Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Thirty-Three - Healed

"Khushi, now you walk on your own, ok?" Arnav said as he tentatively loosened his hold on her.

"No!" She shrieked grasping his hands tighter. Her wide eyes clashed with his sighing ones as she shook her head sideways, vigorously.

"Khushi." He cupped her face, his voice low and soft as he sought to explain her. 

"Its been one week since we are here and one month since you started your physio therapy. Its high time that you try to walk on your own, ok? Just try."

"No! No please!" She pleaded as he tried to take his hands away from her grasp again.

"Khushi, aise nahi chalega. Tumhe koshish karni padegi warna tum theek kaise ho paogi? Please Khushi. Mere liye...koshish to karo. At least try! (Khushi, this will not do. You will have to try or else how will you be able to be alright? Please Khushi...for my sake. At least try?)" He requested earnestly whilst caressing her cheeks.

"Aur agar hum, hum gir gaye toh? (What if...what if I fall?)" Her innocent eyes filled with tears as she asked - her voice trembling as she bit back a sob.

His insides tightened at her state and at the visible traces of trauma that lingered in her eyes. His hand reached up to wipe her tears off before he held her face close.

"Main girne nahi doonga.(I won't let you fall.)"

Uncertainty flared in her eyes and she croaked. "Promise?"

Swallowing pass the bile that painfully rose in his throat, he nodded.

"Promise."

"Now?" He asked.

She nodded meekly and took in a deep breath as she watched his fingers sliding off her palms.

"I'm right here, Khushi. Come on, walk." He encouraged whilst taking a few steps back so he could carefully create some distance between them for her to cover.

She gulped as she stared at her shaky feet before taking a slow step forward.

"Come Khushi. I'm right here."

She lifted her lashes to see him forwarding his palms to her. A shaky smile formed on her lips as she raised her own trembling hands and took another step to reach him.

"A few more steps..come.." He called, his lips stretching as she walked on her own after months.

She paused, then exhaled as she resumed her walk but her steps soon faltered and she closed her eyes, dreading the hard core floor but all she felt was two strong arms around her.

"Kaha tha na. Girne nahi doonga. (I told you. I won't let you fall.)" His voice cooed in her ears and she blew out the breath she was holding. Her eyes fluttered open and she chuckled weakly while nodding.

"Nahi girne diya aapne. (You didn't let me fall.)" She whispered. Her relief formed moisture in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around him properly, allowing him to take her in his soothing embrace.

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She groaned, gripping the bed sheets tightly as her nightmare crawled in her mind, making her envision herself in a speedy car. A yelp left her as she felt her head spin when the said car flew in the air and tumbled down the valley like a toy. Tears fell from her eyes as she felt shards of glasses raining on her, their sharpness slicing through her skin and as the car halted, she felt herself falling face toward on the roof of the upside down car.