Beauty and the Boy from the East

Chapter 21~ Anjaana anjaani: Strangers once again

A/N: Has anyone read watched the movie? I haven’t yet but it has Ranbir Kapoor in it so that’s how I know it exists. I want to watch it soon though. Anyway this chapter is just something that has been happening in my life sort of, so that’s what it’s based on, but I think we’ve all experiences this some point in our lives. This isn’t a filler guys ;p sorry for the previous ones, I’d also like to say Hindi movies are amazing, been watching some Bollywood recently and it’s so good :’)

Aishwarya’s POV

Have you ever randomly met somewhere, out of nowhere, not knowing how close they’d become to you? It’s like you never fully appreciated them before and then suddenly they’re your new best friend. Those first few months are so sweet, like the syrup of Gulab Jamun or the tender pieces of Gelabi. You talk every day, learning something new about each other every hour. You tease them and every small thing that lightens your day reminds you of them. You surprise them with gifts randomly and end the day with goodnight texts and wake up to good-morning texts. You get calls from 3am, because they wanted to remind you how much they love you. You catch yourself smiling for no reason, than realise you were thinking of them. You look for the smallest details in their words and actions that were proof they wanted you, that they loved you. You call each day and sing lullabies to each other. You fall asleep to their voice. Sounds like a perfect fairy tale, but it is very possible. Then suddenly the joking, talking and calls lessen. They start making less of an effort and you’re always the one trying to talk. Sometimes they reply but sometimes they ignore you. You end up giving up, and in a short span you’re back to almost strangers again. Was that fate? Is it our destiny to become so close, then suddenly so far?

I was scared this was going to happen to Akash and me. That it already had started. We had already reached the climax, and ever since the day we returned and he met Raj, he started distancing himself from me, and I began feeling self-conscious around him. I held back when I really wanted to talk him and my mood was getting lower each day. I caught myself getting angry at a really stupid thing and that’s when I realised how badly I was affected. But what should I do? Our friendship has “gone for a toss”. Our true feelings have gone for a toss over…over what? Maybe I was too clingy for him, too needy. Maybe he just wanted space and I was an unwanted intruder. Whenever we talked casually I was instantly happy- but in an instant he’d disappear again, quite literally leave me. Do normal people feel this way? Are you supposed to wait or …? How many opportunities would fly by if everyone was so intent? Have materialistic things become so important that feelings go for a toss; they are not regarded with as much priority? The more I thought, the more confused I became.

“Hey.” I walked up to Akash who was walking down the stairs.

“Hey, I’ll talk to you later, I’m going out now.”

“Oh…okay? Bye…take care.” I whispered the last two words to his now retreating figure.

See what I mean. Maybe I was getting to clingy, too dependent.

Akash’s POV

I want to talk to Raj again, I felt bad for not talking to Aishwarya, she seems down, but whenever I ask her what’s wrong she pastes a fake smile and tease me. Maybe it’s just a girl thing. I wouldn’t know. Aditi is much more straight- forward. When I asked her about Aish, she just furrowed her eyebrows and replied ‘She probably needs time alone.” So I’ll give her that.  I rushed to where Raj works at, and observed him from afar.

I hadn’t had the guts to speak to him yet. I didn’t know exactly what to say. It had been so long. I wanted to see if he has really changed from who he was back when I knew him. I couldn’t view his signature hazel eyes from here, but I could still tell which one was him: he was 180, 5 cm taller than me and was considerably tall. His skinny legs were an asset as he helped the customers. 

Aish’s POV

I checked my window every now and again, wanting to know exactly what time he would be back. I jumped up in surprise and abandoned my mundane maths homework as my well-trained eyes made the outline of his body moving towards the side gate, to his house. I didn’t pause as I almost flew down the stairs and ran to him. A sudden rush of euphoria filled me as I saw him again.

“Hey! Where have you been? How are you? You look good today in that jacket! Are you cold?” I immediately regretted these words at his reply.

“Hey. Not really.” His voice sounded- was that boredom, or frustration that I detected in his voice? He didn’t answer my questions.

“Where did you go? Are you ignor-avoiding me?” I suddenly said.

“What?” His voice became very deep. “Who told you that, huh?”

Was he angry? He sounded like it.

“Who was supposed to tell me?”

There was an awkward pause. “I was just kidding yaar,” his voice became much gentler, “I’m not avoiding you or ignoring you.”

Akash’s POV

She just nodded, smiled and ran off again. Girls, I thought.  A day of not talking to them is like a year of silence, but we men have a different time set.

(A/N:  Have you ever felt you were clingy to someone? I have >> Anyways this was an insight into Aish’s thinking, which I have stated before injects some of my personality into it. Hope you enjoyed it, please comment/vote/follow :’) it really inspires me. Love you all xxx