~3 years later~

Sahil's POV

"Sahil can you stop being such a wuss and join us?" Sarah said laughter bubbling on her lips

"What? I am not a wuss babe, I can not only hold a snake but also have it wrapped around my neck. It's just this bungee jumping eh is not my thing, it's too bland for my taste" I waved it off scoffing acting tough when actually I was too scared of heights.

Just seeing from here, the spot from where they will throw you off, made the bile rose in my throat.

I shifted backward immediately, Sarah laughed loudly noticing me while the woman tying the harness scolded her to stand properly.

I grinned, "not that high I acted for your sake"

"Aww... poor me what will I do without your little acts!" my girlfriend grinned back waving then she jumped off.

I almost shouted.

"Don't worry it's not that high" Divya teased holding her phone and recording it all

"Want a hand for pushing you down to join her?" I offered.

"No thanks I am all good!" She skittered away quickly.

••••

"I swear it was so fun I want to do it again then again then again and can you guess?"

"Ah again?" I supplied thinking.

"Exactly!"Sarah said when we found her back. She was jumping with excitement my girlfriend was way too adventurous

even more than me

"That's it for today," I said, helping her take off the straps.

"You are getting boring Sahil! Hey, what do you say if we jump into that lake hehe!" She whispered in my ear conspiring manner, bumping her shoulders into mine her big brown eyes sparkling. I found myself smiling too, "why not! Definitely tomorrow's plan"

"Saaaahil" she pouted.

I moved away after she was free, she joined me pulling my arm and rambling about what we could do after that, I listened and smiled along the way.

Divyanshi too joined us with her boyfriend I eyed him cautiously, Rishabh he was a funny guy and older than her she told me she helped him escape from a rehab. I didn't believe her but now I was slowly getting it.

He spoke
"There's this philosophy about Bungee jumping one tries it not to actually do it but just to tick on the list and boast about, that's why we say Bungee ticking"

Divyanshi laughed loudly. 

Only her,

Sarah and I made a face, "I am relieved you didn't write a poem on that" I commented

Rishabh glanced at me, "That I saved for picking trash on the beach"

"Which" Sarah implied, "is a surprise! I didn't tell you about it let's go baby let's Save the Earth!"

I groaned this girl never stop at anything.

••

"Divyanshi! Could I have a word with you?" I called her when I saw her sashing out in heels. She entered into the living room where I was working on the files on my laptop.

"What is it? You aren't breaking up with Sarah she's a handful I know but she actually makes you happy and less of an antisocial"

"It is not about that"
I rubbed my forehead
"I actually like her" I admitted.

I started dating her a year back.
Divyanshi had been setting me up with blind dates, bringing home her friends to introduce me in the hope that I seriously start dating again cause I appeared lonely to her. I don't know why though, I was only minding my business like literally.

Attending meetings, seeing to office work, busy with the new project which required thorough researching, so I didn't have time for other unnecessary things to think about, they don't even matter now anyway

"What is it??? Bhaiya" she walked to me and closed the laptop I stifled a curse my finger narrowly escaped it.
"You see I was working on something!"

"But you were speaking then you started typing! are you crazy!"

"Oh yeah" I scratched the back of my neck with a sheepish grin, "I was saying I found an old mobile on my nightstand  just see to it if by chance any houseworker left it behind while cleaning my room"

I was replied with silence

I tilted my head observing her she said with hesitation "I placed it there"

I didn't say anything waiting for her to explain further.

"That was Serra's mobile you remember? the old one she carried around she told me to give it to you when it was the right time"

I sucked in a breath. I knew she talked to her quite often after then but I never asked about her. She never asked about me. Even Divyanshi never mentioned her until now.

I contemplated then said, "I don't want it just throw it away"

She gasped, "woah? So cruel so cruel alright right on it! throwing away" she shrugged and moved upstairs.

I opened my laptop and got back to work but the thing was,... the infuriating thing was... I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing. After 5 mins I shut the laptop and dashed upstairs, "wait a minute!"

