Love

Naina just lay there broken, shaken; both emotionally and physically. She needed help.

Somebody who could just answer her without judging her all the time.

Love is strange; it makes people hard to understand.

It all started when this colleague had a break-up with his then girl-friend. She was just being sympathetic. She never knew he would fall for her, next. Aashish was funny, witty and a cheerful person, she thought. She was attracted.  Just attracted, though. She never thought of loving anybody as religiously as her real love, Aarav. She had no choice; to forget the memories, to move on, she had to give someone a chance, she thought; and made up her mind to take a risk. Three movies and a dinner. She knew, he was not the one. But, she kept pressing on the fact that she had to recover anyway; why not him.

Things became complicated when Aashish started visiting Naina's flat. Being physical or intimate was the last thing she had imagined herself doing with a month-old-stranger-turned-boyfriend. Every second chance Aashish got, he ended up at Naina's flat either forcibly trying to have sex or just being there trying to get the ends meet. He kept trying; she kept pleading and crying. She was adamant, but was too weak to resist a guy at 1 o'clock in the morning. What would the neighbors say? What if the landlord knows? What if people blame her; call her a slut? She begged Aashish not to visit her flat. She fought. She showed anger. Nothing worked.

She felt used and disgusted.

In between the intimacy, Aashish took out time to hug and kiss and cooked food together. He called this Love. Was this even Love, Naina always thought.

This went on till the day she could take no more. It is better to be alone than to be with the person who made her feel like a slut. That night she completely denied any physical favor  Aashish took the clothes and threw it on her face and went to the other room. This time the decision was made. This was it. She couldn't take anymore.

The fights started.

She wondered what the reasons could be. Why did all start in the first place? It must have been a post-break up attraction or the replacement strategy to heal the wounded heart, the lonely soul; she was so confused. Alas! She was not sure what and how everything happened to her perfect life. The life where she had set the rules, she knew what was right and would never try the wrong, even just for the sake of it.

She had to end it. The sooner, the better. The irony was, she always felt that if a girl's dignity is hurt, she should never suffer. It was herself this time and she knew how helpless she felt. She would have run away from everything if possible.

She called Aashish  "I want this to end right now. I have taken enough of you. I had never imagined you would treat me this way. It's over!"

Aashish was drunk. He started his melo-drama and blurted all the rubbish he could. It didn't affect anymore.

Aashish had a girlfriend before. His first love. Neelanjana. After school, she left him for somebody else. Ever since, he had been alone, searching for love.

"Don't mind, but you can never be like Neelanjana. She understood me. She kept me ahead of everything, even herself..." and the story continued.

Naina was sure now. It was never meant to be. He was still stuck in the past. And, here she was trying to search her place in his life. Aggravated, she made up her mind to quit. No matter what!

When Aashish came back to senses, he realized he made a mistake. Pleaded, begged to be forgiven. Out of now-where, his never ending love for Naina seemed to have popped up. Nothing affected now.

With a bruised conscience, she held her head high and walked out of his life; to never return.

Here the problems started. Office was like a nightmare for Naina. She had to face the same piece of shit, same old crap. Lies. Blames. She was tired and frustrated. He wanted answers. She gave none.

"I could never trust you. I wish I never thought of moving away from Aarav.", she sighed.

"Well, then get lost. Keep your attitude with yourself and go ask your Aarav to come and take you with him...” he shouted.

She wrote the last message to him:

"Don't call me ever again. You've lost the right to love me. And, for your information, like you said "ask Aarav to come and take you...", he is coming very soon. Now, I know where I belong. You may be perfect for thousand other girls, but you were the wrong (my biggest mistake of life) one for me. Got it?!

And there are few more things you should know. You've always told me that girls left you. Take some time out and think why?!! Accept mistakes. You always either blamed your ex, or defamed her. Why? They got the person who treated them well. They left you. You are too demanding and have no freaking idea how to treat a girl. Girls are not just to sleep with. They are not sluts. You asked for second chance? I've given you so many second chances already. I told you not to come to my flat. Did you listen? I told you not to be physical with me. Did you listen? Sit back, think what faults you did rather than blaming my arrogance. My attitude depends on you. Also, you don't deserve me!

And guess what, you even told me that you have some pictures of Neelanjana which can ruin her life if you disclosed it to everybody. You might as well have some of mine. This is why I could never trust you. A guy who proclaims that he loves a girl will never have such thoughts. Disgusting, filthy thoughts which you carry with you. Learn, or you will never get love. As of now, for me the definition of love is Aarav !"

She blocked him from every possible method of communication. Whatsapp, Facebook, etc.

She slept peacefully that night. She thought, Aashish was that one person who made her realize the worth of Aarav. She decided to contact Aarav. Did. Never felt so happy and relieved before. But deep down, she was guilty. She was with someone else. This may sound old school, but Naina constantly fought within, for and against telling Aarav everything about the physical relation with Aashish.

What will happen if she does?

Will he accept her after all this? The mental trauma she had gone through made her so strong that she decided to tell him everything. But, what if he would be deeply hurt? At least, now he is happy that her girl is back in his life. What if he couldn't take all of it. What if the love will not be how it was before?

Who is at fault?

So many questions I leave unanswered for you. Let me know what you think Naina should do.

P.S.:- Do comment and let me know what you think about the characters of the people in the story.