30/11/2019, Saturday - At karaikudi.

Aparna's P. O. V:

" Call them! " I said to Shwetha nervously.

Right at the time of checking out Shiva and Hari disappeared. We handed over the keys and can't go back in again.

" He is not picking up! " Shwetha said.

" These idiots! " I muttered to myself. It was close to 2 in the noon. We had to start now, so that we reach home on time.

" I have another idea. I installed a location tracker on Hari's phone. I hope that it works. " Shwetha said running through her phone screen.

" Why do you stalk your boyfriend? " I asked confused.

" For situations like this! Wait, it is showing that He is inside the hotel. " She said.

" Is it accurate? " I asked. How can they be inside?

" I know where they are! Hari is so dead! " She said stomping her foot and walked inside the lobby fiercely.

She rushed inside the bar and I stood out looking at the board.

After few minutes Shwetha walked out with a flustered face and Hari followed her, along with a very drunk Shiva.

I rubbed my eyes and looked again. I was still in disbelief.

We walked out of the hotel silently and as soon as we reached the parking lot.

Shwetha started screaming at Hari.

" What were you thinking? " She said to Hari.

Hari looked at her with a innocent face and pointed his finger at Shiva.

" I am not drunk! Trust me. I didn't even touch it! " Hari said defending himself.

" Is this the time for you guys to have fun? Who feels like having a drink in this hot sun?? " I asked confused.

" Me! I can't do this in my home, my home is not as open minded as yours! " Shiva said with a very wide smile. He couldn't even open his eyes properly.

Hari pushed Shiva in the backseat and locked the door.

We threw in the luggage and I was about to open the front door.

" I will drive! " He said and ran to the front seat.

I gave up and sat behind near Shiva.

Hari started the car and Shwetha was giving him death stares.

" Where are we going? " Shiva asked sleepily. He didn't even have the strength to raise his head. His hair was a mess and his eyes were red.

I shook my head in disbelief and looked at him.

" How high are you? " I asked Shiva.

" No, it's ' Hi! How are you? ' " Shiva said looking at me with half eyes.

I cursed at myself for adoring his cute drunk face.

Hari and Shwetha broke into a fit of laughter.

" That was not funny! " I said turning away from the funny face of Shiva.

" Lier! " Shiva said with a goofy smile.

I decided to take a nap. And didn't reply to him.

After few minutes, someone's phone rang. I looked around to see who was annoying my nap.

Shiva clumsily took out his phone from his pocket.

He looked at the screen and his face changed.

" This bitch! " He said and shakily attended the call.

I was a bit worried about him talking in his current state of mind.

"Hello Shiva! " A female voice replied from the other side. Shiva has put the phone on speaker and was seriously looking at the screen.

" Hello Anjali! " He said. I opened my eyes wide and looked at him.

I tried to snatch the phone away from Shiva. He pushed me away with his finger and looked at me with a dead stare.

I shook my head signalling him to not talk. I was poking Hari to help me. But he was laughing.

" Who is it? " Shwetha asked from the front seat.

" Shiva? Are you with some girl? " Anjali asked nervously.

Shwetha bit her tongue and laid down her head.

Am I the only one that is scared of something bad happening?

" Not just one, I am with two girls! Why do you care? " Shiva said laughing.

Hari silently asked Shwetha to record the video of whatever happening. They both never miss out an opportunity to entertain themselves.

" Why do I care! Wait, are you serious! Do you even know what are you doing?" Anjali asked. Her voice was shaking.

" I know, Bitch! " Shiva said laughing.

My jaws dropped to the floor hearing his words. He is definitely going to regret this. I tried to snatch his phone again. He pushed my face with his other hand.

" I think you have forgotten who I am! " Anjali slithered.

" Ohhhh, I remember, you are that narcissistic pig who thinks she can get anything by blackmailing! Was I right! " Shiva said. This time his face was all serious.

" Last time, it was sleeping pills! This time I can go for something that will really work! " She said.

" Yes! Do it and die! Please die for real this time , and Go to hell! Go cry to your father! Call my amma and cry! I should be the one taking sleeping pills! You fucking bitch! " Shiva screamed on his phone.