•••
.
"What is it in that thing?" I asked staring at the mobile not holding it.

"I don't know" Divyanshi shrugged and started fixing her makeup sitting on my bed.

"Don't! Don't do that over here not in my room and ruin the sheets last time you spread your glitter all over it"

"Geez Mr. Perfectionist It was an accident and it's not glitter it's highlighter!"

I mimicked her making a face

She threw the pillow I caught it
," Anyway  she gave me the mobile 3 years back and said to me to give you-"

"Why didn't you tell me then!" I shouted tossing her thick paintbrush or whatever on the floor she glared at it then at me, "you are asking for a fight brother!" she lifted the red glittery thing.

I almost got blinded by it,

" or we can have this peacefully like adults" I gave the pillow back she threw it in my face I faked a smile.

"That's what I thought listen to it clearly, I couldn't give you back then not when you were in that state-"

"What state?"

"You want all the description??!"

"Hell yes," I said.

"In that pathetic state!" She fired back.

"What are you talking about! I have always been in a handsome state"

"Shut up!"

"Okay"

"Not a word, See I didn't want you to go into that loop of destroying things, people, and you yourself again. It was so tedious brother. She did a number on you I know I am responsible for it but she went over my expectations. I mean I have been there when mom died you just ran away to God knows where but when Serra dumped you-"

"We weren't dating as a matter of fact"

She continued ignoring me like a fly
" you came back here and just locked yourself in your room when before you were out there troubling others acting recklessly Bam! suddenly you became a robot I mean I swear I was going to slit your wrists to see if you were alive-"

"How caring"

"I know right! You see I  didn't want to give anything of her that reminds you of her when I worked my ass off to make you alright but I can't even deny also that she did help us too"

I looked at her suspiciously, "what do you mean?"

I knew there was something she was hiding something that tells why my father, never hit me again after that, moreover he kept less contact with me unless it was work-related.

Grateful, Work helped me escape from things.

"Her mother did a case on our father. Hallelujah for that. Her mother is a powerful woman I didn't know about it! She had this strong evidence on Aarav's case which was presented in a way that made dad the cause of his death. Him separating Aarav from his biological family 'cause he was unfit to be, then abused you when they made him sign in the orphanage to treat their kids with all love and care, violating that law.
Mentally harming you almost caused you to end your life too. These are some big charges that could ruin anyone's career and life.
Why isn't he behind bars now you ask? Well unfortunately he is a powerful figure too. Oh God, why do I sound so insensitive these are my parents too! My life is shit like yours dude but do you see me affected by it? It would've, if I didn't do shopping therapy. You know you have one life how long are you gonna cry about the same thing? You gotta utilize what you have you gotta spend off this black money as soon as you can" She admired her fingers adorned with diamond rings

"Divya we've kinda derailed from the conversation" I told

She waved her hand
"Oh yes, paperwork was done contracts were signed making you the heir of everything, and dad was made to never raise a hand on you. He could go to jail for a big time. You can try that if you want to! our Dad suck big time I agree. And also I was made to supervise you on everything"

Now I got why she dragged me to a psychologist and booked weekly sessions. Barged into my room checking if I was hurt. Why did I feel someone was following me when I go outside.

"This all, Serra's mom has done?"

I still can't believe

"Yep! I can't believe right and you say you guys weren't dating you big fat liar, anyway, everything turned out good in the end. Faisal and Cinderella are dating. I heard from him Cinderella showed quite an attitude and played hard to get but Faisal didn't give up and now they are dating and doing a bucket list thing!
Even Dhruv bhaiya I thought he would never accept modeling roles but now he is some big shot runway model though missed his photography but we gotta agree he deserves to be in front of the camera not behind! Have mercy on us girls! And Serra! Serra is-" she eyed me cautiously.

I grabbed the old grey mobile inspecting it, felt an ache of holding something, something that I left three years back,

"How is she?" I asked in a low voice.

