The Night That Everything Changed (Part Two)

(Hey!! If you have not read part one of the story here is the link - The Night That Everything Changed (Part one) (livealittlelovealot.com)

As the cab drove away, Kritika leaned back in the seat, feeling anger, heartbreak, and disappointment. She couldn’t believe that Taruk had betrayed her like this, especially after everything they had been through. It was a painful realization that their relationship had been built on lies and deceit. She wiped away her tears and took several deep breaths.

An air of melancholy surrounded her. She felt she was entering a dark tunnel, one that she had never traveled before. She was leaving behind love and entering heartbreak, moving from wholesomeness to hollowness. From happiness to degradation. 

After reaching home, Kritika removed her boots and dumped her dress on the bed. The tears were still streaming down. She changed and managed to get under the covers. She couldn’t stop shaking as she tried to shake off the image of him with Anu. That vision haunted her every moment. 

She tried to distract herself by scrolling through social media, but every post seemed to remind her of him. She couldn’t help but wonder if he had been cheating on her for a long time or if this was a recent affair.

Just then, Taruk arrived at Kritika’s apartment. He rang the doorbell several times, but she just refused to answer. She knew it was him… wanting to come back to her, expecting that she would accept his heartfelt apologies. He banged on the door several times. ‘It’s not what you think it is… I had no idea that this was going to happen. It’s a big mistake. Kritita! Baby! I’m sorry! Please open the door! You know I won’t be able to go on without you.’ He tried calling her phone several times. 

Kritika turned off the doorbell switch and put her phone on airplane mode. She then tucked back under covers, the only place she felt safe. Sleep seemed impossible as her mind raced with unanswered questions. ‘Why did he do this? Was our love not enough? How could I have been so freaking blind? Has he been doing this even before we met? Has he done this with other women behind my back?’

Eventually, left with no other option, Taruk left for home. He didn’t want to create a scene outside her apartment. The neighbors wouldn’t have been too pleased. 

Once it went silent outside, she turned on the television, hoping that might calm her nerves. She soon found herself aimlessly wandering around the house, recalling her precious moments with him and how she had always put their relationship first. 

‘I need to get out of this place,’ she thought. ‘But I’m supposed to head for home tomorrow. My mother is expecting me. But I know her. When she finds out that this is what has happened, she’s going to drive me up the wall. I don’t have it in me to deal with her as well as myself right now. I just can’t. Maybe I should go somewhere else. Or maybe I should just stay locked up in my apartment for an entire week. God. I’m so messed up right now.’

Kritika picked up her phone and started checking out places she could visit. ‘I could go to Shimla or maybe go on a solo road trip, or I could go to Goa. Whatever! I really need to get the hell out of here!’

The following day, Kritika woke up with puffy eyes and a heavy head. She knew she had to find a way to move on from this pain. She grabbed her phone and started typing a message to her mother:

‘Mom… there has been a slight change in plan. I’m not coming home tonight. Taruk and I have broken up. I’m feeling pretty lost. So, I’ve booked a flight to Goa. Please don’t worry. I need to do this for myself. I hope you will understand. I’ll keep in touch. I’ll call you when I reach.’

Kritika sent the message with a deep sigh and put her phone aside. She felt relief and sadness, knowing she had taken the first step toward putting herself first. Giving herself priority was something she hadn’t done in a very long time. It was either work, her family, or her so-called lover - Taruk, who were always given precedence. ‘But not this time.’ 

She took a long hot shower, blasting ‘Someone Like You’ sung by Adele, and howled her head off. Kritika couldn’t help but reflect on the life she had imagined with Taruk. They had talked about their dreams and future together, and now it all had vanished overnight. She quickly packed her bags and prepared for her trip to Goa. Simultaneously, her phone continued to beep with several texts, calls, and voice messages from Taruk and her mother. She ignored them all. 

By evening, she was standing at the shore of the beach, listening to the calm sound of the waves. The warm breeze brushed against her face, bringing a glimmer of hope. She checked into a cozy beachside resort, eager to explore the beauty of this coastal paradise. After dinner, she had a long chat with her mother.

