"Yeah baba.. Coming.. Coming.."
told Pragya on her phone...
She was inside a lift and every one else inside the lift gave her a weird look seeing her in a hurry...
Pragya forced a smile on her face to avoid embarrassment... Finally, to her relief, the lift reached the ground floor...
Pragya rushed to the dining hall to see Abhi there with all her other friends...
She rushed to the table and kept her mobile and wallet on the table...
When she was about to take her seat,
"Always late... Can't you be on time, at least once??"
asked Abhi to much of Pragya's irritation...
With Abhi's words, everyone at the table was alarmed of the storm coming soon.. Disha was the first one to identify it, and she broke Abhigya's conversation...
"Pragya... You go and get your food... The desserts are going to get over soon.."
With the word dessert, Pragya forgot every other thing and rushed to get her food...
"Phew... Thoughtful work, Disha... If not a world war would have started in this table.."
told Vin giggling at Abhi, while what he got in return from Abhi is a glare telling,
"Come out Bro... You are going to be dead today.."
Disha and others at the table, laughed seeing Vin's frightened expressions... By then Pragya reached their table and took her seat...
"Sorry, Guyz... That rolling globe caught me and pushed me into the meeting room... Though I don't have anything to do with that meeting, I was forced to sit there.."
"Then how did you come out, Pragya??? To the best of my knowledge, that meeting is for an hour, and you came within 15 minutes.."
asked Bulbul with confusion...
"She would have dramatically told that she is feeling nauseous... Her rolling globe is the only one against her in her team... The rest of the team members would have helped her by joining the act and would have sent her out... She is their team's ladli right..",
told Abhi without even looking at Pragya...
Disha, Vin, Bulbul, Purab, Arjun, and Maya all had their mouths shaped to a big O... Pragya looked at them as if nothing happened...
"What Guyz?? Come on... The food is getting cold... Eat soon.."
told Pragya least bothered about their shock... Bulbul was about to open her mouth again but got stopped by Pragya...
"Now what?? Yeah... He told it right... I pretended to feel nauseous and my other team members helped me with escaping... And Mr.Abhi, for your kind information, he is not "my rolling globe"... He is no one's rolling globe... But there are chances for him being yours.."
told Pragya breaking into laughter... Abhi felt choked after hearing Pragya's last sentence... He has started coughing badly and his eyes got tears eventually...
All the while Pragya who was laughing at him seeing tears in his eyes, got up from her seat, patted his back, gave him some water, wiped his tears and made sure he is fine... She quickly mumbled a sorry in his ears and got back to her seat...
Purab who was being a silent spectator all the while asked,
"Guyz... We are your friends... Just tell us the truth... Are you both in love with each other?? Abhi understands you very well than us, Pragya... And Pragya can understand you very well than us, Abhi... And there has never been a single day on which you both didn't fight at least once... But what we see in your fight is love... Unconditional love for each other..."
completed Purab with fear on one side, worried about their anger and with relief on another side for voicing out his doubt at last today... Pragya smiled at Purab...
"I guess everyone has the same doubt.."
Stated Pragya...
All nodded their head in unison, while Abhi too smiled at their friend's confusion...
"Guyz.. yeah.. we love each other.. we love each other unconditionally.. we will get angry at each other.. we will hit each other.. we will fight with each other.. But.. we will always
love each other.. I can't bear a single tear from his eyes... And he can't bear a slight sadness in my face.. we will trouble each other.. but if someone else tries to trouble us, we will be troubling them back together.. hey na abhi.."
completed Pragya...
"Now also you are troubling them... Mad girl!! yeah.. we love each other.. but as friends... I don't know if my Sona can understand me like Pragya nor her Ishaan can understand her like me... Yeah, guyz... I'm still in a relationship with Sona... Even Pragya and Sonakshi have talked to each other.. And Pragya is getting married to Ishaan soon.. We thought not to tell all these earlier, but since you people, our close friends, themselves have got a doubt on us like this, it's time to reveal... I don't know who is Pragya before she came to this office... But we really have no idea about how our friendship bloomed and how we became understanding to this extent... Whatever changes may destiny push in our lives, we will be always friends.."
told Abhi with a smile...
Pragya had a layer of happy tears on her eyes, to have an understanding friend like him... The day went super cool for them and their friendship was always lively and colorful between them...
