3 years later
Aditi never replied to any of Rya’s mails. She had taken up the job of a lecturer at the engineering college where she studied. Her parents tried convincing her to come back home and start life afresh but she did not relent. She had a modest life within the college campus and Ryan was one of the few visitors whom she entertained. Occasionally Ryan took her out for dinners but nothing could bring back her smile. She would wear a constant expression on her face which was neither of joy nor of sorrow. She had become indifferent towards everything in life.
3 years had changed nothing in her life except for the fact that she had become more mature about it. At times she smiled when Ryan bantered with the waitresses on their regular Saturday night dinners. Ryan had always been with her all this time. He had 4 flings in the mean time and none of them lasted for more than a month. His affairs were never a secret to Aditi and after every break up, Ryan was always greeted with a smile from her. They never discussed how it was to be interpreted. Aditi never went out with any one though she was approached by many. According to her, she had her share of love and she did not want more of it. The past three years had brought Aditi and Ryan more close than they ever were. They understood each other perfectly except for the moments when they scanned through old photographs. There was always an awkward silence reigning. Aditi still did not understand Ryan’s point of view for Rya and Ryan never understood Aditi’s stand for Anand.
2 years before, Aditi had received a letter from Anand asking her to marry him. Aditi never replied him back too.
One day, while Aditi was buying her usual stock of groceries from a near by departmental store, she heard a familiar voice at the counter. The person was asking the cashier about some address. Aditi kept looking towards the counter. She knew that she knew this person but something in her held her back. She was standing…standing still and staring…waiting…waiting for something to happen. She did not want to hide. She did not want to run away. She did not want to shout either. She just wanted the person to look back. And finally it happened. There she was standing…her partner in every crime, her bench mate, her confidant and her best friend – Rya.
“Aditi!” – exclaimed Rya and came running towards her. They had the best hug ever.
“Where were you? How have you been? Why the hell did you never reply to my mails? Why why and why?????....I missed you so much!” – sobbed Rya.
Aditi replied “Let’s go home.”
They left the store for home.
Aditi and Rya sat on the sofa sipping tea and neither of them spoke for a long time.
Finally, Rya asked “Why did you never reply to my mails Aditi?”
“What would I reply?”- snapped Aditi.
“Anything Aditi. Anything. I wanted to talk to you.You could have given me your number. I would have called you. I wanted to be with you. “
“And how would that have mattered to me Rya. Fact is fact. I had to embrace reality and you, sitting thousands of kilometers away from me, could have done nothing to alleviate it. The most that you could have done is, may be write a few more mails asking me to move on in life, a few words of sympathy over a call etc etc. I did not need any of that Rya. I needed time…for the wounds to heal.” – said Aditi and smiled.
Rya did not what to say. She was blank. She managed to divert the topic and asked Aditi about how she had been all this while. They talked and talked for hours but Aditi did not mention Ryan to her…even for once. Rya was done with her Master’s and was now pursuing her PhD. She would be done with it by next year end. She had come to India
At this point of time,the door bell rang. Aditi went to open the door.
“Who is it Aditi?” – asked Rya when Aditi came back.
Ryan followed her.
Rya stood up on seeing him. In a moment, everything flashed back her mind. The fresher’s night, their friendship, the college days, the final year, the years thereafter…everything. Ryan had not changed at all. He still sported his rimless specs and had the same coiffure. He was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. The only difference was that now he had more grey hairs. To Ryan, Rya looked entirely different. She had become fair, elegant and attractive. For the first time, he found her beautiful. He had always been in love with her but never attracted to her so profoundly.
They stood for a long time amidst an odd silence. None of them dared break it. Rather, they found it comforting.
Finally Aditi spoke “Ryan, have a seat. I will get some snacks and a cup of coffee for you. Rya, do you want coffee?”
Rya did not answer. Aditi asked her again and she denied. Aditi left for the kitchen.
They had so much to say that they did know where to start and how to start. 4 years had passed by since they met for the last time.
“How are you?” – asked Ryan
“Fine.”
“Hmm. And your studies? In job?”
“No. I am doing my PhD. Hopefully I should be done with it by next year end.”- said Rya.
“Any plans of coming back to India?” – continued Ryan when he was cut short by Rya.
“Cut the crap Ryan. How does it even bother you? Do you still think we are friends?”
“I think we always were.”
“No. We never were. Think about it Ryan and then come back to me.”
Rya got up to leave. Ryan held her hand and asked her “One last question Rya, why did you never reply back to my mails?”
Rya looked back, freed her hand from his clutch and said “I did not think it to be necessary.”
And she left. Ryan stood speechless. He looked back and found Aditi standing. She went inside. He left.
Late at night, when Aditi was going to sleep, she found Ryan’s bag lying on the sofa. She picked it up and placed it on the side table near her bed. She was about to resume her novel when she thought of opening it. It was against her morals but something inside her kept pestering her to do so. Finally she gave in and opened the bag. There was a notebook, a pen and a jacket inside. Nothing extraordinary. She took out the notebook and opened it. The handwriting seemed familiar. She knew it. She had seen it somewhere. She remembered it finally. Rya had shown her the notes which she used to receive way back in college and this handwriting matched with that of it.
“So, it had always been Rya for him and he still doesn’t want to tell her about it.”- thought Aditi.
She closed the notebook and was about to place it inside the bag when a card fell from it. It was a wedding card. She picked it up. A chill ran down her spine. One of the names was familiar.
It read “Anand weds Sangeeta”.
(To be continued…)
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