OS: Embracing Tears

Read all my other One Shots over here.

Please note I retain sole ownership of all the works of fiction on this blog so please do not reproduce or alter my work and claim it as your own. 



OS: Embracing Tears

Did he really still think she was just some poor girl out to trap a rich husband? Why did his opinion even matter to her?

Khushi turned and ran not wanting him to witness her tears when they inevitably spilled over. She ran through the hotel unaware of where she was going until she came to a darkened corridor and sat down at the foot of the stairs and finally let herself cry.

She heard the footsteps behind her and despite herself her heart leapt at the sound.

'Khushi? What's up?'

Khushi lifted her head from her hands and hastily wiped away her tears and her disappointment at the voice, 'nothing Nanheji, nothing. I just needed some air.'

N.K sat down next to her and looked at her critically in the semi-darkness. 'Khushi, are you crying? Why?'

Khushi tried to smile, failing miserably as she saw N.K's face so open and full of concern. 'Why shouldn't I cry? I should be crying! When somebody hurts me, when someone plays with my emotions, I should be happy. When somebody makes you dream and then shatters those dreams so easily, I should be happy. When my Aunt forces me to get engaged to a man I don't even know, a man I don't love, then I have to be happy. When that man turns out to be married, when he already has a...' Khushi paused to wipe away the tears that had started again.

'When that man has a wife and a family that love him, then I have to be happy. But when I find out, when I break off my engagement, I sho... should cry. When I can't even tell anyone what he did, I should cry. When my sister is finally happy, when she has found someone who she loves, someone who isn't a cheat, someone who isn't a fraud then I should be crying. I shouldn't have come here to try and make her comfortable, I shouldn't have tried to make her ha... her happy, I should be... I should be sitting at home and crying about the fact that the only person that could ever want to marry me already has a wi... wife, already has a family. I should be crying! I should!'

Khushi's shoulders shook as she buried her head in her hands again. She felt N.k's hand rubbing her back awkwardly.

'Khushi, I don't know what to say... I mean...'

Khushi lifted her head again, and wiped her tears away with more resolve this time. 'I'm really sorry Nanheji, I shouldn't have said all that, I didn't... I can't be your date, I won't be any fun. Please go back to the party.'

'No Khushi, I won't leave you here alone. Should I call your sister?'

'No Nanheji, really. You go back, I don't want to ruin her evening. I just wanted Jiji to be happy and... now she is. I'm going home anyway. I shouldn't have even come here anyway. It was stupid, I was stupid. As usual.'

'But Khushi, I...'


Khushi stood up and pushed N.K gently up the first couple of stairs. After a brief pause in which she attempted to reassure him by smiling he walked up slowly, still looking at her concerned over his shoulder.'

She sat back down on the stair with a sigh and pulled her knees up again and her head in her hands.

The footsteps behind here were slower this time, more measured and almost threatening.

Khushi tensed at the sound and stood up hurriedly, 'It's alright. You don't have to tell me again, I know I wasn't invited. I'm leaving.'

She heard him call her name behind her but she ran again and didn't see the eyes that were filled with remorse and unshed tears.