Piece By Piece

Ch 11. Caterpillar

Prachi was back in the hall. She was trying to get a hold on her feelings. She couldn't let her heart win again over her the one year struggle and Adi's one year efforts.

Adi finally noticed Prachi who he was trying to find for a while. He approached her and tapped on her shoulder. Prachi startled and turned.
Adi:-"are you okay"?
Prachi trying to stop her tears from falling and not wanting him to be more worried just nodded yes.

Adi:-"where were you? You were nowhere to be seen. I was trying to find you but someone or the other would come and start talking".
Prachi:-"I, I was just here itself".
On noticing change in her tone he once again asked her if she was okay, "if you don't want to share it's fine, tell me whenever you want too. I'm always around if you need me and you know that".

Prachi:-"it's not like that. I want to tell you but just not here.
Adi can we leave? Wishing, cutting cake all is done so..."
Adi:-"yea. We'll just say bye and leave soon".

Adi and Prachi started to walk towards the Kohlis but on seeing Ranbir infront Prachi stopped.
Prachi:-"you meet and come, I'll wait outside near the car".
It started to become clear to Adi why there was a change in her behavior, and so he just hummed and went to the Kohlis.

Adi:-"Dida, a very happy birthday ones again and it was nice meeting y'all. It's late, dadu is alone at home so we'll have to leave. Thanks for the invite".
Dida:-"where's Prachi"?
Adi:-"dadu had called so she went outside to talk, anyways, I'll take your leave".
Adi shook his hand with the Kohlis, bid goodbye and left. Ranbir too excused himself and walked out, he couldn't give any more explanation but atleast he could say bye.

Parking lot
Prachi was pacing up and down in the parking lot waiting for Aditiya. Ranbir's words kept coming to her mind making her restless.

"I can make the present and future beautiful by fixing everything".

She rubbed her palms and arms in order to control all the emotions coming out. She held back her tears.

"I want to clear all the mess between us, and, I can't do it without you. Please, just one chance".

The whole confrontation was ringing in her ears, creating distress. She covered her ears to ignore the voice but it kept coming back.

"listen to your heart"

Suddenly she started feeling suffocated, it was getting difficult to breathe, she felt like she was getting choked. She was trembling and started feeling dizzy. She leaned on the car to help her support to stand. That's when Aditiya reached, on seeing her state he rushed towards her, he immediately unlocked the car and made her sit.

Prachi tried to speak, but in her panic state couldn't get any words out. Aditiya asked her to first calm herself and breath slowly. He assured her he was there and would listen as soon as her breathing was normal.

After some time she could breath normally, she was feeling better. He suggested to call the doctor but Prachi denied saying she was well now and just wants to go back home. Without wasting any time Aditiya agreed, he put her seatbelt and went towards his seat and drove.

Ranbir was shocked to see her in such a state. He stood there frozen trying to figure out what was happening and what he should do. But before he could do anytime Prachi had calmed herself down and had already left.

Was it because of him she had a panic attack? But there was nothing in the conversation that could trigger, she had vent out her pain. His mind was framing more and more questions but not a single answer. Out of all the questions he knew one thing, and that was Aditiya, he knows everything. If there's a way to get answers without hurting Prachi it was from Aditiya.