(If this is the first time you have come across this short story about love, we would recommend you start reading from PART 1 first at - http://goo.gl/lWmL7X. In case, you missed out on PART 7, you can find that at - http://goo.gl/bUZMzF. But if you have already read everything else, then please continue)
Those were the last words he spoke to her. On her flight back to Delhi, Preet kept a tough demeanour. She had asked him to never contact him, but every instance regretted it.
We could have been friends as long as he was in my life.
No. You did the right thing. Just breathe. Breathe, Preet, Breathe.
If I did the right thing, then why is it hurting so much?
Went her thoughts back and forth. For the next two days, she moved around lost in her own thoughts. Her breakdown came on the third day.
As she lay on the bed, she knew she was hurting. She picked up her mobile and looked at Karthik's WhatsApp profile picture. Her eyes started to tear up.
Pain. This pain just won't go away. And the only thing that I want to do right now is run into him and melt in his embrace. As if that is the only thing that will save me.
That whole night she cried. The next day was a rough one at work, but she soon realised that work helped her. So, she drowned herself in it, numbing any pain she felt. This continued till the day she was promoted six months after the Kerala trip.
Preet and her best friend were celebrating the promotion in a cafe when she had heard the song. The singer belled out Chundari Penne soulfully, the words that Karthik called her often.
She had re-lived all the moments of the Kerala trip. No longer in the flashback mode, she looked at the time. It was 5 am. Futile to go to work, she messaged her boss, informing her that she wasn't feeling too well. 10 minutes later she went off to sleep.
When she got up it was afternoon and she had 2 calls and a message. Usha and the best friend had wanted to talk. Her boss messaged to ask her to take care of herself. Still in a daze, Preet decided to go out to eat. The mall would be good therapy she thought.
After the late lunch, she walked into Globus. While picking an outfit, she realised a guy was staring at her. For a few seconds she avoided looking at him, but when she thought he was doing the same thing the second time, she stared back. She started laughing as she realised that the guy wasn't intentionally looking at her. Instead, it was his wife who had made him stand in attention as she took his support to measure the dresses she liked.
Poor guy! But then saw the couple actively discussing something after which the wife gave the husband a shoulder hug.
Preet smiled. She had hugged Karthik at the airport and for the few seconds, she thought he had sponged all her worries, doubts and she felt protected.
She kept the dress back in its place and realised that Chundari Penne was playing in the mall. Feeling that the song was following her, she found it difficult to breathe. She was having an anxiety attack.
(There is a reason why the song isn't leaving Preet. Can you guess the connection? To find out why, read Part 9 - http://goo.gl/l8Psbz)
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