The one that got away, but still living inside me.

The unknown you. 7

Everyone broke the hug by hearing kriya calling out to Rey.

(Then it goes down on them about what happened between Rey and Kriya and how she left them all before footloose computation.)

Naha: how could you do this to us kriya?
Naha not believeing , You left us before our competition, Do you know how hard it was for us to practice and try and win the competition of Footloose, aur jo tum na Rey kya saath Kiya wo Kai tha?

Vishakha: Ya dude, that was not cool of you, How could you abandon your friends like that and break Rey's heart, I thought we were friends but if you can ditch us and do all the things you did with Rey, then I didn't know man you could be this heartless.

Bharat: ha bay Kriya, tujha ayasa nahin karna chahiye tha.

Amar: haa agar tujhe hum mai chorkar janatha to tuna ya team banai hi kyun aur Rey......

Before Amar or anyone else could question any further, Swayam spoke.

Swayam: guy's guys, please let her explain, give her a chance to tell her part of the story.

Here sharon had enough of all this drama so she spoke.

Sharon: no! Not interested, and why the hell are you taking her side swayam?
She is a bloody ditcher.

Swayam: not now,  please sharon, there is a reason for everything kriya did two years back, so please if not for kriya's sake, please do listen to her for my sake, please, please.

After listening to Swayam plead  nobody said anything to kriya, kriya on the other hand,  broken down in tears and in between her subs she informed them about the whole incident with her mother including Shivam interference in it, about the promise she had to make, to perform for the last time for footloose and to forget Rey and her dance and leave Mumbai with her mother the next day, if she wanted to dance for the  for her friends, that was the condition of her mother.

In a moment of collective astonishment, the room fell silent as all eyes turned towards Kriya, the individual whose actions had just been revealed. The atmosphere was tense with anticipation, as each person present held their breath, waiting for an explanation. In unison, a chorus of voices rose up, each one echoing the same sentiment: "Why did you do that?" This simple yet profound question hung heavy in the air, demanding an answer that could provide clarity and understanding in the midst of confusion.

Kriya with a smile gracing her lips, said that it was her deep concern for her friends that motivated her to make such a selfless decision. Knowing that her absence could have shattered the confidence she had painstakingly built in her friends, she chose to prioritize their success and friendship over her personal desires.

As the weight of Kriya's sacrifice settled in, the emotional impact on the group was profound. Overwhelmed by love and gratitude, tears streamed down their faces as they struggled to comprehend the depth of her sacrifice. Their incredulous cries of "how could you do this?" were a testament to the profound impact that true friendship and selflessness can have on those around us.

In the end, Kriya's unwavering dedication to her friends and the bond they shared proved to be a powerful reminder of the importance of selflessness and sacrifice in fostering meaningful relationships.

How could you sacrifice your love and dance for us?

Kriya: I didn't sacrifice anything, I had to choose between the two best things in my life, so I chose my friends.. She said with an angelic smile on her face..
Everybody hugged her and kissed her on her forehead, After crying for almost 10 minutes, they all looked at each other and started laughing at each other because of the puffy eyes.

Everyone present in the room stood up, and at that moment, Kriye made eye contact with Rey. As she looked into his eyes, both of them flinched slightly, and she could sense the depth of his gaze.

Breaking the eye contact, she shifted her gaze to Tanni. It was evident that Kriya and Tanni were acquainted with each other, having met during Kriya's visits to Swayam's house. Having encountered Tanni on a few occasions, Kriya approached her, embracing Tanni and offering congratulations on her relationship, which Tanni reciprocated with a hug.

As Kriya approached Rey, a sense of unease lingered in the air, palpable in her hesitation to meet his gaze. Greeting him with a polite

Kriya: "Hi Rey, how are you?" she carefully avoided his eyes, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness.

In response, Rey's content expression shifted as he took Tanni's hand, intertwining their fingers in a gesture that spoke volumes, he says I am happy with her.....

With a small smile curving her lips, Kriya finally locked eyes with Rey, a mixture of emotions flickering across her face.

Kriya : "That's great, I am very happy for both of you," she offered sincerely.
In that brief exchange, unspoken words hung suspended between them, each sentence laden with unexpressed thoughts and uncharted feelings.

(It deeply affected Rey when he overheard Kriya expressing her happiness and witnessed the genuine smiles exchanged between Tanni and her, as she congratulated taarey on their newfound relationship. Kriya, perceptive as ever, noticed the pain reflected in Rey's eyes as he struggled to mask his emotions. Despite the palpable tension in the air, she chose to avert her gaze and rejoin the rest of their friends. The atmosphere was tense so Swayam, sensing the underlying turmoil, attempted to change the topic.)

Swayam: hey guys, let's have a party tonight, It's been a long time since we all had a good time together.
Let's have a great time at my house, what do you say?

Sharon: why is it always your house?
Why can't we party somewhere else like my house or Rey's house?

Swayam: Actually kriya is staying at my house for tonight, so I thought that It would be easy and my house is near, I mean from college, so that's why let's have a party 🥳at my home, If everybody agrees.

(To which Sharon raised her eyebrows hearing that Kriya is staying at Swayam's house which didn't go unnoticed by Vishakha so she asked.)

Vishakha: Why is Kriya staying at your place man?

Swayam: don't ask, I begged her to stay with me to which she very firmly disagreed, She wasn't keen on staying with me😤, however I wanted to spend some time with my bestie yaar Can't you understand that😑?

So she had agreed to stay only for tonight at least However😬, she will be shifting to her guesthouse the day after tomorrow.

Vicky: why,  she has a house here na, where she used to stay before so why stay at a guesthouse?

Nilashe: yea, dude, the old one right?

Vishakha: yeah dude, why are you staying at the guesthouse?

( Kriya didn't want to answer this question, so to avoid the topic she didn't meet anybody's eyes and looked at Swayam with pleading eyes🫣.)

Swayam: guy's, guys, kriya is not going away, she is staying back😅.
You can ask all the questions you have afterwards But right now let's go,  It's getting late, The call college has ended.

let's meet at my place in the evening, OK?Let's go. Let's go.

(Swayam changed the topic this way, which was not gone unnoticed by Sharon and Rey.)

Gang said OK and they all walked out of the rehearsal hall to their respective homes to get ready for the evening.

                 Author's note.

I will be writing Rey's P.O.V in the next chapter.