Aarush recollected all the words that Ritika spoke as she stood silent when he asked who said all those to her.
"You deserve someone better"
"Someone...who is of your standard..."
"your class...your community..."
"who has everyone...who knows the value of your relations..."
"who loves you..."
"who grew up seeing you..."
"who has built a whole life with you..."
"who lived in your dreams..."
He rewound all the happenings of the day and till evening, she was fine. The only persons she spoke to, was his family members and friends.
"who grew up seeing you..."
"Avni...!" He muttered slowly but audible enough for Ritika. She looked at him being shocked and that confirmed his doubt.
He widened his eyes and asked to confirm again "Avni...!? Really...I can't believe this...She told all these to you...!??"
Ritika nodded in a no saying "She...she just said her feelings..."
"Shut up...If she had just shared her feelings, you wouldn't have told all those earlier..." He yelled.
Ritika gulped and said "She wasn't wrong...She loves you..."
Aarush sighed rolling his eyes and asked "And what about me...!?? Don't you know whom I love...!?"
Seeing her stay silent, he held her hand and said "You know what...I'll clear it out right away...Come with me..."
He dragged her out of the room while she tried to stop him saying "Senior...No please...Please...It'll create unnecessary drama...Please listen to me..."
But he didn't stop and dragged her along with him and she pleaded "Please...Aarush Please..."
He stopped and looked at her with blood shot eyes indicating pure rage to which she shivered in his hold and he gritted his teeth saying "Chup...Ek dum chup...And don't 'Aarush' me..."
He walked till the living room and yelled "Mummaaa...Dad..." while Ritika kept on pleading to which he glared and continued "Abhi Mamuu...Mukthi Mami...Avniiii"
The house echoed with his roars and everyone came out of their rooms.
Nandini was shocked seeing Ritika cry and Aarush holding her wrist tightly.
"Aaru...What are you doing...!? Leave her..." She said trying to pull Ritika towards her but Aarush was not in a state to listen anything and made his grip tighter making Ritika wince at once.
Manik gulped seeing the scenario coming out of their room and said "Aarush...What happened...!??"
He spared a look at Aarush's hold on Ritika and said "Beta...Leave her hand...You are hurting her..."
Being an angry man himself, he knew how to handle the person in anger, especially his own son.
Aarush looked at Ritika who was shedding tears and at his hold which has turned red on her wrist and said "Really...!?? Is it paining...!?" and then looked at his father and said "Trust me Dad...It won't be more than mine..."
Manik sighed and said "Aarush...Please beta...Look at her...Just tell us what happened...!?"
Aarush looked at Ritika who was controlling her tears and left her hand with a jerk and Nandini took her in a side hug immediately.
"What's happening here...!?" Abhi asked when he came out with Mukthi and Avni.
"I'm sorry for doing this...that too at this hour...But few things need to be cleared right at the moment..." Aarush said and Manik asked again "Hua kya hai...!?"
Aarush walked towards Abhi and Mukthi and asked "Abhi Mamu...Mukthi Mami...Did I ever behave wrong with Avni...!? Did I ever give any signals that I'm interested in her or Did my parents and you had a talk about our relation...!?"
Nandini and Manik were shocked with his questions and Ritika closed her eyes seeing the drama unfold.
Abhi and Mukthi frowned and looked at each other before Abhi said "What are you even saying Aarush...!? We never had such thoughts about you..."
Mukthi too seconded saying "Haan Aarush...You are like my son...I have always seen you like Avni's brother..."
"Exactly..." Aarush exhaled and turned to Avni and said "Miss Avni Murthy...You tell me...Did I ever behave in a way that you have got feelings for me...!?"
She stayed silent and he continued "I don't want to say this after knowing about your feelings for me...But let me make this clear for once...I have always seen you like my little sister...You are the only girl child in all our families and you are always pampered...Why did you do this...!?"
"Because I love you Aarush...Can you hear me...!? I love you...I don't want to be your sister...I don't want you as my brother..." Avni yelled making everyone shocked.
"Shut up Avni...Even if you have feelings for me, you don't have any right to talk to Ritika in that way...You should have come and talk to me..." Aarush said.
"Ohh...So madam has come and complained about me to you...Nice...Kyun...!? Now you are trying to create misunderstanding between us so that he will hate me...!?" She said looking at Ritika and immediately Aarush said "Talk to me...I'm the one who is talking to you...And Ritika didn't come and complain to me...I myself understood whom she was talking about..."
