Rekindling Love

Chapter 9

Naira’s POV

The year was ending. And my memories had left me. These 2 months, had been nothing but a swing, from happiness to confusion, to an unknown sadness. Glad Kartik was there as my best friend to help me throughout this phase.

He was taking me out today, to celebrate NYE. He said, it would be a fun night. That we shall begin he New Year together. I was happy. He always made me happy.

He had planned out everything and was going to tell me whenever it was time for me to know Said that it should be a surprise for me.  I don’t know if I was happy at keeping everything as a surprise to me. I wanted to know what had he planned. But he always replied, “All in a good time Tina.”

When I went to my room, I saw everything was set up for me. There was this grey dress, almost my knee length, shoulders slightly off, embedded with beads on its neck line. I knew it would fit me perfectly. A pair of black heels, slight shimmer to them, thin straps arranged in an intricate fashion. Small drop of diamonds, going perfectly with the beads on neck.

Everything was taken care of. But this dress, was it me? Will I ever become the girl who was meant to fit in this dress? I was Tina, no? I was the a tomboy. I fought with people, I was a thief, my intentions though good, my deeds weren’t.  Was I this dignified woman meant to wear this dress?

Questions I didn’t know the answer to were still there. I decided I wasn’t worthy of the gifts that were being showered on me. I didn’t realise when the tears rolled down my cheeks, and started folding the neatly kept dress back. A few droplets found their way on the dress while I kept it back.

I got one of my dress to wear. Yes I will go with him, yes I liked to spend time with him, but I wasn’t the girl who was meant to wear this. With almost an heavy heart I stepped out to see him.

He was standing there, with a grey blazer on. It was a perfect shade to match had I worn that dress. His face fell seeing me not dressed up in what he had chosen. This time he didn’t even try to get happy as he always did.

“You didn’t find my dress?” he asked.

“I did.” I replied.

“Then?” he prompted. Disappointment evident in his voice. And he had the right to be.

“Kartik, I liked that dress very much. But it wasn’t me.” I replied hoping against odds he would understand.

“Wasn’t you? It didn’t fit?” he asked. Was he trying to be naive? Of course he knew what I meant. He always did. May be it was an excuse to make him feel better.

“No, no it fit perfectly. It would have I’m sure, as you had gotten it for me. But I couldn’t.  I cannot wear something with no rights of me on it. That dress was for Mrs.Goenka your love and wife. I’m Tina, just Tina.” I tried explaining. I don’t know if I was doing a good job at it.

“Oh” he said. Like he understood everything. I was kind of unsure if he actually did understand anything.

“Well alright. Let’s go shall we” he said. Removing his jacket. When I gave him a questioning look “Well if Mrs Goenka is not going, then how can Kartik Goenka go?” he replied. As if it made perfect sense. But at least a ghost of his smile was back. I promised to myself that the full version of it will be back by the time the night concluded itself.

He extended his had for me to take. I was more than happy to give my hand in his, entwining his fingers with mine, I felt like his hand was made to fit in mine.

He took me to one of the restaurants, it was outside the city. A place where we looked tad out of the place wearing what we were wearing. No wonder he had selected that dress. He squeezed my hand to assure me, it was okay.

“Sir?” the receptionist asked.

“I reserved a table for 2 in the name of Kartik Goenka.” He replied.

“This side sir.” They lead us to the place, “He will be your attendant for the evening. Hope you enjoy your time with us sir!”

He dragged a chair for me, and made me sit. After which he settled himself on the chair beside me. Keeping my hand wrapped around his, we began our evening

Kartik’s POV

After what I thought was careful deliberation I had gotten that dress for her. I could see that she liked me. I was sure that she will like it. I thought that may be like last time, she will wear that dress and be ready to confess.

When she came out wearing something of hers, my heart sank. I was so sure of that. May be I pushed her too far, may be I asked too much? But she never had rejected my gifts, she always took them, to say that I was disappointed would be putting it lightly.

After asking her about the dress, I realised that, she thought it was for Naira. She thought that she has no rights on her things. She was wrong. I had brought it for her, I was yet in love with this new girl my Naira had become. But I agreed to her.

Not because I didn’t want to tell her, simply because I thought she was ready. I thought she loved me. But no, she wasn’t,  or at least she didn’t know it yet.

She liked staying with me, she didn’t mind hand holding all the time, she in fact initiated it most of the times. She even told me she liked to spend time with me. That I was her best friend.

Come to think of it, it seemed like I was the only husband in the world who was friend zoned by his wife. And the humour in this joke, was a very dark one, I didn’t know if I really found it funny or not.

We ordered our food, barely looking at place inside this restaurant. I was probably too used to treating her as a queen on the happy days and for celebration, that I forgot that she isn’t my queen this time. I just went ahead and did what I would have for Naira 

When we ordered, she again caught hold of my hand, not that I minded but I wanted to move ahead now. She trusted me, she liked me, she wanted to spend all her time with me, then what was stopping her to accept what it was. No she need not become Naira, but can she at the very least not become mine! Again?

I tried to shiver the disappointments away, when I entwined my fingers with her. I knew this was a haul, and I also knew that at the end it would be worth it.

Authors note –

I am very very confused about what this looks like. I don’t know if this looks okay or in place.

But Kartik Goenka seems to be friend zoned very badly. How will he get out? How will he make his woman, his all over again. I don’t know. Comment below, and may be I may find an answer and give it to you in next update.

Meanwhile ‘Happy New Year’

Keep loving kaira, shivin and yrkkh

Happy Reading.