Rejuvenating Love

5) He's being too protective..

On entering the hall, the sight was something I couldn't wish to destroy. I couldn't ruin their moments. Papa sitting nearby Raghav was patting his back full of pride. Mumma blessing him at his head. The sweets being exchanged, the excitement in their faces; each and everything couldnot decide to make my decision ruin their pleasure.

Seeing me Aunty's and mumma's happiness knew no bounds. Aunty made me sit beside her and she held my chin showing her part of love. Uncle out of much delight expressed his urge to have a daughter in his family. He said,"Sunaina and I always dreamt of a cute and smart girl as Kuhu as our daughter but god had different plans. You know man proposes and god disposes. God gifted us with Raghav and here we are now blessed with both a son and a daughter. Today I agree god has plans more beautiful than that of us." Everything seemed so fortunate except Raghav. I knew what life would turn into with a wizard like him. I didn't look at him. If I had I would eat him raw for how he has always been manipulating my life according to his wishes. He won again this time too ruining my life. "Alas! My life. Its in dangerzone", I sighed.

When Rajputs decided to leave I touched the feet of uncle and aunty again and Raghav did the same to my parent. Papa and Mumma alongwith uncle and aunty headed towards the large black & white monochrome and iron-grilled gate of Rathore Residence. Raghav, I and Rashi were going to follow them together when suddenly Rashi walked fast leaving me alone knowingly. I tried to call her but she engaged herself among the elders and all of them had already walked farther by that time. Ahh! I was left alone with Raghav and I hated that. 'What if pleading before him works, if not threatening?' Reasoning the thought in mind I tried to explain.

"Raghav! We can't get into this. Do you even realise what you're doing? We hate each other to the hell. We will ruin our future." I almost pleaded and would have cried the very next moment if Raghav hadn't pulled me behind the pillar in the drawing. Much to my amazement I looked at him with wide eyes but he looked somewhere down keeping his right hold strong on my shoulder and the left on the pillar trapping me to himself. He kept his head down all the time. We stayed as such for a time which seemed like an eternity when he tried to convey something without words and I tried to apprehend his emotions. I grasped a lot of his feelings in response. It felt like he surrendered himself bowing his head before me. It is when my shoulders relaxed under his strong hold, he understood I perceived all his sentiments. He left the place even without facing me but his soft liberation set for my shoulders finally deciphered that we both had successfully exchanged emotions for the time. Being left alone in the hall I thought- Did Raghav really ...? But what really? Just recently I captured his heart so perfect all the way still my head seemed fully blank. What did he actually say? Did the great, Raghav Rajput surrender before Kuhu Rathore? No, this is next to impossible. But it did happen a few seconds back and it couldn't be denied.

My mood didn't permit me to visit office anymore. I thought to visit my bestie not Kavya , another one Smriti. She lives in her apartment alone in the city. Visiting her I didn't say her anything because she hadn't known Raghav or his treacheries before. So I thought of forgeting everything with her. We enjoyed all day with videogames, food, fun.

When I returned home, everyone had already left for shopping. I had my dinner and went to sleep. Just for a second I imagined, like everyday I imagine something unreal about my future like a fairytale or just some impossible dreams before I go to sleep. I imagined how would it be if this was not a plan of him but a real marriage where we would be in love with each other, pre-marriage excitements, long night talks, textings, shopping together, etc etc etc. Realising again that this was just an imagination I dozed off to sleep.

Sun rays pierced my face indicating the time to wakeup. Tossing over my blankets lazily for some minutes finally I left the bed. I went for a morning walk. Actually I am not that health conscious but my state of mind was unwell and I knew only exercise would make it up. Two hours of continuous workout and I returned home jogging and feeling the fresh air. Drawing room along with mumma and papa waited for me. As soon as I entered...

"Beta?"

'Yeah?'

"Beta aren't you content with the proposal?" Her eyes looked at me with many colours of hopes and dreams about my future.

'No mumma. There's nothing like that.' I couldn't deny her with any valid reason. Even if I had spoken the reality of Raghav I would have had to end up telling them about our past relationships too. I couldn't choose to let myself down before them.

"Shall we go for marriage dates, beta?"

'Do whatever you think right.' I had nothing more left to explain them so I just went with the flow. Yesterday's incident flashed before me especially the position that I and Raghav were in, at that time. It seemed like Raghav wanted me to trust him for a timebeing for whatever he was planning right then. But how do I do that? I hadn't forgiven him yet. I had no choice left infact.

The news spread like a fire at my office, my residential area etc. I am getting depressed for how people would start expecting things out of this marraige now whose future is still unpredictable.

