"The Elevator to Realms" Act 9 Crossroads

 "The Elevator to Realms" Act 9 Crossroads

Vaibhav

"Okay. This is kind of enough.", I said to myself after I hung up the phone. 

..

*Phone rings again*

No. I just can't pick up the call. I need to go back and think of something. I should... I can't think of anything else right now. Who was that holding the exact same glowy blue thing in her hand? 

*Phone keeps ringing...*

"Damn it!", I yelled. And picked up the phone. 

"What's the matter?! Why are you not picking up my calls?!", said Pooja.

"Pooja, I need some time. I have no idea what's happening, I'll call you back later. Please give me some time.", I reassured her that nothing was wrong. Everything is okay.

"You don't tell me anything, you call me at 2 in the morning and you don't tell me a thing about what happened? You owe me an explanation, Vaibhav," she said.

"No, I don't. I'll call you again, sorry Pooja. I need to do this. Take care.", I said and hung up the call.

That was it. I tried to hold back my tears. I'm sorry Pooja, But I had to do this. I drove continuously till I reached back. It was almost dawn. I opened my room and threw myself on my bed. Tired. I couldn't think of anything with all that stress from last night. So I put on my headphones and tried to take a small nap. Maybe, after everything goes well here and when I return home, I'll try to find that device again. I need to find answers.

..

..

"Beta? Its 2'o Clock! Are you still asleep?!", I heard Mom as soon as I opened my eyes. I tried to look at the wall clock.

2 PM..

WHAT THE... 

"OKAY Yes Mom! I am..", I opened the door. 

"Um. Sorry Mom, I don't know how I slept through the afternoon.", I said, lowering my stance. Yes, I know. It's shameful. 

"What do you do all night? C'mon freshen up and get ready. We have some guests showing up today, and you're gonna be late to the ceremony", said Mom, and began walking away.

"Right away, Mom!", I announced, and closed my room's door. I sat on the chair letting out a sigh. I had to get ready for the ceremony tonight. I collected myself and began getting ready. I had to look good tonight. 

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. The kurta was a deep shade of maroon, embroidered with golden threads, and the intricate patterns gleamed under the soft hotel room lights. My hair was still a mess, and I hadn’t shaved in days. I splashed some water on my face, hoping it would wash away the exhaustion from last night and the confusion in my head.

After a few moments of self-admiration and a quick adjustment to the sleeves, I felt ready to face the day.

*Ding Ding*

A soft chime from my phone pulled me back to reality. Messages had been pouring in all morning, mostly from relatives asking about the event and offering their congratulations. It was hard to focus, but I knew I had to get downstairs soon. The ring ceremony was about to begin, and I couldn’t afford to be late.

I slipped on my shoes and headed for the door. As I stepped out into the corridor, the muffled sounds of music and laughter reached my ears from downstairs. The hotel had been bustling since early morning, with family members and friends running around making last-minute arrangements.

The elevator ride down felt slow, almost as if time had decided to drag itself. The soft hum of the lift did little to soothe my nerves. I wondered who I would meet first. My cousins from Delhi? Some distant uncle I hadn’t seen in years? We'll see.

When the doors finally slid open, I was greeted by the sight of the grand banquet hall decorated to perfection. Strings of marigolds and roses adorned the entrance, and inside, the room was bathed in warm yellow lighting, reflecting off the golden drapes that lined the walls. Circular tables, covered in crisp white cloth, dotted the room, each adorned with a centrepiece of jasmine and tuberose flowers. To the side, a stage had been set up, where the ring exchange would take place, with two elegantly decorated chairs at the centre. Above them, a banner with "Dhruv & Samantha" hung, surrounded by fairy lights that twinkled like stars.

I made my way through the hall, nodding and smiling at familiar faces, some of whom I hadn’t seen in years. The DJ was playing soft Bollywood tunes in the background, and children were already running around, their laughter adding to the festive air.

"Vaibhav! There you are!" A voice boomed from behind me. I turned to see my uncle, a broad grin on his face.

"Ah, Uncle! How are you?" I asked, offering him a hug.

"Looking sharp! You clean up well," he said, giving me a playful nudge on the shoulder. "Your parents are inside, making sure everything is perfect. You know how your mom is."

I chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, she’s been stressing about this for weeks."

