Shadows & Sunshine

Ch : 3

The next day, the afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting soft patterns of light on the bedroom walls. Priya stirred, her eyes fluttering open to the unfamiliar brightness. Her head throbbed with a dull, relentless pain, and she groaned, pressing her fingers against her temples in a futile attempt to ease the discomfort.

Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, the room spinning slightly as she did. Her body felt heavy, as if weighed down by the remnants of exhaustion and emotional turmoil. As her vision cleared, she glanced down at herself and noticed the coat draped over her shoulders. Confusion washed over her, mingling with the foggy memories of the previous night.

The coat was not hers. She ran her fingers over the fabric, the memory of Ram's concerned face and gentle demeanor flickering at the edge of her mind. She tried to piece together the fragmented recollections—the icy water, the hospital, and the ride home—but everything was blurred, like a half-remembered dream.

With a sigh, she slipped out of bed, letting the coat fall to the floor. She stood there for a moment, the cold air prickling her skin, grounding her in the present. The events of the night before seemed surreal, a confusing tapestry of fear, desperation, and unexpected kindness.

Just then, her phone rang, the sudden sound jolting her from her thoughts. She looked around and saw her bag on the floor, where she had dropped it in her exhaustion. Priya bent down, retrieved her phone, and glanced at the screen. Ved's name flashed insistently, sending a jolt of anger and pain through her.

Without a second thought, she hung up the call and threw the phone onto the bed, the device bouncing slightly on the mattress. The sight of his name had brought back a rush of emotions—betrayal, heartbreak, and a deep, simmering resentment. She wasn't ready to face him, not now, not after everything.

Her gaze drifted to the vanity, where she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her reflection stared back, eyes tired and rimmed with the shadows of a sleepless night. She took a deep breath, trying to steady the chaos inside her. The room was silent, save for the faint sounds of the city outside, a world moving on oblivious to her inner turmoil.

Priya walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain, letting the full light of the afternoon spill into the room. 

Priya was just beginning to regain her composure,suddenly the doorbell rang. The sharp sound cut through the silence, pulling her back to reality. A flicker of annoyance crossed her face as she walked toward the door, each step a reminder of her lingering exhaustion.

She opened the door, and her heart sank. Standing there, looking haggard and desperate, was Ved. The sight of him brought a rush of conflicting emotions—anger, hurt, and a profound sense of betrayal. She instinctively moved to close the door, but Ved's hand shot out, stopping it from shutting completely.

"Please, just listen to me for once. Come back home," Ved pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation.

Priya's eyes flashed with fury. "Are you serious?" she spat, her voice low and trembling with barely contained rage. "I thought after yesterday, you wouldn't have the guts to show your face to me. But still, here you are."

Ved's face crumpled, his eyes searching hers for a glimmer of the past. "Priya, I—"

"Let me make myself very clear," Priya interrupted, her voice growing stronger with each word. "It's over. I don't want to see you again."

With that, she pushed the door shut with all her might, the sound of it slamming echoing through the hallway. She leaned against the door, her heart pounding in her chest, every muscle in her body tense. The silence that followed was deafening, but it was a silence she needed—a silence that marked the boundary between her past and the fragile beginnings of her future.