Strings Of Love

Chapter 34

Sidharth wasn't really paying attention while talking to Ishita, her face and presence made him roll back into the memory lanes when he wasn't able to comprehend most of why she left him. What made it more gruesome was the fact that the moment she left him, he was still in love with her. He didn't even get a chance to transmute the love into bitterness or hatred, the route that relationships take towards their twilight days.

Just thinking about all those days again sent shivers down his spine, for that memory got imprinted in the psyche of a man, one who took pride in being a faithful and loving partner. He wasn't in his 20s, he wasn't a young college freshman who'd lament at the loss of the love of his life but a mature guy in his 30s who was serious about the lady he loved. He was well equipped with enough maturity to deal with the scene to minimize the damage. He knew what all led to the failure of their relationship, he fucked up too. He knew he did fuck up, he was at fault as well when he couldn't manage work and lovelife together and he didn't realize when things went out of his hands.

It was tough to accept the fact that he couldn't keep a woman interested though. It was not something the male ego accepted right off the bat. But he was fine. Initially he blamed the other guy's riches and Ishita's vices for this debacle because it was easier for the ego to process & mend his broken heart. He would take himself out for a workout, eat and clubs without having to share it with anyone else, then go for a lovely lunch, sit on a huge table and the comfy sofa, alone, order everything that was appealing on the menu and just indulge, until Ishita would make cameos in his mind. He believed he was getting over her until he met anybody and got closer.

Whereas now, a lot of things got better once he had a conversation with Ishita. Even though her reasons weren't what his heart went through, he slowly understood why it was so difficult to understand that spending time with himself was the most healthy thing out there. It empowered him. He started getting comfortable in his skin and his own company to find nothing was more empowering than that. He had embraced flaws, humbled by his strengths, and tried understanding himself. He felt that he had control over his life then, he could conquer the world and he knew that even if life failed him, he would not fail himself and strive and sail through it.

"How have you been?" Ishita asked him.

"I'm good. You?" He replied.

"Yeah, I'm good as well. I'm an interior designer now." She smiled, answering.

"That's amazing. You wanted to be one." He complimented, gesturing to a waiter to come over and asked him to get the bill for the coffee they ordered.

Soon, they were walking out of the cafe when he took a quick glance towards the counter where Shehnaaz was busy noting down something. She didn't make much appearances while he was talking with Ishita but she surely saw them. He left anyway.

"Toh tujhe yaad aa gaya teri ek behen bhi hai?" Preeti glared at Sidharth when he visited her.

"Here we go again." He mumbled under his breath, taking a seat next to her on the sofa.

"Kya bola?" She raised her eyebrows sharply, watching him sit.

"Kyu gussa kar rahi hai? He was helping his friend shift baba!" Ajay replied, sitting on the arm-rest next to his wife.

"Oh, abhi Shehnaaz zyada important ho gayi?" Preeti changed her question.

"What? Are you even listening to yourself, Preeti?" He reacted to her absurd and snappy mood.

"Aur tu? Chugli laga raha hai meri saale?" He scolded Ajay then.

"Sala toh tu hai mera!" Ajay chuckled, high fiving with his wife.