From being arranged to love!!! #An Indian Love Story

68. Optimism

I woke up in some room. Looking around, I found no one with me, just the empty room illuminated by the rays falling in through the window. I had never been to this place.

Getting up from the bed, I realized that I was still dressed in yesterdays clothes. But I couldn't remember coming home, or sleeping. When were we here? I checked the time and saw that it was past 9 in the morning. But we were supposed to reach here by 3 in the early morning.

Walking up to the window, I looked out to see a police jeep parked outside the room, and two men sitting inside it. Getting out of the room, I opened the 2 doors I could find. One lead me to a balcony and another to a different room that looked like a baby's room with cradles and toys. I once again went to the balcony, and looked around the place to find myself in some sort of a colony.  

Rushing down a set of stairs near to the room I was in, I saw Amma and Papa sitting in the dining table, looking at nothing. Rithika who sat in the couch, a phone in her hand, had her eyes on me. All looked tensed.

"What is going on? Where are we?" I asked, slow and calm, catching my parents attention. Nobody spoke a word, and I found my patience slipping.

"Papa what is going on? Amma? Why is everyone sitting like this? Why are we here? Will someone tell me what is going on?" I almost yelled, but held myself.

"Where is Ram?" I asked, already feeling the dread choking me.

"He's gone..." It was Rithika who answered.

"Gone? What do you mean by gone?" I asked, feeling hysteric, a laugh threatening to escape my lips.

"He left as soon as you came. You were sleeping." She said in a stern tone. All these happened and I never know.

"Where did he say he was going?" I asked, again.

"To Gunaa." She replied with sigh.

"Oh.. You are awake.. I was kind of getting worried." Suddenly a woman came out of the kitchen, holding her the baby bump on her tummy. I recognized her as Shravanya, Cherry's friend. "But it's okay.. I always worry.. Especially since the hormones started to make a mess out of me. But I hope you had a good sleep. Ram told me you were deep sleeper. Wait, am I talking too much?" She looked guilty, as she looked at Rithika, who gave a slight nod.

  "Shravanya, why are we here? I don't understand anything." I said, finally falling into the single couch behind me.

"You are here because Cherry took you here last night. Or morning, whatever. He wanted to wake you up, but then feared that you might not let him go. So he just left. Kiran and Feroz is with him, your family came here this morning, and your friend Shikha and her mom is on their way, Naveen is picking them up. And Cherry's parents are on the way, too" She said, as she gave me a cup of coffee. Papa and Amma were still quiet, while Rithu came and sat beside me.

So he left, he just left. After everything that happened, he just went without saying a goodbye. My eyes stung with tears, and Rithu hugged me from my side, and I let her, leaning more towards her.

   "Dhruvika.. I know how it feels.. Trust me I know. He really wanted to wake you up. But he didn't want to go seeing you sad, you were just too peaceful. But he had asked me to call him after you wake. Whenever you are ready, Dhruvika, whenever you are." She said as she held her phone towards me, a number already dialled for me to call.

Looking at the phone, I sat still, not knowing what to do. He just went to Gunaa, and he didn't even tell me a bye. I watched in the corner of my eye as Amma got up and took the phone from Shravanya. Pressing the dial, she kept the phone to her eye, and spoke after a few minutes.