As soon as Ruhani confessed to Aakriti that she wanted to end her life, Aakriti was left stunned. The shock was so intense that the effects of the alcohol she had consumed instantly wore off.
Regaining her composure, Aakriti asked anxiously, "Ruhani, what are you saying? How could you even think of taking your own life?"
Flash back
That night, Ruhani's world shattered when she asked Aarav, "Do you love her?" and he replied, "I don't."
His words left her numb. Aarav concluded their conversation saying, "Now everything's clear between us, so please don't bring up the past. I'll be with you, but as a friend."
Without letting Ruhani respond, Aarav hung up. Ruhani stared blankly at her phone's screen, her eyes brimming with tears.
She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She never imagined Aarav would leave her.
Memories of their time together flooded her mind – every moment, every laugh, every whispered promise.
Overwhelmed, Ruhani wailed like a madwoman, sobbing uncontrollably. She pounded her fists on the ground, clawed at her face, and convulsed in anguish.
Clasping her heart, Ruhani gazed up at the sky, tears streaming down her face, and cried out, "Why did this happen to me? Why did you leave me?"
Her voice echoed through the darkness. Then, suddenly, Ruhan'i fell silent. And then, she gazed out at the boundary walls of her terrace.
Suddenly, she stood up and walked towards the railing, climbing onto it to stare down below. Her eyes fixed intently on the ground beneath, tears streaming down her face like rivulets.
In that moment, Ruhani was ready to surrender her life for the love that had betrayed her. She had already lifted one foot to take the fatal step, when visions of her parents and sister flashed before her eyes. Their smiling faces, now etched with worry and sorrow, halted her.
Overcome with emotion, Ruhani retreated from the ledge, stepping back onto the terrace. She collapsed onto the cool floor, surrendering to uncontrollable sobs.
Flash back ends
Night time, Kaushal Bhavan, Ruhani's room.
As Ruhani shared her ordeal, Aakriti stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. She couldn't fathom that her childhood friend, her best friend, had contemplated ending her life without her knowledge.
Aakriti pulled Ruhani into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face. Ruhani sobbed too, remembering that painful moment. Aakriti choked out between sobs, "The thought of losing you terrifies me, and you were about to take such a drastic step! How could you even think of it, Ruhani? What drove you to such desperation?"
Ruhani broke free, her voice shaking. "I wasn't thinking clearly; I couldn't distinguish right from wrong. My heart ached unbearably, and ending my life seemed the only escape."
Aakriti continued sobbing, prompting Ruhani to lighten the mood. With a gentle tease, Ruhani said, "Calm down, I'm right here, alive and kicking. I won't leave you that easily. Hush, or you'll scare my family."
Aakriti looked up, curiosity in her tears-stained face. "Why would your family be scared of me?"
Ruhani chuckled, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. "If you wail like this at 3 a.m., they'll think a ghost or witch has invaded our home."
Ruhani wiped away her tears and laughed, and Aakriti, too, composed herself. They both dabbed at their eyes and returned to sipping their drinks, resuming their conversation.
Aakriti asked, "Do you still talk to Jay, Aman, and Raj?"
Ruhani replied, "Only with you, and occasionally Raj sends me messages."
She took a sip of vodka and continued, "With Jay and Aman, our conversations became repetitive, so I stopped initiating talks. They didn't reach out either."
Aakriti took a sip, her tone tinged with annoyance, "Didn't they even ask about you?"
Ruhani exhaled slowly, "No. Initially, I'd initiate conversations, and they'd respond. But when I stopped, their messages ceased."
Ruhani fell silent, then spoke up again, "Perhaps they grew tired of me, just like Aarav did. After all, they're his friends. Their friendship with him matters more than ours."
She shrugged. "Never mind, tell me, do you still talk to them?"
As Ruhani finished speaking, Aakriti's irritation toward Jay, Aman, and Raj began to simmer. However, she tempered her emotions and replied, "Yes, we keep in touch occasionally, not daily."
The conversation flowed effortlessly, and before they knew it, they drifted off to sleep. The next morning, their phones' alarms jolted them awake, but they silenced them and fell back asleep.
Mrs. Aabha, noticing they hadn't come downstairs for breakfast, instructed Naina to fetch them.
Naina knocked on Ruhani's door, calling out, "Ruhani didi, are you ready? Mom's calling you for breakfast. Bring Akriti didi along."
Receiving no response, Naina assumed they'd hear her and headed back downstairs for her own breakfast.
Ruhani and Aakriti jolted awake at Naina's voice, exchanging worried glances. They checked the time to find they were already running late for office.
Surveying the room, they were met with chaos: empty vodka bottles, scattered glasses, and chip packets littered everywhere.
Ruhani exclaimed, frustrated, "Your prediction came true! Look at the time; we're late for office. Now we'll have to take a leave."
Aakriti yawned, lying back down, "So what? Missing one day won't harm. Besides, I'm still sleepy."
Ruhani got out of bed, gesturing to the room's chaos, "Open your eyes, madam, and see the state of this room! Come on, get up and help me clean up quickly. If Mom or Dad walks in..." Aakriti sprang up instantly.
Together, they swiftly sent leave applications to their managers and dove into cleaning the room.
After Naina left for school, Mrs. Aabha decided to fetch Ruhani and Aakriti herself, as they hadn't responded to Naina's call. As she knocked on Ruhani's door, she was taken aback upon opening it.
*******
What happens next?
Why did Mrs. Aabha get startled as soon as she entered the room? What did she see?
Did Ruhani and Aakriti's drinking get caught?
How did Ruhani cope with herself after breaking up with Aarav?
Why did Jay, Aman, and Raj stop talking to Ruhani?
Let me know in the comments and likes below!
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'Chat By Fate' exclusively on Web Novel.
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