LOST

31. SAPNA

~ Sapna ~

My mind never stopped thinking about the fire at the bank. The screams were still echoing in my ears. And more than anything, my eyes were unable to forget his dark brown eyes. He had saved my life and here I was, hurting over some guy who didn't even reflect my feelings. My curiosity about the past was on a completely higher level now that I was remembering faster. I figured the return was associated with the events happening around me and I was more than willing to go through anything that would help me remember that night.

My phone came to life, bringing me out of my train of thoughts. I rejected Prachi Patel's calls and didn't respond to her texts either. I didn't know why he was calling, but I ignored Chintu too.

My phone chimed again. It was a message from Aadi.

As I read it, my heart stopped beating, my mouth turned dry and all the muscles in my body tensed. All thoughts ceased as I tried to take in every word I had just read.

Now that I knew who the girl was, I felt small and was disgusted of myself for having seen their guiltless friendship with hostility. Instantly, I also was sorry for her. I knew what losing someone was. It haunted me every day. The worst part was that I didn't even know who I had lost.

I was devastated. Had I wounded Aadi to the extent that he would hate me forever? It looked like that. Nevertheless, those weren't my intentions. I was terribly broken; shaken by what I had seen. He chose to show up and I spilled everything out. And now, he was so wrecked that he wanted me to go back. Before a few hours, I was upto doing the same thing. Then why did it upset me so much when he said it?

Maybe because, in reality, I didn't want to leave at all. Maybe because, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that there was someone else out there whom I owed my life, I knew that Aadi was the only guy I was attracted to.

My thoughts were eating me up and I couldn't take it anymore. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my sleeping pills, which I had brought along with me in case I needed them. Even though I had sworn to myself that I wouldn't take assistance of those medicines, I popped the cap open and spilled some on my palm. Taking two pills, I put the rest back in the bottle. I gulped down the entire bottle of water.

I went to the kitchen and refilled it. Just as I walked out, I noticed a figure coming through the entrance passageway. Aadi froze when he saw me. His ever so bouncy self was dreadfully strained and I felt guilty. He studied me for one full minute, before turning around and sauntering to his room. I stayed there, staring at the spot where he stood. In the dead of the night, a shiver ran up my spine, and it wasn't even cold.

The man's looming figure floats around, his eyes dancing everywhere, as if searching for someone. There is a camera dangling down his neck. He looks shattered. There is a certain pain in the way his jaw flexes and he realizes that he has lost her.

There are screams, loud and lasting. The man grieves.

The little girl clings on to the boy, never letting go off his neck, as he holds her bridal style. He stares at her, breathing heavily.

It settles in.

The weight of what just happened.

They gape at the burning house in front of them. They weren't glad that they were out of it. They wished they were inside, burning with the others. How could they be so selfish?

"Are you okay?" he whispers.

She shakes her head, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yes you are." He wipes her tear before it rolls down her cheek. "We're alive."