Chapter 6 - I Quit

 An end everyone saw coming 

He didn’t resist when the cops dragged him out the room, his hands shackled in handcuffs. He didn’t protest when they pushed him into a police van. He didn’t utter a word in response to Vashma’s incessant words of reassurance as she promised to get him out of this mess. Everything seemed like a messy blur to him.

Uday was too numb to react. He didn’t want to face the truth.

He tried shifting his focus to the mundane view through the windows of the police van, but all he could see was a desolate Vashma Baig calling out his name at the top of her lungs as she slowly diminished into oblivion. When he diverted his attention to the handcuffs around his wrists, his vision zeroed onto the silver kada on his arm, reminding him of the matching band he gave her as a birthday gift. The memory made him choke on his breath. He decided to look ahead again, past the bored faces of the police constables into nothing in particular but all Uday could see was her tear-stricken face the moment she confessed her deepest secret to him.

How had he been so oblivious?

“I gave up because my first chance at love was too damn painful.”

How had he failed to see the change in her feelings for him? How could he have broken her heart so badly? A trembling chill ran down his spine as he shuddered, the reality of her confession weighing down on him. He was the person she had fallen in love with. He was the person that indirectly tormented her beyond repair. He was the person who did not deserve her love, who wasn’t worthy of someone as beautiful and kind-hearted as Vashma Baig.

“I hate that I’ll never be her.”

At first he thought it was just a playful bout of jealousy. He thought it would be something they would laugh over years later. Uday had always had a slight inkling that Vashma hadn’t liked Trisha. But he never realized her jealousy had been so intense that it had put her own confidence in jeopardy. No matter how much Vashma chided him on his face about Trisha’s lifestyle preferences, inwardly she always thought she had been lacking. 

“What I mean is, I chose this makeover because I wanted to look desirable.”

If Uday could, he’d instantly refute her insecurities, and would tell her how she didn’t need to be someone else. She was unique in her own personality, she had the ability to draw attention like moths to a flame. He still remembered their first encounter; an incident that had left him floored.

If she hadn’t snuck up to him so soon and hadn’t become so special to him, he would’ve immediately used his charm to ask her out.

“Before she could tell him about her feelings, she found out that he doesn’t feel that way. He’s never seen her more than a friend.”

She was so much more than a friend to him! She was the person who brightened his days at work, who was her companion outside of work too. She shared her dreams with him, she understood him better than himself. She was the one person she felt connected to; on a level deeper than what could be described in words. He had been lost until the day he met her. And now that she had found him, he couldn’t bear the loss of her. 

Oye, Vashma is like a sister to me! No way can we ever be dating?!” 

He cursed these words now; the words that had driven him and Vashma to the point of separation. He had never meant to say it to her; it was a poor reflex on his part on getting out of a situation he feared. Dating would mean having Vashma as a girlfriend. And having her as a girlfriend would mean dumping her within a few weeks. It was Uday’s motto. He didn’t stick around for serious relationships; only cared for casual flings. And he couldn’t bear the idea of not having Vashma by his side once their relationship would end. It would inevitably affect their friendship and he wasn’t ready for that.

He wasn’t ready now either. But it seemed like she had already made the decision for him.

----------

Uday had his hands tented to his forehead in front of him, his elbows resting against his knees, when he heard her rushed footsteps. He looked up beyond the barriers of the prison cell to see Vashma Baig panting with relief and regret. Her hair had broken free from her single braid, the creases of her faded pink shirt looked a lot more prominent. She looked as devastated as he felt.

Vashma instantly clutched the steel bars and uttered, “Uday.”

His heart leaped into his hand and he felt on the verge of tears. It had been so long. So long since he heard his name from his lips. His eyes met hers and glistened immediately. His name held so many emotions when they left her lips - grief at seeing his current state, regret at hiding her biggest secret from the man who had the right to know the most, longingness at reconciling with him; even if it meant with their differences in between them. Her eyes pooled with similar tears as she bit her lower lip and slightly tilted her head to one side, wordlessly wondering how they had ended up here. 

