Safe Haven by Saumya at Inkitt

Story Notes

We often find ourselves in situations so compelling that we wish for nothing but some miraculous force that would save us from the shackles of our desolate lives and carry us to a more pacific and peaceful place. Even the thought of planning a vacation in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life brings a sense of serenity and allows us to use one of our innate talents for doing the extraordinary: hope.

Technically, a safe haven is a place that offers people an opportunity, even if temporarily, to escape from the harsh realities of life and seek a soothing shelter. However, this protection does not necessarily have to be in a geographical context, and in most cases, it is not. We often say that a home is not a place; it’s a feeling. And that sentiment is too deeply tied to the ones who have unparalleled talents in the art of calming our storms. Believe it or not, these gems of people are our comfortable abode—our safe haven—in this physical locale.

If Sanjita is a strong and steady lighthouse, Adhiraj is an encompassing water- deep and stretching beyond infinity. Everything goes wrong when they meet for the first time and almost instantly harbor a feeling of disgust towards each other. Their story is a specimen of how two strong personalities, distinct in nature and from vastly different backgrounds, find solace in each other. It is absolutely not a smooth one. The journey they embark upon forces them to consciously fight some forgotten battles, confront troublesome issues, and come to terms with their haunting pasts.

Come along and unravel every layer of idiosyncrasy to witness a story filled with unmatched moments of joy, struggle, adversaries, exhilaration, and, above all, love.

Summary

Sanjita Raghuvanshi is a business person who runs her fashion industry in Mumbai. Creator of her empire, she is perseverance and power personified. Adhiraj Deshmukh, who is twenty-nine and has just arrived at the City of Dreams along with his younger sister, possesses a skeptical and distrustful attitude toward life in general. On the surface, the two lead protagonists appear to be polar opposites, but in real essence, they are just the same—tirelessly hardworking, buried under responsibilities, emotionally deprived, and extremely lonely. Unfortunately, their prejudices create more rifts, and this doesn’t go unnoticed by the onlookers. The story revolves around these immensely wounded souls who will cut across every shortcoming and pave their way into each other’s heart.

Genre: Drama/Romance

Author: Saumya

Status: Ongoing

Chapters: 1

Rating: n/a

Age Rating: 18+

Prologue

“Enough!” I shouted with a voice dipped in anger. Her countenance held a gaze I couldn’t comprehend, or maybe didn’t want to. My searing soul was searching for answers, and only her words of wisdom could sooth the rage I was feeling in my bones. The silence in the room was unbearable, and so I turned back, leaving the air I was sharing with this unperturbed lady in the room.

I slammed the door with a thud and walked aimlessly. Moments later, a tremendous gasp and a sound of deep melancholy followed. It made me halt abruptly, and it took me a complete minute to bring myself to see what I couldn’t even imagine. So I went back, turned the knob a little, and walked inside with muffled steps. To my utter surprise, Sanjita had burst into tears, and this heart-wrenching sight shattered me to the core. The lady, whom I had known for her steadfast and stubborn demeanor, was breaking into a million pieces in that moment. “This couldn’t be true,” I thought to myself.

This bolt out of the blue was indeed an eye-opener, as it was evident enough that on rare occasions, tears are actually an expression of strength. My steps made their way towards her on their own. While I was in my deep reverie, Sanjita jumped on me and enveloped me in a tight hug. Not to exaggerate, but it was breathtakingly shocking. Given the kind of equation that we have shared, it is very unusual of her to make this gesture. Her revelation of her feelings is a sight not many are gifted to behold. The lavender scent she was wearing filled my lungs with air that calmed the remnants of my nearly forgotten rage.

“I have no words to explain why I did that. I can’t explain it to you or anyone else, not even myself,” she said in a quivering voice. Her clasp was too comfortable for a loner like me. It felt as if nothing could ever harm or disturb my sanity. Hiding her face in my chest, she cried profusely. A red hue sat on her nose and cheeks. Her lips were moving incessantly, but my senses were too numb to extract any meaning from them.

Inevitably, my hands found their way towards her head and shoulders. I hugged her with the same intensity I felt within her a few minutes before. I wanted to announce with my action that whatever predicament she was enduring, I was with her. “Shh…it’s alright. You don’t need to present explanations. You are a mature person and a responsible one, too.”

Reluctantly, I detached my upper body from hers and cupped her face. Her eyes were shining even though she was strained from so much crying. This moment was something beyond pure, and I felt an unbreakable bond that tied us together. “I trust you,” I said.