Page 86 of Playing By her Rules

“Are you sure?” Rithwik asked.

“I am. It’s time to face the past head-on.”

28

Two hours later, they were all seated in his mother’s living room. Dinner was done, Arnav and Raisa were asleep, and Rohan had finally finished telling his family everything. It had been hard verbalizing the past to them, but he’d done it. In order to move forward in life, he had to close the chapter on the past. Confiding in them was the first step to gaining closure.

His mom and Aisha were crying, and his dad and Rithwik were trying hard to control their emotions. Rithwik came to him and drew him in a tight hug.

“Thank you, brother,” Rithwik cleared his throat, “I know this must have been hard for you. I’m sure that carrying the burden of your past, all alone, has been harder. We are all honored you shared your story and the pain you suffered with us. I promise you tonight that you aren’t alone. I am with you every step of the way. Whatever you need from me, you only need to ask.”

Rohan lowered his chin.

Aisha wiped her tears and came to him. “I always knew there was more to you than you showed to the world. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize the signs of your people anxiety earlier.”

She’d become his friend the second she’d walked into Rithwik’s life. She was the reason Rithwik and he had mended their broken relationship and were solid as one. She, too, suffered from her own demons, which Rithwik had helped her battle. Aisha was stronger now, and one day, he hoped he’d be stronger too.

His mom took him in her arms and rested her head against his chest. He breathed in her warm, familiar scent.

“I’m so sorry for all that you went through,” she said. “I always suspected that your childhood has been bad, but to hear it from you hits even harder. I wish I’d tried to take you from them. I wish I’d fought them for you. I wish I’d tried to help you more.”

He cupped her cheeks. “You are not to blame, Mom. I’m lucky that you took me in when you did. I am who I am because of Dad and you. You changed my life. You made me a better person. You made me believe in myself. I can deal with crowds because you forced me into therapy. You and Dad have always been there for me. And for that, I thank you both. However, despite all that, I couldn’t speak about the past. For too long, I kept it all bottled up. I didn’t discern that it was destroying me from the inside. But I’m ready to heal now.”

“Vaibhav and Diksha were not always like this,” his dad said. “They changed over time because of the company they kept and the decisions they took thereafter. But I’m so sorry you were caught in between all that. You are a good human, and we love you. Never forget that.” His dad hugged him hard. “You and Rithwik will always come first for us. We may not have birthed you, but you both are ours in every way that counts.”

“I know, Dad, I know. I’m so sorry I took time to understand that. Loving Jiya and losing her made me realize that.”

“Hold on… What the actual fuck?” Rithwik shared a shocked look with Aisha. “What do you mean by loving and losing Jiya?”

Aisha glared at him. “What’s going on Rohan and why do we not know about this?”

“Oh dear,” his mom commented. She and his dad went and sat on the sofa, grinning at one another, looking very entertained.

“Wait a minute…” Rithwik stared at their parents. “They know? How dotheyknow andIdon’t?”

“I love her, Rithwik,” Rohan said. “We were together for a short while, and then I ruined it.”

Rithwik’s mouth tightened. “I told you specifically to stay away from her. I did not want her to get hurt. I can’t even…” And then Rithwik sighed. “Look, I understand now that you’ve been influenced a lot by your past; I truly get that. But then, I am certain you know how dreamy and romantic Jiya is. You’re too smart not to have seen it. So, if you couldn’t give her what she wanted, then why be with her in the first place?”

“I didn’t set out to fall in love with her. It happened. I, however, took too long to realize it. A few weeks ago, I met the Grewals when I was on a date with Jiya. Minutes before meeting them, I’d decided to stop hiding and announce to the world that she and I were together. I thought I could give her a future. But then, I met them, and all my past trauma resurfaced. I felt broken and miserable again. So, I pushed her away. I thought she’d be better off without me. I didn’t want her carrying my scars. I mistakenly believed that I could never give her what she wanted. But now I know what a fool I was. I want her back. I need your help to win her back. Please, Rithwik.”

Rithwik sat on an armchair and crossed his legs. “Talk. And I need all the details; don’t leave a single thing out.”

Rohan told him everything while the rest of their family listened.

“So, you want her back?” Aisha asked.

“Are you certain?” Rithwik reconfirmed. “Because she’s important to me.”

“I’ve never been more certain in my life.”

“Then be prepared for a fight,” Aisha said. “Especially if she’s with Aditya now.”

Rithwik rubbed his lower lip. “I still don’t get Aditya’s angle in this. He never keeps anything from me. Why would he not tell me if he was involved with Jiya, or even pursuing her for that matter? It doesn’t make sense.”

“I honestly don’t know, but I’m willing to do anything to get her back.”

“Good,” his father declared. “Go get her then. I didn’t raise my boys to be quitters.”

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