Sara's Trilemma

Sinking into the Vortex

**hey Guys, first thank you so much for nominating Leap of faith, Sara's Trilemma, and my other stories to the Fiction awards. It doesn't matter if the stories win; it's the support you show that I treasure!** 

Kushal stepped back, looking away from me. He turned around and glanced at Viraj, who in turn mirrored his grim mood. I moved to the kitchen counter. Tanya was not in sight. I dropped my bag and faced two men, confused and maybe scared.

"Viraj, what are you doing here?" I demanded, placing my hands on my hips.

Without answering, he regained his seat on the window end of the couch. He crossed his legs and gesturing me to sit next to him. I chose to ignore and turned towards Kushal who crossed his arms over his chest. He kept looking away with a lost face. I walked and stood in front of him.

"What happened?" I asked, and put my hands on his shoulders. "What did he tell you?"

Now he regarded at me, a look of disbelieve and pain reflected in his clear black eyes. He did not respond, and his touch turned cold. I begged for any response, but he did not yield. He removed my hands and sat down on the beanbag chair, looking blank.

My heart started beating frantically. Why did Viraj come? What did he say to Kush?

"Sara, I need you to sit down," said Viraj, grimly. "It's about Siddharth Kashyap-if that is his real name!"

"What now?" I blasted, irritated. "What the hell have you told him?"

Viraj stood up in a flash, sauntered towards us. "I have told him the truth about you and your fake boyfriend."

I glared at him. "What truth?"

"I hope you are ready to hear this," he paused. "Siddharth Kashyap doesn't exist. The man fooled you from the start. His actual name is Jayden. And this story doesn't end here."

I stared at him in disbelieve and wondered why was he making it all up?

"You don't trust me?" he said.

"No. It sounds ridiculous. I know Sid," I murmured, scanning my memory of him. The thought started scaring me.

"I am sure that you don't," he remarked and moved in front of me, looking down. "Sara, I am sorry to tell you this. I truly am. But I can't see you played like this. Siddharth, actually Jayden came to India two months ago. He worked in the LiveMoney in a pseudo name," he paused seeing my expressions. "Yes. I know this because I dug out more information from the Marketing director of the company. She declared again that she didn't anybody named Siddharth Kashyap working in her office. Although when I showed her his picture, she immediately identified him as Jayden Smith. According to her, he was transferred here temporarily, Sid validated that part. The question remains that he used a different name in front of everyone."

"There is only one explanation. She must have misunderstood him to somebody else," I mumbled. My mouth felt dry.

"You are denying in your conscious. Your emotions are misleading you. I hope that your logic would make you see more clearly," he said and pressed my forearms.

I looked away and settled on the couch. My head started swimming.

"He is Jayden, not Sid. And it's not the worst part, my dear Sara." He dropped to his knees.

I looked at him and then at Kush. Both looked at me warily. "What is the worst part?" As soon as I asked, guilt drowned me. I regretted asking the question, knowing the outcome. I loved Sid and should learn his secrets from him.

"He knows your parents," Viraj murmured, keeping his hands on my knees.

My breathing stopped for a moment. "What do you mean?" I whispered in a barely audible voice.

"It seems to me that your parents sent him here to keep a track on you," he answered. "He shared them everything from your first date to the part when they visited you some time back."

"Don't you speak nonsense? I know why you are doing this. You want to get back with me. That is why you are telling lies to Sid and Kush." I paused, gritting my teeth. "For the last time, I don't love you anymore and I am not interested in getting back together."

"I am not here to advocate my feelings, Sara." He told in a serious tone. "I am here to expose Sid. He played you."

"I don't believe you." I stood up in angst and walked up to Kush. I sat down on the floor, taking Kush's hand in mine. "Kush, I don't know what he had told you, but I wanted to confess my feelings."

He let out a throaty chuckle. It seemed like a dark humour. "I know, Mini. You like Sid. I mean whoever that man is." His eyes dripped with scorn and at the same time, a deep grief. "I kind of figured it out myself, when you did not come back yesterday. And Viraj here affirmed it for me."

"Kush, we were stalled in the storm. I did not plan it to happen." I sighed. The hope drained out of me, as I thought Kush was the person, who understood me, no matter what.

"Don't blame me for thinking that. Viraj told me that Sid confronted him after he told you to come back. According to Viraj, Sid told him to back off, that he would have you at any cost. Also that you admitted your love for him."

"He is making it all up!" I snapped in irritation. I remember going to the washroom before leaving. That was only five minutes.

"So you don't love him?" he demanded, leaning in.

I fell silent, holding his accusing gaze. A moment after deliberating, I decided to speak the truth. "I love him, Kush. I am sorry, but I do."

He slumped back, hearing it, breaking the stare.

"Please forgive me. I did not know myself until yesterday. Believe me, when I say this. And yes, when we were stalled and had a near-death experience in the woods, we declared our love for the first time."

The friend in him, woke up in an instant, as he looked at me concerned. "What happened?"

"It's a long story," I answered warily. "Forgive me, Kush. I should not have accepted your love in the first place." I touched the chain and the pendant he gave me.

"But he is misleading you, Sara. Listen to what Viraj has to say. And then decide on our future!" he exclaimed, leaning in and cupping my face.

"I don't know how much truth Viraj speaks," I paused. "Whether Sid lied to me or not. The bottom-line is that I only love you as a friend and I can no longer to put you through all this."

"But..." Kush said and then stopped. "Perhaps, I should accept that you can't love me."

"You know dear. It's not that. I just never seen you in that light. When we were together, these last few days, I felt like I was betraying you. I couldn't reciprocate your feelings, even after trying."

"I wish... Well." He sighed. "I wish otherwise. I wish that you love me. Don't worry though. Maybe, I will get over you, in days to come."

"I am there for you," I whispered.

"On the other hand, I want you safe. Think twice about Sid. He is fake," he mumbled.

"I will talk to him," I promised.

Just then, Viraj came from the other side and produced his cell phone to my inspection. "Before that, why don't you look at the proofs?"

**Vote if you like... and comment!**