When Divyanshi used to introduce me to girls sometimes I found myself looking for her in them. The straight face those big brown eyes shining with intelligence. Those lips those stubborn lips that rarely turned up. And when they do you can't help but feel rewarded seeing that pretty smile. Over the years I realized I didn't deserve her I have only hurt her. I also realized I could never find anyone like her. That shrewdness that complaining that fear and care for me at the same time I could have done... treated her better. I never deserved her from the start.

"She? She is happy she is busy working for achieving her dreams it's her second year in med school. She even talked about some Laksh guy her competitor in her batch and how she hated that guy for stealing her place"

"Is she dating him?" I asked a little gloomily

"No haha she told he was already taken and his girlfriend would kill him for even looking at him sounds like we would get along!"

"Good" I nodded.

"Bro it's time for you now"

"For what?"

"To be happy," she said motioning her hand to the mobile I was holding.

I looked at it for a moment then turned it on and saw it has full charging," you charged it?"

"Daily," she pledged.

I shot her a disbelief look,

"I was like today I will give you but Nah not today he is still getting there, right now I see you have moved on, you are a sane man now you are ready to spread your wings out-

"Liar" I cut her off

"Okay alright, I was cleaning my stuff and found it there yeah after 3 years. I charged it and it was working and now bye" she scrambled out when I got up glowering at her.

I shook my head and was angry at her for bringing it up now. When three years back I was desperately looking for something to hold onto as time flew by.

I scanned the mobile what could she want me to see into it. Or she just let go of her past handing it to me.

There were no apps aside from the gallery I opened and then there were several screenshots

screenshots of her conversation with    
Aarav

===

Aarav| Serra

So ...what's your name?

Selena

Selena? Selena what?
Selena Gomez :)

No
Selena Swift :)

Haha
That was a nice one
But, No seriously, what's your name?

Why do you want to know my name?
Are names really that important to you?

Tbh they aren't but names give a face to an unknown person and I really want to be sure if you're not a guy

You know me...

Do I?
I don't know anyone as Selena...
Do you go to my school?

Yes

Then tell me your real name

It's Selena

Okay, I believe you :/

====

Good morning

Good morning Selena Swift ; )
It's a peculiar name
Yet I believe you
it's a real name

Aren't we over that?
How was your day btw?

It was okayish
Hope you've had a better one

Nope
I had a bad day
My bicycle chain came off
Gotta walk to school
It's like a long-distance
I was late made to stand outside missed the lecture
then forgot my homework...
I can go on and on

At least you gotta attend the school unlike someone else who was busy pulling out his books from the fountain
for the second time

That happened to you?

My friend

Who threw his books in the fountain?  Bullies?

Nope
Just some miserable people out there
Hurt and bleeding on others

====

The chain came off again
Stupid chain!
I am running late for school

Looks like someone summoned me

What are you a chain Master?

Currently a trainee in that field
I can help you put that stupid chain back it's quite easy.

How?

Wait I will send you the video
I also go by cycle
the chain always slips off haha
Sometimes ppl break it
Bt I know how to fix it.
I can fix it pretty well

Video attached

Why is your bicycle in such a bad condition?

It might look that way
But it works fine

But what happened?

Selena, you know,
Sometimes people just like breaking things even though they didn't do anything to them

I don't understand

You don't need to :)

===

HEYYYYY

Something happened?

Yeah
I texted you

xD
Lucky you
You just got a reply!

I am on cloud nine

I feel like you are in a good mood

I saw my childhood friend today
He has cut off all contacts from me
But I wave at him whenever I see him
And today he waved back!
Not at me thou
Some girl who was behind me

He sounds like an idiot

Hey!
He's the best person in my life
he is the only light in my life

if there be light then there's darkness

Of course
He is the light and I am the darkness

Someone sounds in love

I am

With me?

Yes with you
......
It was sent by mistake.
I was teasing
You don't have to reply
Okay looks like I ruin everything

You didn't
I love talking to you too
It makes my day :)

====

Can I call you?

Umm, why?
I mean you can but not right now
I am doing nothing
....
I mean I am doing something!
My dog is barking he is missing me gotta check on
He won't like it when I talk to ppl on mobile
He's a little possessive

Ok...

