'You know, Pari, I am confused. Can you solve my confusion?', Arpit spoke up as they all sat down to eat. Shrishti of course happily grabbed aamras puri right away and was amused to see Arpit do the same. Meanwhile, Divya had gone for the bisibele bhath and seemed inclined to praise Raghav after every bite. Daljeet and Raghav were eating the hara bhara kabab that Raghav had made as starters. Shrishti, Divya and Arpit had taken a piece of the kabab to try it but once eaten, all of them chose to eat their favourite dishes.
'What is it?', Shrishti asked, as she continued to ladle herself another cup of aamras. 'The quantity of elaichi added is perfect. This is lovely.' Shrishti complimented Raghav before focusing on Arpit.
Arpit smiled at her. 'Here is my question. Why did you not come to eat lunch these past days?'
Shrishti's eyes widened as Raghav murmured Arpit's name. Arpit shook his head. 'No, no, Bhai. Don't stop me. I need to know. Pari! You promised to make my bro's account his brand. You wanted to promote him. What happened?'
Shrishti looked down, unsure how to explain things.
'She needed break.', Raghav spoke up just then. Shrishti looked up. Raghav was serving Arpit as he continued to speak, 'My food is rich in fat. So she asked for a break.'
Shrishti could not believe it. Raghav was lying for her!
'Errr. Yeah. He is right.' Shrishti mumbled, 'I became a bit diet conscious. Silly me. Getting worried about silly things like gaining weight.' She shrugged and looked down at her food. She focused on it totally hoping that Arpit dropped the topic. Sadly, he did not.
'Then why skip cycling? Bhai was teaching you how to cycle. That would have burned your extra calories easily! Why skip that?'
Shrishti winced. How to reply to that? Then she had an idea.
'Oh. You did not understand. My thighs were paining due to cycling. So I took a break from that. But no exercise and only eating would have made me put on weight, so I skipped coming over totally.'
That was such a lousy excuse, she scolded herself. But what else to do? Should she explain that Raghav was starting to make her feel things that she was not ready for or not interested in?
She focused on eating, not noticing Arpit's narrowed eyes focused on her.
'So now you are not diet conscious? Eating like this?', Arpit asked and Shrishti looked up to see all her three classmates look at her. She felt like she was put on a spot and wondered how to reply to it.
'Leave it!', Raghav spoke up just then, 'Stop harassing her. So she took a break for few days from everything. Doesn't she have the right to do that? And why should she explain the reason to you? Who are you, her Pappa, her Mumma or her brother?' Raghav glared at Arpit and Arpit shrugged and began to eat again. Daljeet and Divya seemed to be whispering something to each other. Shrishti heaved a sigh of relief and when Raghav looked at her, she mouthed him thank you. He gave her a smile and her heart fluttered again. She bowed her head and focused on eating.
'Don't you see?', Daljeet suddenly spoke up, 'Her thighs were paining, she took a break. She put on weight, so she took a break from eating too. Now she is mentally prepared for it, she will surely come back to cycle. After all, exercise is good for health.'
Shrishti's eyes widened. What was Daljeet saying? She looked at her friend only to see that her friend was smirking at her. Shrishti blinked. What was happening here? She turned to Divya only to see her smile impishly while giving Shrishti a knowing look.
'You will come again from tomorrow, right? To eat Raghav's food and promote it? And later, to learn cycling from him?', Divya was one asking now.
Shrishti swallowed. They put her on a spot and she had to be a fool to say no now. She was trapped and she knew it.
'Yeah. Of course. I will be there.', she told them with a polite smile. Her eyes went to Raghav who looked at her with.... Was that excitement on his face? She looked away. This was getting weird too much for her.
Once the lunch was eaten, the five of them lounged in the living room, talking to each other about the next year. Raghav remained silent just listening and then excused himself to do some cleaning up in the kitchen while the girls and Arpit continued to chat.
'I am so tempted to buy the books right away and start preparing.', Divya murmured.
'Don't. Enjoy the vacations. Because next year we won't have vacations. All of us will be attending extra lectures for third year.' Arpit warned her.
'Extra lectures?', Daljeet asked worriedly. Even Shrishti was shocked. What extra lessons? Then she remembered and grimaced. Oh yes. Those extra lessons! She hated them in her first life and she hated them now. But look at the positive side, she mused, atleast this time she would have friends in the class with her and compared how boring her vacation was going, atleast attending classes meant not sitting at home binge watching horrible shows!
Arpit shook her head. 'All final year students' classes start a month after the second year exams end.'
'Woah! Really?' Daljeet gaped at Arpit.
Divya sighed. 'I wish it was a lie but nope. We are doomed next summer. Better enjoy this summer!'
Daljeet groaned as she fell backwards on her seat and closed her eyes.
