Ananya's POV~
Ahhhhh! What an eventful day! I managed to get into my boss's good books and even made new friends.
Arjun, Ramesh, Kanan, Saumya...
The latter three are from the creative team.
They are amazing! It is so much fun working with them! They are like full-time entertainers and comedians and part-time creative workers! Heehee.
So I think I am going to have a long-term relationship with this workplace.
Ahhhhhh I have so much to update Ranjana and Sunaina!
*time skip*
"Helllllooo My bishes! Welcome to my abode!" Sunaina said as I and Ranjana entered her house.
This is Sunaina.
Note: Please don't mind her language as she can't mind her language.
She may be rude and crude.
But she is my rude dude!!
Anyways her heart is as pure as gold worth 24-carat.
She roars the bitter truth while society squawks sweet lies like a parrot.
I was flabbergasted when I met her. We met on an airplane and we shared adjacent seats. I was apprehensive as I was not having the known company of my parents or relatives. It didn't help when an auntie at the airport had rambled the threats of hijacks and crashes.
Sunaina sensed that. She is hella intuitive! We sort of clicked at the first meet and I adored her a lot as she let me take the window seat. She held my hand at the time of take-off to assure me. Since then we are buds. Ranjana was her best amigo. The link joining me and Ranjana was Sunaina.
We three established the foundation for THE BESTIES FOR THE RESTIES(BTR).
I love them!
"Hey, Annu! Hii! How was your first day!?!?" Ranjana jumped up and hugged me.
"It was great!" I squealed like a chipmunk.
"So who are your colleagues? How is your boss? Did you meet Neeravan Shah? Did you-" Ranjana was going on and on.
"Ohh come on! let her breathe! So come here, girlfriend! Sit down," Sunaina said.
Ranjana rolled her eyes.
"So how was it?!" Ranjana said.
"Well, firstly the campus is lavish. The buildings were cream-colored! The windows were royal blue. The conference room was draped with a fine shade of oyster white. The desk seats were beige and ---
"The sky is pink and the air is purple", Ranjana interrupted.
"Come on Anu we are not interested in the colors but the people." She added.
"Especially Mr. Neeravan Shah. Isn't it Ranajana?" Sunaina said wiggling her eyebrows toward Ranjana.
"Especially especially Mr. Arjun Shah. Isn't it Sunaina?" Ranjana retorted with narrowed eyes.
"Guys!!!" I mediated in between as always. Sunaina and Ranjana are always the ones who fight and I am like a good umpire who always makes it alright.
"Please tell me! Did you meet Neeravan Shah?" Ranjana insisted.
"Why are you so hyped up about him?" I said while smiling.
"He is so hot! I saw him once in the magazine when he was awarded the entrepreneur of the year award, he took my heart! His persona is charismatic; his business tactics leave the ones awestruck and his looks are just the bonus." Ranjana completed her anecdote but still had a dreamy-eyed expression.
Do you know there is the least amount of corruption going on in his companies!" Ranjana was saying as if Neeravan shah is her son. Thank god Ranjana can't read my thoughts as she won't be pleased to be compared to Neeravan sir's proud mother.
"Well, I am sorry babe, I didn't see him. But I did see his son." I said.
"Wait a sec! Arjun Shah??!?!?!?!" Sunaina jumped in.
"Yes!" I said while displaying 32 of my yellow teeth.
"Ahhhh He is ET!" Sunaina said with her eyes closed while biting her lower lip and mind in wonderland.
God knows what rubbish lives rent-free in her mind!
"ET?" I chimed in.
" ET is Eye Tonic. God Ananya you live under a rock. It's a shame that even after having the great Sunaina as your bestie, you are missing out on such earth-shaking facts." Sunaina shook her head like a disappointed mother.
I couldn't help but frown and pout registering new found acronym in my mind.
"So, how did you meet him?" Ranjana jumped in.
"Well I was just sitting there on a table and he came and asked for the seat opposite to me as the girls and even aunties were eyeing him as if he was eye candy. He wanted solitude." I said.
"I wouldn't blame the girls or even the aunties! He is surely Choco chips to my chocoholic eyes." She said while wandering in her wonderland AGAIN with Mr. Hottie.
I scrunched my nose at her dirty mind.
"Wait, he asked for the seat on your table? Wow," Ranjana said.
"What wowwww? What do you mean?" I said with a confused face.
I don't like where this is going.
"Ok. Were there any other empty tables?" Ranjana asked with a mischievous expression.
"Yes," I said while gritting my teeth.
"And he asked you only?" She asked with one brow raised.
"Well, he had to ask someone!" I said while being at that high level of discomfort.
"Yea but maybe he is... interested in you..?" Ranjana said while smiling mischievously.
"What!" I said while clenching my jaw.
Way to ruin my mood!
"I am saying maybe! I am just gossiping dude! Don't get mad!" Ranjana said.
