Espresso Love (SanDhir)

Chapter 6 - A Fresh Brew

"Randhirrrrr!" I heard Vidushi scream. I pouted at her as I mouthed a quick apology before parking my car.

Unbuckling my seat-belt, I rushed out to where Vidushi was standing.

"Where were you Randhir? It's 7:45pm! We decided on 7pm did we not?" she crossed her shoulders at me.

"I, erm, well I was just caught up in something. Sorry Vidu!" I pinched her cheek. "Is he here already?" to which, she responded with a silly smile. "He's inside! But please behave Randhir!" she warned me.

I smiled at her, "I promise! Now let's go! I'm starving!"

She eventually led me inside, taking me to a table in the far back. I walked behind her, seeing a man sitting on one of the chairs facing outside.

I took the lead as we neared the table and stuck out my hand firmly, wanting to give a good impression to this special person of Vidushi's. "Hi, I'm Randhir! Pleasure to mee...," but my voice trailed off as soon as I saw the man. You must be kidding me.

"Parth!" I said hesitantly, forcing a smile on my face. "I wasn't expecting the person to be you!"

He smiled as he got up, putting out his hand for a handshake. I extended my arm too, but then it felt too formal for the both of us so we just hugged it out with a laugh. As much as I wanted to pretend that I hated him, the truth was that I didn't.

"It's really nice to see you again Parth!"

"You as well Randhir! It has been so long!"

I looked over to Vidushi who was grinning; "So how long have you two been involved with one another?" I asked, taking a seat beside Vidushi.

"Erm well..." she trailed off. "Six months..."

I choked on the water I was drinking; "SIX months? And you're telling me now?"

Parth hid a smirk as he touched the scar above his eyebrow. I tried to stay angry at Vidushi but it was too hard. "Okay well, I guess I know why you were telling me to behave!"

—

It had been a whole year after Sanyukta left. We all had graduated from FITE, waiting to be employed or setting up our own firms.

They were planning to go out for dinner, all of Dream Team, but I was in no mood to celebrate.

"Cheer up Shekhawat! You just got selected as the valedictorian for the year, have investors lined up for your firm proposal, and you have a secured job apart from the firm you want to set up. What more do you want?" Vidushi asked.

She had become a good friend of mine after Sanyukta left, and that was why she was trying to cheer me up.

"You know what I want Vidushi, and you know that I'm never going to get it!"

"But you have to try and move on Randhir. That's what she would have wanted," Parth said as he joined our conversation. He was a good friend as well, but it was Vidushi with whom I felt a deeper connection.

"Why should I do what she would have wanted if she didn't do what I wanted?"

Parth began to answer but I cut him off, "Don't bother, it was a rhetorical question. If you guys want to go, go ahead, but I'm not joining you and there's nothing that can you do to force me."

I walked away, expecting them to understand. Vidushi did, but Parth was stubborn as ever.

"Don't do this to yourself Randhir! It's not wrong if you celebrate your accomplishments! Why are you punishing yourself?"

By inhaling deeply, I tried to control my anger. "Listen Parth, I'm not interested okay. So cut the crap and just leave me alone."

I expected him to say something in return, but he looked at his phone and walked away. I had taken a glance at his screen and I could swear to God I saw Sanyukta's picture. I followed him to the garden and tried to hear what he was saying.

"But Sanyukta, why are you doing this?"

"Sanyukta?" I uttered in shock loud enough that Parth could hear. I walked towards him, seething in anger; he had put his phone back in his pocket by now. "You knew where she was and still didn't tell me?" I grabbed his collar. "You said you would be there for me Parth. Then what the hell was this?"

My voice broke, letting out all concealed feelings in the tone. "You knew Parth..." I walked away.

"Let me explain Randhir! It's not like what you're thinking!"

"Just shut the fuck up!"

And when he kept trying to talk, I punched him hard from the side, forgetting that I was holding my keys.

He started bleeding and Vidushi rushed to help him. The chaos spread as people started calling the ambulance, but Parth, he still tried to talk to me.

But I had lost hope. "Please," I mumbled to him. "Please let me be!" I pleaded. His head hung in what seemed like defeat, or guilt for what I knew. But he knew...

—

I had walked away from everyone that night. Everyone except Vidushi. Even she had gotten into a fight with Parth when I told her about his phone conversation with Sanyukta.

"I see you still sport that scar on your forehead," I laughed apologetically.

"Listen, I've been meaning to talk to you about that Randhir. I wanted to explain myself," Parth went on until Vidushi interrupted.

"Guys, are we really going to do this right now?" she sighed. "Why can't we put these things in the past and move on?"

"Actually Vidushi, do you mind giving us a moment together?" to which she rolled her eyes. "Go ahead lovebirds, I'm gonna go take a walk." I smiled and faced Parth as she walked away.

"Parth, this is something I should have said to you a long time ago but I just didn't feel like going down that road ever... I'm sorry for that night!"

He smiled; he had always been more understanding and responsible than the rest of us anyway. "Randhir, I would have done the same thing had I been in your position that night. But you just have to know that Sanyukta had made me promise on our friendship that I wouldn't tell you anything about her calling me! She knew it would make it harder for you to move on!"

I looked away, not wanting to hear these words. Yet he kept talking. "If it means anything to you, then you should know that I never knew where she was either. Nor do I know where she is now. Heck, I haven't even spoken to her since I got my job."

"What's the last thing she told you?" I couldn't help myself from asking.

"She just asked for a favour. To help you move on," his voice softened.

A laugh escaped before I could do anything about it; she would totally do that. Pulling out my hand, I offered him a handshake. "I'm sorry Parth! I shouldn't have cut you out like that!"

"And I should've tried harder to do something about it, but what's in the past is in the past. No point fixating on it," he mentioned with a smile.

"So are you lovebirds all patched up now?" Vidushi asked as she joined us at the table again, raising her eyebrow.

I raised my glass, "Don't worry Vidu, I won't steal your boyfriend" I pointed the glass to him. And if I am truly to be believed, I swear to God she was blushing.

"To a new beginning," Parth added to excuse her from the embarrassment. And we toasted for it, unaware that this was going to be a new beginning in the true sense.