STUBBORN HEARTS

33. Come, Find me.

I will leave soon. She has done enough for me already, i can't use her to lessen my sorrows.

Tearing the note, she wrote a fresh one, filled with the dreams and aspirations she wished to pursue once, and this time alone. Promising to share her whereabouts after getting settled.

Leaving the apartment keys under the doormat and the undisclosed and undisposed notes under the unlit fire, she left the premises in the vehicle waiting for her at the roadside to take her to a new life, wishing for the existence of an alternate world where she could find her happiness, her love and her best friend, again.

The night passed by experiencing the turmoils of different lives and situations, where Mani was struggling to find a way to live as she rested her exhausted self in the back seat of the car she was being sent in.

And Rajveer prepared for his undercover mission, hoping his team members to return safe and no casualties on their side, a better life to those they rescue and see pride in the eyes of his family and his Tivali.

Meanwhile she slept the night away planning to pamper her soon to be mother bestie and dreaming about her prince charming.

The next morning,

Rajveer had left early, not disclosing the purpose of his sudden trip to his family and fiance. They were used to his closed self so they were not worried about him.

Navneet after buttering her mother and promising her family to visit later in the day with Mani, stepped inside the apartment with her keys, not wanting to disturb her in sleep.

The apartment was dead silent. It was really late, but there was nothing wrong in trying to sleep late according to her so she shrugged it off.

Piling her items on her couch, she rested her head back, checking her messages. One of them relaying the contact information of Raj's assistant as he was going to be unavailable for a few days.

She began to look for her diary to save the details for later, and came across the notepad Mani had left opened with her last words of acknowledgement to her. Mani's words made her frown.

All her words seemed dreamlike, nothing about the experiences she went through these past few days. Things were amiss, she didn't even acknowledge their friendship of years.
How could that be?

Navneet rushed to their room to find the small portion she occupied in her wardrobe empty. Her absence with no way to find her, made Navneet anxious.

How could she leave just like that, i had it all planned for her, and she was so happy about it. She can't leave just like that.

Messing her hair with her fingers, she pulled them at roots trying to find some clues as she turned her apartment upside down, unwilling to accept her departure as a normal trip to explore life again.

She slammed the bedroom door shut with force, rattling the windows. Pacing around she kicked at the random pieces of furniture placed near her. As her feet kicked the throwbin unburnt pieces of trash flew out, making her groan in annoyance.

Annoyed at her failure, Navneet looked around and sighed at the mess she made. Reluctant to do the chore by herself she began to pick up the mess.

The process continued until the things were at their designated places and the floor was empty enough to be swept. Not willing to leave a speck of dust, she cleaned every nook and cranny diligently non-stop to help relieve her stress.

Navneet frowned at the pieces of paper that kept coming from under the bed in small chunks. She placed them together to make the words and sentences understandable, which only left her even more confused, so she placed them aside.