adrenaline • calypso • adage

two

calypso

14 May, 11:29 am

"I love you."

If Chaya was dazzled before, she was shocked now.

When he saw her jaw hang open, Aditya realized what a dumb move he had made. He was now supposed to apologize and offer to buy her something. He was supposed to say something smart and hit if off with her. But instead, he just kept staring at her and ended up not saying anything.

He expected Chaya to look at him in disgust and stomp away, but instead she was frozen just like Aditya.

Because Aditya was so focused on Chaya, he hadn't noticed another girl standing right beside her. When the other girl had tugged Chaya's arm and pulled Chaya out of the cafe, then Aditya noticed her. When she was dragging Chaya out of the cafe, she coulsn't help but feel mad at her.

Though he didn't moved, his eyes followed her as she was being dragged out of the cafe by the girl who was explaining Chaya that Aditya was such a weirdo. His heart skipped a beat when Chaya turned around to look at Aditya with a longing look in her eye.

When she seemed close to disappearing, he panicked.

He ran towards the table where Rehaan and Justin were seated and slapped the receipt on the table. "Get the food."

"What happened?" panicked Justin.

"I found her."

The three words triggered the energy back into the two friends, causing them to frantically turn their heads. Before he could offer any more explanations, Aditya had ran off to the cafe's door trying to keep Chaya in sight. While both the friends were going to follow him, Rehaan reminded Justin to get the food first. Ignoring his complaints, Rehaan too rushed to follow his friend.

Aditya ran behind Chaya and her friend. He didn't want to lose her again.
"Chaya!" he finally yelled.

Chaya - whose back was facing him - stopped for a second, but began walking like she hadn't hear him. Aditya sped up and stopped her. He was panting, but he held up his hand to tell her to just stop and hear him out.

"What?" Chaya finally spoke.

"Hi," he said.

"What?" she repeated.

"Okay, I'm sorry. What I said sounded extremely dumb and creepy and I swear it wasn't meant to sound like that. But please don't just walk away like that. Just... just hear me out."

She crossed her arms, disinterested. "Fine. Whatever, speak."

Aditya controlled his urge to roll his eyes. She likes me already, why is she even trying to play hard to get?

He extended his hand. "I'm Aditya Rai. Final year in engineering. Really nice to meet you."

"Such a weirdo," the friend spoke up.

Aditya felt like chasing around the friend with a stick in the park. First, she dragged Chaya off, and now she is giving her oh so useful opinion when he was finally able to talk to her.

"Thank you, I was waiting for the oppurtunity to impress you," he deadpanned sarcastically.

Chaya chuckled at that. Ignoring her friend's glare, she shook his hand. "Hi, I'm Chaya."

Even if he had tried to cover his grin, Aditya wouldn't have been able to. The two shook hands, while staring at each other, smiling. Her hand felt warm. Even though they had spent a night together doing more than shaking hands, her touch still brought sparks. He confirmed his attraction to Chaya isn't just physical.

-*-

When Chaya opened her eyes, she realized she wasn't fully able to and it hurt.

Her neck was bent to the side, her body seemed broken and she knew the red liquid spilling on the floor was her blood. She wanted to die in the next few seconds she had hit the ground after she jumped from Aditya's apartments' terrace, but fate did not grant her wish.

She had to close her eyes.

Just that, and she would've been unconscious. But still she found her herself struggling to keep her eyes open or at least half open. She blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. Her body was crushed, and it pained. It pained. Her body and heart screamed pain for two entire different reasons.

Too late.

She closed her eyes.

-*-

Aditya didn't know what to say after he dropped Chaya's hand. Especially when he noticed her face twitched in a dislike sort of manner for a second. This isn't going to be easy.

He wanted to say things like, 'Do not think of jumping, Chaya.' 'Stay with me.' 'I need to make sure you change your mind.' 'I know you already.' But he couldn't. He took a deep breath and noticed Rehaan and Justin - with hands full of food - slowly back him up. So he sighed and said it once more.

