❝ Every step we take away from someone we truly cherish is a dreadful stab in our heart, but alas once we go returning is never so easy...

It's a soul lost, gone forever... ❞

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MEERA'S POV

" Running away again, are we?" It was a familiar husky tone, same pitch as Kush's but it wasn't his.

It was his father's.

I turned around slowly, wiping my tears.

" S-sir..." I stopped. If I said anything more I'd break, break into a million smaller pieces.

" Meera, it's okay. Vexation isn't an emotion I'm harbouring right now. It is not your fault. But if you are taking the blame, that is all on you. " That's the nicest and the most comforting thing anyone has said to me in the last 46 hours. But, unfortunately, it's not true. He needs to upset, angry and furious coz it's definitely my fault. Only my fault that his son is fighting a battle that was never his to be fought in the first place.

I looked behind him to check whether the rest of the party was here as well.

" It's just me. Everyone else is resting." He got me.

" Kush is out of danger. So, this news has been relaxing so I asked them to leave while I stayed back. They will be back in the morning. I knew you'd come. Let's talk." We sat on the bench nearby.

I didn't dare utter a word, except for those sniffs. It was as if I was all mute and dumb.

" Meera, I know it's been difficult and complicated for you. Getting over a troubled past isn't easy. " I looked at him.

Did he know?

" Kush told me. " He explained.

" There is a saying which we can use for a time like this, Let bygones be bygones. We can't change what has happened but we can surely change what can happen. It is time that we slowly let go of that burden which hauls us in an abyss and move towards a promising future. It's not easy to forget but at least we can try to accept it. "

" I-I've moved on. I accept it but I-I'm not right for him. Every time we're together things tends to mess up. I'm jinxed. No one can live in peace with me. " It was for the first time I said that to anyone in specific.

" It's all in here. Our devious little mind. It's the devil in there. You've to accept the fact that that unfortunate event wasn't your fault. Once you do that all the other things next in line will fall in places where they are supposed to land. Trust me. Running away isn't a wise option. It never is."

" Kush is never stopping." He continued after a pause.

What does he mean?

" You run again, he will find you again. It's a cycle you see. Until you wait for him and start over. " He wants me to stay but I've made up my mind.

" He has to stop. I've decided... "

" I'm afraid Meera, that is not only your decision to make." He interrupted.

" Kush has a say too. "

" Sir, I don't understand. No one is happy. I've ruined my family and I don't intend to ruin yours. This is the only option foreseeable that is left. You need to make Kush stop. Tell him I never visited. I don't love him... "

" But you said you do... " He's equally difficult like his son.

" Sir, this is for the best.... "

" I don't control the lives of my children. And I can't lie. And I won't. I also won't stop you. But, the more to run away from all this the more it will haunt you forever. The more you deny your feelings, the more you will fall into it... "

" I'm not denying it. " It was extremely prompt.

He didn't say anything. He was well aware that I was in pain too. I glanced at my watch. I had to hurry in order not to miss my flight.

" Sir... I've to go. " I stood.

" As I said, I won't stop you. But, I won't stop Kush either. I've never seen him love someone so deeply. He surely sees something in you that is extremely special and I'm sure same is the case with you because I never thought he'll find a girl who'd love him more than she would ever love herself... And you know that you will never be able to let go of this either because both of you have decided to hold on. "

" All I can do is pray. " He said lastly as I started walking away.

Then I stopped.

He's been there for me when my parents weren't there.

" Sir, is a hug okay? " I asked.

At once he opened his arms.

" Always... " I needed that one. It made me stronger.

" Meera, remember one thing. You need to forgive yourself first, then only others will be able to forgive you if you're seeking for forgiveness. If you're seeking love, trust me Kush's is more than enough in the entire world.
You don't know what you've got, till it's gone. " As he said that, I cried harder.

Yeah! I know what I had and now it's all gone.

