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CHAPTER - 4

CONFUSION.

~~~Aadya~~~

"Mera hi dimaag kharab hai, nahi Aadya, koi bhi peecha nahi kar raha hai tera, stop being so delusional!" I muttered to myself while sitting in the cab I had hired to go and meet Vishesh.

(TRANSLATION - You're losing your brain Aadya, no one is following you. Stop being so delusional!)

Vishesh, my boyfriend of two years now. He just returned back from Ahmedabad this afternoon for a work thing and I couldn't wait for him to pull me in his arms but he had been a little distant lately.

The streets of Mumbai were chaotic as ever and yet, I felt so detached from the city I have been in love with all my life.

I quickly dropped a text in the family group that I was headed to Vishesh's place and would have dinner with him so that Maa and Aarav don't worry.

When the cab stopped outside his apartment building, I quickly paid the driver and stepped out. My heart raced a little, but for a good reason this time. It had been almost a week since I last saw him, and I missed him more than I cared to admit.

I took the elevator and buzzed the bell and after a few seconds, he opened the door.

I walked straight into his embrace, letting out a long sigh as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"You okay?" he asked, pulling back slightly to look at me.

"I am now," I said with a small smile.

We walked inside, and he led me to the couch. He handed me a glass of water and sat beside me, his arm draped over my shoulders.

You look tired," he said, his tone soft.

"It's been a lot," I admitted, leaning into him. "Work's been crazy, and..." I hesitated, unsure if I should share everything that had been happening.

"And?" he prompted.

I decided to tell him. I told him about the investigation and the threats, leaving out the part about Papa and that whole story.

When I finished, he exhaled slowly. "That sounds problematic."

"It is." I said, searching his face for understanding. "I'm scared, Vishesh.

He was quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on the glass in his hand. Then he looked at me and smiled faintly. "You've always been good at handling yourself, Aadya. I'm sure you'll figure this out."

I nodded in an absent minded manner before he asked me if I wanted Chinese for Pizza for dinner.

After we were done eating, Vishesh pulled me closer to him on the couch, his fingers brushing my hair aside.

"You really missed me, didn't you?" he said softly, tilting my chin up so I had to look at him.

I nodded. "I did. This week has been... a lot. I just needed to be with you."

His lips curved into a small smile. "I'm here now," he murmured, leaning in.

He leaned in, his lips brushing softly against mine. At first, it was sweet and comforting, the kind of kiss that made me forget the world outside. But soon, his hands slid down my back, pulling me closer. His kisses grew more eager, more insistent, and I felt his hand slowly travel up my side.

I tensed slightly, my hand coming up to rest on his chest as a quiet signal to stop. "Vishesh..." I murmured against his lips, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes.

He frowned slightly. "What?" he asked, his voice low but carrying a hint of impatience.

"I'm not up for.......anything more tonight," I said, trying not to make it sound like a rejection. "I just wanted to spend some time with you."

He sighed and moved away, shifting slightly to the side of the couch. The sudden loss of his warmth stung more than I wanted to admit.

"Right," he said, his tone carefully neutral, though I caught the faint edge of annoyance.

I tried to reach out, placing a hand on his arm. "It's not about you. I've just been so drained lately, and I...."

"It's fine, Aadya," he interrupted, cutting me off with a forced smile. "I get it. You're tired."

I could tell he wasn't happy, but I chose to ignore it, hoping it was just a momentary reaction.

"Thank you for understanding," I whispered.

He nodded but didn't say anything further. Instead, he grabbed his phone and started scrolling, leaving me sitting there with an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

I shifted on the couch, trying to think of something to say, but the words wouldn't come. His focus on his phone made me feel like I wasn't even in the room anymore.

After a few more moments of awkward quiet, I cleared my throat. "I should probably head home," I said softly, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was already past 10.

He barely looked up from his phone. "You sure? It's late, you could stay over tonight."

"No, it's fine. Could you drop me?" I asked, trying not to sound demanding.

He sighed, putting his phone down on the table. "Aadya, I'm really tired. I've had a long day, and I just don't have the energy to drive right now."