"Really...!? Very glad that you understood it's me...Aarush...Listen...You have many options...and you just got stuck at the first one itself...She doesn't deserve you..." Avni said and Aarush gritted his teeth saying "Avni...Mind your words...Not a word against her..."
Avni chuckled and said "Galath kya bola mein ne...!? I wasn't wrong...Loot at me...and look at her...She is not of our standard...not of our community...Who is she...!? Just a mere orphan..."
And the next second, the house echoed with the sound of slap making everyone look bewildered.
Avni held her cheek and looked at her father who slapped her and said with tears "Dad..."
"Shut up...Just shut up...You have spoken a lot...Now go to your room..." Abhi said angrily.
"But dad..." She tried to speak but Abhi stopped her and said "Avni Abhimanyu Murthy...Go to your room...NOW..."
Mukthi too was shocked seeing Abhi so angry for the first time and quickly went to his side and said "Avni...Please go...We will talk about this..."
Avni rushed to her room and Mukthi rubbed Abhi's back to calm him down.
He sighed and looked at Aarush before saying "Aarush...I...I'm sorry for everything...But trust me...We have always seen you as our own son...and always showed you as her brother...Patha nahi how she got this into her head...We will talk to her..."
He nodded his head and said "I know Mamu...I'm sorry for bringing this out this way..."
Mukthi and Abhi moved towards Ritika and said "Sorry on behalf of Avni...We will make her understand and apologize beta..."
Ritika just looked at them blankly with tears and they looked at Nandini and Manik.
"Manik...I just hope this doesn't create any difference in our relations..." Mukthi said and Manik side hugged her saying "Never...We know you guys from years...and we will not let our relations effect because of kids...Bas Avni is of that age that she got confused with all the feelings...Just talk to her...But don't be harsh on her...Bachi hai wo..."
They nodded and left to their rooms and Aarush turned towards his parents to say "Sorry...I couldn't control and had to bring it out..."
Manik sighed and said strictly "Everything is accepted except the way you handled Ritika...I don't want this to repeat...Yaad rakhna...And sort this out with her..."
Aarush nodded and Manik turned to Nandini and said "Chalo..."
She looked at Ritika who was crying and then saw Manik to say something but stopped when he eyed her saying again "Chalo Nandini..."
Once Manik and Nandini left to their room, Aarush ran his fingers through his hair and Ritika stepped towards him and said "I...I'm sorry..."
He held her arm and said "Don't...Don't say sorry when you are not sorry...You really don't realize what you were going to do...Tum jaana chahthi thi na...!? Jao...Just go...I won't stop you..."
Ritika nodded in a no and tried saying "Aarush please listen to me..."
"I have listened everything Ritika...Just go...You were mature enough to take decisions na...It's not even a week that we confessed our love and you have decided to leave me...just for someone else...You have decided on my behalf as well when we are supposed to discuss and sort this out together..." Aarush said in a disappointed tone while Ritika just shed tears.
"You know what...Just go...I don't want to talk..." Aarush said and strode towards his room followed by Ritika but he closed his door on her face making her collapse there itself. She sat at the door, resting her back to the wall, hugging her knees and cried silently.
Meanwhile in Avni's room, Mukthi and Abhi sat on either side of Avni who was sniffing after receiving the first slap of her life, that too from her father.
"Avni...Bacha I'm sorry...I shouldn't have raised my hand at you...But Avni...The way you were speaking about Ritika...that was so wrong bacha...We didn't bring you up like that...We have never taught you to degrade someone...Did we...!?" Abhi said holding her hand and she nodded in a no saying "I was angry..."
"We know...But kyun...!? What did she do...!? No one has done anything to you...Me and your mumma has never told you that you and Aarush can have a future...Aarush never behaved like that with you...Manik and Nandini they treat like their daughter...Then whose mistake is this...!?" Abhi said and as Avni stayed silent, he continued "Bacha...Love doesn't work this way...You can't push everyone from the life of your loved one and name it as 'Love'...Attraction...Infatuation...Love...These three seems to be same but are very different...It's just your age that you got infatuated with Aarush...I know that you never let anyone come close to you...even in US...Just try to break that wall once...Make new friends...Meet new people...Explore...Don't confine yourself with a set of people and think you have only that choice in your life...Jaane anjaane mein you said that same thing to Aarush na...That he got stuck at the first option...Even you are doing the same thing na beta...Just think of it..."
