"Kriya Ghai"
He turns off the T.V and looks at me shocked.
"How do you know about her?" He had some sort of panic in his voice.
"I sort of got into Rey's wallet and he sort of slipped her name..?"
He sighs and drops his alert body, "I don't know if I should. It's his story to tell."
"Please? Pretty please!?"
I was dying out of the curiosity and I wanted to know...something, anything!
"I will only tell you about her in general...is that fine?" He asks and I nod understanding his intentions. He was a good friend and did not want to tell something that Rey wouldn't want him to.
"Kriya Ghai. She was a great dancer and she grew up with Rey...you know kind of like chaddi buddies. Me and Rey never got to know each other until first year of college when my team, the Weaklings, and his team, the Dazzlings, had gotten into a fight. But, soon me and Sharon got into a relationship so the fights were over and the two teams became close. That's how I got close to Kriya and Rey. Everything was perfect but..."
Ding Dong!
Ding Dong!
Ding Dong!
Swayam stopped in the middle as the doorbell rang continuously. He gave an apologetic smile and went to open it. Suddenly, the whole place was filled with chatter as the gang entered. I got up to greet everyone by giving them all a quick side hug.
"Sharon, Rey kahan reh gaya?" Swayam asked and I noticed that Rey wasn't there.
"Are who aa raha hai Shilpa ko lekar."
Shilpa ko lekar?
My heart sank in a bit, all my theories of them being just friends or fulfilling work went out the window. Maybe, they truly were something more than just friends or were dating.
"Lo...aagya Rey,"Bharat announced and I noticed Rey coming with Shilpa.
His hands were on her waist and she grabbed onto his arm. I looked at their close proximity and turned to leave for the kitchen.
Food.
I looked at it intently.
"Oh my choco chips...atleast tu toh mera saath kabhi nahi chodega," I muttered while bitting into the heavenly cookies and gulping them down. It gave me an instant boost but before I could eat more I was called outside by Swayam.
"Kya hai?" I asked as the gang sat in a circle on the ground. All the girls had sat beside their perspective guys and I noticed once again that Rey was with Shilpa.
"Hum Lulth aul Dale khel rale hai!" I noticed the empty bottle in the middle and figured that Amar meant to say Truth or Dare.
I sat down in between Swayam and Vicky and we proceeded to play the game. The first time the bottle was spun in landed on Nil.
"So Nil, truth or dare?" Swayam asked.
"Dare!" Nil said with pride.
"Choli ke peeche wala dance kar!" Vicky exclaimed and Nil almost pounced on him!
"Aisa ladki jaisa mein nai karne wala!"
"Abe bhav khana band kar!" Bharat said.
Soon the music started and Nil very seductively and hilariously danced to Choli ke peeche with a duppata on his head. Everyone laughed seeing him and I clutched my stomach tightly.
Next the bottle landed on Sharon.
"Truth." She said loudly.
"Sharon, where was your first kiss and with whom?"
She gaped and her eyes went wide, "What the hell Shippu!"
"Are Ships ne kya kiya...question pucha hai jawab do...right Ships?" Rey looked at Shilpa and smiled. She placed her head on his shoulder and looked at Sharon for an answer.
With her head on Rey's shoulder and Rey's hand around her, they looked like a match made in heaven. They looked cute together but...it hurt to see them like that. I really thought there was something between Rey and me but I think now I should not think of him like that.
"First kiss was in my room...with Swayam," she blushed tomato red while she said that. Everyone hooted and she just hid herself behind Swayam.
The game went on like that...until it landed on me.
Uh oh...I was bad with this.
"Truth," I say cautiously.
"Appke pehle bhi koi...boyfriend-types the?" Aashi asked.
"Hmm..yeah," as soon as I said that I head a bunch of whats and who and where, "I had a boyfriend two years from now and we were together for four years."
"WOW! Four years! But phir kya hua?" Rinni asked.
"Hmm..I had to move and he went to England for further studies." I explain.