I blinked at him, feeling a sting of disappointment. "Oh... okay," I mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

"I'll book you a cab," he said, already reaching for his phone again. "It'll be safer that way."

I nodded, forcing a small smile. "Alright. Thanks."

He tapped on his phone for a few seconds and then looked up at me. "It'll be here in five minutes."

"Okay," I said quietly, standing up from the couch and grabbing my bag.

He didn't move from his spot, just leaned back against the couch with a tired expression. "Text me when you get home, alright?"

"I will," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

I waited by the door, hoping he might walk me down or at least see me off properly, but he stayed where he was. The cab notification buzzed on his phone, and he looked up briefly. "Your ride's here," he said.

"Thanks," I said again, opening the door.

He finally got up and walked to the door, but it felt more like a formality than anything else.

"Goodnight," he said, giving me a quick, half-hearted hug before stepping back inside.

"Goodnight," I replied, stepping into the hallway.

Cold, Distant, Uninterested.

Was I not interesting anymore for him?

I sat in the cab, thinking about him and our relationship.

I still remember the first time I met him. It was at a book launch event that I had been covering for work.

He was there as part of the publishing team, dressed in a crisp white shirt, his sleeves rolled up just enough to give him an effortless charm.

He stood out in the crowd, his confident smile and sharp features impossible to ignore.

We had exchanged a few words about the book, nothing extraordinary, but I felt a spark, one I hadn't felt in years.

It was his warmth, I think, or maybe the way he looked at me, as if I was the most interesting person in the room.

A few days later, he found me on Instagram and sent a message. I was hesitant at first; after all, I barely knew him. But his messages were thoughtful and genuine, nothing over the top or pushy. We started talking more, and soon, we were meeting for coffee after work.

Our first official date was at Marine Drive. It wasn't planned. He had called me out of the blue, saying he had a rough day and could use some company. We sat on the promenade, watching the waves crash against the rocks, talking about everything and nothing. That night, as we shared a small cup of chai from a roadside stall, he asked me if I would go out with him again.

"Yes," I had said without hesitation. And that was the start of us.

Vishesh was so different back then. He made me laugh, always had time to listen, and never made me feel like I was asking for too much.

I remember how he had asked me to be his girlfriend. It was after a movie night at his place, something we did almost every weekend back then. We were sitting on the couch, and he suddenly turned to me, looking unusually serious.

"Aadya," he said, "I know I'm not perfect, but I really like you. More than just as a friend. Will you be mine?"

I had laughed nervously, mostly because I didn't know how to handle how sincere he looked. But then I nodded and said yes, and the way his face lit up made my heart skip a beat.

The first year of our relationship was like a dream. We went on trips together, tried new restaurants, and spent lazy Sundays watching random shows on TV. He made me feel special in ways I hadn't even realised I needed.

In the second year, he got a promotion and got ten times busier with constant work trips, we hardly have gotten any time together.

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. This wasn't the time to overthink. Maybe he was just tired. Maybe I was reading too much into things. After all, we'd had two beautiful years together. Relationships go through phases, don't they?

As I got home, I could already hear Aarav's voice from the living room. I was hoping he'd be asleep by now, but I should have known better.

"You're back late," he said, looking up from his phone as I entered.

"Yeah," I said, tossing my bag on the couch.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing something was off. "You took a cab back home, didn't you?" he asked, his voice slightly sharper than usual. "Why? Why didn't Vishesh drop you?"

I let out a deep sigh and walked into the kitchen to grab some water, trying to avoid the tension building in the room. "He was tired, Aarav. It's no big deal."

He stood up from the couch and walked over to where I was standing, his arms crossed. "No big deal?" he repeated, his voice rising a little. "Your so-called boyfriend couldn't even drive you home? Why didn't you just call me to pick you up? This doesn't sound right, Didi. You were attacked just last night!"

I felt a knot form in my stomach. "Aarav, please," I said, feeling frustrated. "It's not like that. I'm fine. Vishesh had a long day, and I didn't want to trouble him."

