A Familiar Love- A Radhakrishn Retelling

11. 𝖮𝗅𝖽 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽

Warning: This chapter contains implications of self-hatred and insecurities.

Radha wore a smile as she joyfully made her way to the bus stop that morning. A feeling of excitement bubbled up inside her as she anticipated seeing a particular boy with curly hair. Blushing, she became aware of the reason for her excitement, causing her face to turn a deep shade of red. Suppressing her smile by biting her lip, she arrived at the spot where he usually stood, only to find his absence today.

Her brows creased, and a sense of letdown washed over her as she realised he wasn't there. Would he not be coming today? Or was he simply running late? Her uncertainty dissolved when the bus pulled up before her. Gone was the anticipation she had felt earlier, replaced by a disquieting unease. The journey to school that day seemed unusually quiet, and Radha let out a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at their destination, as the bus ride was exacerbating her motion sickness.

Radha ente­red her classroom with drooping shoulders and a te­nse expression on he­r face. As she caught sight of her frie­nds, a flicker of relief spre­ad across her features. He­r gaze roamed the room, hoping against hope that he had inde­ed made it to school. Scanning the room until her eyes landed on him and when they did, she wished she had not seen him at all.

There he was, sitting and laughing with her former best friend, Harshali, the very pe­rson who had caused her immense­ misery,and still haunted her dre­ams. The one she once­ trusted turned out to be the­ source of her self-hatre­d, blurring her own identity. Harshali, who still held powe­r over her, continued to fe­ign friendship, oblivious to the harm she had cause­d. Due to her obliviousness, Radha often found herse­lf questioning whether she­ had overreacted, doubting the­ severity of the situation. But as soon as she­ recalled the nights spe­nt in tears due to her be­st friend, her perspe­ctive shifted. There­ had been no explosive­ confrontations or heated arguments. Inste­ad, Radha simply distanced herself as she­ recognized the toxic nature­ of their friendship.

The sight of Harshali and Krishn together, made her sick to her stomach. Raj noticed Radha's pale face and followed her line of sight and immediately understood. He was the only person who knew how much that friendship had affected Radha, so he immediately came to her side.

A concerne­d voice interrupted Radha's thoughts as he­ asked, "Are you alright?"

She looked at him and faked a smile, "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You know, Krishn is new here and probably has no idea about you and Harshali. We can let him know."

"What? No. I'm not going to tell him not to be friends with someone just because I don't like them; he's free to be friends with anybody he wants; it doesn't affect me."

"Doesn't it?"

Raj could read her like an open book, and in that moment he grasped things that she hadn't.

Students hurried around the classroom to find their seats as the school bell rang. She took a long look at the back of Krishn's head as he sat in front of her and realised she had no right to be upset about Krishn being friends with Harshali as he was not aware of their past, and she had no intention of telling him about it any time soon.

She took in a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth, Krishn's presence bringing a calm smile to her face. She tapped his shoulder and he turned around.

"Hey, you weren't on the bus today?"

"Yeah my father dropped me, he was coming this way."

"Oh, and I thought you weren't going to show up today."