Invisible Strings * Ongoing*

17. Release

Only he knew, that there was nothing casual in his mixed feelings within, in the moment. The haunting onslaught off the man's call to him – kept coming to haunt him as he heard Khushi talk to him so lovingly, love and sincerity evident in her voice as she then went on to catch up with her Mom too..

Five minutes into listening, on the conversation, he decides that it be better if he distracted his mind now, by moving away. He gets up gesturing to Khushi that he'd be across – and he makes his way to the stuff he'd had ready for the other significant bit that had been on his mind all day, the bit that he'd been planning to be the context for Khushi+ His heart to heart regarding the past – tonight. The hours with her prior today, living in the moment, had indeed – given his heart the added cushion off support he'd surely be needing for this. It wasn't going to be easy for him or her. But especially after what he had witnessed last night, he knew it had to be tackled, immediately. It had been left – unaddressed by him – for too long anyway.....

Once, he is done going through the stuff,he adjusts it all on the table, and he picks out his phone again. Just as he is about to take his seat on the chair, he feels Khushi rush close and instantly hug him from behind now hard, as she asks softly – " hey....you okay???"

Well, he wasn't. But with her holding him this way, he surely would be...in a couple of minutes, he thinks to himself.

Arnav just nods at that, still not turning to look straight back at her though, taking the last couple of seconds, to re-compose himself, burying those haunting memories in the context she still had no clue about – back in its aching corner.He says closing his hand over hers, now – " yeah...I am okay...Khushi...of course...I am okay...why would you even, ask that??"

Khushi hugs him harder from behind at that and clutching his hand tighter over hers at that, she admits what she had observed so clearly – " I asked, because, I thought, I saw you like fight a flinch, when daddy called...you also looked very uncomfortable, as you walked off the couch...and even before...as I spoke to Mom and Dad....you were totally trying to mask it....and don't try to lie to me...on the same..k? because...I know what I observed...very well..."

Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmm! He'd forgotten how good she was too, at reading him. Wasn't this one of the reasons why he'd just chosen on silence then? He'd known even then, that confrontations with her, in this context, could be dangerous...

He feels his mind go into an overdrive at that, as to how to cover this up now, and he feels her turn him around finally, making him face her, as she asks her curious gaze searching his face now – " why won't you say something???anything??? clearly, something is bothering you....Arnav....why would you like...fight a flinch that way...just after daddy called?????"

Okay, he really had to say something, before her curious mind went all over the place and so he says now stating a part truth anyway, keeping his gaze locked with hers – " I flinched...because...I know...very well...I am not your dad's first choice for you...ok? I know he'd want nothing more..than to have you and Samarth...fixed...right? you said it yourself the other day...that if it were upto your families....,"And he pauses, because Khushi's placed a finger on his lips at that instantly as she whispered – " shhhh...sh...not a word..more..k? on that? please??you hinted this to Samarth too yesterday...I know...he texted me...why even think this way? when you know how I feel?for you?????how I'v always felt for you?????????"

Arnav closes his eye at that, too afraid that she'll read into it and as Khushi continues to gaze at him now, she feels like wanting to make him comfortable in context almost immediately and so she just cups his face urgently as she whispers caressing his cheeks – " open , your eyes to me, right now, please? don't close them on me...right now?? baby..please??"