Chapter 5:
Like Good Old Times
Vihaan's P. O. V
"Great game!" Ansh said giving me a brotherly hug and then we performed our little signature handshake. We have been practicing for past couple of weeks and our hard work has finally paid off. My eyes went into audience. Unknowingly, I was searching for her and to my luck she was there. Standing in the front row with Ritika.
"What are you smiling at?" Ansh asked me making me realize that I was smiling like a fool at the thought of her. I shook my head and replied, "Nothing!"
He then looked into the direction where I was gazing earlier, "Oh look! It's Ritika and Ayesha."
The girls approached us. I hugged Ritika. I have missed her so much while she was away in Sydney. She is my only girl best friend. We have known each other since kindergarten. We three have been with each other through thick and thin. Ansh and I are simply incomplete without Ritika.
"Vihaan, you were great as usual and Ansh, since when did you played so well?" she teased Ansh. These two are simply so cute together. Ansh was so obvious about his feelings for Ritika. He has liked her since we were in sixth grade.
"And you bastard! You didn't even meet me when I came from Sydney." she said rolling her eyes at me. I chuckled and hugged her, "Oh! I missed you too."
"Whatever!" she replied and then started talking to Ansh as they were making plans for later in the evening. I never indulged in their plan making session because whenever we planned something huge, it never happens. We always end up having beer and chilling at Ritika's house. I saw Ayesha standing behind them looking at us.
"So how was I?" I asked approaching her.
"You were good." She replied casually.
"Only good? Come on! I saw you were looking at me. Moreover drooling over me." I teased her.
She looked at me and scoffed, "You wish!"
We then decided to meet in the canteen for discussing the presentation. She was acting kind of strange or maybe I am reading too much into it. I went to the locker room and took a nice shower. I got changed into fresh pair of clothes. The classes for the day were over and now after discussing about project I plan on going home and sleep. Today was quite an exhausting day and I can't wait to lie down on my bed.
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When I reached the canteen, I saw a girl talking to Ayesha. I had never seen that girl around here before. Something about her was strange. It seemed like she has a façade masked all over her. I went a little closer and heard her saying, "I am here for you. You left me and now I am back, best friend. We will have so much fun together. Just like old times."
I do not like her tone and I could see she was making Ayesha uncomfortable which made me sure that she is no friend. Whoever she is, she needs to watch her tone. They knew each other but I doubt if she was really her friend. Seeing Ayesha helpless I decided to interrupt them, "Am I disturbing something?"
The girl looked at me with a smirk and tried small talk with me. She claimed her name Shreya but I was least interested in her. When she left from there I saw Ayesha's expressions were blank. As if she wanted to speak a lot but couldn't say anything. Many questions raised in my mind about this girl. She attires herself in a nerdy way and sometimes acts cocky and sometimes plays dumb. Her eyes look like they have a huge secret hidden.
She is definitely not what she looks like. And I need to find it out.
"So shall we begin with the work?" I prompted.
"Yeah sure! This the list of the topics which I have thought about. You could just go through and we will start working on it as soon as possible." she said in hurry.
"Okay." I took list from her hand and started reading it.
"Vihaan I think I should leave. I am not feeling well" she said in quivering voice and left before I could speak anything.
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My mind was completely occupied by the events that happened in the canteen. Who is that girl? Is her name really Shreya? What is her relationship with Ayesha? Why Shreya affects her so much? What is that Ayesha hiding from us?
When I reached home, I saw mom was sitting on the couch and was talking on phone with someone. She called me out extending the phone towards me, "Vihaan, come here. Your dad wants to talk with you." I got annoyed. I hated him because he never cared for our family. His business was always important for him. He never treated my mom nicely and never gave her the status of a wife. He was absent as not only a husband but also as a father.
Seeing her pleading eyes, I took the phone.
"Hello!" he said on the other end.
"What a pleasure Mr. Oberoi, you finally got time?" I replied sarcastically.
"Vihaan, I am your dad. You better start calling me that!" he said annoyingly. I just rolled my eyes. "Have you fulfilled any duty that a dad does Mr. Oberoi?"
He sighed heavily and ignored my comment, "Have you thought about your decision once again?" he asked.
"It will be the same. I am not joining your business Mr. Oberoi." I replied
"Whether you like it or not, this is our family business and sometime in your future you have to take over my position. For that purpose, you need to start your training in the senior year itself. So that when you complete your under graduation, you will ready to become the CEO." he said pursuing me.
