20/11/2019 - Wednesday- At Chennai.

Shiva's P. O. V :

I locked the office and placed the keys safely. The time was 7 in the evening.Aparna stood beside me silently. Our day had come to an end too soon. I brushed off the small tears in my eyes and rushed to the parking.

I started the bike and was thinking of ways to get more time.

As we got stuck in traffic, Aparna finally talked.

" Can we go to beach again before you drop me at Shwetha's place? " She asked. Her mood was as low as mine.

I nodded and then drove to Marina beach.

She walked in front of me and I followed her. She then sat in the sand with view to the waves. I sat beside her.

I was yearning to ask her to be with me for another day. But I knew that, it would cause more hurt to both of us.

I shouldn't have done this. Knowing that I don't have the courage to stop my engagement, I shouldn't have agreed to this idea. For once I wanted to be selfish.

I am more scared of tomorrow than today. When I wake up tomorrow, I will know it true to my heart that, Anjali was never the one for me.

I had the right person just beside me, but couldn't do anything. Will I be able to live with that?

If I could turn back this day, I should have told no to Aparna, no, I shouldn't have talked to her at all. I should have learnt to live with my life, my fucked up life , but now I have pulled her into this.

Aprana slowly turned to look at me. Her face had a fake smile , but her eyes we're honest.

" Why are you silent? Contemplating on time travel ? " She asked.

I nodded back with a smile.

She turned back to the waves and shook her head laughing.

" Shiva, I just want to tell you something, I really enjoyed this day. I lived every moment of it. I wouldn't blame anyone else ever if I get hurt.

For the minutes that we have now, can you please help me make more memories? " She asked.

Looking at her face, I hoped that I could try again to forget my present. At least for her, I wanted to believe that only she mattered right now.

" I am hungry, can we eat something? " I asked Aparna. I tried to smile as big as I can.

I got up and bought two fried corns from the nearby stall.

I walked back to her and handed her one. She ate it faster than me.

" What? I am hungry too! " She said defensively.

Then we started tasting all the snacks in that stall. Aparna was eating everything with her heart, as if she won't get them again ever.

My mind sub consciously started imagining how Anjali would have reacted if I bought and gave her this same snacks from roadside stalls. Would she be as curious as Aparna? No, she would have scolded me.

" Hey, take off your shoes! " Aparna shouted walking close to the waves.

I shook my head to throw away the constant thoughts about Anjali. I removed my shoes and walked into the cold water.

Aparna caught my hand and dragged me close to the waves,where the water was below our knees. Soon, we were holding hands. She held my hand firmly.

" Don't worry I won't let the waves drag you inside " I said laughing.

" Well, I wasn't really worrying about me being taken by the waves , it was you." She said staring at me.

I don't know if I had ever felt so coward ,than now. I slowly took her hand close to me and placed a small kiss on her hands ,then released her hand and smiled at her.

She looked at me with blank face.

" You are free remember! " I said.

" Maybe I was " She said and moved back to the sand.

We wore our shoes and walked to my bike. The silence was killing me. But if I dare to do anything more, I would never be able to forgive myself.

She sat back silently as I drove to Shwetha's home.

On the way, it suddenly started raining.

" I think we should stop somewhere! " I told Aparna, hoping that we could have a pause to this silence.

" No Shiva, let's get back to Shwetha's place. I am okay with getting drenched in rain. " She said.

I drove to Shwetha's home disappointed. Somehow, I wasn't ready to let her go at all. She knew what I felt, and didn't want to test me.

With the rain, my tear drops were also rushing down.

I stopped my bike in front of Shwetha's home. We stood under a tree nearby.

Aparna got down from the bike hastily, her eyes were red and puffed, all the while trying to avoid looking at me. She ran to the gate only to find it locked.

She rushed and called Shwetha I think. The rain was still pouring.

Her phone was ringing again with her sister's name on it. She slided it out and called Shwetha again.

Again the name Prerna showed up. Aparna cancelled the call again and dialled Shwetha.

I had never seen Aparna shaking and nervous this much.

" Shwetha is not picking up! " Aparna said looking down and redialling the number.

I took out my phone and called Hari. They both were together. Thankfully Hari picked up.

" Where are you guys? " I asked.

" Sorry Shiva! We got stuck here in the Restaurant! " Hari said.

" When will you come back to Shwetha's house ? " I asked.

" We are very far away from there, might take more than an hour! With this rain, I can't say sure! " Hari said.

" Okay, I ll see what to do! " I told and cut the call.

"Are they on their way? " Aparna quickly asked. Her hair was sticking to her face. She was finally looking at my eyes.

