Karthick's Pov
"Yes, he was meeting her one Sunday of every month till now. I know this as he will not plan anything on that day," I replied casually.
She is looking at me like she has seen the ghost.
" What happened?" I muddled as I am not understanding anything.
But she is not reacting to me and it's like she is thinking something deeply. I don't know what to do? Because I am scared as she won't react like this without any reason.
I shook her while holding her arms, "Varsha... Varsha. What happened? Why are you not responding?"
She came out of her thoughts and looked at me.
"Ah... Noth... Nothing. Can we leave? I have some work at home," She stammered.
" Don't. I knew you are lying. What is the issue? Tell m," I asked seriously.
" No, I am not. If you don't drop me, then I will leave in a cab," She uttered without making eye contact with me.
When I didn't reply to her, she tried to push me as I am holding her. I tightened my hold and pulled her to the deserted place in the mall. There are only inches between us as I am holding her close to me.
"Look at me," I ordered, but she didn't. I can feel her nervousness because of our closeness. But she is igniting my anger by hiding something from me.
" I said look at me, Varsha," I whispered harshly.
"What?" She hissed after making eye contact with me.
I released my hold when I actualized that my tight hold might cause her pain. She tried to leave, but I hold her left arm to stop her. She looked at my hold and glared at me.
" Please... I too care for my friend," I requested.
She thought for some time and said, "Pravna is Akhil's sister,"
" What?... Ho" She cuts me off, "And she died 8 years ago,"
I am aghast at her as I can't able to believe the words. Pravna is dead and Akhil is Pravna's brother. Arjun is meeting someone every month.
If it is not Prawna, then who is that?
"How do you know that?" I asked.
Then only she explained all the things that how Akhil met Ishu when they were not available and how they found out about Pravna by visiting Akhil's home.
So many things happened without my presence.
" Akhil is still loving Ishu and he is using Swetha for his revenge against Arjun. So, Ishu is going to accept him once he realized his mistake and you guys don't have any problem in that right," I stated and she nodded.
"Don't you guys have a brain? How can he respect Ishu's feeling when he can't understand Swetha's feeling and using her for his revenge which is unknown to us?" I asked.
"Nobody is perfect in this world. Ok. Everybody will make mistakes, Some will make a bigger one.
It doesn't mean they are bad people. Sometimes the situation will make us do mistakes without our knowledge right.
That's what he is doing. He is blind by his revenge, but he is good at heart. We can make him realize his mistakes," She replied.
" Oh... You are saying that everybody is good. So, Rapist is also good at your eyes right," I asked.
" No. I am not considering a rapist as a human. We can't even call them an animal as it insults animals. They are a sadist who plays with girl's life," She seethed.
" Then what is he Who is playing with Swetha's feeling?" I asked.
"In this case, Swetha is not in love with Akhil Anna, it may be infatuation or crush. I think she is so innocent that's why she can't even understand her own feeling. Because every girl will expect love, affection, etc. from her boyfriend, but here he is speaking with her regarding revenge alone. Other than that he is not even asked about her well being.
Swetha is also not caring about that and all," She explained.
" How are you saying this?" I asked.
" Kamiya spoke with her a few times in the past month right. We understood this by her talking," She replied.
" He doesn't know about her feeling, but he is using her. Since she is not in love with him, you guys are considering him as a good man who respects women. What logic?" I sarcastically told her.
" No, he too knew that she does not love him. That's why he is using her. I knew this is also wrong, but he deserves a chance to realize his mistakes," She replied.
" How do you know that?" I asked with narrow eyes.
"He himself told that," She replied.
"How?" I muddled.
She looked at me, then started the flashback which happened earlier that day in Akhil's house.
***********************
FlashBack
" You can have a relationship with Swetha, but I can't right," Ishu glared at Akhil.
" I didn't even touch her with the wrong thought. I was, am, & will be in my limits," Akhil explained.
Ishu turned around and started to concentrate on tea.
" Angel, Please..." Akhil whined.
"How can I understand you? You are playing with one girl's feeling Akhil. Can't you understand that?
I know you are not thinking of her as your girl, but she is thinking of you as her man. Is it right?" Ishu asked.
"First of all, She is not in love with me. It's just an infatuation," Akhil hissed.
"How can you say that? Fake or not, that's not a matter, but you are in a relationship with her for years," Ishu muddled.
" Yes, that's why I am saying that she is not in love with me," Akhil replied.
"How?" Ishu asked.
"When she proposed me, I didn't accept her as I don't want to play with her feelings. After that also, she tried to speak with me. I too spoke with her as I want to know more about Arjun from her.
After I started speaking with her, then only I understood that she is not loving me. It's just a simple attraction like a crush. Her feeling towards me is like some people love the celebrity and will do anything for them, but it's not a love which is between the couple.
She is so innocent that's why she thought of this as love. Then only I accepted her with the condition that she needs to help me with Arjun's revenge.
Till now, I didn't speak with her other than the revenge thing and she too didn't try. She is like a child who wants to play an interesting game in her life. Now this revenge thing is also a game to her which makes her life interesting.
As she likes me, Arjun is a bad person in her game. So, we can punish him. That's what her thoughts. One day, She will become a mature person and she will really fell in love with someone. That day I will make her realize her feeling and leave her life for her betterment," Akhil explained.
