A Song For Us

Chapter 14 - Unspoken Truths

Anirudh was in complete shock as he read the message on his phone, but he managed to keep his face expressionless so that Anika wouldn't notice anything was wrong. He quickly turned off his phone, and they both entered the house quietly, as Anika's mother had already gone to bed.

"Anika, you should change and freshen up. I'll do the same," Anirudh said, trying to sound normal.

Anika smiled at him. "Thank you again for tonight, Anirudh. It was amazing. Good night." She headed to her room, leaving Anirudh alone.

Instead of going to his room, Anirudh went to the kitchen. He stood there, staring blankly at the counter, his mind racing. He couldn't stop thinking about the message. Was it true or false? He felt like his brain had shut down completely. Suddenly, he heard a noise and turned to see Anika's mother walking towards him, looking worried.

She had been woken up by the sound of the gate and had come to check what was happening. Seeing Anirudh standing in the kitchen looking distressed, she rushed over to him.

"Anirudh, what's wrong?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

Anirudh couldn't find the words to explain. Overwhelmed by his emotions, he hugged Anika's mother tightly. After a few moments, he felt a little better, his heart a bit lighter. She handed him a glass of water, which he drank gratefully. She then led him to his room, locking the door behind them to ensure Anika wouldn’t interrupt.

She sat him down on the bed and handed him some clothes to change into. Anirudh took the clothes and went to the restroom. It took him a while to compose himself. Anika's mother waited anxiously, her worry growing with each passing minute. When Anirudh finally came out, his eyes were red, and she could see the sadness etched on his face. She didn’t press him immediately, understanding he needed time.

Anirudh sat down next to her. After a few moments of silence, she gently broke the ice. "Anirudh, are you okay, son? What happened tonight? You can share with me."

Hearing her kind words, Anirudh felt a rush of emotion. Tears started to roll down his cheeks.

(Why does the world say that men can't cry? Why? Do they not have eyes? Can they not shed tears? Do they not have hearts? Can they not feel? This notion is absurd. Men are human beings with feelings. They get hurt, they face problems, and they feel pain just like anyone else. They might hide their emotions well, but that doesn't mean they don't feel. Often, they endure the most yet speak the least. So, if you see a man crying, please don’t mock him. Understand his feelings and offer help. Men are humans too, and it’s okay to cry. If crying were such a problem, even newborn baby boys shouldn’t cry. So, stop this nonsense. Men are human, and it’s okay to cry.)

Anirudh started to speak, telling Anika's mother everything that had happened that night. "You know, aunty, tonight was supposed to be a beautiful night. When we entered the cafe, Anika immediately saw all our friends and was so happy and excited. She rushed to them, taking photos and chatting away. Seeing her so happy after these tough few days made me feel so good. We were all having a great time, enjoying our drinks, when the DJ announced a couple’s dance. All our friends went to the dance floor, so I took Anika too. It was a perfect moment. We lost ourselves in each other as we danced. When the song ended, I thought it was the perfect time to propose, so I was about to take out the ring. Then, I saw Winston coming in. I had met him earlier today for a music contract."

Anirudh paused, sadness creeping into his voice. "I tried to ignore him and not let the moment get ruined, but Anika saw him and went to him. I'm not jealous of Winston taking my place or anything like that. It's just that the moment was ruined. The moment I had been waiting for all these years was almost there, and it slipped away. But when we were in the car, Anika talked to me, and what she said made me feel a lot better. But when I checked my phone after we got home, I saw a message from my manager. He had sent me an article with pictures of Anika and Winston, some from the club tonight and some from London. The article was full of rumors about them dating. Seeing those pictures and reading those rumors made me feel blank. I wasn’t angry; I was just...numb. All I want is for Anika to be happy. Whether she’s with Winston or anyone else doesn’t matter to me as long as she’s happy. This was just a sudden shock."

After he finished, he felt a sense of relief. Anika's mother listened patiently, her heart aching for him. She hugged him, assuring him that everything would be okay. After calming him down, she helped him to bed, tucking him in before going to her own room.

As she was about to lie down, her phone buzzed with a notification. It was the same article Anirudh had mentioned. She carefully looked through the pictures and read the details. She quickly realized there had been some misunderstandings. Grabbing her phone, she rushed back to Anirudh’s room, determined to clear things up.