Dedicated to madvanda

        Sona  

" He asked you out? " Elena shouted over the phone.

" Yeah! If I am uncomfortable, he asked me to go as friends" I replied.

" Let me guess, you said you will think about it and you end up saying yes because he might get hurt. " She chuckled.

" Nope! I ended saying I will think about it" I repeated.

" Well, that's an improvement, you said no for a guy. " Elena laughed.

" I didn't say no, I will think about it and later I will inform him whether to go or not"

" That's new, you thinking about your feelings " She taunted.

" I always consider my feelings" I argued.

" Really? Fine, listen to me, I spoke to her" She confessed.

" You spoke to her?  What did she say?" I had no idea that Elena and Riya had a thing going on between them.  I can't believe, my friend who I completely trusted hurt my sister and betrayed her.  Riya wasn't as authentic as I expected her to be. But there isn't any reason to complain about her, she was a coward, she is scared of judgements but she should have never played with my sister's feeling.

Lowering my voice I asked,

"Did she apologize El"There was a silence at the other end for few minutes?

I could hear irregular breathings, a sob and with a final long exhale she responded.

" I don't need her apology, Sona, I want her love. She accepted me as I am. She never questioned or stayed away as everyone here doing"
What!
One second
Did she come out?

" Did you come out to family? " I asked.

There was a moment of silence.

" What's with silence El? "

" Damn it, speak up" I shouted earning a glare from Sakshi.

" After you left, Saurabh dada( brother) left town for business, I was alone the next day after you left, I tried my best to act normal, but your parents knew I was hiding something" She paused.

Why did she stop?

" Say it"  I shouted again, Sakshi slammed the book and walked away.

"They encouraged me to speak, they promised they will support, so I spoke to them, I mean I came out to them." Another pause.

"Go on" I spoke.

" They called my parents and they are here now" She finished.

"Did they react? Did they try to take you to temple or something? Did they cry? " I was bursting her with questions.

" Relax, they didn't bother to look at me" I knew she was crying.

Few exhales and she sniffled.

" Elena! " I whispered.

" Hey, it's going to be fine, they are your parents they will accept you" I tried to make her feel better.

That wasn't working.

"Listen, baby, It will pass, love is never easy, it takes time and courage to gain your happily ever after"

" I am not asking for love Sona, I am just asking to accept me. I deserve to be myself " She sniffled.

" You are right baby, this is new to them, try to think from their perspective they will come around, give them time. Okay? " All I heard was silence.

" Elena, Are you fine baby? " I asked.

" Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I wish you are here" She whispered.

" I want to be there for your baby. To stand with you, to support you and most importantly to make you smile" I continued.

" Sometimes you have to fight your own battles and learn to hold a smile, a smile manifesting your courage. "

We have been there for each other always, doing this alone scares as much as my worries about her.

She is right she doesn't deserve this, after a breakup all she needs is love and support, here they are being ignorant.

Inhaling a sharp breath, I spoke.

"Just hang in there Elena, they will accept you and you will be happy soon " I smiled.

I sat with my laptop after a shower, I logged onto the account.

I moved to my profile, scrolled down to find Elena's pictures with me and Riya. The sight of her again reverted my attention to Elena's condition.

Growing up away from home wasn't always easy for her. I held her when she missed her parents when they prioritise a function or business meeting over her.

Every time some student picked up her at school for not having her parents at school meetings, she used to run to a corner crying calling for her mom.

How much we tried to pacify her, there was always a void in her heart.

My laptop beeped with notifications for my recent pic with Sakshi in our college but one like got my attention.

Yes
It is from Dev Dikshit.

" Oh my god, Sakshiiiii! " I shouted.

We were staring at the notification ignoring several notifications for the pic.

A notification peeped on my laptop            'You got a message from Dev Dikshith'

Hi

                              Hi, I am Sonakshi bose      

I know you have it in your profile.

  
                               I am shocked.

Why is that?

                               Why wouldn't I be?

I don't get it.

                              You are Dev Dikshith,       the Dev Dikshith it is impossible to believe you are talking to me.

It isn't a huge thing, I do talk.

                                Yeah, but not with normal people like me.

You aren't normal people
You are beautiful

  Did he just say that?

" He is flirting! That's nice " Sakshi spoke beside me.

"He isn't " I replied.

" Oh, really what's with the blush then? " She poked my cheek.

Rolling my eyes I was back to the message.

                                        Thank you

So, from Calcutta haan?
   
                                    Yes, did you just
                                     read my bio.

I have to before I
embarrass me

                                    Funny! I know you
                               are from Calcutta too

Someone did their research

                            As I said earlier you are                      
                           my inspiration.

' Inspiration that's a huge word'

"Funny? Seriously is he? " Sakshi riled me up.

" Dude takes an advice go out with that new guy please leave him" Sakshi patted my shoulder.

Biting my teeth I replied.

" Sakshi go away"

                        Can I ask you a question?

I wanted to get this from my chest.

Yes go on

                     Why haven't you spoken    
                     the other day?
 
-typing

-typing

-typing

-typing

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Thank you for all the lovely people who have supported this book.    
madvanda has been a huge support since the older version. Thank you so much for being patient with me and for supporting me.
A big thank you to every one for reading this with me.

Here I am shamelessly promoting my another book, which is a general fiction short story. Do check it out. Hope you all like it.