Reyaansh Singhania had rarely been so helpless. Actually, scratch that. There were many times in the past few months where he was so destitute that he felt like his knees would give way any second and he'd be left with nothing but an abyss in which he would sink until he couldn't find his way out. However, what he felt this moment was beyond compare, it was a moment when one of his closest friends was in danger. It was a moment where nothing else mattered. A few weeks prior, there had been the accident, where the chandelier fell on one of his other close friends, Swayam Shekhawat's head, injuring him. He could console himself with the fact that it had been an accident, and there wasn't anything that he could have done, except been more observant to his surroundings.
At this moment however, when Swayam was blaming himself for the entire mishap, Rey wasn't far behind. He slowly walked over to the door behind which his childhood best friend, Sharon Rai Prakash lay, unconscious, being resuscitated. How could he have let this happen, was beyond his knowledge. He peeked in through the tiny glass piece, catching a glimpse of Sharon's state. His eyes pricked with tears as they had been for the past couple of hours, but he managed to hold them at bay, at least until the doctor had come out and given them some news. Besides, he knew that the gang and Swayam needed him the most at that point of time.
He slowly walked away, and saw a crouched, forlorn Swayam, muttering to himself while Kriya Ghai consoled him over and over. He shook his head and sank on a nearby bench. His friends had arrived a couple of minutes earlier, and they were all huddled around a couch in the foyer, with Rinni fidgeting, Simmi wringing her hands together with tears flowing from her eyes with Nil trying to console her. The three boys - Amar, Bharat and Vicky - just stood stoic, expressionless, as if unwilling to believe that such a tragedy had befallen their beloved 'Ice Queen!'
Upon hearing the doctor's words of 'let's wait and hope for the best', Rey looked at his friends' shocked faces. He knew what had to be done. He started mumbling out requests to everyone, just like he'd been doing for the past years. The only difference was, that his voice, instead of oozing out calmness and confidence, had a broken nature to it.
'Guys, I won't ask you to leave and go home until we get further news because I know this is Sharon and I know each and every one of you wants to stay. However, we are going to have to stay here for a long time, so could you all please get some food in yourselves? The cafeteria is straight and to the right. Kisi ne lunch nai khaya, and we have been here all morning. Please go get something to eat. Swayam, this means you too. I will wait here, and when you come back, I shall go get something.'
As soon as he had finished speaking, a wave of protests started but he held them at bay by shaking his head and speaking up again, 'Please guys. We need to take care of Sharon when she wakes up, and we cannot do that if we're the ones who are about to collapse, alright? Swayam, you're staying here after me, so I suggest you go get some food. Please'. His last word came out as a whisper and despite wanting to protest again and wanting to stay by his lady love, Swayam slowly nodded his head, as did everyone else. As their footsteps faded into the background, Rey allowed himself to sink into the seat behind him as his knees finally gave way.
He collapsed onto the chair and buried his hands in his hair, making a perfect picture of despair and vulnerability. The tears that had been pricking his eyes finally flowed and made their way down his cheeks.
'How could I be so stupid!' He muttered to himself over and over. He knew that he had stopped Swayam from doing the same thing but it was different. Swayam wasn't the one who had promised Sharon that he would take care of things. That he wouldn't let anything happen. It had been him, Reyaansh Singhania. Sharon Rai Prakash's best friend.
He looked up startled as he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, only to find hazel eyes staring back at him. 'Rey..aap'
Before she could say a word further, he hurriedly wiped his eyes with his sleeves and looked at her again, 'Kriya, why aren't you in the cafeteria? You haven't had lunch either, have you? I know you didn't even have that coffee in the morning, thanks to me. Please just have something to eat'.
Kriya had taken a seat next to the helpless boy and her face and body language showed that she had no intention of moving.
'Rey, pehli baat. You can't tell me to go and eat when you're the one sitting here all by yourself, and when you haven't eaten either' When she saw him open his mouth to contradict her, she began speaking again 'Yes, I know you said you would go and eat after us. But I also know that you wouldn't be able to put a single morsel in your mouth until you hear some news. I know because Swayam is in the same condition in the caf. And also because, I know you Rey.'
His downturned gazed locked with hers again as she whispered the last words slowly. Her hand that hadn't left its place from his shoulder, slowly made its way to his joint hands and placed it on top.
'Kya baat hai?' Three little words, although sounding extremely silly, were all it took for his shoulders to hunch and lose their stoic nature; and the tears he had wiped so quickly merely seconds before, came flowing with twice their speed.
'Kriya, this...this is all my fault.' He said her about to interrupt and he shook his head slowly, wanting her to let him finish. She nodded and he continued. 'Sharon, she told me about Ruhi. She told me that she didn't trust her and that Ruhi was blackmailing her. And I told her that she didn't have to worry. I told her to leave it all to me, and that I would take care of it. But I didn't, did I Kriya? Sharon's in the ICU. My best friend...she's battling for her life in the ICU and there isn't a single thing that I could do about it.'
His vision blurred as the tears flowed endlessly, and his words began to drown in his muffled sobs. Kriya stared at him, her eyes wide, full of concern for the man she loved with all her being. Seeing him in this state, she did the first thing she could think of to console him. She held his head and pulled him close to her, so that she was cradling him.
'Reyaansh, meri baat suniye'. She didn't even realise that she had used his full name, something that she recalled having done rarely. 'This is not your fault. On the contrary, if you didn't have that inkling about Ruhi, it would have taken longer to find Sharon. Think about it! And Rey, how were you to know that Ruhi would do something so drastic and life threatening? I know you promised Sharon, Rey, and you followed through. Not in the way you were expecting to, but close enough. It's because of your idea that she's in the hospital and not in that dusty basement, unconscious. Weren't you the one who told Swayam that Sharon's a fighter? Why are you doubting that yourself? She fought asthma! She is back to dancing! Did you think that was ever possible? She's a fighter Reyaansh. She's Sharon Rai Prakash!'
She rocked back and forth, holding him to her, wanting to soothe his salve, his guilty conscious. 'Reyaansh, she'll be back before you know it. It's just a tough time, and all of us need to get through it, together.'
His breathing evened as he slowly closed his eyes, letting the last of the salty water to seep through down his cheeks. His mind briefly registered the position they were in, and how wonderful his full name sounded coming from her, but her words slowly overtook that thought and he muttered to himself 'She's a fighter, Poppy is a fighter! I won't let her go like that. I need her, she's my best friend!'
Kriya smiled slowly at his mumblings and inwardly sighed in relief that he'd calmed down, albeit a little. The little speech that he had made to Swayam had struck a chord inside of her. She knew she loved him, and he returned her feelings with all his heart. Yes, they'd had their fair share of fights and misunderstandings and distance, but isn't that what he'd said? That it was with the person that you loved the most, that these things were inevitable? She knew running away was not the option, and she also knew that people she loved, had a tendency to leave her alone. Pushing these thoughts aside and only focusing on being there for him when he needed her the most, she made a little mental note to ask him about the nickname he'd just given Sharon, but that was another story for another happier time.
She slowly loosened her hold and he lifted his head from where it was buried in her shoulder. Her hands held his face as she peered into his face. He shivered from the way her hazel gaze scrutinised his eyes, searching for any sign of trouble and guilt in his chocolate orbs. Finding merely worry and a lot of hope surrounding it, she smiled lightly, conveying that she would be there with him, every step of the way. And he smiled back, letting her know of the same, taking comfort in the fact that he wouldn't have to face the world alone. She would be there, and that was enough for him for now.
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...and that's a wrap! Let me know what you think! Do click the like button and/or comment! Reviews are like cookies! I love them! 😆
-Raina
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