Lost but Not Forgotten

PART 7

"It's Ziva. Ziva Dhoni. I'm... I'm your Ziva di." Her heart sank as the words tumbled out. The connection was there, but the hesitation felt heavy.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you," Sammy replied, her voice now cold, lacking the warmth they had hoped for. It felt like a door slamming shut.

Ziva exchanged worried glances with the others. "Sammy, it's us! We're trying to reach out to your family. We miss you all. We want to see you."

"No, it's not... Sorry." The line went silent, leaving them in stunned silence as the call ended abruptly.

Vamika felt her heart drop. "She hung up. She didn't even want to talk to us!"

The group sat in silence, the weight of disappointment pressing down on them. They had hoped that Sammy would share their feelings, that she would miss them as much as they missed her family. But the coldness in her voice told them otherwise.

"Maybe she changed her number," Agastya suggested weakly, looking to the others for validation.

"No," Zoravar replied, shaking his head. "That was definitely her. She knew it was us, but... why wouldn't she talk?"

"Maybe she's scared," Ziva said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Her father has always protected her and Chachi. She might not want to risk drawing attention to themselves again."

Ziva's words hung in the air, heavy with the reality of what they were facing. They were not just reaching out to a friend; they were stepping into a world filled with pain, secrets, and protective walls that had been built for a reason.

"What do we do now?" Angaad asked, his young voice quivering with uncertainty. "We can't just give up!"

Vamika felt a surge of determination. "We won't give up. We'll try again. We just need to think of a different approach."

As they began brainstorming, a renewed sense of purpose enveloped them. They were young, but they weren't powerless. They had the spirit and love of their parents to guide them, and they would use it to try and bridge the gap that had formed between their families.

******************

Meanwhile, in a distant part of the world, Samaira Sharma sat with her heart racing. She had recognized Ziva's voice....Her ZIVA DI, the warmth and familiarity overwhelming her. But her father's words echoed in her mind, warning her to keep them safe, to keep the pain at bay.

It was for their protection. Yet the ache in her heart told her she was fighting a losing battle. Deep down, she missed her friends, the laughter, and the happiness that had once filled their lives. But could she risk everything they had built to reach out to a past that might only bring more pain?

As the phone call ended, she glanced at her brother, Moksh,Practising his shots in the corner. A wave of sadness washed over her. They had been living in the shadows for too long.

And yet, could she break free? Could she trust them again?

The questions lingered in the air, unanswered, just like the distance that now separated them.

**************

The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange hue across the sky as the group of kids huddled together in Vamika's living room. Ziva, Vamika, Zoravar, Agastya, and Angaad sat in a circle, the air thick with anticipation. Each of them was aware of the weighty conversation they were about to have, but none could fully grasp the implications of their actions.

"Okay, we've got to reach out to Sammy again," Ziva said, taking a deep breath. "If she can just hear us out..."

Agastya shrugged, his brow furrowed. "But what if she's changed her number? What if she really doesn't want to talk?"

Zoravar, always the optimist, chimed in, "Come on, Agastya! We can't give up. Just because it didn't work last time doesn't mean it won't this time. We have to at least give it a try."

"Exactly," Angaad encouraged, clenching his fists with excitement. "Let's do this!"

With the group rallied, Ziva took a deep breath and nodded at Vamika. "You call her this time. You're the best at getting through to people."

Vamika picked up her phone, feeling the weight of the moment. She dialed Sammy's number, her heart racing as the familiar sound of ringing filled the room. The others held their breath, their eyes glued to her face.

On the other end, Sammy had just settled onto her bed, trying to distract herself from the overwhelming emotions swirling in her mind. The sound of her phone ringing startled her. She glanced at the caller ID, and a wave of recognition washed over her. But the moment she answered, her mind clouded with memories—her parents' struggle, the pain they had endured, the whispers that had followed the

"Hello?" Vamika's voice broke through the haze, warm and familiar.

"Is this Sammy?" Vamika continued, hoping for a response that would bridge the gap.

For a brief moment, Sammy's heart swelled with nostalgia, but the memories quickly twisted into something darker. She remembered the isolation, the burden of secrecy, and the judgments they had faced.

"Sorry, wrong number," she blurted out before hanging up, her heart racing in her chest.

The line went dead. Vamika stared at her phone, her expression falling as she processed what had just happened. "What? No!" she exclaimed, disbelief coloring her voice.

Agastya peered over at her, confusion etched on his face. "What happened?"

Vamika shook her head in frustration. "She hung up. I think we actually called the wrong number this time."

The group fell silent, disappointment settling over them like a heavy blanket. They had put their hopes into this call, and now it felt like they had hit a dead end.

"I guess it wasn't meant to be," Zoravar sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Maybe we should just focus on ourselves for now. There's nothing we can do if she doesn't want to talk."

Vamika nodded, but deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were losing something precious. "I just wish we could reach her somehow," she whispered, glancing at her friends, whose faces mirrored her sadness.

With their spirits dampened, they decided to take a break from the calls. The conversation shifted to lighter topics, but the tension lingered in the air like an uninvited guest.

As the kids tried to distract themselves, Sammy sat in her room, her heart heavy with regret. She didn't want to hang up on Ziva; she just didn't know how to explain everything to her. The pain of her father's struggle echoed in her mind, and the weight of her family's past felt like a chain she couldn't break.

For now, she would keep their story hidden, even if it meant pushing away the very people who cared for her family. As the shadows of the night deepened, both the kids in India and Sammy in her world felt the echo of loss, a reminder of the bonds that once connected them.

But deep down, hope remained, flickering like a candle in the dark, waiting for the right moment to ignite once more.

***************

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Samaira Sharma sat on her bed, her heart racing as she replayed the conversation in her mind.Sammy remembered her father's strict words, how he had kept her and Moksh safe from the cruel world outside. The pain and struggle he had endured to shield them loomed over her. She couldn't let all of that go to waste.

As the kids at home wrestled with disappointment, Sammy stared at her phone, her heart heavy. She wanted to say something, to let them know she was still there, but fear held her back.

"I'm sorry, Ziva Di," she whispered to herself, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't help you."

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