Red Ribbon Of Fate

*Chapter 20*: Truths and Uneasiness

Rahul's POV

"I am.... insane"
would have been a better sentence than what Desh actually uttered.
It was more believable. It was more plausible.

" I am....... GAY"

I felt like someone had whacked my chest hard and I would have fallen due to the impact of the shock if it weren't for the wall I had held onto for support.

An odd feeling coursed through my veins and I felt a weird warmth in my stomach.

Wait wait you must be wondering how I was outside Riya's room? Let me rewind a little bit for you.

I had a really bad dream. No, not a dream. A really bad nightmare. And I wasn't able to get back to sleep. I needed some water to satisfy my parched throat and to calm down my rapidly beating heart. I realized that Desh wasn't in the room Riya's parents made us share , and this caused me to panic more. So I tiptoed out of the room and crept down the stairs as quietly as possible so as to not wake up the entire household.

I saw a dim light through one of the rooms' doorways and I was about to knock when I heard soft voices. Considering that it was quiet all around because it was early morning, even their whispers were audible.

I could clearly make out that the voices belonged to Desh and Riya. And this made me stop in my tracks. I knew it was not right to eavesdrop, but my mind wasn't able to control my body. Lately, I felt something really odd when Desh and Riya talked. A burning feeling in the pit of my stomach. Like I wanted noone else to be near him or around him. And I was really scared of what it all meant.

I heard a bit of the converation where Desh was teasing Riya. Then Riya asked him if he ever had feelings for her. I was sure he would respond in the affirmative. But the fact that he didn't surprised me. At the same time, it delighted me. I had no idea why. When I was just about to leave, having realized there was nothing interesting going on, a single sentence made me stop right there and I gasped.

" I am......gay"

He was gay!!!! My best friend Desh who I had known for more than a year was gay. And why was my heart suddenly feeling jumpy?

Then I heard Riya. She seemed as equally shocked as me.

" What did you say Desh? It's not funny. Stop fooling around with me."

" I an not fooling around with you Riiii, I have known it for quite some time. I just didn't know how you would take it, so I didn't tell you."

" But... What about everything that happened in first year?"

" What happened?"

" I bloody had a crush on you. Did it mean nothing to you then? Omg I feel so so stupid right now. I need some time to think through this. How could you not have told me this earlier?"

"Ri, look at me...don't turn away. Riii" I could hear him pleading.

" Riiii....you don't have feelings for me still, do you?"

" I don't know."

" Riya..please tell me you don't. I have seen the way you talk about Arya. It brightens up your face and you get a shine in your eyes. I know you're in love with him even if you don't. Your cheeks pretty much betray you all the time. It is adorably cute. Riiii I really hope this won't change the friendship we have built for over a year. I really hope you will accept me for who I am."

Then finally Riya spoke.

" I know, you're my best friend Desh. That fact is not going to change even if you tell me you're a vampire. I don't know where that came from but you get my point," she said chuckling lightly.