Chapter - 2
Taani felt her excitement fizzle into nothingness as she saw Kriya enter the hall with her gang.
"Did I miss something guys?" asked Kriya in a sweet voice, her eyes fixed on Rey.
"Yep... the whole meeting!" said Vicky, a tall and comical looking guy sitting with Rey besides Swayam and Nil.
"I'm glad you could make it Kriya... though you are late." said Vishaka, Kriya's sidekick.
"So, what's the play this year?" asked Kriya, her eyes still set on Rey.
"It's Romeo and Juliet... just right for you." said Rey, shifting the attention towards him now.
"Not just me Rey... it's you and me'. Right?" asked Kriya, smiling at Rey, whose eyes were also fixed on Kriya.
"Really Kriya? I don't think I'm worthy enough for you..." said Rey, playfully, giving his one-sided killer smile.
"Awww... don't underestimate yourself so. If there is anyone worthy enough for me here, then it has to be you." said Kriya, enjoying all the attention.
Taani felt sick as she heard all this. She felt as if she had been stabbed by a dagger, right at the heart. Sharon noticed all this. She laid a consoling hand on Taani's shoulder. Taani looked at her and smiled weakly, fighting back the tears which were about to spill out. Not wanting hear anything more, Taani got up and walked away from there, followed by Sharon.
"Taani wait..." shouted Sharon from behind, as they got out of the building. "Taani, listen to me..." Sharon finally caught hold of Taani and made her face her.
"Sharon... I'm fine. I'm totally fine. I just need some alone. Please mujhe kuch waqt ke liye akela chod do..." she said, as she tried to hold back her tears unsuccessfully.
"Please don't lie to me Taani. Mujhe patha hai ki tum upset ho. I know what you feel for Reyaansh." said Sharon, as she wiped a drop of tear that had flowed down her friend's eye.
"Offo Sharon... kitna tension leti ho tum? I'm totally fine. It's just that, mujhe accha nahi laga jab Kriya sab ke saamne aise flirt kar rahi thi. It was just sick. It's not about Reyaansh." Said Taani, as she tried her best to sound convincing.
"Are you sure Taani? I saw the way you were looking at him and I know how much you like him. I saw the way your eyes were searching for him as soon as you reached here." said Sharon, as she remembered how restless Taani had been before Rey had come along with his gang.
"Oh really... even I saw the way your eyes were staring at Swayam in the meeting." said Taani, her lips pulling into a smile as she remembered.
"What?!!!!!" asked Sharon, bewildered. It was true, that she was starring at Swayam, but she didn't know that she was actually being noticed by her best friend at that moment.
"Shocked huh? Don't you dare try to hide anything from me Miss. Sharon Rai Prakash! Because you can't." said Taani, laughing at Sharon's puzzled expression.
"And you don't try to hide anything from me Miss. Taani Shekhawat. I know that you are upset because of Reyaansh..." before Sharon could even complete her sentence, Taani shut her mouth with her hand.
"Sharon please. Don't say anything about him. I've had enough. What I feel for him is just attraction. It's just..." before Taani could finish her sentence, Sharon completed it for her.
"It's just love Taani. I know that your feeling for him is way beyond attraction. I don't think it can be just attraction when it is there since 5 years." said Sharon, confidently.
"No Sharon. I don't love him. I just like him. Dono mein bohot farak hai. And if he is the sort of guy for Kriya, then I don't think that he is of my type. So, just forget it." said Taani, her tone making it clear that she didn't want to talk about this topic any longer.
"Okay... I give up. Waise, which are you going to audition for in the play?" asked Sharon, trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't know Sharon... main bohot confused hoon. I'm not sure if I'm going to take part." said Taani. Her dream of getting Juliet's role had been shattered terribly by Kriya... and Reyaansh.
"Taanz... I know ki tum iss waqt bohot upset ho. But, Juliet has been your dream role and you have to do it, not for the sake of someone playing Romeo or something, but for your sake, for your happiness. Main tumhe force nahi karne waali hoon. I leave it to you. But I hope you'll take the right decision." said Sharon, before she left Taani alone with her thoughts.
"What the hell was that about Rey?" burst out Swayam, as they got into the car.
"What do you mean?" asked Rey, suddenly surprised at Swayam's outburst. Swayam had never been harsh with him, except when he knew that Rey had done a mistake.
"The way you were flirting with Kriya... it was just disgusting." said Swayam, as he remembered the scene.