He shook his head, clearly not convinced. "This isn't about trouble, Di. It's about him making an effort. You're my sister, and I care about you. If you need me to pick you up, I will. You shouldn't have to take a cab late in the night because he's too tired and refuses to be a decent human being."

I put the glass of water down and looked at Aarav. "I get it, Aarav. I know you're looking out for me, and I appreciate that. But don't make this a bigger deal than it is, okay? Vishesh has been busy, and he's not perfect. Neither am I."

Aarav ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "That's not the point, Di, and you know it."

I sighed, leaning back against the counter. "I don't need a lecture right now, Aarav. I'm tired, and honestly, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

He gave me a long, searching look before stepping back. "Fine. But if this keeps happening, don't expect me to stay quiet."

"Has Maa slept?" I asked in an attempt to change the topic of the conversation.

"Yes, a while back." He replied and I nodded before getting back to my room to freshen up.

I was hungry again, so I peeked out of my room to look at Aarav.

"Maggie khayega?" I asked while he was sitting and studying.

(TRANSLATION - Would you like to eat Maggi?)

"Aap banaogi?" He asked back, raising his head to look at me.

(TRANSLATION - Will you make it?)

"Onion, garlic, bell peppers aur mushrooms waali." I replied.

(TRANSLATION - With onions, garlic, bell peppers and mushroom.)

"Haan, maine kabhi maggie ke liye mana kiya hai?" He said, shrugging and looking back into his book.

(TRANSLATION - Have I ever said no to Maggi?)

I went into the kitchen, pulling out a packet of Maggi and the vegetables from the fridge.

I then chopped the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and mushrooms quickly, heating some oil in a pan. The smell of garlic sizzling filled the room, and I could hear Aarav flipping through his book from the other room.

As the Maggi boiled in the water with the veggies, I leaned against the counter, lost in my thoughts. Vishesh's distant behaviour replayed in my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if Aarav was right. Maybe I was brushing off things that I shouldn't. But then again, relationships aren't supposed to be perfect all the time. Right?

"Aadya!" Aarav's voice broke my chain of thoughts.

"Haan, Maggi ready hai," I replied, serving it in two bowls. I walked out of the kitchen, handing one to him as he cleared a space on the table for me to sit.

(TRANSLATION - Yes, it's ready.)

"Kal kaun sa exam hai?" I asked him, taking the first bite.

(TRANSLATION - Which exam do you have tomorrow?)

"Pharmacology." He replied.

"Aur phir internship kab se start ho rahi hai teri?" I fed him one spoon.

(TRANSLATION - And when does your internship start?)

"March se, mera stipend around 25000 raheja initially." He said, hungrily stuffing his mouth.

(TRANSLATION - From March, my initial stipend will be around twenty five thousand rupees.)

"Good, itni toh meri salary thi when I started working, doctor sahab." I laughed and he glared at me.

(TRANSLATION - Good, that was my salary when I started working, Dr. Sahab!)

"Di, aap please ek baar papa se....." he began again and I had to cut him off again.

(TRANSLATION - Di, please, talk to Papa once...)

"Aarav, let's not." I took another bite after stabbing the noodles on the plate louder than I intended.

"Fine, but you should know that he loves you and he loves us. In fact, he has been sending money to Maa every month ever since he left." He finished, looking at me.

"Have you ever needed to use that money? Have I ever made you or Maa compromise on both your needs? I mean I have no business or right telling you both to talk or not talk to him, but if I ever find out that his money has been used on me in any capacity which I'm unaware of, I may not be able to deal with that. I had pledged to not be dependent on him ever since I found out and I intend for it to stay that way. Do you understand Aarav?" I asked him.

Aarav stared at me for a moment, his eyes filled with frustration but also understanding.

"I get it, Di," he said softly, looking down at his bowl. "You've done everything for us, and I'm proud of you. I just wish... you'd let yourself rest a little, lean on someone."

I reached across the table and ruffled his hair gently. "I do lean on you and Maa. That's all I need."

He gave me a small, reluctant smile before focusing back on his food. We finished the rest of our Maggi in comfortable silence.

Hey guys! This is the next chapter. Please tell me your honest reviews. I will really appreciate it. I love you all. Until next time. Bye!!