Let's Fall Together

35. Why the hell are you here?

Kartik's POV

I was familiar with silence. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. So I hadn't expected it to disturb me like this.

But it was disturbing.

And it only meant one thing, that the little ball of noise wasn't home yet. I checked the clock again, it was past eleven at night. Why isn't she still home? Where has she gone?

I tried to call her but she didn't pick up. So the next thing I knew, I was knocking on Ma's door, waiting for her to open it. She'd definitely know. She opened the door, a frown etched between her brows as she looked at me in confusion.

"Can I come in?" I asked stupidly, and walked in even before she had a chance to say yes.

"Did you want something?" Yes, actually.

"No why?"

"So did you wake me up so you could rummage around in my room?" Ma raised a brow at me.

Shit. I stoped pacing in her room, sitting comfortably on her bed. "Ofcourse not." I said with as much nonchalance as I could muster up.

"Then?" Damn, remind me to never wake her up from her sleep again.

"Uh, I just saw that you hadn't locked the door. Uh, the main door." I traced the patterns that were printed on her bedsheet with my finger, trying to sound unbothered. "Is someone left to come?"

"The door has an auto-lock. " She stated blankly and I began coughing at the revelation. Good going, Kartik. Wonderful work.

Where are your communication skills now? On a vacation?

"Yeah, I just-"

"Just ask away and let me sleep in peace."

Okay woman. No need to be so aggressive.

"I just walked past Rivaah's room and noticed it was open and there was no one there so, I was just wondering where she might be?" I said it all in one breath, almost gasping by the end. Damn, it was more tough that I had imagined.

"Oh, she's not home." I waited for her to elaborate, looking at her expectantly and after what felt like five minutes of me staring at her, Ma said, '' You can go now."

Huh?

Was she really shooing me out of her room? Like a fucking bug? And I hadn't even got my answer yet.

"Where did she go?" I asked finally, breaking the ice. Enough of fooling around.

"Ahemdabad." Ma's answer made me drop my phone in shock, her eyes widening at that.

"WHAT!?" I yelled, the information still a shock to me.

How could she go back there so abruptly? And she didn't even think it important to say a bye to me? Was I that unimportant in her life?

"My goodness, Kartik. Stop shouting. I have a fragile heart!!" Ma kept her hand on her heart, as if trying to protect it from my barbaric behaviour. But even though Rivaah didn't tell me, Ma should have, right?

"When? When did she leave?" My voice was gritty, yet the words rolled of my tongue so swiftly as if the anwer was all I needed right now.

"Today. In the morning."

Dammit.

"When is she coming back?" Why the hell did it bother me so much?

"She didn't tell exactly but-"

What?

"But why didn't you ask? Ma how could you let her go like that? What if she-"

"Kartik. " She repeated my name again and I stopped. I took a deep breath, calming my senses. "Call her if it's bothering you so much."