༺𝙄 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙈𝙚༻ (𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝)

꧁Truth And Forgiveness ꧂

Everyone was busy chit-chatting and playing games near their camps while a group of four people sitting around the campfire was lost in the trance of their thoughts. The air was thick around them.

Ritika tugged Manjul's arm encouraging him to start the conversation. He took a deep breath and stoop near Avneet while Siddharth took a sharp breath stopping himself from breaking Manjul's face who was now holding Avneet's hand in his.

Manjul: Avu! I know I badly hurt you and break your heart and there's no justification that I can give you for breaking your trust and heart but believe me I never intend to hurt you.

Avneet pulled her hand back from his grip and two sighs were heard, one was of Manjul's and the other was of Sid who took a sigh of relief.
Avneet was too relinquished in her trance to notice that but Ritika who noticed Siddharth's behaviour giggled.

Manjul: Avu! We both were in the same high school and Ritika was your best friend. We never talked that much but once we became friends we used to spend most of our time together and because of that I grew feelings for you and Ritika became my best friend. You both were really special to me but I had different feelings for both of you. My bond with Ritika was becoming stronger and being a coward didn't want a relationship with my best friend because as per my assumptions it would ruin our friendship.  I distanced myself from Ritika and started spending my time with you and I never thought that in all of that you would start loving me. I also had a crush on you from the very first day so I thought to give us a try so I proposed to you and luckily you accepted my proposal. For me, it was just a relationship as I had romantic feelings for you or that's what I thought but little did I know that you fell hard for me and with Ritika, my relationship was becoming a mess day by day, we used to argue without any specific reason just because we both disheartened and used to ignore each other for days but I was not able to get rid of those feelings that I had for Ritika but I also didn't want to break your heart because you were madly in love with me. But I realized that my feelings were just a crush that I grew to distract my mind from Ritika. You didn't know all of this as we didn't want to break your heart but

He stopped for a second to look at Avneet to confirm that she was listening. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she was looking at Manjul restlessly as a hint to continue.

Manjul: but when you asked me to tell our parents about our relationship then I realized that there's no back off now. We are in a relationship and you should be my priority. I can't let my feelings hurt you. So, I decided to end whatever I had with Ritika. We talked but ended up fighting again and Ritika confessed that She truly loves me and she can't see me with anyone else but it's about her best friend so she decided to hide her feelings that's why she stopped hanging out with us giving the reason that we should spend some quality time and she doesn't wanna be the third wheel but whenever you both used to do a sleepover you always talk about me and that didn't help her in hiding her feelings. Avneet I know you are mad at Ritika because she betrayed you and snatched me from you but it's not like that. After your fight with your parents when you shifted with me. You were so hurt that your parents didn't support you. You always spend your whole day with me and then I realized how much I love Ritika. I was a fool not to realize that but Ritika was hell-bent to move on from me so she was avoiding me and I was spending my days with you which helped me to realize that I just have friendly feelings for you and the little crush was long gone. At that moment, I just wanted Ritika no one else. I knew that you loved me but then it would have been unfair that despite being with you I was loving Ritika. I started avoiding you. I distracted myself by clubbing but it wasn't helping. I went to Ritika and saw her with another man, I lost all my senses. I was drunk and jealous. I threw that guy out of her apartment after beating him badly. Ritika tried to make me understand but I was not in my senses. I confessed that I love her and want her but she was not ready to cheat on her only best friend so I said to her I broke up with you and I am not in a relationship with you anymore. But she got furious that I shouldn't have done that with you but I kissed her to make her understand and at the same moment you came and thought that Ritika hurt you and cheated on you but it was all my fault. She slapped me and asked me to get out but as I was drunk I got mad at you because of you Ritika said all of that to me. And then you know what happened. I know Avneet I messed up and hurt everyone because of my stupidity but please if you can't forgive me then please at least don't hate Ritika.

A loud sob escaped from Avneet's mouth. Avneet looked at Ritika who was looking down and tears were spilling out of her eyes. Manjul was looking at Avneet's face searching for her reaction but she was quiet only the tears were telling her that she was hurt.

Manjul: Av...

He was cut off by a hard slap on his left cheek. Siddharth and Ritika gasped.

Avu: I hate you! you are such an idiot. If you had told me all of this that day only maybe I may not have to put up with so much. Maybe we were living normally as we used to but you...

She trailed off as more tears fell from her eyes and she hugged Manjul tightly. Manjul muttered a sorry while hugging her happily. He didn't expect her to forgive him this easily.
Avneet parted from the hug and strode towards Ritika who was still crying.

Avneet:  Won't you hug me, bestie?

Ritika looked at her shocked. She glanced at Manjul who nodded his head smiling. She instantly wrapped her arms around her crying her heart out. They hugged for some good minutes before parting.

Manjul: Now you forgive us so friends?

He extended his hand towards her for a handshake that avneet jerked. She narrowed her eyes at him.

Avu: Oh Mister aren't you forgetting that before my ex-boyfriend you are my best friend?

He chuckled and hugged her. Siddharth cleared his throat and they parted from each other. He came forward and yanked Avu in his tight embrace protectively. Avneet hugged him back.

"Are you happy? " he mumbled in her hair inhaling her scent. Avneet nodded happily and placed a small kiss on his shoulder. He took a sharp breath but missed her warmth as soon as she parted.

Ritika: Siddharth! Why are you looking disappointed?

She teased him and he shook his head.

Sid: No, I am just tired. We should sleep now and it's very cold outside.

Saying this he hurried to his camp which was basically Avneet's camp too. They both were sharing.

"What happened to him? " Avneet asked confused to which Ritika chuckled.

They talked about some random things but now they were bored.

Manjul: Avu!  I forget to tell you one thing

Avu: What?  Don't tell me you both got married secretly and now you are expecting a baby?

Manjul's eyes widened and Ritika slammed her head.

Ritika: No stupid! Give a rest to your dirty brain.

Manjul: yeah,  I was going to say that we both are engaged but you

Hearing this Avneet's face lit up and congratulated them.

Ritika: You love Sid?

She asked out of the blue and Avneet face flustered. She nodded smiling.

Ritika: I saw how he was glaring at Manjul.

She chuckled and Avneet looked surprised.

Avneet: Really, you know he is very possessive and grumpy also

They chuckled as Avneet shared some memories with them.

"We are getting bored. Let's play a game Ritika can you ask Siddharth to join us? " Manjul requested her to which Ritika gave him a suspicious look but went to ask me anyway.

Avu: Why did you send her? We could have called him by phone instead

Manjul gave her a wicked smile and whispered something in her ear to which she nervously grinned.