Those 3 Little Words

By Dr. Upasana Madan Gupta

A happy little family!
Avni, heart of her parents.
But there is something which haunted her always.
A nightmare...
Fighting with the nightmare, she grew up. A beautiful soul with beautiful mind. And one fateful day, she meets Abhimanyu, man of her dreams. Sparks fly, cupid strikes.
Beautiful life... Is she the luckiest girl alive, she wonders.
But she never knew that it's a mirage.
Her world crashes, her dreams shatter.
Who is he? What does he want?
Why is he stalking her?
His mysterious eyes... She has a feeling she knew him. But how? The truth unveils,
Breaking all the myths she had, all the relationships she was proud of. She is living a lie.
Abhimanyu is heartbroken; Avni is nowhere.
His love is lost, but not for long... He finds her as prostitute in a bar.
Is this the truth?
Or is she hiding something?
Will Abhi accept this dark shade of her life?
Or will the truth tear them apart?
Those 3 little words; A different love story,
Revolving around Love, Lies, Lust and Life..

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Apr 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9788128816734

Book preview

Gupta

Prologue

Everything had come to an end. The battle had finally ended. She was gone, and Avni felt herself completely alone. Where could she go? Avni wondered. Did she go back to her village, or did she drown herself in the dirty business again? She heaved a sigh and got up from the bed.

Are you done with the packing? Her mother’s voice startled her, but it was not enough to scare her. She had always been a coward, but not now. Nothing frightened her now.

Yes, Mom, I’m done with everything. She looked at her mother’s gloomy eyes. She wished she could stay back for her, but life had moved on, and she had to catch up with time.

Did you call him? Her mother was worried if she was running away from the situations.

No, it’s better if we move on, leaving behind the past relationships. It’s not gonna give us anything except agony, Avni said. She had told about her feelings for Abhimanyu to her mother.

I hope you know what you are doing with yourself, Khushi said and looked into Avni’s eyes. She felt heartache. Her little child was in pain and she was helpless. Never had she imagined that her child would have to go through such hardships in her life. She had provided her with everything she had ever desired.

She wished she could give her daughter the love of her life, but it was something beyond her limits. She had stepped forward and had offered to talk to Abhimanyu about everything that had happened that evening, but Avni had declined. According to Avni, she wanted to focus on her career now, and maybe that was a right decision, Khushi thought. She watched her pack the things, and prayed to the Lord for remedy to her daughter’s pain.

Avni was strong in her decisions. She wiped tears from the corners of her mother’s eyes and turned back. Avni wanted to talk to her more, but she had little time left. She had to go from this place, as soon as possible. Memories of the past were haunting her. Khushi couldn’t bear seeing her pain anymore. She sighed and left the room.

Avni sat on the couch beside the window. The sky was cloudy and gloomy. The moon was lonely, engulfed and surrounded by the dark clouds. She could empathise with the moon. Her situation was just the same. The weather reminded her of Abhimanyu. He loved this weather; it was his favourite, just like hers. They had spent numerous evenings at the beachside.

Her laptop was lying beside her. A thought came to her mind, and she logged into her Gmail. She owed him an apology. She wondered if this was the right way. She was the one to walk away, every time. Will he ever forgive her?

Hey,

Life is weird, you must be knowing that too. I still remember the day when we first met. Who would have thought that we would end up like this? I know you’re still angry and hurt. I wish I could explain about the misunderstanding, but I guess it’s too late now.

Abhi, I have changed. I am not the same girl with whom you had fallen in love. I have lost my path, I have lost my identity. I need to sort out my life and find the place where I belong. Forget me! Let me go.

The craziest girl you have ever met,

Avni.

Reading it over and over again, fearing the consequences, she clicked on Send Mail option. She sighed and shut down the laptop. It was about a minute, but she was unable to relax. Sometimes she wished she could just switch her mind off, just like the television, so that she could stop seeing everything when she closed her eyes.

Sometimes she was reminded of Priya, sometimes it was Shiva and many times, it was Abhimanyu who wandered in her head. Music hurt her more, movies made her cry harder. Nothing was able to distract her mind away from Abhimanyu. She crawled into her bed and just hoped that Abhimanyu would forgive her, but little did she know that he had already deleted his email id. There was no way he could know that she was leaving the town. Maybe he would have stopped her, again!

Sometimes I feel so lonely,

Sometimes I feel I’m not alive,

Sometimes it hurts so much

That I feel I can’t survive.

There are no sounds,

There are no sensations,

Sometimes I feel so numb,

Dying seems the only option.

I feel invisible,

Sometimes I feel I’m no one

In the world of million people,

I feel I am only the wrong one.

