"I'm not leaving you," Aoom declared as Meena attempted to intensify the kiss. "I mean, physically, I'll be leaving, but this," she gestured between them, "our connection, our friendship, or whatever label you want to give it, that's not going anywhere." Aoom rambled on, noticing Meena's silence.
"Say something," Aoom pressed, a tinge of worry creeping in. Meena, however, responded with a big, smile.
"Come here," Meena finally spoke, motioning for Aoom to join in a hug. They embraced, their skins blending into each other, a moment of much-needed sincerity. Ten minutes passed in this warm shell before the jarring ring of one of their phones snapped them back to reality. With a quick glance at the time, they scrambled to their feet, realizing they had a shoot in less than three hours.
"We'll talk more calmly later, alright?" Meena whispered, punctuating her words with a tender peck. Aoom blushed, and Meena couldn't help but tease, "You're shy now?" she said, laughter dancing in her eyes.
Aoom playfully rolled her eyes, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "Maybe just a little," she admitted, her cheeks still tinged with a pale shade of pink.
Deciding to change the topic, Meena announced, "I'm going for a quick shower," and raised her eyebrows, adding, "No, you can't join me; we might end up jobless," she quickly added, her eyes fixed on Aoom's face as a chuckle escaped her.
Arching an eyebrow, Aoom adopted a mock-innocent expression. "I was just considering water conservation," she replied, a playful twinkle in her eyes, fully aware of what she was doing.
Meena laughed, the sound filling the room. "Quite the environmentalist, aren't you? Maybe I should start showering with an audience for the sake of the planet."
Alone in the room, Aoom couldn't help but smile to herself, the sound of running water from the bathroom served as a backdrop to her thoughts, and she couldn't help but look forward to the continuation of their day once Meena returned.
When Meena emerged from the bathroom, her hair slightly damp and a playful twinkle in her eyes, Aoom couldn't help but admire her effortless charm. "All yours now," Meena announced with a grin, a hint of invitation in her voice.
Aoom returned the grin, a playful spark in her eyes. "Thanks for the heads up," she replied, her tone teasing yet appreciative.
Both woman quickly got ready and decided to take Meena's car since the studio was a little far away, inside the car they started joking, and planning the rest of the day, it felt like in the beginning, until Aoom spoke.
"So, Meena," Aoom began, her voice soft as she glanced briefly at Meena before returning her focus to the road. "About today... I'm sorry, but then again, I'm not sorry. Everything happened so suddenly, and I should've talked to you beforehand," Aoom confessed, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Aoom is not like I didn't want for it to happen," Meena started to respond, but Aoom gently interrupted, "I know, honey. That's not what I meant. Let me try to explain." She settled back into her seat, making herself comfortable before continuing.
"You're my best friend. I've never felt more at ease with anyone else, and that terrifies me," Aoom admitted, her words tinged with vulnerability. "I don't want to jeopardize our friendship. I want you here, always, by my side. And the safest way for that to happen is for us to remain friends. I know we've already crossed that line long ago, and I'd say I regret it, but that would be a lie." Aoom's voice softened, her gaze locked with Meena's, silently pleading for understanding.
Meena listened attentively, nodding in encouragement, inviting Aoom to continue.
"What I'm trying to say is, you're still my best friend. You bring me joy, and if you're comfortable with where we stand, then so am I," Aoom confessed, her words filled with sincerity. "I know I'll be leaving for six months. I know it'll be hard. But we've been apart before, and we've survived. We'll be okay," she reassured, meeting Meena's gaze with tear-filled eyes.
Meena reached out, gently wiping away the tear that escaped Aoom's eye. "You know, Aoom, you're my safe space. I've never felt more understood, more myself, than when I'm with you," she confessed, her voice soft yet resolute.
Aoom's gaze softened, her heart heavy with emotion. "Meena, you mean everything to me," she murmured, her voice thick with unspoken ache. "But with this contract hanging over us, with the uncertainty of my work... I don't want to risk losing what we have."
Meena nodded, her fingers entwining with Aoom's. "I understand. And believe me, the last thing I want is to lose you," she admitted, her heart aching at the thought of Aoom being halfway across the world for half a year. "Let's just take it one day at a time, okay? No labels, no expectations. Just us, being there for each other."
"And Aoom," Meena spoke up, her voice soft yet firm. "Let's promise each other something."
Aoom turned to look at her, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What is it?"
Meena's gaze held Aoom's, a determined glint in her eyes. "Let's promise to be honest with each other. No more secrets, okay? We've been through too much to let anything come between us now."
Aoom felt a surge of gratitude and affection towards Meena. "Absolutely," she agreed, her voice filled with sincerity. "No more secrets. Just us, being completely open with each other."
