Looking down on her lap, Aaravi can feel the gaze of her parents and Abhi's parents on her. Abhimanyu is standing a little on the side by her bed while her brother is standing in the corner.
There is complete silence in the room which makes her and Abhimanyu's hearts pounding loudly inside their chest.
"You kids are adults and mature enough but what you both did really disappoint us. But now whatever happens, we can't undo it. We want you both to take responsibility for your actions and now want you both to get married," Arjun said, making Aaravi tear up while Abhi looked at her and sighed seeing her clenching the blanket.
"I hope you both don't punish an innocent life just because of your actions. But again, you both have the final say in this," Siya said to which Ashika nodded agreeing with her.
"Aaravi, say something, bachcha. What do you guys want now?" Ashika softly said looking at her son and Aaravi.
"I don't want to marry right now, I am not sure. I am not ready," Aaravi said and tightly closed her eyes, feeling them burning. She felt as if her soul left her body just by uttering this cruel lie.
She is helpless or maybe coward or stupid.
Abhimanyu snapped his head toward her in shock and he felt his blood freeze in his veins as he tried to grasp what she really meant.
Everyone was shocked at her words. This is not what they expect.
"What!? What do you mean, Aaravi?" Siya asked while Ashika looked at her son who was staring at Aaravi with hurt-filled eyes.
"I mean what I said, Ma," Aaravi said looking at her mother with a blank face.
Ryan was shocked at her sister's unusual behavior. If it was his old Aaravi, she might be jumping in happiness.
But what changes suddenly? Is it because of a baby?
While everyone was trying to grasp her words, Abhimanyu went numb, staring at her in daze with lots of questions in his eyes.
After two years of engagement, loving and confessing their love to each other for more than 7 years and knowing each other since childhood, she is not sure about their relationship. Incredible!!
She is still unsure if she wanted to marry him or not after they gave themselve to each other in every sense.
He tried to understand her and the state of mind she is in right now and he may get it if she said she needed some time but she is unsure about her DAMN feelings for him.
A sad and mocking smile formed in Abhi's face as he looked intensely at her.
"I think she made herself cleared, now what I want doesn't matter anymore. I am fine with her d..decision," He said try to sound firm but in the end his voice broke.
Everyone looks at him and can sense the hurt and anger in his voice. Ashika felt her eyes teary, sensing the pain her son is going through. Ryan felt bad for him after what Aaravi said. This is not right.
Aaravi just turned her to the other side, not able to meet his betrayal-filled gaze on her. She shut her eyes and let tears roll down from her eyes.
"Aaravi, what are you saying? You both are engaged and have been planning for a wedding for months, huh? What happened suddenly? And what about the baby? Are you understanding the severity of the situation?" Siya said suddenly feeling angry at her absurd decision.
"I think we should let them talk alone," said Ruhaan, who was silently observing her daughter.
Aaravi felt her heart stop in anxiety and fear. What she is going to tell Abhimanyu. He will not let it go until he digs the truth from her.
Everyone agrees with Ruhaan as they both need to talk about them and what they want. They both need some time with each to clear their mind.
"Don't do anything or take a decision that you both regret later," Ashika told them before walking out of the room with everyone.
Aaravi gulped in fear, feeling his intense gaze on her. Suddenly that big hospital room started suffocating her, making it hard for her to breathe in fear and anxiety.
She can hear his footsteps coming toward her, slowly. She fists her hand feeling his warmth surrounding her. She felt him sitting beside her bed, on a chair.
Tears brimmed in her eyes again when he gently placed his hand on her fisted one and softly opened her fist before lacing their fingers together.
"Aaravi…" he softly call her with his love filled voice.
She bit her inner cheek hard to control the sob that wanted to escape from her throat.
"Look at me, Aaravi," she closed her eyes tightly when he placed his palm on her cheek and lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb.
He turned her face toward him to look at her face and sighed seeing her teary face.
Wiping her tears with the pad of his thumbs, he kissed her forehead.