I want to scream,

I just want to shout,

Why am I suffering?

I want to cry out.

This world isn’t mine,

This isn’t where I belong,

It isn’t a place to live,

Everything is terribly wrong.

Let me go,

Let me die,

It hurts to live,

Just let me die…

1

Dreams, she loved them. Whether it’s nightmares or beautiful fantasies, dreams made her feel alive. She hated waking up from dreams. The only person who could wake her up without getting hurt was her dad.

Ani baby, memsaab is calling you! The maidservant, Rani, spoke as softly as she could.

Go away! Avni squirmed in her bed and once again drifted into the dream where she was climbing to reach the peak of Mount Everest. She was about to place her foot on the peak. Avni smiled in her sleep.

Ani baby! Rani called out in fear. She very well knew the consequences of disturbing Avni from sleep.

What the hell, just go away! She started groping everything around her to catch hold of anything she could throw. She found something solid, a rectangular something, which came to her hand first and threw it at her. As if Rani was already trained and prepared for this, she swiftly moved in the opposite direction, like a Kung Fu champion, and smiled proudly at Ani’s defeat. There were two more similar hit-the-target sessions, until Rani gave up and went downstairs.

Memsaab, baby ji is not waking up. I tried a lot. She even hit me several times, Rani lied.

My god! I am so tired of this drama every day. I will have to teach her a lesson. Khushi fumed in anger. Dressed in a night gown, she was seated in the dining chair, sipping her tea, and reading the headlines.

Good morning, ladies! What’s heating up here? Dressed in a navy blue suit perfectly fitting his torso and wearing an imported watch, Sparsh joked as he entered the dining room cum kitchen.

You know it very well. Your pampered daughter is setting up fire to the entire house. Khushi was furious as she started serving him tea. Tying the laces of her night gown tightly in anger, she tied her hair in a bun and slammed the door of oven shut as she put the tea cup in.

Oh! That’s good. Anyhow I am planning to renovate the house for my baby’s birthday. He grinned, but was hit by the newspaper.

Ouch! What the hell! You shouldn’t start my day like this. Sparsh pouted his lips and complained as he watched Rani smiling in secret.

You and your daughter deserve the same treatment. Both of you have been pampered by extra love and affection.

Come on, Khushi! Relax! She is just a child.

No, she is not! She is going to be nineteen tomorrow. She is graduating in few months. She can be anything but not a kid! Khushi almost screamed.

Okay, calm down. I will wake her up and she will be ready in five minutes and then we will have breakfast, together. He gave a soft peck on her cheek, quickly before she could know. Khushi felt herself melting down.

She better should! Khushi muttered.

Sparsh hurried up the stairs and entered Avni’s room. It was a mess. He picked up the pillows, alarm clock, her comb and various other things from floor. She must have thrown all these at Rani, Sparsh thought and chuckled.

Laying all the things aside, he sat beside her on the bed. She was sleeping like a baby.

Sweetheart! He placed his hand on her forehead and ruffled her hair softly.

Daddy… She turned towards him and hugged him.

Get up, baby! Let’s have breakfast. He hugged her back.

No. I am not hungry, Daddy. Please, she said, still in her sleep.

But I am hungry, and I am also running late for hospital. Come on, get up, honey. Please. Sparsh blackmailed her. He knew she could never say no to him, and it was the same vice versa. His trick worked, and she finally opened her eyes and sat up.

Daddy, try something new. I am bored of the same trick since kindergarten.

But it still works! Doesn’t it? Sparsh laughed. Now get ready as fast as you can and come down. We are waiting. And yeah! Here is your phone. Sparsh got up and left, laughing out loud.

Holy shit! What the hell happened to my phone? Avni jumped from her bed, seeing cracks on her phone’s screen.

Within ten minutes she was downstairs; she quietly settled herself on the chair next to her dad.

Khushi had controlled her anger and was serving them breakfast.

What happened to you? Khushi asked, noticing Avni’s exceptional silence.

Sparsh chuckled at which Avni narrowed her eyes.

Is there something that you both are hiding from me? Khushi asked.

I broke my phone! Avni sank in her chair, knowing that her mom’s gonna kill her this time.

Again! Khushi screamed. Sparsh found it difficult to control his laughter.

Oh my god, Ani! When are you going to grow up? This is the seventh time in last five months.

Avni’s face became red in shame. She understood what her mother was saying, but what could she do? She never realised what she was throwing while she was dreaming. This phone was gifted to her by Khushi when she topped her semesters.

I am sorry, Mom. She had no other words.

It’s okay, Khushi!

Don’t! Khushi stopped Sparsh who was again taking his daughter’s side.

