Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

20

And in the end, it all came down to nothing. It was for nothing.

Maybe I can still help Tarun?

His mother wants him gone to the boarding school, not him. He wants to stay here.

I sit straight thoughtfully, contemplating between both the rights. As a friend, I should really prioritise Tarun's feelings. So what if his mother wants the opposite? What matters is what he wants. And it's clear what he wants. Even if it is for the girl he is infatuated with in the school. If I help him, his mother will only be disappointed in me, but if I don't, he'll hate me. Do I really want that after the mess I've landed myself in just to help him?

I get up from the bed and walk up to the window. A wistful smile appears on my lips at the sight of the river. I was really happy then. If only I had listened to him and not involved myself with him so much maybe I wouldn't have need to do everything that I did.

It's been only a week that I'm here and I've only landed myself in troubles after troubles.

I shake my head.

I can't go back on my promise now. I promised Tarun I'll help him and that's what I'll do. If his mother has any problem with his personal life, she will discuss it with him. That's none of my business.

"Tara," Ayush's voice snaps me out of the thoughts. I turn my head over my shoulder, the guilt in my conscience mirroring on his face. "We made a mistake, right?"

I sigh and look back outside the window.

"Maybe Yuvaan Bhai really didn't know-"

"You're a nice guy, Ayush," I mumble, cutting him off. "You always defend them. Whether it is Agastya, Yuvaan or any other brother. But not now, please. We're all at fault, let's just own it."

I hear him let out a long breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." He murmurs. I hear his footsteps retreat and the door gently falls close with his departure.

I stay by the window-side, staring out at the view, lost in my thoughts. They don't end. Like a vicious cycle, probabilities and possibilities endlessly torment me.

What if I had said no to Yuvaan?

What if I hadn't forced Tarun to become my friend?

What if I hadn't let my anger make the decision?

What if I had talked to Janet before giving Yuvaan my answer?

Did I really just cost someone their dreams, their whole fucking career because we didn't start off on right foot? That's not me. God, if Mom was alive today, she would have been so disappointed in me.

She always used to say,

Dreams are hopes, and hope is what keeps us alive.

I should come clean to Agastya. I should tell him everything. Whatever punishment he wants to give me, I'll take it. If he wants to hate me for the rest of his life, then so be it. But I'm not so fake to crush someone's dreams and then pretend to be heartbroken with them. I am sad for him, but I don't have any right to feel that way.

I leave my room and walk down the opposite corridor, locating Agastya's room at the far right. I put my hand up to knock when the door slightly opens itself because of the air outside. The slit reveals Agastya on the right side of the bed, his head rested on top of his bat and I see his shoulders shake badly.

He's crying.

My fingers curl into themselves and hand drops to my side in defeat.

He clutches the bat to his chest and sobs harder.