Letting It Go

xii.

6th April 2020

Radhika yelled from behind, "Calm down Akash. This isn't a place to fight. Let's go back to the tent, it should be deserted." She grabbed me, and let me out of there. By now people had gathered there, and rumors were already flying. I didn't hear anything, already knowing they couldn't be good. But that didn't hurt as much as Akash's accusation did. Tears were already rolling down my cheeks, and I was feeling worse than before.

Struggling to stop crying, I followed Radhika back to the tents. They were deserted. I didn't look back, afraid to face Akash. Looking around and seeing no one, Radhika tentatively said, " I should call Adeela too. She needs to know this too."

Radhika saw me crying but she didn't say anything. I knew she was pissed too, but at least unlike Akash she didn't blow up. She stood there by herself and called Adeela, who was attending one of the lectures. I think she stood there itself because she was afraid that Akash could hurt me even more. And to this day, I am glad she didn't leave me alone with him.

Our stuff from before was lying there, drying out. Sunlight poured in through the leaves, but no one appreciated the nature. Tension was thick as soup, waiting for someone to run a spoon through it.

Adeela reached there in ten minutes. Straightening out the letter, I showed them. Before I could pass it to them, Adeela said, "Read it out loud, it would be better." I saw Akash and Radhika exchanging glances, but I wasn't sure.

I began reading it loud, glad that I didn't have to see their faces. I skipped the part where she accused me of running out to meet Akash, as I didn't have the energy to face more disappointment and resentment. Before I could finish the letter, Adeela cried out, "The letter isn't written by her. Maybe the handwriting is hers, but these aren't her words."