Unrequited

Chapter 12

Back at fresher's party, now.

I somehow managed not to choke and die on my own hitched breath. His eyes now too shone with recognition. I was still in his arms and my skin where he held burned under the light fabric of my dress.

"Kiara?"

"Um..."

"Hi, you here? What are you doing here? Wait are you in this college?"

I could not frame a coherent answer to that one without letting the rebellious sob jump out.

It's him. It is Ayaan Khan. Oh my god. Oh god. Shit shit shit shit. What do I do what do I do what do I do?

He stands in front of me without even the slightest knowledge of the furious confusion my heart and head are going through.

Like it was nothing to him. Seeing me here after, what 8 years, is nothing? Nothing absolutely. The same beautiful face, same floppy hair, same lopsided smile that now teased the corners of his mouth, although he had shot up, although we were the same height, thanks to my heels.

What's he doing here?! Just let him be, okay. And for God's sake Kia. You can stand on your own legs. (pun intended), so get out of his arms, you MORON!

I struggled to free myself and stood upright. He looked at me and the same warm smile I had loved, crossed his face.

Well, I hadn't died that day, although I had wished for death fervently. The last two years in that school had been even more excruciatingly painful because he landed in the same class as me.

9th and 10th were a mixture of gloom, irritation, confusion, emptiness and much more of nothingness. I had to see the same face every day that Kira had taught me to hate.

Ayaan even dated someone with whom he claimed to have fallen truly in love. I would roll my eyes as if I was least interested but my insides used to be on fire.

However, as the years wore on, I grew numb and actually unbothered by his tactics.

"I study here". I replied remembering his question.

"Oh. Me too. I'm in the commerce stream. Isn't this"—he struggled to find an appropriate word— "Great?". I narrowed my eyes at him.

Great? Great?! How? Ayaan and Kiara in the same place again after a brutal death of our relationship. Wow! Just Great!

"I don't think so", I said adding sass to my slightly shaky voice. And with that I turned about and out.

I entered the now empty and cold auditorium. The rows and rows of seat laying as empty as my heart felt. I sank into a plush one at the extreme back. Tears started flowing as my brain slowly accepted the fact that he was back.

Where I had thought "ah...finally! The drama will now be out of my life", but little did I know that Satan, and not God, had written my destiny.

I felt so vulnerable and miserable on a night which was supposed to be fabulous. With him walking around the college like the ghost of our dead past would be traumatising for me. And guess what? The clock in the auditorium showed only 9 pm.

Listen to me Kiara. Ayaan does not have to affect you so much. What happened is now in the past, buried deep. You are a new self here, starting a new life. Do not let him, your terrible past, blackmail your present, to ruin a beautiful future.

Kira says quoting Shahrukh Khan from Dear Zindagi. I roll my eyes at her (my alter ego. I told you we talk) and scrunch my nose.

Shut up you know we love the film. Kia.... stop overthinking. He's here but he doesn't have to be so important. Okay fine maybe he has developed abs and had started looking better and black suits him really well—

"Stop it, Kira!"

Sorry, I diverted. But back where we were. I trained you to hate him for the past 4 years now, at least respect and appreciate that. You know I won't take a bad decision for us. So, trust me. Things will be fine. If not great!

I switched on my phone and looked at myself in the camera. My hair was still fine. Makeup was untouched. Eyes were red but not sore and bulgy. Dress looked great.

Wow! No kajal river. Buy one more!

I pushed the heavy doors and let myself out. The heat hit me as I walked down to the undying party.

People were now drunk to their limits, dancing around like horrible hooligans. The girls were sweaty and stinky, their cakey makeup running down their faces, dresses swaying the air carelessly.

The air reeked of cheap alcohol and sweat and puke and everything yuck. Thankfully as I spotted her, Aisha stood nervously in a safe corner with Nyra drunk dancing. When she saw me, she threw her hands open with relief.

"Thank Goddd! Thank God you are here and not drunk.", she puffed, releasing me from the bear hug. Pointing to Nyra she said, "This idiot has been drunk dancing since eons. I feel so horrible but I didn't want to leave her. She has even puked once or twice maybe". Both of us grimaced and strode off to swimming pool area.

The wind blew harder here, and the music thudded lightly in the background. The still pool reflected lights from the neighbouring lamp posts.

I could see a few people at the other end of it, enjoying, laughing. Aisha asked me where had I 'run off' and I stiffened. I didn't want to tell this to her yet.

I wasn't ready for that kind of closeness, so I shrugged it off saying I got a call from home. We sat on plastic chairs and she produced two bottles of beer and exclaimed 'surprise surprise in a sing song.

I was indeed nonplussed, because I hadn't seen her carrying them. We sat sipping beer, cracking occasional jokes but mostly in comfortable silence.

I liked this about Aisha, she knew how to mind her own business. She didn't bother me with pestering questions even though I knew she hadn't bought my 'call' excuse and her observing skills had naturally seen my reddened eyes.

Yet, she sat there comfortably without troubling me. She had pulled out her hair from the elaborated updo that she had come with.

At around 10.30 Aisha jumped up.

"Oh shit! My curfew is 11.30 and I had completely forgotten. I should get going."

I didn't want to stay there without her. So, I too got up to leave. We walked down and out of the gates talking about how hilarious Nyra looked.

We met before fleeing and she was blown. Mascara all over her face. Lipstick rubbed off. Had she been kissing someone? Maybe. Dress in crumples, it also had a small tear at the back. As we waited for my our ubers to come, Aisha suggested that we got out for drinks the next week.

I couldn't agree more. I had wasted this fresher's party and she had been too nervous to drink among practical strangers. We decided on the famous Monkey Bar on the coming Friday.

I reached home an hour early and found my parents still up. They looked surprised but relieved to see me back.

They asked me about the party and replied positively. I didn't want to worry them about the Ayaan's merciless return.

They had seen me through those horrifying years with worry. They feared I would turn into a zombie but fortunately when I grew out of it (outwardly at least), their faces beamed with pride too.

Ma had made yummy khichdi with which I filled my tummy and went off to sleep (which didn't come).