I sat down beside my bed as I wrapped my arms around my legs hiding my face in between, this was something I couldn't be strong about no matter how much I tried.

I could feel the tears dropping down my eyes and there was nothing I could do to stop them, whoever that man was, he ruined everything for me, he ruined how I was always going to feel about Arnav's touch, it was because of him that I was like this today, that I had been pushing people away.

Everything seemed to be making sense for me now, I rarely trusted any guy, I always pushed them away because deep down I was scared they were going to do to me what he did.

Although I still couldn't remember it very well, there were blurry images in my mind, and they were never going to go away, just because of that freaking man!

For a moment I wanted to get out of my room and go find him and kill him but killing him wouldn't be a punishment enough, he needed to feel as terrible as I felt when he abused me, who the hell was he even? I was just a four year old girl, how could he do that to me?

Why was this world so unfair?

I heard a knock at the door of my room and chose to ignore it, I knew it must be mum trying to make sure I was okay, but honestly, I wasn't! No one was ever going to be okay after being through something like this.

"Khushi, open the door please." I heard dad's voice.

I stood up immediately and wiped off my tears as I headed to open the door, the only person I wouldn't ever avoid was dad.

I saw him standing in front of me and everything inside me broke apart suddenly, I just couldn't pretend to be okay in front of him, I was always his little girl, he loved me and cared about me so much, he wouldn't stand seeing me unhappy or anything.

"Dad." I said as I jumped on him and hugged him tight, sobbing like a baby, I had never thought that there would come a day when I was going to cry like this, I had always been the kind of a person who rarely cried.

"It's okay Khushi, I understand what you are going through." He said as he held me tightly in his arms.

He kept holding me until I felt better, he then broke the hug and looked at me, he tucked the strands of hair falling on my face and cupped my face looking at me keenly.

"I am sorry you had to go through it, your mother told me everything and I am so sorry that I wasn't able to save you from it. Trust me, it's the only thing I regret each and every day of my life.

Just like your mother, I thought you grew up and forgot about it but scars like those are too deep to be forgotten." He said. I agreed, those scars were too deep to be ever forgotten.

"You don't have to apologize to me dad, it wasn't your fault, if it was anyone's fault then it was that man!" I said as anger took over me, all I wanted to do was go find him and do something terrible to him so he could know what he had done to me.

"I know Khushi, and if it makes you feel any better just know that I did not let him go that easily, I did everything I could to make sure he got punished terribly for what he had done to my little girl. All I want right now is for you to be okay, I do know what you're going through but I just want you to know that your dad will always be with you, no matter what you're going through in life okay?" He looked me into the eyes as he assured me. I nodded and he pulled me into a hug before leaving.

I shut the door and returned to my position once again.

*****

I hadn't stepped out of my room for three days, my phone kept on ringing many times until I just decided to switch it off. All I did was to lie on my bed and look at the ceiling, it wasn't easy to get over what had happened but I was trying, really hard.

Bonnie, Katherine and Caroline came home yesterday because my phone was off and I hadn't gone to the university, they all were worried for me but at the moment I didn't want to face anyone.

They kept on knocking at the door of my room trying to get me out but I was adamant, they waited for hours until mom had to convince them to leave telling them I was dealing with something really big.

After I woke up today, I stepped out of my room for the first time in three days, I kept reminding myself that I was a strong girl and I should really be strong, but only if anyone knew that I was broken deep inside.

"Khushi, you want something to eat?" Mom asked as she saw me walking down the staircase, I could see her try to hide a smile, she was maybe happy that I finally came out of the room, she was my mother all she wanted was for me to fine anyway. I nodded and headed to sit on the sofa beside Ayush who was busy watching TV.

When I settled down, he looked at me for a moment and then stood up on the sofa and leaned towards me as he hugged me, he embraced me in his arms tighter than he would usually hug me which was actually rare but it had happened quite a few times.

"Wow today you love your sister more than you hate her." I teased him trying to smile but it wasn't a real smile, he broke the hug and gave me a sad look.

"What happened Ayush?" I looked at him worriedly. I rarely saw him sad, he was always mischievous and at times he played stupid pranks on me and I would chase him around the house, but today he was completely different.

"I don't like not seeing you around, I haven't seen you for three days, mom only gets to see you when she brings food for you in your room. I missed you." He pouted. For the past three days, mom kept on bringing food for me in my room and I only opened the door for her, I dint really talk to her and neither did I eat much, I had sort of lost my appetite.

"Aww, I missed you too little brother." I pulled his cheeks playfully trying to cheer him up as he slapped me on my arm angrily.

"Don't lock yourself in the room again or I'll never talk to you." He warned, he said it in a mischievous tone but I knew he meant it.

