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Chapter 14: Here
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Sayyam woke with a start and glanced at the time, wondering why he was feeling so restless. It was five in the morning- he’d woken up earlier than usual. He went into the washroom and splashed his face with water, trying to wash away the strange feeling he had. ‘Maybe Krishna…’ Sayyam pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering why on earth he was remembering her at a time like this. ‘Was she ok though?’ he pondered for a while, before shaking his head to remind himself of his self-made promise. He had to stop thinking about her too.
He sighed to himself, deciding to go somewhere to clear his mind. As he started to walk out the front door he looked over his shoulder. “Tiger, don’t do anything stupid when I’m gone; and don’t even think about talking to or finding yourself a girl…they’re complicated creatures.” He sighed, closing the door behind him.
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“Maa, I’m going somewhere; I’ll be back soon, okay? Do you need anything?” Sayyam ducked his head into the Kitchen. Suhani turned around, her hands coated with flour.
“No beta, it’s ok, I don’t need anything, but where-”
“Okay maa, love you, bye!” Sayyam winked at her and left. She could hear his laughter echoing throughout the house
“Badmash ladka (naughty boy)” she laughed gently, shaking her head, when she felt another pair of hands on her shoulders.
“Suhani aunty, I need to go somewhere, I’ll be back soon” Krishna smiled sweetly, giving a quick hug to Suhani and running out. ‘Where is this girl going to now?’ Suhani thought curiously, but smiled to herself, pleased anyhow that both her children were happy.
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Sayyam parked his bike outside the building and took his helmet off. He glanced into the rear-view mirror, straightening his hair; before finally gathering enough courage to get off the bike and walk over to the weathered wooden door, within which lay his childhood- his bitter past. He remained frozen there for a minute or two, reconsidering his decision to come back to this place again, but slowly exhaled, reminding himself that he had come back for a person, not to revisit twenty years’ worth of agonizing memories he’d made here- at the orphanage.
He looked up with a newfound determination, pushing open the doors he thought he had closed forever a year ago. He strolled up to the woman sitting behind the counter, trying not to look around or recognize any faces that could awake in him all the painful moments he’d spent here. He faced the woman boldly, saying the name of the person he had come here for – the girl he’d left behind that day, but could never really forget. He took a deep breath, looking down at the woman, “Can I meet Anjali?”
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Krishna got out of the auto, standing in front of an old, broken building. Yuvaan had seen her leaving and interrogated her as to where she was going. She’d somehow avoided his questions and told him she had to go to the market alone. He had made her promise to be back within half an hour, after he’d insisted on coming with her. She felt bad for lying about her whereabouts, but this was something she had to do alone. She pulled a folded up drawing out of her bag and had a bittersweet smile on her face. “I’m coming Anjali,” she pulled the wooden door open and stepped inside the orphanage, for the first time after three years.
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Hey guys, I’m back!
Do any of you recognize the drawing Krishna’s holding? (Hint: Chapter 2 😉 ) There was a lot of foreshadowing in the first couple chapters that I hope you guys picked up on…I can’t wait to bring in the plot-twists in this story!
Love you all!
– Shreya <3