'Why are we thinking about next summer when the current summer has not ended?', Shrishti asked and that cheered Daljeet up. 'Agreed. Why are thinking about so far away? Lets focus on now. Shri! Is it true that you live nearby?'
'Nearby? She lives next door!', Arpit cried out.
'Why don't you show us your house then?', Daljeet suggested.
Shrishti blinked and her brows went up. Invite her friends to show them her house? She did not know how to do that. She had never done that. She never had friends before this, for God's sake!
'Sure.' She smiled before excusing herself and sneaking into the kitchen using getting water as excuse.
'You ok?'
Shrishti looked up. She was sitting in the kitchen on Raghav's house drinking water. Or she was supposed to be because the glass in her hand was still full and she was just sitting there, staring at the floor randomly.
'Daljeet suggested that I show the girls my house. I agreed.' Shrishti had no idea why she was telling Raghav these things. 'But I don't know how to do that. I never had friends coming over before this. I had no friends before this, remember?'
'You do know how to do it.', Raghav commented and she frowned.
He shook her head. 'You do what you did today when the girls came. Invite them to the living room, serve them drinks and food and chat with them.'
'And then?'
'Take them to your room and spend time with them. That is what Megha does when her friends come around. She takes them to her room and they spend the whole time giggling and laughing and playing. You can hear them down below.' Raghav grimaced and Shrishti giggled.
'Thanks for the idea. But you know that is not what I meant, right?'
Raghav nodded before coming to sit beside her. 'Pari. Listen to me. I get that you have never done this before. But they are your friends. They won't make fun of you because you did something silly. Infact, they seem the type who would laugh with you after you do something silly. You got some good friends, Pari. They seem like good people. Be yourself with them. Enjoy yourself. Ok?'
Shrishti looked up at him, unable to understand how he managed to assuage her fears in few words. She felt gratitude well up in her heart for him. Of all the decisions she made in her second life, befriending Raghav had to be the best one.
She nodded. 'Thank you. You are a great help.'
Raghav nodded. 'Just take Megha off of my hands during the day after two weeks. I will call it even. She will be a menace zooming around the house once her math camp ends.' The pain on Raghav's expression was so clear that Shrishti burst out laughing.
'Poor you. Fine. Send her over.', she commented in between her laughs. The man huffed but smiled at her. This was the scene to which her two friends arrived.
'What is going on here?', Daljeet asked and Shrishti noticed the amusement on her face.
'Nothing. I was just saying goodbyes.', Shrishti replied before saying bye to Raghav and pushing the girls out of the kitchen. Raghav followed them to the kitchen door.
'How is sitting beside him saying goodbyes?', Daljeet murmured and was pinched by Shrishti. She glared at Shrishti but shut her mouth and Shrishti felt relieved. The girls said their goodbyes to both the boys and headed next door.
Shrishti rang the bell, excitement flooding inside her. She was bringing home her friends! Nervousness and anxiety bubbled inside her too but she pushed them away. Raghav was not lying when he said that she had got good friends. She will be fine.
'Welcome to my home!', Shrishti announced with flourish and waved the girls in as the door was opened by the butler. The butler seemed surprised.
'Uncle. Get us some drinks, please. My friends are here.'
The man's face bloomed with smile and he happily invited them in. Shrishti's heart warmed at the gesture. She knew he was happy because she had friends now. Her whole life the Butler, the Cook, and the main maid of the house were few people who always wanted to see her happy and were her main well-wishers apart from her Pappa. They were her family in a way even her Dadi, her Bua and her Chachi weren't. She decided to introduce them properly. Her family deserved proper introduction, right?
'This is Vishesh Uncle. He is the butler of our house and been with us even before I was born. He is the one who runs this house. You saw the garden outside? That is his personal project!', she introduced him happily. The girls greeted him happily and the man seemed delighted at the gesture. She took the girls right away to the kitchen where the cook was relaxing and the maid was doing the dishes.
'Tarun Uncle. Madhu Kaki. Look! I have got friends to visit.', Shrishti eagerly chirped before turning to the girls, 'Tarun Uncle has been here since my childhood. I was a picky eater, so Pappa hired him to make me pretty looking and tasting food. One day I will invite you over for lunch. He is as good as Raghav when it comes to cooking.'
The girls greeted Tarun Uncle and he greeted them back before giving them heartfelt blessings about good health. Then he turned to Shrishti.
'Not as good as him.', the man spoke up, 'I have tasted Raghav Baba's cooking. It is better than me.'
'When did you taste it?', she huffed, looking annoyed at him. How come she did not know this?
