"Positive and Normative .. Positive and Normative ! Come on Vicky, you can do it. It is a piece of cake. Rey won't eat you. He is your friend, not some emaciated monster waiting to eat you flesh and bone. Inhale and exhale! Yes, you can do it."
Vicky pressed the bell of Rey's apartment before he could have second thoughts on doing it. He waited impatiently, as nervousness took over him and sweat beads started to form on his forehead.
The door opened, what seemed liked eons to Vicky, by Rey's beautiful sister Sneha who smiled widely seeing him.
"Hey handsome, how are you Vic?" Sneha chirped, hugging him, which somewhat brought Vicky some confidence.
He was pretty stunned and happy to see himself being warmly welcomed at his best friend's place. He chuckled at himself, how he had imagined himself been a victim of rotten eggs and tomatoes flying, and frying pans been thrown at him. Such over-imaginative welcome he had thought of.
"Hey Adv, how are you doing buddy?" Vicky said, hi-fying and hugging his best friend's brother-in-law side-ways!
"I am great, you tell about yourself. It's been two years we met. So, how's life going? All great?" Advey questioned.
Suddenly Vicky realized why he is here. He wasn't here to exchange pleasantaries with Rey's family, but to sort out his problems with him and then talk to him about Neha and himself. Vicky sighed, shaking his head in negative, shrugging his shoulders.
"Nothing's fine Adv. Anyways, where is Rey?" Vicky asked, without wasting any time on useless conversations when he had important matters to handle at his hand.
"He's in his room." Sneha answered for her husband.
Vicky passed her a smile, and waved at the couple going upstairs to his best buddy's room, and doing the herculeun task of asking for amnesty, given he was so nervous and fidgety.
Swayam strode towards the car, mulling and wondering who he actually saw in the pub. He was sure her anatomy resembled Kria's, but figuratively, she couldn't be here or maybe she could.
He suddenly decided upon giving a chance and took out his cell phone, scanning through his contacts. As he found the satisfying result, he called out to Rajvir who was standing near their car.
"Raj, can you lend me your phone for a minute?"
Without further questions, and rather with a smiling face, Rajvir shoved his phone out of his pocket. "Thanks dude" and he went towards a corner. The three of them looked at each other, rather finding it strange. Gunjan went behind him to check what he was doing.
He copied the number on Rajvir's phone and pressed the green button, crossing his fingers. The caller on the other side picked it up after five perpetual rings, and he was welcomed by a familiar voice.
"Hello? Who is it?"
"Erm. Kria?"
"Hey!"
A familiar voice digressed his thoughts. Familiar? Hah! He could guess that voice even with his eyes closed. Of course, they were vouched Best friends. He simply chose to ignore the voice, he was too lost to be brought back to reality.
"Rey , Rey , REY ... ? Listen, I am extremely very very sorry. I know I should have not done that. It was no where your mistake. Actually, we all are accountable to it. I am so sorry for those false allegations and accusations. But ... " he stopped, sighing. He knew he had to face it today. There was no stopping now, no running away. He had to face the truth. Vikramjeet Singh Kalsi had to face the brutal reality.
".. I was scared Rey and I am in a really vulnerable state of mind." he finally said it, he finally accepted he was weak, fragile and vulnerable. As soon as the words flowed from his mouth, his best friend, Rey, finally looked at him, in utter disbelief.
Weak? Vicky, could he ever be weak? He was the back bone of their group, the one who managed to smile even if the mountains fell on their shoulders. He was the only one who smiled through their problems and supported his friends, however may be he in a bad state...
Rey strode across the room towards Vicky, and spotted tears flowing down his cheeks, his eyes were blood red and words laden with paroxysm. Who would ever believe Vicky to be in such state? Forgetting his hurt and agony, he engulfed his best friend in a long, rib-crashing hug, symbolising he would always be there with him, for him. His convultion was nothing as compared to Vicky's, because Vicky was a man of substance. And he never got effected by sorrows but rather he would stand tall and proud. And if today he felt vulnerable, it was Rey's job to comfort him, however sad he might be.
"Vik, what's wrong bro?" Rey asked, perplexed of his strong best friend.
It wasn't that Vicky did not feel pain, but he was a guy who would hide his pain just for the smile of others.
Vicky sighed, and looked at Rey, leering.
"It's about Neha!" he said, finally, looking into his best friend's eyes.
Rey was shocked, perplexed as to why suddenly Vicky was talking about Neha. Nevertheless, he gave him a supportive smile, indicating him to continue with the movement of his hands. He wanted Vicky to spill it out all and feel light and better if not good. He couldn't stand Vicky in such a state.
" ... Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what happened between the two of us. I even talked to Swayam, as he is supposed to be pretty experienced about it. I realized, that breaking up with her was actually a wrong decision. I mean, when the dazzlers had lost, she hid her happiness and stood through my sadness. She did not boast about her win in front of me, but instead supported me. And what happened when she lost? I did not even message her, let alone meet her. And when she was given the credit of her dance, her passion, all I did was blame her. It was obscure for me to see her sadness, because I was blinded by my win. How could I be so obnoxious towards my love, who always supported me, who was always there for me with a shoulder to cry on. All I did was break my ties with her and the moment when she needed me, my love, my support the most. I can't believe I could be so selfish, Rey. And when I realized all this, I started to get irritated with everything, everybody. So much so I started to blame you. I got peeved when I noticed Neha ignored me, and her closeness with Amar increasing day-by-day. I have created such circumstances, that she is left with nobody, given even Vishakha has left..."
