Same wristwatch

"Riya's point of view,"

"What have you learned about me from Harsh?" I returned my gaze to his wife and inquired.

"That you are his girlfriend," she said casually.

Is she unaware of the concept of a girlfriend? How can she say this so casually? Is she not envious of me?

"I'm no longer his girlfriend, as I once was." I said in reverent whispers. Because of my presence, I don't want there to be any problems between him and his wife. But a part of me still wishes that he would return to my life and that everything between us would be as it was before. But I know well that this is no longer possible.

"Does this mean he's your ex, Riya?" Rahul inquired, his eyes widening in amazement.

"Do you have any problems?" Harsh asked before I could respond to him.

What is going on with me? I came here to see a movie, so why are all these people needed to make my life a drama?

"Riya, keep away from this dude and accompany me to a movie." Rahul snatched my wrist and pushed me in his direction.

"Isn't this the same wristwatch that I gave you?" It took a back me when I heard Harsh's question.

"Do you remember this watch?" I couldn't believe he was aware of the watch, but he appeared to have forgotten about me.

"Sheetal, you go inside with Aarav, and I'll return later." He said this while glancing at his wife. Sheetal gently took Aarav in her lap and entered the cinema, saying nothing.

"Wow, what an obedient wife. I was pretty taken aback." Seeing him made me laugh.

"Until now, you haven't told me what this watch is doing on your wrists." He inquired as he moved closer to me.

"Rahul,Will you leave me alone for a moment?" I requested, staring at him, "because I needed to settle some old accounts with Harsh."

"What about our date?" He inquired as he let go of my wrist.

I sharply asked him, "Give me just 10 minutes."

He departed right away, leaving me alone.

"Riya Mittal has come on a date, and she is watching a cartoon movie," he mocks me.

"If that's the case, then what's the problem? You spend quality time with your family as well." To his comments, I responded.

"So, are you envious of this?" With his brows furrowed, he inquired.

"No way. Why have I been envious of your wife?"

"If that's the case, why do you flee whenever you see me?" His steps were getting closer to me as he asked the question.

"Why did I run after seeing you? You're not a ghost that will make me jump."

"So, if that's the case, why did you flee that day, leaving me alone in the hospital?" It locked his eyes on me. I never had the guts to confront Harsh's inquiries, so I always ran away from him, but where will I go now that I've gotten away from him?

"I didn't want to cause you any pain." When I responded, I fixated my gaze on the ground.

"Have you ever considered how I might have felt if I had learned what I should have known about you from someone else?" His voice clarified that the incident still saddened him.

"So what did you expect, that I would fully destroy your heart by telling you the whole truth?"

"Riya, as a friend, you could only tell me about your feelings."

"How, though? How would I have come and told you everything if my best friend was my boyfriend, the man with whom I had cheated?"

"Why have you returned?" He inquired, his tone disturbed.

"I came here for a business deal and will return as soon as my work is through." In hushed tones, I answered.

"You've come on a date?" After hearing that, I remembered the day when Harsh refused to talk to Rachit because he didn't want me to. Harsh had never openly expressed his desire to possess me, but after hearing about Rachit, he was terrified of losing me; however, what good is dwelling on the past now? The time that has passed is irreversible.

"Yes," I said with a shake of my head.

"So you have forgotten about me?" His question took aback me; after all, how could he ask me something like that?

"What about us have you told your wife?" I was curious about what Harsh had informed Sheetal about me. He must have informed her about how I cheated on him and then abandoned him after shattering his heart.

"What do you think I said about you to her?"

"Its that,I betrayed you."

"What else could I say to her?"

" It is that why I abandoned you?"

"And...?" By advancing towards me, he continuously asks me the answer to my query.

"After all, how can I know what you've told your wife about me?" I answered angrily, "Your wife is yours, and you were the one to tell, so you answered me."

With a laugh, he said, "You haven't changed at all."

"I'm not the same anymore." With a furious expression on my face, I said.

"I don't believe so, because your wrath is still on your side, as it was before." He grabbed my nose and yanked it hard.

I was struggling to pull my nose out of his hands."Harsh, are you insane?"

When he saw me simmering with rage, he burst out laughing.

"Harsh, you can't make fun of me like this."

"Yeah, so you've begun acting like a child when watching cartoon movies." He taunted me again when he saw me.

"I don't act like a child, but you did. Have you forgotten how you insisted on me quitting all of my jobs to spend time with you?"

"So, do you remember that time with me?" With a sly grin on his face, he inquired.

"Yes, I remember everything. I remember every single moment I spent with you, but I also remember cheating on you and breaking your heart." Everything comes back to me, and I'm drowning in guilt. In my heart, I wanted to tell Harsh how much I loved him, but I couldn't because of his wife and children. I could overcome my fears by recalling them.

"Riya, are you still with me...?"

"Can we go back now that the movie is over?" Before Harsh could finish his sentence, Rahul walked in and halted him in the middle, and I also spotted Sheetal and Aarav approaching us.

"Yes, Harsh, I have to leave; it's too late;" I wanted to stay with him, to tell him how much I love him, but I can't, even if I wanted to. I'm sure he doesn't hate me. Maybe my guilt might have played out a little more if he despised me.

Before leaving the cinema, I returned my gaze to Harsh. He was going with Sheetal, holding his hand while carrying Aarav in his lap. Because of me, I can not ruin his family.

Rahul was behind me, calling for me to stop as I started my car and drove to the parking area. But I know that if I had stayed longer, I would not have stopped without telling Harsh my true feelings.

I needed booze to calm down this time, so I pulled over to the side of the road near a bar and drank until my brain stopped working.

The more I attempt to forget about Harsh, the more he comes back to mind.

The question remains: what should I do to permanently banish his name from my memory and my heart?