Swayum gulped down the bitter liquid in an attempt to make the lump in his throat disappear. He sighed as he felt the memories clouding his mind again. This wasn't going to work! He needed coffee to have the same effect. He looked at his dark colored drink. What was this drink anyways? He suddenly felt a little dizzy and he supported himself with the table nearby. Where was Rey? He had been here just a moment ago. Swayum gritted his teeth in an attempt to subdue his urge to curse out. He was at a party for god's sake. Not only that, he came as Rey's guest so he needed to be in his best behavior. Of course he knew the reason had brought him here. It wasn't because Rey felt awkward going alone. Rey never had a problem making new friends. No. It was him. It was Swayum who had a problem - with people. He had become detached, according to Rey. He really didn't understand what Rey had meant when he said that to him. I mean, I always try my best to stay in contact with my friends.
He shook his head again in an attempt to clear his mind from introspection. There will be plenty of time for that when he goes home. He looked around to search for Rey. Where was this guy?
He was just about to give up and resign to a nearby seat, when he saw it. The smile that he had been longing to see for years. Years? It felt like decades. No, maybe centuries. He froze. She looked so ethereal, and so much like a dream.
She was clad in white lehnga. He had always told her that she looked mesmerizing in indian attire. He smiled as he took in the details of the indian attire. It had beaded embroidery that covered the borders of her lehnga in a delicate fashion. She had complimented her outfit with simple diamond earrings, and bracelet.
He smiled and closed his eyes as he saw her do the same gesture again. She had taken a strand of lose hair and tugged it behind her ears. He wanted that moment to always be embedded in his eyes. He opened his eyes slowly as if wishing that time had stopped when he could just look at her. However, time never had been generous to him. It was as if there had always been in an impending war against time for him because she had disappeared when he had opened his eyes. It was as if he had jolted back to reality. He looked around to see if she was anywhere there. She wasn't. Time had played a cruel trick with him, again. She had disappeared from his life, again. His vision blurred as he made his way towards the parking lot. He needed some fresh air. He couldn't be hallucinating about this right now. She was gone. She had left him, without ever coming back. Sooner or later, his heart will have to come in terms with that.
Rey groaned in frustration. Where was this guy? He had been looking for Karan for over 30 minutes, and yet there was no sign of him anywhere. This had been his third round away from the hall. He had left Swayum in the hall because he felt like Swayum would interact more with people if Rey was not near him, acting as a shield. He wanted Swayum to get out of his bubble again, not just for convenience for his new-found, and much appreciated, dance school but also for building a social life. He needed people, whether he liked to believe it or not. However, he couldn't tell if this whole reuniting-Swayum-with-the-world thing was really working since he couldn't really be there to observe the improvement. He wanted to congratulate Karan before the ceremony had taken place. However he couldn't find that guy anywhere. So, he had decided that he would just go back to Swayum to become an encouraging factor for him.
Rey knew, in his heart, that he would find Swayum where he had last left 30 minutes ago. And, that was exactly how it was. He had seen Swayum standing stiffly at the side. Nothing seemed amiss, until he noticed what had caught Swayum's interest so much that Swayum seemed to have captured that moment in an unblinking stare. She was there! He gaped at her. She was really there! He felt a surge of energy, a peculiar kind of excitement, rushing through him as he tried his best to subdue his urge to engulf his best friend into a hug. No, he had to. This wasn't his moment. It was Swayum's. He knew that Swayum had been waiting for her. He was the only one who hadn't given up hope, regardless of what he told others. So no, this wasn't his moment to ruin. His moment will come. He will just have to wait the events unfold in front of him.
She didn't seem to have noticed either one of them yet. She seemed to have been occupied in a deep conversation with some of her female friends. She was moving from one guest to another in order to greet them. It would only be a matter of time when she would come to him. He smiled again. How would she react when she sees both of them here? Rey wondered. Before he could come out of his baffled state and think of something further, he saw Swayum's retreating back towards the exit. What the heck was Swayum doing? This was it! This was his chance to set everything right! Then where was he going? He furrowed his brow in confusion, as he jogged his way towards Swayum.
Swayum felt the cold air hit him on the face, as he took in the thick smell of roses. The parking lot was towards the right, if he just kept on walking straight. However, before he could step any further from the venue, he heard Rey calling out to him. He halted and turned around. Finally! He waited for Rey to catch up to him so he could tell Rey that he wanted to stay out for some fresh air. The last thing he wanted was for Rey to get worried because of him. "Don't worry Rey. I am just out for some fresh air. I will be back inside in no time. You go.."
Rey interrupted his meager effort by dragging him back towards the venue. "This is not the time to be getting some fresh air! You need to get in there Swayum and.." Before Rey could finish his sentence, he felt Swayum jerking his hand free. He turned around to look at his best friend, and what he saw confused him. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Swayum was supposed to look ecstatic at seeing Sharon again. He was supposed to go towards her, not away from her. He was supposed to run and hug her, like in one of those romantic Bollywood movies, and they were supposed to make up after that, with the end credit rolled at the side. He was not supposed to have an expression of a dejected puppy, who just lost everything and had been kicked to the curb.
