Siren of Hearts

15. Moment of Separation

In the quietude of Ishita's hostel room, the air was charged with a blend of apprehension and silent expectations. Seated across from her parents, Ishita felt the weight of their gaze, each glance seemingly scrutinizing the details of her life encapsulated within the walls of her room.

Her father, a man of discernment, took a sweeping look around the room, studying the neat arrangement of books on the study table, the modest decorations on the walls, and the traces of a life lived here. On the other hand, her mother, with a keen maternal instinct, kept her eyes intently focused on Ishita, sensing that there was something on her daughter's mind.

Nervously fidgeting with her fingers, Ishita hesitated to meet her mother's gaze. The unspoken tension in the room seemed to amplify with each passing moment, and Ishita could feel the weight of the conversation that lingered in the air. The time had come for her to share a secret part of her life that had been carefully guarded until now.

Before her speaking at first, her mother starts," Who was that boy?" she asked as a matter-of -factly. 

Ishita takes a deep breath," My boyfriend." 

Her mother nods," Pack your bag. We're leaving in 10 minutes."

She looked at her in shock," What?"

" You heard her. Be quick. Your flight is in one hour." Her father says. 

Ishita looks at them in wide eyes," What flight?" 

" You're coming with me. " Her mother said calmly. 

She sighed a deep breath," I'm not going to US with you. I've already applied for MBBS here. " 

Her father chuckles," That's more interesting because medical universities are better in US." 

She looks at him for help," Dad, I don't want to go." 

Her mother glares at her," Why? Because of that Siddharth ?" 

She shook her head," No-" 

" We let you study here. And what you are doing? A boyfriend? That too, that Gupta?" Her mother snaps at her. 

" Because I don't see anything wrong with him. " She matches her mother's rage. 

" Ishita!" her father snaps. He sighed," You have two options. Either you chose your medical study away from this country, or stay with your mother and learn management. " 

But both option are not offering the chance to be with Sid. What should she chose?

The atmosphere outside the university hall was charged with anticipation as Siddharth stood there, glancing at his watch every few seconds.

Restlessness gnawed at Siddharth as minutes turned into an eternity. He fidgeted, pacing a bit, his eyes constantly scanning the crowd for any sign of Ishita. The uncertainty of the situation weighed heavily on him, and a sense of distress crept into his thoughts. Questions buzzed in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that something might be amiss.

The laughter and celebrations around him felt distant as Siddharth's focus remained fixed on the entrance, yearning for the moment when Ishita would emerge with her parents. The longer the wait stretched, the more intense the knot of unease in his stomach became. He found himself grappling with the unknown, a silent worry etched on his face.

Siddharth's heart sank as he read the unexpected text message from Ms Aarti, the girls' hostel warden. The words hit him like a tidal wave, and a mix of confusion and anxiety swept over him. Ishita leaving with her parents and possibly going out of the country was not a scenario he had foreseen.