Friday 17 April 2015

Only Time Will Tell

My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is A Reader's Take, where everyday I will be picking out a novel title corresponding to that day's letter and write my post based on it. To make it more challenging, I have decided to write a serial story. The novel I have selected for today is 'Only Time Will Tell'

Leave Me Never

Chapter 15

(Find all the chapters here)

Shruthi stood watching the door, from where Ayaan had stormed off. She had finally told the secret she was harbouring all these years to him. As she told what had happened, Ayaan’s face had turned dark with fury. He had balled his fists so tightly that she could see the tendons standing out. It was a wonder that he hadn’t broken anything. But sometimes, the words can hurt more than anything else. “You know it is your fault that she has gone through so much, don’t you?” he had all but spat those words at her! “You could have told me before she left. How could you be so heartless Shruthi?” he had yelled.

Heartless! Yes, she wished she was that. Then she could have spared herself all the pain. She knew she was wrong when she sided with Sameer, but did she have a choice? Their mother was on the death bed and saying the truth would have only killed her faster. It was a difficult choice – a mother who always loved her son more than her daughter or a friend who had stood by her through thick and thin. Shruthi had always craved for her mother’s love but her mother had preferred Sameer over her. He was her son – the one who would look after her when she aged. It was an irony that it was Shruthi who had nursed her when she was on her death bed. Shruthi was tempted to tell her all this, about what her son did and bring justice to Kayra but she couldn't. A moment of weakness was all it took to make the choice. How she regretted that it wasn’t Kayra that she chose!

She tried to explain it all to Ayaan but he would hear nothing. “I wish you are happy with your mother” he had spat before he stormed off. Shruthi flinched hearing that. Little did he know that the one for whom she had done all this had passed away soon, abandoning her again, like she always did. Shruthi had tried to find Kayra by calling all her friends but with no success. The girl had disappeared completely. How she longed to see Kayra, to beg for forgiveness. She would surely understand, wouldn't she? She wasn't sure about that anymore after seeing Ayaan's outburst. Only time could tell what was in store for her. Till then, she would just have to learn to live the with guilt, like she had all these years.



To be continued...

About today's novel: Only Time Will Tell is the first book in the Clifton Chronicles series by Jeffrey Archer. Read more about the book here.

PS: Linking this post to A to Z Challenge 2015. If you are participating too, please leave a link to your blog in the comments, so that I can visit you :)


Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)

Love,
Swathi :)

64 comments:

  1. That was full of intrigues...wonder what happens next!

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  2. Hard to feel sympathy towards Shruthi. We live with the consequences of our actions.
    *Shantala @ ShanayaTales*

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    1. True Shantala. But then, she was lost and was looking for some love. But she could have chosen otherwise.

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  3. True that Swathi, there are some right things we always do for the wrong people and its never enough for them.

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  4. It's true what Shruthi did was completely unjustifiable and wrong. But all she craved was a little bit of appreciation and reciprocation from her mother. Some times we go to any lengths to receive that love. Hope Ayaan finds his true love.

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    1. True Prasanna. Sometimes that lack of attention can make people do things like this. But wrong she was!

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  5. Bravo for the last quote, Swathi! Loved it! You ended this chapter with a bang! :)

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  6. Shruthi looked for appreciation from the wrong source. Why do wrong knowing that it is wrong, that too for the ones who were not there for you, hurting the ones who always stood by you!

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    1. True Vinitha. She could have chosen differently. Then she could have saved a lot of troubles.

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  7. It's all about the choices you make, and it doesn't matter how hard it was to make it. It matters that you did make that choice! So, no sympathies for Shruthi from me!

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    1. Yes, had her choice been different, then she so much could have been avoided!

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  8. Ah, now you have really left your readers hanging much like trilogy books do these days:)

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    1. Glad to know the series is going that well :) Thanks Lata :)

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  9. Yes you are right, we often do things thinking its all for good but later find out that it was so pointless!! I liked it that you included Shruthi's perspective and did not just leave out her story making her a villain :)

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    1. I just couldn't let people hate her Vidya. I know she isn't forgiven now but still there had to be a reason for what she did. Glad you liked it :)

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  10. More twists and turns to your tale. Sometimes the choices we make don't turn out right - unfortunate, but that's life. Looking forward to the next post.

