In continuation after chapter -2 >>
Khushi had told Megha that Yash will not be joining them for new years. She didn’t explain much but her tone gave away the situation. Hence, Megha didn’t dwell much when she went to receive Khushi at the airport as if it was usual girls hanging out and shopping like the usual.
It had been almost 24 hours with Megha, and Khushi could sense that Megha was trying her best to keep the mood light; with all the shopping, preparing for the new years party, cooking, games with the neighbors and all the stuff a person could do in the holidays. She made khushi do it in last 24 hours. She was desperately trying to keep Khushi busy. However, Khushi knew she’ll have to address the elephant in the room and knowing her best friend, she knew Megha wouldn’t dared to ask even if she was dying to know.
Megha and Khushi have known each other since their college time in Mumbai. Megha was a year senior to Kushi and was a localite whereas Khushi was the new girl in the city who was keen on joining the dance club. Having spent so much time together for college competitions, they were fond of each other. It was only after Khushi moved to US that made them Best friends. For Khushi, Megha was not only her roommate for a year but also her emotional support system when she first moved to San Jose. Megha knew about situation between Sahil and Khushi then and was also the one who played cupid between Khushi and Yash.
That afternoon, Khushi baked Megha’s favorite salted caramel cupcakes and stirred left over hot chocolate. She made Megha sit to have THE chat. Looking at the plate of caramel cupcakes, Megha finally left out sigh and said,
“I couldn’t distract you enough, could I?”
Looking at her best friend’s helpless face Khushi smile and said,
“Yeah, you were trying too hard for me to not notice!”
“huh! Whatever… now would you please tell me all about the mess you have made so, I can judge you and tell you things you really need to hear.. and probably, we can actually have a “Happy” new year.”
Megha replied quoting in air.
Khushi laughed at her best friends words and was amused with Megha, who was trying to be so cautious up until a minute ago and was now waiting to unfold the mess she has made.
They were sitting by the tinny Christmas tree Megha had brought and Khushi started speaking with her head down finding something, anything on the floor carpet to fiddle with.
“Megha, Yash proposed me, like I had dreamt of when I was young!”
Somehow, Megha wasn’t surprised or shocked to hear this. However, she wasn’t sure how that was bad and why Khushi was not happy about the situation. Khushi and Yash have been together for 2 years now and neither of them were casual daters. Khushi was in lost of words for a while and Megha didn’t push her. She patiently waited for her to find her words. Khushi started speaking again and this time Megha didn’t only hear her words but also saw the pain her eyes.
”….and I ran away from there….”
Megha was shocked to hear that. Why would Khushi do that.. before she could reason anything in her mind, Khushi spoke again
“SAHIL, I miss him. All I could think about at that moment was him.”
That was it, Megha was now beyond shocked, she hasn’t heard Sahil’s name in a really long time now. Last she heard that name was, when they were in San Jose and Khushi was really drunk; Maybe in Khushi’s first, about 3 years ago. Even though Megha knew about the situation between Khushi and Sahil, she never understood the depth of their relationship because she has only heard all about it after it was over and Khushi had ran to US. There was silence as if Khushi was giving time to Megha to process what she had just said. Khushi finally left out a big sigh and started speaking again,
“Growing up, I never thought of him to be that person. But… he has always been there, in my most beautiful and most awful situations. He was there for my first birthday party that I remember of, He was there when I first failed my math class, he was there to help me pass it with flying colors, he was there when I got my first boyfriend and was also there when he broke my heart, he was the one to make my parents understand how I need to deal those emotions on my own, he was there when my mother died, he was there to convince my father to move to Mumbai when I did! HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE”
Khushi was crying by now,
“…He has always BEEN there. You know, When I look back, I don’t remember the time he wasn’t there. He has always been there next to me… He never made my decisions for me but he has always been part of them. It was only when Yash asked me the big question, I realized he will no longer be part of my big decision or any decision going forward. When I left India, he was there in my decisions; I was knowingly avoiding him. When I started dating Yash, he was there, I was trying to forget him unknowingly, hoping to have a new life.I know, I sound the most selfish person right now as I’m saying all these but I really didn’t know what I was doing. It was like I was in some kind of trance. Now that it has finally busted out, I know what I have done is horrible… really really bad… in order to forget my pain, I have caused Yash the pain, he won’t forget so easily and probably never forgive me.”
Khushi continued crying out loudly. Megha was still trying to understand the depth of Khushi’s emotions and her relationship with Sahil.
“You know the worst part, I didn’t give Sahil the chance to explain anything before I left. I blocked him out of my life just like that and I’m so so so angry that he didn’t even try enough to reach me or made me understand. Only if I was not that immature and impulsive then….only if…”
Khushi started sobbing and hugged Megha. All Megha could do was pat her, indicating that everything will be alright.Megha knew Khushi was angry with herself the most right now, the thought of what could have been and how her actions made Yash suffer was unbearable for her. She didn’t ask Khushi to stop crying because that was the only way she could find little peace. Khushi can’t possibly go back in past and change things, all she could do is, hope that Yash will forgive her and Sahil will explain his actions when she finally dares to ask.
Khushi slept off in Megha’s lap after that and Megha thought to herself that the only way she will have a closure with Sahil, was by facing him. She told to Khushi about visiting India and talk with Sahil the next chance she gets when she woke up. She will have to get over her regrets of what ifs and with Yash, she’ll have to be patient and give him time to forgive her. Khushi too agreed knowing it was the right thing to do and decided to visit Mumbai as soon as possible. She could have contacted Sahil over phone but that shouldn’t have been the way after all this time.
Pingback: Chapter-4 : Meet Cute– The Boy Next To Me! – Minded Mindlessness