ME without US

Chapter 5- Tears

She was startled to find a hand in front of her face, her mouth. She stared at the hand. It was a piece of aloo puri. Her head swiveled to the owner of the hand. Gauri gestured her to open her mouth and she did. She ate like an obedient child. But once in a while, she sat like statue eyes fixed somewhere on the floor, and Gauri had to remind her to chew and swallow. Annika finished the dinner and brushed and went to bed; everything in a trance.
Annika coiled into a ball and felt a hand snake around her waist hugging her and a hand stroking her head.
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Annika looked around the busy street. Damn, she has never ever visited a place like this. It was like she time-traveled to an evening in 5th century BC. No... Definitely no. The clothes people wore were medieval. She turned around to see her father's eyes trained on her. They walked ahead her talking none stop. She turned back standing in front of an alleyway and her father was missing. Just as she was about to retreat in search of his father a palm grabbed her wrist tugging it. She turned to the man.
"Shivaay..."

"Come" he tugged her wrist and she followed him. She was laughing commenting on something she saw there. It was getting dark.
She turned around there was no one. The people vanished into thin air. Not caring she dragged him. He was laughing.

She turned to him when she couldn't hear his laughter anymore. There was none. Sun no more to be seen and it was getting dark. She turned around frantically looking for him. She wanted to go back looking for him. But she realized. She lost track. She screamed his name. She screamed for her dad. She fell on her knees fear gripping every cell of her body as loneliness started to frighten her. All she could do was scream.

She felt someone shaking her by her shoulder. Somebody was calling her. Gauri!
She opened her eyes to Gauri's worried face. She looked around to find her in her bed in her room.
She was taken aback when Gauri hugged her tightly. She calmed down in her arms.

She closed her eyes pressing her forehead on Gauri's shoulder listening to her voice.

Gauri had her arm on her waist throughout the rest of the night. But Annika couldn't sleep. She lie there staring at the ceiling.
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Gauri made her eat her breakfast like she was a little girl. And that's when Gauri's patience melt down completely. She needed answers to her questions. They were more than questions. It was her concern for her cousin whom she loved like her own sister. And there was no answer to any of the questions. Annika sat there silently.

"So you are going to simply sit here weeping over your lost love?" Gauri asked shooting a disapproving glance at her.

"I can't believe this. You are still crying for a man who doesn't care about you. It's been 4 fucking days. I didn't say anything till now. But this is too much. This is not my Annika."

"I am not your Annika, Gauri. That girl doesn't exist. That girl was an illusion." Annika managed to reply.

"What the fuck??? Stop speaking like a freaking poet or a philosopher." She heard her shouting.

Annika didn't bother to reply, instead kept her gaze fixed on the floor.

"You need to get out of here. I won't let you sit here crying... Come on, get ready." Gauri ordered rising from her chair.

"Get your sorry ass up and get ready. Come on."

"Gauri, please."

"You don't have an option. You are coming with me." Gauri declared walking towards her.

"But you are... I mean your leg is..."

"You don't have to worry about my leg. If you really cared you would have called me... And I... Whatever... Forget it."
"Now get up. Or I else will have to go for plan b."