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  11. Shruthi is not getting my sympathy here. She should die from the guilt!

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  12. I am impressed Swathi. the way you swing from scene to scene - Kayra experiences her past while Shruti narrates it to Ayaan. Superbly written :)

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    1. Thank you so much Sundari :) This means a lot :)

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  13. it's saddening how one wrong decision changes so many lives! how one lie can ruin so many lives! and how choosing our happiness over what is right will eventually never make us happy.

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    1. True Titli. A small wrong move can change so much :(

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  14. I agree with Sundari, it's impressive how you present the story from so many angles and juggle so many emotions and conflicts. Can't wait to read what happens next.
    My link: http://www.devikafernando.com/blog/blogging-from-a-to-z-challenge-letter-o-obsession

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    1. Thank you so much Devika :) That means a lot :)

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  15. It is difficult to sympathize with Shruthi. You have handled the last and this scene perefectly, Very well written!

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  16. Hasty words cause so much regret. Well done with your emotional story.

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  17. Sounds like a dysfunctional family, which is a great topic for a writer. "He was her son – the one who would look after her when she aged. It was an irony that it was Shruthi who had nursed her when she was on her death bed. "
    http://www.mauijungalow.com/

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    1. Yes Courtney, gives one so many angles to explore

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  18. This is absolutely fantastic. You should be a published author Swathi, I would buy your books :)

    Louise x

    With love from Lou

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  19. Finally Shruti came through for her friend, better late than never.

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    1. Yes Sulekha. At least she helped her by telling the truth.

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  20. I still won't forgive Shruti to make Kayra suffer so much. Hope Ayaan finds her soon.

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  21. I had missed reading a few chapters...went back and read them all. No one will ever know why we make some choices, it is hard to explain and even if we do, the others may not understand. What Shruti did was her choice and it was also for a reason, though a selfish one. And Kyar and Ayaan had to face the repercussions of her choice.

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    1. Yes Janu. Sometimes others have to pay for the wrong decision of someone else. The same happened for Kayra and Ayaan too!

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  22. Ooh that quote you posted about not doing things for the wrong people.. So very true :-/
    ~AJ Lauer
    an A-Z Cohost
    @ayjaylauer on Twitter

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  23. Wow! That's a powerful quote. And your post is extremely engaging.

    Visiting from A to Z,
    Drusilla Barron
    http://lovedasif.com
    http://glamofgod.com

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  24. I feel sad for Shruthi too.. That's how life takes turns at times leaving us alone in the choices we make. May Shruthi be forgiven..

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    1. True Parul. But now that she has made her choice, only time will decide the consequences

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  25. Sometimes we make wrong decisions for the wrong reasons and it seemed that Shruthi did just that unfortunately. However, I have a feeling that Ayaan's reunion with Kayra will be ah..."interesting." ;) I can hardly wait for the next 'chapter!' ;) <3

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    1. Yes elly. Had she taken the other decision, none of this could have happened! And as for Ayaan and Kayra's reunion, that remains to be seen ;)

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  26. In that single moment, Shruthi decided her take.. and left Kayra all alone..!!
    At this time, nobody would listen to her, but eventually, I think she'll make it all up..!

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  27. Loved the quote in the end! It just hurt how people from whom we expect so much take sides with others and not us when we need them the most!

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    1. Yes Nibha. Sometimes, the people we trust don't live up to our expectations!

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  28. I understand Shruthi, but what she did was unforgivable. Hope Ayaan meet Kayra... :)

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  29. There are so many layers to this story that you are bringing out so nicely, Swathi :)

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  30. I am loving the way you're leading this one... :)

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  31. It's surely difficult to side with someone you know is wrong but she did that. May be she had to. You have brought it out beautifully :)

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    1. Thank you Sushree :) Yes, sometimes situations make us take extreme decisions!

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  32. It's sad living with wrongs ... beautifully depicted emotions.

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