Chapter 36

Chapter 31

         

          Swayam was trying to score a few baskets to pass the time. Rey had texted him some time ago asking if he could meet up with him in the basketball court. Having nothing on hand that demanded his immediate attention, he texted in affirmative. He had a hunch that Rey wanted to discuss his unexpected late night visit. He could see that Rey had been trying to talk to him a couple of times these past few days, but something or the other kept them occupied. And when luck decided to favor both of them today, Swayam decided not to put off this B-talk any longer. Sending Niyati home ahead of him, he patiently waited for Rey to arrive.

          He was very worried about Niyati. She hadn't been trying to change at all. She was still being a loner here. What was the point of coming here all the way from Kota, if she was to continue being her obstinate self? The only good that had come off her coming here was that she had begun sharing her problems with him. He was surprised to know that Rey had showed up at their doorstep and even more surprised that Niyati had been kind and considerate to him. She had recounted the whole conversation they had the very next day during breakfast. It was a relief for him to know that he wouldn't be torn between his sister and his best friend.

          Kaash situations har baar itni simple hoti, he wondered sadly. With Taani and Rey, everything had been the epitome of complicated. Neither was Rey wrong in wanting Taani to be independent and strong nor was Taani erring in wanting more priority and time in his life. And Swayam had been the rope that got pulled in the tug of war. Being with one meant accusing the other. And for the first time he chose friendship over family; a choice he still regretted to some extent.

          When he found out that Niyati and Rey had fight, his blood ran cold thinking how a similar scenario in the past had ended. He did not want to choose between Niyati and Rey at all. But turns out, he really shouldn't have worried. Rey had really learnt from his past mistakes. Shame, he could really have been a great Jeeja.  Well, just another thing to add to the list of regrets in his life then.

"Hey! Sorry yaar, aane mein thoda sa late hogaya", Rey's voice brought him back to the present.

"It's ok dude! Tu bata? Kya important baat karni thi tujhe?"

"Pehle kahin baith jaate hain. Please?"

Swayam nodded and they both sat on the nearest bleacher. Rey was struggling with how to begin when Swayam, ever eager to help others piped in, "I know everything Rey, Niyati ne sab bata diya tha."

Rey looked up so fast, Swayam was scared he might have cricked his neck. "Everything?" He asked in wonder.

"Everything", he affirmed. "Waise manna padega tujhe! Chaahe tera dimaag kaam kare ya na kare, tujhe har word ka meaning pata karna hi hota hai. Hai na?" The bewildered look on Rey's face made him chuckle. "Banjaara? Kuch yaad aaya?"

Rey looked sheepish. Oh gosh! Ye ladki kuch bhi nahin bhoolti! Itni si bhi baat usne Swayam ko bata di!

"Itna uncomfortable lagne ki koi zaroorat nahin hai. Main sirf itna show karne ki koshish kar raha tha ke I know everything toh tujhe seedhe point ki baat karni chahiye.  Kaisa feel kar raha hai tu ab?"

"Main tujhse jhoot nahin boloonga. Niyati ke behavior se initially main bohot irritated tha. Par jab usne mujhe accuse kiya for hurting Taani that was the limit. Tab mujhe bohot ghussa aaya. I couldn't believe woh mujhe itna cheap samajhti hai. But apni fight ke dauraan usne mujhe Taani ke personality ke woh parts bataaye jo main uske saath rehte huye bhi kabhi find out nahin kar paaya. Uske har decision ke peeche ka reason samjhaya. And everything started making more sense. Shuru mein bohot painful laga. But sach kahoon yaar? I don't regret what happened. Is fight ke bahane hi sahi, but bohot saari baatein clear hogayi. And honestly, agar thodi si daant sun kar teri behen se friendship ho jaati hai, toh tere liye woh bhi seh lenge", Rey ended dramatically to lighten up the mood.

"Look, ab nautanki kaun kar raha hai!" Swayam chuckled.

"Teri sangat ka asar hai! After all I'm learning from the best!" Rey retorted cheekily.

          They laughed heartily at that. After their laughter died out, Swayam said, "Sach mein yaar. On a serious note, main bohot relieved hoon ke tere aur Niyati ke beech mein sab sort out hogaya. I was worried ke pata nahin ye cold war aur kitne din chalegi. Niyati doesn't forget anything easily aur maine tujhe kisi cheez ke liye kabhi blame nahin kiya. Main tum donon ke beech kisi ko choose nahin karna chahta tha."

"Hey ... Hey!! Chill bro! I understand. Tujhe koi explanation dene ki zaroorat nahin hai. Tune hamesha mujhe support kiya hai. Jab bhi mujhe teri zaroorat thi, tune out of the way jakar bhi meri help ki. Mujhe honestly ab bhi believe nahin hota ke hamari friendship waisi ki waisi hai. Taani se breakup ke baad mujhe laga tu meri shakal bhi dekhna nahin chahega."

"Tune itna sab confess kiya toh main bhi ek baat truthfully boloon?"

"Yahi ki tu meri haddiyaan todna chahta tha?"

"Haan..." He started. "Wait a sec!  tujhe kaise pata?"

"Tera dost hoon. Itna toh jaanta hoon tujhe", Rey replied smugly.

Swayam looked sheepish. "Haan, I wanted to beat sense back into you. Par us din Taani ke jaane ke baad tu jis tarah out of control hogaya tha. Both fell silent remembering that fateful day". Rey inconsolable with grief, crying his heart out in Swayam's arms. Swayam continued softly, "Teri woh haalat dekhne ke baad main chah kar bhi tujh se naraaz nahin reh paaya."

"Thanks yaar! For everything", Rey said gratefully.

"Arre Neeti?! Tu yahan?!"

Rey froze and turned around in alarm. Swayam's raucous laughter shook him into realization that he had pulled a prank.

"Tera face!!" Swayam managed between his laughing episode.

"Ha ha ha! Tera sense of humor bhi na! kal ke newspaper ki tarah hai. Bilkul stale aur bekaar."

"I wish I had a camera!" He ducked as Rey threw a basketball at him

"Abbe...Eh! Paagal hai kya? Lag jati toh?"

"Toh? Teri laadli Neeti hai na, tera khayal rakhne ke liye."

"Careful! Agar Neeti ne tujhe is naam se bulate huye sun liya na? toh teri dosti ka track shuru hone se pehle hi khatm hojayega."

"Itni possessive hai who apne nickname ko leke?"

"Possessive nahin re! In her words use Neeti bulana is a privilege, jiske liye bulane waale ko special hona padega. If woh tumhe special samajhti hai, you get to call her that."

Rey felt a tinge of annoyance at that. So far every girl in the college adored him. And Niyati was turning out to be immune to his charms. She was different from all the other girls he had encountered. His looks, his manners or his dancing never seemed to impress her. He never had to try hard' to get anybody to like him. Even Taani was completely taken the very first time they met. But her sister was supposedly a different species. Getting on her good side had just turned a lot more difficult.

Shaking himself out of such depressing thoughts Rey asked Swayam, Vicky ke liye kya gift laa raha hai?

Socha nahin hai abhi.

Pata hai na isi week birthday hai!?

Haan pata hai. Chal ab soch dena kya hai usko.

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]