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ATHARV'S POV

I walked through the huge mansion door which happens to be my house. My chest vibrated into humourless laugh. Well just house not home. A place without love of family will never be be the home for me, never.

" Where were you?" A loud annoying voice caught my attention. I rolled my eyes and without sparing a single glance at my so called mother, I decided to walk past her but before that can happen, she grabbed my elbow and pulled me back.

" You can't ignore me when I am right in front of you." She hissed.

I laughed and removed her grip from my hand. Crossing my arm over my chest, I studied her face.

Flawlessly radiant skin of her face was caked up with make up, her eyes were cold and distant just like always, she was looking nothing but professional. For her, relations were also part of a fucking plan.

So ladies and gentleman, here's my dear mother who loves her status more then her own son.

"I repeat. Where. Were. You?" She yelled with her eyes burning in blaze furry.

" Out." I deadpanned.

" Don't give me that attitude, young man. Time is so precious. So stop wasting it over that worthless girl." She spoke, disgust lacing her eyes.

I stared at her in disbelief. She was still not over the fact that I love that girl. Why? Well just because she is Muslim? Sometimes I couldn't believe that how come a woman like her who believes strongly in being high classed, can pull all the bullshit of casteism. 

" Don't you dare to say another word against her otherwise I'll not think twice before ending all my already ended relationship with you, mother." I spat and with that stalked away from her.

As I reached my room, I shut the door behind me with a loud bang and exhaled a trembling breath which I was holding from so long. Tears of hatred and furry prickled from my eyes and I couldn't help but lie on the bed with my face stuffed into soft pillow and swallowed back a loud scream.

Which sin I've ever done to deserve all this shit? First parents who don't give a damn about me and then my girlfriend on her death bed. Why am I not like everybody else, why I am not normal? I never liked my parents wealth, all I wanted from them was little love but they never understood.

They always brought latest games and technologies for me as a bribe for my perfect grades but I wish if only they showered their love and time on me then I would have aced every exams instead of purposely degrading my grades to piss them off, they send me to one of the best school but never asked me that I how was my day in that hellhole, they always wanted a perfect son but unfortunately failed to become a perfect parents, they never approved my girlfriend because she wasn't of my caste, they forced me to study maths stream even when I was against it, they were never there on my birthdays but yes there gift was always there. Little did they knew that I never liked expansive gifts.

" Get up Atharv, right now."

Ah, so here come my father dear.

I snorted and stood up from the bed. My head throbbed due to pressure of enough bitter thought but still I managed to pull a blank face in front of him. I found both my father and mother standing in front of me with nothing but fake emotions in there eyes.

" You were crying? Grow up Atharv, boys don't cry." He mumbled, scrunching up his face in displeased.

I clenched my fist and wiped the tears away from the back of my hand. So I don't even have right of crying? Why only because society believes that boys don't cry? But fuck, I have feelings, I am not emotionless.

What else I can do to stop my mental frustration? Either I can release my tears or blood from my skin. If they don't want my tears to waste away just because boys don't cry then fine, I will let my blood prickle through my skin to calm down my senses. At lest then I won't be shame on the so called phrase that boys don't cry, right?

" What do you want?"

I asked.

" Apologize to your mother, you disrespected her." He stated and if I wasn't in this fowl mood then I would have laughed at their immature thinking. Does my apology will bring respect in my heart for them? Never?

" I am sorry mother dear. I shouldn't have lost my temper on you. After all how pleasant day it was that I was blessed with your presence in my life all of sudden?"

I said sarcastically and curled my lips up into a think smile, which definitely wasn't real.

" Atharv, where are your manners?"

" Manners? Sorry haven't heard anything about that."

" Look at him, how he's behaving with his own parents. This all is only because of that girl. My Atharv was never like this."

She sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose and turned to look at my father who nodded in agreement.

You were never with me mother in the first place to know how I was? You know nothing about me, nothing.

" You're not going to see that girl, again."

I laughed bitterly and rolled my eyes. "Over my dead body."

" Fine then, let me remind you again that her father works in my company. Now would you want him to loose his job?"

I stared at him in disbelief. H-How could he? Never thought that he will stoop this low. This is why I fucking hate both of them because they never even tried to think about me.

My mind grew tired to response anything else in reply because now I know that just like always, this time also they have won to break my spirit. I exhaled a breath and fixed my eyes on the floor. "P..Please don't."

I blinked, trying to stop the tears and pressed my eyes shut for a passing second only to calm myself down.