Two months passed...
All of a sudden, Abhi didn't turn up to the office continuously for two days... Even his phone was switched off...
Everyone was scared of Abhi's sudden disappearance... But Pragya was the one who was scared to hell... She remembered Abhi having a problem with Sonakshi recently, and he was very much disturbed because of it...
What if Sonakshi could be a reason?? These thoughts clouded her mind... But she also believed that it's their personal thing which involves Sonakshi also, and she is not supposed to poke her nose in it...
If it is totally about Abhi, then she would have taken her right of involving in it... Since the matter involved Sonakshi, she kept silent... She wished to enquire about Abhi to Sonakshi, but she didn't have Sonakshi's contact...
Two days passed... It was the third day, and Abhi didn't come to the office... Pragya decided to go to his house and check on him.. Purab offered to join Pragya but at the last moment, he got trapped in some meeting, and he could not join her.. Pragya started to his house with many thoughts clouding her mind... At last, she reached his house...
Abhi lives alone in his house, while his family live in a nearby city... She went near the door and found it locked... She pressed the calling bell switch, but to her bad luck, there was a power cut in his area and the calling bell didn't work...
She had a faint knowledge of Abhi keeping his house's spare key in a secret place... To her luck, the key was there and Pragya opened the house... She went inside to find the house all dark... She switched on the lights to find the house in a total mess... She took baby steps to the bedroom, fearing about Abhi's state...
Abhi was sitting lost in the dark... She switched on the lights... Abhi was unable to bear the sudden brightness, and he closed his eyes immediately... Pragya rushed to him seeing his pathetic state...
"What's wrong with you?? Why are you sitting like this??"
Asked Pragya shaking his shoulders... Abhi pushed her hands and turned to the other side.. Pragya turned him to face her and called his name...
Abhi hugged Pragya tightly and started crying like a child... Between his tears, he told what is bothering him...
Sonakshi asked Abhi to marry her immediately... But Abhi told her that he is not ready to marry her secretly as he always wished to get married with both of their parents' approval... Sonakshi told him that, her parents are searching for a groom for her, and they are planning to get her married off in a month since her kundali has some problems... Abhi told that he will come and talk to her parents... But Sonakshi denied and asked him to marry her immediately or forget her for his lifetime... Abhi tried explaining to her the situation but Sonakshi was very stubborn... Without putting Sonakshi's words in his ears, Abhi went to Sonakshi's parents to talk about their love... But the ultimate shock for Abhi was that Sonakshi denied loving Abhi fearing for her dad's anger... Though Abhi was much angry with her, he knew how much her dad means for her, and called her later... But Abhi got the worst blow of his life...
Sonakshi told him, "Sorry, Abhi... It's like either I have to choose you or dad... Earlier I pressured you to marry me secretly believing that you won't agree to it and will lose hope in me eventually... But I didn't expect you to come, and talk to my parents... I can't leave my dad for you Abhi... He is having lot of trust and hopes in me... You can ask me if I don't know all these earlier... Yeah... I knew all this... But somewhere I believed I could make him understand... But recently when my cousin eloped with her boyfriend, my dad and family declared openly that she is dead for them and no one in the family must have contact with her... Apart from all this, my dad had a mild-attack since he considered my cousin as his own daughter... If this is the case with my cousin, then with me it would definitely cost his life... So, I am sorry, Abhi... You will definitely get a nice girl... Move on... You will definitely lead a happy life.."
Abhi tried a lot to convince Sonakshi, but all went in vain... And Sonakshi has got married two days back...
Abhi cried on Pragya's shoulders and later passed out since he didn't have any food... Pragya with much difficulty laid him on the bed and sprinkled some water on his face... Abhi was about to protest but Pragya was stubborn and made him drink some water and have some biscuits...
Little later,
"Pragya if you don't mind, can I lay my head on your lap?? I just want to forget everything... I don't know how to.. Will you help me??"
asked Abhi with tears...
Pragya who never saw her friend in this pathetic state agreed to him and stroked his hairs...
Within minutes Abhi fell into a deep sleep... Pragya checked with Purab if he is free and asked him to come to Abhi's house... She explained the situation to Purab and asked him to stay with Abhi for a few days.. Purab too agreed...
