Tales of the Heart ft. AbhiMaan

Stay With Me - 3

Abhira was gone. Her belongings were missing. She was nowhere to be found. Only then Armaan realised that he had messed up big time.

He tried calling her but her phone was not reachable. It was past midnight and she was alone. He was scared, scared of losing her? Maybe? Or maybe he feared that she would again get herself or his family in trouble?

No, he was scared for her. He closed his eyes and recalled what he did to her,
"Mujhe apni shakal bhi mat dikhana", and that's when the realisation hit him that he had crossed the line. He had said so many hurtful words to her in anger.

He was angry but he did care for her. But also when it came to his family he was impulsive. He was obliged to be always loyal to his dadi-saa, his mother and the Poddar family, he loved them, no doubt but more than that he was always grateful for their love. He could never go against them.

But what about Abhira, he thought. She was his responsibility, her mother had died saving him, and he did this to her. Her mother trusted him with her responsibility and he messed up. He could not even support her daughter. He did not trust her or even listen to her side of the story and just shouted on her, blamed her. He did not give her a chance to explain herself. He called this relationship a mistake, something that he had already begun to cherish. He liked her company, he was drawn towards her. Her childishness and chirpy behaviour gave him so much sukoon. He was reliving all the moments with her which he never enjoyed because of the constant pressure of behaving disciplined. She was his sunshine on a rainy day.

"What have I done? How can I even do this? No no no, I have to make this alright. I have to find Abhira. I have to get her back", he said to himself and tried calling her once again.

"The number you are calling is currently not reachable", said the server.

"Where are you Abhira? Switch on the goddamn phone", he said dialing her number once again, only to get the same response.

He picked up his car keys and walked towards the gate when Kaveri stopped him,

"Kaha jaa rhe ho Armaan."

"Wo dadi-saa Abhira kahin chali gayi hai, bus use hi dhundne jaa raha tha'

"Wo ladki apni marzi se gayi hai aur apni marzi se wapas aa jaegi. Tumhe koi jarurat nai hai uske peeche jane ki."

"Par dadi-saa, wo itni raat ko akeli kaha jaegi. Wo yaha kisi ko janti tak nahi hai."

"Maine kaha na Armaan tum kahin nahi jaoge. Ye sab uss ladki ko yaha se jaane se pehle sochna chahiye tha. Khud galti karti hai aur khud hi akad dikhati h, badtameez ladki."

"Dadi-saa.."

"Armaan apne room me jao. Agar tum ghar se bahar gaye to humse bura koi nahi hoga", Kaveri shouted and Armaan moved back to his room reluctantly and helplessly.

He was angry on himself for hurting Abhira, for saying those hurtful things to her in anger. With a resolve to find and talk to her in the morning, he laid down on the bed. But sleep was miles away from his eyes. All he could think of was Abhira.

He looked around the room, the study table where she used to sit and study and he would make coffee for her late at night, the dressing table where he helped her get ready for gangaur, the couch where they sat together and talked about life while drinking her favourite hot chocolate, the ottoman where she sat while he massaged her hair with oil, her side of the bed which was now empty.

It has just been a few hours and he already missed her, he missed her laughs, her fights, her illogical bak-bak, her scent which reminded him of home, the home that he walked into everyday from the past nine months after having a hectic day at office. The room felt empty and dead without her. She brought life to his room just like she brought light to his boring life. Still thinking about her he dozed off, not knowing when sleep engulfed him. It had been a tiring day for him, first at the office and then with all the drama that happened at home.