ArHi SS: Inertia [Completed] - Page 28

Chapter 11: Summer Confessions

Khushi groaned at the two salad platter sitting on the counter. Arnav had prepared it himself along with three pretentious looking salad dips for the said salad. It was one of her off days. Instead of going out and meeting her new friends, Khushi decided to marathon movies or TV shows and eat junk food. In her book, it was the best way to spend her well-earned reward.

A couple of days ago she had offhandedly mentioned her idea of unwinding to Arnav. They had discussed at length the things they liked watching to relax and unwind. She brought up watching Star Wars because she wanted some old school space opera and stuff exploding and burning, Arnav was suddenly very, very into the conversation. The best way according to Arnav to watch Star wars movie was the machete order.

"Machete order Khushi." Arnav had a wild look in his eyes, much to Khushi's amusement. "Watch episodes 4 and 5, and then jump to 2 and 3, and finally episode 6. This way you understand backstories, characters who are referenced but never seen and you don't watch the shitty first movie. Also, the entire saga has a happy ending with episode 6."

Khushi had given him a doleful look. "You are awfully invested in this series." Arnav had looked sheepish.

"And don't eat your body weight in junk food," he had given one final advice. Khushi had made a face at him. Without waiting for the snappy response he sure was going to come, he continued. "You know what? I will drop off some healthy options tomorrow morning."

"Fine." Khushi had huffed. "Won't you be late for your weekend getaway?" She asked moments later.

Arnav snorted. "You make it sound like a sordid scandalous forbidden love affair." Khushi laughed gaily. "It's spending an entire weekend in the temple, taking pictures and sketching."

"Still. I will miss you." She said, breathless. "We could have watched some crime documentaries." She rambled when Arnav's piercing stare started to make her shiver. "Or we could have gone to one of the archeological sites where you talk about architecture of some random structure, making it all up as you go and have me believe it's an architectural marvel while in reality it's just bunch of bricks piled together. Or we could have - ooomph"

Arnav had lost his patience and kissed her.

That was two days ago. Now she had two large salad platters with fresh fruits and vegetables in front of her. Arnav had dropped them off only minutes ago.

"I had no idea you actually know what vegetables are." Khushi heard Lavanya say from doorway. She turned and shrugged at the other girl.

"Arnav is making me eat this." She said prodding strips of yellow capsicum. "He is such a weirdo." She added fondly.

Lavanya widened her eyes. "Payal told me you hung around with Arnav every now and then. I didn't know you were friends."

"Yeah. It was just one of the things, you know?" Khushi ducked her head and smiled bashfully. She and Arnav were still exploring what they had for each other. However they were very sure that they did want to nurture and grow whatever that was brewing between them.

"He is a good guy," Lavanya said softly.

Khushi looked up and searched Lavanya's face for sarcasm and indifference. She was surprised for find none. "Thanks." In an effort to let go of the nasty feelings she had towards Lavanya, she pointed to the platters. "Want one? I will trade one or both for a bag of chips along with not telling Arnav I traded."

Lavanya chuckled softly. She shook her head. "Thanks. I am...we are good."

Khushi was mildly taken aback at Lavanya's defeated expression. "Is...everything okay?" Khushi asked equally softly. Lavanya nodded belatedly but kept her head down. Khushi bit her lip. "Hey, Lavanya." She said. When Lavanya looked up, there was a layer of tears in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey. What's going on?" Khushi asked.

"Payal is going on a date with Akash tonight. Officially." Lavanya said.

Khushi had no idea about the dynamics between the three of them. Now that she was away from home for a large portion of time, she felt she had missed out on their collective evolution. "I am sorry. I didn't know you liked Akash too."

Lavanya bent her head and shook it vigorously. "It's not Akash. I don't like him." She said hoarsely.

Khushi was stumped. "Oh. Oh." It dawned on her. She was totally not equipped to have this conversation.

