Aria

What..

What'd I just hear?

Is laila lying? Is she telling the truth?

Deepak?

No no.

"Aria! Aria!. Are you okay?", Laila held my shoulders and shook me. I came out of my daze and looked at her.

"Yes that's the guy. Deepak! That's his name kanna", appa said.

I can't believe what I'm hearing.

How could Deepak do this to me? No I'm sure he wouldn't have done something like this. He's my best friend. No there's some mistake here. Someone must have made him do it.

"Are you okay kanna? Do you know him?", Appa asked.

"You should go home appa. Ill call you later. Thank you for stopping by and checking on us", I said hugging my father.

"Take care okay. I love you", he said kissing my forehead and leaving.

As my dad left, I saw Deepak and Rahul coming towards us. When I saw Deepak, my heart beat increased.

"What is she doing here?", Rahul asked looking at laila with disgust on his face.

"It's fine Rahul. She's just here to see shrey", I said smiling at laila.

"Whatever. Is he awake?", He asked.

I nodded.

"Are you okay?", Deepak asked placing his hand on my arm. I flinched making him frown. I nodded again and asked him to go inside. Once they were gone I turned to laila.

"How do I know you're not lying to me again Laila?", I asked her.

She's already lied to us one too many times. Even though she's saying she's not the same anymore, I don't want to believe everything she said blindly.

"I have proof aria", she said taking her phone out of her purse and showing me the money transaction.

It clearly showed the name Deepak Chahar.

He's sent her two lakhs. Is that all our friendship or my relationship was worth. I quickly gave it back to her.
I didn't want to see it.

"What exactly happened?", I asked sitting down on the chair.

"He told me he'll help me get into the modelling agency I was trying for and said he'll pay for it as well. I initially denied it but I needed the money aria. I was desperate for it", she said looking down.

"I'm sorry Aria", she said holding my hand.

"Don't tell any of this to shreyas laila. Ill tell him myself. Thank you for telling me", I said smiling at her.

"Ill leave then aria. I'm once again very sorry for all the pain I inflicted to you guys", she said smiling at me sadly.

"It's okay laila. I appreciate you being honest with me", I said hugging her.

If not for her I would have continued believing in deepak.

He was the one person I trusted my life with. He was.. he was my rock.

When laila left, Rahul and Deepak came out of the room.

"I might have slightly slapped shrey for putting us through this. So I'm informing you before hand incase he complains to you.", smiled Rahul.

I smiled back at him.

"He's asking for you Ari", Deepak said smiling at me. I can't do this. I can't look at him like nothing happened. I ignored his comment and went in.

"Heyyyyyy come here", shrey cooed.

I smiled and sat next to him on the bed.

"Rahul slapped me", he said pointing to his cheek.

"Yes he told me", I laughed.

"Why was laila here? Did she tell you something? Why do you look so low? Are you okay?", He asked, firing questions one after the other.

"She just came to see you. She told me to tell you that's she'll be out of your life from here on. So you don't have to worry about it", I smiled holding his hand.

"For real?".

"For real love", I kissed his hand.

"What about the pregnancy?", He asked.

Fuck what do I tell him. I don't want to tell shrey about Deepak yet. Or maybe I don't want to tell him at all.

"She lied to you shrey. You guys didn't do anything that night", I said trying not to blame laila completely as well.

"Oh. That bitch!".

"It's okay shrey. There's no point on calling her names now. It's over", I said smiling.

"I promise I'll make up for everything we've been through. I love you baby", he said pouting.

"I love you too", I said blowing a kiss at him.

"No kiss me for real", he said frowning.

"I'll shower your face with kisses once you come home", I said leaning forward and kissing his forehead.

"You go home sweetheart. I'll be fine here. You take some rest. Rahul told me you guys got drunk last night", he chuckled.

"He got drunk", I said wondering what story Rahul told shrey.

"Get some sleep honey. Come in the night once, please". I would kiss him right now, but there's no much I need to deal with first.

I need answers. Lots of answers.

"Ofcourse I will. You take care. I'll come see you in the night", I said getting up and leaving.

