One Day At A Time

Chapter Thirty Eight - Time Travel(II)

Akash was at a loss for words. But he knew he wouldn't have done anything differently had he been in his shoes. Such life-altering decisions couldn't possibly be made or accepted over a fight or a night. He glanced at Arnav. "Kabir had called... again."

"Akash —"

"He is begging for a chance to come clean, Arnav. Someone has to tell you something, goddamnit! You've been dealt a punishment over an issue you have absolutely no fucking clue about! You need to call him home. He can't just stay with Aarav forever!"

"I haven't asked him to stay with him! It's his call." Arnav snapped and, a moment later, let out a weak sigh. "I will have to talk to him eventually, Akky. But not right now. I am not ready to speak to him before I speak to Khush." His voice shook, and his fists clenched. "I — I wish I had not walked away from her that day and —" His words were held back by the lump in his throat.

The quiver in Arnav's voice sliced through whatever it was that was holding Akash together for the past couple of days. "Stop it, Arnav!" He exploded in a burst of anger, startling Arnav. "For the love of God, stop killing yourself over it, meri jaan! Anyone else in your place would have done exactly what you did that day! Your brother had manipulated the entire situation —something that came easily to him because he knew your girlfriend had kept you in the dark! Khush had hidden things from you and lied to you, Arnav! If you were expecting yourself to handle or dismiss the entire thing in a snap of a finger, then I believe you were asking the world out of yourself, and so was she!" He stopped to calm his ragged breathing. "Look, you both have acted impulsively. Both have fucked up. So stop being so hard on yourself! I agree you acted like a jerk, and how you handled it is unacceptable. But you felt let down by her, it's understandable! And you had waited for her at the concert gate the whole time until I finally dragged you inside for the last few minutes for Kabir's solo performance. She didn't turn up, Arnav! You would have spoken to her within an hour after the episode on the hill! How the hell were you supposed to know she wouldn't come?" He got to his feet abruptly and turned around to face him again. "And you know what? Now when you are expecting her to call you and turn up at your door, you are in fucking denial, and you know it!"

Arnav looked away from him with a sinking feeling in his heart. "She will call. And I say it because Khush can be a lot of things but not heartless." He said firmly.

"I hope so too. I do understand her hiding things from you all along, don't get me wrong. But I don't understand her leaving like that. She shouldn't have left, Arnav. Not like that."

Arnav stilled and glanced at Akash with a frown on his face. "Are you taking sides, Akky?"

"What do you want me to say? You acted like a jerk, but she hasn't done any better either, Arnav!" Akash slashed at him in anger, his expression harsh. "What is she playing at? She isn't cruel! Or is she? I don't know what the fuck to believe anymore!" He was about to turn away but watching Arnav's pale face brought him back to him. "And listen to me, I am not going to just stand here and watch you collapse in front of me! I won't let you drive yourself mad! I will bloody—" He held back his words, rolling his fingers into tight fists and walked away in blinding frustration towards the window to calm himself down once again.

"Think about her situation, Akky." Arnav's words penetrated the haze of anger Akash stood wrapped up in. "You know it would be hard for her to step out and make a call when people surround her! Give her some time." He reasoned.

"Time?" Akash mocked. "I don't think the time is an issue here. The intention is!" He hissed. "You've known each other almost all your life! So how can one ugly argument and a mad impulse finish off everything you've shared for so long? What kind of a cruel fucking punishment is this? Just like you should have considered her reasons for doing what she did, she should have questioned herself if she was fair in asking you to understand something that had blasted your life overnight —something that had taken her months to come to terms with! She lied when you had been begging her to come clean about a serious issue involving someone you both love deeply and equally, Arnav!"