Undeniable love (Arshi) TeacherXstudent

Chapter 28 : Beginning of the storm

Kushi sipped her chai thinking about all the events , she was worried about payal from few days and now she had got all answers.

Kushi's POV

Payal was not having proper conversation with me from the beginning of this semester  , she is being distant to me. I didn't think too much about this in beginning but from past few days it was bothering me.

Her personality had a drastic change overnight. She has also made new friends. They are gang of senior and some juniors who are labelled "very cool people" in college. They consider themselves very high and mighty. 

I saw payal speaking with them or hanging out with them so many times. And she doesn't even look at me or parth when she is with them. Parth was not bothered with this , but I felt it was very strange.

But the secret which she kept from me , did hurt me. Did she not believe in me ? Why she kept this relationship as a secret? I would have definately been happy for her . I knew Akash and payal are made for each other from the day they met...

Payal entered the hostel hallway and gave a smile towards me , I don't know why I'm feeling her smile is not that genuine anymore.

Kushi: so did you meet your cousin?

Payal : ha yeah..

Kushi: which cousin came to meet you payal , I know everyone Of your cousins?

Payal : ohh Kushi, it's someone you don't know from my mother's side.

She called me Kushi , instead of Kush.

Kushi: is it ? And is he Akash?

Payal's mouth formed perfect "o" by surprise.

Kushi: why you did not tell me payal?

Payal: about what???

Her tone was a bit harsh which stung me

Kushi :  About your relationship

Payal : and why should I tell you about my relationship?

Kushi : payu , aren't we best friends ?

Payal : huh best friends ? You don't know anything about me Kushi ? And you did not bother to understand what is happening with me.

Kushi : I can only know when you tell me about it payu, you  have  changed so much these days , why are you not talking to me properly like we used to ?

Payal : because nothing is how it is used to  Kushi , my life , my career, my dreams are going to end after this year. My father is planning to marry me off , all i got is this year to cherish my freedom. Have you ever checked up on me Kushi , you are confronting me when you found me with Akash . Now you are realising that we are best friends , did you try to check on me when I was feeling low? , you did not bother to ask me if Im okay , when I was not being my usual self . You are just drowned in your own self , your own problems , all you care about is your academics , Hitler's classes that's it . And you call yourself my best friend . You are not, you are nothing but a selfish person.

I couldn't hold back my tears , her each words are like knife cutting me into pieces.

Payal disappeared in the direction of her room , there were few girls looking at the scene we created , staring at me. I made my way towards my room and cried my heart out. This is the first time in our 8 year of friendship that we fought.

The word that stung me most was selfish ? Am I that selfish ? Did I fail myself as her best friend ?
Was I that blind by my own things that I did not see she was in such a situation.