Mismatch/ Identity - THE END! (pg 93) - Page 47

"Hun, I haven't had anything since last night" mumbled Jenny in turn when she felt Kripa's gaze over her, "Why is that?" asked Kripa, as she frowned, and poured the boiling water in the mug, "You see, darling, my husband, bless him lord" she began in that amused tone of hers, "has recently acquired a new passion for cooking, and you see darling, as much as I love him, I absolutely despise his rather disastrous cooking skills - apparently my love hasn't reached the point, where I could endure his awful cooking…" Kripa giggled lightly, as she handed the mug to her best friend, "that is awfully rude of you, Hun, to chat about his shortcomings behind his back"

Jenny raised her eyebrow in disbelief, "darling, why don't you trade places with me for a day?" Kripa smiled at Jenny's light words, "oh come on, it can't be as bad, as you make it sound" "That's it!" announced Jenny rising as she lifted the cup, "it's decided then… you're coming to my place tonight for dinner" before Kripa could protest Jenny had conveniently disappeared in the kitchen, and within a few seconds she was back with a packet of chips, and a glass of orange juice.

"So, how did you manage to avoid eating?"

Jenny grinned.

"You couldn't figure that out?" Jenny asked in disbelief, "How do you think I've been losing weight?"

Kripa grinned.

"You're kidding me! He is allowing you to diet?"

"Not entirely!" Jenny answered munching on the chip, "He is worried that I'm going to vanish in thin air. But, honestly darling, looking at the bright side, his brilliant cooking is the reason I'm losing weight. Isn't that awesome?"

"That reminds me, I won't be able to come tonight at your place!"

"Why?" Jenny appeared disappointed, and Kripa felt like punching herself for giving priority to other things, "I've to head to work" Kripa answered keeping her face straight, and not betraying a single emotion.

Jenny turned red. She had come running all the way to meet her best friend, whom she hadn't seen in three months, and yet here this stupid woman was planning to leave already within a matter of few hours. Jenny had planned so much for the next couple of days, and to see her plans crumple, completely infuriated her. "I'm starting to feel you're married to your work!" snapped Jenny angrily, "And, that it comes before me!" she threw the packet of chips away, lifted her sandals, she had kicked off earlier, and strolled out of the living room. She was leaving. Standing on the patio, she placed her feet in the sandals with a hand leaning on the wall she started to fit her feet in the sandals that were too tight for her.

"You don't understand!" Kripa answered rising, feeling awful she ran after her friend, "Initially, I'd taken a few days off, but unfortunately a emergency came up for Sophie, so I'm taking up her place."

"Kripa, this is another one of your excuses!" scoffed Jenny, as she swore under breath, since she almost slipped, "Jenny!" Kripa said finally catching her best friend's hand, "I'm sorry. I'm really truly very sorry, but, I can't do anything about this, I've to keep myself busy. I don't want to think, I don't want my thoughts to drift back in the past --" Kripa sat down on the floor pulling her feet closer together, as she wrapped her arms around them, and buried her face. It had been a long day, and she was exhausted. She could almost feel the muscles in her neck scream out in pain.

Looking at her friend's crumpled face, and helpless state Jenny instantly melted, though she still felt a bit angry for different reasons this time, "Kripa, honey, you're the most courageous person I've ever seen, but darling by running away from the past - it-" Jenny hesitated, "it just shows you're being a coward. You have the ability to face your past, Kripa, you can face it! Don't be afraid of anything." Sitting down beside Kripa, she put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Darling, you don't need to be afraid of your feelings." changing her tone casually she added, "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're over that *******!" she tried to sound so confident, and reassuring that she failed to notice Kripa had lifted her head up.

"I'm not over him!" Kripa answered brightly, but Jenny was aware that with the smile Kripa was simply pretending it was all fine when it wasn't. She admired the way Kripa held back her tears, despite a broken heart, Jenny had never seen Kripa breakdown and cry. She never cried. She always smiled, even though tears almost brimmed in her eyes, "Why are you smiling?" Jenny asked lightly, Kripa punched her back, "You expect me to cry that I'm not over him?" Jenny smiled, and shook her head negatively, "You deserve a hug darling" she replied in turn, the girls hugged each other, "Did I tell you that I missed you?" Kripa asked smiling, and this time Jenny was positive her friend had tears in her eyes, "yes, you did, and you're over him, Kripa"

"I'm not over him" Kripa repeated again, "I wish I were over him though!" she stated with a sigh, "Not that I haven't tried and you've seen me try hard, Jenny, you've seen me avoid any thoughts about him, and when I do find the time to think - I try to remember that night, and those awful words he said to me, but you know what Jenny I can't hate him. No matter how much I keep repeating his words in my head, and his whole purpose, I can't seem to hate him! I still feel everything that I felt before, and it makes me wonder whether it was only a stupid crush, it wasn't, and I knew it at that time, yet he had rejected it saying it was one." turning to Jenny she smiled, "I do not wish to lie to myself saying that I'm over him, and he doesn't matter to me when the reality is he does… The problem is I lost out my heart a long time ago Jen-" Kripa became emotional, and Jenny wanted to scream a no to that statement, but she stopped her self, Kripa would never listen, "I lost out my heart to him, and I never managed to get it back" Jenny was unable to stop the tears this time, she was never an emotional person, but the way Kripa kept nursing her wounded heart with a smile and everything - it was just too much, Kripa smiled brightly, "Angad Khanna is the keeper of my heart, Jenny, he is --" she drifted as she noticed Jenny's wet cheek, wiping the tears from Jenny's wet cheeks, "You silly girl!" she said punching her best friend, "Why are you crying?" smiling she stated firmly, "I've accepted this reality already Jenny. There is no need to assure me that I'm over him when obviously that's not the case. I don't see any point denying it, and it will be nice, if you accept it too." Jenny shook her head in negative stubbornly, "do you know why you deserve a hug?" she asked with a smile, "Why?" "For being so nice, sweet, and too forgiving." Kripa smiled, "You're just too nice Kripa" she said hitting on Kripa's shoulder, "And, I hate you for that! Because, you make me appear like a devil in comparison!".

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How was it? Next part will be flashback! 😃