Why anyway?
I mean I am asking
My dog is still out there glaring at me

I needed your help on something

Everything's okay?

Yep all good
I just don't know how to unlock the washroom door from inside

You are kidding

Yes :)

No pls
Tell me you are not locked

I am not locked

No
Honestly

Honestly

It is not funny
I can help you tell me where you are

Chill
It's alright
And I am in your dreams xD

Oh definitely
in my dreams
....
I was joking
Like you were
you know
Joking joking

Good night
See you soon :)

===

I don't understand why people hate someone sometimes?

Sometimes someone does bad things and they deserve the hate
Why do you ask though?

Do you hate me?

Why will I hate you?
It's opposite
...
..
I mean
Haha I never met you

We can change that

We can?
But I live far away

You said we go to the same school

I said we used to!

Where are you now?

In my room..?

Where's your room?

In my house

Where's your house?

On the road

Looks like someone has sworn to be mysterious

Something like that

So do you hate your childhood friend?
The one who ghosted on you

No, I don't
Even if he does hate me someday
I won't ever

He doesn't hate you

Are you sure?

Yes
What about you?
Are you sure you don't hate me?

No, stupid
...
Wait

Hate your friend I meant

Okay....

Relieved
Hate can make you a terrible person
I don't want you to hate someone.
It messes up real bad

Speaking from experience?

Oh I have one big experience going on

I don't understand

Just want to tell you whatever happens never let hate consume you
and

Sel-ena
Your childhood friend might be in love with you too

======

What do you think about revenge Selena? Is it really fair?

Sometimes I don't get what you speak
it worries me.

Humor me

Umm
I think Karma is fair
So revenge is fair...?

Do you think I should have left his hand the guy I saved who was dangling off the school's terrace?

Oh my God!
who was he?

Some guy I know

You saved him

He likes doing scary stuff
he knows his way around

Sounds reckless

Oh he is
He couldn't care any less about his life than anyone else's

Did he do something bad to you?

What makes you ask that?

I feel like you know him

I wish I could
He looks like a good person
Sad
But a good person

You see goodness in everyone

Because it's there in everyone
No one is born evil.
Everyone is just looking to be happy
And sometimes they go astray in search of it

===

My mother doesn't love me

Why do you say that?

For starters,
She abandoned me

I think she regrets doing so

Or is she guilty about how badly abandoned or orphaned are treated around?

Do you love her?

Can I love her?
Can I love a mother who could neither be a real nor fake one?

Mothers always love their children whether real or not

but,
She couldn't make either of them feel so

==

I was wondering

It's a good habit

Do I mean something in your life?

Why do you say so?
You mean more than you can ever imagine

So why do I feel like something is going on and you are not telling me?
Talking to you feel like you are depressed and hurt
I can't do anything and it makes me hate myself

I love you

What?

I love you know that I love you very much this has nothing to do with you. You were the best thing that happened to me. It's my own decision. And no matter what others say, no matter what happens I will love you.

Why this suddenly?
And I love you too.
I wish I could say this to your face

Can we meet?

....
I don't know

I am going to the bridge that comes on the way to my school
I find solace in seeing the waters of it.
When the sun sets in the waters deep down I see it rising somewhere else.
The dying out of the light and the darkness surrounding don't scare me but rather fills me with the hope of a brighter tomorrow.

I am reading it and I am not understanding anything what's going on?
Can you just wait there for me I am coming?

My right hand is broken Sel-ena
It's excruciating to type with the left one

What happened to your hand now Aarav??
You are scaring me!

It's just that sad guy the same reckless pitiful guy,
he said to me today  he won't be sad anymore if he doesn't see my face ever,
he would smile again for real, If he doesn't know I exist
He would be better if I just stop trying to steal his fate

And Sel-- ena I don't blame him at all

My biological parents didn't want me because I failed to be of any use to them, I am living on my old grandparents' money barely who could pay off my expenditures can't be of any help to them because of my hearing it only mess up if I try and then I go around ruining my books, uniform, breaking my bicycle and now have this big injury one hand immovable, already speech and hearing were faltered now hand also, what a useless being I've become.