It’s not okay. She will have to understand that she is not a kid anymore.

I understand, Mom. I really do. I am sorry. Really! Avni made a puppy face.

Okay! Can we have our breakfast now? I am already so much late for office. Sparsh finally gave that discussion a rest, though he only wanted to save his darling daughter from being scolded.

Like a bird I fly,

Like an ant I try,

Like a wind I blow,

I am as fresh as snow.

I am an angel,

Sometimes am evil,

I do what I want,

Even if I need to beat the devil.

That’s what I am,

That’s how I am,

I am me,

And I am Avni.

▄

2

It was already quarter to one. Sitting in the college canteen, Avni was waiting for her best friend to come out of the class. She once again tried her number, but it was still switched off.

Come on, switch on the phone! She slammed her phone on the table, the same phone that had suffered trauma early in the morning. It was barely working. The phone made a few flips and jumped from the edge of the table.

Hey, is everything okay? He caught the phone just in time from falling down.

Yeah, everything is fine. I am just waiting for Ankita. She is in the class, she said, taking the phone from him. She sighed, relieved that the phone didn’t incur further damage.

Oh, then what are you doing here? He was not surprised, though.

Avni hesitated at first, but later explained to him patiently how she was playing the hardest level of candy crush in the class. She was trying to clear the level since a week, and finally cleared it in the lecture room.

I forgot I was in class and I shouted out in happiness, she said with a crooked smile on her angelic face.

Holy crap! You are totally insane. He guffawed, imagining the situation.

How did this happen? He pointed towards her phone. Avni was embarrassed once again.

You know it. She said it like an innocent child who is guilty of her mistake.

Yeah, I know!He nodded and laughed. Let us have some coffee until your friend arrives. He went to the counter to order her favourite mocha latte.

She felt better after talking to him and the heavenly coffee further elevated her mood. He was a year senior to her, yet he was among her closest friends, or maybe more. She was still confused about it.

✶✶✶

Avni remembered the first day of her college; a bunch of seniors were troubling her. She had taken up an argument with them. It heated up, and seeing no options left, all of a sudden, she started running towards the college exit. The boys were following her, and without thinking about anything, she tried opening the back door of a car on the way. Miraculously it opened. She sank down into the rear seat, hiding herself completely from view. But that was not the end of the episode; suddenly, the car started moving. She was scared to death.

Hey, just stop the car, else I am going to shout! she said.

What the crap! What are you doing here? The guy in front of steering wheel appeared equally amazed.

I know you are one of them! Just stop the car. You don’t know who my parents are! Avni lied to scare him.

I am the one of whom? And what the hell are you speaking? He put full pressure on the brakes and the car jolted to a stop. Dressed in a chequered cotton shirt, he appeared to be a decent man, but Avni didn’t want to judge him by his appearance.

Listen, just get out of my car! I think you have been mistaken. I don’t even know you. He appeared totally irritated.

What? So you are not one of them? She later felt that it was a silly question to ask. The guy banged his head on the steering wheel.

Avni felt a little relieved. She sat on the back seat and calmed herself.

Are you getting down or shall I call cops? He was getting angry.

Can you please drop me at the red light area? She just thought she would hire a cab or bus to home from there. She was completely unaware of how the request would sound.

Are you…? I mean… He fumed in anger and got down swiftly. Just get out of my car! I don’t talk to people like you. He opened the backdoor and dragged her out.

Ouch! Hey, don’t you have manners? Don’t you know how to behave with a girl? Idiot! She pulled her arm from his grip.

Oh, Madam! I very well know how to behave with girls like you. He pointed his fingers at her.

She was about to reply but she heard a noise behind her. She looked back and was shocked. A bunch of boys were coming towards her. She didn’t know what to do.

Abhi, don’t let this fresher go. We need to teach her a lesson. She thinks she is over smart, one of them shouted. He understood the entire scenario in an instant. He looked at her. She was pale with fear.

Hey guys! Wait. She is my friend. I know her.

Everyone froze when they heard this, including Avni. She stared at him with wide-open eyes.

Are you sure, Abhi? Otherwise, we are not going to leave her. That guy still had some doubt on him.

Yes, dude. She has recently come to Mumbai. We are family friends. He smiled at Avni meaningfully.

Thank God, Abhi, I met you. I searched for you everywhere. I was even trying your number but your phone was not reachable. I was so scared. Avni played her part boldly.

The guys turned their backs seeing them talking to each other. Avni sighed. She didn’t know how to thank this guy. He was a saviour.

Hey! Both of them spoke simultaneously and laughed out in embarrassment.

I am Avni, first year, Arts.

I am Abhimanyu. I am in 2nd year, Economics, he said and extended