Teri Meri Kahani

26. Back to the pavilion

MANSI'S POV:

We were all having a good time at our regular lunch table like always. All of us missed Shantanu but nothing can be done in a situation like this. Just because he won't sit with us during lunch break, doesn't mean none of us would enjoy the lunch break.

Though I kept telling myself that I wouldn't care about him from now on, there a tiny part within me that still cared for him and longed for his embrace. But I had moved on for a larger part, I was now capable of laughing at other jokes who were no longer made by Shantanu, and I didn't have to fake my laughter this time. I could rely on all my friends now. I realized that all of them cared about me the same way.

I kept glancing at his table every now and then just to see if he was alright. If I am moving on, doesn't mean that I am starting to hate him. He'll still remain my friend and it isn't bad to check up on friends, evlan if it is from a distance. Things looked a bit heated on their table and I contemplated to just get up and go check there, but that lasted only for a moment. It was his matter with his new friends and it wasn't my place to go and sort their issue out. It would look totally wired.

New friends.

this term tasted so bitter on my tongue. People say that, making new friends doesn't mean the old ones will be gone, but oh how wrong they were. The old friendship does feel threatened if the people in involved in that aren't thoughtful or understanding. Atleast in our case, I can feel that the fortress of our friendship is having cracks on its surface.

I decided not to think about all of this anymore and continued to enjoy my lunch with my newly found comfort in all my other friends. It was fun like always, Shanvi telling me gossips about the entire school, Gaurav trying to gain our attention with his messed up humor, and Karthik and Mahi, both being themselves, by which I mean, being silent and drowned in their own world. And this very new friend of my mine who's now become very important to me, keeps cracking jokes which actually make me laugh. He's the only one after Shantanu who's been able to bring that kind of a laugh out of me.

You know there's the normal way you laugh when you're around others. And then there's THAT laugh. One which comes out unfiltered because something made you so happy that you just couldn't find to mask up your reaction.

It's been long since I've been able to laugh like this, but now that I am able to, It feels great. I feel utterly empowered.

We were all busy with our regular non sense when Gaurav's posture slightly stiffened and his eyes widened.

SHANVI: Why do you have your eyes popped out like that? you look like a damn goldfish.

GAURAV: Well then let us find an aquarium.

SHANVI: What do you mean idiot?

By this time, both Karthik and Mahi had their eyes away from the tools of their interest as well.

GAURAV: Because you guys are going to look like gold fishes in some time as well.

KARTHIK: *sigh* be more specific brother.

Gaurav gave us an uncomfortable smile and gestured behind me to which we all reacted my turning our heads back to see what got him uncomfortable.

And he was right, we all definately had our eyes popped out as well.

Shantanu was heading our way, with his lunch held in his hands. His tried his best to smile but his eyes held desperations. He looks like he's been longing for something as well. He doesn't look the same now a days. The radiant energy he had radiating from him is now lost. It feels like he has no soul left in him anymore. He looks empty.