She Can Be Toxic Too (Completed) √

"You won't need the keys darling!"

Aashi slumped on the chair as she saw the breakfast left untouched on the table. This had been her routine for the past six months. Every morning, she would place hot breakfast on the table with the hopes that her husband would eat before leaving for work, but all her efforts remained unfruitful. She struggled very hard and fought numerous battles in her head to understand his behaviour. It had been six months into their marriage and not a single word had been exchanged. Abhinav did not bother to even cover up his behaviour at their family gatherings, thus brewing tension between their families. Aashi had not spoken to her parents or Abhinav's dad for over a week now. What answers could she possibly give them when she had none of her own? Sighing, she packed the food for the security guard, her hunger vanishing with her gloomy thoughts.

She tried her best not to let her inner turmoil spoil her mood as she walked into her office building. She waved at her friends and walked up to her cubicle, all set for another day of presentations. Being an interior designer for a renowned firm was not an easy job. She found her personal problems fading as the artist in her sprang up to life. At half past seven, she left the office with all her sheets and files, making sure she would be busy over the weekend. If that's what Abhinav wants, then so be it, she thought.

She fumbled for her keys as she got off the elevator, only to be interrupted by Nikhil Uncle, her neighbour. A retired army officer, he was a jolly old man living all by himself after his wife's demise and Aashi always saw a father figure in him.

"You won't need the keys darling!" he chuckled. "Abhinav is home already. I saw him when I started off on my walk", he spoke in his usual cheerful tone.

Abhinav was home? How? Why? Aashi scrunched her nose in confusion. He always returned late, almost when she was about to go to bed. Is there any problem?

"Am glad you guys are finally getting time to spend with each other. All weekend with each other huh?! Use the bedroom on the opposite end. No funny business on my side okay?" he teased and laughed.

"Only if you knew, Uncle" Aashi murmured under her breath before plastering a fake smile over her face. She turned away quickly, muttering silent abuses and once she knew that Nikhil Uncle had gone into his house, she decided to knock the door. She heard footsteps arriving and waited patiently, trying to dissolve her doubts at the back of her head. The lock clicked around, but the door never opened. She realised that Abhinav had unlocked the door, but had refrained from opening it. Sighing loudly, she pushed open the door and directly walked to her room, not sparing a glance to locate him. You can do this, she mentally repeated.

After changing into comfortable clothes, she walked out to prepare dinner. She saw him sitting on the couch, his back facing her and his eyes glued on a football match. She silently walked into the kitchen and started cooking. Once she was done, she placed the food on the table and waited for a minute to see if he would join. Not getting any kind of response from him, she walked up to his side and gathering all the courage in her, spoke in a calm voice,

"Food is ready. You can come over to the table for dinner."

She saw his eyes move to the side as he saw her from the corner of his eyes and almost instantly, his eyes trailed back to the television screen. Aashi lost all the patience she had gathered. She lunged forward to grab the remote, switched off the screen and in the next second she knew she had his attention. She inhaled deeply, preparing herself mentally for the conversation that was to follow. It was her first conversation with her husband in six months. Putting the mocking voices in her head to rest, she sat on the couch opposite and spoke firmly, her voice filled with resolve.

"Abhinav, what is the problem? It has been six months to this" she said pointing to the space between them, "and we haven't gotten anywhere with this relationship. Forget relationship, hell we haven't even spoken properly" her voice raised a little higher, reflecting all the frustration built up in her.

"I told you what this relationship will be like even before the marriage, when we first met, Ms. Aashi Shergill" his voice echoed.

Aashi sighed helplessly, her hands swinging up to the sides of her head. "It's Mrs. Aashi Mehta. I know and I still remember all that you said. Even now, I am not asking you to accept me as your wife. But can't we be more cordial towards each other, behave at least like roommates?" she questioned, huskily her voice filled with pain and a small ray of hope.

"No, I don't have to and want to be cordial with anyone. And definitely not with a woman. I dont need anyone, okay? he yelled harshly and stood up to leave towards his room but stopped in his tracks as he heard her speak again.

"Are we going to pretend that we have never known each other all our lives? Are we going to pretend that we were never best friends?" she equally squealed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Abhinav slowly turned around to look into her eyes. This was what he had feared from the very beginning. He knew they had a past. A past that was way beautiful than what the future was going to be. The harsh reality had initially made him deny her hand in marriage but ultimately he had to succumb to his father's emotional demands. He roughly brushed his hands through his hair, a gesture that indicated his frustration. Aashi understood that he had some trouble, some pain and she wanted him to confess it all to her. She wanted him to trust her and share everything with her like they were in the past. She wiped her tears hurriedly as the door bell rang.

She gave him a look and walked up to the door, mentally praying that none of their friends or family should have turned up. The situation would just get worse. She opened the door, only to find a young lad holding up a box along with a bill. Before she could react, the boy spoke hurriedly,

"Is this Abhinav Mehta's house? I have got his pizza delivery."

Aashi felt something break inside her. He had ordered food. He had ordered food only for himself, despite knowing that she had been cooking.

She turned around immediately, trying not to cry in front of the boy. She looked up to see Abhinav standing a few feet away from her, his gaze now fixed on her face. She swallowed the gulp in her throat as she spoke, trying to sound normal, "Abhinav Mehta, you have a pizza delivery to be received. Please collect it yourself." Having said that, she immediately walked past him and into her room, shutting the door behind her harshly.