She lightly sniffed before shaking her head. “I’ll get you out of here, Uday. Don’t worry. All of this will be over before you’ll even realize.”

Her last sentence drew his attention. Of course she meant it within the current context, yet all his mind reverted to were the feelings she had hidden from him for God knows how long. How many times had she planned on doing the same thing to him?

“I’ve contacted a lawyer, he’s on his way. He’ll free you of your charges, Uday. Don’t worry, I’m here with you. I--”

“How long?” He interrupted her incessant rant and clutched the edge of the single bench located against one wall of the cell. He didn’t need her sympathy. He didn’t want her consolation. He was ready to demand for answers.

Her lips quivered as she stood startled.

“How long have you known…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

She hysterically chuckled before completing, “That I had feelings for you?”

He tore his gaze from hers, but nodded nevertheless.

“You really want to talk about this right now?” She asked.

“You’ve got a better time?”

She sighed deeply, trying to come up with an answer to his question. To her surprise, she couldn’t recollect when exactly she had fallen for him.

“I don’t know.” She breathed. 

He frowned. “You don’t know?” Uday repeated, more of a retort.

She grew annoyed, “Yes Uday, I don’t know. It’s not like I woke up one day and found out I was in love with you!”

Hearing those words made him swallow a lump in his throat. “I thought that’s how it usually happens.”

She mirthlessly chuckled, “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you. It was a gradual progression of feelings for me. I hadn’t realized it until…” She trailed off.

“Until?” He pressed.

She gulped, meeting his eye again. “Until that night when you got drunk after your encounter with your father.”

His heart raced and he leaped up from the bench to hold the very bars of the prison cell she had clung onto. Her step may have faltered from the sudden jolt, but her eyes refused to waver from his own.

“That was nearly three months ago.”

“Two months and twenty-four days.” She corrected, making his gaze soften. 

How had she suppressed her emotions for so long? Why had she endured so much pain while he continued living his life like an oblivious fool.

“Why?” He shivered in his tone, trying to hold back tears that threatened to fall. He felt so helpless and torn.

She barely murmured a response, “I thought it’d be worth it.”

He felt his heart crumble into pieces at seeing her dejected expression. She looked so broken and he didn’t know how he could fix this. He still wanted to fix this.

If only she’d allow him to.

“But I realized it wasn’t.”

“Vashma, what I said at the bonfire was--”

“Even if it wasn’t true, Uday. You’ve still moved on. You’re happy with Trisha. I don’t want to bind you to me out of guilt. I can’t force you to feel what I once did for you.”

Uday stuttered in his breath, “Once did?”

She cleared her throat, and raised her head to face him, “You heard me. I don’t want to feel for you anymore.” She clenched her jaw and her hands balled into fists. 

He clung onto her words, “You don’t want to. But you still do?” 

“No I don’t.” She immediately denied. “Most of it is gone anyways.”

“But some of it is still there?” He repeated with hope in his tone. 

“What difference does it make, Uday?”

She was right. What difference did it make anyway? It wasn’t like she was going to give him a second chance.

“You’re right.” He bitterly nodded.

“I’ll complete the formalities.” She sternly informed him, turning away.

He didn’t even have the courage to thank her anymore. She didn’t wait for him either.

Instead, Vashma walked up to the sub-inspector Ahluwalia’s desk.

“Sir, I want to know of the charges imposed on Mr. Uday Sahani.”

He looked up from his files disinterestedly, looked her up and down and scoffed, “And what will you do?”

“Listen Inspector, I do not have time for your nonsense right now. Don’t make me ask you again.” She glared at him. 

He straightened his uniform and opened a red colored file. “An FIR has been documented by Mr. Rajat Verma against Mr. Uday Sahani under Section 323 of the IPC.” 

When she frowned in confusion, the inspector explained in simpler terms. “Mr. Rajat has accused Uday Sahani of voluntarily causing injuries. He had proof.”

“He did it for me, Inspector!” Vashma immediately defended. 

“This isn’t some Bollywood film where you expect the hero to get lauded for his action skills!” He slammed the desk.

