She's my friend dammit

Part 1- The setting sun and illuminated truth

***This chapter is not edited.

-----------------------------------------------

"What happened Bhaiya?"

Pushkar inquired his brother as he sat down next to him. Shravan seemed to be in another zone. He was too engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't feel his brother's presence. Pushkar tapped on his shoulder lightly and then only he looked up at him. And it took him a few minutes more to process the question. He nodded in a negative way. But Pushkar didn't dismiss the fact that something was bothering his big brother. He noticed his phone resting on the side. A notification arrived and as Pushkar noticed the name 'Sumo' flashing on the screen, he spontaneously picked it up and opened the message

"Sorry Shravan. Can't make it. Siddharth is taking me out for a drive. And then we'll be going to the beachside restaurant for dinner. Will see you tomorrow but can't promise. Will try my best for sure. :)"

Pushkar kept the phone in it's former place and turned to his brother. He quite had an idea why Shravan's mood was off. Of course Sumo had something to do with it. He noticed since the day Suman's alliance was fixed with Siddharth, Shravan became a bit cranky. Though everyone thought it wasn't a big deal cause it was Shravan's way of life. He wasn't the "All the time smiling" kind of guy. But Pushkar was close enough to mark his brother's abnormal behavior. Though he didn't dare to question him fearing his outburst.

Pushkar turned his attention to the setting sun. So much had changed in their life. Changed for the better. Nirmala Chachi was back in their lives. Of course this development needed a lot of work to happen. He still remembers the first time Shravan met her. He witnessed the mother-son reunion after ten years along with Suman. Shravan was frozen in his spot for a few minutes which seemed like eternity. And then the love and longing in his eyes got covered by the darkness of hatred. Suman had to hold Nirmala as she lost her balance; begging her son to let her give a chance to explain. But Shravan in his old self bluntly shrugged off her pleads and refused to call her 'mom' instead of 'Mrs. Nirmala Ahuja'. And the same Shravan had hugged his mother like there was nothing left in the world other than her. It was when he came to know that his mother was never 'Mrs. Nirmala Ahuja' and that she didn't dare to return to Shravan's life being threatened by her ex-husband who divorced her accusing her of cheating on him with her boss. The man who was no less than a God to him, all on a sudden Shravan found it hard to call him his dad. The tables had turned after all. He had actually divorced her and literally compelled her 'to kick herself out' not only from Malhotra mansion but also from the lives of the Malhotras. He regretted that he didn't pay any heed to Suman who tried to show him the truth

"She didn't leave you Shravan. Your 'golden hearted' dad forced her to leave you. He threw her out of your life."

And she got an instant slap as a prize of her sarcasm about Shravan's beloved father. And Shravan's mouth spat nothing but venom

"You and me are done! Forever."

Suman looked at him like he was an alien. She really didn't know this Shravan. The Shravan she knew would have done anything to lessen her pain if she had a tiny cut or a scratch. He could never, never raise his hand on her. He wasn't 'her' Shravan anymore. He was so blinded by his father that he couldn't see anything else than his father's side of the story. Suman gave him the best sarcastic smile she could muster

"Fine Shravan. It's over."

Fine then. If he chose his father over the truth than she could too choose the truth over him. After all she was a woman. And a man who didn't have the slightest respect for women was not a man she was going to let go of her self respect for. But it wasn't over for her. It couldn't be. She loved him. And she knew though he denied he did care. After all the things he had done for her held enough proof that deep inside those feelings were still alive. And it was her turn to restore the happiness in his life. She didn't care if he didn't love her anymore. She didn't even care if he didn't acknowledge her as a friend anymore. She didn't care if he hated her to the core. Cause it didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that she loved him.