"What's so disgusting dude? Why does bother you in anyway?" asked Rey casually, not the least bothered by Swayam's angry glare.
"What do mean why does it bother me? Are you out of your mind? Kriya out of all people is your priority?" asked Swayam, his anger reaching its peak.
"You just don't understand Swayam. Just forget it." said Rey, puzzling Swayam even more.
"What do you mean I don't understand? Don't tell me that you have a valid reason for flirting with Kriya!" said Swayam, stressing on the word flirting.
"Dude! I was not flirting with her! I was serious." burst out Rey, throwing Swayam off-guard.
"What?!!!! You are serious about her? Serious about Kriya? Are you mad?" asked Swayam, not able to register what his best friend had just said.
"Dude... haven't you noticed? I told you about my dream, those eyes which haunt me... and Kriya's eyes, they are the same. The same chocolate brown eyes..." said Rey, as he remembered that soft look those eyes bore.
"Rey! What the hell do you actually mean? Are you out of your mind? How do you know that it is Kriya's? how do you even know that that the dream is for real?" asked Swayam, trying to talk some sense into his half-mad best friend.
"Because, their eyes are similar. And maybe you are right. It may or may not be Kriya's eyes, but I know that the dream does have some meaning." Rey told Swayam, trying hard to make him understand.
"Exactly! And about Kriya... till you are not sure about anything, then please don't decide." said Swayam, finally glad that his friend had gotten some sense.
"Anyways bro... who would not want a girl like Kriya? She is rich, popular, beautiful and very sweet, isn't she?" asked Rey, as his thoughts flew back to Kriya.
"Maybe, she is rich, beautiful and popular bro. But all these don't matter. When you fall in love with a person, you should understand each other, care for each other and love each other, no matter whatever the situation is. And trust me, Kriya is not your type of a girl." said Swayam, bringing Rey out of his trance.
"Then who do you think is my type of a girl?" he asked Swayam, who was starring outside the car window.
"I don't know Rey. But all I know is that Kriya is not your girl. Because, I've noticed no spark between both of you. If you both were really in love, then you wouldn't have to say anything to each other. Your silence will speak volumes. What you and Kriya have for each other is just plain lust." said Swayam and relapsed to his usual silence.
"By the way, who do you think will be chosen as the leads for the play?" asked Rey, changing the topic.
"Maybe you'll be casted as Romeo, because you act better than anybody else." said Swayam, confidently.
"What about you dude? I think you are way better than me." said Rey.
"Maybe... thank you so much for the compliment bro... but I'm not auditioning for Romeo's role. I'm trying for Mercutio. Because, he does a lot of fighting and I love handling swords!" said Swayam, excited at the thought of having a sword in his hand and giving a heroic entry.
"Wait a minute... a sword? In your hand? That's going to be a disaster! Are you kidding me Swayam?" asked Rey, pretending to be shocked.
"Oh just shut up dude!" said Swayam, punching Rey playfully in his stomach.
"Who do you think is going to be Juliet? I have a feeling that it's going to be Kriya." asked Rey to Swayam, who looked disgusted as Rey mentioned Kriya.
"Dude! Why on earth are you so obsessed with Kriya?!!!!" bursted out Swayam again. "I'm sick of this Kriya talk. How do you even like her bro? She is so fake!"
"Wow... chill dude! I just asked who you think will be Juliet." trying his best to calm Swayam down.
"I think it's going to be Taani." said Swayam, looking thoughtful.
"Taani??? Are you trying to tell me that it is that girl who never even opens her mouth to say word is going to be Juliet? You've got to be kidding bro." said Rey, laughing uncomfortably.
"Rey... jab bhi main Taani ke naam leta hoon, why do feel so uncomfortable?" asked Swayam. This was not the first time Rey was behaving like this. He always seemed to become uncomfortable at the mention of Taani.
"No dude! Main uncomfortable nahi hoon. Why the hell do you think so? No... no ways! I'm not uncomfortable!" said Rey, trying his level best to convince Swayam.
"I don't know Rey. There is something about her which makes you feel uncomfortable or feel something else. Think about it." said Swayam, as he got out of the car.
"Alright then, bye bro! Will meet you at the auditions tomorrow." Rey shouted out to Swayam before he left.
"Focus Rey... just focus! Main uss ladki ke baare mein kyun soch raha hoon? I haven't even spoken to her properly. Patha nahi, why she has been occupying my thoughts since 2-3 days." thought Rey as he parked the car and got out, his thoughts going back to today's meeting, the way she was staring at him, her smile and... her eyes.
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