As they drove on, the weight of their conversation lingered in the air, but so did a newfound sense of closeness and acceptance. Aoom took a deep breath, steeling herself for the journey ahead.
But that didn't last long, a sense of dread crept over Aoom as she registered the sudden shift in Meena's demeanor. "What's wrong?" she inquired, her voice steady despite the rising tension, but Meena remained silent, her expression tense as she swallowed hard.
"Meena, what's going on?" Aoom's voice rose with urgency, but Meena seemed preoccupied, her foot pressing harder on the brake pedal as the car continued to accelerate.
Meeting Aoom's gaze with horror in her eyes, Meena finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, "It's not braking, Aoom. The car isn't stopping."
A chill ran down Aoom's body as she processed the gravity of the situation. "God," she muttered, her mind racing with the implications of their predicament. They were hurtling down the road at 120 km/h, with no signs of slowing down.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Aoom forced herself to focus. "Okay, okay," she began, her voice calm but tinged with urgency. "Slowly take your foot off the accelerator, and let's see if we can find a piece of land to pull over."
Aoom's heart pounded in her chest as she watched Meena's trembling hands release the accelerator, her knuckles white against the steering wheel. Despite the cool blast of air conditioning, beads of sweat formed on Meena's forehead, trickling down her face. The silence inside the car was deafening, broken only by the hum of the engine and the sound of tires on the asphalt.
As they navigated the winding curves of the road, the car swayed with each turn, adding to the sense of urgency and unease. Aoom's grip tightened on the door handle, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, searching desperately for a safe place to pull over.
Meena's breaths came in shallow gasps, her eyes wide with fear as she fought to maintain control of the vehicle. Despite her best efforts, the car continued to hurtle forward, its speed seemingly unaffected by her attempts to slow it down.
"Meena, just focus on the road," Aoom urged, her voice steady but laced with concern. "We'll figure this out together."
But as they rounded a sharp bend, their worst fears were realized. The headlights of an oncoming truck appeared in front of them, its horn blaring loudly. Meena's heart dropped as she realized they were out of options. With the truck coming straight towards them, she had to make a split-second decision.
Without hesitation, Meena swerved the car towards the edge of the cliff. Aoom's breath caught in her throat as she saw the steep drop ahead of them. But there was no time to think, they had to act fast if they wanted to survive.
As the car careened towards the edge, the sound of metal scraping against the rocky terrain filled the air. The wheels screeched as they spun out of control, and Aoom could hear the panicked screams of Meena beside her. The car hit bumps and dips in the mountain, causing it to bounce and jolt violently. It was a terrifying and chaotic scene.
The world seemed to slow down as the car careened off the road, hurtling towards the precipice of the cliff. Aoom's heart lodged in her throat as she braced herself for impact, the rush of wind whipping through the broken windows drowning out all other sound.
The car collided with rocks and trees, the sickening crunch of metal reverberating through the air. Both of their bodies jerked violently with each impact, their senses overwhelmed by the chaos unfolding around them.
Finally, with a deafening crash, the car came to a sudden halt, the force of the impact throwing Aoom and Meena forward against their seatbelts. For a moment, the world spun in a blur of chaos and confusion, the taste of fear thick in the air.
As Meena's vision cleared, she found herself staring dazedly at the mangled wreckage of the car, its twisted frame entangled in the branches of a gnarled tree at the bottom of the cliff. Pain seared through her body, but amidst the wreckage, she felt a sense of relief wash over her.
Meena's heart pounded in her chest as she frantically scanned the wreckage, her mind reeling with disbelief. Where was Aoom? Panic surged through her veins as she realized the passenger seat was completely gone, torn away in the violent crash.
Desperation clawed at her throat as she attempted to scream for her friend, but her voice was lost in the wreckage, swallowed by the eerie silence of the forest below. Tears welled in her eyes, mingling with the blood that trickled down her face.
Struggling against the confines of her seatbelt, Meena's movements were sluggish, her body throbbing with pain from the impact of the crash. With trembling hands, she fumbled with the buckle, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fought to free herself from the twisted wreckage.
Summoning every ounce of strength she could muster, Meena's fingers fumbled in her pocket, closing around the familiar shape of her pocket knife. With trembling hands, she unfolded the blade, the metallic glint casting a feeble light in the dimness of the wrecked car.
With determination burning in her eyes, Meena set to work, painstakingly cutting through the stubborn seatbelt that held her captive. Each slice of the blade felt like an eternity, but she refused to give up, driven by the desperate need to find Aoom, and call for help.
Finally, with one last effort, she was free. She stumbled out of the car, ignoring the pain that shot through her body with each movement. The forest floor was littered with debris from the car, and she had to be careful not to step on anything sharp. But she pressed on, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of Aoom.
