PraNish - No Straight Roads

We Need to Talk

Nishant

"Don't you think this would be the right course of action?" I asked my close friend Puneet Pathak.

"You know falling for straight guys never goes well for anyone. You have gotten yourself involved before and remember how they always left you saying "it was just an experiment" but there is a difference between them and Pratik, right Nishu?" Puneet looked over at Pratik who was talking with Bharti. He had been scrutinizing Pratik ever since I told him how I felt about Pratik to him.

"Yeah, I didn't care about those people very much so I moved on but I am afraid of losing Pratik." I said with utter honesty. It really felt good to finally talk about this even though the certain fear, frustration and grief which I had been feeling all this time was still pervading my mind.

"Pratik doesn't look a 100% straight to me Nishant if you really want my opinion. I think if you would kiss him he would kiss you back!" Puneet said with a serious face and I started laughing. Seeing me crack up Puneet laughed with me but kept jerking me and saying "YOU KNOW ITS TRUE! THAT'S WHY YOU ARE LAUGHING!" I laughed harder and ended up clutching his shirt so as to not fall down, "NO! Main hass rha hu because of the bs you just spoke. He is the straightest guy I know! He is a chick magnet and he adores women. He never looks at any other guy the way he looks at women. I know him." I said and I saw Pratik looking at us even though he was standing far away. He could probably just see me and Puneet laughing from that distance but I don't know why he was suddenly looking at us. I straightened myself up and stopped laughing. Puneet noticed Pratik staring too, he also stopped laughing. Pratik finally broke the stare and resumed talking with Bharti and Harsh.

"Sure, he doesn't look at men the way he looks at women but he looks at you the way he looks at women. Dekh usko dhyaan se you are just too comfortable being in a safe spot of friendship with him because tujhe pata hai you will always have him with you in this friendzone, no risks." He said and it was brutal. I felt like a kicked puppy.

"Even if what you said about me is true main abhi bhi yeh maintain karta hu ki I think Pratik is straight. His relationships are complicated, one of that relationship could be me but that doesn't make him gay or bisexual." I said and Puneet scoffed, "Sure, according to that logic you can suck c*ck but say 'hey bro no homo' "

"Shut up, kya bol rha hai bey Puneet you are a sick man." I looked around to see if anyone heard us as if Pratik staring a hole into me wasn't enough.

"No, I am a straight guy with enough gay friends so my gay radar is strong enough to spot bi or gay men. I think you should smash Pra-" and before he could finish his sentence Pratik walked toward us and said, "Kya baat ho rhi hai? Shoot over hojayega bss thodi der let's go out all of us."

"We were talking about gay-" I elbowed Puneet before he could say more.

"Yeah, what about it? Wait, abbey Nishant bolne de usko." Pratik said looking clueless but amused.

"Nahi woh kya bolega? Woh thodi gay hai tujhe kya Puneet!!" I tried pulling Puneet away from Pratik but he kept laughing and attempted to say something to Pratik. I was panicking so hard but I plastered my fake smile on so that my anxiety was hidden.

"Kya pata woh ho and he is in denial." Pratik said clearly joking and Puneet pushed me away. I hate getting manhandled all the time but the men around me are too bulky so it's easy for them. However, Pratik caught me. He held my arm, pulling me close and kept talking to Puneet.

"Oye I am happily married. Chal Pratik ek baat bata would you kiss a guy?" Puneet asked and I tried getting myself away from Pratik's demonic clutches but he held me tight. Once Pratik grabs me, there is no going away. This was applicable to me not just physically.

"I have actually kissed guys but didn't really like it." He said and Puneet laughed, "Awe!" He laughed too but I was the only one who wasn't laughing. I looked at Puneet giving him I-told-you-so look. I was shocked too, I didn't know Pratik had experimented before.

"Hey but never say never buddy, who knows maybe you will like it in future." Puneet said trying to do damage control.

"Yaar I am done experimenting. If I date someone now it would be serious not time-pass or just an experiment you know? Plus, I am focused on my career right no time to f**k around." Pratik said and loosened his grip over me. Suddenly, I wanted his hands to stay there. I felt awkward, exposed, stupid... It was the worst feeling in the world. I can't play this game anymore, can I? Even though Pratik and Puneet were talking and Harsh and Bharti joined in the conversation about career, I stood there looking at Pratik feeling like the most stupid person in the entire world.

"Kya hua?" Pratik suddenly turned to me and I was jolted back to reality.

"Kuch nahi, kyu pucha tune?" I said.

"Try not lying to me. We are having a long conversation after this is over." He said again staring intensely in my eyes. I just nodded. I wondered how could he sense there was something wrong? No one else noticed but he did. He always know, if I join all the dots Pratik just knows me too well so there is a possibility he knows how I feel too. Is this the long conversation he wants to have with me?

God, I am not ready. I wanna run away.

Exciting chapter ahead!! Brace yourselves because not just Nishant but you guys are also not ready 😱😧