Chapter - 38

Aarav and Roohi were sitting in the garden, the bright sunlight contrasting with the heavy atmosphere inside the house. Michael sat a short distance away, listening to their conversation.

Aarav, leaning back on his hands, said thoughtfully, “I wonder what they’re really talking about in there.”

Roohi, hugging her knees, looked up with concern. “Maybe it’s something only older people talk about. Mia looked so scared.”

Michael, sitting quietly on the grass, glanced at them with a troubled expression but remained silent.

Aarav, a bit defensive, said, “Yes, but Arjun is also there. Dad always shares all his conversations with me.”

Roohi tilted her head, her eyes wide with admiration. “Arjun bhaiya is older than us. He’s so big and strong. Even handsome too.”

Aarav, slightly offended, interjected, “But I’m big and strong too! And I’m handsome.”

Michael rolled his eyes at their banter, while Roohi giggled at Aarav’s reaction. Aarav, noticing her laughter, pouted dramatically and started tickling her. “What about me? Don’t you think I’m strong and handsome too? I even saved you!”

Roohi burst into laughter, squirming away from Aarav’s tickling fingers. “You are! You’re the best, Aarav!”

As Roohi’s laughter subsided, she glanced at Michael, her expression shifting. Aarav, noticing the change, shot Michael a pointed look. “Were you listening to our conversation?”

Michael rolled his eyes in response. When Roohi added that his eyes might get stuck back in his face as her papa says, Michael chuckled and looked at Aarav. “Nobody is interested in your conversation. I was just sitting here, bored and annoyed.”

Roohi, eyes wide, asked, “Did Papa ask you to leave the room like us?”

Aarav smirked, “Yes, that’s the reason. After all, you’re just a child like us.”

Michael’s face flushed with anger. “I’m not a child!”

Aarav, seeing Michael’s irritation, couldn’t resist teasing him further. “Oh, come on, Michael. If you’re not a child, then why do you act like one?”

Michael’s face flushed with anger. “Stop it, Aarav. I’ve had enough of your games.”

Aarav smirked, unbothered. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle a bit of teasing? Maybe you are a child.”

Michael clenched his fists, his voice rising. “I’m not a child! I’ve been through more than you can imagine. You don’t know anything about me!”

Roohi, sensing the tension, tried to intervene. “Please, stop fighting…”

But Aarav, refusing to back down, snapped, “If you can’t handle a little teasing, maybe you should just stay out of things.”

The argument grew heated, with both boys hurling insults at each other. Aarav’s voice was sharp and taunting. “You think you know everything, but you’re just a lost kid!”

Michael’s anger flared. “And you think you’re so perfect? You have no idea what I’ve been through!”

Their faces were flushed, and their words grew more intense, neither willing to back down. Roohi, frightened by the escalating argument, tried to pull them apart, her small hands gripping their arms.

“Stop it!” she cried, tears welling up in her eyes.

But Aarav and Michael were too caught up in their anger to notice. Their shoving match intensified, and in the chaos, Roohi was accidentally pushed to the ground. She let out a small cry of pain as she hit the grass, her knee scraped slightly.

At that moment, the adults burst into the garden, drawn by the commotion. Rudraksh immediately spotted Roohi on the ground, her tear-streaked face twisted in pain. He rushed over and scooped her up into his arms, his expression darkening as he looked over her injury.

He then turned his gaze to Aarav and Michael, his eyes filled with anger. "What is going on here?" he demanded, his voice cold and stern. The boys, suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation, stood frozen in place, their expressions a mix of guilt and defiance.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the quiet solitude of Mia’s room, Arjun sat beside her on the bed, his hand gently holding hers. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a lamp casting a warm hue over their faces. Mia’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, but there was a sense of relief in her posture as she leaned into Arjun’s comforting presence.

Arjun’s thumb gently caressed the back of her hand as he whispered soothingly, “It’s okay, Mia. You’re safe now. No one will hurt you again.”

Mia looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears but also with something else—gratitude and a glimmer of trust. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Thank you, Arjun,” she murmured. “For everything.”

