what is true love?

chapter 13

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello readers! Thank you for reading my book. i will edit and correct certain errors in the previous chapters ASAP. I know how irritating it must be for you people read such mistakes. So sorry! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Do comment and vote!  

Chapter 13 

**past** 

It's been a month since I ran out on Hardhik. I took a flight to New York and I was staying  at Sarah's apartment. She joined Brown Enterprises and is assisting her Dad. I joined my internship program. 

My day begins by  waking up, getting ready and going to work. After that I come back and shut myself up in my room and sit alone. I don't talk to anyone in the office unless required. I stopped taking calls from my parents, friends and Hardhik. My parents came to talk to me but I convinced them that I was fine and  sent them back to India.  

One day I was sitting in the kitchen and drinking tea when suddenly the front door opens and Sarah comes inside. Just as I greet her Sindhu, Rupa and Tom walk in behind her. 

"Hi guys" I say nodding at them. Sindhu comes towards me and looks at me seriously and says, " we need to talk" and grabs me and takes me to the living room. I sit on the couch and look at all of them. 

"Ok. Here's the thing. Sarah's getting really worried about you. So are we. We know you been through a lot Dia. We decided to give you your space. But now you are shutting off everyone. Your parents are freaking out." Says Sindhu. 

"Oh, you spoke to my parents?" I ask meekly. 

"Yes and your brother and Naina are literally calling Sarah every day and checking up on you." Sindhu says. 

Tom comes and sits beside me and looks at me with this really worried expression. 

"Dia, we are all worried. Please tell us what happened. It will make you feel better." he says and hugs me. Then I completely lose control. All the anger and hatred towards his Aunt and the way I miss him and how my heart is aching to see him so that I can tell him that I love him and that I did all of this because I love him come out and I start crying and let it all out . Tom just holds me as Rupa, Sindhu and Sarah sit near me. 

I cry for almost an hour but still my heart feels empty and there is this gap which can never be filled. 

"Dia, do you want to talk?" says Rupa. 

"I can't tell you guys what happened. I am sorry." I say looking at them pleadingly.  

"Take your time honey. We are here for you." Says Sarah. 

"Thanks you guys." I say. We all just sit for a while and try to make small talk. After a while Tom and Rupa leave and it's just Sindhu, Sarah and I. Sarah says she has to go to dinner at her parents house, so Sindhu decides to stay with me for a while. 

After Sarah leaves Sindhu looks at me and says, " Dia, I don't know how to say this but Hardhik was a wreck when you left him. His parents were shocked. Your parents went nuts. I told them you left for New York. I did what you asked me to. Ajay stayed with Hardhik for two weeks. He just came back yesterday. Please tell me what happened Dia. why are you not telling us?"  

"I .. I can't. I hate to admit this but I feel like a coward. On one hand I think I made the right decision but on the other I feel that I just took the easy way out and broke the heart of the only man that I ever loved and still love." I say tearing up again. 

"Dia, let me be frank with you. What you are doing to yourself is unhealthy. Sarah told me that you keep having some nightmares and you wake up screaming. If you don't want to tell us that's fine but I think you should go to a therapist. Please. Just looking at you is enough for me know that you are not fine." 

"Oh." Is all I could manage to say. 

"How is Hardhik?" I ask. I mean he obviously hates me. I dumped him and ran out on him  two days before our wedding. 

"He is copping. Dia I don't want to upset you but after you left he just sat on the couch silently struggling with his emotions, with a tormented expression on his face. For a long time he dint say anything and after a while  the first thing he said was that he dint deserve you in the first place and that if you are happy then that's enough for him." Says Sindhu. 

I start to tear up and I start getting this weird feeling as if I am about to blow up and I just grip myself together and cry out. Sindhu holds me tightly and says, "shush. Relax love. It's ok. Calm down.I am telling you this because whatever happend, you both will work it out. I know that." If only she knew the truth. She  holds me till I fall asleep.  

I thought that sleep would be my only way to escape from harsh realities but even when I sleep there is no peace and a nightmare haunts me. I keep having this recurring nightmare that his aunt would come and kill him and then kidnap our baby and I would lose everything that is dear to me. 

"AHHHHH......" I scream and wake up with my entire body covered in sweat. Sarah comes bursting in to my room. 

"Dia, are you alright?" she says. The same exact thing has been going on since one  month.  

She comes and holds me and says, "Dia. relax. I am here."  

I just hold her and cry myself to sleep again. 

The next morning as I get ready for work, Sarah gestures for me to sit at the table in the kitchen. 

"Dia, you are not going to the office. I already called and asked for a leave of absence for two weeks. Instead you have a appointment with a psychologist at 10:00 am" 

"What? No. Sarah I have to work. How will I pay you for rent. I won't be able to pay the therapist either." I say freaking out. 

"That's all arranged. This my apartment you don't need to pay rent and as for the internship I asked my Dad to call in a personal favor, So you don't lose the job." She says. 

"Oh my God. Sarah you dint have to do that. How can I ever repay you." I ask tears welling up in my eyes. 

"Stop crying honey. Relax. Just go to the therapist's office on time. I already texted you her address. I am your friend. It's the least I could do for you." She says and hugs me. 

"Now relax for a while and head over to the therapist. I am so sorry I can't come with you but Dad called in about some urgent meeting."  

"No problem. I think I should do this alone." I say and she  leaves for work after wishing me good luck. 

I enter the therapist's office  fifteen mintues before the appointment   and confirm my appointment at the reception. I sit down in the waiting room. The office looks nice. The furniture is all leather and the walls are painted yellow. It's all happy and bright looking. I expected the therapist's office to look like a hospital with dull looking lights and white paint. 

The receptionist asks me go in as someone comes out of Dr. Hummel's office. 

"Good morning Dia. please sit down." Says Dr.Hummel. 

"Thank you Dr.Hummel." I say. 

"I have spoken to Sarah and she told me what you have been through. Would you like to talk about it?"  

"Before I say anything I want to be absolutely sure that it's only between us. I want the complete doctor patient confidentiality and I want it written and signed by you Dr.Hummel. I don't want you to discuss my problem with anybody nor report it to anyone. I am sorry if I am being paranoid. But I hope you will understand." I say looking at her with as much confidence I could muster. 

"I do understand. I know you are just going through some rough times and that you don't have any psychological disorders. So I will agree to your terms." She says. 

After signing the papers, she looks at me and says, "So where do you want to begin?" 

Author's note: I know the chapter is short but it is important to know how Dia felt in the past. Hope you enjoyed reading it. I will post the next chapter as soon as I can. Thank you. Do comment! P.S : i have finshed editing from the beginning. There are some small changes. One important change is that Sindhu's husband's name is Raj and not Ram.