Four eyes stared at a couple sitting on a table next to their own in pure disgust. What was it with these new couples? Could they not sit anywhere without holding hands even for a second? Were they even aware of what they were eating or drinking? Amidst the cacophony of Kishore Kumar songs playing loudly, cutlery clanging against the plates and the loud chattering on each table with voices raising to be heard above the din, this young couple sat facing each other, holding hands, like nothing else existed around them.
Anjali looked at Khushi with amusement dancing in her eyes, and a second later, they were lost in a gale of giggles.
"Snog or sex? Which one do you think will it be once they leave this place?" Anjali questioned as their giggles subsided.
"God Anj, aahista bolo!" Khushi admonished her, looking around and hoping no one heard what she had just asked. She then leaned in and whispered "Snog. Body language says they aren't that close yet!" She winked, and Anjali giggled again.
With wind in their hair, and love and mischief bonding them together as kids, Payal, Anjali and Khushi had grown up to be inseparable. They had attended the same school and junior college, after which Anjali's parents had decided to move to Mumbai. The separation had brought in a lot of tears, but these three girls had vowed not to let this distance affect their friendship in any way.
"I am ordering icecream. What about you?" Anjali asked while checking out a handsome face walking inside the restaurant, followed by a pretty face. "Goddammit! They all are taken, the bitches won't leave any shows dogs alone in the market! I will die single and lonely!" Anjali said scowling at the girl who followed the handsome face to an empty table.
"Broke up with Nikhil again?" Khushi asked with a smile.
"This time it's forever." Anjali said with a grim face. "There are plenty more fish in the sea. I am so over him!"
"Of course! But I swear to God I have I heard these lines before!" Khushi said with a giggle. "And you want to finish with an ice cream in a Udupi restaurant? The owner will sue you! Did you forget that this place makes the best filter coffee in town?" Khushi asked incredulously. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"No, what the hell is wrong with you back at you!" Anjali quipped back. "You've been quiet since we have met, kya hua hain?"
"Great! A question for a question, as always! Do you even know that you can answer a question without asking one?" Khushi stole a furtive glance at her and started looking at the menu card with interest.
"Oh dear god! You are reading a menu card you know like the back of your hand, avoiding eye contact and my question! Something is seriously wrong, and I don't know how —"
"Arnav told me he is in love with me."
Khushi saw the shock register on Anjali's face for a fraction of a second, and she wanted to laugh seeing her dark black pupils dilate in a flash. But the look changed the next moment, and Anjali stood up with both her palms over her mouth in—absolute joy! Khushi dreaded her reaction and thought she was about to start jumping any moment. But the look changed again, into a frown this time, as sacred words flew out of her mouth before she could realise what was happening.
"What the blooming fuck?" Anjali screamed with all her might, leaving Khushi mortified.
"Shhh!"
Anjali was still staring at her with wide eyes, unfazed. "Has there been a flood of testosterone in the Chauhan mansion? What the hell is wrong with these two brothers? No sense of timing, I swear to god! But oh my god Chandramukhi, this is big! And why the hell are you not screaming this out to the world?"
"Tone it down, woman, and sit down! People are staring at us!" Khushi forced Anjali to sit down, looking around and apologising to the old couple sitting behind them who looked appalled by her friend's outburst.
"Oh, to hell with them! Look at that mushy couple. They didn't even hear me scream. No one cares!" Anjali finally sat down and pulled her chair closer to the table." So, tell me right now. Everything. But before that, how are those dimples doing? Are they as lethal as they were the last time I saw them? What is the potency right now on a scale of 1-10?" Anjali asked her with a wide grin on her face, her eyes sparkling in excitement.
"Anjali, stop all this!" Khushi spoke as she ordered ice cream and filter coffee.
"Why stop? The guy is delicious! I had a huge crush on him a few years ago, before I left for Mumbai!"
Khushi almost gasped and furrowed her brows with the thought. "What the hell? You didn't tell me!"
