Friendship ❤️

Chapter Twenty Three: Say never a Goodbye

The hall was magnificently decorated with golden metallic tinsels, streamers. Round tables with chairs were arranged in an order, a glimmering chandelier was hung on the ceiling, with artificial bouquets hung on the either sides of the mustard painted walls. A music band stood upon the black tiled stage, candles were dimly lit on each table.

Soon, the hall was filled with crowd and chaotic murmurs. Moving across few groups of people and excusing myself several times.
I straightly sank down on the nearest chair, "Oh my God!" I gasped, "What a drag, man"

I called the approaching waiter, "Waiter. Hey"

With a tray of bourbon glasses, he strode to my table. "What can I get you?"

"A glass of champagne will do." I said clicking my tongue.

As the waiter went to get a drink, a sullen Alia kept her purse on the table, pulled the chair and sat beside me.

"Hi!" I waved my hand at her.

"Hello" She said wearily. "Where are all the waiters?"

"I don't know" I shrugged and fiddled with my diamond bracelet.

The waiter came back with two champagne glasses and served me. Alia took one glass from the tray and thanked him. She lowly hung her head and sipped the pale yellow liquid down her throat, "Well that's the only good thing of today"

I chuckled and drily smiled, "I am always early at every function"

She snorted and took another sip, "You know, we never interacted much"

"Yep, we were not that close, I know things about you through your sister, she said that you were a staunch brat"

She chortled and smirked, "That I was"

An uncanny silence passed between us.

"You liked Arjun, right?" She lifted her eyebrow.

Of all the topics left in the world, why did she had to pick this topic.

My face flushed with the question and I took a sip of my drink.
"Umm-hmm" I earnestly mumbled and nodded my head.

She snorted again,"He liked you"

Past memories resurfaced in my mind, I wanted to hear it from his mouth. But he was not brave enough to tell the truth. "And why are you telling me this?"

"Because I liked him, he must have or not confessed to you, but I liked Arjun more than a friend" She said stridently. "But he liked you" There was a tinge of pain in her voice.

"But you guys were not dating..." I asked.

"Fake dating, actually. He wanted to make you jealous, but when it didn't work he broke up with me."

I realised how foolish I've been, he lied to me about everything, and here I was getting hurt.

I dabbed my tears with the tissue, my mascara was ruined as well. I hoped the last function would be momentous and chugged down the sweet drink.

"Alia, I am so sorry. I didn't know, I would have.."

She cut me off, "What would you have done, you don't know how painful it is, to watch the person you like, holding someone else's hand. I guess, he like girls like you."

"Yeah, it's because I felt the same when he was with you or at least he was. But now, it's none of my business. I am over him." I was not, my emotions were clouded by my judgement.

She got up and moved past my table. After she was gone, I ordered two more drinks, the reception function began.

After the toast , the bride and groom were dancing along with some other couples on the floor, with some soft ballad playing in background. They looked so lovely.

Arjun walked towards me, and politely asked me for dance, extending his left hand. Wanting to tell, how mad I was, at him. I offered my hand, he slightly pulled me towards him, keeping his right hand on my back. He took me to the empty spot on the dance floor.

The music changed, The Night We Met was playing on the speakers.

I kept my hands around his neck, while he held my waist, we were moving in a rhythm.

"Do you know how to dance?" I asked, I was little surprised by his gentleman behavior.

"Yeah, I took some dancing lessons."

I nodded my head, why wouldn't he, girls would die to be his dance partner.

"For you" He said

I peered deeply at those brown orbs, it was becoming hard to be mad at him.

"Why do you look so sad and disappointed?" He noticed my smudged mascara.

Keeping a distance between us, I positioned my heels.

"I am not sad" I lied, he took my right hand in air with his left hand and twirled and waltzed with me.

As the song was about to end, I left the dance floor in hurry, being followed by Arjun outside the hall, in the lawn.

Thunder rumbled in the sky, lightning flashed, rain drops dripping slowly on the ground. I ran down the stairs, I wanted to go away from him.

"Naina, Naina" He called me, he stood on the top of the stairs.

I stopped and turned behind, facing him. He came down, few stairs.

"Why are you acting like this?"

"You lied to me. You told me, I was a fucking selfish hypocrite. You lied to me that you didn't date Alia, you lied to me about your feelings for me. And then I felt guilty about everything. Tell me you didn't lie to me"

We were getting drenched in rain, but we didn't care about it, in midst of our emotions and feelings.

"I love you" He replied, it's like, he didn't hear anything I said.

"It's too late" I said in a monotonous tone and left.

He was left there standing, crestfallen, as he watched me go. The rain drops splashed out on us.

I didn't tell my friends about the little argument we had, with our bags packed we stood with at the gateway of the hotel.

"We decided to go to Switzerland for our honeymoon" Sarah said wiggling her eyebrows, as she hugged Aditya.

He patted her hair and gave a peck on her forehead. "So this is it then"

"Thank you guys very much. I can't believe time flies so quickly" Jai said earnestly.

"It wouldn't have been possible without you Sarah" Divya said.

"Don't thank me, it was Naina's idea" She replied

I grinned, it was our moment to say goodbyes. Everyone was there, except Arjun, as always missing the best moments.

"Where is Arjun?" Alia asked, she looked here and there, searching his face in the crowd.

"I don't know, he didn't even talk to me last night, what happened to him, does anyone know?" Aditya said

I was silent, after what happened last night, I can't face him. He told me he loved me, but I am sick of playing these games. I have a life planned out and he was there at the wrong timing and all I wanted was to experience an epic love, but I guess, that's not in my fate.

The bus arrived, we took our bags and luggage and sat on our respective seats. Alia who was sitting on the seat before me, pushed the window pane to my side.

"Hey Alia, before we depart. I want to apologise" I said, I don't want any unresolved conflicts pestering me midnight.

"No, I should apologize to you. I was such a bitch to you. You know Naina, you are too good to be good. I am sorry, if I hurt you in any way. The things I blurted out, it was a mistake "

"It's okay. We are good now" I smiled and slid the window pane to my left side.

The only person I should be apologising, was missing.

I loved him too early and he loved me too late.

The wind blew the wisps of my hair, as I looked straight out at the scenery outside from the moving bus.