• DRISHTI • Mahabharata Time Travel

Chapter Sixty Four | A Friendship Blooming

"Really?" He asked testing her how much could she lie.

"Really." She nodded avoiding his gaze.

"Drishti." He made her look back at him, "I have asked the same thing to you earlier and I am going to ask you again, what is it that is troubling you? You dont seem happy, what is making you sad?"

"I am not sad." It almost burned her throat to say that with her cracking voice.

"Oh trust me, I am not blind." He said.

"I am not sad, Arjun, really." She said stubbornly and was about to get up and leave but he stopped her sitting beside her quickly and blocking the way for her to leave.

"Sit." He said softly and found herself obeying to that tone which always made her feel weak and vulnerable.

She sat back turning to the setting sun while he sat beside her. Both remained silent the whole time until the sun was completely down and it was starting to get dark.

Just that question being asked to her repeatedly had not put her on the edge of breaking down again. Ever since she came to Indraprastha not much attention was given to how she was feeling, Subhadra and Draupadi did ask if she was alright but they never forced her into answering it and that made her feel better as she was escaping her own feelings.

Until now. As the man sitting beside her knew she was not being moody and was genuinely sad. It did surprise her too that out of everybody he was able to read her correctly. It really did amaze her.

As now it was dark and she was freed from the insecurity of being seen breaking down, Drishti softly whispered to him without looking at him, "I am sad, Arjun."

While looking in front of her where the sun had set, she felt him turn to her, "Why?"

She stayed quiet, not because she didnt want to tell him about it, but because she didnt even know how to tell it to him. Where to even start? She didnt know if she'll even reach an end while talking about her feelings. Or she'd always have to bottle them up inside her?

Her lips quivered wanting to say something but not being able to, her eyes wanted to answer as well only causing the tears to resurface them.

He could see how she shuddered while struggling to say something and it scared him. She scared him. There was definately something that was hurting her so bad that it wasnt even letting her talk about it.

"Drishti-" He began in her direction but was interrupted by her turning to him and laying her head on his shoulder as she could not hold the tears any longer.

It shocked him seeing the girl who just sat as silent as an ocean a few moments ago broke down so easily as she was on the verge of it already. Even the soundless choked sobs that she was letting out were more painful than anything that he had heard.

He sat there awkward and stiff while she sobbed incoherently, "Why- why does it always have to be me? Why should I always give up on what I want? Everybody I love- leaves me, my parents, my grandparents, even him, why? What did I do wrong? As much as I want somebody to stay forever, the more they just go away! You know when I was ten, I had a small puppy and I loved it more than anybody I couldnt imagine losing him but within just an year he died due to illness, then my parents left and then my grandparents, everybody leaves! Why doesnt anybody stay?- why do they always have to leave me?"

One of his hands caressed her softly from behind while the other one was in her grasp as she cried. He couldnt understand the half of her vent but he was clear she was depressed about someone leaving her. But who could that be? He didnt consider it the right time to ask who that was seeing her condition, the only needful was to make her stop crying somehow.