She wanted to lash out at him for raising his voice. She wanted to scream at him for his insolence. Vashma forced herself to calm down. Anger would get her nowhere, but patience would. 

And so she took a deep breath and hunched her shoulders as she perched over his desk.

“In that case, I would like you to write an FIR for me as well. Against Mr. Rajat Verma. And trust me, I’ve got proof as well.”

----------

Uday looked up at the sound of the prison cell unlatching and frowned. It had been just about two hours, and he was being let go already?

A constable made his way inside the jail, “You can come out now.”

“What?”

“You’ve been granted bail, Uday Sahani.” He informed, leaving Uday in shock.

This had to be Vashma’s doing. She looked so determined when she came to visit him two hours ago. He recalled something about her already contacting a lawyer as well. Of course this had to be her. His heart had surged with overwhelming gratitude as he searched for words to thank the woman when he looked up and his breath hitched.

There stood a woman. But not the woman he had hoped to see.

Her hair had been styled into wavy curls, all pushed to one side. She slung a Louis Vuitton handbag across one arm and dressed in a cute purple dress as if she was about to run the ramp walk. Or was it lavender? He shook his head, freeing him of these thoughts as he made his way up to her.

“Trisha.” He acknowledged.

“Aren’t you happy to see me again?” She smirked, taking him in a tight hug.

He had been attacked by the oversweet floral perfume she had worn, or probably had showered with. Suppressing a cough, he agreed. “Elated. How’d you know I was here?”

“My uncle is an Inspector-General here. When I couldn’t figure out where you had disappeared, I contacted him. And look where I found my boyfriend?” She trailed off with a rhetorical question, her hands lingering at the nape of his neck.

He humorlessly chuckled. 

“How the hell did you get involved in a fight?” Trisha asked. 

Uday leveled his gaze with hers. With her four-inch heels, she was just about his height.

“I was fighting a lost cause. Turns out, it wasn’t even worth it.” He muttered bitterly.

She looked a lot more perplexed than before, “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. It’s not something I want to waste my time on anymore.” 

Taking her hands in his, Uday began, “Thank you for saving me from this mess.”

“That’s okay.” She smiled.

“No it isn’t.” He instantly denied. “You’ve been such a good girlfriend and I haven’t been able to give you much of my time.”

“You’ve been busy.” Trisha reminded him.

“Not anymore.” Uday resolved with determination. “I’ve always been and will always be honest with you, Trisha.”

“I want us to take the next step in our relationship.”

Trisha’s eyes widened in happiness as she stammered, “Are you sure, Uday?”

Vashma’s face blurred before his vision and he became more tenacious in his decision. It was the pain that she had given him that fueled his resolve even further. She wanted him out of his life. He’d show her what it looked like. If she could move on, so could he. 

His lips curved into a smile as his eyes hovered over his girlfriend’s. Taking her into his arms, Uday spoke. 

“I’ve never been more sure, babe.”

----------

Vashma barged into the police station, determined to free Uday this time. 

She had all the necessary documents for bail, even had a decent lawyer by the name Prashant Rathi prepared should things not fall into place. She crossed a narrow passage that led to a large hall with desks on both sides. Rounding up to sub-Inspector Ahluwalia’s desk, she began.

“I’ve brought all the papers required for Mr. Uday Sahani’s bail.”

“I’m afraid you won’t need them anymore.” He casually shrugged, turning back to his files.

“What do you mean? You can’t just lock him up, Inspector. This is a bailable offence and I have--”

“Exactly, Miss.” He looked up from his files again with annoyance.

“Uday Sahani has been granted bail already.”

Her heart stopped beating for a moment as she allowed herself to process that bit of information. Along with happiness and relief, something else radiated through her. A question constantly bombarded her. Who freed Uday? She had been in touch with Amrit and Randheer and had they had any role in Uday’s bail, they would have informed her.

“How long ago?” She asked.

He huffed once again before calculating an estimate. “Around an hour.”