At office everyone stared at me with a smile. Now that was embarassing. Once into my room I would escape these stares I thought. But you know my luck.

Kavya jumped off her seat on seeing me and came running behind saying something like- Kuhu ...Mr.Malhotra. ...waiting.....

Her words faded as I ignored her and dashed into my room for escaping the weird looks of my staffs.

Opening the door I discovered Rakesh waiting for me. Horrified by what I would answer to his proposal I just tried to start the conversation when he...

Thrashh...

He threw the glass on floor. 

'Kuhu I wasn't expecting this from you. You are still linked to that Rajput who insulted you despite your intense love for him?' When every staff of my office was rejoicing to the news how could I forget that Rakesh would remain ignorant of this? I thought of ways to mend up our friendship but he had gone far in the path of pain and melancholy.

'How can you do that? I was your close friend. You didn't even bother to inform this to me. Two years. For these two years we were always together. Were you cheating on me?'

He faced away from me bending forward on my office table.

"Rakeshhh..I." I shuddered standing at the door.

'What Kuhu? What? Do you even realise that I have developed feelings for you to such extent that I proposed you and my dad would have visited your parent this week. Raghav knew that I had planned my future with you. So he tried to snatch my things. His parent didn't approach your family before. He had to meddle into my business when I thought of moving ahead. How can you say a Yes to that filthy person? He stole you from me during the college days and now also he did that. How do you fall into his trap everytime?'

I realised very soon that I was going to lose my friendship whose condition was just like the water at the brim of the mug then. Sobbing out loud I tried to speak but my wailings engulfed my words. But I spoke...

"Rakeshh I..I never cheated onn youu. Youu arree my close friend. I wasn'ttt in contact with him anymo..." I couldn't control my sob. Cries didn't stop.

'Why do you think I will trust you Kuhu? Do I look like a fool? Tell me?' He shook me vigorously clenching my shoulders to fetch my answers.

I was taken aback. Was he the same Rakesh who mindlessly disclosed the confidential rates of tenders that his company submitted? Suddenly what happened to his unfathomable trust on me?

"How do you claim to love me when you cannot trust me?" I looked straight into his eyes for an answer but he looked away separating himself from me. "Don't you even trust our two years of friendship? I didn't know I trusted a coward as a friend who even fears just to rely on the words of his friend. Was even your friendship true? Did you trust me as a friend? Answer me Rakesh?" I yelled loudly still crying.

"Mr. Malhotra as per the agreement; the collaboration between Malhotras and Rathores in papers ended yesterday. And your presence in the office is causing distress to everyone. So we want you to desert the office immediately. We can even call the cops to charge you for irritating Miss Kuhu Rathore, the Managing Director of Rathore Constructions. It would be wiser in your part to leave on your own or you want us to call the cops?", the known kind of voice warned. Those warning words of familiar voice erupted my ear behind me and made me turn towards him. 'He is here?'-My mind took time to grasp his real presence at this hour of time.

"Who are you to tell me Raghav Rajput? It is Kuhu who can order not you. Mind your own business." Rakesh yelled at Raghav.

Rakesh emphasised the word you a lot pointing his index finger.

"For your kind information I own 40% shares of Rathore Constructions. I am equally responsible as Kuhu to take decisions regarding this company. So now that I have cleared out all your concepts. Leave!" Raghav shouted so loudly that even I shook from my place.

Not a word and Rakesh left the office but didn't forget to eye Raghav and warn him. They both killed each other through their looks. 'Have some mercy on each other atleast for god's sake.', I whispered.

Raghav now faced me. "How do you allow Rakesh into your office room without your or your secretary's knowledge? He enters and leaves as if this is his own." He was almost shouting now.

'He is my friend. I trust him in business.' I almost yelled back.

"f**k off the friendship. Even after all that happened that day, you're still... Leave it!! 

His friendship was indeed in the air when I entered the room Kuhu and is still recognisable in the broken traces of the glass." His displeasure affected me a lot like before. His words 'leave it' tore me apart more than his disdaining words for my friendship.

'Whatever it is. However it is. It's between me and my friend. Why do you have to meddle in? You left me disheartened and alone. Rather he has always been supporting me through my odds and evens in life.'

"Can't you see his tricks Kuhu? He took the advantage of your innocence to propose you. Moreover you're going to be Mrs. Rajput in a few days. So learn to value your worth now atleast. Now someone has to risk himself before insulting you." His tone now changed into a caring one.

"I will take care of it. I won't ever bring down the name of any of our families", I lectured my mind. My mind agreed with him but I just nodded my head of assurance; I didn't speak that out to him. It's just because I didn't want him to know that I surrendered to him in any fight. That's all!