Crossing The Lies

Prologue

The party was going in full swing. It was the Engagement ceremony of Aditi Gupta's cousin and Sukirti was forced to attend because Aditi was her best friend. Suddenly, the crowd started to cheer, signalling that the groom had arrived. Sukirti turned her face with a wide smile and caught a glimpse of groom.

Her breath caught in the throat and heart stopped, looking at the familiar person.

"He is so handsome, right?" her best friend, Aditi, said excitedly.

Sukirti jerked away from her shock and gained the courage to move away before she could embarrass herself. It was the moment where she didn't know how to react? She still couldn't believe that he was there. Then it hit her, he was the one getting married and she was attending his engagement party. She gulped down the pain rising in her throat. She was practically hyperventilating when Aditi put her hand on her shoulder.

Aditi looked at her shocked face and wondered what happened. "What's wrong Suku?"

She snapped out of her inner turmoil and glanced at her best friend with a panicked expression on her face.

"Tell me." Aditi urged.

"That guy your cousin is getting married to... is the same guy I met in Hawaii," she blurted out.

Aditi gasped in shock. "No way!"

Sukirti shook her head, biting her lower lip and glanced again at the side of groom. "I'm sure."

Suddenly, he turned his face and Sukirti hurriedly walked away before he could catch a sight of her. On the way, She grabbed a fruit punch and gulped it down. Her nose scrunched up and she looked at the glass. Then she sniffed it and groaned, realising the mistake of consuming alcohol.

Aditi followed her and cried, "What? You mean he's the guy you spent your month long vacation..."

Sukirti cut in,"Will you stop screaming? People are listening to us." She swallowed hard and looked around.

"Sorry, I didn't realise my voice was getting higher," Aditi mumbled.

"Whatever and, yes, he's the guy. I think I should leave now as I don't want him to recognize me."

"No, you should talk to him," Aditi protested.

"Are you nuts? He's getting married to your cousin." She shook her head.

"But-"

"I don't even know if he still remembers me or not," Sukirti mumbled and turned her gaze to watched them as they joined everyone on stage.

Her jaw clenched when she noticed a smile on his face. She felt a surge of anger.

Then, she took a deep breath and tried to control her feelings.

I don't have any right!

"There you are," Sukirti jerked her face when she heard her mother's voice. "Let's go and congratulate the couple."

Sukirti's eyes went wide with horror and she looked to Aditi for help.

"Aunty, we will congratulate them later with our group, you carry on," Aditi interrupted and Sukirti nodded.

"No sweety, it's not our family function. You don't need to tag her into your group everywhere," her mother replied in a stern voice.

"Okay then. I'll go with her. You go ahead," Aditi insisted and Sukirti's mother finally gave up.

"Okay but Sukirti don't be late. Be home in an hour," her mother said and walked toward the stage.

"I'm not going up there," Sukirti hissed, glaring at her friend.

"You don't have a choice. C'mon, we'll do this quick." Aditi grabbed her hand and walked towards the stage.

****

Rohan was busy faking smiles at people and cameras when he spotted someone climbing the stairs. His eyebrows furrowed when he realised, he knew her. She was the woman he had been searching for since the moment he had woken up to find her gone during his holiday in Hawaii. He had tried finding about her at the Hotel but nothing came up. He had lost the hope to met her again.

Yet, she was here right now, coming in his direction. She was looking everywhere but at him. His heart beat fastened when she stopped in front of him. Slowly, she lifted her face and stared at him, pressing her lips in a thin line.

And, everything stopped.

Around them, the music started with a romantic number which changed the whole atmosphere.

Aditi tried to push her but she didn't move an inch from her place. She just lost the ability to think properly, as soon her eyes met with his.

"H... Hey," she stammered.

"Hey," he breathed out before he could control himself.

He hold her gaze and something inside him, oddly shifted.

"How are you doing?" She asked, staring at his brown familiar eyes.

"Great and you?" He replied, avoiding the familiar sensation in his body.

"I'm great too," she said, half-smiling.

His heart skipped a few beats when he realised, how deeply he missed that smile. Aditi nudged her elbow and Sukirti snapped out of her dreamy world. She mentally slapped herself for going back to those memories which were burried a year ago.

"Well, congratulations," she said, her smile faded as she glanced at his fiance.

"Uh, Thanks. I never expected to see you again," he mumbled and quickly looked away - afraid of what she would see if he didn't.

"Me too but it doesn't mean I never wanted to," she whispered but loud enough so that he would catch it.

Something about her expression made his heart thud against his chest.

"What?" He asked surprised. It was the last thing, he expected from her after all it was her decision to end everything.

Get a grip, rohan!

The last time he allowed himself a chance, he let himself have feelings for someone, he ended up getting hurt only.

"Nothing." She shrugged it off and composed herself. "I should leave now... Congratulations again." she gave him a weak smile and quickly left him with a heavy heart. Aditi tried to follow her but got stuck with her relatives.

Rohan tried to call out to her but it was useless as she never told him about her real identity. He couldn't even chase her as it was his Engagement ceremony.

She kept running until she was out of the banquet hall, a tear slipping down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly and drove away.

Rohan stood there completely shocked by her unexpected visit and then her outburst.

He wanted to stop her but couldn't.

He wanted to ask her many things but couldn't.

He had finally found her but at the wrong moment, as he just lost her again.

At that moment, he wished he could change the past.

*****

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