"I think I was clear with my words. I will not be joining your stupid business." I said sternly.
"And what will you do when you complete your education? Play basketball in the streets? Will that make you money? Or are you planning on living on my riches for the rest of your life?" he asked me. I could sense his anger growing.
I sighed and replied, "Whatever I do, I will not be begging money from you. Not that it concerns you but I will start my own startup."
"Heir of Oberois will start his own startup? You already have an established business here. I am grinding my ass off for you and our family. I don't know what to do with you anymore Vihaan."
He then hung up the phone angrily. I was so furious that I stomped to my room slamming the door. I could hear mom screaming my name, but I just ignored. I didn't want to hurt her but this man is impossible. He has always been selfish and a typical business minded person who doesn't care about his family. I remember when I was twelve, we were at a business function. He mistreated my mom badly in front of everyone. Even on their fifteenth anniversary he was not with mom. I have seen her waiting for him whole night but he never came. When I was in 8th grade I had a huge basketball tournament. I waited for him till the match end, but he never came. He was never there with us. And now he wants me to join his fucking business! He never appreciated my dreams and always tried to force his decisions on me and my mother. I was done with him.
I felt my body heating up and I aggressively threw the vase that was on the table. My mind was in several places and I hated my dad for being such an arrogant jerk.
Then I saw my phone beeping, it was call from Ritika.
"Hello" I picked it up. I tried sounding calm.
"Where are you idiot? Ansh and I are waiting for you since an hour. Don't tell me you already forgot!" Ritika shouted at the other end. I looked at my calendar. We were supposed to hang out at Ritika's house today. I forgot and Ritika is going to kill me! She has always been a drama queen in our small group. But that's what I like about her. She is always full of energy.
"Oh God my ear drums will blast! Stop shouting. I am on my way." I said lying to her.
"I want you here in ten minutes." She snapped at me.
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When I reached there, Ritika opened the door for me. As I entered into her apartment, I saw Ansh in the kitchen making drinks for us.
Ritika's parents are doctors, so they are usually at their job and right now they were on some sort of medical tour as a part of campaign held by government. Ritika owned her own apartment. We three have always been together since nursery. Actually initially it was only me and Ansh. We are like brothers from different mothers. He has always been at my side. He is opposite of me, and never likes to date any random girl. Though a lot of girls chase after him, he has his own picture of a perfect partner.
Ritika had always been friendly, beautiful and attractive girl. Her bubbly nature just adds to her beauty. I have seen her doing craziest things ever. On her 14th birthday, when the other day she had to leave for Sydney, we three spent the whole day and night doing crazy things. When I think of us three together, it feels surreal and yet here we are with almost fourteen years of friendship. We three share a special bond with each other. We used to spend nights talking about our stuffs, drinking, enjoying and hanging out with each other. Today we are doing the same, hanging out at Ritika's place.
"Thank you for coming early sir." Ritika welcomed me sarcastically. I gave her one of my sorry looks and Ritika being her ignored it. Her attention instead went to my hand which had turned red and was swollen. "What happened to your hand?" she asked holding my right hand.
"Ouch that hurts!" This might have happened when I was angrily throwing things around in my room. "I will bring the first aid kit." Ritika said going to her room.
Ansh gave me a what-have- you- done- now look while coming out of the kitchen with drinks and nachos. "Come on! You can tell your story in the balcony." he called us heading towards the balcony.
As we sat down, I told them about the incidents that took place at canteen and home. The both were listening to me intently and then Ritika said, "You haven't changed at all Vihaan. Like always you are overthinking it." I looked at her confusingly. She continued, "About the Ayesha incident, I am sure you are just overthinking it. Maybe she is actually friend of hers. Or she is a bully from Ayesha's past. You don't know her side of story and whatever that has happened, it is not the reason to judge her and assume things which are not even close to truth."
"Exactly!" Ansh replied and continued, "I agree with Ritika. And about your dad, I have told you this hundred times before, he cares about you but his way of expression is different. He will come around and you need start talking to him like a mature person to sort out the father-son issues." Ritika nodded agreeing with Ansh. I sighed and thought about what they said.
"Now come on! It's not a sad night. After such a long time we three are here hanging out and it's all about celebration. Tonight we trio will celebrate it like good old times!" he said excitingly raising a beer glass. Ritika and I chuckled as we clinked our glasses in 'cheers'.
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TO BE CONTINUED...