Page 351 - The World's Best Boyfriend

‘What’s there to explain, Raghuvir?’ said Aranya, fake tears streaming down
her face.
‘GET OUT OF HERE, GET OUT, BEFORE I BEAT YOU UP IN FRONT

OF EVERYONE!’ her father said to Raghuvir who tried to explain himself to
Aranya and to Aranya’s mother but none of them looked in his direction.
Raghuvir started to walk away from them towards the exit. ‘I will call you,’ he

shouted.
‘Don’t,’ said Aranya and sat next to her mother who cradled her.
‘GET OUT!’ her father shouted again and Raghuvir exited the visitors’

lounge, confused at what had just hit him. He waited, took a few undecided
steps, and left.
Aranya’s father sat next to her mother and held his head in his palms. Her

brother let go of Dhruv’s arms and Dhruv sat down again.
He spoke. ‘I think I should get going. I understand it all now. Aranya
pretended to be in love with me so that she could punish me for what I had done

years ago. I have learned my lesson.’ Aranya’s father nodded, only half listening
to him, trying to make sense of all this. Dhruv continued, ‘But I loved her truly.’
‘Do your parents know?’ asked Aranya’s father.

‘My father’s dead. My mother knows,’ said Dhruv. A sense of relief swept
over Aranya’s mother’s face. She looked at Aranya for an explanation.
Aranya finally broke her silence, mumbling through little sobs. ‘He hurt you.

He hurt my family. I had no choice but to do what I did. I did this for you, my
family.’ She cried.
Dhruv was quite surprised to see her come back with an awesome

improvisation on the situation and gave her a metaphorical Best Actress Oscar
for it. It was her parents’ turn to be shocked. Her mother cradled Aranya’s face
and kissed it.

‘So you lied that day in school?’ her father demanded. Dhruv nodded. ‘We
knew that,’ he said in hindsight. ‘My daughter would have never done what you
said she did.’ Dhruv almost anticipated another smack coming his way but it

didn’t.
‘Thank you,’ Aranya’s mother said. ‘Raghuvir looked like a really nice guy.
We would have never known had you not told us.’

‘Thank you,’ said Aranya, shyly.
‘But have you forgiven me?’ asked Dhruv.