Enemies Became Friends Forever

13. Truth

Second update for the day...

On Monday, after reaching school, I went towards the parking area to park my bicycle. There I saw Ashish, waiting for someone along with his friends. As soon as he noticed me, he turned towards his friends and started talking with them. I stared at him confused. Why is he behaving weird? Is he still feeling guilty? Anyways, ignoring him I started searching for a place to park the bicycle.

Finally, I found a place, parked the bicycle and turn around to go but I felt like, as if someone is watching me, so, I saw my surroundings and found Ashish, staring my legs as if examining them. Then, he saw me and I raised my eye brows as if questioning him, but he just turned his head away again. I furrowed my eyebrows and started walking again.

"Naina!" Rehan called out my name aloud as if remembering something. "How is your leg?"

"My leg?"

"Yeah! Is it still paining?"

"How do you know about that?" I asked suspiciously.

"Come on yaar! Even I was there at that time."

"Oh! It's fine now. I can walk, but still feeling a little pain."

"And, what about the elbow?" He asked pointing towards my elbow.

"Yeah! It is also fine. I plastered it with band aid," I said, showing my elbow.

"She said that it's fine," Rehan said, turning towards Ashish, who was giving frequent glances at me when I was talking with Rehan.

I furrowed my eyebrows at Ashish holding my hands across the chest. Seeing me, he moved his eyes away, seeing everywhere except me.

"So, you asked Rehan to inquire about my well-being," I asked glaring at him.

"Why will I ask him to inquire about your well-being?" Ashish said, turning his head towards me, glaring.

"Then, Why...,"I was about to question him again but he walked away. How mean?

"Argh!!" I glared at Rehan and stomped away from there.

"What did I do?" Rehan asked from the back. But I ignored him and went away.

The week has ended with Maths Paper - I. It was Sunday evening, I was preparing for Maths Paper - II and got a doubt in Trigonometry, the toughest concept for me. Thinking about whom to ask, I finally decided to ask Manish, as his house was next to mine.

I went to his house and literally made him mad with my doubts, but, somehow he managed to clear them and we decided to practice the rest of the concepts, together. After some time, we took a little break, to take some fresh air. We went to terrace eating some snacks. Suddenly something struck my mind.

"Manish!" I called him.

"Huh?"

"Why does Ashish behave like that with me? I mean, why is he taking revenge against me?"

"You don't know?" He asked with a confused face and I just nodded my head horizontally.

"First tell me, did you really blurted anything bad about Ashish, to anyone," Manish asked.

"Why does everyone ask the same thing? I never spoke anything about Ashish to anyone. I don't even know him properly until he started his revenge," I replied.

"Well, he was removed from the State Basketball Zonal's team by the coach because of that rumor. Basketball is his passion. He felt very dejected, after knowing that he was removed. He requested the coach to allow him to play, saying that he didn't do anything, but the coach didn't listen. Even his parents also requested him, but no use, as he already marked his conduct as bad." Manish explained me.

"Oh! I feel very sorry for him. But in which way is it related to me?" I asked, getting even confused.

"Actually the rumor is everyone says that you said something offensive about Ashish like he is a playboy, he cheated a girl and that girl got very depressed, after that he moved on to another girl, not to believe him, like that," Manish said. Really? Why will I say something offensive about Ashish like that? And, all these days I didn't even come to know about this.

"What? Who created this rumor?" I asked in a low voice, widening my face in shock.

"I too don't know. I came to know about this when Ashish shared his sadness with me."

"Manish, I really didn't create any rumor about him. After listening to this, I should just say that someone has created a rumor against me too."

"Even I didn't believe about this, and that is the reason why I never brought this topic in front of you," He said touching my shoulder as if he believes me.

"I think I should talk to Ashish," I said to no one in particular.

"Yeah! But not now. Clear everything after the exams. If you guys start now, who knows where you both end up? After all, we witnessed both of you fighting like mad beings" he said snickering. I just glared at him.

"Okay! Now, let's start practicing," He said, raising his hands in surrender.

We practiced till 9 O' clock and then I went to my house and called Preeti to tell her about this. But, to my surprise, she said that she already knew this.

'I found the reason for his revenge on our last working day, when he hurt you. That evening I went to his house and asked him the reason. Then, he said everything.' Preeti said from the other side.

'Then, why didn't you tell me?' I shouted at her.

'I don't want to disturb you. It's our exams' time.'

'Hmm' I just hummed.

'I tried to convince him saying you'll never do that, but he didn't listen to me. So, talk to him and clear everything after the exams. I mean at least after Pre-finals' Preeti said.

'Okay' I said and little later we ended the call.

Days passed and Pre-finals got finished. After pre-final exams, I didn't see Ashish at least once, due to jumbling system. Every one of us got different centers. I didn't get any chance to clear this misunderstanding. I felt really sad, that he was removed from the Zonals team.

Days passed and public exams got finished successfully. The day when the final exam got finished, we celebrated ourselves and packed our bags for the trip, that we were going after a day. I think, I should clear this misunderstanding at least in this trip. May be, this might be the last time we will be meeting.