Getting her back

8

Avyaan looked on as Shreyas swiped the pictures on his phone.

Kashvi Dharmadhikari's younger, lively, and carefree self grinned back at him.

The spark in her eyes that was now dimmed.

Now all they'd see, is a puppet moving according to the way her Atya Ajji pulled those strings.

Shreyas' forlorn gaze continued to linger on that photograph.

He could almost hear her burst into a peal of giggles as she pulled a prank and ran away as he chased after her.

Avyaan sighed.
" Shrey....batayega kya baat hai?"
("-Shrey...will you tell me what's the issue?")

" Huh?"

" Kya hua hai? Kabse sirf ussi photo ko hath mein leke baitha hai. Shreyas!" He shook him out of his reverie.
("-What happened? You've been sitting with that photograph in hand since so long. Shreyas!")

" Kuch nahi." He murmured.
( "-Nothing.")

" Thappad khayega? Kuch nahi keh raha hai. You think there's fool written over my forehead?"
( "-Should I slap you? Nothing my foot.")

Shreyas smiled mischievously as he turned towards him, his eyes narrowing as he stared at his forehead.

" Dikh toh nahi raha hai." He said shaking his head, his smile widening, but no matter how broad it was, it did not reach his eyes.
( "-I don't see it written anywhere.")

Avyaan sighed yet again, recalling his old self saying that to Shreyas, but he brushed the memory off.

The priority currently, was to make his best-friend talk.

He looked over at Karan for help, but that rascal was busy giggling over his phone as he spoke to his girlfriend.

" Nalayak. Nikamma. Koi kaam ka nahi hai." He tutted in disbelief and disappointment.
( "-Worthless, useless. He's of no use.")

" Avyaan..."

" Yeah?"

" When did you fall for my sister? And what made you realise it?"

Avyaan smiled ruefully at the question.

" I fell for her the very day I met her. Her musical giggles, her pretty eyes that smiled when she did, her smile that was enough to lighten any tense or gloomy atmosphere, her presence, so unknown because of her being ever so tiny, yet ever so known, since her height couldn't make her presence known, her voice and giggles did. She has always been so beautiful, alike her presence, and her heart. Unfortunately, like Meher and Aarya always told me, I didn't value her. I let myself get manipulated by those who called themselves my friends. And when she was gone, I was still in denial. Under the impression that I didn't have feelings for her until I tried reaching out to her, and she had me cut off from everywhere in her life, and I realised, I lost her for good and I was down bad for her, madly, passionately, unequivocally in love with her."

Shreyas gave a mirthless chuckle.
" Didn't you ever worry about how she might probably like someone else? Like Rishab Dhameeja?"