Better Together

Chapter 19(Abhay)

A few days had went off since Sahika's birthday and my work pressure had kept gradually increasing.

On top of everything, Sahil was making my life worse. He had such an influence in this office that if he hated someone, everyone hated that person. As a result everyone except for Ankit and Kriti has ignored for the whole week.

Yesterday Pranay had called me into his office asking how I was doing and I had to somehow control my emotions to stop myself from blabbering about Sahil. I didn't want to be the employee who bitched about everyone to the boss.

Today I had lunch with Kriti and Ankit. There were still a few minutes left before the break got over so we decided to take a walk by the garden near the main gate. From my hindsight I saw a known face exiting the office building.

KALI, I excused myself from Kriti and Ankit and went to Kali to greet her. "Kali", I shouted as I saw her leaving. She turned around and made a fussy face when she saw me waving at her. That was the moment I knew I had made a big mistake by approaching her.

When I saw her a few seconds ago, memories from college had flooded my mind. Memories of us stealing food from each other's lunch, of us bitching about everyone who didn't belong to our group, memories of us planning surprises for Sahika, and most importantly memories of her being the most lively and cheerful person running from one place to another.

What had not come to my mind was the fact that as I and her had drifted apart after my break up with Sahika, she and Sahika were still best friends. Which meant she hated me as just as much as the rest of the girls.

I regretted my decision of calling out her name and turned around to go back to Kriti but she called out my name to stop me. I turned around to see her walking towards me.

She stopped just a few inches away said, "Hey. Can we talk?"

"Is it about Sahika?", I asked not wanting to have a conversation about my ex with her best friend and my ex female bestie.

"Yes and no." I gave her a confused look and she spoke again, "look I know I should have been a bit supportive towards you at the time of your break up. But I messed up and I get it. I am trying to rectify my mistake. I you won't accept it but the fact is the you two meeting together after 6 years and working together is kind of a sign."

"Wow Kali Desai talking about signs and all huh. Didn't see that coming.", I teased her

"Trust me a lot has changed for me and I want thing to change for you as well. Having an unsorted history with your boss isn't healthy."

"As if I didn't know that already."

"Give me a few days and don't tell Raghav or Sahika but I need to clarify some points with you."

"Okay go ahead.", I said a I desperately wanted to talk everything out and then move to have a happening life and career without the ghosts of my past haunting me.

"Not here, meet me tomorrow at our old place."

"So you want to hit me with nostalgia so that I get emotional and the n accept that everything was my plan?", I teased her again.

"That was the plan, am I exposed?", she asked me and then we both laughed.

We both exchanged numbers and then bid our goodbyes.

I don't know if this meeting will improve anything between me and Sahika but it sure as hell will get my old friends back. I am not doing this for Sahika or our past but for my friends, my girls for our group.

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I had tried my best to ignore and Sahika until I met Kali which was a good decision. Even Kali appreciated my decision as we took a seat at our old café and started small talk. Both of us were equally afraid to address the elephant on the room and it was evident on our faces.

For a few minutes we talked about work and families but once the waiter served our food and we had nothing to disturb us we knew it was the best time to start discussing the real stuff.

"Abhay for the last 6 years I was fully convinced about everything Sahika had told me until recently you walked back to our lives and gave me some shockers."

"Shockers?", I asked being confused by her words.

"Yes, can I ask you some questions please?

"Of course you can ask me anything", I said as I wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

"Why are you still single and unmarried?"

"What?", I was startled by her question.

She took a deep sigh, "don't act innocent. You will make it worse. Why aren't you married to your fiancé"

"My.... fiancé? what the hell are you talking about?", I asked her.

"Abhay I know about her. About the girl your father had fixed your alliance with. About the girl you were meeting that day after cancelling your date with Sahika." she said and everything slicked into place I understood that she was talking about Rashi.

"She wasn't my fiancé; we weren't engaged and our alliance just lasted a few days as we both loved someone else and didn't want to get married."

She gave me a shocked look as she said, "I guess this someone else for you was Sahika?"

"Yes! Who else could it be."

"Then why did you break up with her?"

"I didn't break up with her... she was the one who initiated it."

"But you didn't protest. You went way from there with even asking the reason."

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Hey readers,

So the truth is finally out. How do you think will Abhay respond to Sahika's side of the story, will it give a positive or negative impact to their increasing friendship and comfort.

The story is getting towards a serious and integral part. And I really need you support.

Keep voting and supporting.