Rewrite the Stars | A Ruturaj Gaikwad Fanfiction

Mahati finds out the truth (Mahati's pov)

It appeared to Mahati some sort of an irony that Rakesh led her to the terrace to tell her 'the story.'

The story of how after their second breakup, he was so hurt and angry that he made up a plan to win her back (getting a degree abroad and a dream job in journalism in the process), not because he wanted them to be together, but because he wanted to get back at her by dumping her on their wedding day.

Somehow, Mahati couldn't bring herself to ask any question as he spoke, not even 'what?' or 'seriously?' or 'are you mad?'

"By the time I wanted to retract, it was already too late," said Rakesh. "So that was...it."

"That was it," repeated Mahati.

"I'm sorry," said Rakesh, offering her a hand, as if he was waiting for her to accept the apology.

Absentmindedly, Mahati shook his hand, trying to get her head around all she'd just heard.

"You're saying...it wasn't like you suddenly realized you didn't want to get married to me...and you had planned from the beginning you'll...it was all planned, from-from the start," she said.

Rakesh opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.

"You're joking, aren't-aren't you?" asked Mahati. "Of course you're joking-that's what you always do-"

"I'm not, MC. That's what-that's what I wanted to tell you, I should have told you before," said Rakesh, looking anywhere but her.

"You-hate me that much?" said Mahati, bewildered.

"Mahati, I don't hate-! I-it was a stupid decision, a crazy, over the top, horrible idea, I still can't believe I went through with it-" It was the first time she was ever seeing him in tears. "I'm sorry, Mahati, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know sorry doesn't cut it, but I don't know what else-"

He's supposed to be my best friend, and he acted in love with me for three years so he could leave me on our wedding day. 

Mahati's brain seemed to have gone dead, the words coming out slowly.

"It's all right," she said. "I get it."

"You do?"

"Yes..." Mahati tried to speak soothingly, since Rakesh was sobbing badly now, holding himself up against the wall. "It's fine, Rakesh, don't cry, don't, it's okay..."

"You don't get it," he said. "If you did, you wouldn't be acting this way."

There seemed to be sense in his words; it was likely she had not got it, judging by how fast her head was spinning.

"How come you told me today?" she asked.

"I thought you-you should know," he said. "I always knew inside you should, but it was so horrible, the whole thing, it was easier to keep it from you, and Rutu used to say the same, because it was going to hurt you so bad..."

"Rutu?" said Mahati, chokingly. "Rutu knew?"

Rakesh's face went white as a sheet.

"Only after," he said, too quickly for comfort. "He knew only after the wedding was cancelled. He couldn't have done anything to stop it."

To Mahati, it seemed like he was trying to convince her of a lie. But it couldn't be a lie; that much she knew. If Rutu had had any chance to stop the debacle, he would have. He could never had gone along with the plan or stood by, watching it unfold. 

That said, her head was only spinning faster now.

"It's all...too confusing, Rakesh," she said. "I don't want to think of any of this anymore."

"That's all right," he said, again too quickly. "You can talk about it when you want-or never, if you don't want to."

"Do you want us to still remain friends?" Mahati blurted out.

Rakesh stared at her before laughing in a hysteric, wild sort of way.

"You're asking me if I want us to remain friends? Like you're the one who messed up-I swear, MC, your words will always pass right above my head."

"Tangentially," said Mahati.

"Pretty much," said Rakesh. He opened his arms tentatively, giving her the choice to turn down the hug.

She didn't, though, because she could never stop caring for this boy, her best friend, and she knew neither could he, and if he'd been pushed to such lengths to get back at her, maybe more than a little of the blame was hers to bear

***

On the way down the stairs, Mahati came across Aditi, the salonists clearly having finished with her.

"Hey!" she called. "Feeling better now?"

Mahati felt guilt heating her face. "B-better?"

"You walked off in an awful temper earlier, remember?" said Aditi ruefully.

What had she been in an temper about then? thought Mahati. Seemed like she was always in a bad mood these days.

"Oh-yes," she said. "I'm okay now."

"Great," said Aditi, smiling. "Where are the boys? They've just lit the fountains, let's go and watch before the ceremony?"

By 'the boys', she must mean Rutu and Rakesh. Both the names sent arcs of panic through Mahati's body.

She remembered how badly she'd hurt someone she'd considered her best friend for practically forever that he had acted in love with her for three years so he could jilt her during a staged wedding.

She remembered how she had been harbouring feelings for her other best friend's boyfriend/fiance for years, and till she hadn't acted on it, it was fine. But she then had acted on it, and had not once thought of Aditi.

She remembered how she had confessed her love the day of her third best friend's wedding, confused him and made him miserable, how selfish and inconsiderate and cruel she'd been to him.

To all of them.

Three people in her life, who had always tried to see the best in her, and she had wronged all three of them.

There was something horrifically wrong with her.

And then, her decision was made.

Because now she knew she was a horrible and toxic person, and the last kind of person she would want Rutu to spend his life with. Someday she would mess him up, and he would hate her, too, like Rakesh had, like Aditi should, but because he was Rutu, he wouldn't try to take revenge.

He'd just stay unhappy. That was what made him Rutu.

"They must be upstairs," she told Aditi, who was looking at her curiously. "I just need a word with Rutu, then we'll go to the fountains."

"Is something wrong, Mahati?" asked Aditi, now sounding worried.

This was the girl whose heart they'd been about to break. This was the girl she had been about to remove from Rutu's life and whose place she had been about to take, replace someone sweet and kind and considerate like Aditi with someone as toxic as herself.

But even more importantly, she had been about to break her best friend's heart.

"Not really," said Mahati. "I'll be back in a minute."