Attachments

Chapter 37

The farmhouse was sandwiched in the middle a dense forest, where tall trees towered around the wooden, old-fashioned house, and gently swayed to its sides in perfect synchronization. The farmhouse stood tall amidst a garden that circled it, and in one corner a set of three swings dangled, where two people swung back and forth, throwing their legs in the air. But the second, I walked past the wooden gate – painted in white – they abruptly halted, and stared at me, with welcoming smiles brightening up their faces.

"Hi, I'm Dityaa", I introduced chirpily, as I walked towards them, wearing a wide grin. "You didn't have to introduce yourself, we know you. Darshan keeps talking about your antiques and all the mad things you do together", the girl said, cheerfully, and jumped off the swing. "Glad you're here. Welcome to our little gang. My name's Tanvi", she introduced and shuffled forward for a hug. "You can call me Tanu, though. I'm Darshan's stylist, but I'm definitely a friend before a stylist", Tanvi's super-friendly nature attracted me. "That's Zain; one of Darshan's closest friend. They've known each other since their childhood days, and Zain is literally the only friend from Darshan's childhood", Tanvi was a blabber-mouth, just like me, and I was beyond glad to have a company like her. "Hi...I don't have to say much, right? Thanks to Tanu", Zain stretched his hand out for a shake and I shook it, smiling at him. "We're family friends, too...like kind of...do you remember me?", Zain asked and I studied his face for a while, in an attempt to fetch something from the past, but I was blank. "Our mothers taught in the same school. In fact, you and I were dance partner in a community program", Zain prompted. "How do you remember all this? I don't have the slightest idea about my childhood days!", I said. "I remember the dance program very well, because you slipped on the stage while twirling around", Zain dropped a hint, which sparked a memory, I never wanted to visit. "OH! YOU'RE THAT MATCHSTICK I DANCED WITH. NOW, I REMEMBER!", I exclaimed, the second I recalled. "That's extremely kind of you, thanks", Zain chuckled. "And what about the time she slipped on stage?", Tanvi curiously asked, shifting her gaze between the two of us. "Oh God, don't even talk about it", I grunted, throwing my head back. "She was the super-overconfident dancer on stage and she twirled around, wanting to be a professional, but she ended up falling on her face...in front of hundred unknown people", Zain narrated, evoking a feeling of embarrassment in me. "That's...tragic", Tanvi giggled. "But I wore heeled-shoes, blame my mom for it", I rolled my eyes. "And you laughed out loud when that happened, didn't you?", I turned to look at Zain, who nodded his head with a smile. "So mean, Zuzu!", Tanvi punched his upper-arm and that moment, the clear sound of footsteps emerged from behind us, interrupting the lighthearted conversation the three of us shared.

Darshan and Vaish climbed down a series of stairs, sharing an intense conversation with each other with serious expressions smeared on their faces, and walked towards us, still immersed in their conversation. "You promised you wouldn't speak business on this trip, you assholes!", Tanvi scolded, in disdain, silencing the two of them and forced them to turn in our direction. Darshan and I glanced at each other, and exchanged warm smiles, before he hurried forward and hugged me. "When did you come?", Darshan questioned, breaking out of the hug. "Ten minutes ago, maybe", I said, clinging onto my backpack's strap. "Oh...the farmhouse was pin-drop silent, so I thought that disaster didn't walk in yet", Darshan teased and I kicked him, making him chuckle. "We have two loudspeakers in the house, then", Zain sighed. "We'll make sure your ears bleed!", Tanvi stated, loudly. "It has been bleeding for the past five years", Darshan rolled his eyes, Tanvi pushed him back and we shared a laugh. Vaish stood miles away from the happenings, and was completely zoned-out; she stood behind Darshan, with her arms crossed against her chest and looked down at the lush, green grass beneath her eyes, as though she was seeing grass for the first time in her life. I decided to smile at her, if she looked at me, but she didn't even look up, let alone in my direction. "We have another loudspeaker here!", Darshan shifted his focus on Vaish, and stepped to his side, revealing her. "She hardly qualifies as a loudspeaker, dude. She needs lessons from us, what say, Dityaa?", Tanvi looked in my direction and I forced a smile at her, awkwardly. "I wouldn't mind taking lessons from you, Tanvi", Vaish smiled at Tanvi, and I felt a painful twist in my stomach, and I prayed that my expressions didn't change. "What about lessons from, Dityaa? She's one of your closest friends, isn't she?", Darshan cracked the ice and Vaish pinned him down with an expressionless glare. "Oh, wow, you know each other?", Tanvi narrowed her eyes. "Tanu, don't take him seriously", Vaish casually shook it off, and throughout, I remained silent. "We were friends...we're not anymore, simple", Vaish uttered the bitter truth, and her words snatched my breath away. Awkward and deadly silence existed between the five of us, until Vaish cleared her throat. "I mean, when life happens, relationships slip off your hands", Vaish covered up. "Hmm, I agree. I've been so caught up with designing and my studies, I don't remember the last time I talked to my best-friend", Tanvi exhaled, shaking her head to the sides, kicking the awkwardness of the moment away. "But now that the two of you are here, it's time for you to rebuild the relationship", Zain cheerfully said. "I should go talk to Neil, Darsh; he said that there are changes in our schedule for the upcoming concerts. You should join, too", Vaish conveniently changed the topic. "We can look after it later. We're not here to work, Vaish", Darshan told her, but she wasn't in the state of mind to listen to him; obviously because that was the only excuse she had to stay away from me. "I'll go talk to him. You have fun!", Vaish huffed and stormed away. I took a deep breath in and fidgeted with the bracelet on my wrist, which Darshan gifted, while a feeling of unsettlement consumed every bit of my insides. I wanted to slap her, left and right, and drag her back to her senses; I wondered what exactly went so wrong between us that she decided to stay miles away from me. I couldn't believe that she was stupid enough to break her friendship with me, just because I hid the truth about Darshan from her! I felt the urge to yell my lungs out on her face, but I was helpless; there was nothing I could do, and it was nothing but paralyzing. Anger boiled within me, but I couldn't vent it out on anyone; I stood as still as a statue and clenched my hands into tightly balled fists. "Uh...Tanu and I...we'll go double-check the camping bookings", Zain awkwardly said, probably, because he sensed the tension in the air...or perhaps, he was aware about what went wrong between Vaish and me. Zain and Tanvi walked away, stranding me with Darshan, who inched closer to me and held my clenched fist between his hands.