He chuckled. 'You don't remember. But when he first moved in with us, he used to spend most of the time in kitchen. Then he began to help me out. I even taught him some of my family recipes. Even now, once in a while, he comes over with some food he cooked to share with us. Yesterday's gajar ka halwa? He was the one who made it. Even gatte ki sabji and sarso ka saag from few days ago that you licked clean was by him. He told me not to tell you unless you asked who cooked, so I did not tell you. I thought you would recognise his cooking. But you disappointed me.' The man huffed and shook his head.
Shrishti's eyes widened before she turned red. Oh dear. Behind her, the girls giggled. She gave them a sharp glare but that did nothing. She huffed and turned to Madhu Chachi. Atleast that lady would not embarrass her.
'This is Madhu Kaki. She has been working with us for years. She is the only one who goes home at evening. Both Uncles stay with us. We have another young maid but she is there to help Madhu Kaki and she comes only in mornings.'
Madhu Kaki greeted the girls before huffing. 'I told them many times that I can handle things. I don't need help.'
'You cannot. You have back issues.', Shrishti retorted. 'And what is wrong with us getting help? And it is not as if you will work here forever. Once your daughter graduated and got a job, she wants you to stay home and rest and visit us only when you miss us. You need to train the new maid before you leave.'
Kaki shook her head. 'I refuse to be burden on my Mini. And those days are far away. She is younger than you and you have not yet graduated. I have time and till then I will work here.' She patted Shrishti's head.
Shrishti giggled before telling her friends. 'Her daughter's name is Swara but I called her Mini as a kid because she loved to copy me. So I called her Mini Me and the name Mini stuck. She is the same age as one of my cousins actually.' That reminded her of Ishita, her cousin. She resisted the urge to groan. That girl would be coming to visit her soon and she would drag Shrishti everywhere and spend Pappa's money on frivolous things. Shrishti pushed that thought away. Ishita's yearly visit was far away, Shrishti mused. She should focus on her friends who were here right now.
Shrishti dragged Daljeet and Divya all over the house, skipping only her Pappa's bedroom, her Dadi's room and his study. She did not show her room either as that was kept for last. Her Pappa's study, her Dadi's room and her room were downstairs while all other bedrooms were on first floor including her Pappa's. Once the house was shown, she finally took them to her room. She showed them her wardrobe, her desk and they giggled over the childhood photos before ooing and aahing over her mother's large portrait right above Shrishti's bed.
Soon, Madhu Kaki brought over some snacks and they had fun time, chatting and eating in Shrishti's bedroom.
'By the way,', Daljeet began and the playfulness in her voice filled Shrishti with fear. Oh dear.
'..... what is going on between you and Raghav?'
'What? Me? Him? Nothing?' Shrishti shook her head.
Daljeet scoffed. 'Who are you fooling, girl? Miss Shrishti Rai! I was not born yesterday! And I have eyes. We both have eyes, right?' she looked to Divya who nodded vigorously. Daljeet continued, 'You and Raghav have something going on. You two seem very cozy today.'
Shrishti huffed. 'There is nothing between him and me. He is just a good friend.'
'You weren't so good friends when college was ongoing.' Daljeet was relentless.
Shrishti shook her head. 'We got closer during vacations. As you can see, we live next door. And I have been helping him with food tasting and all, so.....' she trailed off and shrugged.
Daljeet shook her head too. 'I refuse to believe it. I think there is something between you and him.' She huffed. 'Fine. I will let you go now. But I will get the truth out of you, by hook or by crook. If not today, then some other day.'
Shrishti rolled her eyes. 'Whatever!'
'By the way....', Divya spoke up, amusement clear in her eyes. 'What is going on between you and Arpit?' She looked at Daljeet gleefully. Shrishti's brows went up and she turned to look at Daljeet too.
She assumed Daljeet would be embarrassed or atleast shy or even refute the whole thing but the girl grinned brightly.
'We have been chatting.', she said in sing song voice.
'And?' Divya's brow went up now.
'I think he likes me.' Daljeet grinned brightly.
'Oh wow.' Divya blurted out. Shrishti was as stunned as Divya. She saw this coming and yet it surprised her. She knew they would get closer in the second year. But she did not think they were closer in first year in her last life. Infact, they never spoke before they met in sports committee in second year. Her eyes widened. Did her idea to bring them all together to study got them talking to each other earlier? Her eyes flickered to a giddy looking Daljeet and she grinned. If her actions of making a study group helped this duo get together sooner, then she was the most happiest. Atleast the guilt of pushing two would be lovers away in her last life would go away now.
'Congrats!', she exclaimed cheerfully. Divya echoed her, looking happy too.
Daljeet grinned. 'Thanks. I have a feeling we might start dating soon. I am going to have a boyfriend soon!' She wiggled in the place and the Shrishti and Divya laughed at her antics.
Daljeet then turned to look at Shrishti eagerly. 'Now that my secret is out, why don't you tell yours?'
