Pyaar, Prema ..... Friendship?

🖤Chapter 21🖤

Ashwin stands at the frame of the entrance door, tears brimming in his eyes as he sees Ahana walk out and get in the car, not a glance nor a word to him. His hands are still hanging in the air, where he held her hands and begged her not to leave, conveyed through his eyes that he'll fix it that it will be alright, but she was too hurt to understand him. He could see the hurt, the betrayal in her eyes, staring at him as they conversed in silence before she removed her hand from his grip and went her way. The car is long gone but he stays there, standing and staring at the path it has gone before a hand touches his shoulder. Ashwin jerks out of his stupor and looks behind to see his brother-in-law looking at him, his face a combination of concerned and pity, and he hates it. He hates that they pity him and not her, he hates that they don't think that he was at fault here, he hates that they assume stuff so easily that they refuse to believe what happened in reality and he hates that no matter how loving a family can be, there will always be a dark side to it. Anger and guilt mix and it bubbles to the surface as he shrugs off the hand and storms back into the house not caring whether the function is still on nor that the guests are still there, standing in shock at what happened. He storms right up to his mother and father "Ipo santhoshama?!" he shouts and his father comes in front "Yenda ipo kaathure?" "Yen kaathurena? Ille ivalo neram oru periya preleyame nadanthuche, atukku kaathame gift kudukke solringala?!" he snaps and then glares at his mom "Yemma, unnekku keetu seire palakkeme illeya? Nee baatuku ava edukure mudive neeye edukkure? Ava kitte oru varthe kekkunum nu onnuku thoneleya?!" he seethes as he moves back.

"Dei, amma kitte apdi pesathada" his sister advices but he glares at her too "Nee vaaye mude, unekkum ithukum samantham ille, unneku unnode valke amogama pothule, athe maatum paathuko" and his sister reels back, never in her life has she heard such venomous word out of his mouth. His brother-in-law steps forward, as a back up for his sister and Ashwin groans internally and raises his hands and stops him "Mama, unggelukum ithukum rombe thooram, ithu yenge vitu prechana-" "Dei, athu ungge mama da, avarum inthe vitu-" "Naa mama kitte peseren, ungge manaivi kitte pesele nu sollu pa" "Dei-" "Akka, mariyatheya solre inthe visiyathe vitu velegiru-" "Ashwin konjum yosichi-" "Yosicha?! Yennathe yosikinum?! Inthe veetle yosichi ah vele seiringe?! Ille naa kekkuren, inthe mudivu ellam edukke bothu, Ahana mind leh vechingele? Ava kitte oru vaarthe kekenum nu thonucha?! Ille le! Just because we were close you guys just assumed that we are romantically involved! Avale apdi paathale enneku udambu kusuthu, cause I've never seen her in that angle! Naa ipo varaikum avale apdi paathethile! She's my best friend! And she'll forever be my best friend and only my best friend" he grits the last words out while staring at his mom. "Aana enne maare oru muttal leh inthe ulagathile paathurukuve mudiyathu, yenna nee ivalo senjum naa unneku support pannikitu irunthen paaren, enne serupaleye adikenum, che! Athuvum ava keeta parungge kelvi ithu varaikum vaayi valike naa unnode aaru varusham best friend nu irukken nu sollitu, aana ipo varaikum, have you chose me above your mom? Konjum aachum yenne yosichiya? Ungge amma ode feelings eh kapathanum nu ennedo feelings eh deal leh vitutiye nu, unmailiye solre maa naa sethuten. Apo than yosichen, since the day you agreed to me to bring her home I've always put your feelings in front, I blackmailed her to come here, I disregarded her feelings to not see tears in your eyes but ithu ellam senji, avale paake maranthuten maa.....and I took her for granted" he says defeated and feels the lump in his throat rise again.

"Yes, she was happy to come here, aana naa avale ungge peche meera kudathu vaa nu blackmail pannitu than avale othuke veche, aana the moment she stepped into this house she's been nothing but pressured. She is an easy target, avale apro peesi samalichurulam nu than ava kalthule thaali ye kaatune, aana athu ipdi backfire avumnu naa nenichi kude paakele" he says and his mom looks up at him curiously "Easy target ah? Apo nee avale virumbi thaali ye kaatleya?" "Ille ma" he says and motivates himself to tell the truth for the sake of Ahana's freedom and happiness "Apo nee yaarayum kaathalikiliya?" "Kaathelikiren, aana Ahana ve ille, vere oru ponne" "Yaare?" his mother enquires and Ashwin takes a deep breath and looks at his mom straight in her eyes "Sivaangi ye" he says and there's a beat of silence before his mom looks at him in anger "Yaaru? Anthe Cooku with Comali leh irukale avala?" "Aama ma..yen.." he's confused as to why she's so angry when she's always liked her in the previous seasons and has always liked their pairing during the whole show "Yenda unneku arive illeya?!" "Yen ma?" "Yen a va?! Ava vayasu enna unnode vayasu enna?! Ava chinna ponnu da" "Maa ava paakethan ma chinna ponnu aana avalode maturity is beyond her age!" "Still? Ava media ponnu da, avunge amma appa ellam media le famous aanuvenge" "Maa, Ahana vum than media le irukure ponnu-" "Ava vere da, ava yenna full time ah media le irukka? She also has a paying job! Ava oru architect! Iva full time media personality!" "Athuku yenna ma?" "Dei, nambe family ku media le irukurre ponnu othu varathuda-" "Maa this is not fair! Ahana ve maatum othukitingge aana why this partiality for Sivaangi?!" "Dei! puriyama pesatheda, Ahana can easily give up her acting career and work as a full time architect! But iva?! Her job is in the media!"