I jumped over him and snatched his phone. I cut the call instantly and breathed out loud.

" Why did you do it! " Shiva asked.

" I am saving you from killing yourself! " I said.

Shiva shook his head and laid back.

" This is weird! This is happening the second time! " I said confused.

" What? " Shwetha asked from the front.

" You heard right, Anjali said that she took sleeping pills. She did attempt a suicide once. But I clearly remember , Shiva' s mom was telling that, Anjali attempted suicide by drinking the pesticide. Anjali sent a blackmail message to Shiva once saying that, she did attempt suicide by taking sleeping pills! " I said frustrated.

" Nobody will forget how they tried to die though " Shwetha said.

" If it is so,Either Anjali attempted suicide twice or she didn't at all. I am just hoping that I heard something wrong. It has been two years since she did that,maybe Shiva's mom messed up the story. " I said nervously.

" Yeah, that could be too" Hari said.

" I don't know, I just want to make sure that Shiva is not trapped by a lie. " I said slowly.

The next moment Shiva threw himself over me, his hands were on both the sides of my face. His nose was flaring.

" Who do you think you are? " Shiva said bringing his face close to mine.

I was too shocked that I couldn't even reply.

This could have been more romantic, unless for his red eyes and threatening face.

" You told me that I don't have any rights on your life! Now you think that you do! " He shouted at my face.

Hari pulled over the car and slung open the car door. He pulled away Shiva with huge difficulty.

I was still breathless and terrified.

I slowly got down from the car and Shwetha walked to me.

Hari was holding Shiva from behind. Shiva was trying to lunge at me.

" Aparna, you think you did the right thing! You didn't! " Shiva said screaming his lungs out.

" Let him take out his anger please! " Hari said to me slowly.

I stood there silently.

Shiva's screams suddenly turned into sobbing.

" I loved you! I still do! Can't I just live like that until my wedding?, can't you give me just one more day? Can't we have another chance? " He said.

I was taken aback by his words. I thought he will get over his feelings if I am going to push him away, but he is back to the same point where we started!

" I am selfish! I can be selfish only with you! You asked me for a promise remember? " He said.

Suddenly my eyes started tearing up and I was shaking.

" I will try with all I have to save myself from this marriage. If I hadn't met you, maybe I would have accepted to my reality. Now, I can't. "Shiva said.

Why is he saying all these now!

" I promise you that, If I am ever going to marry someone, it will only be you!, can't you trust me?, can't you give me some more time! "He said and fell on the ground.

Hari pulled him up and gave him some water.

" Sorry for this Aparna. He needed to vent it out. I am sorry " Hari said.

I nodded my head and walked few steps away from the car.

Shiva has his way with words. Or maybe I have a weak heart. That ever time he opens up about his regret, I end up forgetting everything about me. Why do I consider his pain to be harder than mine?

Maybe this shit is what love is about. This restlessness. Falling in even after knowing that there is no one to catch. Even if my life was sinking, I wanted to help him reach a life boat.

I rubbed away my tears and looked back at the car. Hari and Shwetha were taking about something and Shiva was half asleep inside the car.

I built a strong wall to protect myself from getting hurt again. I came to Chennai knowing that I shouldn't let down my guard at any time. I tried very hard to defend my wall.

But his tears have crashed out everything and I don't have the strength to build my defense again.

I thought he will move on and I will some how get over everything too. But he is stubborn.

Should I trust his promise? , I may end up being broken again. I will be pathetic if I decided to hope again. But I will be dead inside if I am going to kill this feeling.

I got inside the car silently and Hari started the car.

My mind was in total chaos and the one who caused it was sleeping relaxed.

After few minutes, Shiva moved closer to me and laid his head on my shoulder.

I was frozen again. I slowly turned to push his head. But he snuggled closer.

" Oops, I recorded everything. The video is broken into two parts. What should I do? " Shwetha asked.

" Delete everything. " I said.

She nodded her head silently.

" Don't give up on me. Please " Shiva murmured to me.

Suddenly his heavy head felt light on my shoulders and I knew what I was going to do.

Maybe being pathetic for this idiot is worth all the pain that I might face.