ARSHI FF: Meant to Be...

CHAPTER 18: Khanabadoshi rah lapata re...

"Saahilon pe aa ke doobi

Khwaishon ki kashtiyan

Ishq mujhko ho gaya tha

Thi yahi gusthakiyan

Tha humnava hi bewafa, kya bataye

Ae dil baata, dil ki kise ab sunaye..."

                                  - 'Saahilon pe' by Sumedha Karmahe from 'Rain' 

RAIZADA MANSION, DELHI – 02:00 P.M.

Arnav walked out of his room as he headed downstairs leisurely which was more due to the fact that after every encounter with Lavanya his mind and emotions were a mess at the moment because she always brought out the darkest of his memories... she represented his downfall. Coming back to India has been something that he didn't want to do yet was needed, the difference between need and want is that sometimes they aren't the same things. It is true that he has moved on his life happily with no regrets but there are still some unanswered questions like why his friends abandoned him six years ago like they did, why Lavanya only blamed him for the failure of their relationship and after all that crap she put him through years ago expects him to take her back... What is wrong with the her...? His mind drifted to the memory lane to six years ago, few days after the success party when he had another ugly conversation with Lavanya in his cabin and the pain is still fresh in his mind.

---FLASHBACK---

SIX YEARS AGO

G.K. CONSTRUCTIONS, DELHI – 11:30 A.M.

Dressed simple chiffon sunflower-yellow full-sleeve anarkali-salwar Lavanya is sitting in the conference room in the middle briefing meeting of an upcoming housing project. But instead of concentrating on what being said, her mind along with eyes were on ASR who sat on the other side of the table two seats ahead. She admired the how dashing he looked in black three-piece suit paired with sage-green button shirt and charcoal-grey tie, his strong jaws covered in light stubble, hair gelled perfectly and handsome face in serious concentration. Her mind flashed back to three days ago to the success party where he dedicated that song to the 'Girl he missed in his life' which she knew was her and this gave her mixed feelings. On one hand she felt happy that he missed her, that he couldn't let her go but on the other hand, she wanted him to get over her because she knew her father wants her marriage with Samar to work out. So, in order to do that she needs ASR to get over her and with this in mind she intended to talk to him about his behaviour, to make him understand and get over her for good, thought determinedly.

She organized her thoughts about what she'll be talking to him and not bothering with the briefing since there was no way she could care less about what the project details at the moment. It was another twenty minutes for the meeting to get over after which everyone gathered their things and started exiting with mild tones of chit-chatting could be heard. She followed quietly ASR to his cabin for more private setting to have his conversation and especially without eavesdropping because last thing she needed was to become topic of office gossip more than already. She knocked at the door of his cabin primly and moments later got a reply of 'come in' made her push the door open and enter, carefully closing along with locking the door behind her.