Arjun’s heart ached seeing her so vulnerable. Without thinking, he reached up to brush a stray tear from her cheek, his fingers lingering for a moment longer than necessary. “You don’t have to thank me,” he replied softly, his voice tender. “I’m just glad I can be here for you.”

Mia’s breath hitched at his touch, her pulse quickening. She had felt so lost, so broken for so long, but here, in this moment, with Arjun so close, she felt a flicker of hope, a warmth she hadn’t felt in years. She leaned in closer, her forehead resting against his shoulder, her body trembling with a mix of emotions.

Arjun wrapped his arms around her, pulling her gently into his embrace. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, a fragile rhythm that seemed to echo his own. “You’re not alone anymore, Mia,” he whispered into her hair, his lips brushing against her temple. “I promise.”

Mia closed her eyes, savoring the safety and warmth of his arms. “I believe you,” she whispered back, her voice barely audible. She lifted her head slightly, her eyes meeting his. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as they gazed into each other’s eyes, the world outside fading away.

Arjun’s hand moved to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin. “Mia,” he murmured, his voice a low whisper filled with emotion. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he leaned in, his lips brushing hers in a soft, tender kiss—a promise of better days to come.

Mia responded, her lips meeting his with a gentle urgency, a silent agreement that they could heal together. The kiss was slow, filled with the promise of new beginnings, a moment of solace amidst the chaos.

Abhay’s voice thundered through the hall, commanding everyone's attention. "So, can you explain what happened?" he demanded, his gaze piercing through both Aarav and Michael.

The boys, startled by the sharpness in his tone, looked at each other for a moment before launching into a flurry of accusations.

“He started it!” Aarav blurted out, pointing a finger at Michael. “He was being rude and wouldn’t stop glaring at us!”

Michael immediately fired back, his voice rising with frustration. “I was just sitting there! He’s the one who kept provoking me, trying to start a fight!”

“You pushed Roohi!” Aarav countered, his face flushed with anger. “You don’t care about anyone but yourself!”

Michael's eyes flared with anger. “I didn’t mean to push her! You pushed me first!”

Their voices overlapped, growing louder and more intense as they continued to blame each other, each boy trying to make his case.

Roohi, overwhelmed by the noise and the tension, put her hands over her ears, her eyes squeezed shut. “Stop it! Stop fighting!” she cried out, her small voice barely audible over the shouting.

Rudraksh, still holding Roohi in his arms, felt a wave of protectiveness surge through him. He gently rocked her, trying to calm her down, but his expression darkened as he glanced at the boys. “Enough!” he said sternly, his voice cutting through the chaos. “This isn’t helping anyone. Look at what you’re doing to her.”

Both Aarav and Michael stopped mid-sentence, their eyes shifting to Roohi. Seeing her so upset seemed to deflate their anger, a sense of shame creeping over them. They glanced down, avoiding each other's eyes, suddenly aware of the consequences of their actions.

Michael took a deep breath, his voice quieter now. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, glancing at Roohi. “I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.”

Aarav smirked and said, “It’s okay.”

Michael rolled his eyes and glared at him. “I wasn’t saying sorry to you, dumbass. I was saying it to Roohi.” His ears turned a faint shade of red, betraying his embarrassment.

Aarav again tease him. Abhay- Enough! Aarav. You guys have not answered my question?

Aarav, realizing the seriousness in his father’s voice, quickly straightened up. He knew better than to push Abhay’s patience any further. “We were just… talking, Dad. And then things got out of hand,” he explained, shooting a sidelong glance at Michael. “I didn’t mean for it to turn into a fight.”

Michael, still a bit riled up from Aarav’s earlier teasing, chimed in, “Yeah, we were just arguing, and it got out of control. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

Abhay’s gaze softened slightly, but he maintained his authoritative stance. “Arguments and disagreements happen, but pushing each other and getting physical is never the answer,” he said firmly. “You both need to learn how to handle your emotions better. Violence isn’t the solution.”