"Relax Chandramukhi! Every sane girl who has met him has crushed on Arnav at some point in time in her life! You are the only one who surprises me! Is it ghar ki murgi daal baraabar concept for you?"
"And we are talking nonsense because--?"
"Because there is no one else on this planet with whom I can talk so much nonsense with but you! I missed you, Khush!" Anjali said with a soft voice and pulled her cheeks till Khushi yelped in pain. "Sorry, but you are right. Coming back to the point, what happened when and how?"
"He told me this a few minutes before he left. I could not tell you about this on the phone because Aai is always around and I wanted you to be next to me when I told you. "
Anjali blinked. "I am here now and all ears."
The narration didn't take long because Khushi wanted to get it done with as quickly as possible. She told her everything, recounting every detail of the incident and Anjali listened to her in rapt attention without interrupting her. After she was done, Anjali kept staring at her, appearing to be lost in deep thought.
"Khush, tell me something honestly. Did Arnav really not kiss you?"
"What?! That's the first question you ask after I tell you what happened? Seriously?" Khushi averted her eyes. "And to answer you, No! Oh my God, no!" She shrieked, her hand flying to her chest.
"Cut the drama! You are such a prude, Khush! He is a mouthwateringly handsome guy, and you are that sexy girl who should've been kissed! But you didn't, and that is pathetic!"
"Anjali, just shut up! We, me —he — look, I don't want to talk about this right now." Khushi concentrated on her cup as she sipped on her coffee.
"Okay, let's find a bench on the Canal Road. This is serious, and we need to talk." Anjali said as the girls finished their coffee and ice cream quickly and paid the bill.
On their way out, Khushi seemed extremely nervous, and Anjali had a smile on her face. She knew her friend too well to know exactly what was going on in her mind. Her heart went out to her dearest friend, who was stuck in one hell of a situation.
***
"Will you believe me if I tell you that you've always liked him? Me and Pi always knew it. We knew this would happen eventually. It was a question of 'when', not 'if', Sakhi!" Anjali said with a smile, as they walked towards the Canal Road, which was a few minutes walk from the restaurant.
Khushi stopped mid-stride to look at her. She kept staring at her as if she had just materialised out of nowhere.
"Don't look at me like that! You don't know how Arnav looked at you, especially when you were not looking at him. But we do." Anjali said with a smile. "We were aware of this unnamed special affection you always showered upon him, almost seemed like you favoured him all the time. There was always this awe-worthy sync between both of you. You both always spoke less and understood each other more. What more can I say, we all knew you guys would end up together." Her teasing eyes twinkled as she continued, "And, that my friend is the only reason why I backed out or else I would have had Arnav in my arms and many other places by now!" She winked and laughed out loud after seeing Khushi's reaction.
"Chhee! You are a disgusting woman! Who says such things—ugh!" Khushi pinched her eyebrows together as she pushed Anjali away lightly.
"Why, baby? Did that image make you cringe or make you jealous?"
Khushi shot a grim look at her. "There are a few issues, Anj. And then there is Kabir too." She sighed as she sat with Anjali on one of the benches by the canal.
"You are kidding me! Are you holding yourself back because of that moron? God, I am so ticked off with him right now." Anjali gritted her teeth "The guy needs to get his life sorted out first. There is no direction to his life, and he is too immature for his age. There is nothing to think about there!!"
"It seems unfair, Anj. Kabs is a year younger to me, and unfortunately, I've always looked at him as my younger brother, and you know it. I don't have a sibling, and somehow he just fit into that space perfectly. But how on earth do I say this to him, Anj? He will kill himself or me. I am so screwed!" Khushi said as her shoulders slumped with the weight of the emotions she felt over them.
"I know how you feel about Kabs, Khush. I have been —oh!" Anjali said with her mouth forming an "O" shape dramatically.
"Now what?"