" They are stuck, might take more than an hour " I said slowly.

She cursed under her breadth and ran her fingers over her hair.

" Look, I know what you are thinking. But I think it is better if we go back to my place " I said.

She looked at me with a very serious face , folding her hands.

" I am not leaving you here now. I swear I will drop you back here. " I said.

She was still glaring at me. I didn't understand what I did that she was so angry suddenly.

" My parents are not in home if you are worried about them! Get back on my bike now, I won't let you stand here alone. Do you get me? " I said in a serious tone.

" Fine! " She said gritting her teeth and sat back.

I drove back to my home and was cursing under my breath. Now, I would be forced to remember her everywhere.

I parked by bike and hurried to open the door before any neighbor sees me with Aparna.

We rushed into the house and locked the door. Aparna walked in awkwardly.

I walked upstairs took a dry towel and ran down. I handed the towel to Aparna. She reluctantly removed her jacket and took the towel from my hand.

I removed my jacket, walked to my room, dried myself and wore a fresh shirt. I walked downstairs to make some coffee.

I saw Aparna standing with her wrinkled and damp white shirt, her black Jean stark to the color of her shirt, she was drying her hair looking at our family photo on the wall. I forced myself to not think about anything else.

" Want some coffee? " I asked.

She shook her head. Her smile was still not showing up.

" You can use the other room and clean up yourself " I said pointing to my brother's room, where she stayed earlier.

She walked upstairs slowly. I walked into the kitchen.

And suddenly the power went off.

" Shiva! " Aparna called and I rushed out with the matchbox which I found in the kitchen.

" Don't move! Stay wherever you are." I said and randomly searched on the cupboards in the living room for a candle.

I found one and lit it hastily.

I walked upstairs with the candle to Aparna. The room's door was open. I stepped in slowly and her face came into view in the soft light of the candle.

" I thought of turning on the torch, but couldn't find my phone in the dark. " She said.

I placed the candle near the bed stand and looked at her. Her hair was nearly dry. Her eyes were still red.

" What happened Aparna? See, it hurts me to see you like this. I don't want to feel more burden. Can't you smile the same way you smiled this morning? , this good bye need not be like this! " I said.

She stepped in closer to me.

" Why are you so pretentious! " She said nearly shouting. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

" What? " I asked raising my brows.

" Yes, you know what, you are not the only idiot who is going to live with this regret! Why don't you think about me? " She asked.

" This is why I told you to stay away from me Aparna! Do you think I don't know you are hurting because of this! Only for this fucking reason I didn't want anything with you! " I shouted.

" No Shiva, this is not the reason. The reason is you are a coward! " She shouted back.

I lost control over everything.This time I couldn't hold myself back, I lunged forward and kissed her hard. She struggled for a moment but soon was pulling me closer.

I roughly pushed her against the wall and placed my hand on the small of her back. My other hand was holding her thigh and pulling her closer to me. She was tugging my hair furiously.

This kiss was nothing like the one we had before. We both were crying and pulling each other closer, as if we would die if we stop.

I slowly released her and held her face tightly with my palms. Aparna was sobbing.

" I love you dammit " She said crying.

" I am a coward, yes, I am. I am sorry. I am truly sorry " I said.

" I don't care Shiva, fuck your fiancee, fuck your engagement, I want you " She said hugging me.

I was out of words. I looked at her confused. I didn't know what to do.

" Please for now, for just this moment, I want you to think only about me! " She said between her sobs.

" Aparna! " I said slowly removing her hold.

" So you don't like me too? " She asked slowly.

" I am right now sure about only one thing in my life and that is, I like you. " I said and kissed her again.

" We are cursed because of this candle light! " She told between the kiss. I couldn't care more about the candle at this moment.

It soon escalated as we both started moving to the bed. We landed on the bed with a loud thud. She sat up above me.

Her hands effortlessly removed my t shirt and I was dragging her closer. I placed soft kisses on her neck , slowly unbuttoned her shirt.

Her phone rang and we both cursed. She moved to take the phone.

Her face became pale looking at the screen.

She picked up the call looking at me shocked.

" Rajiv.... " She said and stopped midway.

She sat there frozen with her phone near her ear.

Her eyes were spilling tears again and I was becoming more terrified looking at her reaction.

She then dropped the phone and started wailing. I moved to her and hugged her.

" What happened? " I asked.

" Prerna! " She said sobbing.

I shook her and looked at her.

" What happened? " I asked again.

" Prerna got admitted in hospital...for for high pressure.....The...... The babies are...... They.........died " She cried and screamed loud.