It had been an hour to his bail and he didn’t even bother telling her? Had their friendship severed to such an extent that he didn’t consider disclosing such a huge piece of information to her important enough? She felt like a fool. She felt stupid for running around the city, trying to find a lawyer and every necessary document only to find that he had left. Who had helped him?

The sub-inspector seemed to have heard her question. “Some Trisha Mehra had come to free him.”

Of course. Trisha. His girlfriend. Of course she’d be here to save him. Vashma blinked repeatedly, trying to not make a complete mockery of herself as she silently thanked the lawyer. Pushing strands of her hair behind her ear, she gathered her purse and turned on her heel, ready to walk away from a place where she had only faced embarrassment.

She had absentmindedly started walking down the passage again, too engulfed with her thoughts to notice a certain someone’s presence.

“You know, it’s a pity.” His taunt resonated in her ears and she looked to her right.

Rajat sat on one of the benches, his wrists handcuffed.

“You’ll still do anything for him. And he still won’t care. You’ll always come in second for him, Vashma. He’ll never see you that way.” He had scornfully mocked her with her greatest fears. 

She blinked back her tears and gritted through her teeth, letting her anger for the man in front of her overpower every other emotion. “You’re right. It is a pity.”

He wickedly began to smirk when Vashma continued. “But not as much of a pity as seeing you rot in jail, Rajat.”

She had reported him under Section 354 of the IPC for outraging a woman’s modesty. After the way he had molested her at work, he deserved this. The incident still burned fresh in her mind and suffocated her, but she made sure Rajat paid his dues. Even if she somehow managed to get over this traumatic experience, she ensured he wouldn’t.

“Go to hell!” He seethed with venom.

It was her time to curve her lips into a wicked smirk. “You already are in one.”

With that, Vashma walked off, with her head held high. For the first time in a long while she felt a sense of victory jolt through her. But that couldn’t stop the pang of anger and resentment that flooded through her. She needed some answers. And she wouldn’t stop without them.

----------

Vashma walked the three steps up his porch to his front door and incessantly knocked. If he thought she’d let go of him without a proper confrontation, Uday was surely underestimating her. When the door did not open, she knocked again, louder this time. She could hear muffled voices from the other side, but had never predicted who the door would reveal.

Okay, maybe she did.

Trisha stood at the threshold, barefoot and giggling. One strap of her lavender dress slipped past her shoulder, her lipstick looked a little smeared and her hair had tangled itself into a mess. A wonderful mess. A mess that looked more of an artwork by…

“Vashma.” She acknowledged, breaking her chain of thoughts.

“Trisha.” She managed with equal excitement. “Didn’t expect you here.”

She giggled a little at a joke Vashma knew she hadn’t made. “Well you wouldn’t, ‘cause we just made this decision a few hours ago. Uday and I--”

“Are moving in together.” His voice echoed from the background before he came into vision. 

His shirt was completely unbuttoned, revealing his toned body. His hair was disheveled, much like hers, and she could faintly see the marks of her lipstick on the column of her neck.

It was when she had looked away in embarrassment that the words settled deep within her. The second she processed their meaning, she looked up in shock, “What?”

The realization of his statement finally dawned upon her and Vashma faltered in her step.

“Did you trip over something?” Trisha asked as soon as Vashma regained her balance. 

Her eyes shifted from Trisha’s pair of concerned ones to Uday’s deflected orbs.

“Just a little betrayal. Nothing I didn't see coming.” She spat out, garnering his attention.

His muscles grew taut and she clenched her hands together. He was angry. Good, ‘cause she was as well. The rage brewing within her was as intense as his, if not more. He needed to know that.

Trisha remained oblivious to the meaning behind her words and chirpily said, “Would you like to come inside? Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m the one offering hospitality here.” 

She brimmed with joy, still too surprised at Uday’s recent change of heart.

Vashma politely shook her head, locking her eyes with Uday’s. “No, that's okay. I don’t think I’m welcomed here anymore.”

She didn’t want to step into a home that was now Trisha’s as well. She did not want to believe this is how he had reacted to her truth. She did not want to accept this reality. But she did need to clarify a few things. 

