TRUTH OR DARE - Epilogue on Pg 112 [26th Aug '17] COMPLETED - Page 11

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CHAPTER 2

Khushi was waiting in anticipation for the call to be answered. Even after many rings, the call wasn't answered. Khushi was about to hang up when the rings stopped as the receiver of the phone was picked up. Khushi waited for the person, supposedly Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, to say something... a "hello" maybe. But there was silence. Khushi and the girls were confused. They could hear slightly the breath of the person on the other side. Khushi suddenly felt something different... a feeling of familiarity, some kind of attraction. The other girls were guessing about the person on the other end, but Khushi was lost into her own feelings... new feelings, which she had never been through before. Aditi nudged her and indicated her to say something over the phone. Khushi didn't know what to say, how to begin.

"Arnav?" she said softly.

"Why?" they heard from the other side.

Khushi missed a beat listening to the voice. Why was he affecting her so much? Who was he? The girls were confused at his question. Why?

"Why did you leave me?" he spoke. Khushi was stunned and so were the other girls. Did she know him? She was sure she didn't. Then what was he talking about? The girls exchanged glances asking each other what exactly was going on. Khushi just stared at her phone as the person spoke further. "How could you do this to me? I loved you so much! I still do! You know that very well, don't you?" His voice was low and his words unclear. Khushi and her friends could make out that he was drunk and was probably not in his senses.

"He is drunk it seems..." whispered Anjali, "Disconnect the call, Khushi!"

"Yes... Two minutes are over!" said Payal checking the time with a thumbs-up. Aditi giggled and agreed with the girls.

Khushi was about to disconnect the call, when he spoke again. "I feel so lonely at times... Miss you so much..." Khushi stared at the phone. She couldn't disconnect the call. Her heart was not allowing her to, though her mind told her that she should end the call. She switched off the speaker phone and held the phone to her ear. "Say something, damn it!!" he yelled suddenly. Khushi's eyes flickered but she continued to listen. "Say something..." he pleaded. Was he crying? Khushi felt bad for him. She didn't know why she was tending to a stranger, but wanted to help him. She wanted to make him feel better. She could feel he was very sad, deeply hurt probably. Maybe he had broken up with his girlfriend or going through a bad phase in his relationship. Or wife? Assuming he was a young man, by his voice and words, Khushi felt sympathy for him. His husky voice had captured Khushi's heart. "I know you are there..." he said. "Please don't go away..." His pleading voice was disturbing Khushi. "Please, be with me..." he said.

"I am right here..." replied Khushi without thinking much.

"Thanks..." came the reply.

Khushi could hear some mumbling but she couldn't understand what he was saying. He fell silent after a few moments, probably asleep. The call was on, Khushi could still hear his breath. Feeling him sleep soundly, a feeling of satisfaction gave Khushi some peace.

"What are you doing?" asked Aditi. "Are you still listening to that drunkard's crap?"

Khushi ended the call and just smiled.

"Come girls, let's continue the game!" said Anjali in excitement.

Khushi was still thinking about the phone call. "I think I should sleep now..." she said, "You girls continue..."

"What fun will we have without you?" said Payal, "Leave it, let's sleep... It's too late already"

The others too agreed.

*****

Khushi lay on her bed unable to sleep. Her mind was occupied with his thoughts. He? Who was he? Arnav? Or did someone else speak over the phone? Why was she so attracted to him? Was his voice the reason? Or his condition? Or something else? She brushed away those thoughts. "Stop thinking about him, Khushi! And go to sleep now! He has a girlfriend..." The thought of him having a girlfriend was not liked by her for some reason. "Or even worse, he might be married!" she thought. "Or maybe she has left him..." a small hope told her. "But why am I thinking about all this? Whoever he is, let his life be to him... Why should I care!" she thought as her eyes closed taking her into deep sleep.

*****

The continuous buzzing of her phone forced Khushi to answer the call. She just put the phone to her ear, still not completely awake. "Hello?"

"Hi... Arnav here!"

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