Frenemy Companions

chapter-52

∆ The tragedy∆
*******

She frowned at his answer. Love, was off the topic for her.

"Perhaps I don't deserve anyone's love."

"I think you deserve the love you are trying to give everyone around you." He turned to her and spoke more earnestly.

She looked away thoughtfully. Her thoughts were now not about her situation but about him.

"You always speak of love as if you are living it. As if you have years of experience and yet you say don't believe in it " curiously she remarked.

"I believe in love with no expectations." He answered looking at her intently.

"You indeed love your family, but you don't expect them to understand your situation. If you had slightest expectations from them to understand then today you wouldn't be sitting here."

She looked away not responding but the breath she released told him she didn't had any comeback.

"Go inside, it's late."

She looked at him frowning but she couldn't stay there forever.

"You understand love so well. By any chance you love someone?" She asked out of nowhere trying to prolong their conversation to avoid going inside.

He pressed his lips together listening to her. She exactly knew he was contemplating whether to tell her or not.

"It's a little complicated.."

"Tell me!" She offered with small glint in her eyes. The idea of him in love was exciting.

"It will take a lot of time and you don't have that. Go inside, your brothers are eating by head off by numerous messages." He slapped her forehead and got up.

"You will tell me if I go inside?" She questioned reluctantly getting up.

"No but I promise the next time you ask me I will tell you" he smiled at the thought , it was both unsettling but warm.

*****

She stared at the living room of the bunglow. The paint was still the same, lavender her favourite. The aura was just like how it was twenty six years ago.

Twenty six years ago, in the same living room she had witnessed the love of her life propose to her sister, and her sister accepted. In the same living room she had watched them get engaged.

The stinging in her heart was just like the one she felt all these years ago. But she had learned to endure it.

Behind the sofa, on the wall hung a family photo frame. Her parents, her grandfather, brother, she and her sister smiling at the camera.

Her gaze lingered on Mamta and her own self. The way Mamta's arms were wrapped around her. One would think that the sisters shared a close bond.

They did share!

Maybe they did.

She walked up to the staircase reminiscing running through them in haste just never be late to the lectures.

The rooms where laughter echoed, where memories were stored, good and bad both.

The constriction to breathe grew when she neared a particular room. She touched the handle and took her to slowly open the door.

****

Aditya stopped his car out of the address the driver had told him. For the first time he was thankful that his mother had taken the driver with her.