To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 60

Preeti looked at her phone as it rang. She was in her room all ready to go down and face the crowd of inquisitive relatives but she didn't want to. Beeji had told her Abhay had taken Amrit out for a while to get her to calm down and she hoped they didn't come back tonight. They went back. How many times was her sister going to face people and their comments? Why should she? It wasn't her fault. It hadn't been her fault the last time too and yet. But then Preeti had been very young. She had been in college. But even then she had understood the amount of pain and hurt Amrit must have gone through. She was only sad that she hadn't been able to help her then and she hadn't been able to help her today either because had she been there the slap Simrit received from Amrit would have been delivered by her. She was furious as to why nobody did anything and she had fought with her mother and beeji both for being spectators. She hoped Abhay would be able to help Amrit. He just had to. She had refused to go down and help out with the pretenses and stayed up in her room. The problem was she knew she will have to go down for Kulraj's sake. The girl had already come to her cried and then cursed Simrit. Preeti knew Kulraj loved Amrit just as much as she did. And for her sake Preeti will have to put up a smile. She had been restless not knowing what to do and so she had called the one person who had become a good friend in the past few weeks. Only he had been busy at the time and unable to take her call.

She saw his name flash on the phone as it buzzed. She sighed and picked it up. What was she going to tell him? What will she say? More so what will he think? But she needed to talk to someone. To let her restlessness and frustration out. And who better than Jay. He was the only one she knew who could cheer her up when her mood was down.

"Hello," she said into the phone.

"Hello," Jay said cheerfully, "how is pretty Preeti today?" he asked.

Just his voice had the power to make her mood soar. And the nickname he had given her 'pretty Preeti' she liked it especially when he said it in his teasing, lilting voice. She usually felt better hearing it. But not today. Her guilt at not being there for her sister when she most needed her support was killing her.

"Not good," she told him sadly.

Jay heard the sadness in her voice and wondered what was wrong. Preeti and he had become friends during his brother's marriage to her sister. She was a sweet girl with a great sense of humor and she was intelligent too. It was a strange combination but he had liked her instantly. They had kept in touch even after he had returned to Chandigarh. She was so easy to talk to. And he poured his frustrations and problems in front of her because he knew she understood. Most often than not she helped him with solutions too. But it was not just friendship. He didn't know why but he was drawn to her. He hadn't told her anything about how he felt but he knew he understood her and he didn't know how or why. He was attuned to her moods and thoughts so much so he sometimes surprised himself how accurate he was with her. And right now she sounded upset and sad. Was it because her cousin was getting engaged and soon she would marry and leave too? But that didn't make any sense. Because just two days ago when they had spoken she had been excited.

"Something wrong?" he asked her quietly.

"Jay," Preeti said and bit her lip. She felt her voice breaking. She couldn't cry in front of him. What would he think? As it is she hadn't been able to help Amrit and now to cry would be like...no she just couldn't. She took in a deep breath to control her feelings.

"Hey," Jay said with worry in his voice, "you are not crying are you? Did someone say something?" he asked.

He heard her little sniffle to control her tears not to mention the way her voice broke after she took his name.

"Yes," Preeti said, "Simrit fought with di today," she said. She didn't have to tell him who 'di' was he already knew she called Amrit that, "And she hurt her real bad. And I couldn't do a thing," she said rapidly.