Friends to Enemies to Nothing (Series: Part 1)

Chapter 8: Enemies to Strangers

Naina: (Sarcastically) FRIENDS?! TUM AUR MAI?! Tumhe pata bhi hai friendship kya hoti hai? Tajub hai!

Kashish: Naina please shut up!

Naina: Why Kashish? Why? Maine aisa kya kiya hai?!

Kashish: Tumne jaan booch kar saare ladko ko mere khilaf bhadkaya hai!

Naina couldn't believe it! Kashish really thought of her to be soo low!

Naina: Kashish, maine sirf aur sirf unhe yeh bataya ki tumhare aur mere beech ki yeh ladai kaise shuru hui, aur kuch nahi!

Kashish: tumne apna Masada aur tadka bhi dala hoga uss story mai! Really Naina?! I never thought tagt you'll stoop this low!

Naina: Kashish enough! Enough of your nonsense! Kab se sunn rahi hu, bakar bakar kare jaa rahi ho! Listen lady, I am not like you! Mujhe kisi ko bhi tumhare khilaf bhadkane ki koi zarurat nahi hai, woh tumhare actions, tum aur tumhare dost khud hi kar dete ho!

Kashish felt very angry and so did Naina. Parul came just in time before their oral argument turned into a physical one. She came and took Kashish away with her. Naina saw how true her brothers words were. The anger she had for Kashish was only affecting Naina. She was the one being hurt each and everytime. She was the one who was alone, Kashish had already made friends and had already moved on with her life. Naina realized that now, she needed to follow what her brother had told her to do. She needed to make Kashish, her once upon a time best friend, a compete stranger. It was going to be hard, but it wasn't impossible. Naina then went to her house alone as she now didn't have any friends.

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They were successful in ignoring each other till the very end of their board exams. They thought that it was it, they would now never see each other again. Although they were neighbors, they never used to look at each others houses thus eliminating the risk of seeing each other. The results were out and both of them started to apply for colleges. Things were going good for the both of them. They had stopped seeing each other, college applications were already sent and they both were enjoying their lives.

As if this was the silence before the storm, Naina and Kashish received a letter accepting them to the same college. They both were doing MBA Finance and were in the same class of the same college as well.

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It came as a shock to see Kashish in college for Naina and vice-versa for Kashish. They both parted their ways on the hall but ended up in the same class room. Naina knew that now college was going to be hell. But then she recalled what Naveen had told her. She needed to act neutral towards Kashish..wait, Who Kashish? That was what she needed, to forget her and treat her as a stranger. Running away from her wasn't an answer, the answer was to accept everything that went down between them and move on. And so did Naina take the first step towards it. She looked at Kashish and gave her a smile before heading inside the class to sit on the front row seat.

Their first semester went by quickly. They refrained from talking with each other and meanwhile, Naina made a few good friends in the college. Kashish already had a group of 10 and they used to roam around together in the college. Naina had slowly started to accept that Kashish was no longer her friend, or even her enemy. She had started to move on but for some reason, always, Naina wasn't able to move on completely from her. Maybe it was the betrayal? Or maybe it were those sweet memories of them together that kept on hindering in the path of Naina living a new and a separate life. After the second semester had began, Naina started focusing more and more on studies and automatically Kashish was getting sidelined from her brain.

Near the end of semester 2, Naina's father was having a chance of transfer but the parents that thought that both the children would stay in Shimla and finish their studies. If this was proposed back when Naina and Kashish were friends, then Naina would've fought to stay back here but now, now she had no reason to stay here in Shimla anymore.

Naina: Baba, mai aap logo ke sath Nainital shift hona chahti hu.

Naina's father: Are you sure Naina?

Naina: Ha baba, pakka hai..waha ki kisi college mai transfer le lenge. Waise bhi mere marks bohot acche aye hai, kisi bui college mai transfer ho jaungi.

Naveen: Baba, even I want to be with you all mai bhi aap sabke sath Nainital jaunga.

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Naveen: Phir uske baad?

Naina got up and Naveen followed her. She took him near the window and gazed out remembering the last time she saw Kashish.

Naina: uske baad maine usse college mai last dekha tab tha jab mai apne dosto ko ek last time bye bolne gayi thi.

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Then they all packed up their stuff. It was after their examination results were announced that Naina had to leave. Naina had come to college to say goodbye to all her friends. Naina was shocked to see that her friends had arranged for a farewell party for her. Naina and all the friends hugged each other and talked about everything and anything. Many of her batch mates were also there to bid Naina farewell. Naina turned around upon hearing the voice of one of her friends.

Girl: Pata hai, yeh na Naina ki bohot acchi dost hai!

Kashish started looking here and there in panic. Naina upon hearing her friend say this looked at whom she was talking about. She was shocked to see Kashish being referred to as her bohot acchi dost.

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Naina: Naveen bhaiya, yeh sab Ma ya phir Baba ko mat batana. Unhe yeh lagta hai ki hum dono ki dosti doori ke wajah se khatam ho gayi. Aur mai chahti hu ki hum unhe yeh sab na baye nahi toh aap toh jaante hi ho Baba ko, woh Kashish ke papa se directly baat kar lenge aur ladai ho jayegi. Upar se unka BP bhi high ho jayega inn sab ke chakar mai.

Naveen: I understand Naina. Don't worry your secret is safe with me. Waise Naina, tumhare cupboard ke upar ek box rakha hai, kab se jann na chahta tha ki uss mai kya hai..bata de na..

Naina: Woh mera memory box hai..uss mai sirf photos hai..aaye mai aapko dikhati hu..

Naveen and Naina left the hall and went to her room. Naina took out the box with Naveen's help. She dusted the exterior of the box before gaining the courage to open this box which was full of memories for her.