Between The Pages

Chapter 21

The sun was long gone by the time Riya and Natasha began their talks. The darkness of night had come in and engulfed every last ray of light. Natasha and Riya were still not alone though. The guardians of night, the moon, and stars lurked right outside their window. Hearing their secrets. Keeping them locked in their twinkling existence.

"How do you feel Nat?"

Riya spoke suddenly, asking the most obvious question anyone would ask. However, as soon as those words left her mouth, she realized how stupid it was. Meanwhile, Natasha let her eyes roam on her still bed-ridden body. Finally, she allowed her eyes to linger on Riya. Her cocked eyebrows were questioning Riya in their own style.

"Sorry, stupid question. I know."

After a couple more equally stupid questions, Riya gave up her efforts to strike a conversation. Natasha had never seen her friend searching for words before. This wasn't the way he friend worked. This wasn't the Riya which she knew before going into that hibernation. No. This was definitely someone else wearing Riya's skin. And once again her raised eyebrow asked a million questions to Riya.

Riya seemed a bit off at that moment. She was excited to meet Natasha after so long. That excitement was evident in her eyes. And yet somehow it managed to stay away from her face.

"I don't know why I'm feeling so lost today," Riya explained.

"Lost?" Natasha asked instinctively. That one word stirred the hidden thoughts back in her mind.

When you're really into something, there's a chance you might get lost in it.

That was the one line which kept repeating again and again in her head during her hibernation. She didn't know what it was or why it was so important for her mind's cassette to be stuck on it. Somehow, it just felt familiar. But that wasn't the only one. One more feeling crowded her mind during that phase. Something she wished no one else should ever face.

Before Riya could speak anything else, she asked the stupidest question of the evening. For her though, it was necessary to get those depressing thoughts out. Riya was the escape she sought.

"Did you miss me Riya?"

Riya was dumbfounded by this. If she had felt like being in a maze before, then the feeling worsened with this question. It was as if she could see the exit right before her eyes, but the way to it was nowhere to be seen. But more than that, she just couldn't believe her best friend could even ask such a thing.

"Of course I did Nat. What kind of a question is that?"

"I don't Riya. When I was um...sleeping, I had this strange feeling of isolation. I felt as if no one cared for me anymore. Like it didn't matter to anyone if I woke up or not. It was like no one wanted to be my alarm clock."

Riya chuckled at the use of word sleep. In these two months, Natasha was far from just sleeping. If being an alarm clock would have done the trick, then Natasha should have been awake long back because Riya was there every day shaking her up, trying to wake her. No, she wasn't just sleeping at all. She was somewhere far. Although, if that's what Natasha would like to call it, Riya was happy to play along. Why would she argue if that was going to ease her friend's pain?

That was the least of her concerns anyway.

"You know I'd never leave you, Nat."

Riya pressed her hand on Natasha's to stress her point. Just like a parent would do to their children, Riya was giving Natasha an assurance that she was there. She was making Natasha believe that no matter what happens, her friend was right there, standing by her side.