Ek baar or dekh kar azad karde mujhe, me aaj bhi teri pehli nazar ki qaid me hu
It's been one month since everything fell apart. Avni has been living at her parents' house, trying to rebuild her life piece by piece, but the weight of Rudra's absence is suffocating her. During the day, she smiles, laughs, and pretends like she's moved on for the sake of her family. But every night, when it quiets down, she falls apart, crying herself to sleep like a child who's lost their safe place.
Rudra, on the other hand, hasn't been the same. He's stopped reaching out to her the way he used. He's punishing himself, still blaming himself for what happened to Avni, believing it's his fault she had to endure so much. By keeping his distance, he convinces himself he's protecting her, though deep down he knows he's just hiding from the guilt.
Despite the distance, there's one connection they still have: Driti. Every few nights, Avni's phone rings, and she answers eagerly, hoping to hear Rudra's voice but it's never the same. Rudra calls, but he barely speaks. It's Driti who fills the silence, her sweet voice chatting with Avni like nothing's wrong. Avni listens, her heart breaking a little more each time, wondering why Rudra won't talk to her the way he used to.
Avni lay on her bed, her mind drifting back to the day she woke up in the hospital. The memories came flooding back as she remembered opening her eyes for the first time after the accident.
She had barely registered where she was before one name escaped her lips, a soft, desperate whisper.
"Rudra..."
Her voice was weak, but her heart raced, hoping he would be there beside her, holding her hand like he always did when she needed him the most. But as her eyes fluttered open, it wasn't Rudra she saw. Instead, his mother approached, her expression calm yet unreadable. "Rudra went home with Driti." Her words hit Avni like a punch to the gut. He wasn't there. Not by her side when she needed him the most.
Even in her weakened state, Avni couldn't stop herself. "Can you call him? Please..." she asked, her voice trembling with hope.
But the phone calls went unanswered. Each ring stretched the silence further, and with every passing second, her heart sank deeper. He didn't pick up.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she fought back her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of his mother, but the pain of his absence felt unbearable. Rudra's mother, noticing her distress, spoke softly. "Stop crying, beta. It's not good for the baby."
Her words were meant to comfort, but they only reminded Avni of how alone she felt. The thought of the child she was carrying should have brought her joy, but right now, all she felt was heartache.
Moments later, her parents walked in. Her mother rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around her in a gentle hug.
"We'll take you home, beta. You'll be fine." Her mother's embrace was warm, but it didn't take away the cold emptiness Rudra had left behind.
Avni's eyes darted to Rudra's mother again, searching for any sign of reassurance, any explanation for why he wasn't here. But there was nothing. No comforting words, no promises that he would come soon. Just silence.
"I need to talk to him..." she pleaded, her voice cracking. But again, there was no response. No one said anything.
Avni tried to move, to sit up, to somehow find the strength to get to him herself, but the sharp pain shot through her body, the injuries she was still healing from. Her elbow and knee were both fractured, and though they were almost recovered now, at that moment in the hospital, she was helpless. The weight of her broken body matched the weight of her broken heart.
