Forever Yours, Vrinda

Part 4

"Bhai mentioned he narrated until the point where people didn't believe you had selective mutism. Is that correct? I'll carry on from that point," Vivaan stated, as he sat down next to her. He was too afraid to look away from her, fearing that she would vanish and leave him in a desolate darkness, just as he had left her.

"I understand, but before we proceed, I'd like to address our relationship. You never mentioned our past relationship!" Reflecting on his crestfallen face after her failure to recognize him, Vrinda acknowledged the potential of not meeting the expectations in that relationship. Nevertheless, she expressed her intention to soon build a similar bond.

As she grappled with her amnesia, she couldn't help but notice the disappointment in his eyes, as if he had expected her to remember him. There was a faint suggestion of the powerful connection they used to have, something he thought would be enough for her to recognize him. Her muddled brain offered no mercy, leaving her and her dear ones in a state of despair.

He found himself in a quandary, trying to navigate her question. The question hung in the air, stealing his breath. When he was the one who caused numerous questions to surface on the nature of their relationship by his very public rejection of her, what could he say to answer her?

Should he opt for the familiar and secure label of 'family friends'?

Or could he specify it further to just 'fellow classmates'?

With an insolent heart, he questioned whether their label as 'best friends' would raise unnecessary doubts in her mind.

'Estranged lovers'? Were they? When she sought his affectionate touch and a proclamation of their unwavering love, he resisted the amorous stirrings of his racing heart. How could he have the audacity to use the tag when the situation had calmed down significantly?

Soulmates. Vrinda despised the label of 'boyfriend-girlfriend' as much as she detested the taste of bitter gourd. Whenever she spoke of them, her eyes would light up with glee and a whimsical smile would grace her lips as she affectionately called them her 'soulmates'.

But where did the lie that he had planted in her mind leave them as? Strangers?

Ignoring the rapid thumping of his heart and the tightness in his throat, he persisted with the lie, leaving the decision about their relationship up to the woman. It dawned on him that Daksh was indeed correct. His punishment was not distancing himself from her or stealing glances of her when she looked elsewhere. The appropriate punishment for his betrayal of her in the moment of dire need, whatever be the reason, was standing her indifference and distant behavior.

"Vrinda, let's begin anew." Breaking the heavy silence in the room, he expressed his optimism, saying, "Perhaps this new one will offer a much better route than the previous one."

His answer left her both puzzled and delighted. It was surprising to see that the man in front of her was prepared to move on from their previous connection. His gaze lingered on her limp body, tears welling up in his eyes, and she couldn't help but notice. The bond they had shared was so powerful that it rendered him speechless, yet its essence couldn't remain concealed. Vrinda's imagination fell short, leaving her even more drawn to him like a magnetic force.

The thought that she held the exclusive understanding of this relationship, without any external perspectives, brought her immense satisfaction.

A lingering thought in the depths of her mind questioned whether it was due to a previous miscommunication that he believed was better left in the past, or simply because their bond wasn't as strong as he desired. Torn between possibilities, all she desired was the truth to quench her thirst.