Uma ( An Incomplete Love Story....)

Chapter 8

Kim excitedly jumped up from his seat after seeing Uma , as he was way too surprised to see his old school buddy after so long, he never thought they would ever meet again. He went ahead and hugged her which she accepted happily. Vicky also got up from her chair and shook hands with Uma and told " Its good to see you after so long. Welcome back to the group." And gave a big smile to her which Uma also reciprocated back. All the three of them got busy talking with her except Ryan.

Seeing Ryan's such ignorant behaviour , Uma felt guilty inside , may be her best friend was still upset with her for the sudden disappearance for eight long years , and that was also without telling why and where. So she took the first initiative to go ahead and talk with him, as the wrong had been done from her part. Though she felt nervous and her heart started beating like a drum as she stepped towards Ryan ,she was worried for how he would react about their interaction after so long time.

"Will he not recognise her ?  Will he insult her the moment she goes near him ? Will he even look up at her ? What will be his reaction when I will stretch my hand to greet him? Will he be happy to see me ? Is he still angry with me ??? " All these questions were hurling inside Uma's head as she slowly walked towards Ryan.

Finally reaching near his chair Uma with a nervous smile called out "  Ummm , heyy!!! Renny ( she used to called Ryan by this  name from the time they became friends) how are you doing ?? " . She greeted him the same way , she used to greet every morning , while they got out from their houses to go to school. To which Ryan in an instance looked up at her and kept on staring at her face without uttering a single word. Uma also stared back at him without any blink , as if both were talking with each other through their eyes, which was filled with so many unexpressed emotions, and were always kept suppressed by both of them.

" Ryan , babe !! Uma is asking you something , you know its seems rude if you don't reply " Vicky promted while giving a light shake on Ryan's shoulder . She observed his behaviour from the time Sheldon announced Uma's  presence in their table, and got uncomfortable, when both the best friends kept on staring at each other, which didn't go unnoticed even by Sheldon and Kim. Ryan removed his gaze from Uma , the moment Vicky touched his shoulder and completed the last sentence. Still he didn't reply anything, to which Uma thought that she must be disturbing her best friend by her presence there and Ryan was no longer ready to consider her back as his friend.

Upset and heartbroken she was about to turn from Ryan, when he spoke up for the very first time since her coming to their table. " I am doing good, thank you." It seemed more like a courtesy reply than friends, greeting each other after a long time. He didn't even asked her back how she was doing.  Getting at least a formal response from her friend , Uma gave a smile to him. Seeing the awkward situation and realising how Uma was feeling after getting a cold response from Ryan, Kim called her back at the other side of the table where he and Sheldon were seated.

Disheartened and filled with guilts Uma joined back Sheldon and Kim and kept on chatting about the old days and their  whereabouts at present. But all these while Ryan kept his gaze fixed at Uma and listened carefully to all the thing she was telling to his two friends without missing any single words.

Out of the blue , Veronica asked out to Uma about her husband , whether he was present here, and told her to introduced him to them. Uma was totally taken back by the  sudden queries of Veronica, she became nervous and scared , which didn't go unnoticed by Ryan.

The moment Veronica raised the question regarding Uma's husband , Sheldon and Kim also became curious about it and asked her about her husband as well. Uma became totally uncomfortable and self conscious as she was not ready to share anything about her divorce and her past life to her friends , she didn't want to tell them how scary her life was and is going on, she didn't want to share her miseries with them, and the most important thing,she didn't want to make herself look like a pathetic loser which she always was, infront of her old good friends and asked for their sympathy, especially of Ryan who always taught her to be strong and self independent and whose continuous gaze she felt on her.