The Mourning Moon

Chapter 34

Ansh was lying on his bed, face down. He did not want to go to college. He did not want to get out of his house. Hell, he did not want to get out of his room or his bed. Yesterday was SO embarassing. Why did he have to have panic attack in the middle of the road, in front of everyone? Not only that but Shreshth had seen him in that condition as well. What will Shreshth think of him? How will Ansh face him now? Ansh groaned in his pillow. Oh how he wanted for the ground to open up and swallow him whole so that he does not have to face anyone.

"Ansh!," came his father's voice from outside the door. "Son, are you ok?"

Ansh did not answer. He did not want to face anyone right now. He wanted to be left alone.

Outside his room, his parents looked at each other, worried for their son. They wanted to help him, tell him it was ok and that it's not something to be ashamed of. But they also knew that these words won't help him in any way. He needed his space. So, instead of barging in, they let him be.

Ansh laid there in his bed in silence, silent tears falling down his eyes. Why? Why did it happen? That too in the middle of the road, in public. Why? Ansh kept on thinking of yesterday's event before he fell into a fitfull sleep.

A woman, wearing a long sleeved yellow gown, was standing on the ledge of a castle. Her curly red hair was flowing with the wind. Her blue eyes staring at the bustling city below her. People were going to and fro. Merchants were selling their products to their customers. Children were running around the streets. Carriages, carrying various merchandise were going from one place to another. It was a beautiful sunny morning filled with life.

A dark skinned, well-built man wearing a white tunic with white overcoat was kneeling behind her, his head bowed.

"What do you want, my lord?," the woman asked, her voice velvety and sweet.

"I want your blessing, my lady," the man answered in smooth, husky voice.

"My blessing. Are you sure that is what you want?"

The man raised his head as he looked at her, his brows furrowed in question. His beatutiful triangle face was illuminated in the sunlight, his short dark hair was neatly combed, his eyes blue as he stared at the back of the woman.

"I do not understand, my lady."

The woman turned to face him, her gown bellowing with the wind. "My King,", she started, "remember, sometimes the blessing you ask for can become a curse and a curse can be a blessing in disguise."

Hearing that, the man bowed his head and said, "Then, my lady, I will accept what you bestow upon me."

The woman smiled and said, "So be it. I bless you and I curse you,

Love will be your cage
It will be your salvation.
You will be together
before you face separation.
If fate so desires, you will meet again.
If not, it will be your eternal damnation."

As the woman spelled out the words, a white blinding light burst out.

Ansh opened his eyes wide, panting. He was sweating profusely. The dream, it was so vivid, so real. He slowly sat up on his bed as he remembered the dream. Everything was a blur to him. The surroundings, the woman's face, everything was a blur. Everything, except for the man's face. He could vividly remember every detail of the man's face. His hair, his face, his sharp jawline, his eyes, his nose. Everything.

Ansh had been having these dreams since he could remember. But all of them were blur. But this dream. It was different from the others. Why? What changed? How could he see the face of the man? Ansh was contemplating about his dream when someone knocked on his door, bringing him out of his stupor.

"Ansh! It's me, Vivaan."

Ansh frowned at the door. What was Vivaan doing here?

"Ansh, I, I know how you are feeling. I know you are embarrassed and right now, you do not want to face anyone. I understand that and I am not going to tell you that there is nothing to be embarrassed about, because ,truthfully, for the person who goes through panic attack, it does feel embarrassing. And I know that because I had a mental breakdown in front of everyone when I was in high school. When I calmed down, I was mortified. It felt like the end of the world. I was so embarrassed that I started avoiding everyone, even Somya. I could not face her, thinking that she would be embarrassed, or worse, disappointed, at me. Somewhere, in my heart, I knew that it wasn't true. But that time it did not matter and I was not ready to face her. And I would have stayed in that state if not for Ishita. She helped me through it. And Somya and Shreshth helped me get over it. What I'm trying to say is that, we are here for you, if you want, and, though, you are embarrassed of yourself, we aren't. Shreshth isn't."

Ansh listened to everything Vivaan said. He got up and opened the door. Vivaan stood there, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"Need a hug," Vivaan said, opening his arms, as soon as Ansh opened the door.

Ansh gave a tight lipped smile before hugging Vivaan.

The next day, Ansh went to the college. Ansh's video went viral online. Students and teachers who had seen the video approached him, asking if he was okay. Some assholes even asked him whether he faked it to gain attention. Ansh was devastated when he heard people say that. Who in their right mind would fake something as serious as panic attack? They had to be complete psycho to do that. But Ansh was scared. What if Shreshth thought like that as well? It would break him. He got to his class and there he saw Shreshth, in his usual seat.

Shreshth had been looking towards the entrance for a while, waiting for Ansh to arrive. He smiled at Ansh, as soon as he saw him enter. Ansh smiled back. Shreshth wanted to approach him, ask him if he was okay. But he stayed put. He knew Ansh would feel uncomfortable. So he decided to let Ansh approach him when he was ready. He did not have to wait for long for as soon as their first class was over, Ansh approached him saying 'hey'.

"Hey," Shreshth replied.

"Um, do you want to go to cafeteria together?," asked Ansh, timidly.

"I would love to," he answered and together, they made their way to cafeteria.