A Familiar Love- A Radhakrishn Retelling

3. 𝖯𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗒 𝖲𝗊𝗎𝖺𝖻𝖻𝗅𝖾𝗌

Radha didn't have another run-in with Krishn the whole day as he had gone home after his introduction and the previous encounter was now a distant memory. That was until she got home and saw Krishn along with a woman who Radha assumed to be his mother, sitting and having tea with her grandmother and mother.

She felt immediate repulsion build up inside her as the events from that morning became fresh in her memory but she still greeted everyone out of respect and looked at her mother expectantly, waiting to be introduced to Krishn's mother.

"We were just talking about you Radha" her grandmother smiled warmly

"This is Krishn and his mother, Yashoda. They have just shifted in our street."

Radha was quick to hide her astonishment at her name as she folded her hands in a namaste once more and bowed slightly to the beautiful woman, she radiated a motherly aura and Radha immediately felt attached to it. She smiled warmly at Radha and put her hands on her head as she whispered words of blessings to her.

"You know, Radha, Krishn is going to join your school soon. It's good you finally have someone from your school nearby" Her mother said.

Radha gave her a tight lipped smile which almost looked like a grimace as she caught Krishn smirking from the corner of her eye.

"Yeah kaki, I actually went to school today to collect some documents and I was introduced to my class. Turns out we are in the same class too" Krishn said, clearly enjoying her annoyance.

Radha rolled her eyes, as she continued to listen to Krishn butter up her family like one puts butter on bread.

"Now Krishn will give us all the information that Radha hides in school" Her mother said jokingly.

"Yes kaki, I'll be reporting everything" He said, sending her a wink which went unnoticed by everyone except her.

Her eyes widened as everyone burst out laughing oblivious to this particular exchange. She was now fuming in anger. He was gonna report her? Who does he think he is?

"I'll take your leave now" Yashoda kaki said (Her family insisted she learn some old time values from Krishn and call his mother kaki instead of aunty) as she stood up to leave.

Her family walked them to the door.

"Krishn, can I speak to you for a moment?" She whispered through gritted teeth.

"Yes of course" he said, giving her a sweet smile which almost made her forget what she was about to say.

They moved away from their family members as Krishn looked at her expectantly.

She turned towards him, eyes burning with rage.

"You are gonna report me to my own family? Huh?" she said, keeping her voice hushed since they were still near their family.

Her eyes widened in disbelief as a smirk formed on his features,

"Why? You got something to hide?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No of course not, but how dare you even think that you'll be reporting about me to my family? That you'll be keeping an eye on me? We aren't friends, you are nothing to me at this moment and it will remain that way forever. So don't even think about doing something like that."

She stormed off inside her house as Krishn stood there soaking in her harsh words. Tears welled up in his eyes, his smile never leaving his face.

"You are right Radhe, I am nothing to you, at least for now. You not remembering me is fate testing our love and I'll be waiting for the moment when you remember for it will be the most magnificent reunion." He said as he watched her leave him standing alone in the middle of the street.

~

Radha couldn't sleep, no matter how much she tried. She couldn't get those harsh words she had uttered mindlessly to him out of her mind. They've been bothering her since she laid down to sleep. Finally letting out a groan, she sat up in the bed and sighed. She couldn't understand why she had reacted that way, Krishn really did manage to bring out the worst in her. Now the only way to get this off her conscience was to apologise to him, which she somehow already regrets.

Leaving the bed the next day proved to be very difficult for Radha, the thought of willingly talking to Krishn and that too, to apologise and humiliate herself was excruciating to think about. Nevertheless, she was glad it was the weekend and at least she wouldn't have to deal with school. She had devised the perfect plan to apologise to Krishn, she was gonna take homemade ladoos made by her grandmother over to his house for "greeting neighbours dadi, we want to welcome them properly", give them to Yashoda kaki, quietly apologise to Krishn while she was there and quickly leave by faking an urgent phone call.

She just wished Krishn hadn't told Yashoda kaki about what happened because she didn't want her to think anything bad about her.

Everything was going as per the plan till she actually reached his house. On knocking she was greeted with a very wet looking Krishn, literally his hair was dripping wet on his forehead as he looked at her through his curls and gave her a smile. For a second it seemed as if his face glowed with the most divine radiance, she was left speechless as he continued to stare at her, his smile turning to a smirk, on noticing that she managed to get her voice back.

"Uhh... is Yashoda kaki home?"

"No, it's just me right now, did you need anything?"

"Oh no, I just came to give you these ladoos made by my dadi as a welcome gift."

"Oh okay, thank you then" He said, taking the basket of ladoos out of her hands. He glanced at her expectantly as she still stood there bouncing on her feet.

"Do you need the basket back or?" he said, smiling knowingly at her nervousness.

"Oh no no, I guess I'll just leave now, thank you, oh no I mean welcome, not welcome as in welcome to the neighbourhood because I already said that but welcome as in for the thank you that you said earlier-"

"Are you okay?" Krishn asked , cutting off her rambling.

Radha slammed a hand to her forehead in embarrassment. Oh god she was making a fool out of herself, where did her perfect plan go?

"Okay listen, I also wanted to apologize for how I acted yesterday. I mean you were pretty annoying and I almost felt like you wanted me to get angry but I shouldn't have, I am better than that. So I am sorry and I didn't mean anything I said except you still don't have the right to spy on me." She let it all out in one go.

"I forgive you and I am sorry too, I should've made it clearer that it was a joke. Don't worry I am not going to spy on you. I have better things to do anyway" He replied with a cheeky smile dancing on his face.

Radha tried to look offended but a genuine smile took over her face. They seemed to have had a conversation with their eyes that even Radha herself couldn't comprehend.

"I am going to go now"

"Okay, thank you for the gift!"

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.