"So that's what this is! Oh, I got it all wrong then, Khush. Here I am wondering why this woman is not excited about Arnav like any normal hot-blooded girl would have been. But now I see where you are coming from. You look at Kabir as your younger brother and Arnav as your older brother! Damn, this is twisted!!" Anjali said with a frown on her face.
"No!" Khushi choked the word out, turning pale with the conclusion her friend had drawn from the discussion.
"No?" Anjali smirked with one of her brows raised, leaving Khushi to deal with the heat growing in her cheeks.
"Fine! I get it, Anj. I know what you are trying to do! So just shut up, okay?"
"Sorry, was just checking!" Anjali chuckled "Chandramukhi, do you want to see the colour of your cheeks? Want to have a look? Dekh na!" Anjali laughed out loud as she pulled out her handbag mirror.
"Anjali!" Khushi shouted, the blush seared through her cheeks as she made a lousy attempt to cover it with her slender fingers.
"Don't Anjali me!" Anjali cried out. "I don't know what to do with you anymore! To hell with Kabir! Why are we even talking about him? Regardless of how he feels about you, he will have to understand that you don't reciprocate his feelings and you will have to make him understand! The way that moron touched you that day, I would have —nevermind!" Anjali exhaled an agitated breath and turned towards her. "Look Khush, Arnav was the only one you were always concerned with. It was always Arnav's Maa, Arnav's Papa, Arnav's brother Kabir, Arnav, Arnav, Arnav alright? Had you taken Bhagwaan ka naam so many times, you would have attained moksha by now! There is always Arnav in everything you do, say or think! He is someone you've always liked, and so it is worth considering if the feeling runs deeper than that. Please don't become a Mother Teresa in all this like you always do, God rest her soul. You don't owe Kabir anything, especially your heart! But we know he is Arnav's brother, so let's give him that respect. Give it another shot and tell him how you feel about all this. He needs to know and understand that he is not the one!"
"I don't have the heart to see him this way, Anj. I have grown up with him along with Arnav. He is my Kabs buddy! I can't be mean to him because he has a heart, and it is hurting right now. He is just confused. All he needs to realise is I am just a passing fancy for him, and this is all going to fizzle out when there is another girl in his life, like always. But the guy won't understand! I've already told him that I don't feel that way about him!" Khushi let out a tired breath, feeling helpless about the situation.
"For the love of god Khush, you need to tell him that you don't feel about him that way because you love his brother!"
"I don't lo—!"
"Seriously? We all are not blind, and you are not dumb. So yes, you do love Arnav! You've always loved him, Khush! And all that stammering and speechlessness that has made a grand entry into your life right now is because of this lurve, my darling! There is no other explanation!" Anjali blinked a few times and smiled. "And please have mercy on the man who is getting roasted in the old Blighty right now! He is still wondering what you are thinking! Take your time. I am not forcing or rushing you, but wake up my dear Chandramukhi! In your heart, I think you already know what you feel for him. Can't you see? You both have been through a few crushes and infatuations, but none have lasted because, at the back of your mind, you always had each other to compare them to. No one stood a chance — no one ever will, Khush!"
"It's not that simple, Anj." Khushi whispered.
"What I am saying is, don't hold back. Let go of yourself! Arnav is a very perceptive guy. He knows and will always understand what you are going through. He will help you, but he needs to know that you want to be with him! Allow yourself to take that step towards him. What are you scared of Khush?" Anjali asked her softly holding her hand.
"I am scared of losing him, Anj."
Anjali frowned. "Why would you—" She continued staring at her, not knowing what to say.
