Splinters Of Ice | Pranbir

15| The Second Strike

"To an unleashed storm of bitter memories, which broke you apart all over again, you sent back a blow I could never recover from, my way!"
-Ranbir Kohli

He moved towards her after his performance, still surprised.

"What happened? Won't go ahead with your hi hellos today?" she questioned sarcastically.

"Nope. Our conversations never did require them did they? What are you doing here?" he asked her directly.

"True that. Why? I can't come to your concert if I wish? Oh don't worry, I do have a ticket. I haven't come for free"

"That's a different tangent you're running off on. Come back Ice Maiden. I just asked because I have never seen you voluntarily come in for something. What's changed today? Sun has risen from the west?"

"Mind having a cup of coffee with me?" she asked, ignoring whatever he had said so far. He was surely surprised. He pinched himself and flinched as well.

"You're really there?"

"Of course! Stop acting strange!" she replied irritatedly.

"My my! Today it's surely going to rain heavily! The Ice Maiden graces my concert with her presence and also asks me out for coffee? Today's really a good day! Sure sure why not! Why would I refuse a free cup of coffee?" he said and she rolled her eyes.

"So much for one yes?" she muttered and rolled her eyes even as she exited the building with him following her.
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They happened to visit the same café as they usually did and they ordered their respective beverages which arrived within minutes. Before they could begin their conversation, his phone rang and he excused himself. This was when she emptied the contents of the packet she had brought and stirred the coffee before getting to drinking her own. A smirk formed on her face even as a strange sort of determination shone in her orbs while a familiar ache enveloped her heart. But she paid no heed to it and brushed it away as usual.

His entire face shone bright as he ended the call and literally skipped to the table. His eyes lit up, it felt as if the moon was shining in its zenith in the night sky.

"I never thought I'd be saying this but you're lucky for me Ms. Ice Maiden! I got such a huge offer! What would you like to eat? This one's on me!" he said exuberantly even as he sipped the coffee.

"Umm, this tastes a bit different doesn't it?"he remarked before she could reply. He gulped down three more sips and was going in for the fourth one when she pulled his glass away. He frowned at her in genuine confusion but she dint utter a word.

"Let's order something to eat" she said instead, giving him another surprise. This was the closest to normal that she had ever behaved with him!

"Sure" he managed to say and the next few mins went in ordering stuff. Once their food arrived, they got busy eating.

Prachi dint understand why she stopped him from drinking that. Had he drunk it completely, it would have hampered his voice permanently. Now this effect would last hardly for a week or so. She dint understand why she was feeling such. Something she had never felt before was tugging at her heart. His glowing face and the amount of happiness he had on his face and in his words, something had tugged at her heart. This reminded her of somebody and she could feel both hate and that unknown feeling course through her. She began to grow uncomfortable and she stood up and left the place immediately.

He ran behind her but she had as usual beat him to it. He shook his head and settled back on his seat.

"At least this action of hers was normal" he muttered to himself but still couldn't push a certain tension lingering within him.
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He swallowed the sip of warm salt water slowly, closing his eyes in pain as it hit his throat. He repeated this for a few more sips after which he placed the glass back on the teapoy and leaned back against the sofa. Tears slipped down his bloodshot eyes carelessly even as his heart felt as if it had been stabbed brutally and repeatedly. It hurt far beyond any words could convey!

He had known she wouldn't have come to him without a purpose yet the purpose would be this, he had never imagined! The moment he had come home and discovered the aftereffects of what she had done and the reason why the coffee had tasted different, he had felt anger enveloping him. But it had faded within moments, overwhelmed by hurt and pain at his loss and her betrayal!

"Who asked you to take her to that dance programme then? Dint you see just how much she was affected by it? What if it was something that reminded her of her worst memory or phase of life? What do you know of what she must have gone through! You deserved this, Ranbir Kohli! You deserved what she did to you! You reminded her something that she shouldn't have been reminded of and it is only fair that in turn you lose something that would cause you immense pain each time you are reminded of it!" his mind rebuked him.

He agreed with everything that it said. It was right! Yet it dint make the situation any easier! Music was his world. It was his support when he had nothing to call his own. Music was his passion, his identity and his closest friend. Loss of his voice which he dint even know if it was temporary or permanent, severed his connect to music as well as his livelihood. It was a blow too hard to take!

He coughed and sipped the warm water yet again. What would he do now? What if his throat remained just as bad forever? He had no idea what she had mixed in his coffee!

"Just go get yourself checked by the doctor, you fool! He might be able to treat it if it is shown just a few hours after it commenced" his mind yelled yet again. He rubbed his head sheepishly and stood up to make a visit to a small hospital nearby.

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Hey guys,

Sorry took too long to update this one! I hope you do remember the story hehe. Hope you like it.

Do share your views

Love,
Pratyusha