Broken Beads

Chapter 8

''Will my death make you happy?'' He asked again

''Very happy!'' Riya confirmed. In her anger she didn't realize what she just did was going to send Varun down into a hell hole from which his friends had pulled him out after lot of hard work.

''You will find your happiness soon.'' With that, he kept the money on the table and walked out while Riya still sat there trying to calm her heart down.

****

''Something isn't right.'' Naman said, he seemed anxious. Lakshay stared at his friend. ''Call Varun, he should be fine. He wouldn't do anything rash.''

Naman shook his head, he was about to call Varun but sound of door bell halted his steps. Naman blinked when he found Varun standing opposite to him smiling ear to ear. ''You are back.''

''Didn't I promise.'' Naman hugged his friend. 

''Hope all went fine?'' Lakshay asked

''I did my part.'' Varun answered. His eyes not matching his smile. ''Leave all that! We have to plan for our World tour. This will benefit our band a lot. Let's plan.'' His friends took a breather but Lakshay wasn't fully convinced. Varun was madly in love with Riya and him not fighting for her love surprised him.

Lakshay shook his head, it was good Varun was back. He was close to them and they all could watch over him. Lakshay shrugged the odd feeling in his heart, Varun was here and that's was the proof that he was fine.

***

A month later

Riya felt on the edge since her last meeting with Varun. It had already been a month but her words came back to haunt her. She would daily check if there was a note or flowers there for her. He mind and surroundings were suddenly blank. She would stare out of the windows for hours trying to calm her mind but something was at a miss.

''Dr Riya, we have a new patient.'' Riya nodded, he mentor had guided this young boy to her. She had read his history. He was of Indian origin, 16 yrs and suicidal. He was recommended therapy for the same reason. ''Hi Chetan, I am Riya.''

''I know, everyone feels I am mad and this is why I am here.''

Riya smiled, ''tell me why do they think you are mad.''

''Because I dared to dream.'' Riya looked up. ''Dreams are good'' She said with a wide smile offering him a glass of water. ''If you help me Chetan, I will help you. Silence, will no help.''

The boy smiled. ''My parents don't feel the same way. They are Lawyers , big ones and I feel I should too chose a similar career.''

''And what do you want to be.''

''I want to paint. I wish to be a world renowned painter.'' She let him continue. ''As far as I remember, I have always paid a price to pursue my dreams. They would allow me to paint if I got straight A's. In exchange of painting classes, they made me join the basket ball team which I hate. When I got hurt, they blamed me for acting.'' They boy continued pouring out what he held in his heart for so long. 

''Chetan, why did you try to kill yourself.''

''The pressure to be perfect was choking me. They wouldn't let me breathe, compare me to others, friends, peers and cousins. My own mocked and called me names for not being tough enough as a boy, for having feminine choices. I....couldn't breathe. I would hear the voices round the clock, even while I slept. My parents reminded me how much of a disappointment I was and that their investment in me was waste. They said I am a shame on their name... I feared I would bring shame to their name''

Riya's grip tighten around her pen, a faint memory going fresh in her mind. Did Varun feel the same way. Did he ever try to kill himself?

''You will find your happiness soon.''  His parting words echoed her mind sending shivers down her spine. 

Riya composed herself and went ahead with her session but more the boy spoke, more he reminded her of young Varun. Once Chetan left, Riya sat in her cabin, lost and confused at her own state. She recalled their last meet, she wasn't proud of the words she said but now it was done. Riya would question herself if she went overboard with her hate. Riya felt she was done with any emotion when it came Varun but guess he made her feel the extremes. There was a time when she felt extreme happiness around him and now she hated him beyond the limits .

Riya shook her head, his wasn't good for her sanity. She had to let him go, and all emotions associated with him.

***

Shaan cooed his daughter as she responded to her father's loving endearments. His job didn't allow him a lot of time but whatever he had, he made sure to spend the same with his child. 

He made a funny sound and his daughter giggled. He felt complete and then his mind went to Riya, he had seen a change in her and wished it was a good one. Shaan knew Riya was capable of hiding her pain, but her over enthusiasm on the day of party was little off. He shook his head to get rid of the feeling going back to his beloved daughter.

''Shaan......!'' He heard his wife called him out. One look, and he knew it was something worse. ''Vaani!''

''Come with me.'' Vaani pulled him to the living room pointing towards the ongoing news. Shaan stood shocked. he couple stared at each other. ''We should check on Riya!''

''I will you stay back.''

***

The ambulance sirens blazed around as cops and firefighter did the rescue work. A medic was tending to Naman's wound as he sat shocked. He couldn't feel the pain, because it had now crossed all limits.

He pushed off the hand of the medic getting up was being pulled down again. ''You need to calm down.''

''Save him, save Varun.'' Naman whispered. The medics tried calming Naman down but he couldn't handle more as the conversation they had was still playing in his head. He felt his heart breaking and then anger seeping in. They should have never allowed him to meet her, she did this to him. She took the last of hope he had. Naman cursed Riya, she had the option to forgive but she didn't. One drunken night, Varun had poured all that transpired between him and Riya and how she wished for his death. That has angered his friends and all had turned extra cautious around him. But Varun found a way to walk towards his own end. Naman  cried again praying to the God to offer one chance to his friend and he would do all to wipe Riya off Varun's mind.

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Next

''Get out'' Naman Whispered through his teeth as the other two stood guarding the door of hospital room. Riya ignored him but Naman had made his mind, he grabbed her arm and pushed her out. ''Get out before I forget he loves you.''

Riya stared at Naman with a blank face. ''You want him back then you will have to let me in. He will do all o fulfil my wish..he always does...'' She whispered the last part.

''Let her in Naman.'' Amisha pleaded. ''He is important.'' Riya walked in ans stood near his bed. She watched him for don't know how long and then took a seat beside him. She placed her cheek gently over his heart and whispered, ''Come back...pls...for me.''