"Sammy… you don't love me anymore. I don't matter now… that's why you didn't."
"No, Manya, that's not true!"
She started running.
I ran after her. "Manya! Manya, where are you? Manya!"
And then she vanished.
I woke up gasping for breath. Tears filled my eyes.
I lost her completely now.
You must be thinking I'm panicking as if she died.
She did.
Let me take you back to the day she was shot ,the day Sarthak blamed me.
I stood at the basin, trying to wash her blood off my hands. I kept rubbing, but it felt stained into my skin. I stood there for a long time, staring at my trembling fingers.
Then I heard the doctor's voice.
"I'm sorry. We couldn't save her. She's gone."
Sarthak broke down immediately.
My eyes filled with tears as my world shattered into pieces, like fragile jewelry thrown onto the floor.
I grabbed the basin tightly. My knees gave up, and I knelt down, crying alone.
My life was shattered.
I lost my sister.
My best friend.
The one person who helped me out of my trauma.
I couldn't believe she was gone.
In my shock, I hit my head against the basin. Blood came out, but it meant nothing compared to Manya's. The only thing left with me was the memory of her blood on my hands.
Then I heard the wheels of the hospital bed.
They were taking her away.
Sarthak was hugging her, crying loudly.
"You were the only person I had! Why did you do this? Why did you leave me alone in this world, Manya? How can you be dead? Please speak… I know you're not dead… please…"
He knelt down, crying heavily. Advait helped him sit as the bed began to move.
I couldn't move.
I couldn't even go to hug her one last time.
Because this time… it was my fault.
I shouldn't have dragged her into finding my past secrets. I should have lived in the present. Maybe then this would never have happened.
I am such a loser.
I am a jinx — not Manya.
"It's all my fault!" I screamed. "You loved me. You took me out of my trauma. And what did I give you? Death. I'm such a bad sister… a bad best friend… a bad girlfriend."
I cried heavily and hit my head against the basin again.
But Aarav ran toward me and hugged me tightly.
I burst into tears once more.
"Bro… I'm a murderer. I shouldn't have made her help me."
He held me firmly. "No. It's not your fault. It would never be your fault. You just wanted the truth."
I heard him.
But he doesn't know.
I will never stop searching for that truth.
Now come back to the present.
I left the house. I said goodbye to Myra. I started living alone in the house Manya and I once built together.
I haven't seen them in four months.
Tina and Krati are still in the hospital, recovering. Anvi comes every week to give me medicine and food.
I can't sleep. And when I finally do, I see her running away from me again.
I give all my time to the investigation.
I broke up with Sarthak. He shouldn't have to live with his sister's murderer.
I left everyone so no one else would get hurt because of me.
I left the happy breakfast table filled with noise and laughter. Now I sit alone at the same table Manya and I once shared after college.
This house still carries her presence. Every corner reminds me of her.
Today is her birthday.
I bought her the gift she wanted since college.
You must be wondering what it is.
A dog. A small chihuahua.
She always wanted one, but she couldn't because of her brother.
I named him Carrot , the name she always said she would choose.
I haven't been able to visit her grave. I couldn't sit in front of it. I couldn't accept that she's under the ground and not beside me.
But this evening, I will go.
With whiskey.
With cake.
And with Carrot.
I miss her.
The cup she used is still in the kitchen. Wherever I look in this house, I see her.
My psychiatrist appointments have started again. They were stopped because of Manya. She helped me heal.
She didn't owe me anything.
But I owed her everything.
And I failed her.
I let her die.
I lost her.
And I lost my happiness with her.
This is not some April Fool's joke.
This is real.
I never imagined living without her.
Never.