17) My worst nightmare

Kiara's POV

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have another important announcement to make."

We turned towards Mr. Rajveer, who held a glass of champagne in his hand.

"I am glad my son has found his perfect match. Someone who'd stay by his side forever and support him in every step of his life."

Okay, he was exaggerating.

"Initially, we had planned on a long engagement. But you know what, the wait is really killing me. And most of you know very well that I'm not a patient person."

I had a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something felt wrong to me.

"So, the good news is that we have fixed the date of Arjun and Kiara's marriage." He announced.

WHAT?

No. No!

But... But Arjun said he would figure something out. He said he would get us out of this mess.

"They'll be getting married on the 16th of August." Everyone cheered while I stood frozen in my place.

NO.

For a second, my heart stopped beating.

This couldn't happen. This couldn't happen.

Blood rushed to my ears and everything seemed to be fading away.

I could concentrate only on one thing. I was getting married in a week.

I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't ready for the marriage. It was too soon.

It felt like time had stopped.

My eyes snapped to Arjun and he couldn't have looked angrier. In fact, he looked furious. A mixture of disbelief and rage painted on his face. His eyes met mine and flashed dangerously while I suppressed a shiver at the cold look in his eyes.

He approached Mr. Rajveer as quickly he could without making it obvious and said something which made his dad frown. People celebrated around me, friends and family, but my brain had stopped functioning long back.

I would have to think of something.

I saw Arjun marching off to somewhere and Mr. Rajveer following him with a look of distress on his face.

This seems like trouble.

"Psst. Kia." Maahi whisper yelled in my ear, breaking my reverie. "Introduce me to that sexy hunk of a man." She pointed to Rohan.

I passed a worried look to where Arjun and his dad went, biting my lip.

What's gonna happen now? Should I go after them?

No, I would just wait here. Maybe Arjun would convince his dad somehow.

Be positive, Kia. Something will work out.

Exhaling a deep breath, I focused on my surroundings. I needed a distraction before I spiraled out of control.

"Kia." Maahi shook my arm. "Bitch, you better start talking right now or else you're gonna regret it." She warned.

Oh, here's a perfect distraction.

"Fine." I sighed and then grinned, trying to hide my worry. "Just stop staring at him like a hungry wolf. Come with me. And behave."

"Yay!" She squealed in my ear, making me wince.

Chuckling softly at her over enthusiasm, I looked at Rohan who was standing nearby, talking to Sid and Anushka surprisingly.

We walked towards them. "Rohan." I called and he turned around.

"I think you haven't met my friend." I said, pointing towards Maahi and he responded with a kind smile.

"Hey, I'm Rohan."

"Hi." Maahi said in a squeaky voice. She looked extremely nervous.

You're not giving your exams, Maahi.

"I'm Maa-" Her voice croaked in the midway and she stopped abruptly with wide eyes. Clearing her throat, she tried again while Rohan watched her in amusement.

I rolled my eyes lightly.

"I'm Maahi." She said in a strong but shrill voice, contrary to earlier. Rohan shook hands with her and she sucked in a sharp breath, her cheeks turning red and eyes widening, looking like big saucers on her face. If she widened her eyes anymore, they would literally fall out of their sockets.

"You look lovely today." Rohan complimented her and I closed my eyes in resignation and shook my head.

He shouldn't have said that.

Poor him.

I heard an inhuman voice coming out of my now on-ninth-cloud friend's mouth. The creepy smile was back on her face, widening with each passing second. Maahi staggered sideways but Anushka caught her in time before she could fall. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out of it as she closed it again and then sighed dreamily. Sid looked thoroughly amused by her tactics while Rohan looked a little...scared, I think?

I face palmed and looked at the sky for God to pick me up from here.

This girl!

I would have to pull her away before she melted into a puddle in front of Rohan. Knowing her, she was probably planning her future with Rohan and their 5 kids in her mind right now.

I took a couple steps forward an-

"Excuse me." A velvety voice spoke from behind me, the voice that I can never mistake for anyone else. I whipped my head towards him. "I would like to have a word with Kiara. In private." Arjun said, standing beside me and without waiting for any response, held my wrist and dragged me away from everyone.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked him, trying to free my wrist. He didn't answer but I could make out his tensed shoulders and the angry tick in his jaw.

I looked back where everyone was standing but they looked as clueless as me.

Arjun walked in a fast pace and with every step he took, his hold on my wrist tightened to the point where it hurt.

"Arjun, stop." I whimpered in pain. "You're hurting me."

