Not A Simple Engineer Boy!

H' & Twenty Three: Men in Love (Part 4)

Satya ran her fingers through her hair, untangling the mess the light breeze in the open balcony had caused.

Alisha slid next to her, her fingers holding a cigarette, "I thought we were friends.", she lit her cigarette and placed it between her lips. Taking a long puff, she shook her head in disappointment.

"We still are friends, Ali.", Satya moved her hand to pull out the cigar from Alisha and placing it in her mouth dragged it once. Slightly smiling, she noticed the stars twinkling in the sky and exhaled, "Why would you even think we aren't anymore?"

"Friends don't hide big shit like career, marriage, and love.", Alisha stated as a matter of fact.

Satya chuckled, "Love... That's a funny word.", she looked quite distant, as if she wasn't replying to Alisha but to someone far in the universe.

Alisha stared at Satya, unable to decipher the meaning behind her statement. This was the first time she observed one of her close friends- one in her gang of 'strong as hell' women- to be aloof and uninterested in any conversation. Wasn't Satya a chatterbox?

Satya sensed her friend's eyes on her for long; longer than she would have appreciated. It wasn't typical of her to show her icky attributes to anyone- except for Xavier, he possessed a different kind of hold on her, a different level of comfort that made him her only closest confidant.

Even after their nasty fight- the Cold War as he had termed it- she couldn't stop herself from being nowhere but with him.

Especially now, when Xavier was so content with his life.

After six years of their friendship, she was finally able to see how her best friend was one of the greatest men she had ever encountered. Her instincts had been right, they had always discerned him to be nothing but this, a confident happy man hidden beneath all his pain.

Somewhere in her heart, she felt satisfied about being a part of his journey.

Sighing, she took one more puff from the cigarette.

She had practiced from childhood to be nothing but an ideal lady- graceful and cheerful. It helped her to bond well with everyone, perfect extrovertedness came with the price of faking her whole life.

"Satya...?"

Immediately, she flipped her personality, putting on a mask of a bright smile, and turned to face Alisha.

"Anyway, I guess you guys already know Valmiki, don't you?", Satya chirped, returning the cigarette to her friend, "I don't want to go through the torture of introducing my spouse to everyone, that bores me to death. I never knew getting married was so fucking exhausting.", she giggled, trying her best to lighten the mood.

"Satya...?"

"Yeah.", Satya found her friend looking at her intently, "What?"

Alisha took the cigarette from her and smoked before asking her, "Why is Xav angry with you?"

Satya's smile faltered, the corner of her lips pressing hard, "Well, that question should be directed to him."

"It should.", Alisha narrowed her eyes, "But here I am, in front of you, knowing too well that you know the answer."

Clearing her throat, Satya continued, "He said- 'You are toying with Valmiki's emotions', exactly in that same tone.", she tried to mimic Xavier's deep baritone and laughed at her failed attempt, "Nonsense.", for a heartbeat her eyes met Valmiki's who was talking with Xavier, sitting in the distant hub of the balcony.

Her husband looked powerful, his gaze so intense as he looked beyond her truth and lies. It was the first time that she had seen him like that and something in her stomach twisted, she wanted to run away.