My only love

Part 5

Pakhi was frustrated as she cannot attend Karan and Arjun's graduation ceremony today. Her exams are going on and she cannot skip them so she was staying at her friend's place till her parents return from Mumbai. She couldn't go but she had send a gift for both Karan and Arjun for congratulating them. She just hoped that Arjun likes her gift.

Arjun bid his goodbye to his sister and her husband after spending his day with them and went towards his apartment. His parents have a beautiful sea facing penthouse but he isn't living in it at present. His aunt and uncle are currently residing there and to avoid them he lives in an apartment with Karan since they started their college.

Arjun saw Karan talking on his phone when he entered their apartment. So he went to freshen up and change into his room. After taking a shower and dressed in his shorts, he walked out of his room. "Where were you all evening? I tried your number so many times but it was switched off?" Karan asked him. He sat on the opposite sofa and said "I told you that my cousin sister and her husband were coming to attend our convocation from Pune right? But they got stuck in traffic so couldn't make it on time but then they both insisted to celebrate outside so I had dinner with them in a hotel. My phone actually had low battery so it got switched off and I couldn't contact you back to inform about it"

Karan nodded at him and handed him a small gift box. He got confused seeing it "Why are giving me gift all of a sudden?" Karan chuckled and replied "Idiot this is not my gift. Pakhi had exams so couldn't come to attend our convocation so she send gifts for both of us with Mom and Dad. They gave me these boxes before they left for Delhi"

Arjun became excited knowing it was a gift from Pakhi. He quickly opened it and saw a Parker pen along with a small note. He quickly read the note "pick up the pen from the box and lift up the cushion under it. You will find something special in it". Arjun rapidly shut the box before Karan could see the note and went to keep it in his cupboard. This girl will put him in trouble one day he thought sighing in relief.

Karan asked him when he returned from his room "What gift did Pakhi send for you?" Arjun nervously told him "Ohh it's a pen with a note saying congratulations. Nothing else. How was your family's reaction after meeting Vidhya?" He asked changing the topic because if Karan insisted to see the gift, he will surely be in trouble. On hearing Vidhya's name, Karan smiled and replied "Ohh it was very good. My mom and dad liked her very much and we all even had gone for lunch after that" Arjun smiled at him and said "Good for you buddy. Now what are your plans since we completed our master's degree also?"

Karan thought for a while and said "Actually mom and dad also asked me this before they went to Delhi. Dad is planning to retire in a few years so I am planning to go back  to Delhi and start my training under my father in our company. After his retirement, all the companies would be managed by me as I will be becoming the next CEO of Oberoi group of Companies so it's better to join the family business now. After training under dad for a year or two, I am planning to get married too. Vidhya wants to work for a year before marriage. What are your plans now?"

Arjun sighed and said "Today my brother in law asked me to join his company for getting the basic industrial skill so I am going to Pune for my training in their company. My uncle had made lots of losses in my dad's business and so before taking over my dad's trading and construction companies, I want to learn everything in business so I can uplift our family business and prosper my father's name. He was known as a sharp Businessman in his time but his image was tarnished by my uncle's useless business tactics."

Karan nodded affirmatively at him and asked "When are you planning to leave? I will be going to Delhi probably next week" Arjun said "I am too planning to go by this weekend so let's just pass this entire week doing fun. Since we both will be entering professional life in a short time, we won't get much time to enjoy with each other in future. What's say?" Karan smiled and said "Sure buddy let's have fun but don't forget to meet me every month. I am just going to Delhi not from your life. I will always be there for you" Arjun grinned at him. Though he lost his parents at a tender age, he still have few most genuine people in his life who will never live him alone in his life.

After talking for a while, they both went to their respective rooms. As soon as he came inside his room, Arjun locked his door and took a deep breath. He then opened his cupboard and took Pakhi's gift. As she had instructed, he removed the pen from the cushion in the box and lifted that cushion to find a small beautiful gold pendant in it. With trembling hands, he lifted it . It was a small heart shaped pendant which had opening like a book. When he opened it, he gasped seeing letters A and P engraved in it on both the sides of the heart. His heartbeat increased and sweat beads formed on his forehead. What Pakhi mean to convey him by sending such gift? Being a girl, she took a bold step to convey her feelings for him but he couldn't reciprocate her feelings. He chuckled ironically thinking whether to be happy that the girl whom he loved so much  has such deep feelings for him too or to be upset that even if he wants, he cannot give that love back to her. If Karan came to know about him, there are chances that he will lose his best friend who had stood with him in his thick and thin times of life. He doesn't know whether Karan will approve of his and Pakhi's relationship but Pakhi was still small for these all and surely Karan or his family won't appreciate the disturbance in her life due to this. He too had to face many difficulties in the upcoming future and he didn't want to drag Pakhi in it so he thought to make her see that he was not her prince charming. He decided to do something real soon so she leaves him on his own and move on in her life and achieve her goal. She is still young for all these shits of life and she will not forget him by her own. So he decided to do something evil in front of her to break her trust on him even though it would break him more. But he was willing to go through that pain for her.