Arnav snapped out of his trance and looked at Khushi. Yeah?"
"Who'-s the girl? That you loved?"
Arnav looked side to side for an escape. "Uh, forget it Khushi. It was a long time back-"
"Arnav," she whined, "that's not fair! I just told you my story." She pouted. "Please?"
Seeing the look on her face, Arnav couldn't refuse. "Fine," he smiled lightly.
Khushi sat up straight and turned her body towards him, though she was somewhat off, so Arnav helped her out. She giggled lightly, feeling silly, and then got serious.
"Okay, I'm all ears," she said.
Arnav chuckled lightly and then looked at her. "Well... there was this girl I liked, in college."
"Oh? In college?"
"Mm hmm. She was cute. She was always happy, bubbly... and she would get mad time to time... but she didn't go over the top."
He looked at Khushi and saw how attentive she was. So he continued.
"I remember the first time I saw her. I had just arrived onto campus and she was with a friend of hers, her best friend it turned out. The minute my eyes landed on hers, I just knew at that moment that she had snatched my heart."
"Wow. Seems like you had it bad," Khushi said.
Arnav chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
"But you're still not with her are you? I mean know you for a while now and I've never heard of a girlfriend."
"No, we're not. In fact, we never were."
"What," she said in shock. "Why?"
"Well... it just never happened. I've tried in many ways to let her know how I felt of her, but she never understood."
"Aww.... Then?"
"She got with another guy. And they dated until graduation."
"Aww! I'm sorry Arnav."
"It's okay."
"Is she still with him?"
No, because he's dead, he said in his head. It's you Khushi! You! "I don't know," he lied. "After college, I never saw her again."
"Ouch. B-but, you never told her your feelings?"
"I tried to, in the end, that is, while she was still with the guy."
"And...?"
"And she turned me down," he said lowly.
"That bad?"
"Really bad."
"Oh you poor..." she reached out and hugged him.
Feeling her warmth, Arnav relaxed. He let her hold him and inhaled the smell of her hair, which smelled like cherry blossoms.
Khushi pulled back and held his face in her hands. She looked at him, though it seemed like she was looking at his nose. "If I were that girl..."
It was you, Arnav said in his head.
"... I'd have left that guy."
"Why?"
"Are you kidding me Arnav? In the short time we've been together, you have been nothing but a sweet guy. People may think of you as a big, scary boss, owner of AR, but you're a sweet guy. That girl doesn't know what she missed."
Arnav tilted his head to the left and looked at Khushi, admiring her. If only you knew, he said in her head.
"Have you gotten over her though," Khushi asked.
"I hated her the minute she was done insulting me."
"Good. She deserves it."
No you don't. Look at what it's done to you.
Khushi stood up. "Come. Let's walk around."
Arnav stood up. "You sure?"
"Yeah. There was a reason why I was sitting here, and I'm done with that."
Arnav nodded and Khushi held his hand and took the lead, and then Arnav led her.
"Why exactly did you come here," Arnav asked.
"Well, remember how I told you about me loving Dhruv?"
"Yeah?"
"Well... in the past three years, the feelings for him faded. It made no sense to me at first. I mean I heard that when the person you love passes away, your love grows. Instead, I had the opposite affect. And thinking it clearly, I only loved him thinking he loved me, leaving the gifts and all."
"So...?"
"I don't know. I just left it at that."
"So... do you think you love the guy who left the stuff for you?"
"Psht! As if! If there's anyone to blame for Dhruv's death, its him."
Arnav stopped, making Khushi stop.
"What," Khushi questioned.
"How can you just blame him?"
"Had the creep never said anything, everything would've been fine. He'd be alive today. It's the creep's fault-"
"You think its his fault? Khushi its not like he was driving the truck or instructed the driver to kill Dhruv."
"I know... but still," she said stubbornly. "The creep shouldn't have opened his mouth at all."
"Khushi-"
"I don't wanna talk about it. 'Kay?"
Arnav just nodded. "Alright," and he began to walk.
Suddenly, he felt Khushi grab his arm.
"What now?"
Khushi moved forward. "You're not mad at me are you?"
Arnav sighed. "No."
Khushi smiled brightly. "Good," and she wrapped her arm around his and followed him as they walked around the area.
