#TejRan - The After Series

After the Breakup

The car finally reached his home and he breathed in relief. Karan thanked his driver and made his way to the stairs to climb the six sets of stairs to reach his flat. He knew it was stupid to not take the elevator. But he just couldn't bring himself to.

He kept his mind blank as he climbed. Occasionally looking out the window to see the city lights. He removed the jacket he was wearing and opened a couple of his shirt buttons. He also rolled his sleeves up. On the second floor, he met one of his neighbours and stopped to chat. He was a nice old man who always checked on Karan from time to time.

The neighbour asked him why he was taking the stairs and Karan lied he needed the excercise. After some more small talk, the neighbour left. Karan looked out the window again and saw a flight. It hit him like a bullet that they were supposed to fly today to Greece. He sat down on the window sill completely drained.

It's been a month since BiggBoss got over. The first week after the show was a nightmare. Interviews. Catching up with family and friends. It came as a surprise to him see what his family has done. He didn't know how to feel. He assured Teja he would take care of it. He gave interviews apologising for their actions.

But no matter what happened in the day, Teja came to him every night. He waited by his elevator for her car to drive into parking. And it did every night. They take the elevator up together and he lost his control every time. It was hard not to be around her every second. To not know what she was doing every minute. He felt abandoned and lost in the world. She knew that. She felt the same. As soon as they enter that elevator, the four to five minutes they get to themselves after a long day apart was like a breath of fresh air.

Teja let him kiss her, grab her hair and crush her with hugs. Once they reach his floor, he lets go and takes her hand. They make their way to his flat and the madness starts again with more intensity. Karan had never seen Teja so quiet. It takes 3 hours of love each night for her to even begin talking normally. Then they spend a couple more hours talking about their day and sleep in each others arms.

When they wake up, it's another sad story. She starts crying that she has to leave. He gets moody and shuts off. Each day she leaves without hugs or kisses and he lets her go. This continued for a week. He knew what he had to do. What would fix all of this. He already spoke to his parents. They gave their approval. He didn't ask his sisters because he knew how that would go.

But he couldn't bring himself to go to her house and meet her parents. She asked the second day and he said he was really busy. She didn't ask after that. He knew she wouldn't. He knew what it was costing her to come here every night. She came from a pretty conservative family and she had already been papped  a couple of times leaving his apartment. She didn't say anything and he didn't ask. He didn't know what was holding him back.

But the second week, her brother came from the States. She texted him about it and it made him scared. It shouldn't have. Pra was several years younger than him. But he had seen how Pra had handled himself through out the show and knew he had a good head on his shoulders. He thought she wouldn't come that night, but she did. But she didn't enter the elevator with him. She stepped out of the car and called him over. She handed him a phone. It was her brother, he knew.

He took the phone and greeted him. Pra from the other end, invited him to lunch the coming Saturday. Karan didn't agree or disagree.  After a few more words he ended the call and handed the phone to her. "You're not staying today, are you?"

She looked down pretending to put her phone away in her purse. And said "No baby, we are traveling to my dad's village tonight. There's a family get-together arranged since Pra is also here. I'll come back by Friday evening." She finally looked up at him, knowing he would look broken. And that that would break her. She was right. She leaned in to give him a kiss on his cheeks.