His chest suddenly vibrated and he flinched looking away from her. He pinned the phone to his ear, clutching it so tight that it would break.

“ I did as you asked me to” he spoke his voice grave “ am no longer at your service”

“ you did well…your money will be transferred to your account as promised” Tej Singh Oberio’s voice replied back.

Arjun ended the call and stared at his blank phone screen. Letting out a raged breath, he began walking into the storm cause he couldn’t turn around.

Not now. Cause if he did, he knew he would be walking up to her, picking her up in his arms and telling her that he had felt it too. But he couldn’t, so he kept walking.

A/N: Hola guys,
         How are you doing? Ab navratri ka holidays bhi khatam ho gaya hai and we are back to the grind.

You had seen an almost Shivika's confession in the last chapter. So obviously aap khush honge toh humne socha kyu na thoda rula de!

That's an unexpected reaction from Arjun, isn't it? That's why we say Expect the unexpected. And be ready for that!

There's one more chapter left for the wrap up. We are so excited! 🤩

If you like this chapter, hit on the star down and please comment. Thank you so much for all your love and support.