Distance is also vital

Chapter- 7

Misha

She wasn't even able to walk straight. I picked her up on my shoulders. She was skinny and obviously not that heavy. I entered the empty elevator. Except the guards nobody saw us.

I unlocked the door and literally dragged her to my room. She was extremely drunk. I felt drowsy. I laid her on the same bed as me and I closed my eyes.

Just as I woke I looked at Dimple. She was still asleep. Today was Sunday, No workshop. My feets touched the ground but in a slow manner. I headed towards the kitchen to make some breakfast.

While putting butter on the bread. I heared footsteps coming immediate. I glanced behind to see her."

She looked better. "Thanks alot! You took me to your apartment… That was so helpful!" She made a point.

"But who are you?" I asked. I had to know what was going on.

"My name is Dimple Mishra. I live here in pune only but I'm from MP. I stay here for studies. Last night I got too drunk out of no where and ended up in the wrong side of the city." She explained.

"Oh , I get it. No need of thanks just never do something like this again." I smiled.

"I promise and here take my phone number." She said with a smile on her face too. However, She seemed to be in hurry. She exited after waving at me. Weird.

Today was sunday and I didn't had much to do, I called Muskan to go to shopping mall. I was running out of good clothes.
We spended a long time there. I bought 2 dresses, 1 Top and a bottom wear. I didn't had much money to lose. I kept it for pizza. Pizza was life. Pizza was love.

Messages:

Dimple

Hey, wyd?

Misha

Just driving back from the mall. And you?

Dimple

just busy with some stuff

Misha

okie but can you tell me something

Dimple

Go on

Misha

Do you know Prateek? I saw you rejecting his call.

Dimple

Sorry If that is rude but does that matter to you?

Misha

No, just curious

Dimple

He is my boyfriend and since I was drunk, I didn't have control over my actions. You know.

Misha

Umm… it's okay.

Dimple

You should come over my place sometime.

Misha

Yes, you are right and text me your address which I was dying to know last night.

Dimple

Now I'm laughing out loud.

Anyway, bye.

I still had no idea if this was the same Prateek that I knew. I still couldn't forget the days when tears rolled down my cheek. I felt bad. Or worse I blamed myself. I just wanted a clarification from him. Maybe he wasn't straightforward. He didn't react when I told him everything.

I didn't block him though. I still had hope. I was scrolling through my gallery and found some pictures of him that I didn't delete. Missing him was my guilty pleasure.

My phone vibrated and someone messaged me on whatsapp.

Varun

Hey,  I came to know how I know you : )

I talked several times with him. He have introduced himself. His name was Varun Sharma. He was 22 year old. He lived in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. I found it strange. Getting someone's phone number wasn't like reading ABC. We lived so afar. But sometimes over phone we talked. I was curious about what he was going to tell me next.

After that day he searched my name in facebook. Looking at my full name and picture, he remembered.

Before 4 years from now He joined a random group in facebook and I was a member of it too. It was a 'just for fun' group. For most of the part it was for memes. I used to came online very less since I just had a phone number. Data packs weren't a part of daily things so he asked to give my phone number and I gave it but we never communicated through calling or messaging but this wasn't the end.

At that time his parents always kept an eye on what he did on phone. He wasn't alone though. Even if they saw any contact which they didn't know, He had to fully explain who the person actually was and how i actually knew the person. Varun's life sucked.  He was a social person. Knew  a lot of people and needed to save alot of numbers. 

He never saved any girl's number with her actually name unless she was his classmate or someone whom his parents already knew.You wouldn't believe He saved my number as "Auto".Well, it's embarrassing for me to even say it. He forgot his account's password and made a new account.

At that time most people   didn't made account with real name because teachers at school would warn and say that they would check with their name and kept and eye on what they were posting, liking and sharing. For most part, it wasn't true but many were afraid to take chances. He also made my account with a fake name " Samrat Malhotra" so I probably didn't knew my real name or didn't saw my picture at that time.

However,my phone number remained on his phone which used to have problems so he wrote all numbers in my diary.The thing was he used to contact with most people but didn't contact with me  so i just forgot whose phone number number it was.

I found it funny. I could recall those days which were imprinted in my conciousness.
I made some vegetable biriyani and raita for lunch and did the daily chores. I was free today. I glanced at the window to see the weather, it was sunny. I took my phone mainly to check the notifications. Out of blue and disppear. I sended "Hey". I knew it wouldn't be worth it.

"Oops!" I said to myself. I was running out of tea bags. I grabbed my purse instantly to buy some. Suddenly the lights went out. Probably it was power cut. Due to lack of street lights It was difficult to walk. My head down, constantly looking at the ground. I stepped slowly until reaching to the main road. The grocery shop was on the other side and I had to cross the road. While stepping forward while looking both right and left I saw Rishabh. I started walking faster, like running. Miracle. Miracle it was.

"Rishabh, stop!" I screamed.

His steps become velocious. I ran behind him and tapped on his shoulder and turned him by my side.

"Where were you all this time, I searched for you so much… I know that you know Prateek. There is something fishy. Let me what is going on!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I didn't care if anybody looked at me at that moment.

"What? I don't know anyone with that name..that's crazy. What made you think so?" He touched my shoulders and looked directly into my eyes.

"Then why did you freeze when you heared his name?" As I asked this question, He turned away and whispered "I don't know, why."  Saying this he stepped away from me as fast as he could and I kept staring at his journey away me while I still didn't have the actual answers.

I could barely sleep that night. I changed my position again and again. Turning right and then left. What exactly was Rishabh hiding from me?

1 message from Prateek