The GIRL in the YELLOW summer dress

Part 7 - Cheating?

ARNAV

There was something about her touch that made me feel so many things I hadn't felt in the past five years, I looked at my hand that was pressed between hers and as much as I wanted to pull it away because it was making me feel things I knew I shouldn't, I still couldn't pull it away, it made me feel calm and relaxed, it made me feel just different.

Since the incident five years back, I had never allowed any girl close to me, I dint want history repeating itself, I dint want to fall for anyone and get married and get the same in return and I had promised myself I was never going to do anything of such sort to anyone else.

I stood up and pulled my hand away from her hold, she was my best friend's wife, there was no way I could do this to him, or anyone else because whatever I felt about her holding my hand like this wasn't right.

"I am sorry for being rude to you." Khushi said, her voice sounded so low.

"It's okay, we can't change the past, but that doesn't stop me from living my present and dreaming about my future, I'm just trying to accomplish the things I hadn't been able to complete because of her." I said as I stared at the floor.

"You will be able to fulfill all your dreams but before that, you have to move on Arnav." She looked me into the eyes, for the first time today, I dint see any hatred in her eyes, I knew she never liked me since the first time we met and that has always been my motive, I remember the first time I saw her, there was some kind of spark in her that really attracted me towards her but then I knew it was wrong and I had to do whatever I could to keep myself away from her, to keep her away from me.

"Can I ask you something?" She looked at me curiously breaking me out of the thoughts i had been lost it.

"Sure, anything." I nodded.

"We haven't been on good terms ever, so how did you manage to tell me all about your past? I mean I never thought that you could..."

"Trust you? You are my best friend's wife Khushi, if I wouldn't tell you eventually you would have asked him and he would have told you, Shrey has been with me for all this years, he knows everything that happened."

"So it's not about trust?"

"Maybe it is, maybe it's not, I just felt like I had to tell you and I did, that's it." I replied. Honestly, I also dint know why I told her about this, the only person who knew about my past was Shrey only and I never thought I was going to tell anyone about it.

But with Khushi it seemed easy, painful but easy. I did not do it to gain her sympathy or anything but today she just reminded me of it and I found myself telling her about that part of my life that I always wished to forget about.

"I think we should head to sleep, we have to go to work tomorrow." She smiled, she stood there silently for a while staring at me and then wished me goodnight as she headed to her room, I sat in the hall for a while staring at the ocean, it was peaceful and it make me feel relaxed.

*****

I woke up early in the morning knowing I had to cook breakfast for Khushi as she wasn't well and I also had to leave for the office early, I wasn't there the whole of yesterday and I knew there must be a lot of pending work for me.

I took a quick shower, got ready and headed to the kitchen just to find Khushi there, she had already cooked breakfast and she was taking it all to the table.

"Good morning" She smiled at me.

"Why did you wake up early? You aren't well you should be sleeping, I would have cooked Khushi." I said as I took the bowl from her hand and placed it on the table.