The Time Traveler [Mahabharata]

14. Something just like this

Hey! Hi! Helloooo! Your author is alive. She has survived her first exams in college. So, without further ado, go on, get to the chapter!

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Aarohi got out of bed even before the first rays of sun could strike. As she came back to her senses, she was overwhelmed with a burning feeling in her chest. She was covered in sweat, her knees were trembling and her heart was pounding heavily. Anxiety bubbled up in her, tormenting thoughts scratched the back of her skull and ate away all the little light she had left.

She did not remember how she ended up back in her bedroom, she did not even remember who'd helped her there. All she could remember was that she had to run.

Feeling as though her senses would drive her mad, she moved forward in the dimly lit room. Unsteady on her feet she searched for a glass of water to soothe her nerves, when a hand rests on her shoulder, almost making her scream and stumble into whoever that was. "Ahh-"

"Shh... shh... it's alright..." Arjun kept her from falling, his strong hands caught her under her arms. He felt sorry for Aarohi and worried about her health. He eased her down on the bed as he attempted to pacify her erratic breaths, rubbing the cold skin of her shaky hands. His copper eyes glistening in the lamp lights were filled with concern and something more elusive that his mind couldn't quite comprehend. Seeing her like this, so disturbed, troubled him more than he could ever imagine. He just wanted to know what had happened.

He turned over her arm to see the bright red scratches and bruises, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Who could have done this? He ran his fingers through her smooth hair, his movements were hesitant, going through a quiet agony that he could neither describe, nor show.

"Aarohi... tell me what happened." He asked a bit sternly. It wasn't a question, it was a need, a necessity. But Aarohi remained silent as she breathed heavily, looking away from his authoritative eyes who demanded the truth. What would she even say? That her so called best friend did this? Or that bloody man, who added more pain and just seemed to have a problem with her simply existing?

"Arjun, it's late... you should go get some sleep. And y-you must be tired after the long journey- -" She tried to draw his attention towards other subjects but the he didn't even let her finish the sentence. Instead he softly wiped away some stray tears she didn't know had escaped from her otherwise dismissive eyes. He had never seen her cry.

"I won't be leaving until you tell me." Arjun stated, his voice clear and firm of his purpose, but nothing could conceal his distress.

"There's nothing much to tell..." Aarohi muttered numbly, but Arjun remained stern. It was as if he saw right through it her futile attempts to conceal the hurt she was feeling. Aarohi herself couldn't figure out why she just wouldn't tell him and get it all over with, but something scratched the back of her mind warning her it would do more harm to her than good.

Vrikasura seemed deranged and mad, a kind of person who would go to any lengths to make her miserable if she tried anything. Normally, that would not stop her from claiming an eye for an eye, but this wasn't her turf and she knew her actions would have consequences. So, as much as she wanted to watch his entire existence crumble into tiny meaningless pieces of rubble, she needed to tread carefully and she understood that.