Satyendra's POV:

'Where is she???' I reached home and I saw Karishma, Ruby aunty, Shonali, Rithika and Gogi sitting in the living room.

No one answered but I saw a worry on all their faces. My heart kept pounding and I ran into our room. I saw a major portion of her luggage was missing. Keys to her car was missing too.

My heart started beating real hard.

'Didu left Sattu Bhai' Gogi said and my heart felt a piercing pain such that I couldn't swallow my saliva.

My eyes filled with angry tears. I turned around and looked at Gogi and asked...
'Why?'

And he didn't have an answer. He just raised his hands up in air shaking his head.

No!!!
Bloody hell not again!!!
She can't leave like that without telling me the reason!!!
And why???
I was so angry that I punched the mirror and the mirror shattered into pieces.

Listening to the shattering sound of mirror everyone came into our room and they were shocked.

Karishma and  Rithika came running to me trying to look at my bleeding hand while I asked them to stay away and roared

'Where is my Shravani???? Where the hell has she gone???' I held my head as I felt it started spinning and sat on the bed with a thud sound while Karishma ran to get a first aid box for me and Rithika kept analysing my hand.

The hell I didn't need anything right now!!!
Neither the first aid nor the care...
All I care for right now is my wife left her home without informing anyone!!!
Without telling me why???
I knew nothing...

'Satyendra...you need to first calm down
..look at your hand... please calm down...we will figure out everything' Karishma tried to console me but I was in no mood to listen anything right now..

'I want to know why she left and where has she gone_ I said in a deadpan voice.

'Sattu...we don't know when Shravani left...I was with Karishma in her room...she infact was with us sometime back...I introduced her to Karishma and after that she went to her room saying she was tired and then the last thing was Shonali's mom saw her taking the car out from the parking area. Shonali's mother thought she is going to hospital so she didn't ask her anything...but little did we know she hasn't reached hospital and is infact not even reachable...her number is also switched off' Ruby aunty tried to console me...

Why did she leave suddenly??? That's when it striked me and I looked at Karishma

'What did you tell her Kar???' I asked looking at Karishma who looked perplexed...

'I didn't tell her anything Satyendra...all I said was what Ruby aunty told her...that I'm your ex-wife... infact I wanted to talk to her but she left before that' she said and I was going mad here...

I didn't know whom to reach where to find her and that's when it striked me...
'Anita and Rohit!!! Yes...they would know where she has gone!!! Yes yes!!!' and I picked my phone and began looking for Anita's number...

She picked my phone call at the 5th ring
..
'Hi Satyendra...how are you...how is'

'Where is Shravani...Anita...' I asked in one go...

'Where is Shravani??? What do you mean where is Shravani??? You must tell me where she is??? And why are you asking me this question??? Is she ok??? Hannn tell me Satyendra' she asked panicking and I was clear she isn't in Chennai...

But then I didn't know whom to reach out what to ask for

'Shravani has left the home with luggage and car and I have no idea where and why she left' I said and I heard a 'What the fuck' on the other side.

'Look Satyendra...Vani is a very sensitive girl...she has had her fair share of pain and broken miseries...did you fight with her??? Did you tell her anything??? Freak you are scaring me Satyendra' she shouted and tears silently poured down on my cheeks...

I was feeling helpless!!!

'Nothing just nothing happened Anita...I don't know where has she gone..her phone is also switched off' I broke down.

Her voice calmed down a bit and she said...
'Okay calm down...look here Satyendra... Shravani isn't a girl who would just leave like that...yes she has her own set of insecurities but she's not a dumb one...but then she was under medication for years after Varun's death and oh wait....shit... tomorrow is October 17th...bloody hell...shit shit nooooo' she yelled and I was scared now...

'Its Varun...It's Varun's death anniversary...Oct 17th was the date we lost Varun to that dreadful accident...and every year inspite of telling her not to she does the same' she said and I began panicking...

'Does what???' I asked and Anita continued...

'She goes to Varun's weekend home which he bought for Shravani and his sake...Lakeville...in Mahabalipuram...she won't be ok Satyendra if she goes there...she ends up getting panic attacks once she goes there alone... it is a anniversary reaction for which Rohit has been treating her for years...now she's not on meds but if that reaction triggers it can even choke her to death...we must stop her... freak I'm not even in Chennai...I am in Delhi right now...I and Rohit had come here for a medical conference... we will try to get out of this place quickly but please reach her out Satyendra...I will try to reach their neighbours in Mahabalipuram in the meantime...' she said and my hands began shivering...

I must stop her...
I understand her emotions for Varun but she is precious to me... she's priceless...I can't loose her...

Disconnecting the call I began rushing out while Karishma and Shonali held my hand and I said...

'She is most probably in Mahabalipuram...her old house...I'm going there...Gogi... please take Shonali, Rithika and Danish's help and try to look around for Shravani... Karishma and Ruby aunty you please be at home...and I'm sorry Karishma...I know I shouldn't be leaving you like this...you are my responsibility but I have to... Shravani is'

Before I could complete Karishma held my hands saying...
'I will be fine Satyendra...you please go...' and I hugged Karishma saying...
'Thank you dear... thank you for understanding...' and she smiled and without a second thought I rushed towards the elevator. I reached parking area and took out my bike...I couldn't take the jeep or the car. Bike was faster and I began my ride towards Mahabalipuram.

My heart kept thumping so loud enough for me to hear my own heartbeats and I only hoped for her to be fine.

Please Shravani.... Please be ok...

While my past kept hounding me all over again...

Flashback begins...

