When The Heart Lies | ✓

[73] Self-Respect

The new morning should have brought the new hope in his heart.

But how could the hope be alive when his heart was vanished to the dust?

There wasn't light at the end of the tunnel. His tunnel had a dead end with no escape. He felt that he would die suffocating in this grief forever.

"Her brother had mentioned about talking to your brother, Shrey." Aarush reminded his newfound best friend, watching the most honest person he had ever met, staring at his broken self in the mirror.

Shrey blinked slowly, observing the dullness on his face that didn't go even after the bath, even after the hangover.

"He is no brother of mine, that bastard." Shrey said, his throat vibrating. His eyes pained as he talked to himself in the mirror. "I don't want Raghav to bow down in front of that bastard for the sake of me and his sister. That bastard tried to break his marriage. I remember the evil plans he made. He wanted to create the misunderstanding. He wanted him to throw away Pihu so Rishabh could get her for himself."

Aarush sighed heavily, looking back at their friend who owned the house they were staying in. After all, Rishabh too was staying here only with Shrey during that year. Aditya knew what had happened.

"I know, he was cruel to the couple. Rathore guy shouldn't do that. But what you are planning to do now, is not right." Aditya said, straightforwardly.

Aarush raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wait. Why? We know that Sakshi said all those things to maybe, provoke her brother to talk to Rishabh. Maybe, it's her plan. She loves Shrey. I know my best friend. She wouldn't sacrifice her love for the sake of a man who insulted her just like that. She is doing it on purpose. Whether to make it work through Shrey or through her brother. But she wants a perfect family."

Aditya shook his head at Shrey who had quietly turned around and was putting his suitcase sideways. He had packed all his belongings, ready to leave for Delhi but not before convincing Sakshi again.

"Dude, there is thing called self-respect. You yourself said that day, how Rathore goes for guts. If you have the guts to stand on your own and let her understand that she can't just put silly conditions on marrying you. Bro, you came all the way here to talk to her family despite the rivalry. I mean I would never give that much effort in a relationship." Aditya patted his heart gently. "Her brother will understand it from your side if you refrain from going there. He will know that you are hurt and you didn't deserve the rejection last night."

Aarush came in between immediately. "No man!" He gave Aditya a stern look. "Why are you changing his mind?"

Shrey gulped when Aarush clicked his fingers in front of him. "Shrey, you won't regret later that you didn't try in the end. We are going for the last time to remind Sakshi that anything is possible if we all are together. Things won't work if you both are separated in the first place."

Shrey didn't know what to say. His eyes were heavy, throat was tight. Heart was torn and arms were shaking.

Aditya took a long breathe. "Okay, then. Just say it to her the last time and nothing more than that. It took you time to impress her brother. If Raghav was that hard, the impression won't go away that soon. He will do something for you."

"I hope so," said Aarush while checking himself in the mirror for last time.

Shrey's jaws clenched remembering that Raghav didn't need to do anything. He accepted a failure, a loser like him for his sister, that was more than anything he could ask for.

"You are right, Adi." Shrey said, quietly.

Aarush gulped in uncertainty when he heard his friend walking away not before saying the words he really didn't want to listen.