My Happily Never After

Chapter 14 : Is it too late to say sorry?

The only thing that was going on in my head was her words that she said. "Ritesh, you are gonna regret all this. You really need to fix your behaviour." ]

[After all the things that aunty said to me I decided to confront Manav as he didn't tell all this to me nor Kriti.]

At Singhania Mansion
"Manav, open the door. I am standing outside your house." As i said it Manav came and opened the door and I went in and we sat in his bedroom.
"Manav ! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What do you mean? What's wrong with me ? Nothing's wrong. I am fine. Are you here to ask me this?"

"Manav, don't act innocent. Why didn't you tell me that Ki is leaving for the UK ?"
"Oh ! So you do remember a girl named Kiara in your life ?"
"Of course I do ! I will never forget her !"
"What a liar ! Kyun jhoot bol raha hai ? Tujhe woh yaad rehti toh usse jhoot nahi bolta tu. Usse aise ignore nahi karta. Leftout nahi feel karvata. Jo tune kiya. You forgot her after Kritika came into your life."
(Why are you lying? If you didn't forget about her then you wouldn't have ignored her and made her feel left out. And most importantly you wouldn't lie to her.)

"It's her fault that she felt all this. And she was the one to make this friendship a mess by feeling things about me. And I don't think it's that hard to move on. After all, it was all one-sided. "

"Oh really? It might be for you but not for her. And since when have you started saying all this? You have really changed!"
"No ! I am still the same and How do you know ? She told you about it?"
"She not only told me but she was so hurt that she was crying in front of me for an hour or two, cursing her destiny after what happened during the camp."
"Tujhe pata tha about the thing that happened during the camp."
(You knew...)

"Yes. And I didn't tell you about her going to the UK because she didn't want you to know."
"What are you serious? I went to her place to apologise only to hear that she is gone."
"Ritesh, if you wanted to apologise you could have done it after the fight or maybe after a day or two. What were you waiting for?"
"Yeah but I- Manav cut him off and said
"I know! I know you thought that she would come. But you know what she changed herself after the treatment you gave her."
"No it's nothing like tha-
As he was about to complete his sentence his phone rang and he looked at the caller Id only to find it was Kritika.
"Pick it up. Your girlfriend must be waiting for you. Go on your so-called 'date'. And please leave before I lose my patience."

During the date of Ritesh and Kritika

"And you know then she said that to him." Kritika told him an incident only to be left unheard.

"Ritesh? Ritesh!"
"Yeah, what were you saying?"
"Are you serious? What's wrong with you? I have seen, you have changed since we came back from the Goa trip."
"It's nothing like that."
"It is ! I have seen that the past few dates are not the same. Something about you has changed! Do you not love me anymore?"
"Are you serious Kiara ! What rubbish are you talking about?"
"Did you just call me Kiara ?"
"I am sorry it was a mistake."
"Now what happened to her ? She is literally a crybaby who always calls you when she is in trouble. What is it now?"
"Kritika? Since when did you start talking about her like that? and it's nothing."
"No no ! There is definitely something wrong about her."
"Fine ! You wanna hear ? It was Ki's birthday when we were in Goa and I forgot about it. When I went to talk to her she rejected all my gifts and said..." [He stopped in between.]
"And said what?"

"She confessed to me that she loved me. And how I backhugged her and said I love you thinking it was you when we were camping.."
"What? I knew there was something fishy about her. When she asked me about us. And when I denied I saw a smile on her face."
"You know what Kritika, we should have told her about our relationship from the very beginning and you should have told her what the truth was when she confronted you during the camp. And I didn't tell her about Goa coz you told me to do so. We both are at fault. If we didn't do this then all this wouldn't have happened."

"That's okay. She will get over it. I'll go talk to her."
"Oh! And where are you planning to go?"
"Of course at her place."
"She isn't there now."
"What ? Where did she go?"
"UK for further studies."

"Are you serious? And how do you know about this? And Manav, does he know about this? How can she not tell us !"
"He does. And how do you expect her to tell us when we hid our Goa plan from her? I came to know about all this when I went to Ki's and aunty told me all this."
"So you didn't asked Manav that why he kept it a secret?
"Yes I did. I then went to Manav's and then we had an argument."
"What? It's okay. But wait you didn't tell Kiara we both went to Goa then how did she know?"
"She checked it on your instagram story."
"Oh my god. But you know it's good. The thing that happened is good. We don't really need friends like her."
" Of course not. That thing that happened is bad. I have known her since we were kids. And what do you mean by 'a friend like her?' I am really fortunate to have a friend like her."
"And what makes you say that?"

"Because she didn't try to break our relationship. She just pulled herself out of all this. All because she cared about me and our friendship. But I ruined it."

"It's fine Ritesh. I am there, Manav's here too so what if she isn't here?"
"Kritika ! Don't you get it? She is important ! It's okay if I don't have anyone. I just want my two friends."

"Ritesh, who is more important to you? Me or her?"
"I can't compare you both with each other. Both are important for me on different levels."
"Okay, then say that I am important."
"I can't, she came first in my life ! You came into my life because of her. If Ki had not agreed to be friends with you do you think all this was possible? I can't choose you."
"So a best friend is more than a girlfriend?
"Yes she is. Because our bond is different. Friendship can never be compared to love. And you know what I am fed up with your behaviour that you have shown now. It's over."

"Wh-what's over?"
"Us! The relationship! Our friendship, everything is over. I had thought that I'll tell you all this and you will comfort me but tune problem solve karna toh door tune dosti todne ki baat ki. Mujhe kabhi nahi laga tha ki you will be like this."
( but you didn't say anything about solving but suggested breaking the friendship. I had never thought that you would think like this.)
"Ritesh ! Let's fix it. Please !"
"Kritika, the thing Kiara said is the truth."
"What-what did she say to you?"
"That I am gonna regret my behaviour. And guess what ? I am regretting my behaviour."

After five years

"Yes, maam you don't have to be worried about the work. I am sure the client will be happy about our work."
"Thank you, and I expect that."
"Ms.Kiara, your phone has been vibrating for a long time. It seems it's something urgent."
"Oh okay, give me my phone. I'll check it. Okay ! So the meeting ends here. You can go back home."

[It's been Five years since I have been here in the UK. I have achieved a lot in my career and I am the CEO of one of the biggest IT Companies. I opened my phone only to see twenty messages from Manav. And as I read them my face became emotionless. Our batch was planning for a reunion and Manav wanted me to attend it. And after giving it a deep thought I finally agreed coz he wouldn't stand a no as an answer.]

On the day of the reunion

[Being back in India seems so fun and joyous but at the same time the flashbacks make it difficult.]
[As I entered the venue of the reunion my friends came hugged me and we chatted for a while when suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder.]