Our Way Back

11. She did the talking

R O H I T

She hid so many things, so well!
Never did I think her wounds would be so deeply embedded in her heart since her childhood. Peoples lives are actually so different that what we see, Advika was the closest example I was seeing. I actually had a perfect life, family, living my dreams, it never occurred to me that she might have faced so much. I didn't want to push her to tell everything but I did want to know! She was a flawless beauty with abundance of talent, since I met her I have always seen her like that, I always saw what she showed me but as a friend I should have understood that he was always hurting and never actually fine, she had just gotten used to all of this!
I am happy that at the moment she is opening up to me, she is certainly not a person to be vulnerable with just anyone, I was not just anyone now, she trusts me and nothing is more than her trust!
"Advika, I feel so sorry for never realising this earlier, your life looks so perfect on the outside that anyone would just ..."

"I know Rohit, it's not your fault, you saw what I showed you! I couldn't have trusted you back then with all of this but you know I am proud of myself to go through everything alone!", She said and I had to agree she was right!

"You are stronger than I thought girl!", I pulled her into a warm side hug and she relaxed her shoulders.

"But how I all this related to what happened today?", I asked her a little curious.

"For our college's theatre group we had auditions in our college. We both were together for the auditions there.", Her voice was soft and tired.

"Wait...we both? The one who you met today him and you?", I couldn't understand what she meant it was all half information but I was fine I she didn't wan lt to share further.

"No not him. I was talking about me and Vishal.", She said gulping down the remaining for her bourbon and withdrawing from my embrace.

"Huh? Vishal? Pandey?", this was a surprise for sure!

She nodded in agreement.

"Advika enough for today you have had 3 glasses enough now", I took the glass and the bottle away from her she tried to manipulate me but I wasn't gonna let her drink anymore.
She was standing facing me so I turned her back towards me, held her by her shoulders and directed her towards her room. We went in and she plopped on her bed legs dangling down the mattress. She would soon be asleep I thought because bed and sleep were her first love! Sleep was her cure for everything! But she had decided to surprise me with everything today itself. She got up and sat at the edge of the bed still not ready to sleep yet. I went and sat beside her and decided to ask her something further.

"Advika the one whom you met today, he was Vishal's friend right? I think I have seen him with Vishal on his social media"

"Yes that was Adnan"

"So why does Vishal doesn't...."

"I know what do you have to ask Rohit", she said looking down at her hands.

"Hey it's okay we will save it fir something later okay let's just eat something we haven't eaten anything and just wine and bourbon isn't gonna help", her face brighten up at the mention of food!
Oh yes after bed and sleep, it was food whom Advika loved the most! She is such a simple human to handle give her food and her own time and that's it she is happy!

"Yeah man I am hungry and the alcohol is making me hungrier", she whined and laughed at her own childish behaviour.

"Chalo finally you laughed, you were looking like a rotten fruit"

Advil threw a pillow in his face at his comment.

"Dude is this the way you treat guests at your place?!", I laughed.

"No that's just special hospitality for you", you can try to beat her with your comebacks but she will never let you win!!

"Okay so what would you like to have....umhh...", I didn't understand was she asking me or herself cause surely it didn't seem like she was asking me!

"Umm give me options", I told her.

"Fine done, eat what I have ordered" she said placing tbe order.

"That surely didn't sound like and option"

"Yes because that's a command baby", she said teasing me.

I got up to look around in her room and stopped near the photo frames of her with her parents and some solo pictures. She was a cute baby I have to mention!

"Advika..."

"Hmm?"

"Is there a reason behind you leaving Mumbai 5 years back?"

"Yes there was a reason for me leaving from here, I wanted a life of my own but I wouldn't have left if....", Her words trailed off and she again seemed to go into some another world of hers.

"If what?", I asked bringing her back into the present.

"I am a coward and selfish, I run away from my problems Rohit"

Her words had hurt, it also hurted me to to know that she was silently hurting, I sat beside Advika who was sitting with her legs crossed on the bed and back resting against the backrest, I sat in front of her and held her face in my hands and gave her a forehead kiss. The feel of her smooth and soft skin felt good on my plams. This wasn't supposed to happen now. Not atleast when she needed a friend!

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