Never let me go Ever

10

2005

Ishu slumped down in her room as the scene was playing again and again in her head. She doesn't know that the night went by in a blink of an eye. Ishu looked at the clock which strikes 7 in the morning. She needs to get ready to go to college. But is she ready to meet Arjun? He'll no. How can she even see him? 

****

Arjun entered his room which is absolute heaven. But he doesn't feel that happiness inside his heart. He always felt empty just like that wall in his room. His eyes were fixed on the left corner where his mom's picture was. It was a tiny frame. His grandfather despises his mom so much that he doesn't allow her picture inside his home. Arjun's eyes teared up realising what life he is living in this home?

"Breakfast is ready" a servant came and announced to him. Arjun took a long breath and strides down to have his dinner. It's this house's rules. He should eat even though he is not hungry. 

"Why don't you drop your stubbornness?" Ved Singh Rathore asked once he saw Arjun at the table.

"It's my dream, not any child's stubbornness" Arjun replied in a calm tone and stuffed the food inside his mouth.

"I won't accept any third-rated actor or actress in my home. If you become one, you should leave this house" Ved announced as a final decision. Arjun's pupils dilated as he looked up to his grandfather and he looked sideways to see his uncles and grandmother who had no power in front of this old man.

"Didn't I know this better than anyone when you chased my mom out of this home even though she was carrying me inside her womb?" Arjun asked with a sarcastic smile as tears rolled down his cheeks. He is bad at hiding his pain inside. Ved just rolled his eyes in response.

"I don't know why you accepted me now after 20 long years? To show off to the world that you have a grandson?" Arjun mocked the old man as his eyes turned reddish-grey making everyone at the table tremble with his aura but Arjun cares least about it.

"I am here accepting all your tantrums and rules only because my mom wishes for me to stay here with you. Her last wish was that I should spend my life with my dad's relatives. But don't expect me more than that" with that Arjun stood up leaving the table with just one poori. He always eats too little and no one cares about it. For them, he is just an arrogant kid who was brought up by that woman who has no morals. 

Priyanka Rathore got pregnant with Arjun even before she got married to her love, Ayush Rathore. But fate didn't let them live happily as Ayush died in an accident soon after Arjun was born. Ved never accepted Arjun or Priyanka as his family. But he made sure that Priyanka, who was an actress, couldn't act again in any film. He even bought all copyrights of her works and stopped them from being published anywhere. He values his family name that much.

It's been five years, Arjun was living with his family without his mom who died because of cancer. Still, he couldn't connect with anyone in that family. For him, all are just robots and function as per Ved's command. Such money-minded people.

In all this mess, he forgot about his confession. He got ready in less than a minute and grabbed his bag. He just wants to be away from these high society people and be himself for the rest of this day. 

His legs halted in the entrance when he saw Ishu. He ran to her and with her expressions, he remembered everything and regretted spoiling their comfortable friend's zone. She didn't look at his eyes for the first time and her whole concentration is on getting away from him. That hurts him like hell.

"Ishu. Listen. I know it's a little odd for you. But" before he could complete she looked up to him and he just lost words to tell anything. He knew that this girl was going to be the death of him. 

"Don't look at me like this. I won't be able to control myself" saying so, he clutched his heart and she took a long breath.

"Arjun, you are the first person I had made a nice bond with. I have many friends but you were special. I don't want to spoil this special bond. I can't see you the way you want me to" Ishu spoke honestly. She can't imagine him as her boyfriend for sure. For her, he is that friend with whom she can share everything but beyond that, she is not sure. 

"Okay fine. Don't pressurise yourself. Let's be comfortable like before. I don't want to lose you" he slumped his shoulders down and she could see the hurt in his voice. He can't lose her. She smiled at him, understanding well of him. In a short period, they both built a very unique relationship that both can't even dream to break.

******

"Guys important announcement. Everyone should be in the canteen at 4" Arjun messages his friends and smiles, already calculating the result.

All his friends came as per his call. 

"Listen, you all are my backbone and you have supported me in all odds" Arjun started his speech confusing his friends like hell. 

"Can you cut it and come to the point?" One of his close friends spoke all annoyed. The four hours of the lecture made him all mad and now Arjun is also eating his mind.

"You all can decide with the making things. Like who will give food every day to me? Who will provide dress service to me? Who has the power to let me stay in their home?" Arjun asked directly and all gasped loudly. What's this new drama?

"You guys have guessed it right. I was thrown out of my home today. All my credit cards and debit cards are banned. My grandfather cut all his ties with me" Arjun mumbled in a happy tone. He is indeed happy to come out from that hell place where his mom never had her respect.

"Arjun, are you serious?" All his friends stood up all shocked. Arjun expected this outburst.

"Relax and now decide on who is in charge of my food, shelter and dress?" Arjun came to the point directly. He can't get any job immediately. Right now he needs his friends to help so that he can be stable.

"Dude, sorry to say, but don't count me in this" two of them stood up immediately showing their annoyed faces directly. Arjun knew that they all are his friends only because he is the grandson of Rathores. But he was genuine with them and even supported them in many things. So he expected them to help him at least for a few days. But one by one left his side and he just smiled in response. 

"I want to help you, Arjun. But you know about my situation already" Vikram, who is genuinely worried about Arjun, spoke. Arjun knew that even Vikram is struggling a lot in his home and he can't even get a glass of water for him.

"Relax. I am fine. Now that I am free from the unloaded crowd too" Arjun mumbled and turned away. His eyes widened seeing Ishu behind. 

****

2021

"That was so mean" Neha nearly cried when Ishu told about his friends. He deserves more.

"Relax Neha. It's just past. He was very happy after that" Ishu convinced Neha but she took tissues and cleaned her eyes. The tears are not stopping. How can his friends abandon him like that?

"Even you two are not together now. I know that he must be living in hell now without you" Neha blurted as she got too involved in the story and her words made Ishu shocked. Her eyes teared up automatically. 

"I wish it's true" Ishu mumbled sadly. How did she wish that Arjun still misses her? But it's not the fact. Not after watching him happily with his family.

"Mom" Sid exclaimed and hugged his mom as she got too excited to see him this early. She thought that they must be returning the next day.

"Your son doesn't want to spend more time as he started missing you like hell" Suraj mumbled as he kept the luggage inside the home. 

"Madhavan" Neha exclaimed, hugging her son as he is so sad to return this early. 

"I am sorry mom. I didn't know that Suraj uncle was lying to me." Sid blurted out, making Suraj gasp loudly. He didn't think that Sid would open up this easily.

"About what?" Ishu asked, crossing her arms and glaring at Suraj as if she would eat him all alive.

"It was not a picnic but a meeting with my favourite actor" Sid jumped in joy and showed her the autograph of Arjun Rathore. Ishu stoned in her position as she looked at his handwriting. Her eyes glossed up, lightly scaring Suraj. He didn't expect this from her. Maybe she would tell him or something loud. But she silently went to her room and locked herself, startling everyone. 

"Mom, I am sorry. Please open the door" Sid started crying seeing this side of his mom. She has never been like this before. He even dropped the autograph to the floor seeing his mom's reactions.