As we made small talk, I noticed more relatives arriving. The older generation sat around the tables, sipping on chai and catching up, while the younger ones were busy taking selfies and posting them on social media. The air was thick with excitement, and for the first time all day, I felt a sense of calm. This ceremony, this moment, was about more than just the rings. It was about family, love, and all the chaos that came with it.

The caterers were setting up the food on long tables at the far end of the room. There was a spread of traditional Indian delicacies—paneer tikka, samosas, chole bhature, and an array of sweets like jalebi and gulab jamun that glistened under the lights. The aroma was intoxicating, and I made a mental note to grab a plate once the formalities were done.

I managed to weave through the sea of relatives, shaking hands and exchanging smiles until I found myself sitting at a table. Dhruv and Samantha looked radiant on the stage, exchanging shy glances as the Pandit Ji conducted the rituals. It was a surreal moment, watching my cousin step into a new chapter of his life.

"Vaibhav, you have to meet someone!" Bihaan's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was beaming, and next to him stood a young woman.

"Vaani, this is Vaibhav," Bihaan introduced. "And Vaibhav, this is Vaani. We were classmates in college."

I gave a polite smile. Bihaan and Vaani had been in a relationship once. They had split up, but there didn’t seem to be any awkwardness between them now.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, extending my hand. She shook it, her grip firm and confident. Vaani seemed at ease, her smile unforced, as if the past didn’t weigh on her anymore.

We exchanged a few pleasantries before I excused myself to mingle with some other relatives. The ceremony carried on smoothly, and soon, Dhruv and Samantha exchanged rings amidst applause, laughter, and cheers. The happiness was infectious, and for a while, I let myself get lost in the celebration.

Later that evening, as everyone retired to their rooms, I found myself drawn to the terrace. The night was cool, and the breeze carried the faint sound of distant traffic. The moon hung low, casting a gentle light over the city. I leaned against the railing, trying to process everything—the ceremony, the strange events of the past few days, and my unresolved tension with Pooja. The moon seemed to watch over it all, indifferent yet serene.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. I turned to see Vaani approaching, her silhouette framed by the moonlight.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked.

"Sure," I replied, shifting slightly to make space.

For a few moments, we stood in silence, both of us gazing at the moonlit cityscape.

"You seemed deep in thought earlier," she said, breaking the quiet. "Everything okay?"

I hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "Just life, you know? It's been a lot to take in recently."

She smiled knowingly. "Tell me about it. College was one thing, but the future... that's another beast altogether." As she spoke, she pulled out a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, and took a drag. I couldn’t hide my surprise.

"You smoke?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Vaani caught my expression and chuckled. "Yeah, I know. It's not the best habit, but it helps me unwind. You want one?" She offered me one, but I politely declined.

Vaani took another drag from her cigarette and exhaled slowly, the smoke swirling into the night air. After a pause, she glanced at me, as if considering how much she wanted to reveal.

"So, Bihaan was ... your friend in College?", I asked curiously, looking at her.

"College was... different," she began, her voice softer now. "Bihaan and I had a lot of good times back then. We were young, carefree, and in love. Everything seemed so simple, you know? Classes, hanging out in the canteen, late-night study sessions that turned into deep conversations about life, the future, and everything in between. We were really close—intimate in a way that I didn’t know was possible until then."

I shifted slightly, feeling a bit self-conscious. Vaani noticed and smiled gently. "I don’t mean just physically, although that’s part of it. Intimacy is more than that. It’s about feeling completely understood by someone, sharing your deepest fears and dreams, and being vulnerable without worrying about judgment. That’s what I had with Bihaan."

"I'm all ears, Vaani...", I assured her.

She flicked some ash from her cigarette and sighed. "But... things changed. His family, my family—there was always this unspoken pressure. I don’t have to tell you how it is in India. Caste matters to people, even if it shouldn't. My parents—they weren’t happy about us being together. They liked Bihaan, sure. But when they found out about the differences between us... well, they started pushing me to reconsider the relationship."

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of old memories.

"It was hard, Vaibhav. Really hard. We fought against it for a while, but eventually, it just became too much. I couldn’t keep disappointing my parents, and Bihaan... he deserved better than someone who couldn’t fully commit because of family expectations. So we ended it."

