Chapter-28

“What about him? Aren't you happy he died?” Aarohi said as she gulped back her tears.

“ I would have been if he really died” Abhimanyu said blantly making her head snap to him.

“What do you mean? Vishal is dead isn't he?”

“I am disappointed to say, he isn't”

The first step on the ground of beauty of the world exists is simply magical.

The air, the people and the busy chatters with the beautiful lighting.

Tirupati is beyond magic in the evening. The winter is not helping the cold here.

Aarohi smiled like a child as she wrapped her hands around herself. It is so beautiful! She thought.

A jacket was around her immediately and she turned to see Atharva casually standing.

“You will die with the cold. You have sinus and you cant even take proper care of yourself! Remember what happens if you catch flu?” He said not looking at her.

“Why do you care?”

“ I care, cause... Cause I don't want the trip to be cancelled just because you are sick and I don't want our parents to get worried about you ”

“ Can you both please stop being so cold to eachother. You war is colder than this weather.” Neha said rolling her eyes.

“He started it.”

“She started it.”

They both said at a time and huffed in annoyance.

“ Leave them Neha. They will spoil the entire fun.” Abhimanyu said as he placed his hand on her shoulder looking at his best friend and wife.

“He is a bad man.” Atharva said looking at Abhimanyu.

“ I second that.” Aarohi said and hugged as she turned her back them making the duo laugh as Atharva followed her.

Abhimanyu couldn't put his fingers. Why does Atharva act all irritated by Aarohi yet care for her?

Was he the only reason he stopped talking to her?

Time would tell that.

*******************

The dinner was a quiet affair in a local restaurant of Tirupati and the food was okay okay.

They reached the place they booked here which consists of total five rooms.

With the older three couple taking three rooms while the youngsters decided that all women will stay in one room and all men will stay in one room.

The building is a tall one with four floor with theirs being in the third. There is a small yet beautiful garden with various flower plants in the middle as the building was around the garden.

People can take walk there.

Down the building a small coffee and tea shop is there and as in a brief walk out, there is the place where people usually offer their hair called Kalyana Katta.

They all settled in their rooms and changed into fresh clothes after a Luke warm bath.

The elders called it a night but you are with your gang and the night won't settle without some chit-chat that too in a trip, right?

They men entered the girls room who are giggling to something which Neha said.

“You all are enjoying without us?” Anirudh said.

“Ahhh, speak of the devils.” Chandini replied sitting straight from her sleeping position while Aarohi still laid on the bed as Neha kept a leg on hers as she too slept.

“ What you guys laughing about?” Atharva asked bolting the door from inside.

“About how you proposed your crush in tenth and how she rejected you.” Aarohi said with a cheeky grin.

“ You guys are terrible!”

“Are we?” The girls chorused at a time making the the two men laugh as Atharva whined.

They all sat on the beds. With Anirudh Neha, Abhimanyu and Atharva sitting beside eachother and Aarohi and Chandini at one side. 

“Lets talk about our childhood crushes.”

“Oh no.” three chorused in their mouths at a time making Atharva, Anirudh and Neha to look at them.

“ What?” the three said at a time and looked at eachother now making the other three chuckle.

“You guys are funny.” Anirudh said and Aarohi gave him a stiff smile.

“Please don't talk about my love life. It sucks. And I can't sleep for few more months.” She said with a sigh and looked at Abhimanyu who is looking at her.

“Fine let's talk about Atharva's then.” Chandini said with a wink at Aarohi.

“ You sisters are cruel than Thanos?”

“Are we?” they both sang making the others chuckle.

“So! Who is your first crush?”

Atharva bent his head at the first question and smiled.

“ This would be awkward but yeah. Chand is my first crush.”

A thick silence followed with a loud laugh of Neha.

“ Come on! She used to so cute back then!”

“Am I not cute now?” Chandini asked with a pout and Atharva groaned. Everyone thought that was tired groan but only Atharva and Chandini know, what that groan means!

