OS: Lies

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OS: Lies

Arnav was sick of the simpering, clinging girls that latched on to him at parties. No matter how rude he was, how cruel he was, there always seemed to be a new girl at every event, at every party and he was sick of it. The number of women vying for his attention had increased if possible since that ridiculous Eligible Bachelor article and Arnav needed it to stop. He looked from the file that had just appeared on his desk to the woman it had arrived with. No less sycophantic or annoying than all the other women but he knew one would be a much easier cross to bear than the multitudes that would invariably flock to him at the launch tonight.


'ASR wants me to go to the party with him tonight! I always knew he liked me.'

Arnav threw the flowers into the bin as he watched Lavanya leave his office. He had managed to intercept them before Nani had seen them. He only needed Lavanya in his work life because he needed the protection she afforded against unwanted attachments. He didn't need Lavanya intruding on his personal life; he wanted to keep it separate. Keep his emotions separate, Arnav and ASR separate.


'ASR just wants his privacy. He doesn't want his conservative family to judge our relationship.'

Arnav paced as he thought of Khushi in the rain and the horrifying images that flashed through his mind of what could have happened if he hadn't saved her. He needed to talk to her, to hear her voice. To ensure himself that it was just his imagination, that he had indeed saved her, and that she hadn't fallen under the car in a bloody mess.


'ASR hates Chamkili, he just wants to phone her to give her more work and make her as miserable as possible so she'll leave.'

Arnav couldn't understand why thoughts of her leaving Delhi, of her leaving him caused him so much anxiety. He should be happy. No, he should be indifferent, Khushi meant nothing to him. He wouldn't think about her again. But then Lavanya turns away and Arnav pulls her back, stops her leaving him midsentence, abandoning him. Stops her as he had been unable to stop Khushi.


'ASR wants to take our relationship to the next step. He finally wants to get serious with me.'

Arnav watched in shock as Lavanya lifted her veil. Lavanya doesn't believe in marriage so what the hell was this? For a brief millisecond he had thought it would be someone else under the veil. Someone who did believe in marriage and the thought, while still repulsive, hadn't horrified him nearly as much as the sight of Lavanya lifting her scarf to look at him coyly.


'ASR just needs time. Now I've left he'll realise how much he loves me and will come to get me.'

Arnav looked at her face, full of conviction and hope and then relief and he felt the apprehension in his chest settle. He moved his gaze to the woman he would have to bear if he wanted to keep that feeling at bay, keep Khushi's tears at bay. He moved to fulfil his duty mechanically, the duty that Khushi had imposed on him. Lavanya's touch had no effect but Khushi's silent tears left him confused and apprehensive all over again.


'ASR wants me to come back, he can't live without me.'

Arnav couldn't let this happen, he had to stop it. His usual barriers didn't seem to work with her. She broke them down, brick by brick with every smile, every laugh and even every tear. He needed a new barrier, one she couldn't tear down. One she wouldn't want to tear down. He walked blindly and grasped Lavanya's hand in his. He needed her in his home now, not at work. He needed her protection here, in his home, in his heart.


'ASR loves me. He wants to marry me.'