Next day when I woke up the whole thing again came back to me making me glum. I dint know what to feel. It was all a new thing for me, having two most loved people at the edges. The thing I thought as rumor was not one. It blew on my face when I thought I am on a right path.
However, I chose to forget the incident rather than spoiling my time in Chennai with him. We got ready and moved towards the embassy. As we were waiting in the queue for our turn he protect me from the crowd. Kept me next to him and ordered his friends to surround me so I don't get hurt. I was overwhelmed. I wanted scream at him for doing all this and giving me hopes but I was so touched that I dint want to hurt him. I had fun with him, joked with him, argued with him standing next to him. He teased me about Shagun as everyone did asking us whether we are straight. But for me she was always a baby sister. Everyone knew but making fun of us was everyone's pass time. When he spoke about Shagun his face held that glint which I missed when its about anyone else. It hurt a lot but then his happiness mattered to me the most at that point of time and I happily spoke about her not showing the hurt. I understood its not his fault that im hurting because I never told him that I love him, maybe I never will.
After the interview for the visa we were walking back to the hotel and it being afternoon had a lot of traffic. I don't know how he knew that I was super scared to cross the road due to my past incident he held my hand till we crossed. Every gesture of his made me incline towards him only to pull myself back painfully.
Same day during dinner he sat with me on the table, served me food and stayed with me till I went back to room. His chivalrous behavior was getting on my nerves because I was finding myself falling hard even after knowing the truth. At last we were returning back to school. Since it was a day journey we stayed awake singing, dancing, playing.
"Ishita calm down babe, you'll lose energy even before we cross the border!" one of the guy shouted.
"Well, I never lose my energy Vishal. You are a weak soul I aint't." I shouted back standing in the aisle.
"Ishu, sing man mera pleaseee" One of the boys requested.
"I am not singing alone, some one can join me the only ill sing" I shouted back.
Well only 5 girls and 45 boys were there. Me being the oldest and the most talkative one the boys only interacted and targeted me.
"Well its Raman's favorite song he'll sing what say Raman" Mihir shouted.
Mihir was Raman's best friend. They joined the school together and where from the same place. Being family friends their bond was commendable.
"Ae, you mad or what? No ways im singing with her!" he showed his tongue out.
"Excuse me, listen you are the one who cannot sing, so stop your nonsense. Even I am not singing if he is singing with me" I was frustrated.
"Dude, please sing na see if you wont sing I know she wont sing. Please" all the boys, requested him.
"Fine, ya whatever." He made a face towards me.
"Whatever" I also made a face back at him.
The whole bus burst out laughing at us and we started singing his favorite, which had become my favorite song as well man mera.
Author's POV
If people had seen Ishita's face at that point of time they would never believe that she was the same bubbly and cheerful girl who fought with people for fun. The hurt in her eyes were evident when he tried to hold back the tears every time she looked at him.
After that song it went to the next and the next till they fell back into their seats exhausted. Raman and I sat together for sometime laughing at an edit made by him for time pass. He had acquired a weird obsession of editing his photo with a sticker tie or a goggle and so on and so forth. I would tease him endless and once snatched his mobile to edit all his pics in a funny way.
When we reached school I got down as soon as I could and walked away from the bus not able to hold it anymore. I went inside the dorm, searched for Shagun and hugged her startling her.
"Ishu, bacha what happened? Why are you crying? When did you come back?"
"Baby look at me jaan. What happened? Please tell na baba!" she consoled me.
There is something which we both friend lack in keeping secrets from each other. However hurtful or bad it is we cannot hide anything from each other.
But this time for the first time in my life I had hidden about my discovery in Chennai.
"Nothing I missed you that why!" I answered back trying to be as convincing as possible.
After Shagun left for the extra classes and since I had the evening off, I requested Mihika and Vandita to stay with me for sometime. I cried my heart out to them and narrated everything that happened to them. They were unhappy and upset. But I got to know something at that time.
"You guys knew it right?" I asked them looking at their expression.
"Ermm Ishu listen," Vandita started.
"You could have told me before itself you know. I mean I would have controlled my feeling back then itself. This is not done Vandu. It hurts you know it hurts like a bitch. Every time I open his mobile it hurts. Every time he asked me about Shagun it hurts. Every time he sings and has those dreamy eye it f**king hurts because I know that its not for me but for my f**king best friend." I yelled sobbing badly. They just hugged me and let me cry out for sometime. After I composed I slept and they left for class.
This went on for a while now Shagun was also beginning to get the jest of the whole thing. Our friendship was still the same and looked like it would remain for long.
One day,
"Ishu, are you okay? I am really sorry jaan, I don't like him baby. You know that na. I wouldn't have ever supported you if it was I knew it." She said scared that ill distances her from myself.
"Hey kulta, please don't cry. Listen I know you don't like him please please don't cry."
The days went on and so did his love for Shagun and so did mine for him. It was hard to see that but then I dint let that affect either my studies or my friendship with both.
Soon we left for US and my friends had teased me telling me to enjoy my honeymoon with him. It was funny that they knew and yet they teased me. He was with me in the airport and in the flight.
The US trip was my dream come true because I went to a place I dreamt of with him. He stayed with me, shopped with me, played in the beach with me.
Our resort was on the shore and he pinged me in the morning 5 for a walk there. I was very happy, forgot my pledge and left for the beach for a walk.
"Ishu darling listen, do you know what Shagun would like as a gift for Valentines day and her birthday"
Being accustomed to sudden enquiry about Shagun now I braced myself for answering.
"Hmm, she would love clothes or anything actually. It's a gift right she would love anything. She doesn't ask for anything specific."
After that I made sure that I don't spend much time with him though we did a lot. Though nothing adventurous the times spent with him became the most memorable time for me.
I had won two teddies and 3 other stuff in a game. One of the teddies I won had become my favorite and it became my most favoutite when he kissed it. I know childish but then that thing is also something I till know cherish.
After the US trip we had gone home for vacations for 3 weeks. I was happy he became my Raman again when he started being the same he was with me during the summer break. However this time in our chats he included Shagun.
Soon our every conversation turned into Shagun and only Shagun.
Then came my birthday. It being my 16th birthday I wanted it to be special one. My friends made it a very special one for me. But it wasn't so special. When I was woken up at 12 in the night I was greeted with my place being decorated and his name everywhere. It was a nice gooey feeling.
The next day I went to class expecting him to wish only to see that every one wished me except him. It was super hurting. I wish I could tell how it feels not to get wished by your best friend. Shagun was annoyed as shit and started disliking him for making me cry. I dint talk to him the whole morning classes and when going for lunch,
"Raman, I know you may not consider me your best friend anymore or your motive to find out about Shagun is over that you no longer want to talk to me but then its really okay ill try understanding and explaining myself that im was not being used. Just know im sorry if I ever hurt you by doing anything wrong or behaving wrongly. But honestly I at least expected a wish even if as a stranger. Thank you for gifting me this truth on my birthday. I really needed this reality check that maybe my friendship with Shagun is what has kept us still together. Thank you for everything." I left from there immediately.
In the evening after much consoling I dressed up and came for the classes to find him in the class waiting for me. He wished me and just kept the gift in my book and apologized for not wishing me. I should have been angry but then I gave up. I hugged him thanking him and that was my first hug to him.
I gushed about that small gift I received from him an angry bird key chain, which he said resembles me. I thought maybe that was a tiny step in improving our friendship but again it took a downfall after New Year!
What would you expect when your one best friends decides to stop talking to you and your other best friend hides things from you and to top it all you have board exam pressure and the fear of love of your life leaving the school and going away !
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Anupamaa