"I love you," he said.

Rehaan and Justin were startled to say the least. Both began to wonder if they had missed a huge confrontation or something. Aditya had expected Chaya to either stare at him weirdly, or grin widely at him, or at least look shaken. But she didn't have any sort of the expressions. Instead, she seemed calm and rather collected when she spoke to him.

"Okay I understand you," she replied, "I'm really thankful and grateful that you seemed to love me, and trust me I'm flattered. But I have a feeling I know where this could be coming from. So, no."

He inhaled sharply.

"I'm rejecting you," she said, firmly.

"Listen to me once..."

"I don't think I should," she said and gave him a small smile, "give you a chance to speak. Who know? You might just charm me enough to convince."

"Chaya."

"Aditya. Bye."

The five people stood fixed to the ground for about fifteen seconds, when Chaya's friend gasped looking at her watch.

"We're going to be late!" she whispered in a rushed way.

When Chaya noticed the time on her watch, her eyes widened. "Oh yeah. Nice to see you, Aditya. Goodbye."

And the two girls began to almost run to cross to the other side of the road where their car was parked.

Aditya felt his heart sink.

Though he knew he should've followed her, the way she said goodbye almost broke his heart.

Even when she was going to jump, she hadn't said goodbye to him. She told him thanks, she told him he was wonderful, she told him she lived him but never goodbye. It felt like it added more of a finality to her death.

Death.

The word somehow striked a cord in Aditya's mind. This isn't a matter of one or two sided love. This isn't a matter of rejection or acceptance. This is a matter of her life. He cannot step back or afford to feel hurt because he cannot waste even a second in order to protect her or save her life.

He began to move towards Chaya - who was now beginning to cross the road - and was deciding internally on if he should just stop her now or follow her and try to form a plan in between. He had just opened his mouth (either to call Chaya's name or to turn and talk to his friends, he wasn't exactly sure) but then his eyes widened when he saw it happen. Chaya move! he wanted to yell. He knew she could move. He knew she could move if she wanted to. But maybe she had realized that death was coming to her instead of her going to it. Maybe she saw this a sign, a boon. And maybe that's why her feet were fixated on the road, eyes on the car that was now rushing at an alarming speed in her direction, and heart was pouding hard.

Before anyone could do anything about it, Chaya was hit by the overspeeding car brutally.

-*-

Everyone - including Aditya - thought Chaya was dead when he had spotted her on the ground from the terrace, all bloody from the jump.

But the truth was that she was still breathing when Aditya began screaming for help. Her eyes were finally closed, and her pain seemed to drift away slowly, yet she had made out a faint cry of help and sorrow.

She was close to dying, almost dead. Yet she couldn't help but wish that the pain in the cry was Aditya's. She wished with the last bit of consciousness - or life, actually - that she could somehow, by a miracle, recognize that voice.

But before she could, the last bit of life had left her.

-*-

Aditya and Chaya were in the middle of kissing before starting round two, and that's when Aditya felt it. A tear drop.

He pulled away, and noticed that she was crying.

He had no idea if she realized it or not, but before he could stop himself he wiped away the tear with his thumb. Was this too painful for her? he wondered thinking about what they did a couple minutes ago. Without thinking or specifically looking at anything, he hugged her. He brought her face closer to his chest and played with her hair for a while.

After a minute or two she spoke in a raspy voice, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

She looked at him. Her face held many emotions at once and before he could say or figure out anything, she pressed her lips to his. She pulled away.

"I want to say just one thing, Aditya. With you it's always a miracle that's going to happen, okay?"

He didn't get what she meant but before he could ponder about it, she held his face and the two shared a long, drugging kiss.

-*-

Aditya was frozen.