And then, she heard it. A faint voice, barely more than a whisper, calling out to her from far. With a surge of hope, Meena followed the sound, her heart pounding in her chest. She pushed through the thick underbrush, ignoring the cuts and bruises that covered her body.
As she got closer, the voice became clearer. It was Aoom, trapped in her seat that had detached from the car and gotten wedged between two trees near a ravine. Meena's heart sank at the sight, but she refused to let fear take over. She knew she had to get Aoom out of there, and fast.
"Aoom," Meena's voice trembled with emotion as she reached her friend's side, her hands shaking as she reached out to touch her. Relief flooded through her at the sight of Aoom's conscious eyes, a beacon of hope during chaos. "Don't move, I'm gonna get you out of there," she promised, her voice filled with determination despite the tremor of fear that threatened to overwhelm her.
With a surge of adrenaline, Meena sprang into action, her mind racing as she assessed the situation. The seat was precariously wedged between the trees, its twisted frame trapping Aoom in a perilous position. Every moment mattered, and Meena knew she had to act fast.
Bracing herself against the trunk of one of the trees, Meena strained against the weight of the seat, her muscles screaming with exertion as she fought to free her friend. With a grunt of effort, she managed to shift the seat slightly, creating enough space for Aoom to wriggle free.
"Okay, Aoom, I need you to carefully unbuckle your seatbelt," Meena instructed, her voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at her insides. "I've got you, I won't let you fall."
Together, with Meena's unwavering support, Aoom managed to release herself from the seatbelt, her movements slow and deliberate as she emerged from her precarious perch. With trembling hands, Meena reached out to steady her friend, relief flooding through her as they stood together, battered but alive.
As Aoom delicately wiped away a trace of blood from Meena's face, concern etched into her features, "I'm fine," Meena reassured Aoom, though her voice betrayed a hint of weariness. "Just a few scratches. But we need to focus on getting help."
Aoom nodded, her brow furrowing with worry as she glanced around the remote mountainside, searching for any sign of civilization. "Do you have any reception here?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation as she held Meena in a slight embrace, seeking comfort in their shared resilience.
Meena reached for her phone, her heart sinking as she realized there was no signal. "No, nothing," she sighed, a pang of frustration coursing through her. "We'll have to find another way to get help."
As Meena and Aoom scanned the horizon for any sign of help, a flicker of hope ignited within them as they spotted the distant headlights of approaching vehicles. Relief flooded through them as they realized that search and rescue teams were already on their way, having spotted the wreckage from the street above.
"They're coming," Aoom exclaimed, her voice filled with gratitude as she clung to Meena's side, her eyes shining with unshed tears of relief.
Meena felt a weight lift off her shoulders as she watched the headlights draw closer, the sound of distant sirens cutting through the stillness of the night. "Thank goodness," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion as she squeezed Aoom's hand tightly in hers.
As Meena and Aoom were carefully loaded into the waiting ambulances, the paramedics worked swiftly to assess their injuries. Meena winced as she felt the tender ache of bruises blossoming across her body, each movement sending jolts of pain through her limbs. She reached up to touch her forehead, flinching at the tender spot where a gash marred her skin, blood trickling down her face in a slow, steady stream.
Beside her, Aoom's injuries were more severe. As the adrenaline rush began to fade, Aoom's body succumbed to the full extent of her injuries. At first, she had appeared stable, her strength unwavering as she endured the chaos of the rescue efforts. But as the moments passed, a wave of exhaustion washed over her, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she fought to stay conscious.
"We need to get her to a trauma center, now!" one of the paramedics shouted, his voice tinged with urgency as he signaled for the air ambulance to prepare for takeoff. Meena's heart sank as she watched Aoom being loaded onto the helicopter, her friend's condition critical as they rushed her towards the nearest trauma center.
Alone in the back of the ambulance, Meena clung to consciousness, her thoughts consumed with worry for Aoom's well-being. The pain in her own body faded into the background as she focused on the sound of the helicopter blades slicing through the air, carrying Aoom away to safety.
n the confined space of the ambulance, the paramedic worked tirelessly to keep Meena alert and responsive. "Can you hear me, Meena?" he asked, his voice cutting through the haze of pain and fatigue that clouded her mind.
Meena nodded weakly, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion as she struggled to stay awake. "I'm here," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
The paramedic's questions came in a steady stream, a lifeline anchoring Meena to the present as they continued their journey towards the hospital. He asked about her name, her age, and her medical history.
Despite the fog of pain that threatened to engulf her, Meena answered each question with a stubborn resolve, her voice growing stronger with each response. She knew that staying conscious was crucial, not just for herself, but for Aoom as well.
Hey Everyone! Just wanted to drop a quick note to say a huge thank you for all the love and support you've shown through these last few chapters. Started this as a way to take a breather from uni stress, but it's become a fun journey, hopefully you guys keep liking the story ♡