Yash:-
After few months,
Sweat layered on my skin as I keep running on treadmill and legs are aching,but I didn't stop.I was in my gym at home.I wanted to let all the frustration from last few months out of my mind.I was really disappointed about my life now.Not one thing is going according to my plans.After graduation,I wanted to go New York and do my masters,but dad opposed it.And then I applied for a job in London.I even attended for a interview which turned into a disaster.I was so confident that I would get a job.But something went wrong.I didn't give my best there and I was completely depressed by this.
When I came to India,after attending the interview,I got more depressed by dad.I came to know he never like me to study this engineering.He always wanted me to took over business,but mom convinced him.He was not completely satisfied with this.But now again he was upset as I decided to do job under someone else.
I was hurt and went back to Jai and spent all these months with him.One week back,mom called me and asked me to come back here.So I had came yesterday and found all my things are covered with dust.I never like anyone to do my works and everyone let them in the same way I left.I cleaned all my things and came to gym to see same situation.After lunch I started cleaning and now it is evening.
I switched off the machine as I felt my legs gave up and sat on the bench.I popped out the cap of water bottle and poured water on my head, placing it back on table I shook my head and took my towel.My phone buzzed with a message as I swiped the water off my face.
I saw the notification.
Krithi:Are you coming,right?
I saw it for few seconds and I decided not to reply it.The name Krithi,only brings me the incident that I almost kissed her.Even though she said to forgot about it,I couldn't. It may be an accident,but a mistake is always a mistake,which I can't correct it.I still didn't know how I tried to kiss her.I told her countless times that I don't like these things and yet I felt an urge to kiss her. Thankfully,she understand me and even tried to make me feel calm,but I can't do that.That incident keep flashing in my mind every time I see her,talk with her.
So,I decided to stay away from her.I almost avoided her.But she never stopped talking with me.She keep calling me every day and I only talked about her studies.I had promised that I would help her and I continued to do that.Other than that,I didn't gave her a chance to talk about anything.
I didn't even told her that I am back to India,but Goutham did.So she planned for a get together.I said okay,but I didn't decided yet to go.I only saw her for three times after that incident and I don't want to see her.Our almost kiss is not only the reason,I know she might observed that I avoided and now I can't go and meet her like nothing happened.
The door of my gym got open and I turned back to see who is about to come and then he entered.
"Hello dude...whats up?"Goutham shouts echoed slightly around the room.I stood up and he hugged me.
"Hey,I am stinky."Saying I tried to push him away and in return he punched me on my stomach,which didn't effect me much.
"Come on.."I said taking my things and made my way back to my room and he followed me.
"I thought you are ready to go,but you are in gym."He asked on the way.I didn't replied him.I wanted to tell him that I am not interested,but I can't.
I took a fresh towel out off my closet to go for a shower after reaching my room.
"Come fast,Everyone are waiting there."He said lying on my bed on one elbow.I stayed silent.But why?I stood at the closet.
"What you are thinking?Go."He ordered and now I spoke up.
"I am not coming,you carry on."I declared finally and moved towards bathroom.
"What?But why?"He asked and he got nothing in reply.
"Yashwanth."He stopped me by placing his hand on my shoulder.I turned around to see him raising his eye brows ,expecting some thing,from me to speak and I opened my mouth.
"I don't want to come Goutham,I am not in mood..",Just then my mobile came into life.I passed him and went to pick up the call.I saw Krithi name flashing on screen.
"Hmm,now you will come along with me."He said from behind eyeing my mobile screen and I saw him narrowing my eyes.
"What made you think that I would change my decision?"I asked,placing the vibrating mobile aside.
"Krithi is calling you and I am sure you will listen to her."He said,with grin.I don't like it.I felt wrong about the way he is talking.
"Look,When I said that I am not interested,I am not.I won't listen to any one,even Krithi too.."I stated.He chuckled.
"What?"I roared.
"Nothing.."he said suppressing his laughs.I went to him and caught his shirt collar.I was so furious suddenly.
"Tell me why you are laughing?"
"If some one tells a joke,we usually laugh at it."He said removing my hands off his shirt.
"Joke??!!!"
"Yes.You said that you won't listen to Krithi,which is a joke,isn't it?"
I glared him.
"Why you are glaring me Yashwanth,there is no use of it.It is a fact that you are not accepting.I know it very clearly that you will surely listen to her."He stated.
"Why would I listen to her when I didn't even considering you."I barked.
"You really wanted to know that."He asked firmly.
"Yes!"I demanded.