The car had hit Chaya but didn't stop. Her body lay in between the road, and this time cars stopped around it. Concerned people came out to help her. But before anyone could touch her, something snapped in him. "DON'T!" he yelled strong enough that even amongst the commotion people heard him and gave him way to Chaya. He knew his equally shocked friends were right behind him, Chaya's friend who was horrified was near them, yet he could've cared less.

He knelt down beside her, with tears clear in his eyes. He stared at her in shock.

This was his second time seeing Chaya die.

He lightly tapped her face, dazed. "Chaya. Chaya. Hey Chaya. Wake up. Wake up... someone... ambulance... call... Chaya... love, please."

Words came out broken, yet people around him understood the message.

Aditya tried to hold Chaya without causing too much movement in her limp and bloody body. He spoke her name softly, as if still trying to wake her up.  Looking at his broken expression and sorrowful face, no one had the heart to tell him it won't work.

Looking at her bruised and bleeding face, Aditya remembered a memory of them of the night spent together.

A memory he doesn't remember happening.

A memory that wasn't there until right before Chaya was hit by the car.

"I want to say just one thing, Aditya. With you it's always a miracle that's going to happen, okay?"

His tears started to roll down, and that's when the ambulance had arrived. He felt relieved and prayed that her heart was still beating.

"Her family?" he heard Rehaan ask her friend.

She shook her head. "Her Mum is her only family. But she died exactly six months ago, and we both were supposed to visit her grave right now." She looked visibly shaken.

His heart ached. She must've felt lonely.

Chaya was lifted from the ground and put on a stretcher from the ambulance. Everyone made a move to clear the way for the doctors. Still teary eyed Aditya could do nothing but watch as a doctor checked her pulse and her breathing. For a second or two, the doctor thought the situation was fine. But the moment she started looking tense, Aditya understood something was wrong. The doctor pushed Chaya's lips apart and began to perform CPR while another nurse quickly took out some tools which he recognized as the ones to give shock to the heart. A desperate measure to revive the heart.

The crowd was still intact on the road.

The doctor asked the nurse to put away the tools. Instead, she told them to put the body in the ambulance.

Body.

He understood. When the doctor shook her head, he heards gasps.

Chaya died.

Once more.

Crying, he moved to her body. Shaking it along with wailing, he begged her to come back. He begged her to open her eyes and say she is alive. He pleaded her. He negotiated with her. Or rather with her dead body. He cried. He felt some hands trying to pull him away but he refused to leave Chaya's body. He clutched onto it. Asked her if she couldn't have waited for few more hours for him. He tried to tell her how he wanted to be with her. But when he felt a couple of hands finally pull him away from the body and saw the ambulance move to the hospital, he knew he lost it.

A fucking second chance that no one gets, he lost that.

He hated himself.

His friends held him, coaxed him, got him into the car, tried to calm him down but they themselves were shaken and upset from witnessing Chaya die.

It was around fifteen minutes later that the three heard a tap on the window of their car. Rolling it down, they saw Chaya's friend, who was very much tear stained and looked just as horrible as Aditya did.

"Are - are you okay Miss...?" trailed off Justin.

"Kia. And... I think you know the answer."

"Do you want to come in?"

"No. No. I - I have to go the hospital for - for..." She tried not to start crying again. She held out a brown book, a notebook. "Give this - give this to your friend... I think she - she wanted to give this to you... I don't know. She kept saying she was writing this for someone she hopes... loves her... I think it - it's him. I - I have no clue what's in it. Just..."

She left. Unable to say another word.

"Shouldn't we try to comfort her a bit?" pointed out Justin.

Rehaan shook his head. "No, just let her be. She needs to go to the hospital right now."

Aditya stared at the notebook. She was writing something for me? He shook his head. The note was not exactly for him, but for her future lover. Someone she hoped would love her. She must've felt so lonely. Her only family - her mother - had died, leaving her with no one else except that friend maybe. Is that why you wanted to die, Chaya? he thought, sadly. But she had him. She could've come to him, asking for some love and comfort from him. He would've gladly gave it to her. He had a chance. To make things right and save Chaya. But he failed that chance too.