Khushi sat in front of her playing with her fingers on her lap, trying her best to hide the pain behind the statement. "I have thought about this, Anj. He is living on his own in another country now. He might— he will meet other girls. There will be opportunities, the kind I have heard his friends talk about on the day he left. If we decide to take this relationship forward sitting thousands of miles away, we will be left suffering and longing, and where is the point in that? He is already battling a lot of changes after going there. An additional commitment will be hard to live by for him, Anj." A thin film of tears glazed her eyes as she glanced at Anjali. "I'll tie him down Anj, and at some point, he will feel suffocated, stranded, and he will leave me." A choking sob built up in her throat. "How many people survive long-distance relationships, Anj? Why put him through all this because of a commitment and test him? And then, God forbid, if we part ways, it will get very ugly and awkward. And later on, he will get any girl he points his finger at, but I don't think I would even want another—" The lump in her throat now became a boulder she couldn't swallow anymore. The sobs turned into tears and didn't stop. Anjali held on to her tightly as she cried in her arms. The whole situation had taken its toll on her, and she was exhausted.
"I understand, Sakhi. But what if he doesn't get tempted? What if there are no opportunities? What if he is serious about you?" Anjali looked into her eyes. "Khush, you have to realise that both of you are one of the few lucky ones who got to date each other since you were kids! You've known each other like the back of your hands. And the best part is, you both love each other! Even if something goes wrong, you guys will crawl your way back to each other! Why aren't you being positive about this? Where is the strength for all this restraint coming from, goddamnit? I don't know my Khush to be like this!! Do you not feel a thing for him, love? Hall read you completely wrong?" She asked, worry wrinkles finally finding their place on her forehead.
"I do feel—and —" Khushi hesitated, "—after he told me he loves me, I realised how much. He means a lot to me, Anj. He not being around affects me. I miss him after college hours, sometimes foolishly hoping that he will drop by one of these days to say hello on his way back home. I look for those stupid evening chats on the terrace, on the hill, at Akash's place—everything feels so empty without him suddenly. And I have a feeling that I would have felt this even if he had not told me about his feelings."
"Are you unsure about his feelings for you then?"
"The distance will test everything." Khushi smiled, a tinge of sadness evident on her face this time.
"He will be back someday, Khush. What if he still wants you? What if he has spent his entire stay in London just waiting for those few words from you? The man could have walked out of this place and flown away without saying anything to you if fun was the only thing on his mind Khush. On the contrary, he chose to be bound to you at the doorstep of freedom!"
The words pierced her heart, and Khushi found another sob building up. How was she to fight this, how was she to deal with this she didn't know. How she wished things were so simple.
"It's a chance I take, Anj. I don't know how strong his feelings are for me and I am clueless about mine too!"
"No, you are not! Who are you kidding, Khush? Me or yourself? Please don't pretend, at least not in front of me! You can't back out—"
"Anjali, if I work my head around it, maybe—" The suddenly uncomfortable questions fired at her were making Khushi restless.
"Head? And what about your heart? And what are you going to tell him when he calls you up next, can you please tell me? Are you going to ask him to stop calling you?" Anjali was slowly beginning to lose her patience.
"Anjali—"
"What will you tell him now? Or do you intend to say nothing? And you think he is going to stop calling you just because you asked him to? He has finally acknowledged what you mean to him, Khush. Do you think he is going to let go of you so easily? The Arnav we all know won't!" Anjali cried in exasperation.
"Just —stop." Tears stung her eyes again as the thoughts pulled Khushi in different directions. "Anj, they are brothers. How can I—"
"Well, you know what? Fuck all that!" Anjali snapped. "Let the brothers deal with this situation themselves! Why are you worrying yourself to death about something you are not responsible for? What can you do about this, my love? Unfortunately, this is the situation now and by no means should you hold back your feelings because of that! There is only one way out of this. Speak to Arnav, tell him everything. Let him handle this situation because, clearly, the younger one is too immature to do it. Trust Arnav, sweetie. Trust him!"
"I do trust him, more than—but I am scared, Anj. What if everything goes wrong?"
"Arnav needs to know Khush. There is no other way out of this. Once he knows, he will deal with everything. You won't have to think about anything." Anjali held Khushi's hand, trying to assure her.