He ignored my pleas until we reached a secluded room.

"What's wrong with you?" I exclaimed loudly, finally freeing my wrist and rubbing it.

All of a sudden, he held my forearm and whirled me around so that I stood in front of him, face to face.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked menacingly. "What's wrong with me?" He shouted and I winced at the intensity in his voice.

"What did you say to dad, huh?" He asked, stepping closer to me.

"What?" I was confused.

"What did you say to dad to convince him for the marriage so soon?"

"I-I didn't say anything." I stepped back.

"Oh, really." He sneered. "Do you seriously think I am gonna buy your act?"

"I told you I didn't do anything." I raised my voice. "I have no idea how your dad came up with this." I walked back until my hands came in contact with the wall behind me.

"And what makes you think I'm going to believe that?" He growled angrily, putting his hands on either side of me on the wall, effectively caging me.

"Well then don't. I don't need to give you any explanation. I am not even interested in marrying you." I pushed him away lightly.

"SHUT UP!" He yelled in my face. "JUST SHUT UP!"

"I told you that I would find a way to cancel this marriage. But you were so desperate to become rich that you came up with this idea. I had it all planned out but you fucked up."

"Wh-what?" I looked at Arjun, shocked at his words.

How could he even think like that?

"Don't try to act so innocent." The cold look in his eyes was frightening me. "You agreed for this marriage for money, didn't you?"

I was speechless. He thought so low of me?

"I-I don't believe this." I whispered to no one, my eyes watering and head bowed down.

"Oh please." His voice was full of malice. "You think you can fool everyone with this act, but not me."

"You get that?"

"I asked you get that?" He held my forearms, his hold tightening with each word.

I was terrified of his behaviour.

In that moment, Arjun reminded me of him. The burning rage in his eyes, the hatred, hatred for me.

Arjun stepped back and then kicked a chair roughly. Running a hand through his hair, he muttered curses under his breath, clenching and unclenching his fists. His breaths were coming out in harsh pants as he paced the room.

I cowered away in fear, flashbacks threatening to rise at the back of my mind, my breaths ragged and palms sweating. Arjun looked like an angry predator ready to pounce on his prey.

For the first time, I was actually scared of Arjun, he awoke some unwanted memories that I had managed to keep at bay for a long time. The tenure barrier that was keeping me away from my horrible past broke and all the memories came rushing to me.

He stalked closer to me, until looking directly into my eyes, his own reflecting anger, causing me to back away further in the wall. "Listen to me clearly. You might think you've got your way but you know what, you mean nothing to me. You are nothing more than just a deal to me. And you'll never be my wife."

Before I had a chance to defend myself, he left. I released a shaky breath and before I knew, tears poured out of my eyes like a waterfall. Leaning my head against the wall, I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing.

Don't go there.

It's in the past.

He is not here.

As much as I tried, I couldn't stop the scene playing in my head that happened 3 years ago.

I am still a weak person.

"Make it stop." I whispered to no one, shaking badly. Hugging myself, I slid down the wall and sat on the floor, still crying.

"Make it stop." I yelled.

Sobs after sobs escaped me and I realized that my past had never left me. It was always there. No matter how much I tried to run away from it, it always found me.

He always found me.

For a second, my heart stopped in dread.

What if he was here?

No, no. He couldn't be. He was gone. My eyes frantically searched the room for any sign of him as I brought my knees to my chest and clutched my skirt in tight fists. And then, all of a sudden, I couldn't breathe properly. It felt like someone was choking me.

I was having a panic attack.

"Hey, Kia, I ju- Oh my god!" I heard footsteps running towards me and someone crouching near me.

"Shit, Kia? What happened? " I looked to my right and came face to face with Sid and Rohan.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Rohan asked, his tone etched with worry and concern.

"A-anushka. C-call... her.. p-ple.. ase." I managed to choke out in my utter state of despair.

"O-okay. I'll just go and call her." Sid immediately stood up. "Rohan, stay with her." And he ran off.

"Hey, it's okay. Just breathe." Rohan stated, crouching beside me and putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Kia, look at me."

"Try to breathe."

But the voice was falling on deaf ears and nothing helped. I needed Anushka right now.

"Oh my god!" A shrill voice rang in my ears and I sighed in relief, she was here. I heard running footsteps towards me.

A few moments of silence ensued.

"Kia, look at me." Anushka whispered softly.

My eyes were screwed shut and I opened them slowly. Through my blurred vision, I could make out Anushka's worried face.