He wanted to kill himself. He felt stupid and useless. He couldn't succeed in protecting her even when he knew what he had to do. He was a fucking idiot.

Once again, tears escaped him as he clutched the book tightly. He could do nothing but cry.

After five minutes, Rehaan asked him. "Do you want to go to the hospital?"

Sniffing, he nodded. He couldn't say anything except cursing himself. Though worried, Justin and Rehaan didn't say anything. They simply decides to let their friend have his moment, and drove the car.

Almost halfway to the hospital, Aditya was dry of tears and instead flipped the book absent mindedly. He noticed the notebook was actually empty except for the last page. When he opened the page fully, he recognized the neat handwriting from the post it she had written before this time lapse. She had written it. Without reading, he touched the ink with his fingers. Sighing, he began to read.

Once he was done reading it, he shook his head and read it once again.

Aditya,
It's unfair on how I got four chances and still couldn't make it possibly right. Just when I thought I finally did right by jumping, I came back. Again. I now have no clue except for the fact that I love you. I just saw you in the cafe. I swear I will make sure this is the last time you and I will see each other. I love you.
Chaya

He sucked in a deep breath.

Well, fuck.

He was hoping what he put two and two together is absolutely wrong. But the more he tries to think, the more sense it makes. The new memory. The car accident. The familiar look she gave him. No, no, no he begged. But he understood by reading her letter.

Chaya had come back in the time lapse, just like he did.

And he would swear it wasn't the first time she did. Why? How? Why did she want to go away from him? What did she want to make 'right'? Was it for him? She freaking remembered me.

Tons and tons of questions came to his mind, yet he found not one answer. His breathing hitched, his heart felt heavy, his chest felt suffocating, he couldn't breath properly, and he clutched the door's handle and held it so hard that it hurt. But that didn't help. His mind was blacking out and his eyes were shutting. Everything was slowly turning black. He was going to fall asleep.

Aditya's grandmother was always an intellectual and wise person of many words. She told many things yet none were nonsensical. Her words were always cherished by Aditya and he had followed many of what she said.

Aditya always took whatever she spoke to heart, except for one thing she said when he was twelve.

"Adi." She patted on his head.

"Yes, Dadi?" the boy looked at her with his big and bright eyes.

"Do you know what 143 means?"

"Uh... I love you?"

She smiled. "Yes, you're right. But should I tell you a secret?"

He nodded.

"One, four, and three are not just the number of letters in the word 'I love you' but also the numbers to love."

Aditya shook his head. He didn't get it.

"One, four, and three are the lucky numbers for your love, Adi. These numbers will always help you to attain your true love."

"Mine, Dadi? Is this for everyone also?"

She laughed. "No, not for all. But after having a close eye on you I'm fairly sure one, four, and three will be the lucky numbers for your love."

Aditya frowned. "How would numbers help me get a wife?"

Dadi did nothing but smile. "Even I thought like that. But they did help me get to your Dada."

"Why are you believing that, Dadi? It is not all true."

"You will not believe me now. A few years later, when you meet your true love you will realize how true my words were. And do you know why I'm sure?"

"Why?"

The two leaned forward, as if going to share a big secret.

"Because you're just like me," she almost whispered. "Remember Adi. One, four and three will be the numbers to help you. Just like they helped me go back and save your Dada."

Aditya woke up with a start.

He firstly couldn't believe what he had dreamt. The conversation... wasn't just his imagination. It had really happened, a long time ago. Was Dadi really saying she went back in time lapse too? What the hell is this a family thing or what?

He was so taken aback from the dream that it took him around a minute to notice his surroundings. He was not in his car. He was not in a hospital either. Instead, he was in his room.

"What the," he said, quitely to himself.

"You aren't asleep?"

His body shivered at the voice, and goosebumps ran across his skin. He couldn't believe it. No, it was not possible. He was dreaming for sure.

