31 - Pain of Distance

Diya pov

"Welcome to heaven" Advik whispered to me after we entered into a huge house which was probably built a few years ago but the calm surroundings and cold pure breeze gave me a satisfying feeling like a mother home.

The bright lights gave the dark house a bright daylight look, birds chirping sounds from the murky dense and tall trees felt like sweet music, it is indeed heaven.

When I was about to take a step in, I jumped in fear as something hit my leg, I looked down and found a very small dog running around my legs barking at me.

It's a pomeranian dog.

My favorite dog ever, I took it in my hand and caressed its soft fur.

"Diya" Yaashvi shouted at the top of her lungs, I turned to see her taking fearful steps backward towards the garden as a big Great Dane and Dobermann are barking at her vigorously with dark red eyes.

"Help me" her voice broke while looking for help. Unfortunately, no one has entered other than us inside the house. For some reason I too have fear in big dogs, their sharp teeth made me frightened.

I looked at Advik who is laughing at her situation, "Advik help her" I pleaded with him but he has some other plans, "let's watch a free show Diya" he sat on the ground-hugging his knees.

"Please" she pleaded to give him a single glance and then turned back to them gripping her kurta top.

"Don't worry Ms. Yaashvi just speak something to them they will run away from you" he said casually hiding his smile, she throws him a fire look and then again pleaded me, "Diya" now they are very close to her.

"Advik please ask them to move away" her voice cracked making him laugh more.

"Don't shout Miss my grandparents might wake up with your voice"

Dobermann took a step close to her and bite her clothes and a fearful tear slipped her eyes making me angry, "Are you going to help her or not?" I shouted at him.

Even my words didn't reach his ears, "let her face it" he sounded serious, "it's not the time to give lessons to her Advik, help her or I will call your grandparents"

"Fine" he murmured and went near them slowly intentionally to irritate her and there she started crying, "don't cry Vi, he will take them away from you," I said. She nodded her head still looking at the big dogs, "but why haven't they tried to even come near you" I mentally rolled my eyes.

Advik stopped in his tracks and glared at me, "see? she deserves much more than barking dogs"

"It's okay she is always like this, help her"

"Cody Rex" he shouted at them gaining their attention, opening his arms wide, hearing his voice they left Yaashvi and ran into his arms and licked his whole face while another one is barking at him which will wake the whole area.

"Yeah buddy, I came again" he smiled widely hugging them and caressing their head. I looked over him to find Yaashvi crying holding her hand, "Vi, are you okay?" she never cries this easily.

"She is fine," he said without looking in her direction, he is busy playing with his pet dogs.

I saw blood coming out of her hand, "she is not" I ran to her leaving the little pomeranian dog on the floor.

"How did this happen?" the dog nail scratch was looking deep, "did she bite my dogs?" Advik asked examining the dog's legs to irritate her but she never tried to look at him.

She is hurt.

"Shut up" I ordered him and tied her hand with my kerchief to resist the blood flow.

"Let me help you" I turned to my back to see an old woman in her neat light green cotton saree with white hair, wrinkled face, perfect smile, and spectacles to cover her shining eyes, she might have broken many hearts during her young age. And those sharp nose looks exactly looks like Advik and Arjun.

She is their grandmother.

"Sakthi" she called someone and asked them to take the dogs away, "is it hurting much?" she asked examining Yaashvi's hand, "she is acting grandma" Advik rolled his eyes at her crying face.

"Will you stop it?" she throws a glare at him and caressed her head, "come get's get in and treat you" her sparkling eyes poured me a rain of warmness on me and she went in asking me to come along with her through her eyes.

"Chottu" she called someone, I looked for someone to come but no, no one came. I saw Advik searching something around the dark space with a longing look.

"Chottu" she pressed the word again, "Haa grandma" Advik came to consciousness, "you are not touching those dogs for two days"

"That's not fair" he replied frustrated, "what have I done in this? I did not ask them to bite her"

"Mmm Hmmm?" she said taking slow steps and sat on the couch outside the house, "Lakshmi treat her now" she ordered a woman, I stood there immobilized waiting for her look to spread on me.

"Where are your parents?"

"On the way" he replied without interest, "where are others?" he asked trying to look into the house, I pushed him from back making him lump on his feet, but he gained his balance by gripping the couch handle.