She let out a choked sob, feeling herself getting weak under his gentle touch.
"Aaravi, meri Jaan…what is troubling you? You can share with me. I am always there for you," he whispered in his gentle and love filled voice looking into her dull eyes.
She just lowers her eyes not able to look into his eyes which are begging her to say something, …anything.
"So you are sure about your decision, hmm?" his voice was still soft as he asked her.
"Why?! Why Aaravi? Is it so easy for you to forget everything we had?" he asked, looking hurt and angry and watching her remain silent the whole time.
"Say something, DAMN ITT!!" he shouted as her silence was bothering him. Aaravi flinch as he shout at her holding her forearms tightly
"Am I stupid to you?!! Here I am crying and barking like a desperate dog only to get nothing!!" he cursed under his breath when she started sobbing and he left her arms immediately.
"So we are done?!" she snapped her head toward him with a horrified expression on her face as she heard his loud and clear words.
She internally shook her head in horror. She can't do this. She can't lose him. She will die without him.
NO!! She can't imagine her life with her Manyu.
"Of course, we are done! Thank you so much for wasting my precious year's of my life...roaming behind you like a goddamn love sick dog," he taunted her in his loud and hurtful voice.
She shut her eyes tightly feeling her inside bursting in pain and agony.
"But I want my baby. I don't want to force you but as you are still not sure about our relationship then you won't be keeping this baby, I guess. But I am ready to take full responsibility of my baby. Just give my baby to me then you are free to do whatever you want," his voice sounds a bit harder than he intended to.
"Why would I do that, Manyu? It is our baby. I would never do that," she whispered in a broken voice, feeling hurt that he thinks like that. But she can't even blame him, could she?
"You are really something, Aaravi. The baby who is born out of our relationship, the same relationship you are still in doubt. For which you are still not ready," he said with a smirk and let out a humorless chuckle.
"Stop it, Manyu, please. It is hurting," she pleaded with him, to which he just smiled, which was fake and sad.
"Is it, Aaravi!? But can't you see how much you are hurting me. I love you with everything. You too love me, right? Our moment and love can't be fake, our beautiful moments. I saw it in your eyes, the love and adoration they had for me. We were happy together. You are excited for our future. We always wanted to marry and spend our life together. We take our relationship to the next level because we know we are made for each other. You are the one for me and I am the one for you, right? Then what happened suddenly to you? What is that I am not getting? What made you doubt your feelings for me!! Huh? Tell me, where did things go wrong? Where I was lacking, Aaravi?!!! " He shouted angrily, feeling frustrated with her and her silence.
Aaravi sobs badly seeing him so mad and angry. She crawled back, shaking her head from side to side. She wants to shout back at him and tell him everything. But the heaviness in her chest and the painful lump in her throat couldn't let her. Tears are flowing down her eyes like a waterfall watching his eyes red and filled with unshredded tears.
"I am sorry, …" she said in an inaudible whisper which didn't reach his ears.
She looked at him as he let out a deep sigh and nodded to himself looking determined. Running his hand through his hair, he looked at her shaking body due to crying badly. His heart squeezes in pain watching his always happy and bubbly Aaravi in this state.
Looking away from her red teary face, he closed his eyes for a moment and gulped down his pain and heartbreak.
"I am not needed here anymore. Hope you take care of yourself," he said looking at her wiping her tears with the back of her hand and hiccuping looking like a baby to him.
He stepped toward her and placed his lips on her forehead softly, making her shut her eyes tightly feeling his lips kissing her skin tenderly.
He raise his hand and wipe her tears while said,
"You have my flesh growing inside you. So think before you take any step," he mutters coldly, looking deep into her glossy eyes. She blinked, making a tear roll down from her eyes.
"I will send everyone inside. Just tell them what you want," saying he backed away from and walked out of the room without looking at her back.
Aaravi went numb, unable to think or process anything. Only her hiccups and heavy breaths can be heard in the dead silent room.