Ishu doesn't know what to reply? So, she stared at him without blinking and he too did the same. They were looking at each other without blinking.
After a minute, She broke eye contact and started to pour the tea into the cups.
"Whatever, It doesn't mean that you are right," She replied and moved out of the kitchen with the teacups and Akhil followed her.
**********************
Karthick's Pov
"This is what happened in the kitchen. After Kamiya left the apartment, Ishu told me this as she can't able to tell this in Kamiya's presence because of her mood.
I was not sure about Ishu's relationship in the morning as I don't know his side of the story. I am a little scared about this relationship. But when I came to know this, I immediately told her to give him another chance.
I don't know what will be her decision, but he surely deserves a chance," She completed the full story.
I don't know whom to believe as so many unexpected things have happened in a single day. I need some time to digest all this and I have so many questions in my mind that are making me restless.
She suddenly got a call. So, she attended the call after moving away from me to speak with that person.
How can she love me with a single visit? It's maybe just an attraction Karthick. So, don't overthink.
But after speaking with her, I feel like she is not the person who misunderstood the attraction as love. She is matured more than it.
I too sighted her at our first meet. I don't know what it is? But something attracted me towards her. When she said 'hi' to me, I was praying inside as I don't want her to call me brother. I don't know why? But I am not thinking much about Anitha after meeting Varsha. I am feeling guilty at myself for that as I don't know what is happening with me?
When she proposed me, I am amazed at that as I don't expect this from her. I felt something new inside me, but I am scared. That's why I ignored her.
Yes, I don't want this love and all. It makes me weak. When she pinged me today, I want to avoid it, but I can't.
I want to see her. I called her to come to the parking for a discussion. Nevertheless, I don't know why I brought her here with me. She is cute in her own way yet I love her boldness more. No Karthick, there is no love in your life. Stop thinking about her.
After a few minutes, She came back, "Ishu. She called me to ask about my whereabouts. After she got to know that I am here with you. She asked me to wait here itself as she will come and pick me up.
So, you can go,"
I like it when she became sad for her friends as I see her love for them. However, at the same time, I don't want her to be sad. Confused feeling right, this is what I am experiencing nowadays.
" No, I need to speak with Ishu regarding this. So, I too will wait for her," I replied. I need to do something because it's regarding Arjun's life. I need to find the answers to all my questions.
She nodded and we started to wait for her with awkward silence. Suddenly, I got an idea to change her mood.
"Come. I need to buy something for my colleague's birthday. Help me in that," I asked.
"Why you need my help?" She asked while narrowing her eyes.
" Because she is a girl. Come," I pulled her with me while holding her wrist.
I entered the random dress shop and asked, "Choose something for her,"
"First of all, What do you want to buy? I won't choose. It's for your friend. Maybe I can help you. That's all," She said.
" Saree," I replied. I don't know for whom I am buying this and why I choose saree. I just want to change her mind.
We went to the saree section, She asked," Do you have her picture?"
" For what?" I asked.
" We need to select a saree for her right. I need to know how she looks, then only I can choose the saree which suits her," She explained.
" You just show me whatever you like. I will select from that," I replied.
She glared at me and started to look for the sarees. She looks cute when she glared at me. No Karthick, Don't go there again.
After 10 minutes, She showed me the three sarees which she likes most of all.
"Mam put the pallu on yourself and show him. It will be better to choose the right. If you want I can help you with that," A girl staff from that shop told her.
"No, Actually... " I interrupted, " Yes, put it on her,"
She muddled at me, but didn't say anything. That girl started to put the first saree on her. It's navy blue color plain saree with some golden border.
She is glowing in that saree, but she is looking down nervously. I want to see her eyes.
That girl put the next saree on her which is dark green with think dark pink border. Wow, That's my expression. She is that beautiful in that. She saw the mirror on the side and smiled. I think she likes this saree.
That girl put the last one which is black with red mixed printed saree. My god, I don't know how to describe her in this saree. She is looking stunning in that, I can't look away from her.
At that time, She got a call again, so she went out of that shop after returning the saree to attend the call. I asked that girl to pack both the green and black saree. I paid the bill and came out.
Karthick, What are you doing? No, this is not right. Don't look at her like this. You need to ignore her. Yes, I will.
" Ishu came and I asked her to meet us in the cafe. Did you bought the saree for your friend?" She asked.
" Yes," I replied.
" Show me. Which one did you choose?" She asked.
" Why do you want to know? It's not like you are my friend to show everything," I replied.
" What is your problem? I can't understand you. Sometimes you are being nice to me and sometimes you are being arrogant. Don't confuse me like this," She said and went away without waiting for my reply.
No Karthick, It's good for both of you. Ignore her.
**********************
IN THE CAFE
Author's Pov
Ishu and Varsha are sitting on one side and Karthick alone sitting on the other side. And three cappuccinos are there on the table untouched.
" How can it be possible, Varsha? Everything is bursting my mind. Just before I came here, I heard Kamiya's voice recording which she pinged in our watsapp group. Arjun Anna left her in the temple to meet someone. Here you are saying so many unexpected things.
Is it means Pravna is not dead?" Ishu question aghast herself.
----------------------------------------------