One Last Time

Chapter 8 - Choices ♥

I looked up at the sky and saw two stars far apart but twinkling at almost the same speed. ★ That's how it is, somewhere two hearts are always beating the same beat. ♥- Author

I looked at my watch. 7 P.M. I closed my eyes to rest them. I'd been studying all day, first in school, then after lunch and now I felt like everything around me was trying to crush me.

Before I knew it, I fell asleep and awoke half an hour later still feeling queasy. I checked my phone for any messages and saw that there were none.

I called Arnav but he didn't pick up. I tried his phone a couple of times more but got the same response, "The subscriber you're trying to reach is not responding. Please try later."

I flopped back down on my bed and called out to my mom for some food. "Are you okay beta?" Asked my mom and I smiled at her reassuringly.

"Yes ma. Just hungry."

"You look worn out. Watch some T.V. while I go out and get some bread."

"Okay." I said and walked into my living room and mom left ten mibutes later.

I tried Arnav's cell again and even before I heard the tinkle before the operator's not, I realized that the subscriber was still busy.

I desperately needed to talk to someone. I felt claustrophobic, like an ant when you trap it under your palm.

Finally, I decided to call up Pranav and he picked up at the first ring.

"Hey Trish! What's up?"

"I've been feeling off-colour. I just wanted to talk to somebody."

"Okay. Sure. What are you doing?"

"T.V."

"Hi5! How studious are we?"

"Much."

He laughed and said, "So, why are you feeling off-colour?"

"I don't know. I was studying and then I fell asleep and I woke up feeling drained out."

"Fever?" He asked, concerned.

"No. I'm fine." I said, smiling.

"Are you sure your brain isn't overloaded by the sudden usage?"

"Say that again mister!" I said, putting on my best aggressive voice.

"Are you sure your brain..."

"Oh shut up." I cut him off and we both started laughing.

"Go eat some ice cream. It'll make you feel better." He said.

"Yeah. Maybe it will. By the way, its Ayushi's birthday tomorrow."

"And Ayushi is....?"

"Oh god Pranav! She's in our class!"

"One with the flashy pink bag?"

"Yes. Its her birthday."

"Yay?"

"I'm just trying to start a conversation."

"Do you like sauce?"

"You know I hate sauce."

"No no. You hate tomato ketchup. What are your feeling about, say, tartar sauce?"

"It has a nice colour."

"Of course." He said and I felt the corners of my lips twitching and I instantly started laughing.

"What? Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes." I said through embarrassing snorts.

"Incessant laughing for reasons incomprehensible to mankind. Symptoms of a familiar kind of overload." He said and I laughed harder. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off me and he patiently sat on the other side.

"Thank you so much!" I said.

"The pleasure is all mine." He said and my phone started to beep.

I checked to see it was Arnav calling and I chose to talk to Pranav. "So haven't you gone out to play today?"

"Haven't you?"

"I was studying. I completely lost track of time."

"Well, I was writing. I lost track too."

"You were writing?! Since when have you started writing?"

"Yesterday." He said with a laugh.

"I want to read it! Read it out for me."

"Its just an impulsive write up. Its really bad."

"Poem?"

"Yes."

"Tell me!!"

"Okay but be kind."

"Sure."

And he began to read,

"All the love songs have your beat,
All the love stories have our names.♥
Tell me, can you take the heat?
I know for sure, it'll never be the same."

I felt like the world had come to a standstill and all I could hear was his words. I heard my phone beeping but it was like that sound was a million miles away and he continued to say,

"Take a look at what you've left of me,
Take a look at this infinity. ∞
And I know you'll ignore..
You'll always look but you'll never see. ♥"

"That's all I've written for now." He said.

For a moment, we both sat in silence and I could hear him breathing on the other side and I knew he was waiting for a reply.

"It was wonderful." I said, my voice barely a whisper.

"Really? Thanks!"

"Who did you write it for?"

"What?"

"The poem. Its about someone right?"

"Nope. Nobody in specific."

"Oh." I said and I cut the call as my phone had started beeping for the third time.

I picked up Arnav's call but I wanted to talk to Pranav. This is wrong. I felt like I was cheating on Arnav. This has to stop.

I don't love Pranav. I'm just afraid of losing him. That's all. "....so cute." Arnav said.

"What?"

"The puppy."

"Oh right."

"Hey, is everything alright?"

"Yeah." I said and I realized that it really was. All the depressing feelings were gone.

This is crazy. I need to walk our of Pranav's life. I am stepping into shallow grounds. No.

"Okay sweetie. Goodnight. I love you." He said.

"I love you too honey. I really do." I said.
___________________________________

Author's note: So, what do you think is happening? Is Trisha in love with Pranav or Arnav? Will Saloni change Pranav's feelings? Is the poem for Trisha or Saloni? Aaaaah!

Btw the quotes in the beginning and the poem excerpt in between are both originally mine. No plagiarism. ;)

Enjoy reading. I'll be back with more soon.