But when Chaya snuggled further into his bare chest, he knew no dream could've replicated her burning touch so well and so... real.

He looked down at her. Her eyes were closed but Aditya knew she was far from asleep. Both of them were laying on the bed, and Chaya was almost hugging him. He ran his fingers acroos her hair softly and hitched a breath when he felt a faint touch of her lips on his skin. In the whole commotion, he forgot how much he liked her touch. Without thinking, he hugged her tightly and rested his chin on her head. He really, really loved her. 

He had a time lapse. Again.

This time, he was back on the night he and Chaya spent together. He glanced at the clock. 4:37 am. Just a few more hours before Chaya runs off to the terrace. He panicked a little. He couldn't believe it. Another chance to save her. Is this for real?

And that's when it clicked Aditya.

One, four and three.

They met one time.

Chaya had four time lapses to... 'make something right'.

And that leaves three. Aditya has three chances to save Chaya and make her his. And this is the second chance after he failed the first.

And he must not fail this one.

He held Chaya tighter and peppered kisses on her hair. He moved from her hair to her forhead, to her cheek and to her jaw. She smiled in between and when he kissed her neck she spoke up. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was," he muttered while still pressing his lips to her neck, "but I'm awake now."

The thought of losing her twice made him shiver. He couldn't help but be possessive of her. He didn't want to leave her alone, or not touch her for even a second.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he asked.

That seemed to alarm her a little. "I was just - just thinking about something."

He titled her chin up so she was looking at him, and glared at her. "I really, really hope it's not about leaving me or trying to ditch me in the morning before I woke up. Is it?"

Gulping a little, she shook her head. Aditya smiled, but he knew better. He knew what she was planning and thinking unless... unless...

The thought struck him. Could it be?

"Chaya," he said softly?"

"Hmmm."

"Do you - did you... by any chance, come back?"

Her body stiffened at what he said and she saw him with an alarmed expressions. "What - what do you mean?"

"Chaya, I'll you a question. Please, please answer me honestly because I want to know. I need to know. Okay?"

She seemed hesitant but still nodded.

Aditya sighed, hoping she would stick to her words.

"Chaya, when was the first time you saw me?"

"Tonight... technically yesterday night," she answered, quickly.

"And after that... or should I say before?"

She stared, not knowing what to say. "What - what do you mean?"

"Chaya did you come back?" he asked directly.

She visibly stiffened. "From where?" she asked slowly.

"Chaya I know about it. Don't lie to me. I know what you're thinking, what you are planning to do in the morning. Don't do it, Chaya. Please. I'm begging you. I don't know what you're trying to make right here but don't do this to yourself. I love you, Chaya. I really do. I know you love me too, so be with me."

At this point, Chaya looked really concerned and looked around the bed for something. When she found Aditya's shirt, she quickly put it on and turned to face him. 

"Adi, what happened?" She touched his cheek.

"You came back, didn't you?"

"Adi stop. I don't understand what you're saying."

He paused. "Which part of it didn't you understand?"

"Firstly, I didn't go anywhere to come back. Since I met you we've both been stuck to each other... almost literally. Secondly, I have no plans to ditch you in the morning. Where did that even come from? And thirdly..."

She paused. Removing her hand from his cheek, she looked behind him instead of his eyes. He understood whar she was trying to do.

"Chaya," he said. "Look at me. Don't try to avoid my eyes."

Sighing, she looked at him once again.

"Tell me," he coaxed. "Thirdly what?"

"Thirdly... you love me?" Aditya didn't miss the slight hopefulness in her voice.

He leaned forward and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. She didn't hesitate in returning the kiss back. Pulling back, he rested his forhead against her. There was a slight line of sweat across her hairline. He didn't speak and even she remained quiet. He hoped that answered her question. Her smile indicated she did but he knew she wanted to hear it. He was just waiting for her to speak and ask for him to confirm her thoughts. And she did.