Vashma cleared her throat and demanded, “Uday, a word.”

He refused to back down either, and lightly crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, come inside.”

She gritted through her teeth, hoping to calm her fury filled nerves. “I’d much prefer the air.”

“It’s quite humid outside.” He noted.

“I’d find it harder to breathe inside.” She chided, hoping he’d finally cooperate. 

She was too drained; both mentally and physically, to be arguing with him right now.

He seemed to have seen through her, for he whispered something in Trisha’s ear and came out to the small patch of garden outside his home, closing the main door behind him.

Vashma paced around in front of him, trying to gather her thoughts. Perhaps bluntness would be the best way to go.

“You knew how worried I was for you. You knew I had been running like a maniac, trying to get you bailed, Uday. And yet, you couldn’t be bothered to tell me once you had been let out?!”

Uday couldn’t bear to see the torment he had caused her. She looked so devastated, so lost. Her hair was barely strung by a maroon hair tie, the ends of her dangling earrings getting caught up with her tangled strands. The kohl on the rim of her eyes had plagued the corners of her eyes; orbs that had reddened with tears. Her shirt was in crumples, her denim jeans marked with stains. Her hands were shivering and not because of the weather. He couldn’t recollect when she had eaten her last meal.

He hated what he had done to her. But he hated what she had done to him more.

And so he forced himself to act indifferent, “I’ve been busy.”

She stared at him incredulously. “So I can see.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I didn’t expect this from you, Uday.”

She hadn’t expected his outburst either. “Well, I’m tired of meeting up to everyone’s expectations. So for once, I wanted to do things as per my will.”

She couldn’t believe him. “So, you’re just going to cut me out of your life like that? This is what you’re choosing?”

“When have I ever made a choice, Vashma?! You have robbed me of ever making a choice!” Uday vented out, spewing fire along.

“You fell in love with me. You decided to keep it to yourself. You decided to distance yourself from me. You decided to suddenly move on. You decided to continue lying to me until the day it got too burdensome for you! You, you, you!” He lashed out with so much unfathomable intensity, it shook Vashma to her very core. 

Uday clutched her wrist and pulled her harshly, “Did you ever think about me? Did you ever think how much it would hurt me?!” 

His voice had reduced to a faint whisper, yet it made her heart burst into flames. Her eyes inevitably watered and she found it hard to breathe. Vashma never wanted to hurt him. All that she did was to prevent him from getting hurt.

“All I ever did was think about you, Uday.” She barely whispered, the effect of his close proximity getting to her.

“No. No, you didn’t.” He vigorously denied her claims. “If you had, even for one second, you wouldn’t have played with my trust, Vashma.”

“I didn’t want to lose you, Uday! I didn’t want to lose our friendship!” She cried out at the top of her lungs. 

She didn’t care if she was making a public scene. She didn’t care if Trisha overheard. All she cared for was what Uday thought.

He let go of her and retreated his steps. “Well, your timing couldn’t have been more right.”

She shook her head, her vision blurring at the cruelty of the reality unveiling in front of her eyes. She took simultaneous steps towards him; hesitant yet determined, bold yet cautious. 

She took his hands in hers and began to plead, “Please don’t do this, Uday. Please don’t end this.” 

He forcefully freed himself from her grasp and retorted at her. “I’m not doing anything, Vashma. I’m only putting an end to what you started.”

“I can’t lose our friendship, Uday!” Tears rolled down her cheeks and her knees began to wobble.

“I can’t see a friendship between us anymore, Vashma. I opened up to you and you made it a misery for me. My friendship with you is my biggest regret.”

Her heart dropped. Her world stopped.

This was her worst nightmare. This had become her harshest reality.

She didn’t know what to do anymore. She didn’t know what to say. Vashma suddenly felt at a loss of breath. He had done it. He had ended the most precious thing to her. All because of her selfishness. All because of her stupid stubborn nature that refused to confess her feelings to him. All because of her fear.

Just when she thought she had been casted with the world’s greatest pain, he said. “And yes, I’ll need that kada back from you.”

