Kismat Connection♡

Samyuktha

"You chose him over and over."
"Happy Birthday, Samyuktha"

I gasped as I woke up yet another morning with the same nightmare that I've been experiencing since the day I came back to the city. Those words hauntingly hung like a sword on my neck, piercing enough to feel death, but not hard enough to shatter me.
As it is mocking my misery.

Looking around my surroundings, the sheets were tangled, evidence of restlessness accompanied by my nightmare. Just then, Rudraksh entered the room with a plate of breakfast. He placed it on the table, and without any conversation, he carried me to the washroom.

He sat me down on the counter, and like a ritual, he gave me a toothbrush with paste on top to clean my teeth, then helped me with cleansing, washing my hair and putting on my clothes. Even though I protested and assured him that I could do it alone, he completely shut me down, and I, too, stopped saying anything.

It's been almost a week since we returned to the city, and everything has changed since that night. That impulsive decision of mine nearly took my life, and it's a miracle that I'm alive and my body is functioning normally. But this created a rift between Rudraksh and me.

I still clearly remember, as if it were yesterday, when I woke up in that house, his hands were tangled with mine, but he was far away. His eyes looked almost empty, which I've never seen before; they looked tired as hell, and as if something snapped within him, he leaned close, one hand slowly crass my hair, slowly and gently as if any harder would hurt me-removing the hair strands carefully as the emotions start to fill his eyes, or recognition as I'm really here with him. He looked terrified as his hands began to shake as they reached to my face; he looked miserable.

Miserable because of my foolishness, immaturity, and cowardice.

He was close- so close that I could feel his breath. I closed my eyes, and a second later, I felt his lips pressed on my forehead. He pressed for some time before taking me in his arms, hugging me.

A wave of overwhelm washed over me while reciprocating the hug. This time, I truly felt safe, and my sobbing was getting harder, though my throat was burning, dry, but I couldn't speak except to cry; I could hear his sniffing, my small frame fitting in his arms as we embraced each other.

"Why do you have to be so cruel?"
"I'm sorry."
"Why did you do this?"
"I'm sorry"
"Why would you run away from me?"
"I'm sorry."
He asked questions and I continued apologising. I know, no matter how the situation was, my actions are not justifiable.

"Aarya?"
"She is safe, going back to the city."
"Wh...what?"
Thank God. At least, she is safe. Wait...
It means someone deliberately sent me that video, misguided me, and manipulated me into believing that she is in grave danger. To assassinate me by throwing me off the cliff.

Now the memories from the last night were returning vaguely that I was on the cliff and someone pushed me from the cliff.
Someone I know.
Someone very close.
But who?

I tried to think about the face, but I couldn't put his face together. It looked blurred, but I'm sure I saw him, I know him.
"Relax, don't think about last night."
"Someone pushed me"
"I know"
"It's blurred."
"That's okay, focus on recovering, I'll find that killer."

I broke the hug, looking straight into his eyes, which were bloody due to crying. A blade cut over my heart. I never wished to see him like this, not when I'm the reason behind it.

"Here, take your medicines"

I jump back to the present; it's been a week since we returned to the city. I applied for sick leave in the company. Rudraksh didn't tell the family what happened? Only described briefly that I got lost in the wild while exploring. Sure, I was scolded, which I deserved, but other than that, they let it go for my sake as I looked shocked.
Did he see the document?