the best friend

chapter 3

Ishita was already late for college, her mother didn't remember to wake her up, again. She quickly got ready and went out to see if the breakfast was ready. She found the hall empty, so she checked in her mother's room, where she found a empty bottles of wine and her mother throwing up in the washroom. She had learnt by now that it was better to leave her mother alone in these times, so she left.

On the way, she didn't know why, but she thought about how dushyant touched her shoulder anf it made her feel warm. She smiled thinking about him, his smile, his eyes, how he calls her ms freshmen...she was busy with her thoughts when she bumped into, well, dushyant.

"hey ms freshmen!"' greeted dushyant.

"hey!" replied ishita excitedly.

"um, actually main tumhe hi dhoond raha tha, tumse kuch puchna tha.." said dushyant, as ishita's bright smile had faded because she realised what he wants to ask.

"ye hi ki kal main achanak uthke kyun chali gayi?" asked ishita.

"well, puchna toh mujhe yeh chahiye, but what I want to ask is, tumhara aur purvi ka kya rishta hai, and dont you even dare to lie to me, kal ek dusre ko dekh kar jo tum dono ke chehre pe baarah baj gaye woh sab bata rahe the.." commanded dushyant.

"uhh..actually..woh..purvi..meri.." ishita fumbled nervously.

"ishita, seriously you can trust me and tell me anything. I mean, tum aur purvi dono mere friends ho, and whatever concerns you, concerns me." dushyant assured.

although ishita was always suspicious of people, and didn't really trust anyone, but she just felt safe with him, and it felt right to trust him...

"purvi, meri best..friend, thi.." ishita sluttered.

"thi? kyun? aisa kya ho gaya?" questioned dushyant.

ishita took a long breath and requested to not let purvi and kavin know this.

"umm actually purvi aur main, kuch UKG se friends the...and hum almost sab kuch saath mein karte the. until 11th class mein purvi ke father expire ho gaye. Uss saal woh more than usual attention seeking or clingy ho gayi. And phir 12th mein hum distant hote gaye, she was more focused on her future because uski mother uske liye bahaut sacrifices kar rahi thi and she got new friends and even though hum an bhi baat kar rahe the...phir woh mujhse zyada extroverted thi, and phir woh college mein Kavin se mili and...phir sab khatam ho gaya." ishita blurted out everything as a tear escaped her eyes, then she just couldn't stop crying and she hugged dushyant. he slowly pulled her away, kept his hands on her shoulder and said, "ishita, jo bhi hua, usmein kisiki galti nahi thi. Tum bas galat timing ke shikar ho gaye..and deep down you know that, and ik ki tumhari life mein shayad tumhe uske alawa koi apna laga hi nahi, but you know, she cried yesterday when you left..maybe tum dono agar koshish karo naye start ki, toh shayad, tum actually apni loneliness ko door karo aur woh apne..khalipan ko..hmm?" suggested dushyant.

"aur roya mat karo aise, mujhe acha nahi lagta...atleast mere bas mein jitna hai, utne mein main tumhe kabhi rone nahi dunga." dushyant said as ishita stopped crying and looked how serious he was, he really meant it. She nodded and smiled and then she left for her class as she waved him a bye and he watched her leave.

Dushyant went to the canteen. he saw purvi and kavin sitting together as purvi was feeding Kavin with her hands because kavin has got hurt in his hands because he fell down from his bed in the morning when his mother pulled his sheet way in an attempt to wake him up. He interrupted them as he said, "purvi chalo mere saath mujhe tumse zaroori baat karni hai." She nodded as she came outside with him, "kya baat hai? kuch pareshaan lag rahe ho." asked purvi.

"mujhe tumse ishita ke baarein mein baat karni hai." stated dushyant.

"uhh..kya baat karni hai...ishita ke..barein-mein?" asked purvi.

"ik about you two. usne mujhe sab bata diya hai. and she thinks ki tum kavin ke kaaran use alag ho gayi, mostly. but moreover usse aisa lagta hai ki tumhe jaise hi naye friends mile, tumhe uski koi zaroorat nahi thi and isiliye tumne usse chod diya-."

"par woh aisa kyun sochti hai, dushyant? main...pata nahi, jab mujhe laga main zyada clingy ho rahi hoon uske liye, toh main usse distant ho gayi. But usne yeh assume kiya ki main usse abandon kar rahi hoon, ab ismein meri kya galti hai?" purvi interrupted.

"purvi..idk, but I think ishita ke ghar mein usko actually mein koi affection ya care nahi dekhata, isiliye usse shayad yahi lagta hai ki sab usse abandon kar denge, isiliye jaisejaise hi tumne thoda distance bhadaya, usne assume kar liya ki tum usse abandon kar rahi ho." said dushyant.

"tumhe kaise pata uske ghar ke relations?" purvi asked.

"uske behaviour se. jab kisiko pyaar nahi milta, toh woh insecure rehta, phir koi thoda sa..idk care dekhade, toh phir usse cling kar leta. Just like she did..'

"to you?" purvi interrupted

"haan..but.."

"dushyant, but I think she's not clinging to you because tumne thodi care delhadi, but I think she likes you..because idk, tumhare saamne roi thi?'

"haan aur usne mujhe hug bhi kar liya tha."

"that's it! she likes you because she feels safe with you, I think she might even love you. And kya pata usko luch aisi safety mere saath lagti thi, not exactly waise, but shayad uske kaaran woh attach ho gayi hoon and isiliye mere distant hone so wo hurt ho gayi hoon."

"possible hai. And also, I explained it to her ki uski ya tumhari iss sab mein koi galti nahi thi, and she ahould forgive you or try and she agreed. I'm telling you this so that you also try from your side. I don't want her to be hurt like this..."

"uhuh.."

"main jaa raha hoon isse pehle tum mere aur ishita ki shadi ke sapne lene lag jao."

"main le rahi hoon ya tum?"

he glared at her as he left but somehow a smile wouldn't leave his face as he thought about her.