There was a long silence. Vaani’s eyes were distant, lost in the past. I didn’t know what to say, so I just listened.

"It wasn’t just the caste thing, though," she continued, breaking the quiet. "I think as we grew older, we started wanting different things. College was this bubble where we could be together without worrying about the real world. But once we grew up and semesters passed, reality hit. And we realized that love... love isn’t always enough to fix everything."

She paused, then turned to me with a soft smile. "You’ll understand more as you get older, Vaibhav. Relationships are complicated. They require work, and compromise, and sometimes, they’re not meant to last, no matter how much you care about someone. And I know, I have a feeling. You have someone special too in your life."

I nodded slowly, absorbing her words. It felt like Vaani was sharing not just her story, but a glimpse into what I might face in the future. She was only a few years older than me, but the way she talked, it felt like she had lived through experiences I hadn’t even thought about yet.

"And intimacy," she added, her voice quieter now, "it’s not just about being close to someone physically. It’s about letting someone see all the parts of you—good and bad—and still feeling connected. You should be aware of that, Vaibhav. It’s easy to get swept up in emotions and forget what really matters. But when you’re with someone... truly with someone... you’ll know."

Her words stirred something in me. As much as I wanted to understand everything she was saying, I knew there were some things I would only truly grasp with time. I really liked listening to her closely. The way she told me everything she experienced.

Suddenly, Vaani’s expression softened even more. Without warning, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. I froze, surprised by the sudden closeness. Her body was warm against mine, and I could hear the faint sound of her breathing. For a moment, I didn’t know how to react.

Before I could gather my thoughts, she pulled away, leaving me standing there, stunned.

"Goodnight, Vaibhav," she whispered, a hint of something unspoken in her voice. She gave me one last smile before turning to walk back inside, her footsteps soft against the terrace floor.

I stood there for a few moments, speechless, my heart pounding in my chest. My mind raced, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. The hug, her words, the way she talked about intimacy and relationships—it all felt like a whirlwind I wasn’t prepared for.

As I watched her disappear into the shadows of the hotel hallway, I could still feel the warmth of her embrace, and my thoughts were a jumbled mess. My heartbeat refused to slow down, and for the first time in a long while, I felt something stir deep within me—something I couldn’t quite place.

I stood there for a few moments, feeling the lingering warmth of Vaani’s embrace, my mind still reeling from everything she had shared. The cool night air on the terrace seemed to do little to calm the pounding in my chest.

What just happened?

The quiet hum of the city below, paired with the soft rustle of the trees, was the only sound around me as I tried to make sense of it all. Vaani’s stories had caught me off guard — the way she talked about Bihaan, their relationship, and how caste differences had driven them apart. But more than that, it was the way she spoke about intimacy, about the closeness between two people. Her openness surprised me. It wasn’t something people usually talked about so freely.

I guess I should be more aware of these things, I thought to myself, still feeling the intensity of her words. I hadn’t expected her to be so candid, and it left me with a strange mix of emotions — curiosity, confusion, and maybe even admiration.

As I leaned against the railing, the cool metal pressing into my palms, I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up, the glow harsh against the darkness of the terrace. And then I saw them — the barrage of messages from Pooja.

Pooja: "I don’t understand why you’re avoiding me." 

Pooja: "I deserve an explanation, Vaibhav." 

Pooja: "You can’t just disappear like this. It’s not fair!!"

The messages came in one after the other, each more intense than the last. I could feel the frustration and hurt in her words. Guilt washed over me as I scrolled through them. She had every right to be upset. I hadn’t given her any answers, and I knew she was angry. But after everything that had happened today, after the strange, emotional moments with Vaani, I didn’t have the energy to deal with it.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. What was I supposed to say? How was I supposed to explain any of this to her when I barely understood it myself?

I typed out a response, then deleted it. Typed again, then erased it. Nothing felt right. The words I wanted to say were tangled up in my head, too complicated to put into a simple message. Eventually, I decided on something short.

"I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Pooja. I promise."

I hit send and tucked the phone back into my pocket. The weight of the day, of everything that had happened, finally began to settle in. I was too tired to think anymore. Tomorrow, I’d deal with it all. Tomorrow, I’d figure out what to do.

But tonight? Tonight, I just needed to sleep.

***

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