Everything was happening as per the plan, the kids showed up with Khushi and she dint notice us until they had settled down on a table opposite ours.

Nisha was good with her acting, but I wasn't, I just felt terrible about doing all this and imagining what effect it might be leaving on Khushi, so instead of concentrating on our date, I was just looking at her.

She tried her best not to look at me but I found her looking at me every time and I could notice how moist her eyes were.

Why was I really doing this to her?

"Okay time for the next step." Nisha smiled as she looked at me.

"What step?" I asked, why was this being done for me and I dint even know what was being done?

"I have to kiss you on the cheek to make her more jealous." Nisha said.

"No!" I said immediately, I even wanted to stand up and leave already, there was no way anyone was ever kissing me, not even on the cheeks.

Khushi and I might not be together or anything but as for me, the only girl I'd ever allow to be close to me physically was her, not one else. I just felt some sort of loyalty towards her.

"But that's the plan Arnav." Nisha pouted.

"I don't care Nisha, if anyone has to kiss me in any way it had to be Khushi, that's it." I said strictly, she just nodded.

I saw Khushi standing up as she excused herself from Anju and Kabir, I don't know where she was heading but given that Anju and Kabir were still seated, it meant she was going to come back.

I saw her standing up and wiping of her eye as she turned around, she tried not to be noticed but I always noticed everything about her.

"You know what, I can't do this anymore." I said as I stood up and rushed behind her.

I caught up with her just when she was about to enter into the ladies washroom, I grabbed her hand and pulled her back and it broke me to see that she was crying.

"I am so sorry Khushi." I said as I held her into my arms and hugged her tightly.

I was seriously stupid, I should have never agreed to do anything like this knowing it would hurt her, I never wanted to hurt her in any way, why was I even convinced for this?

I guess for a moment I had become selfish, I thought only about myself and not her, not her reasons, not her feelings.

If she dint want to be with me even when she loved me, it was her choice, I was no one to force her for anything, I was never selfish. Seriously what was wrong with me?

"Look, don't be mad at me okay, let's just go out and talk, I don't want to create a scene here." I said, luckily she just nodded without telling me off or anything so I walked out of the restaurant with her and stopped in a place where there were no people.

"I need to explain something." I said.

"You don't have to explain anything to me Arnav, you have the right to move on, if it's hurting me it's my own problem." She looked at me sadly, right now I hated myself for making her feel this way, it was no one's fault but mine because I agreed for this stupid idea.

"No, that's not what it is. I am not moving on, honestly I don't even want to move on be it with you or without you. This was just some stupidity I did to make you jealous so you would accept your feelings for me.

I am sorry Khushi, I know I've done a terrible thing, I've hurt you and I shouldn't have done this, I had become a bit selfish for a while, but now I am me, the real me and I don't care what relation is between us, I just want you to know that I love you, it's always been you and if you don't want to be with me I am totally okay with it.

I am sorry for hurting you and most of all I am sorry for thinking about myself only and not thinking about how much this would hurt you. If possible please forgive me, since we've become friends I've realized I've only been hurting you when all I ever wanted to do was make you happy." I looked at her sadly.

"So you and Nisha aren't dating or something?" She asked.

"No, it was all fake, I met her just yesterday, Kabir came with her. I am not dating anyone, I don't want to if it's not you and I get it you don't want to be with me. I was just tired of this and hurting you so I decided to end this game.

I am sorry for what I did Khushi, I am sorry for hurting you and I don't know if you'll be able to forgive me for what I did but please do if you can.

That's what I had to say, anyway I'll let you carry on with what you came here for." I smiled at her as I turned around and walked away.

When I walked back into the restaurant, Kabir, Anju and Nisha were looking at me like they wanted to murder me.

"Okay, I don't care what you guys think but you have to admit this idea of yours was stupid and I am no more a part of it, I don't want to do anything like this ever again.

If she had to come to me, my love will bring her otherwise I'll just be okay this way, now you all better apologize to her too. Nisha I'm sure they will drop you home, I need to leave right now." I said as I walked out, got into my car and drove home.

*****

I sat in my room trying to study but I couldn't just stop thinking about Khushi and feeling guilty for what I had done, even thought I had told her everything and apologized to her, the guilt refused to leave, well I guess I deserved it.

The sound of my ringtone distracted me, I looked at the screen and saw Nina's name flashing on it, it was strange, Nina rarely called me, so why was she calling me today?

I mean Nina and I were friends, close but we weren't the ones to talk to each other on the phone every day.

"Hey Nina, what's up?" I asked as I received the call.

"Are you busy?" She asked.

"No, just at home getting bored, do you have some work with me?"

"No, I was just feeling kind of lonely, you know I don't really have any friends here apart from you. I've tried a lot to hang out alone and stuff but it's kind of difficult and it's a new place for me I just can't manage and I was feeling sad because of it.

So I thought I'd call you and ask if you are free we can do something together." She said.

"Sure, why dint you ask before?"

"I don't know, I just felt awkward."

"Are you stupid, we are friends, there's nothing awkward. There's a new movie playing at the theatre, get ready I'll come pick you up and we'll go watch it." I said.

"But I don't understand Hindi."

"Don't worry, it's a Hollywood movie, now get ready I'll be there shortly."

"Okay, thanks." She said excitedly as she disconnected the call, hopefully hanging out with Nina would make her feel less lonely and might take my mind off the thoughts I was having too.

I could actually get how hard it was for her, she came from a different country, dint have her own people and she hadn't really made a lot of friends, it must be really difficult.

I freshened up a bit and then headed out of the house, Kabir and Anju arrived at that exact time, Khushi wasn't with them, it looked like she had gone home.

They dint say anything and I also dint, I just headed to my car and drove to Nina's place, when I was about to reach her place I called her and told her to stand outside and by the time I was there she was standing outside.

I parked the car aside as she stepped in and smiled at me.

"Hey, thanks once again for doing this." She smiled.

"We are friends Nina, you don't have to thank me for things. And I think it's time you make new friends so you don't get lonely, you might get depressed." I said.

"I am a friendly person, it looks like people don't want to be friends with me." She giggled as I started the car and drove off.

"Okay let's make it a mission then. I also don't have many friends so from tomorrow onwards we'll start making friends at the university, find someone we want to be friends with and try talking to them, let's see who can make more friends in a day."

"Sounds great, let's do it." She said excitedly.