"Do you guys still keep in touch?" Shilpa asks.
"Yeah of course! He is a good friend!" I say smiling while remembering Rithvik!
"Okay...next!"
They began spinning the bottle again.
Rithvik. Me and Rithvik had shared a great relationship but we knew that long distance just wouldn't work. So, we mutually decided to break up. Over time we remained good friends but my feelings for him had vanished. Now, all that is left is the love I feel for him as a friend...thinking of him...I kind of miss him now seeing that everyone else in the gang had a partner and I had no one.
"Rey ab your turn huh!" I heard Neha say.
"Dare," he says and everyone tries to think of something to do.
"Give a kiss on the cheeks to someone," Swayam said.
Rey smiled widely and without even thinking or hesitating gave a kiss to Shilpa on the cheeks.
I felt myself burn inside.
Okay...that's it Teetli.
Rey is not an option anymore!
Just forget about him before your feelings for him get deeper and you fall hard.
"Guys...let's eat!" Swayam said and then very peculiarly looked at me.
"What?" I ask but he just gives a knowing smile and walks away.
What was that all about?
That Saturday was terrible. I had to see Rey and Shilpa's public display of affection and also feel loveless and partnerless.
I never dreamt of a prince charming because I knew since I was small that fairytales were fictional, especially after my dad's exit from our lives. It had been hard growing up and I had seen men who were ruthless, brutal and manipulative since a young age.
Personally, most of my teenage years I had avoided men in general and didn't want to talk to them but somehow I ended being friends with mostly guys. I realized that they weren't bad and that was when Rithvik had proposed to me and asked me to be his girlfriend. It was sad that things hadn't worked out because Rithvik was an awesome guy who always cheered me up. Unlike Rey, he was never moody and never left me alone.
Ugh! Teetli!
Again Rey?
Kaha tha na no Rey from now onwards!
He is with Shilpa for heaven's sake...Shilpa!
The girl you claim to be your friend!
A friend's man is out of the question sweetheart!
----------------------------------
A month had past but Rey just seemed to grow closer to me and as much as I tried to avoid him, I just couldn't. I would say no and then he would give me his puppy dog face and I would agree.
"Tsunami...long drive par chalogi mere saath?" I stared at him.
"Rey are you mad? Sham ho chuki hai...the sun is almost setting!"
"Haan toh...long drive ka maza sham ko hi aata hai. Chalna please!"
See! That's what I meant! I hated him pleading like that.
"Theek hai...let me inform mom." I go and quickly call my mom and tell her I'm with a friend so I will be late.
We were in his car once again and he had taken an about turn from the city and headed towards a place where there were rolling hills and lots of trees. The view was beautiful so I put on some music on low volume and pulled down my window. It had rained so the wind blew cold air to my face; it was so refreshing.
Soon we reached a cliff. It was dark and beautiful because from there we could see the stars clearly along with the city.
"Its so pretty Rey!" I exclaim and he nods.
"It's my secret place. I felt like coming today but then thought of bring you along." I smiled at him and couldn't help but feel the butterflies in my stomach swirl at the thought of visiting his secret place.
Did that mean he trusted me now?
He really let me in his life by allowing me to visit this place.
"Have you brought the gang here as well?" By now we were sitting down on the cliff with our legs dangling in the air.
"No," I looked at him a bit surprised, "They wouldn't understand. I could bring Swayam and Sharon but the others are still a bit immature to actually feel and understand the essence of this area."
"It's really peaceful and quiet."
He chuckled, "Exactly, and if the gang was here it would definitely not be quiet, forget peaceful."
I laughed a little. It was true, this place was for people who wanted to just sit back and think deep thoughts. For people to forget their problems and just enjoy the nature; the gang would not fit here.
"So how come you brought me here?" I asked with genuine curiousity.
He took my hand and said, "Because you're different Taani."
I waited for him to continue, he sighed but still held on to my cold hand.