She looked up in anger and resentment and disbelief all at once. For the first time in her life, she hated him. For he had never looked any less familiar to her. She couldn’t believe her ears. Vashma recalled the day he had gifted her his matching silver band. Those moments had been so invaluable, so memorable. And now he wanted to rob her off their best memories as well.

“You said it was for someone special.” Vashma echoed the words he had once said to her.

His glare turned austere and he told her. “Yeah, that's why I’m planning to give this to Trisha.”

She couldn’t have felt lower of herself. She couldn’t have felt more angry. He had just compared her to Trisha. To that wannabe, brainless so-called model!

He was an utter fool to have gotten smitten by her beauty. All that he cared about was her. She was right in her thoughts. If it came down to choosing between her and Trisha, he would always pick his girlfriend. Today he proved that.

“You know, she might be special, but she’ll never be the one.” She warned him.

He took one challenging step closer to her.

“How do you know she’s not the one?”

“How do you know if a guy’s the one?” She dubiously asked, pushing her ‘ghungroos’ inside her bag and sliding her bag across her shoulder.

He joked. “For a night?”

She rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. “For life, stupid!”

“Well, I haven’t had to think beyond a night - a week, maximum.” He shrugged, swinging his hockey stick around.

“Maybe that’s why you still don’t understand the concept of ‘the one’.” She playfully mocked, waggling her eyebrows.

They reverted to their usual silence, their footsteps and the faint howling of birds producing the only sounds between them. Vashma and Uday had just gotten free from their respective tutoring classes and had begun their journey back to their homes. Her light pink kurti brushed alongside his faded white jersey and she surreptitiously spared him a secret glance. Ever since he had drunkenly confessed his growing feelings for her that night, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. She knew he had denied those claims the next morning, but her heart still swarmed with hope that maybe there still was a chance. 

Foolishly enough, she had just asked her most private question to the one person she had feelings for.

“But your romance novels do, don’t they? Isn’t it when the girl and guy kiss and sparks fly, fireworks burst and they suddenly realize ‘the one’?” Uday guffawed at the absurdity of the idea. 

How could one instant change someone’s entire life? How could a supposed chemical reaction have such a strong hold on someone’s emotions? Surely love was overrated. 

Vashma narrowed her eyes at him, “Someone has been sneaking into my book collection.”

“Purely because of boredom.” He tersely defended, his hands up in surrender. “You were video-calling your family and I didn’t know what else to do.”

She remembered the recent incident. He had shown up at her doorstep unannounced on the morning of her birthday. She had only just let him in when her phone buzzed with a group Zoom call with her entire extended family. Needless to say, Uday had kept quiet throughout her video call, occasionally chuckling at the things her family members had said to her.

She twisted the kada around, loving the way it adorned her wrist, just like it’s identical match rested on Uday’s arm. It was the best birthday gift anyone had ever given to her. It was the most precious one as well.

“Well, a girl can’t go around kissing every guy to find ‘the one’.” She used air quotations, reverting back to the topic of discussion.

“Oye, since when were you such a prude, Vashma?” Uday teased.

“Who said I was looking for ‘the one’? I’m too focused on my career and dreams to be searching for eternal love right now, Uday.” She immediately rebutted.

Devising a convincing explanation, she reasoned. “Actually, Amrit was asking me about this. You know how she has a thing for Randheer, but she’s too shy to act upon it.”

“You think Randheer isn’t? He’s been debating his first move for ages now.” He chuckled.

Everyone at their work knew something was going on between Amrit and Randheer. The lingering stares, the secret smiles and the constant blushes had been proof of this testament. Vashma often cooed at how adorable they looked together. Though she wasn’t quite sure whether she was made for an innocent, no-physical-contact kinda love story. 

Vashma and Uday continued their walk in companionable silence before Uday suggested, “I think I’ve cracked it.”

He looked as if he had received an A+ in a paper of his hardest subject. She amusedly asked, “Cracked what?”

“The way to find out if someone’s ‘the one’.” He clicked his fingers together.

“Okay…” She urged him to continue.