"Because you never want her to get upset and you never want to see her sad.Do you know why,because you like her.It is not the way of liking your family or Jai or me.Your liking towards her is something different.That is why you'll listen to her."He said,"And one more thing which I don't understand is why your are afraid of showing this feeling and why you are not accepting this?"
I stayed silent.Me,liking Krithi?Did I really liked her?I thought it for a second.
"Speak up something."He stressed me.
"Goutham,what you said is not correct.I don't like the idea of thinking about me liking Krithi,then how can you conclude that I'm liking her,that too in a different way?"
He gave a dry smile now."Okay,I can't speak anything if you say so.I don't want to stress about this any more.But one day Yashwanth,you are going to realize it.But Krithi will be so far away from you.So far that you can't reach her."
"Will you shut up?"
"Yeah!As a friend I said what I have to and I am dropping this topic.Are you coming now or not?"
"I won't change my decisions so easily.I.am.not.coming.That's it."I stated and he left without saying anything.
----------------
Next day,
My mind doesn't seem to settle down.The discussion with Goutham is disturbing me.I don't want to think about his meaning less comments,yet I can't shut my mind off.
One question,which is annoying me more is,what if Krithi is thinking the same about me?
I know that she won't take my actions in a wrong way.I gave her clear opinion of me about relations and she knows about me very well.But after speaking to Goutham,I started doubting about her thoughts about me,especially after my attempt of kissing her.So I decided to clarify it and asked her to meet me.We decided to meet in a cafe,which is suggested by her.
I am waiting for her from past 10 minutes at the back of her apartment in my car.The car which witnessed our almost kiss.
I saw her coming,in her dark yellow sleeveless plain shirt paired with white striped black skirt which ended just below her knees.She looks so happy.Smile is plastered all over her face.As she came near my car,I rolled down the window and waved her.Waving back to me and she walked to the other side of car and got into it.
"Heyy!"She exclaimed once she adjusted in her seat.
"Hii!Uh..seat belt."I pointed and I drove the car into streets.
"So..how are you?"She asked looking into my face while I concentrated on road.
"Good."I gave a small reply and I expected her to ramble something as she always do,but silence filled instead of words.I saw her for a moment thinking why she isn't talking and caught her smiling.Actually,she was trying to suppress her smile.
"Hey!Why you are smiling?"I asked,shifting my glances from Krithi to road.
"Umm...."She was biting her lower lip,"Nothing important,Just about other matters.."She said scratching the back of her neck.I didn't pry any more.
"How is your brother?"She asked after few seconds.
"Jai..always happy and peaceful.So he is always good."I said.
After that,we didn't talk and within minutes,We stopped in front of a building.
"Is this the place?"I asked looking out through her window and she nodded her head.I parked my car in lot and went inside.
"Seems like many floors,do you know where the cafe is located?"I asked looking around.
"Yep!Upstairs.Last floor."She replied and we made our way to the cafe.
The place was cozy and it is and open area cafe.
"Nice."She mumbled scanning around.
"Yeah."I agreed,"So where do you want to sit?"I saw many tables are unoccupied.
"Right that corner."She answered and walked to the table.We sat at the corner table beside the railing.
Once we seated,a waiter came and gave us menu cards.She scanned it for few minutes and looked up to him.
"Grilled sandwich and cheesecake pie along with coke."she ordered and the waiter turned to me.I didn't yet decided what to eat since I came with another purpose.
"Get me the same."He noted and about to leave,I called him,"Get me a burger instead of sandwich."I said and he left.
"You are looking confused!"She stated with her happy face.I just smiled in reply,but she didn't care about what I am doing as she sat back an looked outside.It is start of summer,yet today is cloudy.
Soon our orders came and she dig in instantly.She moaned as she took a bite of her sandwich and my eyes locked at her lips,but I looked away in the next minute.Why I am still waiting to ask her?
"Wanted to talk something?"She looked over her sandwich.
"Yes."
"We can talk while eating,there is no problem."She said making me confused,"You didn't yet touched your food."
Smiling lightly,I started to eat and she keep talking about all the things happen in last few months.
"....That's it.Goutham got caught by Nisha.You should see his face at that time."She laughed speaking about some incident,I too joined her.
"Didn't he told you about this?"She questioned while taking fork to eat her pie.
"No..we barely talked all these months."I said dryly focus on my food.
"Why?Any problem with him?"
I was slightly surprised at her question,but I replied."No problem with him,just dealing with other stuff."
"But yesterday he doesn't look good.He said that he was not happy with you."
"What else he told?"I asked,suddenly curious.Did he babble all the things which he said to me?
"He said you are not like you and even got ready to fight with him."She said stuffing her mouth with cake.
"About that....I wanted to talk Krithi."I said.
