One Last Time

Chapter 15

And as I hugged her close, I knew she was right. Not everybody finds love like that. ♥

"He seemed so perfect you know?" She kept saying through sobs.

"I know." I said.

"He was so sweet. I thought he was the one! And he just..", but she couldn't continue because her voice choked.

"Yes, yes. Calm down. It'll be okay."

She nodded weakly looked up from my shoulder. I looked into her eyes. It was still the girl I loved but much more vulnerable.

For an instant, I almost told her I loved her but I couldn't. I couldn't do something like this to Saloni. She opened her lips as if to say something but looked away almost instantly.

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I looked at him and felt an aching I had never felt before. What are you doing Trisha?! He's your best friend but dammit I had fallen in love with him. I have known Pranav for years and now I see him for what he really meant to me.

It felt weird admitting it to myself, how could I tell him. I almost did but then Saloni's face crossed my mind. I can't let her go through something like this, assuming Pranav does love me back.

Why? Why does this have to be so hard?
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Saloni

I called Pranav but got a text in return. "Trisha and Arnav broke up. Long story; half of which even I don't know. I'm so sorry sweety. I'll catch up with you later?"

"Of course! I hope she's okay."

I felt bad for Trisha and worse for myself. Pranav had warned me he would always love Trisha and now there was nobody in the way and what if she loves him too?

I will have to let him go. Should I talk to him? Maybe he'll dump me later. I signed up for this but something inside me felt like it was being strangled.
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I woke up and my head hurt like someone was hammering it. I looked around and saw Pranav on the floor. Dang it! I probably fell asleep in his house.

His phone buzzed. I saw it was Saloni and almost disturbingly instinctively cut the call. He woke up and said, "I think your phone is buzzing."

"Yeah. Nothing." I replied and he went back to sleep.

I don't know what came over me but I went to Saloni's contact and blocked incoming calls.

"Can we go have breakfast outside?" I asked Pranav.

"Yea Trisha." He drawled and almost tumbled into the washroom.
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I called Pranav a few more times but it kept ringing. I kept my phone aside. I guess my fear was right. Its happening. We're done with.

Then I got a text. I grabbed my phone with an inhumanly excitement, only to see a text from Trisha. Hey Saloni! Going to breakfast with Pranav. He'll call you back.

Of course.

Five hours later I got a call. "Hello?" I heard Pranav's voice say.
"Hey."

"I'm so sorry. My phone has been acting up. Do you want to meet up?"

"No. I'm busy. Can I talk to you later?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes it is Pranav. Later?"

"Um.. Okay." He said and I cut the call.

I was sleeping when my phone started buzzing. "Hey! Come down?"

"Its 8 o clock!"

"Yeah. You aren't supposed to be sleeping. Please come down!"

I went down and saw Pranav standing there. "What do you want?"

"I sensed that you were upset. But you wouldn't tell me on the phone."

"I'm fine."

"Saloni, I've known you for quite a long time. What is wrong?"

"Its just.. with Trisha being single again and you being in love with her and all, I just thought.."

"...I would dump you? That's stupid. I'm dating you. And I can't leave you for no reason. You're an absolute delight to be with."

"But we had decided that..."

"I know what we had decided. I'm not going back on that. But you love me, she doesn't."

"What if she does?"

"Then we'll talk about it then. As of now, you're the person I want to be with."

I couldn't help but smile at him. "Also, I'm being very cheesy so we should stop. Lets go out tomorrow?" He asked.

"No. Trisha is upset and needs you right now."

"I can take an hour out."
"Okay." I said.
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Why the hell did I block Saloni's number on Pranav's phone? I mean his girlfriend called him! Big deal!

Oh good lord, I love him. Or maybe its just because I'm lonely but screw lonely. I was actually kind of relieved when Arnav left, which also makes me feel like a jerk.

I should call him and I did. "Hey Pranav. What's up?"

"I was watching Big Bang Theory."

"That's great! There was this thing on the National Geographic today about..."

"What?" He asked, slightly chuckling.

"Hey cmon! You liked the one about otters!"

"Yeah well."

"I love you..."

"..what?"

"I love yodeling. Let me finish jackass."

"Oh. I'm sure its fun." He said sounding barely convinced.

"So goodnight?"

"Goodnight."
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I cut the call from Trisha and checked my messages. There was a message from Saloni and I opened it.

Hey honey. I'm sorry I misjudged you. That was really sweet what you said. Goodnight. 💜

It was an honest mistake. Don't worry. Goodnight. 💝