Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

2.6.5 | For Our Sisters

Posted on October 5th, 2018

| . . . C H A P T E R - 6.5 (1) : F O R - O U R - S I S T E R S - P A R T 1 . . . |

[Armaan]

[Two years ago]

I find myself standing in front of a hotel room alongside Riddhima. She had somehow managed to convince me to go with her and see Arnav after the engagement. As much as I was pissed at him and would rather be with my family, Riddhima had made a valid point.

I couldn't blindly give in to rage and these feelings of betrayal. He was one person I had trusted with Khushi after great difficulty. I hadn't thought I could trust any guy around her again, but he had proven me wrong in the past months... only to turn around and do this? Something had to have changed.

When he opened the door and saw us, a look passed between us. A mixture of angry feelings and confusion. I almost considered turning around and leaving. I wanted to give in to the negative feelings churning inside of me. As if Riddhima could sense my thoughts, her hand reached my wrist. I turn to look at her at the touch to find her eyes warning me, as if to not even go there.

How she knows me better than myself will remain a mystery to me... or how she has the heart to stand here by my side in my time of need even when things are rocky between us.

Nevertheless, I return my attention to Arnav and demand, "Speak what you have to say in your defense."

"In my defense?" He repeats as if oblivious when he very well knows what I am talking about.

My eyes harden, my patience running thin. "Don't pretend, Arnav. I'm not in the mood for that."

Before I say something else to get him to act on defensive, Riddhima interjects. "Arnav, please. There has to be a reason you did what you did. Tell us there was a reason?"

It was as if she was begging him to tell us we weren't wrong about him... that we hadn't misjudged him from the get go. That we weren't wrong to trust him. More than me, it was something she needed. She had once trusted the wrong people, thought them to be nice, and had paid the price. We all had. She couldn't bear the thought of it happening again.

This whole time, though Arnav's expression remain stoic, her appeal seemed to touch him somewhere. His eyes softened and exhaling whatever front he had been putting up as a shield, he moved aside the doorway. "Come in."

As much as I wanted to just get the answers and leave, in no mood for hospitality, I couldn't deny following when Riddhima accepted the offer and walked past us.

All I can think of as I take a seat is that he better have a damn good reason.

He sat across from us. His elbows resting on his knees as he leaned ahead. Now that I look at him without all this rage pulsing in my veins, I notice just how tired he looks. As if this has bothered him enough to steal his sleep away. I haven't been around him recently but from the time when I did know him, I have never known him to look this... defeated. Even in school days when our school team would beat his in a basketball match.

When his eyes finally meet our expectant ones, he said. "You have to believe I did what I did for Khushi."

I challenge his notion, "By going against her wishes?"

"It wasn't my intention, Armaan. But, it needed to be done."

"What for?" I argued trying to keep a calm head but it was difficult. "Arnav, you think I liked staying silent all this time and seeing her suffering? No. There have been so many destructive things I have wanted to do but I couldn't. You know why? Because it was Khushi's choice. Why would you do something so stupid?"