Forget-Me-Not : Bound by Secrets

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Two days later, the four friends were sitting at Ananya's place, watching TV. Not that there was anything to watch-Dia kept flipping channels while Vidhi stared into space, as if deep in thought. Geet didn't look much interested either; Dia observed that her usually cheerful face was clouded with something like exhaustion. She couldn't for the life of her think what was wrong with Geet. The last time she'd dropped in at her place, Geet had looked tired and exhausted. Even now, she didn't look any better. What was going on?

The smell of popcorn drifted out from the kitchen, and Dia inhaled it greedily. "Ananya, whatever popcorn you're making, get it here fast," she called. "God, I'm starving."

"Well, why didn't you have dinner, again?" Ananya called from the kitchen.

"Because I had an argument with my mom. Again."

"Typical," Vidhi mumbled, yawning. "I might even stop reacting to that sentence in some time from now."

Dia ignored her and kept flipping channels. "Hey Ananya, got any interesting movie to watch?"

"Sure. Old nineties hits."

"Oh, hell," Dia muttered. "Any of you guys fancy a romantic classic?"

Vidhi turned around and eyed her friend suspiciously. "Are you serious? Since when did you start watching romance?"

Dia rolled her eyes and paused to look at a travel documentary on TV. "Desperate times call for desperate efforts."

"Get over it, Gandhi," Ananya said from the kitchen. "This thing with your mom is routine. At least stop depressing us with your foul mood."

"Hey, talk for yourself, okay?" Dia said defensively. "Who called us over because their parents didn't have time?"

"At least I'm not moaning about it."

"And here I thought we were going to unwind," Vidhi commented.

"Guys," Geet spoke finally, "Cut it out. Want any help in there, Ananya?" she said, getting up. Dia followed her with her eyes as Geet disappeared into the kitchen.

"Sure, thanks," they heard Ananya say from inside. Once Geet was gone, Dia frowned. "Any idea what's up with Geet?" she asked Vidhi.

"Not that I know of. Why, is anything supposed to be wrong?"

"I don't know... she looks wound up."

"At least she's better off than the rest of us. God, we're all wrecks."

"Well, at least for now. Vidhi, I'm serious. I went to her place the other day, and she looked totally tired. Sleep deprived. I didn't ask her anything, because she looked like she wouldn't share."

"Leave her alone. Maybe she's just tired due to her studies."

"I'm not buying that," Dia said, and sat back on the sofa. The channels kept flipping, and the sound of glass plates clinking came from the kitchen. Dia heard Geet and Ananya talking inside, and she wondered once again whether she was over thinking. Maybe Vidhi was right-maybe Geet was just okay. A few moments later, Ananya and Geet came out with two plates each and set them down on the glass topped coffee table in front of the sofa.

"I'll get the popcorn," Geet announced, and went in.

"This looks amazing," Dia said, and abandoned the remote to catch hold of a fork. Times when none of them felt good, when their lives would come to a standstill, and they needed to talk about it, they held such dinners. Popcorn was always present, along with anything else that they chose to eat. And tonight seemed perfect for a union for lamentation.