MIRA

65. Reality Check⁉️

Mira's p.o.v.

I have never felt so completely and utterly heartbroken in all my life. As I arrive my apartment in Bangalore, I feel exhausted with a throbbing headache. I switch on the lights as I walk inside, already smelling the accumulated dust in the air.

I move my suitcase to the room, before going inside the bathroom. My own reflection in the bathroom mirror shocks me, as my eyes appear puffy from all the crying and my hair all over the place. I quickly wash my hands and face before stepping out back into the living room.

I finally turn on my phone hours after I had switched it off on the way to the airport in Chennai, and find 5 misses calls from Vikranth, and 2 from Preeti. I open Preeti's chat on Whatsapp to find her text.

Preeti: Miru? Have you reached B'lore? What happnd with you & Vicky?! Call when you see this. It's urgent!

Mira: Reached B'lore.

Before Preeti could reply, I sent,

Mira: It' over between us.

The next second, my phone rang.

"Mira? What happened? Vikranth's been trying to reach you, he's called and texted me so many times. Did you guys fight?" Preeti's voice resounded.

I can barely form a coherent sentence to say.

"Miru?! Are you okay?"

I couldn't control myself anymore and broke down into sobs and mumbled, "It's over Preeti! He said no...he said no to us..."

*****
Flashback

Twenty-four hours ago

That night during dinner, there was some awkward silence. The Gopals had paused their argument and were trying to create conversation with Mira and the boys. Padma asked about their trip, which Mira and Vikranth gave replies too. Mira noticed Sri nod too, pretending that he was with them the whole time. He gave her a smile when she glanced at him. Soon, the atmosphere was restored to normal.

***

''Thank you for today. It felt special'' Mira said hugging Vikranth from the back when he finished his conversation on the phone. They were at the terrace later that night.

He turned around, put his arms around her shoulders and smiled before saying, '' It was special because you made it special.''

Mira smiled, but she noticed a slight weary look on his face. ''All okay?'' she asked.

He nodded, ''Hhmm.''

''Are uncle and aunty okay?''

Vikranth let out a sigh and nodded.

''You wanna talk about it?''

He shook his head and brushed it off, ''It's no big deal. Besides....'' he pushed back a strand of hair from Mira's face, ''It's our last night together...I don't wanna ruin it by narrating to you about something my aunt did...''

Mira chuckled.

***

''This one? Seriously?'' Mira asked Vikranth.

They were going over her Instagram posts together. Mira was sitting next to Vikranth on the swing set, cuddled up in his arms. She was asking him about his favourite photo of hers. He had picked a candid photo in which Mira was smiling after her first attempt at white-water rafting on a trip to Manali during college days.