Four is the new two

Chapter 36

Few hours later, all of them were having dinner in dining room, but no one was uttering a single word. Ridima kept looking at everyone. She knew the situation was serious but she couldn't help but wonder, what was in those diary entries? What was it that could not be shared with her? Could it be about some crime they committed? or some kind of stelath? What kind of secret could be so grave that Jay hadn't uttered a single word since few hours?

They finished the dinner quietly. Ridima couldn't help but ask.

"Alia.. sorry if this is a wrong time to ask but, what's the plan for tomorrow? Should we head back? Is he meeting us somewhere?" - Ridima

"It's okay Ridima. I haven't decided on the plan yet.. but yes, he knows we're somewhere near Delhi. So he's calling us in Delhi." - Alia

"Okay.." - Ridima said and she hugged Alia, "I know I can't help much, but I can only do this. Everything is going to be okay."

Alia teared up. She kissed Ridima on cheek.

"Thank you honey." - Alia

Ridima looked at Jay. He still wasn't talking. Ridima went back to their room.

"Guys.. one smoke?" - Alia asked. Jay & Sejal nodded.

"Let's take a walk." - Alia

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Alia, Sejal & Jay were sitting next to river again. The sound of the river was same as last night.. playful.. but there was no bonfire. Everything was pitch dark now.

"Jay, you do realise you're gonna have to talk to her at some point, right?" - Alia

Jay nodded.

"What do I say Alia? We had never thought of this day becoming a reality. Our situation becoming public. Our situation hurting someone.." - Jay

"It was an accident Jay.. happens with many people. She might get hurt but it's not your fault alone.." - Sejal

"Isn't it? Maybe we are taking our liberty too far. This liberty, our thoughts.. this is what made her like us. This is why she trusted us. This is why she... likes me." - Jay

"Jay, everything comes with a price tag. Everything has a downside. At every turn you are gonna face two choices.. and at the end of both of those, you're gonna face two more. That's life. You can't run away from those. What matters is, what do you choose. World is already fucked up Jay. The world that follows all the rules, is not an exception for accidents. Even a person making all the prescribed right choices ends up with a bad outcome sometimes. What matters is, what you do with your chosen route. What you do next." - Alia

"What am I gonna do next Alia?" - Jay

Alia shrugged.

"There's no game or plan here. It's going to be simple and straight. We have to tell her. She might find out any moment. Our parents complained for years that the future generations don't mingle much. We don't even know what's happening in our extended families.. Who their children are, what their names are. Despite of families becoming smaller and nuclear, we find it harder to keep track. This is a harsh reality, and I think she will accept it as inevitably as we have to. We will have to mutually bury this secret, and move on.

As for the other secret that might come to light, it was going to happen some day. We would be fools to think it would remain a secret forever. So while we are still going to try to keep it a secret, mentally, I'm prepared for anything. One thing that never changed and never will is, I love you both and care for you both." - Alia

Jay didn't say anything. There was silence in the air again.

"Can we just go back and sleep and hopefully wake up realising this was a dream?" - Sejal said standing up.

"I don't mind trying." - Alia

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Jay returned to his room. Ridima was sleeping on one side. He sat down on other side, only to realise she was awake. She turned to face him.

"Lie down.. you will feel better." - Ridima

He just nodded and lied down, facing the other side. He felt her hand going around his chest and she whispered,

"Can I make you feel better?"

"Ridima I can't have sex right now. Please." - He said weakly.

"I wasn't talking about - never mind."

Ridima turned to the other side. She knew something was off. There was something more than she didn't know about. Something that changed Jay's behavior suddenly. She was having hard time processing this distance from them. Even though it was their personal problem, Ridima could sense that it had something to do with her.

After half hour of overthinking, Ridima got up and came outside.

She opened instagram on her phone, and looked up Shyam's profile. He was apparently a member of ruling party. No wonder he was giving all these threats without fear.. and specially after Alia's response going viral, his ego was certainly hurt.. and this was the way he was planning to take revenge.

She dialed a number on her phone -

"Hey. I need your help."

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