"Speak up."Her fork sliced another piece of cake and she is taking it to her mouth.
"What is our relation Krithi?"Her fork stopped in mid way.
Relation?!!"She bewildered keeping the thing in her hand on plate and placing her hands on table.
"Yes.What are we?"I asked again.
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Krithi P.O.V:-
I was so anxious that whether he is showing up or not.So I texted him,but I didn't get any reply.I waited for few minutes and threw my mobile beside on the carpet,I had sat.
"Looks frustrated."Anu,who sat on the couch beside me asked.
"Yashwanth didn't replied you.correct?"Deepak who sat opposite to me stated.
"Hey Krithi,Goutham just texted me that he is at Yashwanth's and both are coming here."Nisha said showing me text in her mobile.Why didn't he replying me?I was so sick of all his activities.He was purposefully keeping me aside.Last night,I begged him to meet me.He said he will come,but I had doubted it.I still have feeling that he won't show up now.
"He is coming,change that expression."Akhil said handing me a cup of coffee,the thing I needed much.
"I'll change once he come up here."I said and sipped coffee.I closed my eyes to get relax and enjoy the coffee,but I just couldn't since I am doubting he won't come.I laid my head back on couch placing the cup beside me.Just then ,I heard the front door opened making me sit straight.I looked up to see Goutham and....only Goutham.I got up and looked at door,but no one is there.
"Hey Guys!"He greeted everyone and went to Nisha for a hug.
I kept looking at door expecting Yash.
"Hii"I heard Deepu's voice.
"Don't look at door,he isn't coming."I turned to Goutham and concluded that my doubt turned true.
"Hmm.I know."I said,completely disappointed.
"Did he told you?"He asked totally confused.
"No.But I thought he won't come since he didn't text me back."I said,"But why he is doing this?"......'Avoiding me?!'
"I asked him to come Krithi,he said he wasn't in mood."
"People meet friends when they are not in mood."Akhil mumbled sitting on couch.
"Why can't you convince him?"Nisha asked Goutham.
"I tried hard baby,he just isn't listening to me."He answered.
"Hey leave it."I announced,"I don't want to discuss about him."
It is painful.I was so excited to see him after many months.I wanted to talk with him,share every non-sense things happening over here and I wanted to ask him why he was avoiding me.I just wanted to be with him,but he trashed all the excitement.Is he in a problem or trouble?then he can share with me.Why I am here then?
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked to see Goutham.
"Don't feel sad."
"How can I?"I whispered.
"Is there any problem he can't solve?"Akhil asked,but Goutham saw me instead of answering.I looked away.I now understood,he didn't yet forgotten of that incident.He has a problem that is me.I didn't say about that to anyone and he too did same with Goutham.
"Is Krithi is his problem?"Anu asked connecting the dots.
"I think so.Because he reacted in a weird way when you called him."
I inhaled deeply.
"But I gave him a hint about you Krithi.We can't keep playing all the time.So I talked about you.I can't say that he understand what I said,but still I told what I needed to."
"What he said then?"Deepu asked.
"To get out."He said,"But I am slightly confident that he will react in a way we wanted."
"Hmm.Lets see what will happen."I said.
Later that night,My phone rang when we are having our dinner.I stopped eating and went to see my mobile.I felt elated as he was calling me.
"Hello."My voice was so happy.
"Hey.Busy?"His vice was hard.
"No.."I said instantly,"How ar..."
"Shall we meet tomorrow?"He asked with out listening me.I was startled.Till this moment I feared that Goutham messed up things,but no.Yash himself calling me after many days and asking me to come out,I did a happy dance inside.
"Sure.Anything important."
"Very important.Can we meet at Vinny's?"
"No,I have a place.I will send you location."
"Okay.Evening at 5."
"Fine.Good night."He cut the call without replying me.My body got the energy.
-------
I saw him rolling his car's window down and waved me.With a huge smile plastered my face,I got into car.He sped off.
"So..how are you?"I asked looking into his attractive face while he is focusing on road.
"Good."A single word reply came.
I wanted to ask him why he didn't came yesterday but controlled myself.May be he wanted to meet me personally.A grin caught up my lips,soon turned to smile.I don't want him to see me smiling and started suppressing it.But it never left my face.
"Hey!Why you are smiling?"He asked,shifting his glances from me to road.
"Umm...."I bite my lower lip,"Nothing important,Just about other matters.."I scratched the back of my neck.Thankfully,he didn't say anything.
After reaching cafe,we got our orders with in few minutes and I started eating.I am enjoying every thing, even enjoying the traffic of Mumbai.Suddenly everyone are looking so happy and peaceful.
