HURTING TRUTHS

HURTING TRUTHS
As Smriti headed downstairs to meet Vikram, Avani returned to her work, with focus fixed on laptop screen. But the doorbell rang once more, disrupting her concentration. She kept her laptop on side table, got up and approached the door. She turned the door knob to find Rishabh standing outside. Her heart raced; a surge of emotions welled up at the sight of him. Words stuck in her throat unable to find any voice.

Rishabh stood before Avani, his appearance casually chic in a black shirt paired with a beige jacket, black jeans, and sneakers. His hair fell messily, adding to his effortless charm.

"Hi Avani," he greeted, his voice carrying a mix of emotions.

"Mr. Malhotra... you here? Are you looking for someone?" Avani responded with a casual tone despite the storm of emotions within. Behind her cold demeanour, a raging turmoil was hiding, threatening to consume her at any moment. She kept her composure, but her body was on the verge of giving in, if he stayed for another minute.

A relentless chanting echoed in her mind: "Please leave, please leave, please leave... I can't handle it."

"Can I come in?" Rishabh asked in pleading tone.

"Actually, I am a little busy," Avani replied with a calm composure. "Please!" he pleaded again.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped aside, allowing him to enter inside. After he entered, she closed the door behind him.

"Please have a seat, Mr. Malhotra." Avani managed to say, her smile strained, masking the turmoil within.

"Enough with Mr. Malhotra, Avani. Please stop," Rishabh said sharply, his tone cutting through the air.

She flinched and her heart started pounding under her ribcage. Words failed her momentarily.

"Then what should I call you? Do we even know each other anymore?" Avani asked him, her eyes darting around the room, her hands anxiously clasped together.

She rubbed her face with her palms. Attempting to regain her composure, she finally asked, "Why are you here? What do you want now?"

In the heat of the moment, he took long strides toward her and enveloped her in a hug. His sudden move caught her off guard, igniting a storm of emotions within her. Anger surged inside her and threatened to shatter the cold facade she had carefully constructed. Placing her hands on his chest, she struggled, attempting to break free from his embrace. Every fibre of her being resisted his closeness.

"I can’t give up. No! I can’t let him come near me. He belongs to someone else. I cannot let him torment me again. No," her mind screamed, engaging in a fierce battle against the overwhelming warmth of his touch.

She fought hard, striking his chest with her tiny fists, channelling her rage and anger into each blow. However, her punches seemed futile against his solid muscles and abs. With unyielding determination, he pushed her against the wall, holding her firmly in place. His lips crashed onto hers, prompting a torrent of tears to flow from her eyes.

Refusing to surrender, she bit his lower lip, a desperate attempt to resist his advances. Yet, he persisted, unrelenting in his pursuit. Summoning every ounce of strength, she pushed him away forcefully, finally breaking the kiss.

Avani lashed out, her words piercing the air like daggers. "No! Don’t you dare. You have no right to touch me. I will not forgive you. You hurt me. It still hurts, you know. You broke me, broke my heart into a million pieces. I can’t be fixed, and no one can fix me, not even you. I am no more your Princess. I am Avani... Just Avani. Avani, you loved once, you destroyed her with your own hands. You killed her with your words a year ago. I hate you, Major Rishabh Malhotra. I will never forgive you," she shouted, her voice echoed the room with all her pent- up anger.

With her heart pounding in her chest, she fled to her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. Leaning against it, she cried, the sobs wracking her body, each one a painful reminder of the love that had turned to ashes.

“Avani... please open the door. Please give me one chance to explain myself. Just open the door. Please, baby,” his desperate pleas seeped through the door, but she remained resolute, unwilling to let him back into her shattered world.

“Rishabh, please go away. Just leave! I can’t talk to you right now. Leave me, please. Just leave me alone.” she choked on her words; her voice barely audible over her tears.

Outside, Smriti, her voice laced with worry, pleaded with her. “Avani, please open the door. It’s me, Smriti. You are scaring me. You need to take your medicine. Please come out.”

"Vikram, please take him away. Let me calm her down. You are making the situation worse. You should have talked to me before sending him here," Smriti said, trying to keep a situation under control in the chaos that surrounded them.

Vikram glanced at Smriti, his confusion was evident on his face, but he understood that this was not the right time for questions. Meanwhile, Rishabh stood there, utterly shocked and unable to control his emotions.

“Smriti, what medicine?” Rishabh's voice trembled with fear as he looked at Smriti for an explanation.

"Vikram, please, just take him away," Smriti repeated firmly. Vikram nodded and firmly lead Rishabh out of the apartment. I heard their retreating footsteps and, overcome with emotions, I collapsed onto the bed.

Smriti, using a spare key, unlocked the door and hurried inside. Avani got up, seeking solace in her presence, and rested her head on Smriti's lap.

"Smriti, I can’t... I can't do this! I tried to move on, but I failed. Seeing him today, I crumbled again. I realized I never moved on from him. I am broken, I just can’t hold myself together. What should I do? Why is he here now? What does he want? He must be married. We can never be together. Why is he coming back? Why?" Avani's cries echoed in the room as she poured out her heart.

Smriti gently wiped her own tears, then made her sit up and handed her a tablet with a glass of water.

“First, take this and try to get some sleep,” she said, her voice was tender. Avani nodded weakly, swallowing the medicine with a gulp of water. She lay down, and within minutes, exhaustion overpowered her, pulling her into a deep sleep.