THAT'S NOT ALL

6. DEPARTURE

It was the last day. We all took our degrees, shot pictures and were ready to leave. Arjun was waiting for me leaning over his bike. He had already completed his masters 6 months back and was working in a research laboratory now. We hadn't talked to each other for over 4 months now.
Till now he had got slight idea why. But I had no guts to tell him what happened. My parents sent Arindum to take me back. As decided by them, we both had to go to a drive back home, while they will get all my belongings picked up. I had just bid goodbyes to all my friends and was thinking to go and see Arjun for one last time. After all I was leaving my life and my happiness behind. 

Suddenly Arindum held my hand and started trying to come close. I somehow made an excuse and left the spot as fast as I could. I was running from Arindum as his touch felt wrong to me. Suddenly a hand pulled me inside a room on 1st floor.

It was Arjun. He could clearly see that fear on my face. I wanted to hug him tight...... I wanted to dig my face into his chest and cry out all my pains.... I ..... I wanted him.."And still, you'll say that you love that Arindum and not me? "His question got me out of my trance.I moved back."N..No....Nnoo I ... I don't love you.. I .... Love.."I tried to justify myself between my gasps..
"sssshhhhhhh.. He shut me up and put his finger on my lips..."I was lost in his eyes.... His proximity was giving me peace....He slid his hands around my waist, and pulled me towards him..I collide on his chest... "And now?" He whispered in my ears..I was getting weak. He knew how to force me to give up, without hurting me."N..No" I somehow spoke.He moved closer, and kissed my nape putting my hairs aside..... I shivered with the touch of his rough lips.... "Now? Say, my touch doesn't affect you, say you don't love me." He repeated.."I don't .." 

I was weak enough to collapse , but he was holding me.... I was getting choked.. I didn't know till when could I lie to him....

He looked into my eyes, put my flicks behind ears, and started bending towards me.....our faces were a finger apart... I could feel his breath on my lips.....
I closed my eyes.."I love you." My inhibitions had ditched me.. my pounding heart overpowered.... I was lost in him... "I love you Arjun... I had always loved you... I ..."

Banging of the door of the next room interrupted me and I opened my eyes.......I did what I was fearing, I ....I pushed Arjun away..... I had tears in my eyes.... I covered my mouth with both my hands... and ran away...I ran fast and far enough not to ever get caught by him.....I was gone.................................................................................. 

Years just passed like that..... She left without telling anything.... Without leaving any trail.... No bye.. no evidence of her existence.... No reason.... No fights... No nothing... She just disappeared. Arjun searched her everywhere in every possible way.. but in vain... He died million times in his emptiness which always used to run to eat him up and he would get broken into pieces.... Trillions of pieces.. 

Somehow he had collected himself back to keep on running with the pace of life and here she was... Appeared out of blue.. Sitting beside him.. 

The kid was to get discharged the next day.. They didn't know what exactly to think of or what to say. "You should go back.. it's quite late now.." Naina spoke somehow.. 

Arjun was still in the trance and looked at her with blank expressions... He didn't know where to start and what all to ask... She's someone else... Her language.. her dressing.. her hairs... May be she too... Everything had changed so much that he couldn't find her Nan in her... How?? Before he could ask.. she put up the question.. Since when do you live here ? I mean this city... It's not your type of a place na?. He saw that old spark in her eyes while talking to him.. he could never forget how her eyes used to shine when he talked to her.. It's since 3 years after u went........... And he stopped. Silence overruled again. 

The doctor came and gave some prescriptions.. she stood up to go to the medical.. Till she returned, he was gone.. her heart sinked.. she wanted him to stay even if she said him to leave... Her heart wanted him to be there... Close to her... She wanted to know if she could still come... She wanted to hug him tight and tell him everything that happened. Everything she was dying to tell all these years.. but he went. 

She sat there. Waiting for the next day to start so that she could take Adi to there new house. Next day they left in a cab.. her car was still parked near his apartment. They got down and sat inside there car.. she wanted to go back to him... Knock his door and let everything get back in place but she couldn't collect enough strength to do so.. So she took Adi to there new house.. She set everything for the next 2 days and got Adi admitted to a good reputed school there.