HEART STRINGS AND HEART BREAKS ( UPCOMING )

2

The tension in the room thickened. Aryan opened his mouth to protest further, but before he could form another argument, his phone rang, the shrill sound slicing through the silence. He glanced at the screen, a brief moment of relief flashing across his face before he sighed heavily.

He raised a hand, as if to end the conversation, but his voice was gentle now and almost apologetic.

Aryan : I'm sorry, Sitara. I really am. But this is beyond my control. I...I'll arrange for you to meet him tomorrow morning. First thing. I'll make sure you get those five minutes you want. But not today.

Sitara didn't respond immediately. She stood still and her posture is rigid as though she were made of stone, unwilling to let the frustration and heartbreak break through. The minutes stretched long and  her mind is swirling with a thousand thoughts, all leading back to one truth.  she needed answers. She needed to understand why Varun had done what he did.

Sitara : Fine ! 

She said finally and  her voice is quiet, barely a whisper. 

Sitara : Tomorrow. But I'm not leaving until then.

Aryan nodded with a touch of guilt flickering in his eyes. Without another word, he turned and  grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, and hurried out the door, his hand is pressing against his phone as he spoke to someone on the other end.

Sitara stood there for a long time by  staring out of the window behind him, watching the streetlights flicker in the night. Somewhere below, life continued in its usual hum, oblivious to the storm brewing in her heart.

Tomorrow, she would get her answers. Tomorrow, she would find out why Varun had done what he did, what had driven him to hurt Arjun.

And maybe, just maybe, tomorrow, she would understand how everything she thought she knew had been shattered so completely.

..........

The rain came down in relentless sheets, the sound of it hitting the windshield like a thousand small fists pounding against the glass. The wipers swiped across, but the heavy downpour made it almost impossible to see clearly. Sitara's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and her knuckles are white against the dark leather. She drove through the winding streets of the city, past neon signs and crowded street corners, but her mind was a world apart. She wasn't here, in Mumbai, on this rainy road, in her car, she was lost in thoughts of everything that had led her here.

The drive from the police station to her home felt longer than it should have. Her chest was tight, her heart is heavy with unanswered questions. The look in Varun's eyes when she had asked to see him still haunted her with a mix of guilt, fear, and something darker. She had hoped for more than just five minutes with him. She had wanted to hold onto something , anything that might make sense of the chaos that had shattered her world.

Her house came into view, a grand structure that stood out like a beacon amid the dim lights of the neighborhood. It was the kind of house that screamed wealth. It is a sprawling estate with manicured lawns, high walls, and gates that opened at the press of a button. But tonight, even with the luxury surrounding her, Sitara felt small. The sense of isolation gnawed at her as she parked her car in the driveway with her heart heavy.

As she stepped out of the car and walked towards the front door, the sound of the rain and the dull thud of her heels on the wet stone seemed far away. The weight of the evening had followed her in like a dark shadow.

.............

Inside, the house was quiet, except for the occasional murmur of voices from the living room. She entered with her footsteps soft on the marble floors, and was immediately met by her aunt-in-law, Nanditha. The older woman's face was tight with concern and her eyes are filled with unspoken questions.

Nanditha : Sitara, did you meet him ? 

 Nanditha asked and her voice is  both anxious and gentle.

Sitara shook her head slowly and her eyes are heavy. 

Sitara : No ! 

She murmured. 

Sitara : He... wouldn't see me.

She didn't explain further and Nanditha sensed the depths of her niece-in-law's turmoil, didn't press.

The tension in the room grew thicker as Sitara walked further inside. In the living room, Varun's father, Kushal, and his uncle, Anshul, were seated on the plush sofas. Both men looked up at her as she entered, their faces reflecting the same worry and confusion that had settled in the air.

Kushal : You couldn't speak to him ? 

 Kushal asked and  his voice is edged with disbelief. There was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes, but Sitara couldn't place it. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was helplessness. She didn't know. All she knew was that it didn't matter. Nothing mattered right now.

She gave them a brief nod before excusing herself. 

Sitara : I'm going upstairs.

She said and her voice is tired. She couldn't bear to talk any longer, not about what had happened, not about what might come next. She needed space, just for a few moments.

Without waiting for a response, she made her way up the stairs, her footsteps are muffled by the thick carpeting. The house was silent again, save for the distant hum of the rain battering against the windows. She entered her bedroom, closed the door behind her, and leaned against it for a moment. Her breath was shaky and her mind is still racing.

She walked across the room and sat down by the bed with  her back pressed against the cool wood of the nightstand. The room was dimly lit, a soft golden glow from the bedside lamp is casting long shadows across the walls. On the table in front of her was a photo frame, one that had been there for as long as she could remember.

It was a picture of the three of them—her, Varun, and Arjun. A time when life had felt so simple, so clear. The three of them had been inseparable, bound by years of friendship, shared moments, and promises of a future that seemed so certain.

Now, looking at that picture, Sitara felt like a stranger to herself. The young lady  in the photo is smiling, carefree . She was someone she no longer recognised . The smile she wore was the same, but everything else had changed. There was Varun, standing beside her, his arm casually draped around her shoulder. And Arjun, standing just a little beside them and his face is caught in a moment of laughter.

The guilty and the victim. She stared at the photo and her fingers are tracing the glass, as if hoping to reach through it and find the answers she so desperately needed.

Her thoughts drifted back to the first time everything had shifted. The day when they met each other and how it all started. How a limitless friendship became grave vengeance. 

25 years ago , 

The school bell rang and a bunch of kids are running out of their classrooms. Among them are Sitara and Varun who are walking towards their parents hand-in-hand. The cute chubby boy and the cute little girl with two plaits are all smiles as they walked out.

Varun : Maa ! 

Bhagya sree : Hi Beta ! How was your day ? Hi Sitara ! 

Sitara : Hi aunty ! 

............

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