Endgame | ✓

19. Let Me Be The One.

19. Let Me Be The One.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Everything was tranquil a second ago, but now things seemed to be in dire straits when I saw him. It was a new look for him though, thick beard, hair slicked behind and a suit adorning his chest. 

The chest which never had a heart. 

"Actually, you know what? I don't care," I seethed swiftly, rolling my eyes. "You can leave, you're not welcomed here, there, anywhere."

That was when mom stepped between us, carrying a sharp look on her face, "Anushka, I told you to behave earlier, didn't I? And I've invited him."

He dragged a hand through his hair, not speaking as usual because he always was and would be spineless man. I narrowed my eyes, leveling with his. "Oh right, is it because of the free alcohol in the party? I'll send three cartons at your home, Mr. Vaidya. You don't have to worry about it."

"Anushka, he's... clean." I was taken aback by mom's fervent resistance. How could she forget everything this man did to me? To her?

My eyes darted back to his, his eyes seemed to be rimmed with dried tears. I tried not to soften as I spoke, "It's too late. You're fucking fifteen years late in this, Mr. Vaidya. The damage is already done. So there's no point in backtracking and fixing things."

"Shut up--"

"--let her speak, Ahana." he spoke, it was late nevertheless. Too late.

"I won't," I rolled my eyes, trudging outside the entrance. "And by the way, she's Mrs. Sharma for you now. Just Mrs. Sharma." With one last glance, I stormed out of the house.

I was outside the house when I saw the driver beside my car. "I'll drive, you can go." I took the car keys from him, he meekly nodded. 

Hopping inside my car, I took in a deep breath in. Losing my rationality in anger was the last thing I wanted but how dare he?! How could he just backtrack into my life, pretending nothing he did was wrong, ever?

Bullshit. All this was bullshit. 

I started the car, the engine igniting as I scurried away on the road. My hands smoothly swerved on the steering wheel but I knew I was boiling from inside. I wanted to run away, into the void, into nothingness, I didn't care. 

I just wanted to run away from my life.

***

I DROVE FOR AN HOUR.

I had realized how much of a mess my life had become in the past few days -- nothing was ever constant and I just needed to sort of change the pattern of my life which seemed to be deeply soaked in several plot twists. It felt like a book, and I was so desperate to change the current chapter and jump to the next one. The way things had been panning out in my life, I desperately wanted to know what the climax would be.

I wanted to know who would be my endgame.

And just like the novel attests, it took twenty seconds of silence and then there was an interjection. "I knew you would be here."