Beyond Friendship

Chap_2

Kaiden's POV

I woke up early in the morning as usual but kept laying on the bed.
With Arnav not here, I would not follow our regular routine. I knew and skipped the jogging.

I reached my phone with an intention of calling Arnav but at last dropped the idea with the thought he might be sleeping now.

How's his granny? I wondered. Arnav's words of staying there for a couple of days didn't give me any good vibes.

It had been years now that we were staying together and in all these years, I had seen him visiting them but he rarely stayed over there.

At some point, I fell asleep again and when I opened my eyes and reached my phone, I sat straight immediately.

It was almost time for my part-time job. Getting freshened up, I got ready and left the apartment.

It was late in the afternoon when my phone rang off. I thought it was Arnav but no. It was Khushi, my little sister. She was the only person of my so called family I was in contact with.

Talking to her always gave me mixed of emotions. Shrugging of that for now, I answered the call gleefully, "Hey sweetie, how are you?"

My happiness faded away when I heard her sad voice, "Kaiden, where are you?"

~~

It was late in the evening when I saw Khushi getting down from the bus. I had been waiting for her for more than one hour now while wondering what actually happened for Khushi to act like this.

She seemed to be a grown up girl now. Seeing me, she came to me with a smiling face and engulfed me in a tight hug.

Seeing her face after more than four years and having her hug me, I realised how much I had missed her all this time.

I took her to our apartment and made her sit in the living room. Giving her water, I sat beside her, "Now tell me. What happened?"

She seemed to be hesitant and thoughtful and then spoke up, "I am done being momma's and daddy's girl."

I could feel something was wrong. But before I could say something, she spoke up again, "Listen, if I am being bothersome, just tell me right now. I will manage but I am definitely not going back to any of their places again."

I faced her straight and spoke up, "You are never a bother to me, sweetie. But what happened all of a sudden for you to come to me like this?"

I could guess the answer to some extent but then I might be wrong as well. I wished to be wrong actually.

"Do you even know how many times I have been sent from Mom to Dad and then Dad to Mom's place? My opinions didn't matter to them let alone my emotions. They just keep sending me to another when I become bothersome I guess. And I just can't take it anymore. I think they are better off with their new families without me around." Khushi said and I couldn't be more hateful to my parents.

They at least should have taken care of Khushi. After all she was their princess. If not all their love, care, family trips, all their family moments were just drama. Or was it really like that?

Breaking through my gloomy thoughts, Khushi spoke up, "You know I was really angry at you when you left on your own but coming at this point, I think I know why you did that. You were right, Kaiden. Life is really cruel."

Khushi said as her vision blurred with unshed tears.

I knew it years back that life was cruel but I didn't want this to be realised by Khushi as well. But life happened and she also realised it in the worst way.