Follow me on Instagram for story-related updates, some creative content and to rant your heart out - handle is- suganthii.writes
Spotify- suganthii.writes
Scrollstck- Suganthi Lakshminarayanan
A/N: Vote, comment and share this story with your friends to support.
Video Attached: Mashup of 'Love Me Like You Do' and 'Tere Bin Nahi Lagta Dil Mera' by Sukriti Kakar & Prakriti Kakar. An awesome mash-up for an awesome chapter ;)
Samiksha watched her best friend Xavier fussing in front of the mirror, unbuttoning his tux for what seemed like the twenty-sixth time. His hand ran nervously over his freshly shaved jaw as he adjusted his collar, casting a skeptical glance at his reflection. "Iksha, do I look better now? I mean...this way it feels more comfortable," he muttered, striking a dramatic pose like a model from a Raymond Suiting ad. "You know...like...not so suffocated by clothes." His voice carried a mix of impatience and doubt.
Alisha Mukherjee, the third member of their trio, rolled her eyes as she slurped her extra-thick milkshake. "You look like a condemned man about to face the gallows," she quipped, chuckling at Xavier's jittery state. "Relax, Xav. That girl isn't going to kill you if you don't look like a Bollywood hunk."
Alisha continued, imitating Xavier's deep voice with a teasing grin, "She loves me more than anythingâyour exact words, right?" Samiksha couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles at the spot-on impersonation.
Samiksha didn't quite get what had Xavier so worked up. This was the same guy who, even after being publicly scolded in front of the entire school assembly for misbehavior, had laughed it off like it was a comedy show. But today, he was acting like a teenage boy on his first date with his long-time crush.
Oh, forget the date comparison! Even after his first kiss with a classmate, he'd only complained about how bad she smelled and how a whole bottle of mouth freshener would've been a better choice before kissing him.
Alisha took another long sip of her milkshake, then eyed it suspiciously. "By the way, this doesn't taste like Chocó-Coffee at all. Are you sure that's what I ordered?" She shook the plastic cup lazily, casting a side-eye at Xavier.
Xavier, already on edge, grabbed a nearby pillow and launched it at Alisha, hitting her squarely in the face. "Shut up, Ali!" he yelled, his frustration boiling over. "I swear, if you say one more word about Subhadra, I'll borrow her brother's gun and shoot you myself," he growled, throwing a pointed glare at Samiksha, who merely shrugged.
"Keep your bickering to yourselves. Remember, I'm the junior here," Samiksha mumbled, trying to stay out of their spat.
"Iksha, stop shitting now!" Alisha scoffed, getting up from her comfy red bean bag. She dropped down beside Samiksha with a mischievous grin. "Junior, my foot! In that case, we ought to rag you, don't we, Xav? Now, tell me about that Bronze Man of yours... you know, your secret crush."
The mention of her crush caught Samiksha completely off guard. She jerked her head up, her breath hitching as memories of him flooded her mind. It was as if the very name of her secret love had a power over her she couldn't shake.
Five years ago, she'd let slip a tiny detail about him while excitedly sharing the news of her exam success with her friends. She was almost certain her name would appear among the top seventy on the list. But in her eagerness, she'd blurted out a little too much about the handsome stranger who'd been stuck in her mind ever since.
Now, her palms were clammy, and she clenched her fists, struggling to keep her breathing steady. The hallucinations of him that haunted her every day were back, making it difficult to think clearly. She still remembered every detailâhis chiseled physique, the thick waves of his dark hair, those impossibly deep eyes, and the single dimple that appeared when he smiled. She even recalled the tiny cut on his bushy brow and the clean-shaven face that seemed to radiate disdain whenever their noisy neighbors resumed their make-out sessions.
Yes, she had noticed all of that.
At first, she had doubted him, thinking he was like every other man in the train coach who seemed to enjoy the PDA around themâexcept her father, who had dozed off every few minutes. But when he had abruptly left the compartment to avoid the couple, she began to see him in a different light.
To say she liked him would be an understatement. Her feelings for him had grown into an obsession, so intense that she'd saved that sketch of his eyes and tucked it away in her notebook, where she would lovingly trace the lines as if it were his actual eyes.
Over time, her daydreams about him had only deepened.
She would imagine how it would feel to gaze into those captivating eyes again, to hear his soft voice like a gentle lullaby each night, or to run her fingers over the hairs of that distinct brow. She fantasized about being wrapped in his strong, protective bronze arms, feeling secure and cherished.
Krishnaâhis name was etched into her heart like an elixir of life. There had been a time when she had scoffed at the idea of love and marriage, but after their brief yet magical encounter, all she wanted was to find him and pour out her feelings.
After getting into AIIMS, she tried to visit Delhi University every weekendânot to explore their courses, but to catch a glimpse of him, to see if he remembered her. But medical school life made it nearly impossible. Surrounded by white-coated students, dissecting cadavers, and overwhelmed with the constant smell of formalin and the sight of countless medical instruments, she was often too exhausted to make the trip.
And to make matters worse, both campuses were sprawling and labyrinthine, unlike the conveniently small settings in Bollywood films where lovers frequently bump into each other. Those films were ridiculously corny, she thought. So she kept Krishna and his image safe within her dreamsâa magical, untainted secret, her Prince Charming, her first and only love.
"Are you okay, Iksha?" Xavier's concerned voice pulled her back to reality. He kneeled beside her, holding her face in his hands. "Why aren't you breathing, doll?" he asked, worry etched across his features as Alisha rubbed her back soothingly.
Samiksha blinked at her friends, her mind still swirling with memories that played like a broken record. Gathering herself, she abruptly stood up, heading for the door. "I... I just need some air. I'll be outside," she muttered, quickly exiting the room.
She heard her friends exchanging hushed remarks behind her, but she ignored them.
Stepping outside, she let the fresh air wash over her, leaning against the gate of Xavier's house. She stared ahead, taking in the view of the yellow houses and lush greenery of the Ajni Railway Colonyâa place that held so many memories of her school vacations, spent with her sweet Aajoba and, of course, with Xavier by her side.
She took a deep, shaky breath, her hands gripping the cool metal bars of the gate. "What are you doing to me?" she whispered into the air, tears stinging her eyes. "Why, Krishna... why are you haunting me like this?"
For a moment, she imagined his ghost would appear, offering her the answers she craved, his fingers tenderly brushing through her hair as he smiled down at her. But those were just fantasies, and the silence that followed only amplified her loneliness.
Some questions were meant to remain unanswered, she told herself, because their answers could either bring joy or shatter her completely. She knew she couldn't chase after those answers forever without risking her heart.
Still, she waited, clinging to the hope that someday everything would make senseâif she were lucky enough for that to happen.
But deep down, she was doubtful of luck. How could she erase her memories now...?