BEYOND THE CLOUDS (Completed)

Chapter 21

After spending a sleepless, teary night tossing and turning in her bed, she was up even before the alarm went off for 4.00 am and was ready in no time.

All though the night she was toiling with her mind, her hand itching to text Sidharth or call him and just let out all the pent up things.

To just let him in all the gory details and await the final blow, when he distances himself from her this time.

No matter how sadistic it may sound, she wanted to believe the genuine emotions his eyes always had and take that chance to see where it goes from there.

But again, her petrified heart stopped her. She didn’t want to be left as a broken mess when he was gone.

His tone sounded acidic but firm, and she knew, even though it might be painful for him, he will still be adamant over his decision.

Resigned and helpless she flew to Jeddah, missing both Kartik and Sidharth.

While at work, she had temporarily forgotten the stabbing pain her heart went through, but it came back the second she entered the cold, lonely room in Jeddah.

There was not a single effort from his side to get in touch with her. And this brought her to tears again.

She hated herself for being so weak when she had determinedly broken away from him, because of her own issues and now every moment she could think of was only him.

She hadn’t eaten a thing since morning, and even now she couldn’t manage to push even a single bite through.

Tired and frustrated with her confusing behavior, she pulled her sketch book for some relief.

But even here she was failing cuz all she could manage to visualize, and draw was his face.

Those intense eyes, the sharp-edged
nose, his dark lips that she had savored a few nights ago and craved for them every waking moment after that.

Studying every line on the caricature, she drifted off to sleep but only to be haunted by him in her dreams too.

The whole day and night after, passed by with just two cups of coffee and buckets of tears.

Finally, at night when she was ready to leave for the airport, she checked her reflection in the mirror, as her swollen eyes stared back.

“U have always been strong and u will be now too” she muttered at the mirror, tugging at the lapels of her jacket and smoothed her uniform skirt, before pushing out her trolley out of the room.

In the galley, she was interacting with Altaf, her flying buddy for tonight, going over the menu and stock inventory.

Putting her game face on, she stepped out of the curtains for the hot towel service and froze.

Sitting right in the first seat was the man himself. Sidharth Ajay Shukla.

She could feel the tray shake for a moment and soon realized that her hands were shivering.

Her throat went dry in an instant, as she grappled to speak her well-rehearsed welcome greeting.

He wasn’t looking his usual self. He looked tired and bored even.

His green striped tie hung loosely a little lower at the base of his throat. She felt a familiar flutter in the pit of her stomach when she had bent down to place the towel in front of him and their eyes had met for brief moment.

Again the same brain freeze moment on her part, but his eyes were not at all warm like in their first meeting.

This time they were cold and taunting. There was a hint of anger even.