He sighed and continued taking a deep breath ".. All I wish is Rey, to erase all those stupid, thoughtless deeds I did. I want to remove the albtross around my neck. But nothing seems to be in my control. And over this, the Sports Captaincy which I was provided with, which helped me to distract myself, even if it was few hours, got snatched away from me. And then I started to blame everybody, because I had had too much of self-pity and self-realization. It wasn't that I was angry with you, but instead my brimming frustration oozing out on you, for having nothing in my control. I am sorry Rey, I know what I have done is an unpardonable deed. But I am really, very sorry."
Karan brought in Kria to her room, and room serviced for three bowls of curd. All the she was giggling and yelling like loons, which frustrated him, especially when he had lost his only golden oppurtunity to tell Swayam the truth.
The reason why he had left was that suddenly Kria had started to feel dizzy and nauseatic, thanks to the shots she had consumed. And in such a way, the better option out was to take her back to the hotel instead of confining with her best friend.
So, here he was, babysitting is not so baby friend.
His thoughts where digressed by the room bell and he rushed towards the door. The house keeper was there with three bowls of curd and when he kept them inside the room, he giggled seeing Kria's state.
Karan passed him a possessive look which made him run away, quickly thanking him for ordering something and the usual pleasantries.
Kria looked at the bowls full of curd with twinkling eyes, and without even telling, she gulped down all of them, amazing Karan. And finally, they did the magic, and her drunken state seemed to be better. Realizing that, he kissed her forehead good night and strode towards his room, instructing her to call out for anything, she needed, without hesitation.
"Okay Bro. I'll do that for sure." she replied, coxing him to go.
"Good Night Kiri. Sweetdreams!"
As soon as Karan left, Kria sighed.
"Don't know about sweetdreams, but I just hope that at least a sound sleep comes to me."
She went towards her luggage and rummaged through her clothes to find her night dress. On finding it, she went towards the washroom, changed in her comfortable Pyjammas and brushed her teeth, all set to sleep. As soon as she came out from the washroom, her cell phone rang. She ran towards it to pick it up, thinking it might be Rishab, only to be disheartened by an unknown number.
"Hello, who is it?" she chirped in the phone.
"Kria?"
A familiar voice rang in her ears, causing tears to drop one by one from her eyes. It had been three months she had heard this voice. She knew, only this person cared for her, as only he had tried to contact her in the four months she had been away from her friends. She had very conveniently avoided any contact with the person, but he never seem to give up. He contacted her through e-mails, which had read through and even cried seeing his concern.
"Hi Swayam" she replied in a hoarse voice, finally letting her mind lose.
".. It's okay Vicky. I understand. I never knew you had been going through so much of pain and agony. I can really understand, since I have went through this phase,very recently. I know you did not mean it. And I am so glad you let it out to me. I promise, I will make everything all right. Promise Vicky, I will get your love back to you!" Rey replied, determentally.
Vicky nodded his head unanimously and hugged his best friend tightly, not even letting air pass through them. Rey felt his shirt getting wet, and instead of saying anything, he simply carassed the back of his best friend's head, clearly understanding, how it felt.
Today, Vicky missed Kria a lot, reason being she was the only girl who had supported his and Neha's love from the beginning despite the Dazzling - Weakling divide and had helped him to get the two together, going against her friends - and enemies for that matter.
Kria had always been a sisterly figure for him. They both shared a bond of understanding, which none of their friends knew about. They hung out together, hiding from the eyes of others, and even planned dates for him and Neha. She was a person who knew Neha in-and-out, and always helped him during her mood swings.
If only she could come back.
Sharon was about to answer, and fortunately her friend Ziah came to her rescue.
"Guys, not fair. You weren't supposed to ditch us out on the dance floor like that!" she complained.
Her other friend Rhea joined in as well, teasing them "But Ziah, did you not notice the chemistry both of them shared while dancing. Who would believe they just met three hours ago?"
As a reaction to the statement, Raghav blushed a little, and Sharon glared at her friends in disbelief. What on earth were the two talking about?
And again, God heard her prayers and her father accompanied with Raghav and Swayam's father respectively came. Sharon passed a huge smile to her father, leaving him perplexed for the sudden happiness in his daughter's eyes.
"Okay Mr. Raiprakash. I think I should make a move. I have a flight to catch in half an hour and I can't be late for it. I don't want to be the victim of my wife and my son's anger, given it's his birthday..." Kartik announced, making all of them laugh at the latter.
"... And Sharon, we would love to have you over someday. I am sure you have a lot to catch up with your friend." he continued, knowing very well what had been cooking between his son and her.
"Sure Uncle. I er, would, like to come over to YOUR place." she replied, trying her best to choose the correct words, hoping it made no wrong sense.
Kartik simply smiled, and bid adieu to everybody, and head towards the airport.