"Maybe you are right, Anj. But what can he do sitting thousands of miles away? I don't want to bother him or distract him—he will be worried and—"
"It is better than he finding it out later, Khush. Trust me. It will get ugly if he gets to know it from someone else." Anjali stared at Khush, worry reflecting in both their eyes.
"Okay. I will tell him everything the next time I speak to him." Khushi sighed. "I missed you, Anj. You should have never gone to Mumbai! I can't even think without you." She looked at Anjali and smiled.
Anjali concealed her worry about the whole situation with a grin. She would have spoken to Arnav had he been in Pune. The fact of the matter was, Kabir's confession had thrown her off too. She was always aware of his fondness for Khushi but never imagined it to translate into love or whatever he was feeling for her right now. All she hoped was that she spoke to Arnav at the earliest. But at the moment, she had no intention of adding to Khushi's worries.
"I agree," Anjali said with a grin. "Do you still intend to go for the Pindari and Kafni glacier trek in such cold weather?" She asked, changing the topic.
"Yes. The first week of December. Though it's cold, people recommend going there as the snow doesn't melt under your feet that easily. Also, I don't miss much at college. And at this point, I really don't care if I do. We've done this every year, and I will go this year too. No electricity, no telephones and no pollution. Just mother nature at her best with snow-capped mountains, sparkling rivers and streams, a blanket of milky speckles in the sky at nights and fresh air! I can't wait to go, Anj!" Khushi smiled, and Anjali finally saw the twinkle in her eye, which was missing since she had met her.
"I understand. And I am sorry I can't go with you this year, Sakhi. And although it's a genuine reason, I am sure Pi isn't coming only because she doesn't want to stay away from Akash for two weeks!" Anjali said with a giggle.
"No worries. Sometimes, going alone helps. It's an opportunity to make new friends!" Khushi said with a smile.
"I agree." Anjali smiled "By the way, what if I had not come down for my cousin's wedding, what was the plan?" Anjali asked with a smug look on her face
"I was thinking of getting back with Aman, now that Arnav is not around—" Khushi looked at her for a moment and burst out laughing when Anjali stared at her dumbfounded.
"For that thought, you need to be punished severely! You will go shopping with me right now!" Anjali pulled Khushi up to her feet.
"Oh, no! No! You know I hate shopping!" Khushi shrieked as she ran away from her.
"But you love me! So come with me, please. I'll buy you a sexy micro or mini skirt to wear after Arnav comes back." Anjali laughed and ran behind her.
"Anjali! Just shut up—" Khushi stopped running and stood to stare at her with eyes open wide as she came to terms with what she was implying.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Fine, no mini skirts. Some nice deep neck tops then?"
"What—why should I—" She whispered as the uneasiness in the pit of her stomach multiplied in a fraction of a second.
"Aah! I love that look Chandramukhi! Priceless! It suggests that my sweetie pie here hasn't even given a thought to what all is going to happen once he comes back from London! And I feel sorry for you my love because he would have starved himself for over a year by then and—" Anjali burst out laughing as she had already heard Khushi scream before she had finished her sentence.
"Besharm! You are incorrigible! How did you turn out like this?" Khushi covered her ears and closed her eyes as she felt her cheeks redden.
"What the hell does 'this' mean? You mean, I speak the truth? What is bothering you right now sweetie pie?" Anjali kept laughing, looking at her closed eyes and ears.
"My mother will kill me if I don't reach home in the next half hour. That is what is bothering me. Let's go. I'll drop you home. I cannot be with besharm people like you anymore!!" Khushi started walking away from her, mortified.
The girls grabbed their belongings and walked towards Jhumri. Anjali knew it was not over. This was just the beginning of a beautiful and exciting journey for her friend towards happiness. It wouldn't be easy, but she knew Khushi's heart was already in London. She just hoped and prayed that it worked out for her dearest friend— a friend she loved immensely, loved her enough to tease her to death if the opportunity presented itself on a silver platter—
"Chandramukhi?"
"Hmm?"
"Snog or sex?"
"Go to hell, Anj!"