I have to deal with Deepak alone. I dont want Rahul knowing about this.

As I went out, I saw both of them sitting there and playing on their phones.

"Rahul", I called out, making them look at me.

"Ariaaaaaaaa!", He screamed.

"Will you stay here with shrey for sometime if you don't mind", I asked him hoping he'll agree.

"Yeah okay. I don't mind. I've given that boy hell for the last few days", he laughed.

"Don't bring up the past please", I pleaded.

"I'll try not to", he winked going in.

"Let's go home?", Deepak smiled.

I nodded and walked ahead of him.

"Aria.. are you okay?", He asked catching up to me.

I ignored him. I was trying to process all the information I got today. I still can't digest the fact that Deepak did something like this.

But why?

He knew shrey and I were together from the beginning. Why did he do this?

"Aria", he called out to me, opening the car door for me. I got in and shut the door myself.

He slid into the driver's seat and started the car.

The entire ride, I was thinking about the conversation I'm going to have with him.

"Ari, are you alright? I'm worried", he said placing his hand on mine.

I pulled my hand away and looked outside the window.

Why Deepak? Just why?

He didn't ask me anything after that. We reached home and I sat on the couch holding my head. He took a seat next to me.

"Why Deepak?", I whispered.

"What?".

"Why did you do it?", I asked again.

"Ari, what are you talking about?", He asked sitting closer to me.

That's when I completely lost it.

"Stop it Deepak. Stop the act. Fucking tell me why did you pay laila to break us apart", I screamed, tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Ari.."

"Don't Deepak. How could you? How could you?", I sobbed.

"I'm sorry"

"Tell me why Deepak", I sniffled.

"I love you Aria", he confessed.

What?

I looked at him. Completely dumb founded.

"Yes that's the truth. I love you. I have, ever since I met you", he said his eyes tearing up as well.

"Deepak..."

"From the first time I met you in Australia Ari, I liked you and it slowly bloomed into this. I gave you so many signs Ari. You never picked them up", he smiled tears falling down his face.

"But deepak you knew I was with shreyas"

"He fucking didn't deserve you Ari. You were always so invested in him but he would only do the bare minimum for you. I knew I could have done better".

"That's not an excuse for what you did Deepak". I was furious.

"I asked your parents for your hand in marriage and then realised maybe what I did was wrong. So I never contacted them after that. I saw how broke you were after that incident in Delhi. I was wrong. You love him more and I should have known", he said.

"I went home and told my sister about everything. I drunk my mind off Ari. I've never told you all this. I did so much for you, I genuinely loved doing everything for you. But you never saw me as anything", he confessed.

"That's not true Deepak. You were my best friend".

"I got so mad. You deserve so much more Ari. That's when my sister suggested contacting laila again. When I enquired I found out she was struggling to get into modeling, so Malti contacted her agency to get a chance for her and told me to pay her as well. I did it not knowing that I'm hurting you in the process. Before I could ask laila to stop, everything was done", he continued.

"I'm sorry Aria. If I could go back in time I would stop everything", he said holding my hand.

"No Deepak. I trusted you. You hurt me deepak! You knew about shrey and me, you knew how hurt I was. You were there, you saw everything and never told me anything. If you would have told me atleast Deepak..", I sobbed.

"I tried Ari. I couldn't get myself to tell you. I was ashamed of what I did".

"Aria I'm sorry".

"Leave Deepak. Please leave. I can't do this anymore", I said sitting down.

"Ari.. you deserve more".

"You don't get to choose what I deserve Deepak!", I screamed out.

"I'm sorry for everything Ari", he said and left.

I don't know if I'm mad at Deepak. I'm really really disappointed in him.

This is not the Deepak I know.

I know he didn't do this full heartedly.

But for now, I need some space from him.

I need to make sure Rahul and shrey don't get to know about this.

I don't want them hating deepak.

Because I can't get myself to hate Deepak.

(Unedited)

I'm crying as I'm writing this.
This chapter was too emotional for me😭
Tell me your thoughts.
Love,
S❤️