I walked off to my room and that was the best thing to do… the confines of that warm room which I and Anika had decorated long back, had some power in it to calm a shaken and flabbergasted me. It was so good that she was always there with me.

Though I still have Abha, Nitya and other girls but – Anika was colorful. No one can take her place in my life … not even her brother. How Ironic it was that she had literally skirmished with her brother for my good, she had capitulated so many of her holidays all because I was not able to join her. I just wish she would have waited for me that day as well may be I could have helped her, I could have saved her – or may be not!

I walked towards the left side of my room, and sat on the small couch – beside which I had kept many wooden arts done by Anika adored designing wooden planks or articles. I took out one of her designs god knew what it is called… she had so many times told me the various names of variegated designs …but it didn’t came handy for me at all and were washed out of my brain as soon as they were swamped in.

It is so inconceivable that we humans always understand the value of a person or a thing once we lose them, I still conjure up and regret what I had said when Anika had asked me to date and marry Arjun. At that time that thought – would make me want to vomit on him but now, when things are completely out of my hand this is the only thing that I want.

Flashback

“Anika please take back what you have just said, and tell me that you are just kidding.” How can she even say that thing…I and this half backed, vainglorious bastard, should date each other and then get married – no not even in my tempestuous dreams.

“Arohi my dear bestie trust me it’s the truth and I know you love me for saying that… don’t worry if any of those elders disaccord this relationship I will be there to solve your problem. “

“Anika-“

“No Arjun… look at you two, you look just unblemished and I saw how you two were fighting … just like a couple madly in love!” she literally squealed and gave us a big hug. But as soon as thing started to settle down in my brain I quickly pushed her aside.

“listen Anika , now that your twin is here I don’t think you need me to clean your room… just give me a call as soon as you get back into your senses.”, god knows what mom had mixed in her poha or was she high even before I came.

I started to walk down the stairs, but that stupid girl stopped me. “Ohh, hello where are you going? You still have to help me with my dress and you know I can’t handle that Indian outfit at all … Arohi please- please” her puppy dog eyes as always did their work and I don’t know why I agreed to it. But there was this hunch that something was really going to happen.

With the great announcement made my Anika I can’t really believe her. But the moment of eureka, was that Arjun just stood there, staring at us blankly without giving anything about what he was thinking. Earlier if I had felt that this guy was uncanny than that was confirmed now!

“okay but I need to go home, my  dress is there” going home is best for me if I would stay here this girl would make go  crazy and as well my mom would skin me.

“Don’t give me that excuse Arohi, my mom has talked with yours and she is fine with you staying for the weekend and your clothes will be delivered by Darshan bhaiya within an hour. Now come let’s go and have something … Arjun come.”

See I told you … why do this Arjun has to be with us.

“Why should I come?”, Arjun asked.. hmm may be he does have a bit of brain. I thought and smiled to my self-thinking that maybe I don’t have to tolerate him.

“Arjun we need to have lunch and I am sure you are starving mom has made butter chicken.”, damn here goes my calm and sweet time with my friend.

He nodded his head and looked at me, quite different look one which no one could describe or maybe I was new to that type of look – what so ever it may be but somehow those black eyes made me shudder in what I don’t know but …

“are you coming or not?”, Abha asked who for so long was just standing there and looking at us and smiling … that smile of hers which said ‘ohh this is so fun!’

“Don’t worry you aren’t going to get any spicy new to gossip with Nitya.” I narrowed my eyes at her… no one can stop them once they start to pair someone… till now I was saved by Anika but now it seems that no one is with me.

“ohh I didn’t said anything … it was all her mind , mouth and words..” she winked and walked ahead of us . I looked at Anika pointedly, but she ignored me completely.

“Arohi could you please go and text Darshan bhaiya my address, actually I forgot … sholly” , this girl is soo damn weird.

I just nodded my head at her and walked back to her room, got my cell phone and texted my brother the so called address.

When I had walked back to the dining room I was sure that Anika is going to be dead and reason- the whole dining table was filled with people except for the place beside ARJUN.

I looked at Anika who looked everywhere but at me. With no option left I sat beside that idiot … god that was so weird. Why do we have such friends in our life that are hell bound to make our life a living hell?

“Don’t even think of really accepting what my sister said. She was just a bit excited.” Why do people have to kill me with their sudden voices? I thought but then … I t was more important to answer his statement.

