Pyaar, Prema ..... Friendship?

🖤Chapter 8🖤

It's about an hour later the trio reaches the temple, after buying the stuffs Ashwin's mom ordered. Since it was still early and it was just a week after the lockdown has been lifted, the temple was fairly empty, only musical instruments echoing from inside the temple. "Athisyama aale ille" Ashwin says while fixing his hair, looking at the front mirror. Ahana hums and then sees Shana trying to get his attention and then sighs after trying multiple times but failing to do so. Ahana giggles quietly before asking Ashwin to unlock the door and gets down the car. The air is fresh and quiet as she walks away from the car, slowly, enjoying the morning breeze of the mountains on the back of the temple. She stands at the foot of the temple and stares at the whole environment, the temple, the overlapping mountains behind it, the musical instruments inside, the constant chants from the priests inside and slowly closes her eyes. "Woi, enna panre" Ashwin gently shakes her out of her stupor, opening her eyes to see him looking at her amused and she sighs, a content one "Ille, lockdown full ah veetle adichi kadanthu, ipo velile vanthune, oru mana nimathi irukku" she confesses and Ashwin huffs "Athuku thaane onne ingge kutitu vanthen" "Huh? But nee amma yenna paakanum nu thaane solli kutitu vanthe?" she asks him and Ashwin snickers "Athu unme than but athu amma ode plan, ennode plan was to bring you out of that condo of yours and relax your mind a little" he says and Ahana looks at him in awe.

"Sathiyama solre da, nee ille na, I don't know what would have happened to me. I would have lost my-" Ashwin immediately closes her mouth, his eyes stormy "Don't. Don't ever talk about loosing your life. I've been on the other end of that and it's not rainbows and sunshines" he says before taking off his hand and walking off to the temple stairs. Ahana shakes her head as she knows his anger on her will not last as she follows him to the temple. She's about to reach the temple when an old lady passes her slowly and she immediately helps her to bring her into the temple. "Rombe nandri papa" the old women says and Ahana just smiles before walking off, when the old lady grabs her hand. "Yenna patti?" she asks as the old lady asks her to bend down and she places her right hand on top of her head "Neeyum anthe paiyannum naala irupingge" she says and Ahana jerks back "Paati ma, athu yennode friend uh, yennode kathalan ille" she rebukes but the old lady shakes her head "Naa yelethiyum paathave papa, avan panruthu ellam oru aan avanode kathali ku yenna seivano, athe panre. Yennode purushan numthan yennode friend ah iruntharu avaru na-" Ahana gets up, ignoring if it's rude or not and walks away from the old lady. She walks past the prayer area and goes to the far back of the temple, where the view is over-looking the mountains. She grips the railing and stares at the scenery, her mind going a mile a minute, rotating with the words that old lady says, that she doesn't even hear the footsteps coming from behind her.

A gentle hand on her right shoulder makes her jerk back and turn to see Ashwin looking at her with an unreadable expression. "Naa unne angge kuptukite irukken, nee baatuku naduthu poite irukke. Enna achi?" he asks concerned and Ahana sighs and tells whatever the woman said to her. "Media sonnape kude naa avalo serious ah yeduthukule, but now your uncle and this unknown lady.... Ennaku bayama irukku, I really don't want to come in between you and Sivaangi" "What between me and Sivaangi? Nee yetho naange rendu perum love panikitu irukura maare pesre. We are still developing.  Athu mothe enneku love ah nu koode terle, I'm confused, cause you know how I feel about love and my track record on it. Plus, it's still early" he says as he leans on her side looking at her. "Why don't we step back a little?" "Step back? What do you mean step back?" " I mean we stop being as close as we were? Like-" "Wait, nee yenne mean panre? That we break this friendship of ours? Just cause what? Some random two peeps-" "Not random-" "Whatever! Some random two peeps who misjudged our relationship?" he asks her, his eyes full of anger and fear. "You wanna break six years of friendship cause of this two?! Huh" he huffs bitterly "Ashwi-" "Don't. I-I don't wanna talk to you right now. We'll deal with this at home" he says and walks off, stopping and tilting his head slightly back "Or not" he concludes before continuing his walk back into the temple.

