Yami

Chapter 25, Looking at you!

In the corridors of my mind, shadows of forgotten echoes perform a mysterious ballet, weaving tales of intrigue and uncovering enigmatic truths concealed beneath the surface.

Standing at an impressive 6 feet and 2 inches, his jawline and physique catch my attention. There's a brooding allure to his not-so-fair complexion, and his walk possesses an inexplicable charm – a peculiar kind of sexy. Clad in a black Pathani kurta paired with black salwar and sneakers, he embodies the type I find appealing. Oh, and those emerald eyes? Hot, right? Strange comfort envelops me as he holds me in his arms. Yet, the question lingers – who is he? "This is all wonderful, but who are you?" I inquire while still wrapped in his embrace. The paradox of recognizing his embrace while not knowing his face strikes me.

"I'm sorry, babe. I couldn't protect you, and I'm sorry for not being there when you needed protection," he confesses with a tinge of sadness in his voice. His continuous apologies confuse me. "Alright," I interject, feeling the need to halt his remorseful soliloquy.

But then I remember Rukmi's caution against trusting anyone. Despite the coziness of his embrace, I can't afford to disclose what I remember or don't. He could be anyone, and Rukmi's words echo in my mind. "I need to find my family. We'll talk later." The mystery deepens, and I must tread carefully on the uncertain path that lies ahead.

In the police station finally, I am dialling the palace's number available online, eager to contact my father. However, the secretary on the other end is irritating me with her questions about my identity, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I've lost my phone. Annoyed, I assert my authority, threatening her job if she doesn't connect me to my father promptly, glad I didn't lose the authority in my voice. Finally, she patches me through, but the delay persists.

"Hello! Who's this?" Ruhaan's voice echoes on the line. "Hello! Bhai! This is me, Yami!"

 "Yami?" A surprise in his voice,

 "Yami, honey where are you? I have been looking all over for you for the past month, where were you? No wait tell me where are you now? I'll come to pick you up" Ruhaan is rambling in his words, that's something you don't see everyday. 

" bhai, I am in dehradun, in police station near the mansion"

"I'll be there in 4 hours tops, sit tight, I am taking out the jet" Woah! Rambling and Rash decisions, hmm, something really tumultous has gone down these past years seriously.

With time on my side, I decide to wait, contemplating the peculiar events that have unfolded over the past years. Restless, I am scanning the surroundings and someone is behind the gate. With caution, approaching, found nothing. Tap!, on my shoulder startles me, and without a second thought, I instinctively pick up the man and throw him. Same man who hugged me earlier. The shock intensifies as I realise my newfound strength and reflex, I threw a 6 feet tall man.

"Why come from behind?" I question, bewildered. As he struggles to speak, He discerns a warning against returning to Udaipur. His cryptic message hints at unseen dangers lurking.Suddenly, a handkerchief appears, and my surroundings blur. Where am I? I wake up to find him beside me, his words penetrating the haze. "You are not the same Yami you were two years ago, my love. Don't go back to Udaipur; I won't let you. They are vultures waiting for you."In this disorienting moment, I notice my surroundings change. Confused and hungry, I mutter, "Who are you, and why am I here?" The calm in my voice contradicts the gravity of the situation.

 whoa did i ask that in a calm tone, really? me? calm? and kidnapped but calm? me? 

I stare at myself, unrecognizable with bruises and torn clothes. A 6-foot-tall person claims to love me, but can I trust such declarations? There's newfound strength and reflexes, a surprise in Ruhaan's voice, and a rash decision to come without thinking. Instead of seeking help from the police station, he insists on coming. This isn't Ruhaan's usual behavior."Open me, what are you doing? sitting there" I ask him. I'm bound to a chair."Looking at you!" He says with so much love and pain at the same time in his eyes

"Open me" I demand 

"You're not going anywhere. I can't trust you right now. You don't have memories of the past two years," he declares.

I question, "How do you know I don't remember the past two years?" It seems like a reasonable query, but what do I know? Hunger distracts me."Because that's when I met you, two years ago. That's when I fell for you! It hurts to see you like this, but I can't trust you right now because you'll trust everyone but me. I remember you from two years ago. How you were."He got that part right."Okay, what's your name?""Vikram," he responds, disappointment evident. "Yami, I can't believe you forgot me, but I think this was bound to happen, our destiny...""Shushhhh! You talk too much. Give me something to eat first, then we'll talk." I know I can't believe him, but hunger takes precedence."Ah! I'm dumb. Wait, getting you food," he says, slapping his forehead.While he's gone, I attempt to remember something, anything.Glimpses appear – we're wearing ethnic clothes. I'm in college talking to people, even a geometry box. It's odd; since when do Class 2 students attend college? Pictures flash – a trip. It's cold, and Vikram offers me his jacket, kissing my forehead. Adam holds a cup of coffee with his head burning, and Samaira attempts to kiss him, seemingly trying to make me jealous. My head throbs.Slightly opening my eyes, I find myself in a familiar room – black blanket, white bedsheet, white-colored room adorned with familiar paintings. It's my room in the mansion. How did I get here now?"You fainted, again," Vikram says with a sarcastic smile, holding food in his hands."Come, eat," he insists, trying to feed me with his hands."I saw glimpses of my memory," I inform him.His expressions remain indifferent. "I know, you did not try to run away as soon as you woke up, so I figured you remembered something. Babe, I don't know everything that happened; I was not here. I will fill in what I know, okay? Now, first eat, and..."My god, he talks too much.A police jeep screeches outside the mansion, but they see it's locked and drive away. I attempt to call them, but Vikram asks me not to. Strangely, I trust him.

You know in the dance of shadows and echoes, mysteries unfold, and destinies entwine. In the labyrinth of forgotten memories, the journey ahead promises revelations that echo through the corridors of time.