Hello Everyone.
Chapter 30
Because best friends always have your back, no matter what.
Karthik’s POV.
Naira is a little disturbed after our meeting, quite understandably.
We get back to our hotel and can’t find Naksh and Keerti. Their stuff is still there, so we assume they haven’t run away again. But this time, we don’t even care. We are a bit ruffled from what just happened.
Now we desperately need to find Anushka. It’s no longer about letting someone know how much she was loved, but a matter of survival for Alia. She needs Anushka and we both know that.
Naira sits in one corner and holds the diary in her hands. Tiny pearls of tears have collected at the corners of her eyes. They trickle down her cheek and wet the page of the diary she has opened.
“This is unfair.” Naira says.
“Hmmm.” I say, still stumped.
“She is such a pretty girl. How can life be so cruel to her ?!!” Naira cries.
I shake my head in distress.
“And we do nothing about it.” she says and hides her face in her palms.
I stare at her helplessly. She says nothing and looks away. Naira clearly doesn’t like how this story is turning out. Things have changed. The diary has entrusted us with an even bigger responsibility.
It’s no longer just a diary of a dead man telling his story. Now we are responsible for the people he has left behind, Alia being one of them. We have to find Anushka and we have to do it quick.
“Where do you think we should go next ?!! Mumbai ?!!” I ask.
MSD had told us that Virat had completed his college in Mumbai and we knew Anushka was there too, so it made sense. Other than that, we have absolutely no lead to go on. I call up MSD to check whether he has found anything, but he is as clueless as we are.
“I just hope we find her in Mumbai.” Naira says, closes her eyes and says a little prayer.
We have no idea where to start with in Mumbai. It’s a huge, confusing city. The city that never sleeps. Maybe that’s because they never manage to get home in time. I like the city though. It’s big, lively and very unforgiving.
Naira and I are lazing around and discussing how to go about it when there is a knock on the door. It’s Naksh and Keerti.
“What’s up ?!!” I ask.
“We thought you had run away again.” Naira says.
“Not this time.” he says.
“Can we talk, Karthik ?!! Outside ?!!” Naksh asks.
He looks serious. I look at Keerti and she doesn’t really look tense. I go outside to have the talk.
“What’s going on ?!!” Naksh asks. He looks a little pissed off.
“As in ?!!” I ask.
“This trip ?!! What’s it all about ?!! Not that I care, but I would like to know.” he says.
“It’s … umm … nothing.” I stutter.
“Just tell me, Karthik.” he says.
“It’s nothing important.” I say.
“I want to know, Karthik !! I want to be a part of anything that you do.” He says.
“It’s a long story.” I reply shortly.
“I know about it. I talked to the ward boy of that place you went to, this morning. He told me everything. Now I want you to tell me.” Naksh says.
“Ward boy ?!!” I ask confused.
“We followed you this morning. I thought you’d gone crazy and I wanted to check what you were up to.” he confesses.
“So then, why the drama ?!! You know now, right ?!!” I say.
“I want to see the diary.” he says sternly.
“Fine.” I say.
I get the diary for him and hand it over. His eyes light up. He runs his fingers through the burnt edges of the diary and flips through the pages. He feels the crumbling edges of the pages and looks at me.
“This is freaking awesome.” he says.
I knew he’d say that. This sort of stuff is very Nakshish. He is the one with the passion and the zeal to do things that one would normally stay away from. He is the crazy one.
“You have read it all ?!!” he asks.
“About fifteen times.” I state.
“Do you mind if I read it ?!!” he asks.
“Nope.” I say.
He starts to read it, and I read with him. Even the zillionth time around, it evokes the same feelings. It brings the same feelings of pity and love like it had brought the first time round.
Naksh finishes it in about an hour and then rereads certain portions of it, just like Naira did.
“So this is why you chose Dehradun ?!! The school ?!!” he asks. I nod.
“And then Bhopal ?!!” he asks, slightly confused.
“Mahi, the guy called Pappu, lives there.” I answer to clear his confusion.
“So ?!! Where do you … we head to next ?!!” he asks.
“Mumbai. That’s where everyone is, I guess.” I say.
“Plus, we need to find Anushka. Alia needs her.” I add.
“So what’s our next lead ?!!” he asks.
“No idea.” I answer honestly.
Naksh smirks. It’s one of those faces that he makes when he’s hiding something.
“Why that expression, Naksh ?!!” I ask.
“I like what you’re doing.” he says.
He smirks again.
Something’s up for sure.
Precap : Ranbir-Anushka-Virat !!
———————————————————————-
So here is the next part. Now we even have Keesh involved in the whole diary search operation. Hope you all like it.
It’s the 30th chapter. Thanks to all of you as it wouldn’t have been possible without you peeps and your comment. You all mean a lot to me.
Also I would like to request all the silent readers to comment as it’s the only way I would know if my story is being liked or not.
Don’t have much to say as I need to rush to college. Will be back with another update later today.
Do comment. Keep smiling. Keep watching Yrkkh !!