“Where?” Priya jolted back, her eyes widening, pupils dilating, breathing loudly, sweat dripping from her body, her own voice echoing in her ears as if they were about to bleed.
Beep! Beep!
The unwelcome sound in her surroundings made her heart beat wildly. She tried to make sense of what had happened-who was in the dark? Were her parents dead? Or was what she had just seen only a dream?
“Wake up, Priya, sweetheart.”
Startled by the low whispering tone in her ears, Priya shifted her eyes beside her and saw someone lying there holding her, feeling the large hands. But her eyes couldn’t discern exactly who this person was. She blinked twice to figure out what was happening.
Her mind was fuzzy. That woman’s voice, whoever it was, pounded in her head, leaving her dazed and struggling to understand what was really happening.
“Priya?”
Once again, the voice struck her ears, and she tried to lift her hands, but couldn’t due to the bone-cracking pain coursing through her body. Other than her eyes, she couldn’t move an inch, the pain consuming her inside.
“You can hear me. I’m Priyank.”
Priyank? The name registered, and she blinked again to form the image of the person so close to her that she could feel their breath on her face, making it vividly real. It told her she wasn’t dreaming; she was awake, with a real person.
After a few minutes, her eyes started to focus, and she trailed them over the face beside her. “Priyank,” she whispered, seeing him lying next to her.
The sticky feeling on her body began to register too.
“Yes, Angel, Priyank, sweetheart. You’re awake! You scared me so much, you don’t even know,” Priyank happily hugged her tightly, relieved to see her awake, her beautiful red eyes gazing at him.
Three days without her felt like someone was tearing his heart out, and seeing her eyes closed since he arrived at the hospital room only intensified that feeling. Now, her beautiful eyes were watching him, giving him some comfort.
“Didn’t I run away from him?” Priya thought as he hugged her. She now knew she wasn’t in any illusion; she was in reality, and Priyank was with her.
How did he even find her? In the forest? Or did Maya, Levi, and Rish tell him? They made her trust them, and then they decided to hand her over.
Teep! Teep!!
Once again, the sound hit her ears. She looked around at the beautiful white walls and the big machines attached, realizing she was in the hospital.
With some difficulty, she raised her hands and saw the cannula attached to it, indicating she was admitted to the hospital.
How? Why? So many questions ran through her head as the coldness hit her body from him hugging her.
She observed herself and felt empty, her eyes falling on her breasts, the curve peeking out from the crumpled quilt she had on her due to his size and his arms wrapped around her.
Her mind started to make sense of what was happening. ‘I’m naked? He’s naked too!’ Priya’s head screamed as she realised in what state she was in his arms.
Feeling a rush of panic, Priya’s mind raced to piece together the events leading up to this moment. How did they end up like this? Why was she in his arms, both of them naked under the thin quilt?
Memories began to flood back. The forest, the darkness, the fear.
But why was she in the hospital? What had happened to her?
As Priya’s thoughts spiralled, Priyank gently stroked her hair, his touch bringing a sense of calm amidst the chaos. “It’s okay, Priya. You’re safe now,” he whispered, his voice filled with reassurance.
Safe. The word echoed in her mind, reminding her that she is again trapped in his arms.
With a deep breath, Priya forced herself to focus on the present moment. She needed answers, and she needed them now.
“Priyank,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. “What happened? Why are we here?”
Priyank’s expression softened, his eyes filled with concern. “You were hurt, Priya,” he explained gently.
Hurt. The word sent a shiver down Priya’s, she didn’t remember getting hurt.
“What happened to me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Priyank hesitated, his gaze searching hers for a long moment before he spoke. “You will know soon,” he admitted quietly. “But whatever it was, I promise you, I won’t let it happen again. I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
Protect. She couldn’t even believe he wanted her to believe in this. Wasn’t he the exact person she had run away from because she wanted to protect herself?
Now, finally, he found her. She felt so conflicted, even more than the dream she had just watched.
It didn’t feel like a dream because she could feel the pain inside her body, which somehow gave the lingering feeling that it could be true.
And her being hurt didn’t make sense. How could she be hurt when she was just standing? But this pain was ripping her logic away.
Because if she hadn’t been hurt, then why was she in the hospital, feeling this pain inside her?
“Sweetheart, do you want to drink some water or something?”
“Maya,” Priya mumbled. No matter what, she wanted to meet Maya. She had trusted her, which was why she had followed them here to their hometown. And now she had woken up in Priyank’s arms.
She wanted answers, and for heaven’s sake, she couldn’t believe the naivety she had displayed. Trusting them had been so wrong, and now it was proven. She doubted she would ever be able to trust anyone again.
“She’s outside. Let me wear my clothes and dress you up too, so I can call her,” Priyank said, standing on his knees and starting to dress himself with the clothes hanging on the bedside post. Priya closed her eyes, not wanting to see him naked.
He was shameless, not her. Even though she had seen him naked before. That was without her consent or her wanting it.
After dressing himself, he took the gown and began gently slipping it onto her body, lifting it with one hand and tying the knot with the other.
He was being so soft and gentle, as if she would break if he put any more pressure.