‘Taruk has been calling me all day,’ her mother said. ‘I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to upset you. But he’s going crazy!’

‘Just block his number!’ She replied coldly. ‘I’m sure he’s calling you because he thinks I’m with you in Chandigarh. That was supposed to be the plan, remember? I’ve not told anyone where I am but you, Mom.’

‘Maybe you need to just talk it out with him,’ her mother said gently. ‘He seemed to be such a lovely boy when we met during my last visit. I really thought that he would be the one. Maybe all of this is just a big misunderstanding.’ 

There was a long silence over the phone. 

‘At least hear him out,’ her mother said. 

‘It’s over, Mom. There’s nothing left. He screwed up. Big time! He’s lost my trust. And I won’t let him or anyone make me feel that way. I feel all my life, I’ve only done for people. And if I’m going to keep doing that… it isn’t going to take me anywhere. Throughout my entire relationship with him, I mostly did everything. Over time, I felt that he just took me for granted. But he always won me over with his kind, loving words and his charm. He always knew how to make me bend to his whims and fancies. Back then, I kept reminding myself that I was stupid and lucky to have him. I told myself that I was just overthinking, but now I can see it. I can see the real picture. What I had with Taruk was really special. He’s really close to my heart. But nobody should ever take advantage of someone else and hurt them. He’s really hurt me. He would be dreaming if he thought he would get another chance. You know, Mom, no matter what you do. The truth will always come out.’

Kritika spent the next few days indulging in yoga classes at sunrise, finding inner peace and tranquility. She tried her hand at water sports, feeling the adrenaline rush as she surfed the waves and conquered her fears. She explored the vibrant markets and tasted the local cuisine, savoring all the myriad flavors of Goa. But most importantly, she found solace in the company of new friends she made along the way. They shared stories, laughter, and their own experiences of heartbreak. They reminded her that she wasn’t alone in her journey of healing and that there was a world full of love and possibilities awaiting her.

One evening, Kritika was sitting with a new friend, Ben, at one of the shacks near the hotel’s beach. They were sipping on cocktails as they waited for their sizzlers. Ben was a handsome German man who had come to Goa with his wife, Becky. It was the couple’s last night in Goa. They enjoyed their time together and connected well with Kritika. 

Becky was standing at the shore of the beach, allowing her feet to sink into the sand one last time. She was clicking pictures of the starry sky and the glimmering moon. 

Back at the shack, Kritika and Ben sipped their cocktails, chatted, and giggled together. 

Just then, Taruk entered the shack and looked around for Kritika. Her mother had given in and shared her daughter’s information. He had already been to her hotel and found out she ate dinner at the same shack every night. 

His eyes wandered around as he passed the bar, the smiling faces, the intense conversations, the busy waiters, and the chatty banter. He went numb momentarily when he finally spotted Kritika sitting at the shack on the beach under the stars with another man. 

‘Let’s join Becky at the shore,’ Ben told Kritika. 

She willingly agreed. ‘I can’t blame Becky. The beach is just so serene.’

Kritika managed to get her feet out of the sand and rose from the cane chair. Together, they walked down to the beach.

Taruk stood still, witnessing Kritika’s every move. That glint in her eye. That wide, beautiful smile. That long, wavy hair. She shared a high-five with this new man. Their loud laughter rang in his ears. Taruk reflected upon his relationship with her and what they could have been. And how easily he had let her slip away. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He remembered Anu and all the women he had been with on the side. But Kritika had surely been the one. The one that made his heart beat faster. The one that made everything look so simple and easy. The one that truly loved him and accepted him for who he was. The one that brought out the best of his being. 

‘Table for one?’ The waiter asked Taruk, smiling. 

As Kritika headed to the beach with Ben, she looked over her shoulder. She had that feeling that someone’s eyes were following her. She spotted Taruk at a distance. She halted. Their eyes met for a moment. She then turned around and kept walking to the shore.

‘Sir… Are you expecting someone?’ The waiter asked. 

Taruk shook his head slowly and said, ‘No… I think I’ve made a mistake.’