MaNan: Breaking Free

29|The Competition

Nandini's POV

"Are you sure you are okay, Navya?" I whisper to her. For a change, we are sitting at the back and not paying attention. Cabir is sitting on his usual seat in the front and Manik is sitting in a corner with Rose. They don't seem to be paying attention to the teacher, either! Ignoring the unsettling feeling, I focus on Navya. She has been really cut up lately.

"No, I am not okay!" She finally admits gloomily.

"What are you thinking? Tell me." I demand as softly as I can.

"You know, Nandu. I have been in love with Cabir almost all my life. Since the first day in kindergarten. When I found out he is gay, and that I stand absolutely no chance with him, I was devastated! I didn't know what to do." She is really upset.

"Navya.." I mumble helplessly, as the teacher continues scribbling on the board, indifferent to the students and the noise in the class.

"Slowly, with time, I got my shit together. I told myself to move on, over and over again. But it just wouldn't happen. No matter how many times I told myself to stop, my feelings have just kept getting stronger. And I hate it..."

She pauses for a minute and looks at Cabir with longing and love.

"Then Harshad came by. He was all nice and sweet and caring. For once, I thought I could be happy. How wrong I was!"

"Harshad...."

"It's not really about Harshad, Nandu. I was never in love with him. I was just trying to fall for him so I could forget Cabir."

"Navya...."

Stop this Harshad, Navya, Harshad, Navya, and say something comforting, you dimwit!

"I am hurt because it feels terrible to be betrayed. Harshad made me feel worthless and foolish! And my feelings for Cabir are just not going." She groans, a lone tear rolling down her eyes. "It's like the kind of love that shapes you up and totally blows you away! And more often than not, it's beautiful, Nandu. But when it's one sided, as in my case, it's so painful and so suffocating you can't describe it." She is sobbing now. A few people turn around to look at us. I glare at them and they turn to the other side quickly.

"I don't think I can ever be happy! Harshad, I am already over. But what about that gay? He must think I am pathetic."

"He doesn't know you are in love with him."

"Oh, please! This is Cabir we are talking about. He is a walking love detector." She cries out. "I am tired, Nandu. Of being the pathetic friend who is in love with him and who he can't get away from!" She croaks.

"I don't think you are pathetic and I definitely don't want to get away from you, Navya." Cabir's voice startles us. We turn around to see him sitting on the last bench, behind us.

"When did you come here?" I ask him. Did he hear our entire conversation?

"When this idiot was busy calling herself pathetic!" He hits Navya's head lightly.

"Shut up!" Navya grumbles through her tears.

"Navya, I need you to know that you are my best friend, and I love you. Not the way you want, but I still do." He says seriously. "And I want you clinging to me and irritating the shit out of me for as long as I am alive, okay?"

"So, you knew?" She asks in a small voice.

"Yes. And I don't know what I would do if you weren't a part of my life."

"You are just saying that because you feel sorry for me." Navya snaps.

"Of course not. Feeling sorry for you would mean I feel sorry for myself too. In a way, we are in the same situation, Navya." He whispers. "And I know better than to feel sorry for you. You are one hell of a girl and you are going to find love one fine day and run off into the sunset with your soul mate. It will happen! I can see it coming!" Cabir says dramatically and Navya laughs.