Chapter 7

[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]

Chapter -5

Sai and Virat's had easily slipped into a routine, ensuring that they set aside time for each other everyday. There was a gradual steady progression in their relationship, yet they ensured that they gave space to each other, understanding the demands of their respective choice of careers. Sometime the time was scarce, but that didn't stop them, and they tried to squeeze out time to spent quality moments in each other’s company. It wasn't an obligation, it was more a need for survival. The sense of comfort and completeness they craved pulled them to the other. Like it was their lifeline. Sai and Virat would frequently set out for short trips whenever their schedules matched, to compensate for the time they spent apart. Infact, it had become a common feature, that even Chavan family were aware off and had got used to this pattern of their arrangement. Though some were not particularly happy with the closeness that Sai and Virat had developed over this short period, but they had stopped raising an objection on every ocassion and ignored it most of the times. But there was one person who was finding it extremely difficult to deal with the changed dynamics of Sai and Virat's  relationship. Patralekha, used to spend sleepless nights thinking about them when they would be away on their trips. On other days she would stealthily walk upto Virat's room and  eavesdrop on his late night conversations with Sai. She had at times tried to walk into the room to interrupt their conversation or to try instigate him against Sai, but now Virat was very cautious and ensured that he locked the door always. That had thwarted her attempts to randomly barge into his room on any pretext at odd hours. On days when she had been bolder and knocked on the door, he had carefully put a stop to any form of conversation and asked her leave sternly without letting her enter the room. Patralekha had been highly disturbed by the aversion Virat had displayed towards her and the safe distance he maintained as if there was a wall between them that she couldn't break despite all her efforts. She had lost her appetite and sleep and she would walk around aimlessly in the house. She often used to mess up during the household chores and would be lost most of the time. Everyone had been noticing her changed demeanor, but they were ignoring it.  But in all this there was a deep sense of hatred and vengeance that was getting amplified every day in Patralekha. 

Virat and Sai were on one of their escapades. Virat had been tied up at work due to some high profile case, and Sai had been occupied with her exams. They had missed each other terribly during those days, but the anticipation of their impending vacation kept them going. Their timeout had been a bliss, traversing through the terrains, while exploring each other to different depths. Their intense physical encouters left them exhausted yet they felt rejuvenated at the end of their trip. It was as if they had been transported to a different world, where only the two of them existed. They were in a hypnotic trance that they were unwilling to relinquish.. yet!

During their stay, Sai had on several instances contemplated about discussing her fright and trepidation with Virat, that had engulfed her since last few weeks. But she was unsure of how to explain, because this was only a sense of intuition, and she had nothing concrete to prove her fear true. There were times when she had made up her mind, but in her hesitation she missed the moment and the course of conversation took a different route. Then there were those passionate love making followed by emotional heart to heart talks. Those were the breaking points where she was on the verge of spilling out the deep rooted fear, deep hidden secret! But she had lost on every one of those opportunities. Sometimes those intense outpour of love for each other escalated the fervid desire again and rest was lost to pleasure and oblivion.

This had continuously played at the back of her mind, but it was lack of trust on her own train of thoughts that given rise to those apprehensions. She had been living in this constant fear of being chased and followed by someone all the time. She could not point out to anything in particular, nor had she seen anyone that could raise her suspicion. But there was this eerie feeling that her every move was being watched.. like her sense was at guard all the time. Earlier she had thought Virat had been following her, but after they had got back together, she knew it wasn't him. That had  also cleared up her confusion, on how the same person could invoke contradicting emotions of safety and fear in her.
Soon their little break came to an end. The reluctance to return and go back to separate spaces was evident in their slow actions while packing and leaving. It was on their way back to Nagpur that Sai’s inkling raised her senses, and she felt that they were being followed. Though Virat had felt that Sai was lost in thoughts a few times, but he had discarded the notion accusing himself for too much procrastination. But that day he sensed her discomfort and panic, as she constantly checked the rear view mirror. When Sai mentioned that she thought someone was following their car, he slowed down the car while discreetly keeping a watch around while driving. He had been vigilant through out their journey, but didn't notice anything amiss. So he assumed that Sai was upset about going back and just the feeling of being separated again was causing these delusions. 

It was a day after they had returned and Sai was back to her hostel. Virat had been assigned a critical case, right after his return and hence, could come over to meet her that day. Since they had just returned a day ago after spending every single minute of the day and night together, she was missing Virat awfully. She didn't want to spend her time solus, and let her mind gallop into dark pastures. So she asked her friends to accompany her to a nearby cafe. They promptly agreed as she rarely spent time with them lately. It had been a while, and Sai was having a great time catching up with her friends after so long. She did feel a little guilty that she had turned down their invites, because she had to manage her hectic schedule to match with Virat to spend time with him. Aniket had cracked a joke and everyone has broken out into peels of laughter echoing across the cafe, when her pulse started to race and there was a sudden onset of Deja Vu. She felt someone's eyes on her back, but as she turned around, she found no one peculiar or suspicious. The restaurant was quite empty for this time of the day. She only noticed a lady who had occupied a table in another corner of the cafe. She was clad in a pair of denims and a white kurta and had a blue floral scarf wrapped around her neck gazing outside through the  window next to her table. Sai couldn't see her face as the lady had her back towards her. Then just behind the table occupied by Sai and her friends was group, probably college students hanging out together. She couldn't shake a strange sense of fear that had gripped her suddenly. But she couldn't place it. She didn't know what to attribute this fear to that was causing so much distress to her. Though she had wanted to discuss this with Virat, but she wasn't sure herself and didn't really know how to explain it to him. She felt that she was acting paranoid, and this was a figment of her imagination. However, today she decided that she would bring this up, when they would meet the next day. She would then leave it on him to decide what they should do, as she felt she was currently not in a state to think straight or act rationally. With that thought, she tried to calm her senses. She tried to shake off the anxiety, but couldn't. Her heightened sixth sense was warning her of an impending peril that she could vu et distance. 

Sai was impatient and restless the next day. She was looking forward to meet Virat in the evening and to reveal her constant encounter with an unknown fear. She had missed him too. A day apart was poignant, but not being able to even speak to him for over 24 hours had only magnified her distress. 

Sai was so excited to meet Virat, that she reached their usual place early. She was strolling along a lane that had huge trees on both sides while she reminisced their beautiful times together that was embarked on many corners of this area. This place was less frequented and thats what drove them to this place, christening it as their little paradise for their romantic dates.
Sai was abruptly pulled out from her daze by rustling of dry leaves. She was startled as someone called out her name. But it was that familiar voice that made her shiver. She  turned around nervously and as she came face to face to the human form of the shadow that had been looming over her since last few weeks, a chill ran down her spine. A shriek died down in her throat and her legs refused to move as she stared at that face in horror, hoping against hope in her heart that it was just a bad dream!

Chapter 6 - Will I lose you forever?

[MEMBERSONLY]