“You’ll know the guy is ‘the one’ if he knows your personal ticklish spot.” He spoke with so much conviction she tried hard to not laugh.

“What?! I’ve never heard of that one before, Uday.” She couldn’t suppress her giggles.

“And you won’t ever. It’s what I call it, the Uday Sahani doctrine.” He proudly presented. 

She mockingly praised, “Very original, I must say.”

Vashma had begun walking again when she felt a hand wrap itself around her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. She turned to its source and Uday walked up to her. “It makes perfect sense, Vashma!”

“How?” She asked with a smile.

“When I say ticklish spot, I mean our own unique spots. Not the usual ones. A guy surely has to know a girl inside out to be able to decipher her ticklish spot. And someone who knows you that thoroughly, someone you enjoy spending time with and are comfortable around to allow him to tickle you, is probably the closest guess to being ‘the one’!” He finished with an accomplished grin on his face.

“Very profound.” She sang, though not before rolling her eyes. Surely it can’t be true. She had never heard of or read such an absurd concept.

He clung onto both her hands and locked eyes with her. “I can prove it to you.”

Something about the way he spoke screamed danger at her and yet she desperately wanted to know if his theory had any effect on her. In the end, her desperation won.

“So prove it to me.” She challenged, her eyes glimmering under the streetlights.

He stepped closer to her, so close that she could feel his cool, minty breath on her face. She inevitably closed her eyes, allowing herself to revel in the feelings he brought. Uday brought one hand to her face, gently cupping her cheek as he drew silent circles on the patch of tanned skin.

“Uday, that’s nowhere near my ticklish spot.” She lightly chuckled, trying to bring back a tinge of light-heartedness in their heated proximity.

“Shh.” He hushed her, wordlessly asking her to concentrate on the sensations his touch invoked.

She gave into his instructions with a sigh, still keeping her eyes shut. Vashma felt his fingers travel up her cheek, pushing a strand of loose hair behind her ear as he brushed against her earlobe. And then, very slowly, he traced a path with his index finger to behind her ear, just about a centimeter down the column of her neck.

It was then that she flinched, and a soundful smile broke out through her lips. She immediately cowered, trying to protect herself from his playful attack when she opened her eyes to him.

His orbs held a faint sparkle of mischief along with something else. Something more meaningful.

Very quietly he announced his victory, “Gotcha!”

“Fine, whatever.” She shrugged grumpily.

“Aww, don’t be such a sore loser.” He playfully mocked.

“I didn’t have anything to lose.” She pointed out, raising her head to meet his gaze.

“And yet I still won.” He smirked boisterously.

“Because I’ve got nothing more to lose. And you’ve still won.” She answered his question. 

“You’re lying.” He said those words so instinctively, it pierced through her.

With whatever courage and determination she had within her, Vashma guaranteed. “I can prove it to you.”

Walking up to him, she raised her hand and feverishly cupped his face, just like he once had. She was surprised he hadn’t brushed her hand away yet, and considered it her last chance at being so close to him. Not able to look him in the eye anymore, she fluttered her eyelids shut. The palm of her hand brushed across his jaw, his stubble tickling her hand. Her hand traveled down the column of his neck, to the tanned skin of his bare torso. She lightly drew circles wherever her hand went, imprinting his touch to memory. When she finally felt the outline of his abs, she timorously shifted her hand to the right and touched a particular spot two inches beneath his ribcage. He instantly reacted, stepping away from her. She grimly smiled, knowing very well she had hit the mark.

When she opened her eyes again, she met with his stone cold ones. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

She simply shrugged. “I hadn’t expected anything else from you, Uday.”

Taking three strides towards him, she lifted her head to meet his eye. “Essentially, it’s rude to demand something back that you gave as a birthday present.” She choked on a tear but continued with a wavered tone. “But since our friendship no longer exists, as you’ve made perfectly clear, I do not have the right to possess something as precious as this.”

Vashma slid the kada from her wrist and placed it in his palm.

And then she walked away, leaving behind the only relationship she had grown to love irrevocably.