He was defending his son, he knew him so well. His confidence in Kush was much more than the proof I needed for his love for me. He has a great father and I think that's the greatest achievement Kush could ever get. I felt miserable that I was so unlucky as I couldn't cherish it. I was just spoiling everything good here.

But, I'd be gone soon.

" Thank you, sir." I whimpered.

" Sir is way too formal. I don't think Kush will like it when he hears this. Ha! I'm sure next time we meet it's gonna be Dad. Kush likes it." I heard it but I left. Tears swelling up in my eyes and sogging my scarf.

It's not happening. I'm sure his eyes followed me leaving until I vanished in the dark.

Gone forever, hopefully.

🌟🌟🌟

4 months later, Mumbai.

KUSH'S POV

" It's your brother's engagement party, Kush. I'm sure you can smile more. "

" Mom, these crutches don't make my work easier." I scowled. I was walking, Nah stuttering using the support of them with my right hand, as my left hand was recovering from the forsaken fracture.

Danny and Heather were getting married and I was still recuperating from my injury. The scars weren't prominent but they were there. There are even those scars which no one can see but they hurt more than the other ones.

We had moved back to Mumbai, closing our base in Auckland after 2 months. Mom doesn't want me to go there ever. Maybe even I prefer it that way.

I've got a blurry memory of Meera. My last one of hers. She confessed her love to me and left.

Dad said she left long before I gained full consciousness. No one knows where. But, I think her parents are aware and they are just withholding it from me. Their way of protecting me.

So is my mom. She literally hates Meera now. How cliche and typical. I know that I can feel it. Her name is banned in front of her. Hiding her away is good for me maybe, but it's killing me.

All I want is to confront her and ask her why, why she does it every effing time. This has made me disgruntled and grumpy. Also, I've to stay in the house most of the time which is another headache.

" Sir, can I come in?" It was Tom. Mom had left my room serving me my breakfast. A routine was well in place and I didn't wish more.

" Yes! Did you find her?"

Of course, I was looking for her. I started only 2 weeks after I was discharged and brought home. There was no way I was quitting.
You may think I'm a lunatic, obsessed, too arrogant to accept defeat. Doesn't matter. I accept all the accusations and allegations. Perhaps, I'm what Meera says, another egoist person who doesn't wanna concede to the truth.

I want clarifications, I want justifications.

And if wanting these things make me what I shouldn't be then I don't care. One doesn't just walk out on a person who has a near death experience. As a human courtesy at least she should have waited.

There wasn't a whiff of a place I didn't know where she could have gone. It may be anywhere in the world. It's a lot more difficult than I thought it'd be.

" No! I've been looking. There were no trails at all." I sighed.

" It's ENOUGH! I'm going..." It had to be dramatic and fast but the crunches had made me slow as I was limpering now.

" Going where Kush? Going where?" That's mom right across the hallway.

I let out a deep breath. She wasn't gonna be pleased.

" To the Mathur's. I'm one hundred percent positive they know her whereabouts." As I said, she scoffed.

" Ha! I think I knew that. " She slumped down on the sofa.

Dad, Danny and Tom joined.

" What's happening?" Dad inquired.

" It's that girl. She's... Kush is crazy. After what she has done he does not want to stop, huh? What is she? Who is she? Why can't you just forget her for god's sake? From the day she stormed your life... "

" Mom..." I interrupted her.

" Wow! Now you dare stop me. This is what I mean to you Kush."

" Mom, you're being so melodramatic. Someone right out from the daily soap. I want answers and I won't take ignorance for an answer. I can't just let go, can I? After all that I have done."

" So, this is it then? Your vanity of having what you can't have. She has thrown you away like trash. Have you gone blind as well? I don't get it really. It ridicules me. "

" Mom... You're being..." I paused at the loss of words. But she didn't.

" Cool. So, I'm the villain in your so picture-perfect Bollywood love story now. A bad... A very bad cruel mother ruining her son's life, not letting him chase his love who has ostensibly also let him down."