"No-No! What do you mean? Why do you girls always have to pair up people? He just asked for a bloody seat! And by your logic, if he just asks me to be friends with him then he is in love with me huh? He is interested in me! Just stop engrossing your butt in other people's lives!" I gritted. I don't know why I got so angry. I just go out of control sometimes. Ohh Noooo
What have I done?
Ranjana was in tears...
Ugh, What have I done?
Just depressed my best bud.
Way to go Ananya!
"Ok fine! I won't butt in your life then!" She gritted her teeth and went away.
Oh lord! No No No.
"Ranjana! Ranjana! I am sorry! I didn't mean it! I am sorry!" I kept shouting and chasing her.
But she got on her Activa and went away anyway.
I feel like crying.
Soon tears scrolled down my cheeks.
I was crying so hard.
Soon Sunaina reached me.
She started to rub my back and shush me down.
"Don't cry, I understand what you are going through. Well, I can't understand but I know." She kept caressing my head.
"This is because of that incident, isn't it? I know, Ananya, that it hurts you to your core, you are now afraid of anything that reminds you about it but you had no right to take it out on Ranjana. She doesn't know yet. You have to go past it. Well not getting past but you've to get by it. Getting past something is forgetting it but getting by something is forgiving and moving on. You cannot hurt anyone else because of that. Look all men are not the same and one day you will cross paths with one man who will change that."
She said while rubbing the tears on my face away with the pad of her thumb. She kept consoling me like a baby.
"Ok?" She asked me while looking directly into my eyes.
"Ok," I said in a feeble voice.
"Now let us go and apologize to Ranjana." She said.
"Where will she be?" I asked.
"I know where she is. She always goes to the Riverfront whenever she is angry or upset or both," she said.
"Let's go there," I said.
Ohh no How will I make it up to her?!
Hmm...??
Yes! I have an idea! Yesss
"Wait let me take something." I went to the drawing room and picked up my bag and rushed to my scooter.
"Let's go." She said sitting behind me on the scooter.
I pushed the key into the socket and the engine roared.
We steamed our way to the Riverfront.
"Yup. We are here." I said and then Sunaina got off the scooter and followed me.
UGhh! Where is she?!
We roamed around the riverfront for a while and then we found her crying on the seat in front of the gleaming river. The river was reflecting the lights and was just looking magnificent.
Sunaina was taking a step toward Ranjana but I stopped her.
"What?" She whispered.
"I brought our instruments. Here, take your ukulele while I play my harmonica. K?" I said.
"Umm. But what song will we play?" She asked.
"Her birthday song that we were preparing.
"But her birthday is two days away. What will we play then?" She asked.
"I know but right now, placating her is more important. We will figure something out afterward for her birthday." I said.
She just showed her thumbs up.
She took her ukulele and I took out my Harmonica.
I started playing the melody.
Ranjana heard that and started looking around. She spotted us.
Still, anger was visible on her face.
We started singing the song.
"I'm difficult to handle
Still, you bore me for 2 years
Your smile is contagious
But so are your tears,"
Sunaina started the intro and I was still playing the harmonica.
Then I too joined the melody and started singing.
"You were there for me
Even when I had not asked thee
I didn't ask for your support
But I needed it a lot
My dumbness Your innocence blended well
The library was our haven and heaven to dwell"
We were singing and people started gathering.
But our sole focus was on Ranjana.
She was hiding her smile. I could see that.
After all, I am a Psychologist.
I know how to read people's faces, which is just like an open book. We just need to read it carefully.
After a lot of singing and a lot of playing instruments, she finally smiled.
We went up to her and I sat beside her.
"I am sorry Rajju... I didn't mean that. It just brought back some bad memories. And I couldn't handle it and-" I said but got cut off in the middle.
"It's ok Annu. I know you. I don't know what happened in your past, but I know that something horrible happened. And I happened to step on that nerve. I am sorry as well. I shouldn't have paired you up with him." She said.
I smiled ear to ear.
I just hugged her and she hugged me back.
"Yes, ofc! We shouldn't pair them. He is so out of her league! Pair ME with him!" Sunaina jumped in and hugged us.
And the trio was reunited again.
Yolo Guys!!
(Muso's POV)
We all have our human diaries called best friends. In these prying times, I miss them a lot. Although due to social media, we stay connected, those stupid talks and aimless walks; I miss them :( Anyway, distance and time cannot define our relationship and I am sure once this is over, we all will reconcile with our secret chambers to update them with more secrets;)
Don't forget to remember me !!!!
(Sumo's POV)
BTW, the lyrics of the song made for Ranjana displayed above were made by Muso! I know, she is a gem! And this song was made for someone else, someone very close to Muso and Sumo.
(Sumo&Muso's POV)
Sumo and Muso love you and please keep reading 'THE BLACKMAILED MARRIAGE' for more twists and turns! You are in for this teacup ride.
Buckle up!
Thank you! Luv you!