"Should I take that as a yes?" she asked, breathing heavily.

"I love you."

He was smiling, and he saw even she was beaming.

"It's the first time," she said.

"What?"

"It's the first time that..."

"Say it."

"That you told me you loved me."

Aditya smiled, remembering when he saw her in the cafe and he blurted out the same three words. It is not the first time. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Though he was contended just by hugging her close, Aditya realized that he still didn't have a clue on if Chaya too had a time relapse or not. If she didn't, then was she still planning to kill herself before he said what he felt for her? He still didn't know what to do, or honestly what was even happening to both of then right now. Even thinking about it makes his head spin. He clutched his forhead with his two fingers as he frowned out of confusion. He really wanted to call his Dadi right now and have a long talk with her. He had a feeling that only she would be able to help him handle this lapses. He wanted to ask Chaya, get direct answers from her yet he wasn't sure how or even what. The fact that she had four time lapses before he did doesn't help him clear or understand this matter.

In the morning, he promised himself as he held Chaya, I will figure out in the morning... with her. Together.

And he closed his eyes.

-*-

Aditya couldn't sleep. He had seen Chaya die two times in just a couple of hours. He couldn't sleep knowing she could slip out of his fingers if he didn't latch onto hers. Though he closed his eyes, he didn't sleep. He instead had full concentration on Chaya. He heard her breath, he felt her skin, he inhaled her scent, and kissed her hair. He was trying to memorize every inch of her. He was being paranoid, but with what he experienced he felt it was justified.

We was like that, for two more hours. When it was six thirty in the morning, and the sun has risen fully he nudged Chaya whom he knew was awake just like him.

"Hey," he said softly. "Time to get up."

Without opening her eyes, she faced him and smiled brightly. Opening her eyes, she just kept staring at him with love and happiness. She sighed happily. "Ah, it's nice."

"What is?" asked Aditya, not minding her clinginess even a bit.

"Opening my eyes and seeing your face first thing in the morning."

His heart warmed at her words.

"Do you want to take a shower?" he asked. "I think we have a couple of things to talk about."

She closed her eyes again and moved to the other side of bed. "Sure. But after you."

He gulped. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he was scared to leave her alone. He wanted to keep her in front of his eyes. "How about this? We brush our teeth together and then think about a shower?"

"Together?" she asked him playfully.

He chuckled, but admittedly he liked the idea a lot. A damn lot. He bent down and grabbed a pair of shorts he had washed the day before, and wore them. He looked at Chaya, who was still in his t-shirt. Smiling, he grabbed her and pulled her out of the bed. She whined but allowed herself to be pulled by him. He made her stand in front of his bathroom's washbasin an d mirror. He opened a nearby cupboard and threw a new toothbrush to her. She grinned cutely at him and both of them began to brush their teeth.

Aditya wasn't fooling himself. Waking up next to Chaya everyday and doing this with her in future was a whole lot of a welcoming thought for him. He loved the idea.  

Chaya didn't have a shower and instead insisted Aditya cook something for her as she was hungry. While he was cooking eggs, she took a look around his house which she hadn't in the previous night. Picking up a photo frame, she showed it to him.

"Parents?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes. They're in Delhi... actually in USA this month for a meeting. But they are settled in Delhi with our company. I came here for my studies."

"No housemate?"

"Nope. I always wanted to experience on how to live alone."

"How many more years for you to graduate?"

"This is my final year. Which reminds me, what do you study or do? You haven't told me."

"I'm studying in a nearby college for multimedia. I'm planning to be an art director for films in future. I'm in my second last year. Technically it's over 'cause final exams were done just five days ago. So I have just an year left."

"Wow, that's cool." He then remembered what her friend, Kia, had told him about her family. "Your parents?" he asked a little cautiously.

She smiled sadly. "Both dead. Dad died when I was three. But Mum passed away just a couple of months ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm over it. A few nice relatives sometimes call and check up on me since I refused to leave my house and stay with anyone."

