Maruvarthai🤍

XXIX

Hyderabad was cloaked in a typical late monsoon afternoon. The air outside was heavy with an impending downpour, its weight palpably combined with the smell of wet earth and the distant rumble of thunder. Inside the bustling office of the Local Police Department, the atmosphere was contrastingly filled with the chatter of friends and colleagues, but not for Prabhas. His usual cheer was muted, overshadowed by a gnawing sense of loss.

Prabhas absently twirled a pencil between his fingers, his mind drifting back to the moments spent with Anushka. She had been everything he didn't know he wanted: confident, sassy, and fiercely intelligent. Their relationship hadn't been serious, or so he thought. A casual fling blossomed into something deeper, vibrant, and real, even amidst the laughter and playful banter they had shared. Yet, here he sat, in the solitude of his office, grappling with the aftermath of their recent breakup.

Two days had passed since he and Anushka had mutually agreed to call off their casual relationship. Prabhas hadn't anticipated the weight of that decision. Sure, their meetings had always been casual and playful, a dance of flirtation beneath the serious façade of their careers, but since the breakup, he felt like he had lost a part of himself. But what choice does he have when she made it brutally clear what she wants.

"Hey, Prabhas!" came the familiar voice of Rana, his best friend, breaking into his reverie. The composed and reliable Rana entered his office with an air of wisdom mixed with concern, immediately sensing that something was off.

"Why the long face?" Rana leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Did Anushka take leave or something?"

"I don't know," Prabhas mumbled, his voice low. "I think she went to Mangalore or something."

Rana's eyebrows shot up. "You think she went? You should know where your girlfriend is!" he chided, half-playfully, half-concerned.

But Prabhas's heart sank further at the reminder. "She's not my girlfriend anymore," he finally admitted, the words choking him like a bitter pill.

"What?!" Rana exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock. "You guys broke up? When did this happen? What did you do, Prabhas?"

"It wasn't me, ok?" Prabhas snapped, his irritation flaring. "It was mutual."

"Mutual my foot! What the hell happened?" Rana pressed, stepping into the office, his demeanour shifting into that of an interrogator.

Prabhas rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Anushka said she wants to focus on her career. She's looking for a transfer and doing her PhD. Apparently, she can't afford any distractions."

Rana's expression softened, but he still looked incredulous. "And you just let her walk away? Without a fight? What did you even say?"

"Honestly, what option did I have?" Prabhas retorted, an edge to his voice. "She's driven and ambitious. I can't compete with her dreams."

"Yeah, but did you even try to express your feelings? You're clearly not happy about this breakup," Rana pressed. He leaned back, taking a deep breath as if preparing for an interrogation. "What do you actually feel, Prabhas?"

Prabhas's frustration bubbled to the surface. "I'm not going to beg someone to stay. She's clear about what she wants. Who am I to impose my feelings on her?"

"You idiot!" Rana hit his friend on the head lightly, his tone a mix of exasperation and concern. "You love her, don't you?"

"Love? Maybe. I've enjoyed every moment we've spent together, and that terrified me when I thought she was pregnant. The idea of being a parent and starting a family was... daunting. But then the thought of doing it with Anushka? It felt exhilarating in a way I never expected." The words tumbled out, raw and vulnerable.