Shattered Desires

Chapter Eighteen

Maya's POV

"It was never us Ved. It was you, always you." 

"Maya, I know that I made some mistakes-" Ved started but I cut him off as the first tear rolled down my face. I absolutely detested that I was being this vulnerable in front of him but what he did to me, it crushed me.

"Some mistakes Ved? The mistake you made crushed my entire self esteem! It killed my confidence. I had to visit a psychologist for years before I returned back to normal! You call that 'some mistakes'?" I lashed out at him. Ved looked at me, his mouth slightly parted and his eyes held in clear shock.

"Maya, if I could change time-"

"I don't need you to change time Ved! Just, just leave me alone please." I said. "What you did, I nearly-"

I decided to stop there. There was no reason that he had to know something like this. I nearly killed myself during the aftermath of the incident. All the hate I received was piled up on me and I thought the only way to get rid of it was by cutting through it. But Paati caught me before I could do anything to myself. She swore that she wouldn't say anything to anyone but she made me promise to her that I would visit a psychologist and never do this to myself.

"Maya?" Ved asked softly and I snapped back to reality.

"It doesn't matter anymore." I mumbled and left the room. I walked to the nursery and picked up Vedya. I was glad Ved didn't follow me to the nursery. I rocked her sleeping body against my warm one and went to my bedroom. Thoughts were flashing in my head about my past and I closed my eyes for a moment.

"Maya, it's Ved on the phone! Come and get it!" Paati yelled from downstairs.

"Ok!" I said and ran down to get the phone. I picked it up and heard Bollywood music in the background.

"Ved?" I said casually as I chewed on an apple. We were past formalities and treated each other like we knew each other forever.

"Come out Mayo the Fro-yo!" Ved said.

"Eww, I would never eat Mayonnaise in Frozen Yogurt...that's like a crime." I replied.

"No dude seriously, come out!" Ved said, exasperatedly.

"Please don't tell me you are outside my house!" I said in disbelief.

"Well, you said it yourself sweetheart! Now come outside, let's get ice cream!" Ved said.

"Are you crazy? It's below freezing and you want ice-cream! Besides Appa won't let me go out." 

"Well, talk to him yourself." Ved said with a chuckle. 

"Maya? It's ok, you can go." Appa said after a crackled sound.

"Appa, seriously where are you?" I asked him.

"Outside." he said. I put on my winter gear and walked outside. Sure enough, Appa's car was parked next to Ved's car and they were both having a casual conversation through the window.

"Appa, Amma is waiting for you inside! But are you sure I can go?" I told him.

"Oops, I will go in now. But we must surely continue this conversation on coding! And yes Maya you can go. Be home by 9." Appa said and proceeded to park his car in the garage.

"Sure Uncle. Hop in Mayo!" Ved said. I sat in the front seat next to Ved.

"Hi Maya Akka!" Virat called from the backseat.