“actually I am sorry, my friend here has some mental and eye sight problem … she can’t seem to see that the thing which she is trying to pair me up with is not actually a human but something else- you know the one which can’t really be defined as a person nor an animal … an unknown species to be exact.” I gave him a smile and started to gobble up my food.

The thought that my bestie would leave me after that was an understatement… that evening though I had used many arm-twisting’s on  her, and cursed her a lot yet she god knows why conjectured that something will happen between us, if not now then in future.

But even I was sure that my friend had lost her mind and every sense. All I could   say was that the only things that would happen with me and Arjun were wars … quite omnifarious to be exact.

That weekend had gone with whole lot of anticlimaxes and glares which were thrown either by me to Arjun and Anika or by Arjun on me and Anika. As every bad time comes to an end ours as well ended; but only to start with a new battle questioning us whether to befriend or to not befriend each other.

My best friend and his sister was as if on mission to make our life living hell as well as full of mortifying situations.

Now that Anika was in our school it was a sure thing that Arjun would be in the same school as well. But I had never thought that along with him there would be a package of stupid stuff.

When the next day I had gone to school, I was even more shocked to see another person along with Arjun, not wanting to cause another altercation  between the two of us I had completely ignored him and walked off to my seat.

“Hey Arohi, how are you?” I looked up to see Vivek, one of or classmate calling me. Well that would be a day to start off with. Vivek and I have been in the same class for a time now, but somehow through this duration I have started to like him. Who wouldn’t he is quite suave, charismatic as well an extrovert. He was the very first person who had initiated us girls to take part in football matches which were earlier only played by boys in our school. For a 13 year old boy he is quite ambitious.  

“Hey, you are back?”  As Vivek was in the school football team and would keep on going out for some or the other tournament.

“Yep came back last night… actually I needed your help.”

“Yeah sure” I kept the things which I had taken out to ignore Arjun and focused on what Vivek was telling me.

“Actually we are planning to conduct a charity drive which will include a fair cum ball theme. This event is going to be held for the world health day and the amount of money that will be collected will be donated. The passes for the ball will be charged around 150 to 200 rs. And as many people would be coming they can pay for special dances at a booth which will be created at the back garden, the amount is not yet decided.” He took a breath and waited for my response. I shifted a bit in my place and smiled at Him.

“Vivek, it’s a great Idea, yet you know right that it has their own flaws … I mean who will fund this event and then distribution of passes and everything, it needs at least 3 to 4 months of time to plan it and work upon it, though we have that much of time yet we don’t know who all will agree with this- especially the cultural team would allow us or not is the biggest question.”

He tried to think for some time and was about to say something when we heard a Unknown voice.

“See I can fund the program.”

I looked towards the side from where the voice was coming; it was the other guy who was sitting with the great Arjun.

“Ohh, I am sorry but do we know each other?” Vivek asked. Sometimes I really hate this thing of his. His dad is a business man and somehow he has that ‘mind your own business’ aura around him.

“hii, I am Vihaan a new admission along with Arjun, we have just got shifted here from Canada.” The guy said. I looked at Arjun who as well got up from his seat and came to us and introduced himself to Vivek.

Though the boy shook hands with me, that cavalier numskull decided to completely ignore me.

“umm hii I am Vivek and that’s Arohi.” Vivek decided to introduce me and himself to that hardheaded person and his friend.

But what confused me was if they knew each other since quite a time then how come I didn’t saw him at the party yesterday?

May me you were quite busy admiring your best friend’s brother. My conscience tantalized.

I scoffed at myself, I would never admire him! I stated, yet my heart kept on beating faster as if asking me “really Arohi?”  

“Are you okay Arohi?” Vivek asked, thank god he got me out my thoughts, due to these two twins day by day I am getting converted into a lotus-eater. I took a long deep breath and looked at Vivek and smiled at him.

“Yeah Arohi you should get yourself checked, maybe there is default in that little brain of yours.” Arjun teased me with a smirk. This was going on since the lunch that day at Anika’s.

Speaking of her; If this idiot is here, the where the hell is she?

“Keep your snarky remarks with yourself, and tell me where your twin is?” I asked getting up from my place and glaring at him with the same intensity as his.

“Why would I know, she is grown up unlike you and very well knows the way to school.” He shrugged his shoulders and started to walk away, only for me to stop him from moving even a single bit.