"It feels like karma, you know? I essentially pushed you away from Payal. Made sure you were standing by the boundary and watched the game but never having the opportunity to participate in it; always the benchwarmer and never the player. Now I am in middle of some f**king cosmic joke." Lavanya dabbed her eyes with tissue. Even when she was falling apart, Lavanya looked graceful.

"I had no idea you liked girls too." Khushi said.

Lavanya laughed. "I don't like girls Khushi. I just like Payal. Does that make sense?" She asked.

Khushi looked thoughtful for a moment and finally nodded her head. "Yeah."

"I listened to your podcast, you know? The one you did couple of weeks ago?" Lavanya asked. She took a celery stick from the platter and bit. "I have been a lonely person for most part of my life. Even amongst friends I found it hard to open up. With Payal...it was so easy. Everything is easy with Payal. Akash has similar temperament to that of Payal. But Payal cherishes me in a way no one does. When she found me, I was in a bad place Khushi. Mentally, I mean. It was impossible for me not to gravitate towards her. Very soon she was my sun and I just tagged along wherever she went."

"And I was a pesky asteroid that disrupted the beautiful synchronicity?" Khushi let out a barb on instinct. Lavanya looked speechless for a moment before throwing her head back and laughing loudly.

"You are such a cartoon Khushi." Lavanya said in exasperation. Khushi shrugged helplessly.

Lavanya continued. "So. Anyway. Here were are all of us in our happy little orbits, alone in vast expansion of space. And there comes a Sun - all bright and burning, pulling us into its gravity. We are severely attracted and incredibly helpless. We just move along because it's the best thing that's ever happened to us. A part of us always knows that we are just a planet and doesn't stand a chance with the Sun. Yet we don't stop dreaming. We keep hoping even with the knowledge that once the Sun moves away, we will be some cold and lonely planet in a forgotten galaxy. We keep hoping in the warmth of Sun knowing the fatality of it all. Isn't that a tragedy?"

Lavanya walked towards the sink and splashed some water on her face. Khushi contemplated on what Lavanya had just said. She hadn't expected Lavanya to open up or have a mature conversation with her. But then again that was three months ago.

"You know what I don't understand?" Khushi asked, handing Lavanya a pack of unopened tissues. "For all the things you know and predicted, you didn't have to be cruel to me. You didn't have to go out of your way to alienate me from my own sister. You didn't have to isolate me and then brag about it later." Khushi felt her fingers digging her palms, her nails making deep crescent marks on them.

Lavanya shook her head. "I didn't actively tell Payal to do the things she did Khushi. I suggested them. She accepted. She never once said let's ask Khushi' when I invited her for coffee. The invitation was clear. I didn't want you. And her choice was clear too. She respected my invitation. You know what's ironic in this whole situation?" Lavanya asked chuckling.

Khushi waited. "I have been conduit for the collapse in communication between you and Payal and also a conduit between Payal and Akash for the progress in their relationship."

Khushi smiled sadly at that. "There are literally millions of ways our lives would have progressed Lavanya. Millions. Yet. Here were are." Khushi said echoing what Lavanya had said only moments before. "Of all the people we could meet, Payal and I met you. Of all the people Payal could be friends with, she chose you. She. Chose. You. Do you not see how powerful that moment was? It was as if we had been waiting, no, our future was waiting for you to walk into our lives. For better or worse, your hopes, your dreams, your wishes and what you chose to do with them have all affected us. I met Arnav. I met Venkat. I met three dozen new people in a matter of weeks and half of them are my friends. You are not a conduit. You are f**king wand of fate." Khushi finished with a flourish of her hands.

Lavanya was watching her, mouth open and eyes wide. "Want some water?" She said instead.

Khushi sagged her shoulders and nodded. Lavanya laughed.

"You are an alright girl Khushi. I am not sorry for the choices I made before. But I am sure sorry for being a bitch to you." Lavanya said and offered her hand.

"Apology accepted." Khushi replied and shook hands with Lavanya.