"I mean you are a walking talking disaster but you are a cute disaster. You have mingled so well with everyone that it's hard for me to say that you are new to the college. Not to mention how much everyone adores you for being so real. You're always smiling and mind you, are pretty low maintenance for a girl. But, still it seems that you have been through a lot...what it though I don't know."
I was touched.
No one has ever been able to understand me so well.
But Rey understood everything!
He was able to see through me and observe that I had been through difficult times but haven't lost myself to the negativity. The best part though was that he trusted me enough to introduce me to this special place of his.
"My dad left us when I was very young," I said in a low voice, "its hard Rey. It was difficult to see my mom struggling to provide for us and also bear the pressure that society would put on her. But, the best part was that she was always happy and that taught all of us to stay happy as well. I don't care about fashion or make-up because I haven't grown up with so much money and I have gotten used to being simple. Decent clothes that look good on me are enough. Sure, we all complained as kids but now, we are glad that we went through difficult times." I smile at him as I end and he gives me a side hug.
"Swayam told me you asked him about Kriya," I look down sheepishly as he grins teasingly, "you should be a part of some detective agency Tsunami."
"Sorry," I mumble.
"It's okay...I think you should know. You are part of the gang and my friend so you should know about it."
"It's okay if you don't want to though," I say but he rolls his eyes and continues.
"Kriya was important to me," he began and my heart began squeezing inside me as I heard that, "she was my best friend. We grew up together, we did everything together. She was cute, bubbly, intelligent but extremely stubborn. It was the end of our first year in college and she had made up her mind to go to the U.S for vacations. We all behaved like normal friends; asked her to get us pictures, not forget us etc etc. But, the next day we heard that the plane she was in experienced turbulence and...crashed into the ocean," his voice cracked and I could feel the tears he was stopping from coming out, "A few people had survived, but none of them was Kriya."
I felt my eyes moisten and my heart feel heavy. I took Rey's hand into mine and reassured him that I was there. He scrubbed his eyes dry and continued, "It's been 3 years since that incident but I haven't been able to get past it. I mean, she was my secret keeper...my best friend...my best buddy. It was literally like losing a part of my childhood. You know, that first year we had partied a lot but she had taken a promise from me to become more sincere. I sulked and became depressed after she passed away but then one day I remembered her promise and thought to make her proud. I didn't want to spend so much time with the gang because they reminded me of Kriya or they would somehow mention her. I liked working and soon it became a habit, of course my social life was doomed because of it. Now that I think of it, I'm an extremely emotional person...it took me 3 years to get over Kriya's death."
"I am not going to say I understand Rey, because I really don't. I will never feel the gravity of that situation unless it actually happens to me but I will say that if you need anything your Tsunami will be there for you."
He laughed at that, "Be there with me by always falling."
"Hey! I don't ALWAYS fall!" I laugh but try to defend myself.
"Oh no no...how can I forget that you never fall...you just like licking the floor," he burst into laughter as I gaped at him.
"Rey! How mean!" I yell but still smile.
"Hey...Taani...thank you," he says in a soft voice.
"Thanks? For what?" I ask
"For being a Tsunami. After you came I began to laugh and enjoy my social life more. Somewhere you filled up the space that Kriya left behind."
I cried.
I literally cried out of joy!
"You are terrible Mr. Khadoos Singhania! Making me senti and emotional...do you know how bad it is for my image?" I said smiling and crying at the same time.
"Awww! Really? I have to take a picture of this!" And he snaps a picture.
"WHAT! NO REY! NO!"
I chase after him trying to grab his phone and the night ends with the two of us laughing and teasing each other. That was probably one of the best nights I had had in a long time.
-Fin-
Hey Bubbly People!
I updated after a long time but I was very busy with school starting again. Anyway, do tell me how you like this chapter...I can't tell you how much I love you guys for taking your time and commenting! Thank you so very much!
Oh and btw, I did make a mistake spelling Kria's name..I wrote it as Kriya and now I'm just too lazy to change it 😆
Edited by -3raser- - 11 years ago
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