♪♫ So gayi hain ye saansein sabhi
Adhoori si hai kahaani meri
Phisal jaayein bhi to darr na koi
Ruk jaane ki zaroorat nahi
Kaagaz ke parde hain
Taale hain darwazon pe
Paani mein doobe huye
Khwab alfazon ke
Kho gaye hum kahan
Rango sa ye jahan...♪♫
____________________
"So, how is your pretty neighbour doing?"
Neil glared at Ishan—his childhood friend—but answered nonetheless. "Maybe busy planning how to kill me in my sleep."
Ishan chuckled.
They were in Neil's apartment. Both finally got some time from their busy lives and decided to meet. Why Ishan had decided to bring up Evara was beyond him.
"It's been two years, man. Why are you still rooting for her? Move on, there are a lot of other women who'd kill to be with you."
"What if I had said the same for Harshi?" Ishan had always been in love with Harshi since his school days who's his wife now but initially, she didn't bother with him. Their story started when Harshi also developed feelings for him after spending a lot of time together on a school project. Now, they are happily married.
"Harshi is different. She at least didn't hate me." Ishan stated. "But seriously man, why her? Why not go for someone who doesn't hate you?"
"Why anyone else when she exists?" he answered. "I like her and that's all I know."
"You are a lost cause!" he shook his head at his hopeless friend and exclaimed.
"No, I just need to find a way to convey my feelings for her."
"You acting like you hate her wouldn't help you."
"I hate her but I don't hate her. If that makes sense." When he realised that Ishan didn't get him, he decided to elaborate. "I hate how I'm always thinking about her, it doesn't let me focus. I hate that every simple small thing reminds me of her but I can't do anything about it. The worst part? I might be pretending but she isn't. She hates me, for real, and I can't stand it."
"Well, she's literally in the other apartment. Why don't you just go and tell her?" Ishan suggested.
"So she could strangle me to death? No, thanks! I'd like to live. At least then I could see her, admire her from afar."
"See! Hopeless!" Ishan shook his head as if he was disappointed. "You sit here comfortably and someone else would come to sweep your heroine off her feet. The next thing you know; you would be sulking in her wedding. That too, if she invited you, which by the way, seems highly impossible."
This angered him. A strange surge of rage and jealousy filled him as he thought of her with someone else.
"That won't happen!"
"Are you sure? Because I'm sure she is not waiting for you to work up enough guts to tell her the truth. Either you do something or someone else will."
He knew she was home as he had shared the elevator with her and her friend when he came home from work so, Neil stood up, ready to go to her door and tell her everything. Repercussions be damned, at least he won't regret the fact that he didn't even get to tell her the truth.
◀▩▶
In Evara's apartment, Sameera and Evara were sitting in the living room after just sharing the elevator with Neil. All four friends had decided to spend some time together. Unfortunately, Yuvraj had cancelled as something came up while Aman was running late.
"His eyes are so beautiful," Sameera stated.
"Who are you talking about?" Evara asked as she handed Sameera a glass of water and settled beside her.
"Neil, who else? He has such dreamy eyes." Sameera had a dreamy look on her face.
"Sam, you're married! And I hate those stupid eyes!" she rolled her eyes and exclaimed.
"I know and I love my husband very much but do you know what I think, Eva?" Sameera asked and answered the question herself. "I think you feel the exact opposite when it comes to his stupid eyes."
"That's not true!"
"Lie all you want, Eva. Just stop lying to yourself. You like him."
"I don't!" she was interrupted by a call.
She attended the call and informed Sameera that an urgent meeting had come up.
Aman arrived but till then Evara had already left for her room for the meeting and Sameera informed Aman about the same.
"Do you think she hates him?" Aman asked Sameera. Even though he knew Evara, he still wanted to know what Sameera thought.
"No, I think she likes him but for some reason, she's not accepting that," Sameera replied.
Aman nodded slowly. "He makes her feel things that she had decided to not feel ever again. That's why she tries to hate him."
"So, what now?"
"Now, it's time for her to let her guard down and make space for happiness." Aman smiled which was reciprocated by Sameera.
"Seriously, guys? I went for 20 minutes you are discussing my life?" Evara had listened to half of their conversation. "Guys, please! Let me be. I'm happy the way I am."
"Really?" Aman asked. "Because I remember a girl who was a hopeless romantic. She wanted a love that consumed her. She wanted a partner who would take care of her inner child, keep her safe, and happy, and would let her shine. Where is that girl, Evara?"
"She was naïve, she didn't know how the world works and now she's gone. She's never coming back." Evara replied. She also noticed Sameera walking away to the kitchen.
"You still can't lie to save your life." He chuckled. "She's is still there somewhere; you've just locked her away so she won't get hurt again."
"You don't get it!"
He went near her and put both his hands on her shoulders, so she wouldn't face away from him. "I do! I do get it, Eva, and I understand. But you also need to understand that it's okay to start over and let someone else love you."
"He doesn't love me. He hates me."
"I never said I was talking about Neil."
"Uhh—" she tried to come up with something but failed.
Aman smiled gently. "Maybe not love but take it from the guy who once loved you—he doesn't hate you, Eva. He does not hate you."
Her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I don't know what to do."
"Then don't. Don't do anything. Don't stop your heart from feeling again. Let yourself feel."
She stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his torso, and hugged him. He hugged her back, letting her cry her sorrows away.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang and they pulled apart.
"Are you expecting someone?" Aman asked.
She shook her head no and went to see who was at the door. She opened the door to see the reason for her mixed emotions.
"What do you want, Neil?" she asked.
"You."
"What?" she gave him an incredulous look. "Are you out of your mind?"
"Yes, maybe I'm out of my mind because I want to hate you but I can't." With an exasperated sigh, he admitted. "I can't keep pretending to hate you anymore!"
To say Evara was shocked would be an understatement. If she didn't just have a talk with Aman, she would have laughed at Neil. She would have thought of this as a sick joke but she could see the desperation in his eyes and Aman's words echoed in her head.
It's okay to start over and let someone else love you
"What is it that you're asking, Neil?" she asked, a hint of amusement evident in her voice.
"Seriously? You're gonna make me do this now?" He sighed when she nodded in the answer. "Evara, I like you and find you intriguing and I would like to know you better. Would you give me a chance?"
She pretended to think. "Aren't you forgetting the magic word?"
His nose flared and he looked up at the ceiling; probably rethinking his life choices. Then put up a sickly sweet smile on his face. "Please?"
She bit her lower lip to stop herself from smiling and took a deep breath as if this was an inconvenience for her. "Fine! But just so you know, I'm very high maintenance."
"It's alright! I'd like to maintain you." this time his smile was genuine.
"Did you just quote Chandler Bing?" she grinned.
"I did." He scratched the back of his head which she found cute and that's how she knew, she was in deep shit.