I started saying all the things which happened here and saw him not interest about all this.So I tried to bring up the topic about yesterday and about Goutham.Then he said he wanted to talk.
"Speak up."Fork in my hand sliced another piece of cake and I ate it.
"What is our relation Krithi?"My fork stopped in mid way.
"Relation?!!"I was startled by his sudden question.Actually I know there will be discussion about this but I had thought that he might get uncomfortable talking about this,but he didn't hesitating.
"Yes.What are we?"He asked again.
As he keep asking me this,I was getting nervous.My lips went dry and licked to wet them.His eyes only focused on my face and I was even more tensed.I should have prepared for it when I knew about this before.Out of excitement I didn't think much about it and now I was at lose of words.
"Why suddenly yo...you are ask...asking me?"I stuttered.God!Why I am stuttering?Am I really such nervous?
"You seem nervous?"He smiled lightly easing me some what.
"I am not nervous actually,Just uncomfortable."I managed to speak and sat back,away from table and food.
"I am nervous."He made a face,"But I'll talk.I have about talk about it.I just wanted to know about us now Krithi.I can't keep this confusion in my mind any more."He paused and I am curious about his next words.
"Yesterday Goutham blabbered about us.What he wanted to convey is that I like you more than a friend."
"More than a friend?"I asked casually not making him more nervous.
"Yes.Since then I am thinking about you."
"Okay.."Speak up Yashwanth,Say something that is near to my expectation.Say at least that you like me.
"I then realised....."My mind already thinking about our marriage."......that I liked you....."
I really tried hard to suppress my happiness.The moment I pried all these years finally came.
"... as my friend."
A bucket of chilled water got splashed at my face.Friend?!!!
"Huh?"I said to clarify whether I listened it correctly or not.
"I like you the way I like my parents,Goutham andJai.There is nothing special about you as Goutham described."
I can feel wetness in my eyes but I suppressed them instantly.I wanted to listen him completely.
"Why you are telling me this now?"I asked in low voice.
"I don't want our friendship get spoiled because of some stupid assumptions.I don't want anyone to think something is happening between us."He said.I looked away from him.
"And another thing is that I have an image of good person to you.You always think me as your well wisher.I can't break that trust.I was afraid that you will think of me in that wrong way if you listen to those comments.I am already feeling guilty that I had misbehaved with you.I don't want another issue to get regret."
I really wanted to cry,but I controlled.I blinked my eyes few times to stop my tears.He is still regretting about that small incident.How much I tried to change him,he will remain same.He is completely dumb and that is why he didn't notice my actions.How can he thinks that he is just a well wisher and friend in my life.I am just a fool to think that he is going to propose me.I inhaled deeply and spoke up.
"Is this the matter or do you want to tell more?"
"Nothing more.Just this."
"Okay,I never think of you in bad way Yash.Even when some one tells me these kind of rumors,I won't listen to them and I too don't want to spoil our relation."
He smiled heart fully for the first time this day.
"I knew you would understand.That idiot didn't listened to me at all.You know I was so raged yesterday as he exceed the limit."
"So you fought with him?"I asked.
"No..I mean almost."
"Don't loose him over me.Its nothing to get into a fight.Did you talk with him?"
"No,I was so nervous that I can't even eat anything since morning and I can't think about talking with him."He said..."You know ,I thought you will be reacted in the same way I did yesterday,freaking out or something in that way,but you are cool."He chuckled.He was happy now,care free.I like to see him in this way,my heart get skipped every time I saw him smiling.But now it is crying.
"Hey,why you are not eating?"He asked showing me the cake.I broke my gaze from his face to my plate.I lost my appetite.
"I don't want to eat.I am full."
"Okay.....Shall we leave then?"He asked picking up a tissue.
"Hmm."
We came to his car after few minutes and the ride is silent and very uncomfortable.My mood is completely changed and now he is so joyful.I never think that he will take a small comment so seriously,even though I don't know what Goutham had told him,I can guess it is not a big thing to get depress about it.He keep talking about his brother through out the drive,which I am not concentrating.I wanted to take out this sad feeling.I hate it that I can't cry in front of him with this reason and at the same time I can't smile to his stories.I needed some time away from him.
"Stop."I said without thinking.He stopped the car abruptly at the side of road in the middle of traffic.
"Why?"
"I wanted to go some where.I will get down here."I said adjusting my bag on my shoulder.
"I'll drop you there."He offered.
"No..I'll go alone.Umm...Rithu is waiting for me..in spa next street."I said and got down without giving him a chance to speak.I bend to bid him a good bye.
"Hey,I don't know any spa here."He looked uncertain.
"New one.Bye."I said and left.My tears made their way happily.