Ayush's POV

"Riya" I called her after a long time, almost after a year.

For her, I am a good friend but for me, she is my life, my one, and only crush.

Yes, I still love her, It's impossible for me to think about someone other than Riya.

We are childhood friends, She was there for me in all my tough times

But our friendship started drifting apart from the very moment I came to know about her boyfriend, Arjun.

She truly doesn't have any idea how much I miss her.

"Ayush" She recognized my voice instantly and spoke in a meek tone.

It has been a week since Arjun got committed suicide and it seems she didn't get over his loss yet.

"How are you Riya?"I asked her though I can anticipate her answer.

"Fine."She barely whispered on the other side of the phone.

I don't know why I suddenly wanted to see her once, I want to hug and tell her everything will be fine.

What might haven't she gone through?

Pain, fear, anguish, and distrust

Such a painful situation.

I know how much she is suffering? How exactly it feels?

Very unfortunate that I have gone through the same pain exactly when Riya started avoiding me? By the time she started dating Arjun, simply friend-zoning me.

I felt the same, just like a dead corpse.

Her rejection, apathy suffocated but my love for her never decreased.

It literally took weekdays for me to come out of the trance and accept the truth.

She is so fragile yet very strong.

She is a very unique girl and my heart asked me to accept her choice.

She possesses a rare combination of traits, Everyman wants.

A girl who loves and hates with the same intensity.

Elegantly different from others.

"Can we meet once?" I took a few minutes to ask her until then I felt her pain in the utter silence.

She didn't talk, didn't open her mouth at all.

I know she won't like to meet me.

She knows I love her immensely.

There is a danger that she might think I am waiting for a situation to get her back into my life.

No! I would never do that.

Sometimes this girl truly over thinks.

I have waited for her answer but she kept mum.

This time I felt the need to tell her the truth.

"Riya, I need to meet you,"

"I have to share something regarding Arjun's death," I finally spoke straight without beating the bush.

"What?" She stammered.

"Yes, Riya."

"I am the one who is dealing the case and I need to interrogate you as a part of the investigation. "I said at a stretch closing my eyes.

I know I can't take this case to my heart.

For me every case, every death has to be the same but this time the person to be prosecuted is Riya.

How can I do that? I have to question my Riya and her fidelity.

She is the best girlfriend a man can have.

What hasn't she done for him?

She was there with him in every step.

She left her house and practically started living with him.

But Arjun, He broke up with her for a lame reason and crushed her heart like a paper.

"Oh!"I heard Riya heaving a sigh.

"Meet me at Starbucks at 9, Riya," I told her.

"Sure."She said slowly and cut the call without continuing our conversation further.

I turned around and saw mom looking at me with a shock.l written face.

My mom is my best friend, She knows everything, every damn thing about me.

Maybe this is the reason I don't have many friends.

"What were you saying?"

"With whom you are talking?" She asked me in a word, handing me a cup of coffee.

I can see the anxiety in her face.

Riya, the name itself is enough for her to bring the lost smile on her face.

Riya is her favorite student and most of their ideologies match well.

My mom badly wanted me to date her and marry her.

She has many dreams regarding my marriage.

Basically, she is worried, my mom is worried because of her murky past.

Her gloomy memories with my father, his abusive behavior with her broke her heart into pieces.

She was shattered and somehow managed to bring me up with values and ethics.

It's she who taught me to respect a girl's choice, She too has a heart and they are not dolls or toys to be claimed.

When I told mom about Riya and Arjun, she stopped talking to me for two days.

It's not that she hated or disrespected Riya's decision, It's the fact that she loves Riya more than her son.

She felt missing her so much.

She can't digest the fact so easily.

"Riya" I answered her and her face instantly brightened up.

She grinned ear to ear with a gleam in her eyes, but a part of me is still worried.

"Yes, Riya" I nodded and sat there sipping the coffee.

Mom doesn't know what had happened with Arjun and I am searching for words to let her know.

I know once she knows about Arjun, her heart will cry for Riya.

"Mom, Sit." I tugged her hand and sat beside her.

She followed my instruction and looked into my eyes noticing the seriousness in my tone.

"Arjun is dead" I said with a plain face.

"Arjun?" She thought for a second trying to remember him.

"Is he Riya's....." She stopped the sentence half-finished, gulping down in pain.

"Yes," I nodded and looked at her face.

I know she knows how it feels, She herself faced so much pain.

My father left me when my sister is merely 5 years, I was a ten-year boy.

My mom knows well how it feels.

She is a fighter and fought with fate bravely.

Everything was good when mom got married to dad, their's was a love marriage.

Dad's behavior towards mom started changing after my sister's birth.

He became abusive and got addicted to alcohol and died leaving us alone.

He was never responsible.

Mom closed her eyes, shed few tears, and sighed deeply.

"I want to meet Riya once."She whispered and I nodded in response.

She knows well I can't say a "No"

To be continued.