Aarav nodded, still looking sheepish. “I’m sorry, Dad,” he said genuinely. “I’ll do better.”

Abhay looked at Aarav with a gentle but firm expression. "Say sorry to Michael, not to me, Aarav," he said softly, his voice calm and understanding.

Aarav's shoulders slumped slightly as he turned to face Michael. The teasing smirk he often wore was replaced with a more serious expression. He took a deep breath, glancing at the ground for a moment before meeting Michael's eyes. "I'm really sorry, Michael," Aarav said, his voice sincere. "I didn't mean to push things too far. I shouldn't have teased you.

Michael stared at Aarav, taken aback by the unexpected apology. He wasn’t used to people apologizing to him—at least not sincerely.

He had grown accustomed to a world where apologies were rare, where vulnerability was seen as a weakness. But here was Aarav, apologizing with genuine remorse in his eyes.

Seeing his vulnerable expression, Akshat squeezed Michael’s shoulder gently. "Go on, Michael. Say sorry to Aarav too. It’s how we start fresh."

Michael sighed, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. He mumbled, “Sorry, Aarav,” though his tone was still a bit stiff.

To Michael's surprise, Aarav smiled and extended his hand. “No hard feelings, yeah? Let’s start over. Friends?”

Michael blinked, momentarily stunned. He wasn't used to such gestures. But then, a small smile crept onto his face, and he took Aarav’s hand. "Friends," he said, still a little wary but willing to give it a shot.

Aarav couldn’t resist throwing in one more teasing remark. “But don’t think this means I won’t still beat you in everything. I’m still the best around here.”

Michael chuckled, his earlier tension easing. “Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming, Aarav.”

Roohi, who had been watching the whole exchange with hopeful eyes, beamed at the sight of their truce. She bounced forward and threw her arms around both boys, hugging them tightly. "Yay! Friends!"

Aarav and Michael exchanged a look of surprise over Roohi's head but soon found themselves smiling, their earlier animosity fading into something that felt a lot like camaraderie.

The warmth of the new friendship settled around them, bringing a rare moment of peace and unity. The adults watched on with quiet smiles, knowing that these small steps would lead to stronger bonds and a deeper understanding among the children.

The warmth of the new friendship settled around them, bringing a rare moment of peace and unity. The adults watched with quiet smiles, knowing these small steps would lead to stronger bonds and deeper understanding among the children.

Abhay cleared his throat, breaking the serene moment. "Alright, if everything is settled," he began, a playful glint in his eye, "how about we discuss your punishment?"

Both boys looked up, their expressions shifting instantly. Aarav pouted, already imagining his dad's punishment of writing 100th times. Michael's face, however, paled slightly, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes as the word "punishment" brought back harsh memories of Nicholas's cruelty.

Noticing the change in Michael’s demeanor, Abhay softened his tone. He exchanged a glance with the other adults, who nodded in silent agreement. “Your punishment is to  write I'm sorry and I will not fight' one hundred times. And both of you will do it—one for each other."

Aarav groaned dramatically, his face scrunched up in an exaggerated display of misery. "A hundred times?" he whined, pretending to collapse into Roohi's giggles.

Aarav noticed Michael's distress and, understanding the situation better, gave him a reassuring nod. “It’s not so bad,” he said, trying to offer some comfort. “Just a lot of writing. Dad punishes us like this, too—me and Arjun bhaiya. Sometimes we get grounded for a week without phones or digital devices.”

Michael managed a small, grateful smile. “Okay,” he said quietly, feeling a bit more at ease with the supportive words.

Roohi, overhearing the conversation, giggled and looked up at her papa. “Papa never punishes me because I’m a good girl, right Papa?”

Rudraksh chuckled, nodding affectionately. “Yes, that’s right, Roohi.”

Karan and Akshat smiled at the exchange, but Abhay interjected with a knowing smile.“Wait until she grows up more. Preteen and teenage years are a different challenge. She might look all cute and sweet now.

The atmosphere lightened as everyone shared a laugh, and the moment of tension gave way to a sense of camaraderie and understanding.