'You deserved this Bhai...you deserved this' Rishika almost spat on my face and left from there.

Shravani has torn the letter into pieces. My anger has screwed up everything!!!
I have the worst temperament. I don't usually get angry but when I loose my shit I go uncontrollable and that was what I did a month ago when on Diwali night I went and told Kanishka to pretend to be my girlfriend.

She gladly accepted and pretended to be my girlfriend. I was hoping Shravani's outburst and was hoping she confessed her emotions for me but instead everything backfired.

Shravani ran away from there and hid herself in her home. My friends didn't want to talk to me. My sister's started hating me and Kanishka she played a dirty game. She went to tell the whole world that I proposed her and even wore some dummy ring in her finger showing that I asked her out officially. I was shocked.

I just had to put a full stop to the fully blown rumours in the college so I told everything to my sister's and they were pissed off.

'This is disgusting Bhai...just to satisfy your stupid ego...you bluffed such a thing??? I mean come on Bhai...you are the eldest of all of us but right now you are as dumb as a kindergarten kid. Really Bhai??? Jealousy??? This is what you planned???' Rithika practically yelled at me

'I did not have a choice Rithu...what did you expect from that stubborn girl...2 bloody years she didn't open her mouth...she didn't utter a word properly... even that electricity pole out there which is a non living thing could feel the chemistry between us and say that we feel for each other but she's so stubborn... she's not opening up... what choice did I have?' I shouted...

'You could have proposed to her Bhai...' Rishika said and Rithika folded hands against her chest and said 'Exactly!!!' and I was speechless.

They were right!!! Why did I let my ego overpower my emotions...

'Look Bhai...it's not about who says first...it's about who doesn't say it!!! And you haven't said it!!! You have broken her down badly Bhai... Shonali met her...she told me Shravani didn't cry a drop...she had gone into some crazy rage and has invested all her time into studies...In a way thank you Bhai...she will definitely smash her exams but you and your ego has literally seperated you from her forever!!! It's not easy now Bhai...it's not easy anymore...and don't even expect help from me on this' Rithika left from there huffing and my only hope was Rishika my younger one...

I wrote down everything I wanted to tell her in a letter...

Dear Shravani,

I know I have hurt you...

I know I caused you pain...I hurt you!!!
But believe me...It's all my stupid ego...

There is only one girl I always felt for...
There is only one girl I wanted to be with...

I am not a poet like other guys...
I don't know to speak sweet little sugarcoated words...

Whatever little this is...
It's direct from my heart!!!

Everything about me and Kanishka was a lie!!!
It was my dumb attempt to make you jealous!!!
Little did I know this would backfire...

Just give me one chance Shravani...
Please come to the terrace tonight...

I want to talk to you...
Listen to me one last time...

And then I wouldn't even bother you if you still say a NO!!!

Once talk to me my Shravu...

Want to be yours... Forever...
Satyendra

I handed it to Rishika who was still pissed off with me...
'Thank you Rish'

'Dont Bhai...Just don't!!! I also hate you for what you did that night but Shravani shouldn't suffer because of your stupidity is the only reason I have agreed to join you in this...' saying she just left to the college. I stood on the first floor balcony peeping into the corridor as I saw Rishika speaking to Shravani..

My eyes fell on her. She looked so tired. Her eyes had dark circles. She has lost weight in a month. I cursed myself for my stupidity and my anger which had screwed up the beautiful unspoken relationship between us...i just hoped she read the letter once.

But her gaze fell on me and I could see her angry red eyes piercing my soul. She took the letter and tore into multiple pieces and dumped it into the trash bin. My hope shattered again.

Rishika came towards me and chuckled sarcastically...

'This was expected Bhai...you think any girl would take it so casually??? For her it's almost like you cheated upon her... Congratulations for the best fuck up ever Bhai... Anger is your biggest enemy. Dad has kept telling this to you forever...but you never heard him...well all I can say is...try to talk to her personally once...sending this letter and stuff isn't going to help!!! Own up your mistake...face her...talk to her face to face...Man up Bhai' saying she left from there...

My little sister was so right. I can't run away from her. It's my fault and I must fix my mess!!!

I decided to talk to her the next day in college but to my surprise she didn't come to college. When enquired I got to know study holidays were announced to her batch and Shravani being the determined one had practically locked herself up in her room.

Entire month she wasn't visible. She came out with her father only when he dropped her to college for her exams. Knowing it was her 12th exams followed by her medical entrance I didn't bother her and let her be.

Post exams she left to her grandparents home in Chennai without saying a word to anyone. Not even Shonali!!!
It's only when we saw her pictures in the local newspaper we got to know Shravani topped the medical entrance exams not just in the state but across the country.

I was beaming with happiness but the very next minute Rithika told me that Shravani isn't coming back to Coonoor. She has joined the medical college in Chennai and will henceforth stay with her grandparents.

I was shattered!!!

I wanted to meet her, talk to her once ...but she had even denied Shonali of coming to Chennai...

'I need some 'me' time!!! And I will come back to Coonoor when I feel better' she had told Shonali. My girl had left me because of my stupid anger and I hated myself for what I did!!!

Now all I could do was wait for her...
Wait for her to come back here...
To her home...

Flashback ends...

I looked at the watch and clock was ticking 2 am in the midnight. I had stopped at a small tea stall to sip a cup of tea. I had to still drive for another 5 hours but all I knew was I can't stop!!! I didn't want to feel drowsy so I choose to sip a cup of tea... Shravani's favorite...Having a cup of tea I started my journey again... towards Mahabalipuram.