He glared at me as I looked away trying to be casual, "All are in the house, sleeping" his grandma said passing the antiseptic to her maid.

"Except us" I heard a manly voice, turning around I saw an old man standing with a glint of mischievousness in his eyes and hands tied on the back, his eyes measured all of us and settled on me, "You are?" he asked with a small smile.

The small happiness I had, flew away in a second, I looked down at the floor unable to answer anything, "Arjun's wife" his grandma broke it in a second.

"How did you know?" Advik asked shocked, so they never said about me to their family?

I gripped my bag not keeping my gaze at the family, "What?"

"What?"

"Arjun got married?"

"Arjun's wife?"

"What's her name?"

"Why did he never mentioned her?"

"When did he got married?"

"She is beautiful"

"Woww"

"Why did she took my dog?"

My eyes widened at the several voices echoing the whole house, there stood nearly 30 to 35 members behind the doors secretly watched our every single activity for the past 10 minutes silently.

"I thought you all slept," grandma asked them with raised eyebrows to which they all shook their head with naughty smile except two faces, "how can we sleep when our chottu and Arjun will be here?" a man nearly Arjun's father age said excitedly and hugged Advik as he took his blessings.

"Still looking at the same Aunty?" their voice reached my ears as they were feet away from me, he shook his head, "she got transferred to another branch, now there are two, I will show you tomorrow" I coughed at their conversation and drank the water one of them gave me.

Advik gave me a sheepish smile and shook his head to not tell anyone, I felt Yaashvi came near me and stood silently looking at the huge number of people.

"Why did she took my Sparky" a tiny sad voice came, I looked at her angry face, she looked so cute in that sleeveless green frock with messy hair and a panda toy ready to fall due to her loose grip due to sleeplessness.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to, it came to me..." my awkward voice came slowly as I took a step back from the eyes watching me keenly.

"Don't scare my daughter" a man came forward and patted my head softly, "I am Krishna, Dev's younger brother"

"hello" Yaashvi assured me by patting my shoulder.

"Hello I am Yaashvi, the Diya friend"

"her name is Diya?" Krishna uncle asked, I nodded.

"Where is Arjun," another old lady asked, "bhai is busy small grandma," Advik said taking her blessings, "he always uses this to escape from us," she said angrily, "Is it a way to hide his mistake from us?"

My heart failed to beat a second, mistake?

Tears formed in my eyes, my legs trembled to stand straight hearing her word all the negative thoughts once again crossed my mind, a hand gripped me softly even if it's late by a second I would have lost my balance. The softness gave me the strength to stand and fight.

"She's not mistaken, she is our daughter maa" Arjun's mom. I lowered my gaze unable to look at them.

Her eyes shine in tears, "I know Krithiga, my grandson won't do mistakes but he shouldn't have married without us, that's what I mean"

"Ask them to him when he stands in front of you. Tears from you are not looking good, beautiful. Come let's get in and talk about my marriage" Advik took her in by lifting her off the floor.

Grandma came near me and took one of her chains and put it on my neck, "Welcome home" she smiled widely caressing my cheeks and dragged me in, "arrange dinner. A grand one" she ordered the whole house as they shouted in joy.

Wait. Dinner at 11.00 pm?

I looked at my mother-in-law, she gestured me to go with a smile.

The following night went on full of laughter, teasing, love, family bonding, and loads of food the main part is the introduction part. I mentally got confused with their names and relations.

Arjun's grandfather's brother, his wife, their children, and grandchildren. Dev uncle's brother's family, sister's family, cousin brothers, etc., etc., my head did spin in confusion.

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.

"Diya get up you idiot" Yaashvi shook me from my sleep.

"what do you want?" she shut my mouth angrily, "don't shout girl, we have to make a plan" she whispered.

"What plan?" I again fall on the floor mattress.

Yeah, we are lying on the floor with nearly ten people near us.

"get up or I will wake up the whole house" I cried and sat again, "what good I did in my last life to get a friend like you"

"Let's do a plan to insult that monkey man" I frowned in confusion, "your brother-in-law" my glare did nothing to her, "it's 4 am. Now you want to take your revenge on him?" she nodded innocently.

