So High School!

Chapter fourty nine

Aarushi

I ran to farthest corner from that table. His words hurt more than they were supposed to. Tears slipped out before I could stop them. How could he dismiss us like we were nothing? And the worst part? I couldn't even blame him. I was the one who walked away, who broke apart. I hated this, hated feeling so helpless, so vulnerable. 

'She didn't seem that important.'  His words shattered the little strength I had. I wasn't important Aadi? That's what you think of me now? Tears blurred my vision, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop them. 

I had never been enough for anyone. Not for my friends, not for my parents, not for the man I loved. 'She is just a distraction. She is an obstacle for you.' His father's words came crawling back to me and I hated how much they affected me. He had never seen me he said, but the thousands of our memories stared straight at me. And it was impossible to force it back inside whenever I looked at him.

"Aarushi?" I hear a female voice. Shit. I quickly wipe my tears, try to blink away anything that made me look like a crying mess. I turned around to see the source of the voice, Trisha. "Are you okay?" She asked taking a step forward. 

"Absolutely. I was just mourning over a fictional character that died." I said in an attempt to twist this topic. She didn't look convinced but didn't press me to talk either. She dragged me with her for the fest prep and I was grateful for the distraction. 

The auditorium buzzed with chaos, rehersals going on in every corner of that place, people rushing to get the work done, someone aruging over the mic, for a second I felt like I had stepped back in my old life. The memories I thought I had buried deep inside, surfaced back to me. 

We moved closer to the chaos when my eyes found musical intrusments, guitar. My hands moved on it, the memories painfully familiar. I hadn't brought my guitar here. I had loved singing, but from the past few months, I couldn't play let alone song.

"You play?" Nisha asked. I didn't realise when she had come here. 

"Sometimes." I said shrugging my shoulders. 

"Why don't you show us?" Siya suggested sitting on the chair, waiting for me to start my show. I widened my eyes. No way I was going sing or even play here, infront of so many people. I shook my head in a clear no. 

"Oh come on." Trisha said nudging me. "Bring out the baddie in you and set this place on fire with your words." I tilted my head back and laughed, a real one this time. These people were something. My eyes travelled to the guitar again. I can atleast try. 

My voice cut through the room, soft and unsteady at first and then stronger. Every word carried something heavier than music, regret, loss. I poured my heart out.

I am right where you left me 
Help! I am still at the restaurant
Still sitting in the corner I haunt
Cross - legged in the dim light

My voice cracked a little as I continued. Very aware about the eyes watching me, but I couldn't care less. Aadi, our last conversation, his heartbreakingly beautiful smile was all I could think of. My music carried everything I couldn't say. 

I took a shaky breath, my hand trembling around the guitar strings, tears held in, as I continued the last line.

You left me no choice but to stay here forever. 

I barely had any time to register, when a loud applause rung through the room. Shit. People were gathered around me. But my eyes searched for him, only him. Was he here?

Aadi stood in the corner like a stranger who knew too much about me. For a second his eyes flicked towards me, cold and unreadable, unlike the man I loved. Without another glance, he left the auditorium and the ache in my heart doubled. Was this the same Aadi I had once known? That could never get bored of my voice?