She put a hand on my cheeks and spoke, "Kia, it's okay. He's not here. He cannot harm you."

"Look, I am here with you, okay? Nothing will happen to you. Now, breathe. Just inhale and then exhale slowly."

Listening to her words, I tried to focus on my breathing.

"Yeah, that's right." She encouraged, rubbing my back.

"B-but.... I....s-s...." I broke into sobs again as she hugged me tightly.

"I am right here." She consoled and broke the hug. Looking into my eyes, she said, "That was 3 years ago. Everything is alright."

After a few minutes and encouragements from Anushka, I had calmed down though I was still crying.

"We need to go." Anushka whispered to me after a few minutes. I nodded in confirmation and we both stood up, she was holding my shoulders to support me and honestly, I needed it.

"But what about the party? And the guests?" Anushka asked, biting her lip in worry.

"Don't worry about that. We'll come up with an excuse." Sid answered, looking between the both of us.

"Are you sure?" I asked, I didn't want them to get into trouble because of me.

"Of course, we are. You can use the back door, no one will notice." Rohan said. "Come, I'll show you the way."

We followed him and within a minute, we were out of the hotel.

"I'll just go and bring my car." Anushka made her way to the parking lot.

I turned towards Rohan and smiled weakly, "Thank you. It really means a lot to me."

"No worries, Kia." I could see the question lingering in his eyes.

What happened back there?

I was really grateful that he hadn't questioned anything about my panic attack. I wasn't in the state to answer any question related to my past.

Just then, a car came and stopped in front of us and Anushka peeked through the window. "Come on, Kia."

I was about to sit in the car but I stopped and looked at Rohan. "Please don't t-"

"Tell anyone? Don't worry, I won't. And take care." Rohan completed and sending him another grateful smile, I sat in the car and we sped off.

"I talked to your parents and told them you were feeling sleepy. Maahi and the others have left too." Anushka said and I looked out of the window.

The whole drive went in silence. Anushka hadn't said a word to me, I was thankful for it but I knew as soon as we would reach home, she would fire questions at me.

The car came to a stop and I looked outside to see that we had reached home. I was about to open the door but Anushka's voice stopped me.

"What happened, Kia?" My hand froze on the knob and I kept silent.

"What happened back there, Kia?" She repeated her question causing me to turn around and face her.

"You haven't had a panic attack in so long." Anushka looked really tensed and I felt bad for troubling her this way.

"I don't wanna talk about it." I whispered, not looking into her eyes.

"Kia." She emphasized in a warning tone.

"Give me some time. Please." I pleaded.

Her eyes softened and she nodded at me in understanding.

"I'm coming with you." She said, fumbling with her seatbelt.

"No." I stopped her. "I want some time alone."

"But Kia, yo-"

"Please."

"Fine." She relented. "Just...call me if anything happens." I nodded and after giving her a hug, I exited out of the car.

Entering my house, I locked the door and switched on the lights. Climbing upstairs, I kept the door of my bedroom slightly open and changed into some comfortable clothes. Since that day, I am afraid of dark and enclosed spaces, I cannot sleep when I'm all alone and I have nightmares. My parents know about this. So does Anushka, that's why she insisted on staying but I needed some time alone to ponder on my thoughts.

Crawling into my bed, I laid down, all the while, the lights remained on. I had locked the house and checked around. Mom has another set of keys so that won't be a problem.

My mind replayed the scene from the party a few hours ago and panic rose inside me but my phone started ringing and I picked it up immediately.

"Couldn't sleep?" Anushka asked.

"How did you know?" I smiled unconsciously.

"I know you very well, Kia. You are all by yourself in the house. No one's there with you. You won't be able to sleep like this." The air suddenly became thick with tension. Realizing the lack of answer on my part, she quickly changed the topic. Starting from our nail colours to Priyanka and Nick's marriage, we talked about anything and everything that came to our minds. And soon before I realized it, I fell asleep.

*

"Hey, doll. Where were you?"

.

.

.

"I missed you."

.

.

.

"How about we become friends?"

.

.

.

"You are an ungrateful bitch."

.

.

.

"Nothing but a piece of shit."

.

.

.

Wham.

I let out a scream and sat up immediately. Gasping for air, I put a hand on my chest and looked around. I was sweating and breathing deeply. The room was dimly lit due to the light coming from my bedside lamp.

It was just a dream.

It was just a dream.

No matter how many times I told myself this, deep down I knew it wasn't true. It wasn't just a dream. It was reality which had turned into a nightmare.

My worst nightmare.