Life Ends At You

22. Who are you?

Navi's POV

I lay limp and broken in Arya's lap, her fingers working fervently to untangle the knots in my hair. But what about the knots in my mind?

My eyes were red and swollen from hours of crying. My body felt numb, as if I was just a hollow shell. Those images kept flashing before me, haunting me, taunting me. Why did he do this to me? What did I do to deserve such cruelty?

"Navi, tell me what happened," Arya's voice cut through my sobs. It had been 8 hours since I started crying, and it was now 9pm. Arya was supposed to go to the hospital as well, but she stayed by my side.

Advik ne kuch kiya? Tell me what happened." Her voice shook with anger, ready to break every bone in his body if he had harmed me. "I swear I'll break each and every bone in his body and put them at your feet if he's done anything to you." She threatened.

"You should go to the hospital. I just need some time alone." My throat felt frozen as I spoke, each word an effort.

"Yaar please, darr lagta hai muje. Tune kuch kar lia toh? Kon hi hai mere paas tere alwa?" Arya pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"You know me. Aisa kuch nhi karungi. I just want a little solace." My words fell on deaf ears as Arya's gaze refused to leave me.

"Yaar..."  Her phone rang, abruptly halting her words. She answered swiftly, her eyes locked onto mine. A fleeting look of fear crossed her face before she regained her composure.

I tried to smile at her, but it pained me to even move my facial muscles. I was hollow inside, filled with nothing but pain and despair. He had shattered every sliver of hope I had left. How could he pretend to care and heal me when all he wanted was to break me?

"It's an emergency Arya. A massive fire has broken out in the hospital and they need doctors immediately." A voice crackled through the phone.

"Come on ab jao abhi. You have some responsibilities to deal with." I reassured her as I got up from her lap, squeezing her shoulder gently. She smiled weakly at me, a sense of unease lingering in her mind.

"I promise I won't do anything foolish. Now go before your grumpy senior drinks your blood." I joked, trying to lighten the mood. She chuckled and playfully hit my head before leaving the room. But just 30 minutes later, she returned for another round of lecturing and worrying. "Take care of yourself and I've ordered some food for you. Please eat something, okay?" She pleaded, her love and concern evident in her words.

"I will, maate. Now go before your senior turns into a vampire." I teased, trying to make her laugh as she finally left for work again.

My fingers trembled as I reached for my phone, still haunted by the images I saw the night before. The tears came back to my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away as I turned on my phone. A notification popped up from him, my heart sinking at his words. "Missing you already," it read. My mind raced with conflicting thoughts - did he really care about me or was this all just a game to him? Why did he have to play with my emotions like this?

It taunted, are you this easy to break? He lied to you. Congratulations you failed again. He abandoned you just like your dad did. Your mom wanted to. He is playing like your mom did for all these 20 years.

How much does he want to fake it? How long? What will you get playing with my heart? What would you get killing me slowly through this sweet poison? Just kill me at once if you so want to kill me.

I opened the pictures again. I hated each second, I fell for his trap. He played me like a pawn. He played with my heart, and I was falling for him like an idiot. He must be so happy nah. Taunting me. I am such an idiot; he must have surely taunted me with this one.