"Then do it yourself" I covered my face with a blanket and again lied down, "Diya" She removed my blanket and pleaded, "please help me Diya, this whole family is supporting that monkey man, I can't even score one point against him"

"What can I do for that?" I surrendered myself seeing her disabled state.

The bright smile once again appeared on her face, "let's lock him up to his father's friend's elder daughter"

"Why her?"

"1. because he doesn't like her.

2. He likes her sister" I glared at her, "it's not right, what if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong, tomorrow they planned to go to the nearby guesthouse, elders gave permission, also I am helping Pari (dev's friend's elder daughter) to express his love to a girl"

she is keenly waiting to take revenge from him, I nodded hesitantly, "only if there is no problem"

"Promise" she promised me and laid down happily.

*********************

Author pov

All of them started to share their childhood memories within themselves by teasing each other.

Advik as usual started his flirting with Ridhi while Pari is trying to get his attention.

Now and then Arjun's name came and taken off.

"Whatever we might have done all those will be done by Advik but he will easily escape from those pushing us into that and giving punishment as a gift to us," Prithvi said.

"You don't have an idea to escape from those" Advik said taking a bite from the fresh carrot.

"If you want to do something perfectly wrong, you have to take classes from him, a money man" Yaashvi bickered at him sarcastically.

"Yeah if fail to learn from me, then get bites from dogs" he winked at her, "wait what is that band-aid in your hand?"

Her fire stare made him tease her more, "that's nothing a monstrous dog-like you bite me yesterday"

"Poor dog"

"I am doing mistakes by comparing you with monkeys" she throws an apple in his direction angrily catching it he turned to Ridhi, "Darling do you need help in eating the apple?"

Ridhi throws a glare in his direction, "don't you have any other works?"

"Not more than flirting with you" Diya laughed at his reaction who walked towards Ridhi following her like a mad man.

"He never changes" Harith laughed at Advik.

Yaashvi was throwing fire in his directions who would smirk at her now and then talking with or flirting with uninterested Ridhi.

"Is he always like this?" Diya asked Nidra who sat next to Diya painting a picture of little Ahana accurately.

"Worse than this" the whole family laughed at her, "No one would say he is the brother of Arjun. Both are poles apart. He is a silent one and Advik is a naughty one.

Arjun is talented while Advik is an idiot" everyone laughed at this.

"I heard it" again he went to talk to his crush.

Now Prem continued, "If you want a good solution for a problem then you have to go to Arjun and never go to Advik" Diya laughed.

"But Arjun himself is a problem," she said gaining laughter from the whole family.

"Bala once asked Advik's help to impress a girl" Sam laughed, "Sam no" Bala warned him but he continued looking at Bala's wife, "Pravana you need to hear it"

She laughed at Bala, "All ears" Bala face palmed in embarrassment, "he followed her for a whole month according to his advice knowing every small thing about her, but our hero gathered information from Bala and proposed to her" Sam laughed holding his stomach, "You should have seen Bala's face at that time, he cried like a child for two days without leaving his room"

"Enough Sam" he requested him with an innocent face as Pravana hugged him sidewise, "my poor husband, can I get her mobile number?" his face instantly shines with brightness, "I would love to" she giggled and kissed his cheek after whispering something.

"She is not beautiful like you Prava, no she is not even beautiful, her eyes are not big like yours, her chin is not even rosy like yours she is not even near you darling" even his lips are smiling his orbs reflected fear.

"Dei enough daa," Daksh said hitting his head.

"What did she said?" Diya asked curiously, "she rejected him," Ridhi said laughing hard as Advik is standing beside her admiring her laughing state.

"Who will accept a human monkey like him" Yaashvi rolled her eyes earning a hard glare from him, "at least I had girlfriends who loved this human monkey"

"Correction" Yaashvi smiled at him, "it's called flings" her lips pressed in a thin line, "Diya, ask your friend to keep quiet or..."

"What will you do?" she stood up and stood up to his level with chin up fighting to his level with her eye, "Vi, behave like an adult" Diya stopped her dragging her back to the couch.

"Don't compare her with a child, she is venom" Advik fired at her and went out of the hall.

Hari Priya whispered in Yaashvi's ears, "are you jealous?" she smirked at her, Yaashvi immediately shook her head, "who would I be jealous of human money like him. He is a pain in the ass, I wish to never see a man like him ever again in my life. How am I going to live these two weeks tolerating his presence, I don't know how you all tolerated him these years" she went out lamenting herself as others went to their normal gossiping and teasing works.

