Forget-Me-Not: Taste of Freedom

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

January 1st, 2001

      Ananya put the tray of coffee down and looked at her bed. The sheets were rumpled; Abhay had forgotten his wallet in his haste to leave. She went to the bed and sank down, picking it up. It felt heavy and warm in her hands, familiar. Just like everything else about him. She sighed. How was she ever going to call him again and talk to him? To face him, after what she had done... to hear his voice, along with the hatred in it that she'd inspired? Last night flashed through her memory, and she felt yet another bout of hurt. He'd left without talking to her. He'd left without listening to her, or hearing her say that nothing had happened. They were drunk, they were out of their senses, and they had kissed. She'd wanted more... she remembered that. They could have had more, and never even realized it. But it wasn't supposed to happen, and it hadn't.

      They hadn't slept together.

      Abhay had passed out in her room, and she'd left him alone to sleep while she curled up in her parents' bed. Nothing had happened. They hadn't done anything wrong.

      She closed her eyes, curling her hands into fists. If she hadn't done anything wrong, why didn't she feel happier about it? Why did she feel so broken, so battered, so unfixable? If she hadn't lured him into her bed, if she hadn't betrayed her best friend, why did she feel so fucking empty?

       Suddenly, tears stated flowing down her eyes, and Ananya swiped furiously at them. What if something had happened last night? What if they'd broken the rules, what if they'd made a mistake?

     Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Ananya slid towards the bedside table, picking up her phone. Dia's name flashed on the screen. Wiping her eyes and clearing her throat, Ananya answered the phone.

      "Happy New Year," Dia's subdued voice sounded in her ears.

      Ananya gripped the phone tightly, feeling a sudden urge to tell her friend everything. Everything about last night... about her parents leaving her, about getting drunk and stupid with Abhay, about kissing Abhay. She wanted to ask for advice; she wanted to ask Dia what she was supposed to do now. She wanted to tell her that she was in love with Abhay, but Abhay and Vidhi loved each other, and there was no place for her in his heart. It was over... she'd lost him. She wanted to cry, and she wanted to tell her friend how empty she felt.

      But she didn't. instead, she said, "Happy New Year, Dia."

      "Where were you last night? I called you tons of times."

      "I... was out. Partying. Getting drunk, you know."

      "You couldn't think about your friends?" Dia's voice sounded complaining. "You couldn't check your phone or call back, couldn't think that someone out there might need you?"

      Ananya blinked, her brows drawing together. "Dia, what's wrong?"

      "Geet is gone. I don't know where... I went to her place yesterday, but she wasn't there. I haven't heard from her since a couple of days. I'm worried; I called Vidhi, but she hasn't heard from her either."

      "Oh god." Geet was gone? Where would she go without informing any of them? It wasn't like Geet to disappear. "She must have gone somewhere with her mother... did you call her mother?"

      "No," Dia's voice came and curt and tensed. "No, I don't think so. We need to find her."

       "I'm sure she knows what she's doing."