She fell back on the bed feeling exhausted to even hold herself to sit. She closed her eyes.
"I am sorry…" she whispered in her lost voice.
"What have you done, ms. Aaravi?" she snapped open her eyes hearing a familiar voice. She look toward door to Dr. Ishaan standing near the door.
She breathes out and turns her face away from his glaring eyes. She doesn't want to face anyone now. So she just ignored him.
"You know about your condition but still…how can you be so stupid and careless? Do you know the risk of carrying a life when you, yourself, are fighting for your life?" His voice seemed calm but the underlying frustration and anger was clearly visible in his tone.
"You can't be so careless. Did your boyfriend force you?" she swiftly turns toward him and glares at him angrily for assuming this.
"No!! He doesn't. Don't involve him. Everything happens with my consent," she told him in a hard voice.
Ishaan sigh out and said,
"You can't carry this baby. I suggest you to go for abor-"
"Stop right there, doctor!! And I am not going to do anything like that," she said loudly as tears flowed down her face thinking about her innocent baby.
"Try to understand, Aaravi. You are not only risking your life but also the baby's during its birth. Think with your mind. You will not have a normal pregnancy like other women. As your doctor, it's my duty to save my patient. And carrying in this condition is clearly not safe for you," He told her, trying his best to make her understand the situation.
"I can't kill my baby. I can't!! Why don't you understand? It's all my fault. I should be punished na!! Not my baby… Please save my baby, Ishaan. I am ready to die but please save my baby!! Even if you would save me, Ishaan, I will die without this baby. Don't do this to me…please. You are a doctor na…" She breaks down in front of him.
Ishaan's heart breaks seeing her like this. He walked near her and sat before her. Seeing her sobbing badly while clutching her shirt tightly on her chest.
"Aaravi, hold yourself together. You will get yourself sick like this," he softly said.
She looked at him with her swollen red eyes with tears flowing continuously from her eyes.
"Don't ask me to kill my baby, please," she pleaded to him like a baby making him sigh at her.
"You are putting your life in danger," he said, making her sob again.
"Baby might won't survi-"
"Please stop!!!" she shouted, shaking her head at him. Her heart dropped in her stomach thinking about his unsaid words.
She can't imagine it.
"I won't let anything happen to him," she whispered fearfully, placing her trembling palm on her abdomen.
"You are not doing right, Aaravi. Think about your family," he whispered defeatedly.
"Please…." she murmurs in a daze, not ready to hear anything.
He sighed and stood up from the bed.
"You should rest. Stress is not good for you,"
He was about to turn when she held his hand and looked at him with a hopeful gaze.
"You will save my baby?" she innocently asked him, breaking his heart into pieces.
He smile at her and pat her head softly,
"Take some rest, Aaravi," he just said and slowly freed his hand from her hold.
Abhimanyu who was standing outside her room saw them and instantly felt his heart twist in pain and fear when he pat his Aaravi's head lovingly.
The door opens and Ishaan steps out only to stop in his track, seeing Abhimanyu looking inside at Aaravi.
"Who are you? What were you doing there?" Abhimanyu asked in his cold voice before moving his eyes from Aaravi to him.
"I am Dr. Ishaan Khurrana. Just come to check on her," he said, giving a polite smile. He internally rolls his eyes seeing Abhi staring at him with a straight face.
"You are not her doctor," Abhi states, staring intensely at him.
Ishaan nodded and said,
"We know each other. I just came to check on her as I came to know she is admitted here. Don't worry, I am not taking away your girlfriend. I know she is taken, so rest assured," Ishaan said with a small smile on his face.
"I should go now. Take care of her. She needs you the most at this time," saying he went away.
Abhimanyu again looks at Aaravi who is looking outside the window and he can see her body jerking a bit due to hiccups.
"Why are you doing this, Aaravi? I know you are hiding something from us. You are making everything complicated for us, love," he whispered, hurt with her behavior.
___________________________________
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