Before I Fall Again... On hiatus indefinitely. - Page 24

Hey D!

like few commented, I m confused...I hope the Kerala trip may clear something if not more... Awesome update

Originally posted by: ninand

thank you:) We are fine.. but no, no power, and its unlikely to get back online for another 5-7days.. the storm literally ripped the transmission poles off the ground, and broke the lines.. just drove to detroit to spend the week at my aunt's..

Hey awesome updates, I really love the way you introduce your chapters I can totally imagine everything :) And the whole part as well. The way their story is proceeding is very nice and I am really liking it, Nikki should at least accept she still has feelings for him. Looking forward to the honey-moon. Found it really sweet that Abhi was willing to take her to her parents :) Amazing update :D Keep up the great work and do continue soon thank you for the pm :)

Dear Devi,

Chapter 25: Lost Cause

We were up before the sun rose and was at the train station and on the train by 5:00, the train being on time for once. Johnny found our cabin and I followed him while Abhi was behind me with my suitcase and his duffel bag. Our cabin was empty save the three of us, at least for now, and Johnny settled in next to one window and Abhi gestured to me to the other one before sitting next to me. Johnny initiated some light chit-chat before we all succumbed to sleep. I nodded on and off until noon and when I woke, I saw that our cabin was at full capacity. We stopped shortly after noon and Abhi and Johnny went to get food for us. We talked for a bit in the midst of eating and I tried to contribute at least something so that Johnny wouldn't suspect that something was amiss. Under other circumstances, I would have enjoyed Johnny's company, but for now all I could think of was the dread I felt when he would leave us tomorrow afternoon. I pretended to sleep through most of the afternoon except when I had to use the restroom and by the night, the cabin was once again empty save for the three of us.

Abhi helped me up to the top bunk once the sun set and I lay down with my eyes closed, knowing already that sleep would elude me for a long while this night.

About an hour afterwards, I assume once they thought I had fallen asleep, I heard Johnny's voice. It was a murmured whisper, but I could tell that it was in Tamil from the intonation. I don't know why I listened except that I had taken a liking to how the language sounded... there was something almost familiar about it... as if I should understand it inherently, but I couldn't. After a while, likely emboldened by the absence of any indication that I was anything but asleep, their conversation grew out of their murmurs into their regular voice.

I tried to listen and heard Johnny say, ""Vunakku avala munadiyila irunthu theriyum illa?" ("You know this girl from before.")

It drew my attention even more when I heard silence from Abhi's end. I wanted to open my eyes and look at him to know if I could understand from his expression what Johnny had said, but I had the feeling that his eyes were on me now and thus I kept them closed.

Eventually, I did hear him answer, albeit in a quiet voice that had me straining my ear to hear.

"Nee enna persaranae ennaku theriyala" ("I don't know what you mean.")

I heard Johnny speak again and I could tell by now from their tone that they were no longer just chit-chatting.

"Nee poi solra... Idhuku appram, nee vera yedhu kellam poi solirka mudiyum nu yosika vekarai" ("You are lying now. It makes me wonder what you have lied about before.")

This time, there was no lag in his answer as Abhi said, "Naan yedhukum poi sollala." ("I haven't lied.")

"Appadina nee enkitta vunmayayum sollala…" ("Then maybe you have just kept the truth from me.") Johnny said.

Abhi offered nothing in response to this and I didn't know whether he was ignoring a question or whether it was just a lull in conversation.

It was Johnny who spoke next. ""Naa Lalitha va konja vaarathuku munadi paarthen" ("I saw Lalitha a few weeks ago.")

Lalitha!

The sudden excruciating pain in my chest was surprising. I hadn't thought of her in... since my return from Manipal, I assumed, although I couldn't be sure now. I lay still as I listened more carefully, seeing if they would slip up into Hindi or English to give me any more clues.

I heard Abhi shush Johnny suddenly and I imagined that he must be looking up at me to make sure that I was asleep indeed.

"Ah! Aana vunnaku avala Manipal time'la irunthu theriyave theriyadhu illa?" ("Ah! So you do know her from your time at Manipal")

Johnny said now and for once I wished they spoke in a language I understood.

Again, Abhi said nothing.

"Naanum avalum enna pesinomnu vunnaku keka thonaliya?" ("Don't you want to know what she and I talked about?") I could hear the question in Johnny's tone.

"Illa." ("No.") Abhi answered and for some reason I knew that he had answered 'no' even though I couldn't understand the question.

"Illaya? Yen appadi?" (" Ah, and why is that?") Johnny asked.

"Therinjikanom nu thonala" ("I am not interested.") I heard Abhi's reply, somewhat dismissive in tone.

"Aanalum naa soluven. Ava swarasyama etho sonna. Aana adhukapparam ava vunoda med school galattava pathi sonna ella vishayathayum sandekika vechidhu. Vunna adayarathuku iruntha last chance'ayum ava ezhandhutanu sonna. Eva etha senjalum velaiku agalanu sonna. Vun manasula eppovumae or tholanji pona vishayam thaan irundhuthu nu sonna. Adhu enna nu kataen, aana ava suthi vazhichi ennaku badile solla. Ennaku enna thonichi nu theriyuma? Ava vunna avalukkae venum ni nenachi irundha, vunna pathi indha porali ellam kelapi vidrathula oru arthamae illannu… Nee PG aarambikararthuku munnadi, nejamavae ponnunga pinnadi suthuravan aana, apporam eppadi naan vunna antha mathiri parthathe illa?"

("But I will tell you anyways. She said something interesting, just in passing, you know. It made me curious about everything she has ever told me about your wild lifestyle from your med school years. She said that she had lost her last chance to get you. That whatever she tried, nothing has really worked. That you had always been hung up on a lost cause. I asked her what she meant, but she evaded the question and moved on. And you know what struck me, these stories that she used to tell me about you, they make no sense if she wanted you for herself. If you were such a womanizer before starting PG, then how come I never saw any evidence of it in all the time I have known you?")

"Idha pathi ennaku pesa istam illa, Johnny." ("I have no wish to speak about this, Johnny")

"Appadi ennatha Lalitha pidichi vechi irruka? Avala unnaku pudikathu, aanalum etho oru karanathaala ava Bombay vanthapo ellam avala thangikitta…" ("What is Lalitha's hold on you? You clearly don't like the girl even though you put up with her for some reason whenever she comes to visit from Bombay.")

"I told you, I don't want to speak of this anymore." This time his reply was in English and the vehemence in his voice startled me.

My eyes opened accidentally and I saw him look up at the top bunk in just that moment. His eyes caught mine and in that split second of a moment, I couldn't look away from him. My heart was beating fast and I could feel my hand fist into the edge of my sari as his gaze sharpened until it felt like there was a taut string between us that was being stretched to its limit. When I couldn't bear it anymore, I lowered my eyes and turned away from him.

For a while no one said anything.

Sleep finally took mercy on me in that cabin way past midnight and just as my eyes started becoming heavy, I heard Johnny say something quietly and this time, I couldn't make out the words.

I noticed that there was no rejoinder from Abhi just before sleep claimed me fully.

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Woot woot...d english lines are so helpful. I wonder if A feels like he didn't deserve N if he was indeed a womanizer? So need to re-read n re- comment.shall do dat tomo.

Usha, great! You're here! Now they won't throw tomatoes at me!! 😉

Wow I so feel like nikki...damn. Translations please.

res

Have just read this whole FF...and I love it...Nirmala is such a wonderful character...so normal and girl next door type...and Abhi, well I think there is more to him then meets the eye, and so am left waiting before I make a judgement on him.