Had one best friend that also doesn't want to face me again. My life couldn't bring any help to others maybe I deserve to be abandoned and left alone to die.
Since birth I have been nothing but a burden now at least my death would serve some purpose. Maybe I would stop stealing someone else's fate.
We all have a purpose in our life mine could be simply to stop existing

Aarav?? What are you saying please stop that! Stop wherever you are!
just stop there don't do anything
I am coming!!
Pls wait for me?

I waited for long
Selena, I don't deserve you
I will be useless or just a burden to you as well
You fell for the wrong person
It's just not me,
It can't be me I am no good
I wish for you Selena someone who doesn't leave you behind when things get hard
I wish for you to
Fall again

~~~~~

"Brother, it's evening are you remodeling that mobile or what? Bhaiya!" Divyanshi rushed to where I sat on the bed unmoved holding my head.

"God, are you crying?" She knelt to see my face

"I am?" I touched my cheeks they were wet with tears, "umm something went in my eyes"

"Like what? A glycerine bottle? You are bawling bruh"

"I am not can you leave me alone" I lay back on the bed covering my face with my arm.

She left with no arguments

It was some heavy stuff aimed right to my guts. Knowing I was the cause for all of this didn't make me feel better. I-I

"She's on-call talk to her," Divyanshi said and I thought she left for good.

"What?" I removed my arm

"It's Serra" she whispered

"WHAT???!"

I shot up

"Yes Serra yeah yeah he was crying and now he is shocked, staring at me then glaring and now snatching the mobile off my-"

I snatched the mobile and put it to my ear.

"Hello hello, Divyanshi?"

I gripped the bookcase tightly hearing her voice.

"Divyanshi?"

"Serra," I said in a raspy voice

She didn't say anything for some time, I thought she hung up

"Sahil?"

"The one and only" I said

She laughed and hearing her laughter did something in me. I messed my hair suddenly not knowing what to do or say

She felt the tension in the air too

"3 years right.."

"I am sorry"

We both uttered at the same time

I cleared my throat and said heavily,
"I am sorry Serra- I am" my throat tighten I swallowed hard. She gave me a moment I sat down on the couch,  "I am sorry Serra you have it hard I-I am not a monster. Oh fuck I feel like one-"

"No, Sahil I forgive you I don't hold it onto you like before.. I was driven by hate-

"You still saved me your mother did that for me when I... after all that happened... and... I didn't even know about it you made my life better I was so busy-." I started rambling

"That's alright Sahil that's alright. Anyway...It has been a long time actually years"

she laughed again it lessen the heaviness I slowly found my lips turning up.

"We were in a bad place we were lost and it is so unfair for anyone to be completely blamed. Even I sometimes find myself looking back at the time I wish I could go back and change how I treated you how I could do this and that and it's just a never-ending loop. We have been too busy trapped in the past that we lost our present. Which could have been better and now you see we are just thinking of past again!.... Aarav will" she drew a sharp breath still his name hurts her

"Aarav will forever be in my heart wherever he is I wish him happiness.
As for you Sahil, the past has gone now we all have is present I want to be in present. I have regrets you have too oh wait there's this senior of mine he says they are no regrets in life they are lessons, to improve to work harder and I guess they make us a better person?"

"You are still so insightful and caring" I smiled

"You mean boring?"

I chuckled, "nope, I always love hearing you talk"

And there I made the things awkward....

"And you will never stop any moment from flirting" She teased back let it slide.

"I can't help it" I shrugged

There was this silence

a serene one

"Sahil, I am happy for you"

"I am happy for you too, Serra" I said, honestly, putting a hand to my heart.

"Of course you all are happy you got one life you can't spend it frowning" Divyanshi commented, grinning as she opened the curtains. It was evening time, the sky was turning warm orange as the Sun sets to rise on the other side.

                           •••••