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"Pari, can you get me a wooden chair from the storeroom?"

"Sure" she went to take chair for Diya according to Yaashvi's plan. On the other side, Advik is in the storeroom waiting for Ridhi.

"Vi, it's wrong"

"Calm down Diya, nothing will go wrong"

"No, you are indirectly hurting Pari, she will get false hope. She will be broken, I can't see another girl in my position again Yaashvi" without realizing tears formed in her eyes.

Yaashvi hugged her, "sorry Diya, please don't cry I can't see you crying. I will stop her. Okay?" she asked cupping Diya's face.

After making sure Diya is not crying she went to the storeroom and found Pari looking for a chair she also found Advik standing near the window glaring at Yaashvi, ignoring his intense looks she went to Pari, "I will take the chair Pari, you sister is looking for you"

"No, wait a minute I will take it, it will be hard looking into this place, I will help you" Yaashvi felt bad for using her into the meaningless revenge.

"It's okay Pari, thanks I will look after it" smiling at her Pari went out. Without wasting a second Diya took a step towards the door but Advik stopped her holding her wrist and closed the door pinning her to the door.

"What are you doing?" she struggled to get out of his grip, "What. Are. You. Doing?" he asked gritting his teeth angrily.

"I came to take chair"

He bent close towards her invading her personnel space with fire in his eyes, "I know what you have planned. Don't you think it's cheap?" his face shrink in disgust.

She swallowed seeing his anger but managed to speak, "if loving and kissing random girls you see is not cheap then what I have planned is also not cheap" she spoke confidently without moving his eyes from his angry orbs.

"I am not playing with innocent people's life" he argued back at her, more angrily.

"Diya is innocent. What have you done to her?" she asked angrily using the opportunity to point out him.

Immediately he moved away from her, she saw the guilt evident in his eyes but she could do nothing other than look at him, "get out" he ordered not looking at her.

She remained still, "now tell me who is cheap here?"

Playing with his a girl like Diya's dignity scattered his soul to a great extent that no one can realize it but hearing it, again and again, is killing him slowly.

One mistake now he lost his whole family. Not even his sister is willing to talk to him.

Not replying to her he walked out of the room with head hung down, Yaashvi tried to stop him but he walked out taking his jacket.

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That night Diya and Yaashvi both slept in silence in their allocated rooms having their thoughts in mind.

Even after sleep engulfed Yaashvi, Diya was unable to sleep due to the continuous thoughts of Arjun. Somewhere in her, she felt Arjun is not well, she felt something is happening in his life eating him slowly.

Deciding to ask him herself she was about to dial him her mobile beeped indicating an incoming call.

Arju calling...

Her heart started to beat fast unable to withstand the shock she went through, he never tried to call her after their marriage but this call ignited unknown fear inside her.

Is he alright?

Not wasting a second she attend the call with heavy breathing, but on the other side, there is a complete silence waiting to hear her soothing soft voice.

Long seconds passed no one spoke, finally, Diya decided to speak, "Hello..." even she said it softly both her mind and heart are not in peace, they are just acting differently.

Distance between them bothered her, his eyes are dying to look at her beautiful orbs.

"Hmm" was his reply.

Can't he at least say hello or hi? she scolded him in mind, "why did you call me?" this irritated her, always questioning her for her questions.

"Why are you still awake?"

She doesn't know the answer to why she is waiting for him even after every time he successfully breaks her.

"I was sleeping" her lies did not reach him, he knows she is lying.

"Oh..." he said and again silence filled both sides, she was yearning to know about him but her mind is not allowing to take another step towards their relationship.

"Are you okay?" his words make her tear up, she started crying silently controlling her sobs and shook her head negatively.

"Words Ms. Diya" his stern voice made her wipe her tears, shaking her head negatively she said "yes, I am fine" but every second she is breaking down.

He remained quiet for her to continue but after getting no response from her he continued, "do you want me to come there?"

Alarm ringed in her heart, his arrival will make her weaker, "let me live peacefully for few days without you"

"Ohh okay," he cut the call taking his unopened beer bottle, "peacefully..." smiling at her words he started to drown into the unconscious world.