A Lot Like Love |COMPLETE| AnuPre Fiction

Chapter 3 : No Pain, No Gain?

A/N : Hi readers, as you will notice I have updated two chapters together today! So, this together combined was originally one chapter for me, and I would have kept it that way if not for the 'very matured content' on the latter part of the chapter; hence I kept that as a separate chapter - so for those who are uncomfortable, and would want to exercise discretion over reading the matured content, they can just avoid the next chapter totally. i.e. Chapter 4.

Happy Reading! :)

******************************************************************

As Anurag drove his car, he was quiet. He had a whole other idea of how this ride back was supposed to be, but now he had this humongous sized knot in his chest that made him so damn angry, he needed a vent – he needed to throw a rock, punch a guy, kick a tire, or do all of those to pull it out, he needed an out, but with this girl Prerna in the car with him he couldn't. He wanted to drive rash but couldn't put someone else's life on the line, he was silently suffocating inside – he needed air – he was feeling uneasy all day, he didn't know why – was it a coincidence, or was it a connection deep down that lasted the test of time – and how bizzare was it that it was this girl Prerna of all people who had to give him this news – the universe worked in mysterious ways and somehow turmoil always found a way to creep back in his life.

No, he wasn't going to let this news affect him, he didn't care, who was she anyway? When was the last time she came to visit him, was it his 18th birthday, nope 17th by Anurag's 18th she was gone. It had been fifteen years since, what did he care; if only he weren't feeling so claustrophobic, it'd be fine.

"Do you mind if I roll down the window Anurag? The air condition is giving me the chill"

Anurag looked at her surprised, just what he needed.

"Sure"

As the fresh early morning air hit his face, his nerves seemed to soothe a little, he was still bothered and he could feel a quake was on its way, but right now he was in control; he turned sideways to look at Prerna, she was facing the window, with eyes shut; maybe she had dozed off? He drove on quietly for another twenty minutes.

"This left turn?"

"Yes, just about 200mts from here..yes, stop here"

She got off from the car, Anurag got out too, she was dizzy when she had got into the car, just in case she needed help, he held her elbow to steady her.

"I'm fine, thanks" she said as she pulled away her elbow from his grip, she was smiling at him, not a coy one, a bold and confident one, an alluring one, maybe she remembered her promise from the other night? Any other night, Anurag would have taken the opportunity, but today was different, that same anxiety was slowly coming back, now that he knew he didn't need to pretend or be calm anymore because Prerna wasn't going to be around – he was feeling out of breath and suddenly grasping for air again.

"You want to come up?" he heard her say, pointing towards the apartment on the second floor of the building below which they were standing.

"No. No, not today. Listen, I got to go, got to rush, there is something I need to..I will call you later, okay" he barely mumbled more to himself then her and before she could respond, he got into his car and left, leaving a surprised Prerna behind.

"What was that?" she said out aloud, before turning around and going inside her building.

Anurag was driving fast now, he had taken a U turn and headed back towards the highway, he didn't want to enter the city, where the news reaches people at day break, he wanted some hours to prep himself before that, his window was open, music was turned on full blast, he was driving like a maniac, he'd do anything to drive past this hollow pit forming in his stomach, his nausea, he wanted to beat it – there were voices inside his head, laughter, "Onu" the voice of someone calling his name from the distant past, all rushing by; as he sped, roads seemed to fly past him, there was no halting now, only the rush, the sound of rushing air from the window, if he drove fast enough it'd be loud enough to drown the voices, the ones inside his head, particularly the one voice that kept calling him from his far left behind childhood days, the voice that called out, "Onu...my baby".