Ahana sighs defeatedly as she walks back slowly back into the temple. The entire time Ahana and Ashwin never faced each other, going an extra mile to avoid each other. It takes almost two hours for the entire prayer to finish off and its already afternoon. Ahana takes the end of her pallu and stuffs it near her hips as the temperature is already increasing, regardless of the mountain terrain. She leans against one of the temple pillar as she takes a deep breath, releasing her stress and her ever running mind. Someone gives her a cup and she looks at the person and sees Ashwin's sister, offering her a cup of 'payasam' with a small smile gracing her face. "Thanks kaa" she says and Priyanka akka hums before standing beside her "Enneku teriyum" "Yenna teriyum kaa?" "Neeyum ashu vum yetho naale sande potrukinge nu" "Akka-" "Iru ma, yethu naale sande potingge nu terle aana potrukinge. Onne onnu sollenum ma, adichikonge sandapotukoge, aana oruthuke oruthur vettu koduthurathinge. Avan kolandha ma manasale" she says and Ahana nods huffing "Teriyum kaa" "Aah, so avanuku nu onnu irunthuchi naa avan yaaru kaagavum yethu kaagavum vettu kudukamatan, adam pudipan, sanda poduvan aana paasam matum korunjarathu, even an ounce" Priyanka akka advices before squeezing her shoulder once before leaving her to her thoughts.

Ahana finishes her 'payasam' before dumping it into the dustbin and then going and searching for her best friend. After going about every corner of the temple she finds him on a bench outside of the temple, Shana beside him. Curiosity peeked ,  she silently makes her way down and tip-toes to the area they were both seated. "-and it's her lost that she wants to cut off her friendship with you just cause someone randomly disgraced your friendship. And it's not like she can't be replaced with another person and that's-" "No. I can't be replaced" Ahana cuts in and the two of them turn to look at her, Shana's face souring while Ashwin's face brightens. Ahana walks over towards them and asks her to get up with her index finger "Athene paathen, yengada kadakire gap le vanthu kummi adikile nu. You can replace me in a sense he will have a girl as a best friend but you know in what way you can never replace me and my position in his life? Someone whose seen his tears, his anger, his genuine smiles, his faked ones, his thinking, his silence, his ego, his alter ego personality, his possessiveness, his truth, his lie, his struggles, his defeat, his success, his happiness, his sadness, me being the only person to see the raw Ashwin Kumar, the only girl that gives him the comfort to be himself no matter if it's good or bad" Ahana says in a go and by the time she's finished Shana looks at the both of them, grumbles and then storms off to the direction of the temple.

After watching her walk off, Ahana takes the seat beside him and sits there in silence, the gentle breeze and the muted prayer bell accompanying them. "Sorry" she says and then lends her hand to him, but Ashwin pushes her hand away and before she says something, pulls her in for a very tight hug. Coming out of her shocked state, she wraps her arms around his waist and gently rests her head on his shoulder, sighs in contentment. "Nee sorry sonna, nambele third person maare palagirukum nu thonuthu, athuku bathillah nee inthe maare oru hug illena oru side hug kuduthene, I'll be even more happier" Ashwin confesses and Ahana huffs before tightening her hold. "Cheri, enneku ice cream sapdenum pola thonuthu-" "Nambe Shana ve veetle vitutu, jolly ah ooru suthuvum, rombe naala aachi nambe ooru suthi" he says and Ahana agrees before looking at him suspiciously "Yen Shana ve nambe poi vidunum? Avlo paasama?" "Eh, che, nee epdi apo apo thug kudukuriyo, athe maare than naanum" he says while lifting his collar and Ahana gasps before laughing her heart out. "Adapavi, kedi" she tuts and the duo dissolve into another set of tummy aching laughter.

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That's all for Chapter 8! 

Till then, Sayonara 👋🏽👋🏽

Love, Angel 🖤