"I was on my way back to New York when I got a text from Ariel saying that as we left, there has been some problem. Gailyn told her mom that Theodore joined us for the movie and he was with me. Her mother being a bitch as usual, went to Valerie and told her everything. She had a slight doubt about me and Theo but was never sure. Also all the matter between Theo's mom and my mom was only between them and us. The only other person who knew everything was Ariel. Neil, you know how close we were then. We never kept anything from each other."
"Yes, I know. That was why it was really difficult to accept that you guys aren't talking much now. So, what was a big deal if Valerie got to know that Theo was with you guys for the movie?"
"Valerie got to know, that wasn't a big deal but what she would do after knowing was the deal. Ariel told me that as we'll reach back to NY, Valerie was going to call my mom and tell everything. And if my mom came to know about all this, then obviously it would also have reached till Samantha, Theo's mom."
"Why the hell would she do that? And just because Gailyn and her mom told, she believed? Ariel could've told that they were lying and made up some story."
"Well she said she tried to convince her mom but Ariel's sister, Ariana, told everything under the influence of Gailyn."
"But didn't she disliked Gailyn?" Neil asked.
"Yes she did but they were also friends. I never understood their deal! So, now I knew that Valerie would definitely talk to my mom and then this matter will reach to Samantha because everyone was well aware of her nature and how much she was concerned about her reputation and status. The only thing that came to my mind was to somehow convince my mom that Valerie has been played by Gailyn's mom, just to turn her up against us or something of that sort which he actualy tried to do always. There was no way that I could not let Valerie contact my mom. I told Theo everything and he suggested me to tell things in my way to mom before anyone else tells. He suggested me to tell that he wasn't there with us but he might have been in the same theatre but different screen. I didn't see him but maybe Gailyn would've and she might have told her mom, and her mom with this minor information cooked up a story to link me to him as everyone was already doubtful about us." I explained.
"That was a plan, huh! Intelligent."
"But now the problem was that Ariel accepted that yes Theo was with us. That was the only thing I had to manage now."
"So what did you do about that?"
"Okay so the day we reached back to NY, as I found my mom alone I told her exactly as Theo suggested and she got convinced, quite to an extent. But then she asked if the things were they way I told her why did Ariel accepted Theo's presence? I answered her that Gailyn and her mom influenced everybody and Valerie just refused to listen to Ariel so she had no other option. But she did informed me about everything."
"So what happened with Valerie? Did she called?"
"Yes, she called later in the evening but till then I prepared my mom for the call. I told her not to react about anything and just to listen calmly. Valerie shouldn't know that she already knew everything."
"You are such a smart-ass."
"I know but I felt very bad that I was lying to my mom. She loved me so much and this is what I was doing to her. I was cheating on her."
"No, no you weren't Alice. Tell me what happened after that?"
"Well, mom did asked me once if Theo was there or not? I said no, ofcourse. How could I have said yes after this much of drama? Mom after that decided to talk to Samantha about all this and inform her so that later on if she got to know about this she shouldn't say that my mom knew and didn't tell her. This was another problem."
"Why?"
"Because things with my mom were pretty easy to handle but with Samantha! You cannot trick her that easily. She have one of the sharpest minds and a hell lot of sources to get things confirmed. I told Theo which obviously worried us a little but only before we didn't had any plan."
"How did you went through this one then?" Neil asked anxiously.
"Hmm. Theo and I went through a lot of discussions and finally decided the day when I would make my mom call Samantha. That day Theo would keep her phone with him so that when my mom calls, he attends the call. The plan was he would convince my mother fully with our story to relax and bring her to ease completely and then would himself talk about the situation to his mom, explaining everything, with every tiny detail of our story. This would also ease Samantha and then after that we will let both the mothers talk."
"Did this work?" This time more anxiously Neil asked.
"Luckily, yes. It had too. But things with Valerie and Ariel went on bad terms. I don't know why Valerie turned up so against of me. Maybe my movie day rude behaviour was the reason. But it didn't bother me. The only thing that bothered me was Ariel didn't give her 100% to stood up for me. I never gave upon her. I even got into so many fights with my mom when she would say anything about her. She was more than a sister to me. So many times, I took the blame on me for so many things, just because I didn't wanted her to go through any tough times but she didn't held my back. Instead stepped back!" I couldn't keep the tears away from my eyes. Everytime I talked about Ariel this happened.
"Hey, it's okay." Neil said pacifying me. I nodded and wiped away the tears.
"Things turned out exactly the way we wanted them to be." I continued with the story. "But.." I paused.
"But?" Neil looked at me when I paused.
"But we both were feeling very guilty about all the lies we had to say. Looking at my mom, I used to thing that should I break up with him? But then I knew that this was just for a while. Once the time will come, mom will actually understand everything and accept them. So, I gave up the thought of breaking up with him. Everything took time to get back to normal. One afternoon I was alone at home, so I called Theo as he said he wanted to talk about something."
"Now what ?" Neil raised his eyebrows in suspicion.
"He said that day about how bad he was feeling about the last situation and how we were breaking our parents trust, which wasn't right. He said it would be better if we separate now and leave things on time. If we are meant to be we'll come back together. He said we would stay friends and could talk anytime if we wanted to but we will have to end this relation for now, for our own good and for the good of our families. He said he would marry me if he gets successful in his life and makes his own identity but only if I'd like to get married to him even then. We said our final good-byes and decided to part our ways."
"What the hell? Not again! You didn't stop him?" He sounded irritated.
"He didn't left anything for me to say. He made his decision. What could I have said? When he wanted to separate, why would I have stopped him? That would have been against his will, anyway. I would have loved if he'd have stayed but if that was what he want,ed how could I have stopped him?"
"But this is just not done. This is.. This is..!"
"This is the end of the story for now. The rest for some other day. Look at the time and I am feeling sleepy. I'll call the others. I want to go home now." Thinking and talking too much about the past would always made me more vulnerable and weak. I wished Theo was still there with me. I wish he was the sitting next to me. But he wasn't, so I buried that wish deep in my head from where it is unable make its way out. I called Susan and asked all of them to come down as I wanted to leave.
Hans and Agnès decided to stay back for a while. So Neil, Susan and me took their leave. On the way back to home, I don't know when I lost into sleep. I just remember the feeling of being carried by someone and then the soft and cozy surface of my bed. I heard a little conversation, maybe between Neil and Susan, followed with main door closing. With the fluffy pillows underneath my heavy head, I just couldn't resist myself from closing my eyes.