“You left her somewhere, right?” I asked. the sweat beads started to form on my head. This guy how can he be so stupid!

“Yeah at the zebra crossing two stops before school, chill Anika’s puppet she will-”

“no she won’t you idiot, she is scared of crossing the roads over here, she gets panic attacks, god I thought that at least you would be knowing about it what kind of a family you are?” that was ridiculous.

There was something about them that had always made me feel uncomfortable whenever I would look at the twin’s family. A family knows most of the things going around with each other but here most of the time uncle is occupied on his cellphone whereas aunty would be bustling with her kitty parties. The love and Amore which I have got from my parents, these two hardly get any of it.

 At first even I had not known about this quandary of Anika’s but once when we had gone out to buy things for her birthday, that’s when I saw her shivering badly while crossing the road. Though it was considered as one of the most hustling roads, and it was anticipated for anyone to be aghast but the way Anika had got scared was a bit overboard.

When we had reached back home, she had told me that she would get panic attacks while crossing the road and if the road is way too crowded then the situation would get even more worse.

“Get a side you idiot, god knows for how long you were here.” As soon as my words got settled in his ears he got aside, I ran towards the exit of the school but the boys being athletes they ran faster than me.

Once we reached the zebra crossing we left a sigh of relief seeing Anika still playing with the dogs, unaware of the fact that she was all alone for such a long time.

“You idiot… girl, how could you be so stupid?” I snapped at her and pulled her out of Arjun’s embrace, and hugged her as if my life was depended on her.

Something’s are so important for us that with the thought of losing them would get us into a panic state, then Anika was a human, though she was as my age- yet she was special.

Firstly she is a twin born with whole lot of complications.

Secondly a small girl who was saved from a big accident

And thirdly, being a quite special person for every single member of the singh family being their first daughter.

And for me, she is my first friend to accept me, at that time of my life when none was with me.

“Don’t you dare do such a thing again, where were your senses when this stupid twin of yours had left you here all alone to play with that stupid puppy?”

“Aaye… he is not stupid he is Mocca”

“Mocca, hey that’s the type of coffee I love it!” Vihaan said, while I and Arjun glared at him.

Well news flash! Even Arjun’s friend is an idiot. Just like him!

“And you Arjun, YOU LEFT ME ALL ALONE HERE TO CROSS THE ROAD?” It was a proved that Anika was on a mission to embarrass us for a life time.

“I am sorry –“

“You should be, don’t you have a bit of brain in that skull of yours? That’s it Anika no more of your twin bringing you to school I will come as I always used to do and no arguments.” I cut off Arjun in between and tried my best to order the twins but how could I when I was killed with one of the most dreadful glares?

“Okay we will see to it later on first lets go.” Anika said. While throughout the walk I chided her for her carelessness. While crossing the road she was a bit scared but I and Arjun held her both hands and helped her to cross the road properly.

They say when you have the love of a dear one with you no problem has that much of strength as of to destroy you.

When we had gone back to class, I was pulled by someone near the water point.

“What th-“

“Shuuu, it’s me.” I looked at the mesmerizing orbs, making my eyes go wide in recognition. I started to struggle even though the person gave me a stern look, but soon stopped when he started to come closer to me.

“Listen don’t worry, I just wasn’t to talk to you, and please listen to me and don’t shout at me, I will release you only if you remain quite.” I just nodded my head and once he was sure I will not say anything he loosened his grip on my hands and as well removed his hand from my mouth.

“What the hell Arjun Singh?” I screamed only to be shushed by him with his hand again.

“gosh girl can’t you stay quite?” the way he said it made me shiver, I don’t know with delight, anger or was really scared .

“listen Arohi, thank you – thank you very much for helping me out with Anika, I was always at Canada and never knew what was going on I her life, but thanks a lot for taking care of her…and as well I am sorry for what all I said to you. So if you could allow me then can we be friends?”

What was he saying was a bit … no scratch that was a lot weird for me, friends with him? Sorry? Thank?

Gosh I would go mad I thought … but then as Gandhi had said “ankh ke badle ankh loge toh puri duniya andhi ho jayegi.”

If we all would go for eye for an eye then the whole world would get blind and hence with the kindest heart that I have I forwarded my hand and said

“Friends!”  

Flash back ends.

Here is a new chapter please tell me your views about it

This chapter is been dedicated to Bellgirl93 thanks a lot for editing my chapters
Happy reading
Cuteminger Aka Yadni