"How do you manage while studying? Any job?"

"Mum left me enough money in her bank account. Since I am a major, I am allowed to have access to it."

He was relieved that at least she didn't have any financial suffering. He seperated the cooked eggs in two plates and handed one to her along with a spoon.

Suddenly a noise started from the building beside the apartment. "The building is getting renovated."

"Isn't the noise disturbing?"

"At times," he confessed.

They ate in silence and spoke only after they were done.

"So, Adi, you said we needed to talk," started Chaya.

Aditya hesitated. They had a lot they needed to talk about. But not all of it made sense so he had no idea where to start. His hesitation didn't go unnoticed. She put her hand on his. "Go on," she encouraged.

"Chaya... did you ever have a time lapse?" he said, not knowing what ekse to say.

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Like, you know, went back or forth in time. Like a day or two here and there." He didn't want to admit it, but he felt extremely foolish. "Okay, see, I know it doesn't make sense but until and unless we both are open to each other, I don't think we can think we can find any solution to this problem."

"Adi, what problem? I don't get you."

He frowned. Was she really not understanding, or was she just pretending to? Doesn't she really get it? He asked her about it, yet she gives no answer. Did she really not come back from the time lapse. Could it be... I came back before she had her time lapse? Fuck, now what kind of situation is this? He had to stop her from jumping or taking out her life. But she seemed perfectly alright. For now. He didn't get it. First, she cries in front of his apartment before he even wakes up and then jumps and kills herself. Second, he goes back to the morning before she dies (and apparently so did she) yet she sees him and the next minute she dies. He is supposed to stop her from killing herself, then what is wrong?

His head is messed up. He wasn't stupid enough to think all became right just because he didn't sleep. There was something else he was supposed to do. He just didn't know what.

Taking a deep breath, he decided the only way to deal with this is by being really frank with her.

"Chaya I came back in time," he blurted.

She frowned. "Where did you go to come back on time? You were with me the whole time."

Aditya shook his head. "No, no. I mean... I came back from the future. Like I went to before this, now I came to present. Like not exactly present."

"Wait," she said, a little horrified. "You mean you travelled through time? Like you jumped from where you are actually supposed to be. Do you - do you mean that?"

He nodded, vigorously. "Yes. Yes. I swear it hadn't been easy for me at all. I know I sound crazy, but you need to trust me."

"No, Adi that's not possible. How can you? I mean - it is ridiculous... how..."

"Chaya, it is ridiculous. But it is also real."

Honestly, he expected her to laugh. To deny it a bit more. To look at him like she waiting to tell him it was bad joke. But even though she looked horrified, she still had an expression that told him she did believe in him. She shook her head. And then he understood. Chaya may not know everything, but she still knew something.

"Adi," she finally spoke, in a low voice. "Adi we met yesterday night. Correct?"

He nodded.

She continued. "Do you remember where exactly we met?"

"In the club, of course."

Chaya hitched a breath. Her palms were turning sweaty. "C - club? Are you s - sure?"

"Yes, Chaya. Club. We hadn't seen each other before. Why? What happened?"

She took a deep breath. "I believe you."

"What?" He frowned.

"I believe you. That you had a time lapse."

"Chaya what -"

She abruptly stood up, frustrated. "Why can't it not happen?! Why again and again? Why you now! How can I even make this right?!"

She was yelling, yet the last few words reminded Aditya of her diary.

How can I even make this right?!

It's unfair on how I got four chances and still couldn't make it possibly right.

He understood something wrong. Something is terribly, terribly wrong.

What is it that she needs to make it right? 

Why doesn't she talk to him about it?

Chaya was hysterical. She was not able to stay in one spot and was completely freaking out. She looked close to having a panic attack. She was pacing like a mad man and mumbling unintelligently that Aditya didn't understand anything of. When he had enough, he stood up and walked over to her. Grabbing her shoulders, he shook her until she was back to her senses. "Chaya! Chaya!"