"You know you're becoming a drama queen." I teased as I tickled him and he made faces at me, having a little brother was a blessing, being around him just cheered me up for no reason.

"At least I'm not a cry baby like you." He made faces at me and we were fighting and arguing as usual again until mom came with some food for the both of us, we then sat there eating and watching TV, I hadn't really eaten much the previous days, I dint feel like, but today being here with Ayush and mom, everything started to feel like it was getting back to normal.

"Khushi, there's someone here to see you." Mom said on her way out while one of the servants walked towards Ayush and I with two plates of Pasta, I turned my head and looked at the entrance as I saw Arnav walking in.

What was he doing here?

I looked away from him immediately and looked everywhere else, I dint even know how I was going to face him, so much had changed in my life since the night we kissed.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Ayush giggled as he looked at him and then at me curiously. Seriously?

"No Ayush, he's not my boyfriend and stop being nosey." I replied as I nudged him on his stomach to which he made faces again but then picked up the plate of pasta and started eating.

"You eat a lot don't you?" I said trying to avoid Arnav who was still standing at the entrance.

"Unlike you, some of us like eating well." Ayush replied.

"Who said I don't eat well?" I rolled my eyes at him, before he could say anything Arnav interrupted our conversation. Couldn't he just take the hint and leave?

"Khushi, can we talk?" I heard his voice and only his voice had the magic to sooth my pain, for a moment I felt like it was all gone.

"I don't know if I want to talk to you Arnav, if it's not important can it wait?" I asked without looking at him.

"I've been waiting for three good days Khushi. I don't think I can wait anymore, we need to talk, I'm waiting for you outside." He sounded angry, I heard his footsteps as he headed outside, I kept on sitting there not knowing if I had the strength to face him.

"Aren't you going outside?" Ayush asked, I dint have an answer for him, I dint even know if I wanted to go or not.

But knowing Arnav and knowing he was here to talk to me, I knew he wasn't going to leave without talking to me so I really had no option than to just go out and face him already.

"What if he's here to ask you to be his girlfriend? Don't say no, that guy is really good looking." Ayush looked at me excitedly.

"Shut up Ayush, there's nothing like that." What even made him think Arnav would come here randomly to ask me to be his girlfriend, at times he had the most bizarre thoughts.

I stood up and headed outside, still thinking about what Ayush had said, there was no way Arnav and I could ever be in a relationship, and after learning things I learnt a few days back, I dint think I even wanted one, not with Arnav, not with anyone else.

I walked outside, the wind was blowing softly and it was a bit sunny, the weather was just so perfect today, I looked at Arnav who was standing next to his car looking at the garden out there.

As I walked closer towards him, memories of that night came flashing by, the way he had pushed me to that car and kissed me, I could feel all my muscles tensing up as he took his gaze off the garden and directed it towards me.

"Are you avoiding me? Is it because of the kiss? Is that why you haven't been coming to college?" He asked as soon as I stopped opposite him, he looked nervous and angry at the same time, I hadn't seen him being nervous, ever.

"I haven't been coming to college because of personal reasons Arnav, doesn't mean I am avoiding you, I have a lot of important things in my life to worry about than you." I said, I bit my lips realizing that maybe I was a bit harsh, but honestly when haven't I been harsh to him, he just kind of brings out the worse in me.

"Are you or are you not avoiding me?" he looked at me his intense gaze piercing through me. Stop looking at me!

"Currently I am not but I want to. Whatever that happened that night, it was a mistake, I don't know why I let you kiss me but I shouldn't have, so if that's what you came to talk about I guess you have your answer." I said.

"Was it really a mistake Khushi?" He asked, folding both his arms and looking at me like I was lying, honestly I hadn't thought much about it but I don't even know what it was, was it really a mistake though?

"Yes Arnav it was a mistake, a mistake I wouldn't want to repeat." I answers plainly although I wasn't sure of the answer myself.

"You know what, you are pathetic, you know it yourself, you want me, you like the way I make you feel but you're calling it a mistake because of your ego. Admit it Khushi, no one has ever and no one else will ever be able to make you feel the way I did." He looked at me angrily, when he said things like this, I dint even know how to feel about him, I mean a part of me liked it and part of me dint like it, it was confusing as hell.

"No Arnav, you are mistaken, just because all girls want you doesn't mean I do too." I shouted at him, maybe this was it, he just dint like the fact that I dint want him like the rest of the girls did.

"It was actually a mistake to come to talk to you about it, I knew you were going to be a jerk anyway." He said as he opened the door of his car and got inside.

"You are the one that's a jerk!" I shouted at him, he shut the door and drove off angrily leaving me angry too.

How come we always ended up talking to each other so hatefully no matter what?