Untouchable Sequel: A broken heart

Chapter 24

"Okay everyone pick up your lantern!" I say walking over to mine. I see my friend's faces. I can tell they're excited. 

Everyone walks over to theirs, and then they walk over to me again. We stand in a big circle, so we can see each other. 

"So what now?" Sneha asks and looks at me. 

"Now we're all going to say one thing we're grateful or thankful for, and then let our lantern go.  It can be anything. Anything you feel is important to you. Something you want to show gratitude towards" I let out while looking around at my friends. 

"Okay, I'll go first," Karthik says. 

I nod at him. 

"I am grateful for my girlfriend. Tara. You're kind, honest, reliable, and you make me a better person. I couldn't have gotten this far without you. I know you think youre hard to love, but it's only for the weak. You're not hard to love. Everyday i fall in love with you all over again. I love you." Karthik says while looking at Tara. 

I see Tara drying away a tear. 

"I love you too," Tara whispers while looking at him. I knew Tara was an emotional person, but she didn't like showing us, because she taught it made her weak. I always taught that vulnerability was my strong suit, but she always tried to hide it. 

"Guess I'm next!" Krish says. 

I smile at him. 

"I am grateful for Divya. I know i haven't known you for as long as you have known the others. But when i met you, i felt like i reconnected with a friend that i haven't seen in a long time. You didn't feel like a stranger to me. It felt like we were old friends. Someone that i had forgotten, but never replaced." Krish says while looking at me. 

I sniffle. 

"I love you!" I tell Krish trying to hold my tears in. 

We all change our gaze towards Suriya. 

"I'm grateful for my past. Even though i have made some mistakes that i can't forgive myself for. I am extremely thankful for the life lessons it brought. If that didn't happen i would do something that would have broken me even more, and i would have hurt the people i loved. And that's the last thing i want." Suriya lets out while looking around at us. 

I felt goosebumps down my back. I had never heard Suriya talk like that. Suriya always seemed strong, and confident, and hearing him talk about his feelings, and past made me so happy for him. It meant he was happy. 

Advika lets out a little cough. We all change our gaze towards her. 

"There's no way i can beat any of you guys. But I'm grateful for you guys. I know i am new. And i know that... i don't know you guys that well, but the way you guys are with each other is absolutely beautiful to me. The way you protect each other. The way you guys would do anything for each other. So i feel thankful because i met you guys." Advika says. 

I felt guilty. Maybe she wasn't that bad after all. It made me happy. I finally knew part of what she taught of us. I am happy that she feels comfortable hanging out with us, and i wanted to be her friend. 

"You're one of us now," I say smiling at her. 

She smiles back. For the first time in a long time, i feel peace while looking at her. 

"Guess it's my turn. I am grateful for my family. I know it's cliche. I feel like i wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for them. They worked really hard for me. Not only to make sure i have a roof over my head, but putting me to school, and raising me to the woman i am today. Everything i am today is because of them. I love my parents." Sneha says.