She looked at him and her expression made him think she felt sorry for him. Without any thought, she wrapped her hands around him and hugged him. She placed her ear on his chest and she felt his hearbeat increasing making her smile. Though he wanted to talk, he instead hugged her back because he understood she needed it right now.

"Can I ask you what happened?" he asked once she finally calmed down.

He placed a cup of steaming coffee in front of her as he sipped from his own. Both of them were sitting on the sofas, facing each other.

Chaya took the cup in her hands but didn't attempt to drink it. She sighed.

"You're right," she finally said.

He raised his eyebrow. "I am?"

"Yes. I - I did come back."

He stopped sipping.

She continued, "This - this is my second time. This freaking time lapse. I don't know why this is happening to me. Or you. I just... felt really freaked out when I realized even you did."

"You freaked out when I said we met in the club," he said. "Honestly, I didn't understand at all why you reacted like that. Can I know why?"

She didn't look at him. She looked at everywhere but him. "Because we didn't meet in the club."

"The fuck." He almost choked on his coffee.

Aditya might not take pride in his understanding of the situation or depiction. He night not know what the other person is feeling just by glancing at them or sometimes she just is really dense. But he always took pride on his memory. Especially when it came to Chaya. He clearly remembered each and every moment since he met her. The first time he saw her, the first time he talked to her, her touch, her kiss, her jump, how her body spilled blood on the ground as he stared, how her eyes brightened as she saw him in the cafe, how the car hit her, but still got to hold her one more time. And now as she said he was wrong in where they met, he not only felt shocked but also his pride was hurt.

He waited for her to say something.

"I told you, Adi. I came back. This is my second lapse. Meaning... I met you for the first time thrice as of now."

Thrice.

"So you're saying," he said slowly, "that you went back on time... twice?"

She nodded. "Yes. The real first time we met... was in a club but then I had a time lapse. That was my first time."

"So the first time of our meeting I remember is not actually our first time," he mostly told himself. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that he has more memories with Chaya than he remembers.

She shook her head. "No. Honestly that would be our... fourth time."

"No," he said. "It's our fifth."

Now it was her turn to look confused. But Aditya clearly remembered she had written that she had gone through four lapses. 143. But by what Chaya was telling him, in the current time she has had only two lapses. They are currently in Chaya's second time lapse... and also Aditya's second. It's their both second lapses but different circumstances.

"How would it be our fifth, Adi?" she quizzed.

"Chaya tell me clearly and exactly about your time lapses."

At this she looked a little nervous, but after a couple of seconds of hesitation she nodded yes.

"You see," she started, "we met for the real first time in the club. The same club that you remember us meeting. The one which you went with your friends to celeberate and drink. Fuck that is where this whole mess had fucking started!" She chuckled bitterly.

Seeing how tense she was, Aditya put his hand on hers while rubbing soothing circles on it. She visibly sighed at his touch, and he was glad she was not hyperventilating. "Go on," he ushered her softly.

Chaya took a deep breath. "We met, we flirted with each other, we started kissing, we came to your apartment, and we slept with each other. The next morning I didn't leave because I wanted to talk to you. So we both had breakfast and you decided to drop me home. And that's when I had my first time lapse."

He sucked in a breath.

"I didn't understand what happened for like an hour," she said. "I was pretty shocked, and almost threw a fit." She shuddered at the seemingly horrible memory. "It was... not good, Adi. I almost thought I lost my mind or had become mental or something. But then, I recovered. I came back to hours before going to the club. This time I decided to not go to the club. I didn't. I went somewhere on the other side of the city, near the park. But... you know what?"

"What?" he asked in a low voice.

She smiled. "We met for the first time again in the park. I was really far away from the club with no reason for you to meet me, but yet... we did."

The moment Aditya heard that they ended up meeting each other that night even though Chaya decided to completely erase his existance from her life, he understood fate is currently playing a cruel game with them.