Swayum shook his head negatively, "Not now Rey. Not now." He knew that he was being unfair to Rey. Rey was just trying to help him, and yet here he was, prompting the one person, who had never let him feel alone, to leave him alone. When he saw Rey's determined look, he paused. There was something about the spark. Some hope.
When he saw Swayum pausing to hear the rest of what Rey had to say, Rey continued, "Swayum you can either be here and ponder on what you can say to her, or actually go in there and set everything right by talking to her!" He saw the change in Swayum's expression. It went from agony to confusion to a deep realization. He didn't really understand the weight his statement held, but whatever he had just uttered made Swayum run back to the hall. He sighed in relief. It was finally happening. They might just have their Bollywood style reunions after all!
Swayum couldn't believe it. For once, his heart had been right. His heart knew that he would meet her one day. His heart knew that she may never return to him, but that wouldn't stop her from crossing paths with her again. His heart knew that she may have left him, but there had been something there. If he couldn't get the reciprocation of his love from her, he could still get the answers that he had longed for, for years now. He halted at the entrance of the hall. He slowly made his way inside the hall, as he took the surrounding in again. Everything had been the same, and yet he could feel the change in the air.
He could smell the fresh aroma of flowers that were adorned on the pillar next to him. His eyes scanned the room in search of her, and he smiled as he found her again. He heard her hearty laugh, as an unnoticeable blush crept up her cheeks. It was rather easy to embarrass her. No matter how hard her exterior was, she was a very simple and shy girl from the inside who blushed at every compliment she was given by the people she cared about.
She didn't notice his presence yet. He wouldn't hurry this up. No! He didn't want to overwhelm her with all the questions. No. He would first ask her how she had been doing without St. Louis. He would lead her into the conversation. If she had been anything like he knew her to be, she would expect right away that he wanted the reason for her sudden departure. He would show her that he was not that predictable Swayum anymore. He didn't know how that might help his situation but that seemed to be the right resolve for now. He was only several feet away from her when he saw her turn away from the group. He turned to look what had brought such a genuine smile on her face, when his heart beat quickened. He saw some guy leaning in and whispering something in her ears. He saw her blush turn from a faded shade of pink to a dark shade of red. She had given a shy smile to the guy, as she playfully hit him on his shoulder. His heart wrenched at the sight in front of him.
Rey had jogged back to see what was happening. He smiled at the progress. Swayum was moving towards someone. He shook his head, and looked around the hall to see where Sharon was when something caught his eyes. The board read "The engagement of Sharanjeet and Karan." He paused as he took in the realization. This was her engagement? He jogged towards Swayum, in an attempt to warn him, however it seemed to be too late. He didn't need to say anything. Swayum's expression said it all. Swayum already seemed to have the same realization as Rey with the sight that greeted him. Rey looked on horrified at the sudden turn of events. However, before he could utter another word, he felt Sharon turning towards them. The smile on her face, suddenly disappearing as her eyes traveled from Rey and stopped at Swayum.
Their moment of connection seemed to be gone as soon as it came. They were interrupted by Karan's cheerful voice, "Rey! You're finally here! How have you been?"
Rey jolted out of his reverie as he shook Karan's hand. He attempted to smile at the warmth in Karan's voice, "Yeah I am good. I have been looking for you!" Before Karan could answer back, Rey took him by the shoulder and lead him away from the duo, so they could have the much awaited conversation.
Swayum started to back up, his feet on auto-pilot. No, he couldn't do this. He couldn't ruin such a perfect moment for her, when she seemed so genuinely happy. That would be unfair of him. He smiled bitterly. No, he wasn't sad that she had another guy by her side. Why would he be? He didn't have that right anymore. She had broken all connections with him, and she had a full right to the happiness. What had squeezed his heart in pain was the fact that she had never laughed like that when she was with him. He could never give her the same happiness. He had never seen her laugh so heartily, so openly, in front of anyone. He had never been able to have the right to whisper something to her that would make her blush.
He was just about to turn around to make his way out, but those eyes captured him again. He stopped in his movement. He felt a spark of recognition in her eyes as he felt her smile disappear. Had he really been the reason for her unhappiness? Did he really become someone who made her smile disappear? He could feel her eyes boring into him, as he felt the same intensity in them. Was there really nothing between them? Ever? Why was she looking into his eyes so accusingly when he was the one who had been wronged?
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A/N: IF you guys want PMs then please add me to your buddy list and please empty your Inbox cuz I wasn't able to send it to some people since their inbox was full. Thank you đ
As I had already mentioned, I don't have much going on in this chapter because I wanted to explain some things more. I wanted to emphasize on feelings and point of views and things like that. I am soo sorry if I bored you but please bear with me! The next part will definitely be more eventful! I promise. Again, please keep those replies coming, because they are the reason I write. đł It can be any sort of criticism as well. They are all welcomed. Also, please let me know in the comment if you want me to PM you for the next update because I dont want to keep on PM-ing and spamming those who aren't interested since it will be a hassle for them. đ
Jiya
Kumkum Bhagya
Anupamaa
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