Avni palmed her face as she sobbed and Abhi consoled her saying "Bacha...Trust me it will just be matter of time...Okay let's do this...We will keep everything away...Phones...social media...contacts and everything...we will go on a tour for few months...If you still feel the same, then tell me...We will think about it...What say...!?"
Avni looked at her parents and thought for a while and said "As you say Dad"
Mukthi sighed and kissed on her forehead and spent some time telling about their childhood stories, their friendship and tucked her to bed before leaving her room.
Next morning, Aarush woke up to his usual alarm and wondered when he has dozed off. He sighed remembering the last night's happenings and opened the door to see Ritika sleeping at his door. He closed his eyes and felt bad seeing her state and her face with dried tears.
He gulped and carefully scooped her in his arms and walked towards her room and softly placed on her bed. When he was about to leave, she held his wrist in her slumber and mumbled "I...m...sorry...senior..."
He controlled himself and walked out of her room and quickly went to get ready for college. Ritika sat up with jerk after few minutes and looked around.
"It wasn't a dream...!!" She said to herself remembering the feeling of getting carried to her room.
"I need to make it up for him..." She thought and quickly got ready and went downstairs to see Nandini in kitchen and Manik at the dining table. He smiled and wished to which she too passed a small smile and wished.
"Amma...You need any help...!?" She asked Nandini and she nodded in a no saying "No beta...All done...But tell me this...Did you guys sort out...!?"
Ritika nodded in a no sadly and Nandini sighed. She went to place a bowl on the table and saw Aarush leaving.
She immediately called him "Aaru"
"Yeah Mumma..." He answered stopping in his tracks and glared at Ritika who bent her head down instantly.
"College...!?" She asked and he nodded in yes.
"Take Ritika also with you..." She said and he rolled his eyes before going towards his car. She signed Ritika and said "Jao Jaldi..."
"Wait wait..." She called again and gave two boxes saying "You both didn't have breakfast na...Have it in college atleast...And haa...Just a small tip to handle this Malhotra boys...When he gets too angry na, just walk away and he will come behind you..."
"Are you serious...!?" Ritika asked and Nandini nodded with a smile saying "Experience..."
Ritika smiled and rushed to see Aarush waiting in the car and she quickly hopped in.
Later Abhi and Mukthi joined at the dining table along with Avni and informed that they will be leaving the next day for a tour and will leave to US from there itself to which Manik and Nandini agreed thinking that it's for everyone's good.
"Senior..." Ritika called for the 3rd time while Aarush paid a deaf ear to her calls and just increased the volume of the music player.
She cursed under her breath and reduced it but Aarush increased it again. She tried to reduce it but he increased it again irritating her.
She switched off the player and said "Senior...Please listen to me...I said I'm sorry..."
Aarush rolled his eyes and stopped the car with a jerk and pulled her towards him holding her arm. She gulped seeing his angry face and he said "Listen...If you want me to drop you then just stay quiet till we reach...I don't want you to talk to me...Get that...!?"
"Hm" She said meekly too afraid to utter a word and he asked again "Get that...!??"
"J...Jii..." She said and he left her at once and he started the car again. She held her heart which has increased heartbeat and tried to calm herself down.
"I shouldn't give up..." She thought after a while and they stopped at a signal. She opened the box that Nandini has given and munched on the paratha.
Aarush frowned hearing her moan and looked at her being amused as she was enjoying her breakfast. She saw him looking at her and forwarded a piece to him and he turned his head to the other side.
She twitched her lips and then called Nandini saying "Amma...Your parathas are the best...They are just melting in my mouth...So yummy...I couldn't wait till college...So I'm having in the car itself...Yeah I'll give it...Thanks Amma..."
Aarush rolled his eyes as she continued to moan at its taste and yelled "Eyyy...Chup...I know my mom's parathas are tasty...Can you just eat without making those weird sounds...!?"
She shrugged her shoulders and continued to eat while he shook his head in disbelief and continued to drive.
Once they reached college, she ran behind him calling "Senior...Senior..."
He turned back and yelled immediately "I have told you not to come behind me...Not to call me...I don't want to talk to you..."
She had tears in her eyes but controlled herself to say "I came to give this box to you...Amma has given...But not now..."