“Abhi Annaya! Who is your first crush?” Neha teased making Anirudh and Atharva sighed.

Aarohi looked at him. She knows he loved her. But since when? Not that much idea.

She wants to know who is his first crush.

Abhimanyu gave her a small smile.

“ I do rather not answer that.”

*********************

After the clock hit one, the guys retired to their room to sleep since they have to get up early morning.

They closed their doors and since it had been a long journey Neha and Chandini slept immediately as they hit bed.

But for Aarohi? A long night was waiting ahead for her.

“ I do rather not answer that.”

Who is she?

Aarohi wondered.

Could it be her? But she looked like a lizard back then. It couldn't be her! Could it be?

She sighed and sat on the bed and tried to sleep. The clock hit two, but sleep was far away.

The lights outside are still glowing and the cool winds are blowing slowly.

She got up from bed and looked at the girls.
She took her mobile and tapped her sister a little.

“What?” Chandini is a light sleeper unlike her. She used to be a log back then.

“ I am going out, can't sleep. I will knock door when I come back. Lock it.” saying she wore her slippers and took the shawl she brought with her and spread it around her.

Chandini groggily closed the door as Aarohi walked out.

She came out of the building and looked at her surroundings. The street lights are dim yet they give enough light for her to see the road.

She clutched her phone tight and started walking slowly.

Just as she was about to take another step she felt a tap on her shoulder and flinched before turning to look at her peace intruder.

“You scared me!”

“Your sister called me and asked me accompany you. Where do you think you are going to? All by yourself? Stupid Aarohi.” Abhimanyu scolded and she frowned.

“ I am not stupid.” She gritted.

“ Yeah and I am shorter than you.” Abhimanyu snorted.

“ Look, I came for peace. So don't come with me.”

He looked down at her and smiled.

“ What is so amusing?”

“ You thinking I will leave you alone.” he said looking intently at her. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked up into his eyes.

“Are you just talking about this walk?” She asked. Her voice coming out barely in a whisper.

“Now and if you give permission... Until I am alive.” a smile threatened to break out and she immediately tuned away.

“Lets walk.”

They started walking and unknowingly they started walking closer and closer as they continued.

“Aarohi.” he called out. She stopped walking and he did the same. They are in the middle of an empty road standing near the dimly lit Street light which is the only light there.

“ I didn't meant to betray you or hurt you when I said I love you. I loved you since since so many years. I never meant to betray you with my feelings.” he confessed.

It's time they have this conversation. Aarohi too thought in mind.

“ What had happened can not be changed.”

“ It cannot be but... Can we be friends? Like the old times? Look, atleast an year! That's what it takes us to break this marriage. We could be friends and that would make our lives easy and less awkward. I will stay in my limits, I pr-”

“ Okay.” she said softly with a smile.

“Okay?” he asked raising eyebrows as a smile broke on his face making Aarohi's heart flatter.

“ Okay.” she said in a small voice and looked at him through her lashes.

“ A chai on token of friendship then?” he asked making her smile.

She nodded yes. Looking at the smiling face.

He bought them tea and stood infront of her smiling slowly.

He gave her one cup and forwarded his making her frown.

“Cheers.” he said and she smiled. Dazed. She clicked her glass with his.

They talked about random things. As if it's natural, as if she didn't hate him, as if nothing happened between them. As if they weren't quarrelling all these years. As if they are back in time when everything was right.

They completed tea and Abhimanyu watched the times. It's three.

“Lets go to room now. We have to wake up at five in the morning.”

That broke her out of trance.

She nodded but her only thought is. Why did she say yes to him when he asked her friendship??

Why is she not able to stop those yearning eyes, that pleading face? Where is she leading him to?

And why can she hear his heart whispering to her to give a chance to him to her own?

What is happening with their hearts?

After a long gap, I updated. I got my records to write and top to that, I have full work in home.

Hope you all like it!

Love-Anya ❤️