" She don't have much time left. Sh..She has Cancer. I love her..Please let me be with her in her last few d..days." I pleaded, my voice cracking with every words.

Their eyes snapped in my direction but I didn't found enough guts to look them into their eyes because I was afraid that maybe they might care but how wrong I was when I heard my father's next comment.

" After her death, you'll not lock yourself in one room while sulking. You'll continue your college. I don't want a mentally depressed son."

I clenched and unclenched my jaw and next, I rushed out of their house.

Chill breeze kissed my face as I walked along the empty street with bare feet, I felt my nerves getting cool down. My headache was now at it's worst but at lest it was tolerable with respect to bearing my parents.

I sighed.

How unfortunate I am? I've nowhere to go. Whenever I had a fight with my parents, Aroma was always my shoulder to lean on but in few days that will also come to an end.

I don't have any friends to share this heaviness on my chest. Why only pain is remaining in my life?

With an absent mind, I took out my cellphone from my pocket and unlocked it only to come face to face with the picture of my Aroma with her beautiful smile on the wallpaper. My heart shined with a little comfort and I placed a small kiss on my screen. She is the only reason why I am tolerating my parents in the first place otherwise I might have left my house a way back long. Aroma always wanted me to give my parents a chance. She said that however bad they maybe but still nothing could change the fact that they are my only family. I tried, I fucking tried to believe her words and for once act like nothing's wrong but maybe Aroma was herself wrong about my parents. Heck, they don't even deserve to be called as family.

My stomach twisted in knots at the mention of family. Till now I've thought that god might have not given me the parents love but for sure they have given me love in the form of my girlfriend who will become my family one day but after blessing me with such a beautiful gift, he planned to snatch her away. Great, isn't it? A perfect way to make me miserable to the edge.

I cleared my mind and dialled her contact number. After two full rings, her mother picked up the call and passed the cellphone to her.

" Hey Atharv, where are you? I am getting bored here. Please, come and make me laugh by showing your annoying face." She spoke as soon as she got the phone in her hand.

A full smile automatically crossed my face after hearing her adorable voice and I could practically imagine her pouting with a mischief dancing in her eyes. She always know how to lighten up my word even with her childlessness.

" You hurt me baby doll. There are many girls out there who are crazy for my handsome face."

" Get your sweet ass here in the hospital, right now. I am bored Atharv."

She spoke in annoyance making me bite back a laughter.

I walked towards the main street and hired a cab to her hospital clearly realizing that I am bare feet but right now all I care is to watch the angelic face of my girlfriend.

" Mhmm..Is someone jealous?"

" Me? Jealous? Oh please, I already have a boyfriend who loves me like anything."

" I've to agree on that."

I said and soon we both burst out laughing.

I will miss you Aroma, I will miss you more then I could imagine by myself. In few years only, you've decorated my life with enormous amount of happiness and if I say that I am addicted to you then it wouldn't be a lie. In your jokes I've found my reason to laugh but what about future? What about that future which I've planned with you? What about my future without you, how I am going to survive?

" Atharv, I love you."

" I love you too, baby girl."

I smiled, clearing my throat and after taking a deep breath, I entered inside the hospital.

" Surprise."  I whispered on the phone and opened the door of her room in which she was admitted.

Her head tilted in my direction and with a giant direction she held her arms wide open for me and without having a second thought, I ran to hug her. Her soft fingers creased my back as I placed several kisses on her shoulder.

" Had rough time with your parents? And don't you dare to lie because your face is telling all."

My smile vanished in air and I shifted uncomfortably away from her arms. I pressed my lips into thin line and nodded.

" Let's not talk about them." I whispered, breaking the thick ice silence and passed a fake smile when I saw a frown on her face.

At this moment all I want is to watch her smiling even if it means pulling the façade that nothing's wrong. I leaned more to capture our lips together.

" Atharv, can I ask you for something?"

" Anything baby."

" Let me live. I don't know how much time I've left but I want to live it. Let's have our day together just like old times. Just one day, please." She said.

I creased her cheek with my thumb and stared deep into her eyes which held nothing but pain. I nodded and attached my forehead with her. I don't want a single day with you Aroma, I want for ever. Our forever.

" I know I am not in a condition to act wild and crazy but Atharv, I don't want to die with my last memories of watching you in tears for me. I want to die with beautiful memories of us, together."

" Tomorrow." I inhaled a deep breath. "Tomorrow, we'll do whatever you want and that's my promise to you." I added and just like that a beautiful smile tugged her face making my heart again filled with content.