She turned towards her block and started walking while Aarush closed his eyes in frustration and walked behind her calling her name.
He jogged and stood in front of her and said "Give it to me..."
"Say sorry" She said and he frowned saying "hein...!? Me...!? Sorry...!?"
"Haan you...say sorry...You yelled at me unnecessarily..." She demanded and he rolled his eyes before snatching the box from her hand and said "Sorry"
She smiled at his retreating figure and thought "Amma was right..."
In the evening,
"Heyy...You are early..." Manik said with a smile seeing Ritika returning from college.
She sat on the couch saying "haan Appa...My classes are done and he has lab...So thought of coming on my own..."
Nandini smiled and asked "Did you guys talks...!?" and Ritika nodded in a no taking the tray of fruits that Nandini was cutting.
"I'll do it..." She said and peeled the orange while Nandini excused herself to get tea for them. Manik went to take a call while Ritika was lost in her thoughts on how to make it up for Aarush.
She didn't pay attention to the knife in her hand and pressed a little harder on the apple and it went through her palm making a large cut across.
She left the apple and knife and saw her bleeding hand with tears. She looked around and found none and pressed her lips together not knowing what to do.
"Ritika..." She heard Aarush's voice and he rushed towards her taking out his hand kerchief and tied it around for time being.
"What's wrong with you...!? Mummaaa...Get some cold water please..." He yelled in a panic tone while holding her hand delicately.
Manik went to see what happened and was shocked to see the streak of blood on the floor and Nandini came with a bowl of water.
He quickly placed her hand in water and the bleeding continued for few more minutes. Nandini got the first aid box and Aarush applied ointment once the bleeding stopped.
"Where's your attention...!?? How did this happen...!?" He asked while tying the bandage on her hand.
"Wo...Knife..." She said slowly and he said "What...!? Knife...!? Seriously...!?? If you can't handle this knife, how will you handle a surgical knife in OT...!?"
Manik immediately said in firm tone "Aarush...Don't...Never mix your personal and professional life..."
Aarush stayed silent as he finished doing first aid and Nandini excused herself to get a glass of milk for her.
"Injection kyun...!?" Ritika asked as she saw Aarush taking out a syringe.
"Basics bhool gayi kya...!? Anti septic..." He said in a cold tone as he took in the medicine from the bottle.
"But...Knife wasn't rusty...Please...Injection nahi chahiye..." She pleaded and gulped seeing him clear the bubbles from the syringe and moved back.
"Shut up" He said and grabbed her arm tightly saying "Relax...It won't hurt...Trust me..."
She closed her eyes tightly as he injected and took out the needle saying "Done" making her sigh.
He took her hand and checked if the bandage was fine and looked at her and she mouthed 'I love you' making her gasp and look at the other side.
She chuckled and when he looked at her again, she kissed in the air making him jerk a little. She looked around and up on finding none, she pulled him towards her holding his collars while he looked at her being stunned.
He closed his eyes feeling her breath near his lips and she pushed him at once before rushing towards the stairs and stuck her tongue out when he looked at her.
"Oh really..." Aarush exclaimed and chased her as she ran upstairs.
Nandini saw them and shook her head in disbelief thinking "Yeh bache bhi na...Till some time back they were fighting...Now they are playing like kids..."
Ritika ran as fast as she can but Aarush caught her when they were near the library and he managed to cage by pressing her back to the wall and held her both hands on either side of her head.
"What were you doing...!?" He asked and she bit her lower lip with a smile. He moved forward and she hissed as he held her injured hand.
He quickly withdrew saying sorry and then asked "What were you thinking and got hurt...!?"
"About you" She said looking down and he made her look at him and raised his eyebrows asking "Me...!?"
She nodded and said "You are angry na...I was thinking how to make it up..."
He sighed and said "Promise me that...you will never leave me for anyone...Whatever it is...you will come to me...We will discuss and will decide together..."
She nodded her head rapidly and he said "I couldn't hear you..."
"I promise...This will never repeat...I'm sorry..." She said and he nodded with a slight smile and kissed on her forehead.
She gulped as he moved towards her lips and she said "Senior...We are in library..."
"I know...And talking is prohibited in library...So let's maintain silence by sealing our lips..." He whispered huskily as he took her lips into his for a soulful kiss.
Ignore mistakes...