" Honey, I think you need to cool down. It's his damn life... " Dad blurted.

" So, I should let him shove it up in the ass. It's Danny's special day, are we jeopardizing it? " She held her head as if she had a bad headache.

" Danny, I'm sorry but I've to go find her. "

" Kush, whatever feels right to you. "

" Mom. I'm sorry."

" I-I really don't know what you see in her. But, her parents don't know her whereabouts... Don't  bother them, they're equally troubled. "

" I don't follow."

" I made a deal with her."

What? Is this a drama or a movie or my effing life?

" I called her a few days after you were discharged. Tom helped me find her number. She living and working together with an NGO.

' Meera, it's me...' She recognized my voice.

' Our intentions are pretty much the same. You don't want Kush to find you, neither do I. You want to connect with your parents and I can help. But, there's something you need to do.'

She agreed right away.

" Mom! What was the deal?"

" That's not your concern. There's no way you are going to find her." She said.

" Uh-huh! Then why tell me now? Why not keep it a secret?" I was so exhausted by standing that I crouched beside her. More frustrated than tired.

" I want you to know that she doesn't love you, son. She's over you. Willing to do anything to stay away from you. Why don't you see that?" That wasn't convincing neither persuasive.

" Because I-I know she loves me. She really does. All this..." I hesitated.

" Doesn't matter! You won't understand it. But, I'm not giving up okay, not today and not tomorrow. With you or without you, I'm making her pay for what she's made me go through. She needs to know..." I stood up and walked back to my room, actually crawled back.

" Fine!! " She shouted.

I was dejected, stun and frantic. A part of me was mad at Meera while a small part of me was angry at myself. I was doomed. I couldn't just move on. For reasons, I can't state I want us to be just like a normal couple who loves each and stay together and even fights on silly issues.

It's so much simple when said.
It is too much to ask?

🌟🌟🌟

" Kush, your suit. " Dad came.

" Hey!" It was glum.

" In life, there are times, a hell lot of times went we feel so lost, defeated and vanquished. We question why it happened in the first place. You hate yourself for that."

" Dad! I don't know. I've been partially bedridden for the last 8 months. I miss working. All I do is write these short episodes, which are equally crappy and then there's Meera. Back in my head, telling me on my face it's over. Then those blurry memories but no matter how I try to erase them I can't. I thought it might be easier to forget when given some time." I sounded depressed. Well, I was.

" First, Cleaveland followed by Mumbai, Auckland and then Devonport. She always escapes without even confronting me. It's not like we've met yesterday. It's been more than 6 and a half years now Dad. " I was awful and at the same time not in my good spirits.

" Ha! I even tried medication, detox, yoga, laugher clubs...what was I thinking..."

Every time we are this close and then it's poof! Gone. All the efforts wasted, drained down by the rains.

" I want to give up, find someone else, move on but then I can't. I look at the sky, the stars remind me of her. I grab a sandwich, there she is, I want to watch a movie, her quirky comments flow through my head. I want to eat a chocolate pudding, I can't bite it without not savouring hers... " I held my head in my hand.

I just want to eat my meds, they make me dizzy and then I want to sleep.
That's the best escape for me.

" Kush, you guys have endured a lot, endure a bit more. Think of it as a test. Someone out there is making mental notes of all this and I believe that, that someone has a plan for you."

" Uh... I'm not sure what to believe anymore."

That night Daniel and Heather got married. I was happy for them. They deserve the best. Lastly, for me, I'm sure I'll be spending half of my remaining life chasing a girl I fell for so bad.
A girl who just wants to flee miles away all while carrying my soul with her.

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Hey Guys!

Hope you are liking the story so far.

In the last chapter I mentioned there are two 2 more left, but I didn't feel like ending the story soon.

Hence I've added 1 more chapter.

So, 2 more to go now!! 💯 🔥

Enjoy!

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Love... ♥
Vruksha.