A Journey To The Heart - Chapter 14 (First Half)

For a moment, everything turned silent and so, we 'dummies' were, with static eyes and sealed lips. The only thing left alive was our beating hearts, as if talking rhythmically to each other, in the afterglow, sweeter than the music of the water fall.

"I..." Her voice choked. "I... I want to go..." She gulped back the tears and stood up wiping my hand from her cheeks, peering in the gloom to trace out her way.

"You can't turn your back from me..." I uttered, seeing her leave.

"Yana... " I called out, "Stop!" My voice filled the place still she didn't stop.

I was standing like a dumbfounded, seeing her go. There were thousands of questions, she owed to answer me. So I followed her tearing the milky white curtains.

"Yana..." I tried to raise the pitch of my tone, so as to beat the thunder of the water and reached her.
"What...." Finally something fell from her trembling lips. "What do you want to hear, huh?" She turned, bumping her hands into my chest, giving me a jerk into the rushing water.

"I just want to know..." I countered, somehow finding my foot. "...what is tormenting you?" I reached close.
"What is tormenting me?" She knitted her eyebrows in pain. "It's you... It's you, who is tormenting me... I didn't expect you..."

"But you kissed me back," my voice lost all the gusto and it felt like a pain in chest.
"I was caught in the moment... I never loved you and I can't love you...." She turned, making her way from me to the side of the fall.

Of course, she hit me where it hurts. But I was not going to let her go without any sane explanation because I knew she loved me.

"I won't let you walk away like this Yana Seth..." I said through clenched teeth, tightening my fist.

But the water was so cold that it was taking our strength to say anything to each other, anymore and we tried to charge out of the water, as we had to keep up our stamina to scramble to the top of the hill-side. I was looking up to figure out the way to go up, and saw her flashing towards me in utter tension on her face. Before I could understand anything, this girl like always, took me right out of the blue grabbing my shirt from back, muttering "Move ..."
Ah, I couldn't remember what exactly she said.

"Hey..." I almost lost my balance. "What..." And I caught her hand.
"It's Arsh with his nasty junkies." She replied with her clattering teeth, directing her brows up.
"What are they doing here?"
"You are asking this to me?... The one who brought them here..."
"Hold on! Hold on... What?... Are you blaming me?"
"You followed me and they followed you..."
"Wha..."

"Can't you see they were stalking you, which indirectly means they were stalking us?" She got irritated. "It was them who rained those stones upon you... That's why I hid myself and grabbed you..."
"But..."
"Oh God, how long we are going to..." She cried, placing her hands on her forehead.
"Hey..." I whispered, squeezing her hand.
"I feel cold... I am freezing." Tears fell down her cheeks.
"Hey, I am here." I took her in my arms.
"Don't..." She tried to push me back, but it couldn't work as I held her tight.

Her whole body was shaking and so was mine. Our bodies went so numb and it was hard to find warmth between us.

"Let's go... I'll see to it, whatever happens!" She said, tightening her grip to my shirt.

As were heading up, through her shortcut, I tried to change her mood, by teasing her.

"Hey Yana Seth, I can see your tramp stamp." I bellowed, grinning.

But she didn't say anything and kept climbing up and directed me to go first to check if there was anyone there.

Yeah, we were acting like desperadoes in the night as if, searching for our hunt.

"It's cool. Come up!" I said, offering my hand to her, but her ego was at its heights and she came up on her own and crouched, whispering, "Thanks Mom and Dad! This time you really saved me..." And looked up at me like a child.
"You know what..." She huffed. "You are impossible."
And I laughed.

"No!... I am serious Summors..." She stood up and folded her arms.
"Ian." I corrected with a sly smile.
"Ah, whatever!" She rolled her eyes and crossed me, hitting my shoulder in rage.
"Listen Miss. Yana Seth..." I said, arresting her arm and brought her close. "I will never regret, what I said to you. And I want to know what's going with you?"
"You want to hear the truth.... Huh?" She came closer, with zero feelings in her eyes. "I don't love you, Mr. Ian Summors."
"And you think I am going to believe you... Girl, you are such ..." I didn't waste time completing my sentence and clasped her jaw to meet her soft lips with mine.

Indeed! She was grappling with me, giving all her strength to save herself from being dazzled, and I didn't give her a chance to escape from it. Yes, I was getting mean, but it was the need of the moment to make her realize from what she was trying to run. My lips on hers, were answering all her incoherent doubts and fear with rapt attention making her believe in my love, nudging the fire in her which she was trying to chill. Her lips were nervously catching up the rhythm of mine and she was losing herself in my arms, craving for a passionate feel.

Her warm tears slid on my fingers and I stopped and looked into her eyes and said, "I am sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you... But all I know is that.... we love each other and its useless running away from the truth... I tried but...." I sucked the tears on her cheeks, caressing her forehead and on her lips. "It's not working to stop loving you now."

"I can't...." Her voice choked, "I don't want to hurt you either, but I can't love you."
"But what is this.... You're kissing me back.... Is this..."
"I don't know... I just don't know." She sobbed, looking away.
"What is giving you hell? .... Tell me." I softly landed my hands on her neck, but she threw them away.
"If you want me happy...." She swallowed, "Stay away from me."

Her words were drilling me inside and blowing out all the hopes, I was trying to save from her impulsive decision, but still I forced a smile and said, "I don't know how to articulate my love to you."

It was hard, but I controlled my emotions, "I won't force it upon you... And I don't want any proof of your love, because I know you do. And I'll wait till the day you come in my arms with no care and fear..."

"I need to go." She dryly cut my words, with pain in her eyes.

I knew something was bothering her, something was stopping her, but what could it be? I was getting more desperate to find the answers and I knew who could help me.

"Hey, where were you guys?" Aahna said, striding out of her house with an umbrella.

We said nothing. I was waiting for her to say, but she dashed inside and Aahna looked at me in confusion.

"Did something happen?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.
"That's what I am thinking." I replied innocently, without throwing any hint.
"Look at you... You are soaked to the skin... Come inside and have a coffee."
"Ah, I need to change first." I said, pointing my wet shirt.
"Oh yes... I..."
"It's fine, I'll change and make sure I make one for myself." I pressed my lips and winked, making my way to the cottage.

Whole night I kept thinking about her and our first kiss. I was not sure whether to be happy for confessing my love or be sad for making her sad.

"How could you be so mean?" My inner voice kept screeching, until the first ray of sun broke and I finally lost my cautious.

*******************************************************

Replies from the Author

Penny: I am surprised to see that you are still committed to my story. Thanks a lot dear.

Heena S: Thanks. I am especially working over your demand... I hope I won't disappoint your expectations.