Shrishti groaned. When will this interrogation stop?
An hour later, Daljeet left as she had to take a bus home and she did not want to travel in bus late. The girls came till the bus stop to drop her off. They asked her to message them the moment she reached home and Daljeet agreed. Once Daljeet left, Shrishti asked Divya if she was staying for a while or she needed to leave early too.
Divya shook her head. 'My dad is sending the family car. So I can stay another hour.'
Shrishti smiled and suggested going out for a walk. Divya agreed and they began to walk towards her society gates. Once inside the society, they began to walk the main road. Children on cycles passed by and Shrishti could not help but look at the cycles yearningly. She missed cycling, she realised.
'You miss it. You miss cycling.', Divya spoke up and Shrishti turned to look at her. Divya smiled but unlike Daljeet's all knowing smile that brought Shrishti's defences up, Divya's smile was full of compassion and Shrishti found herself spilling out things that she had kept locked up inside her.
'I miss cycling. I miss eating at Raghav's house. I miss Raghav.', she said desolately.
'Then why stop going?'
Shrishti shrugged. 'It evoked things in me that I did not want.'
'Ok.'
Divya fell silent and Shrishti raised her brows. That's it? That's all her friend is going to say?
When she voiced her question, Divya patted Shrishti's shoulder, 'I cannot say I understand what you are feeling. I never fell for anyone like you did for Sharad. And no one caused confusion in my life the Raghav seems to be doing in yours. And when I never faced what you faced, who am I to judge you or ask you questions or form an opinion or even advise you. And when you are have nothing to say, it is better to keep quiet.'
Shrishti could not help but side hug her friend for her silent support. This was what she needed, a listening ear. Shrishti had the urge to talk and talk she did.
'Raghav and I, it feels weird between us. Every time I spend time with him, I get to know him better. And as I get to know him, I start to like him more as a friend. He seems like a genuinely decent, kind hearted supportive guy and now.....', she hesitated before ploughing on, 'now my feelings seem to cross lines.'
'You developed a crush?', Divya's voice held no curiosity or accusation. She asked as plainly as one would ask about the weather.
Shrishti shook her head. 'This does not seem like crush. I have crushes before. As a kid, I had crushes before Sharad came barrelling into my life. But..... this seems different. I keep getting pulled towards him. He does make my heart flutter somedays and he does some days make me heart race too. So maybe there is a crush, who knows. But what I feel for him seems different as in have you heard of shama and parwana? The light flickering in the dark and the moth that keeps getting drawn towards the light! I feel like that moth. The moth is getting drawn to the light, not realising that too close shama will burn the parwana.' Shrishti could not help but imagine a moth getting close to the light lit up in lamps in evenings and burning away as the fire hits its body.
Shrishti was brought out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder. Shrishti blinked, coming back to reality. She was standing near the other end of the society compound with Divya next to her. It was Divya's hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her friend who looked at her sadly. 'You are crying.'
Shrishti in a daze touched her cheeks. There were tears. She wiped them with the back of her hand.
'I understand now.', Divya murmured. 'You are scared of getting obsessed again.'
Shrishti's eyes widened. 'I did not even realise that.'
Divya smiled. 'I may not understand feelings but I was good at reading and comprehension at school. I analysed your words the way I would a poetry during our exams.'
Shrishti's jaw dropped open before she burst out laughing.
'Did you seriously compare my problems to some exam paper?' Shrishti could not help but look at her friend incredulously.
Divya shrugged. She too was grinning. 'Hey! Atleast it helped.'
'Maybe I am scared of that.', Shrishti murmured once her laughter stopped. 'Who knows. But now my trouble is what to do?'
'Keep going, I say.'
'You want me to burn like a moth?'
'No, silly. You have already promised Raghav that you will be there for the lunch and the cycling session. So you cannot do anything about that. So hide your emotions and just keep going till college starts. Then the college life will keep us busy. Raghav has finished college, so you two won't be seeing each other much once college starts. That will help you.'
'How?'
'Simple. Either distance will make all those feelings go away. Or maybe it will put things into perspective and solve your problem.'
Shrishti bit her lip, thinking about what her friend said. They walked for a little longer, Shrishti lost in thoughts while Divya remained a silent support beside her. But soon, it was time for Divya to go. Daljeet had already reached home and had messaged them. Now it was Divya's turn to be told that she needed to message them once she reached home. Once Divya left, Shrishti went to her home and fell on her bed in her room. Her thoughts swirled about what Divya had said and she could not help but think that her friend gave her good advice. She would go with the flow, she decided. Then college will give her the distance from Raghav that she needed to stop getting drawn towards him. With the decision made, Shrishti got up and got dressed. She had a cycling session to attend!