Later they left the sleeping Abhi in the bedroom and cleaned his house... It became evening and Purab went to buy some food for them...
Abhi woke up and came to the living room... He saw Pragya talking to their colleague over the phone... He signaled that he would wait for her... But she immediately ended the call and went to Abhi...
"Thanks, Pragya"
were the only words he uttered looking into her eyes...
Immediately he felt a tight slap...
"Brainless fellow... When you are happy, you are coming to me and sharing things right... When you find me a little sad, you make sure that I smile within minutes right... For all these you need me, but when you have a problem, you don't want to share it with me right.. And you know what did I go through when you suddenly disappeared... How can you do that to me?? You heartless fellow.. you cannibal.."
told Pragya with tears...
Abhi was about to hold her, but she pushed him and threw the remote on her hand...
"CATCH" "YOU ARE OUT"
told Abhi forgetting all the worries and both broke into laughter...
Purab who came inside their house with food packets was happy to see Abhi smiling...
Later the trio had their dinner together and Pragya left to her home, after getting so many promises from Abhi...
It became dark... Abhi and Purab were sitting in the balcony...
"Every guy in his right mind or worst mind will end up drunken in this state... But how didn't you go for that??"
asked Purab...
"Every guy might not have had a friend like Pragya and that's the reason.. so simple.."
told Abhi with a smile...
"I don't get it Abhi..."
told Purab in confusion...
"It has not been one year since we became friendz... But I don't know how we can understand each other this much... One night, she randomly called me seeking my help for solving some code... I was quite inebriated that night... I blabbered some stuff... She patiently listened to all my nonsense and didn't complain about it...
The next day at our office, she asked me how much do I value her as my friend... I told that she is the same to me like all you guys... She smiled at me... She asked me to ask the same question to her.. I very well knew that she won't stop if I don't ask her back... I asked her with no other go... She told me that I mean a lot to her... She has no clue why I mean this much to her... But she told that she always wants to see me hale, healthy and happy... I didn't mind her words much...
As usual, I thought to trick her.. I very well knew that she doesn't know swimming... I took her to a pool that day and asked her to jump in it proving her friendship for me... I was like 100 percent sure that, she won't jump.. But she did... She was drowning and that's when I realized what she was doing.. I jumped inside and saved her..
I slapped her that day for her stupidity... Instead, she smiled at me and asked me a few promises... One never to drink and drive... Next to drink only when I am happy and never when I am sad... Third to drink only the amount I can handle... She also instilled a fear in me that if I break any of the promises then she will be the one facing the consequences.."
told Abhi reminiscing that day and still there was a fear in him...
"When did all these happen??? we don't even have an idea about it??"
asked Purab...
"You guyz were on leave... Apart from us, only Disha knows this... We asked her not to tell this to anyone.."
"Abhi... If you don't mind can I ask you something??",
asked Purab...
"Sure... You don't have to ask me like this.."
told Abhi eagerly expecting Purab's words...
"I very well know that you love Sonakshi... Sorry... You loved her... But I am damn sure, not to the extent you love Pragya... And even I believe, Pragya loves you... Which girl would jump for a guy in a swimming pool if she is not in love with him?? And which guy would stop thinking about alcohol in the worst state of his life just for a promise... You both love each other Abhi... But you people are masking it in the name of friendship... I will tell you one thing... I have never seen her excited talking about Ishaan... She will be always monotonous... But if it is about you, she is much expressive.. she is very much enthusiastic... I guess she is not realizing her love for you... Happy that Sonakshi left you... She is not the one meant for you... But don't lose Pragya... That's what I would tell"
told Purab...
Abhi was confused for a moment... But he smiled later...
"Then why I was like this when I got to know Sonakshi has left my life... I love her right... No one can love two persons at the same time... What I have for Pragya is also love... But not the love, you think... It's different... And what I have for Sonakshi is different... Sonakshi has stabbed me at my back... But still, I loved her in the past... And, I will love her always... But, Not to the extent in the past... Surely, I can't hate her.."
"You will understand my words when you find Pragya in the marriage mandap Abhi... At least this time you have her to console you... But at that moment, there will be no one to console her even... You people are digging your own grave.."
told Purab sadly unable to make his friend understand...
Is Purab right??
STAY TUNED FRNDZ...