9 | I Know You Do
| NAINA |
THE NEXT DAY...
"Hi, Naina!" Angad's friend Violet hugged me tight and patted my back. "Angad told me about your father. I'm sorry for what happened."
"Nah, that's okay." I tried to smile as we broke the hug. "How are you doing?"
"Smooth as ever." She smiled wide enough for her dimples to show off. "How's your mom? Is she okay?"
"Don't ask." I tried to smile, but no, I'm bad at pretending.
Just then, we heard a loud bang on the door. We looked at the right side and saw Charlie storming into the house and looking at us. When she first saw me, her gaze was locked to Violet. So was Violet's.
I tilted my head while my frontal lobe made creative tales on how they knew each other.
Did they have a one-night stand in the past?
Were they academic rivals?
Were they ex-best friends?
Were they exes?
"Guys?" I raised my voice to bring them back to the world, and I did it. I faced Charlie and asked, "What's wrong with you? Why do you look mad?"
She looked at Violet while the latter asked, "Where is your Mom, Naina?"
"Ummm... She must be on the terrace." I smiled as Violet had left upstairs. Then, Charlie and I sat on the chairs at the entrance while I asked, "What's wrong with you?"
"Olivia is a cheat, Nee." She was on the verge of breaking down.
"Means?"
"She cheated on me for another girl." She broke down into tears as her forehead met her knees.
I raised my eyebrows and said, "It happens, Charlie. I know that. It will pass on. I swear, you will find a girl hotter and better than Olivia. Let that prick fuck off with anyone she wishes to."
But she still cried.
"Charlie, that's fine. It's she who has to cry for you. Not the vice versa." Then suddenly, I remembered Violet and asked, "Do you know Violet?"
And she nodded a yes. "Do you remember Vivienne?" She asked.
"Yeah. That architect from Queens? Your ex?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Yeah. Violet is Viv's friend."
***
"Hey, Naina! Are you free?" I was sitting on the bamboo swing when Violet approached me.
"Yeah," I beamed and sat straight.
Sitting on the chair opposite my swing, she asked, "Shall we talk about something important?"
Is she asking about Angad?
As I nodded a yes, she started speaking. "Angad told me about you two."
I called it!
"Well, care to tell me about what do you think?" She had concern and curiosity in her eyes.
"Ummm... The thing is that I don't want to break my friend's heart. You know what, Violet? Meeta is not like me. She never had a desire for anything or anyone. She lived her life like a monk. She was the goody-two-shoes of our gang; I was that badass girl. Angad was the first person she had ever desired over. I know she loves him a lot. She is so in love with him that she has decided everything that must be done after their wedding. I have never seen this version of Meeta in these fifteen years with her. How am I supposed to accept him while knowing everything?" I maintained a calm demeanour but badly wanted to cry right then. I wonder whether God forgot to mend my tear taps.
"Well, I agree with what you said. I will support you. I just asked what's the thing. That's it," she said and got off the chair.
***
"Naina." I heard Angad's voice from his room while I was towards the terrace. I saw him hiding behind the door while his head was peeking out.
I raised my eyebrows while he gestured at me to come inside his room.
I whispered, "Why?"
And he whispered, "We need to talk."
Looking around, I ensured nobody was there and went inside his room.
He closed the door while I asked, "What happened?"
"I said we need to talk." He tilted his head to his left.
"About what?"
"Us?" He threw his hands in the air.
"There is no us, Angad. You are my friend's fiance. I need to behave accordingly. I'm sorry for last night. I didn't mean to do that," I said, looking down and fidgeting with my fingers. If I ever look up, I may tell the truth.
"Are you sure you don't have feelings for me?" He asked, in a composed tone, while I nodded my head with tears in my eyes. "Look at me."
"What?" I tried to shout loud, but the lump in my throat made it a whisper.
"Look at my eyes and repeat the same." I looked at him from the sideways and saw him crossing arms.
I wiped my tears faster and looked at his eyes. I took a deep breath, made my face as straight as possible and said, "No, Angad. You are my friend's fiance. We must stay within the limits."
"Fuck the limits, Naina!" His tone was thunderous and echoed through the room. "Why do you still want to ruin my life by getting me married to someone I don't like? I love you. I want to live my life with you by my side. My question is whether you like me or not. And I know you do. You never said that you don't like me, but instead, you cared that I am your friend's fiance. In case you don't like me, this "friend's fiance" shit won't crop up in your mind. That cropped up only because you like--"
"Okay, I like you." I roared with my cracky voice and teary eyes. "Yeah, I have my feelings for you. I badly wanted to say yes to you. But, on the other side of the world, she is waiting for you to carry her away with love. What should we tell her? That I'm in an affair with her fiance? No way, Angad. I can't face the wrath of my friend for a man I knew for a month."
"But I'm ready to face the wrath of my fiancee for the girl I admired for two years. All you need to do is to love me like there's no tomorrow." His face went straight, and he crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows.
"Fine. I'm ready to come with you." I tried to smile at him in the most romantic way possible.
"What? Like, what did you say?" His eyes went wide as an ostrich's egg.
"I mean it." I crossed my arms and squinted my right eye. "But under one condition."
Suddenly, the room's exuberant vibe dropped and was deafeningly silent while he whispered, "What's that?"
"Tell Meeta about us. Or else, it's over between us. Time is ticking fast. Your time ends on the morning of your wedding. After that, I won't be there for you."
With that, I walked out of the room and closed the door, not before saying, "It's not a suggestion. It's an order, my love."
And outside stood the biggest confrontation I was yet to face.
I tilted my head to my left and asked, "Mumma?"
She raised her hand, as in asking me to stop, and said, "I heard it all," with a straight face.
***
I know that this is SHORT, but this is all I can manage for now. The next one is loaded with romance and drama equally. Stay tuned!
See you soon!
Song Courtesy: Sun Saathiya from ABCD 2
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