Best Friends and Cousins? (An Indian Love Story)

Chapter 11

It has been 3 days since our first date and our confession session in the treehouse. We are leaving in 2 days, and Grandfather, as usual, hurries us along and makes us pack way in advance. The entire house of three floors, including the attic, is bustling with activity as Anya, Nikhil and I prepare to leave and Megha and Naina help Grandma and Grandpa out on the floor below us.

Anya demanded that we tell her everything that happened, and we do, leaving out the more flustering parts of the date. She doesn't know about our little crying session, but she does know that we affirmed our love for each other. After that we just sat there, in each others' arms, occasionally whispering sweet nothings to each other. He keeps asking me if he could kiss me, anywhere,  instead of just doing it. I need to ask him why.

Finishing lunch, we head to Krish's room to spend some time with him. As I stand over his crib, I feel a slim pair of arms slip around me, only to see it is Anya.

"Hey! Is everything okay?"

She just nods her head, but I feel something wet fall onto my shoulder.

"Anya, look at me. Look at my face and tell me everything is okay. You cannot lie to my face."

She lifts her face up. Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy. She wordlessly hands me her phone. I open it to see that her most recent phone call has been recorded. I ask her to stay with Krish as I go out to listen to the conversation.

"Am I speaking to Ms. Anya?" A strong female voice asks.

"Yes, may I know who I am speaking to?"

"I'm calling from the ER from the local hospital. Do you know Mr. Swapnil?"

"What happened to him?" I hear Anya's panicked voice.

"He met with an accident while riding into town. His last call was to you, so we figured you knew where he was going."

I hear Anya's sobs as Nikhil hugs her and tries to calm her down.

"He is, ma'am, out of danger now but is still very weak. He will need a few more days to recover. I request you to come or send somebody over today to pick him up and take him home."

The line goes dead and I look back at Nikhil, who is still holding a sobbing Anya.

"Stay here. I'll go get him."

"Neha, let me come with you. Please."

"Anya, you are in no position to see him like that. Let me go bring him here. Then you can talk to him as much as you want." Nikhil begins to say something but I interrupt him. "No. I need you to stay here. Tell grandma and grandfather what happened. Set up a bedroom for a patient."

I grab the car keys on my way out and drive as fast and safe as possible. Running up the stairs of the hospital, I go up to the counter and ask the man sitting there about Swapnil.

"He's out of danger ma'am. You must be Ms. Anya."

"No, I am her cousin, who happens to know her boyfriend well." I say, panting from my run.

"Please follow me. I will bring some papers that you will need to sign before we can discharge him." I just nod, scared of how badly he is knocked up.

Pushing the door and holding it open for me, the man, more like nurse, gives me a small smile before leaving. I hear some whimpering from the corner of the room, where I see a taller, stronger and more manly version of my once best friend.

I sit close to the bed and take his hand. He appears to be sleeping. Or under the influence of anaesthesia. I don't know. I cannot tell. Despite the hatred I had on him for eyeing me while dating my cousin, he still was one of my first friends, someone who was there for me when no one else was.

"Anya? Is that you?" I hear a muffled voice. I look up at his face, his eyes half closed.

"Swapnil, its me, Neha. Can you completely open your eyes? Look at me."

"Neha? Where am I? What happened? What are you doing here?" He says, trying to sit up.

"It's complicated and you are in the hospital. What is the last thing you remember?" I ask him, pushing the button that changes the angle of thebes so that he can sit up.

"I was sitting in the back of a taxi and going to meet Anya and I heard tires screeching. I closed mt eyes at the glare from the sun and I am opening them here now. How did you know I was here?"

"I'll tell you everything as we go. I need you to tell me where your bag is so you can change. Anya is waiting for you." I notice that he has cuts and bruises wherever his skin is exposed. It must have been a really bad accident.

I wait outside and sign the discharge papers as the male nurse from earlier helps Swapnil change into normal clothes.

I notice that Swapnil is limping a bit, with his walking stick, but otherwise he seems just fine. Looks like it isn't that bad.

"Neha. I am sorry. I didn't realise I was losing someone extraordinary when I did that shameful thing in 8th."

"All I need to know is that you are genuinely sorry and are keeping Anya happy." I say, as I drive away from the hospital.

"Speaking of Anya, where is she? How did you know I was here?"

"We're cousins. Anya, Nikhil and me. All three of us. We're staying at our Grandparents' place for the vacation. We were all packing to leave in 2 days when Anya got the call from the hospital."

I smirk as Swapnil's jaw drops lower and lower with every word. He looks at me like I grew 3 more heads.

"So that means you and Nikhil are sleeping under the same roof? What all did you guys do?"

"What do you mean by that? We just kissed a couple of times! He took me out on a date 2 days ago. That's it. Now don't gimme that knowing look. I told you everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything."

"You know, you still haven't learnt how to lie to me, even after 10 years." He smirks.

"weconfessedourlovetoeachother." I mumble rapidly, feeling my face heat up.

"You what now?" He asks innocently, wincing slightly as I drove over the uneven dirt track.

"You know very well what I said." I reply coyly.

"I didn't hear what my best friend of 15 years said." He replied, grinning.

"Shut up and try to get out of the car. We're here. NIKHIL!" I call out to my very new boyfriend, who's outside in the time I get out of the car and take out Swapnil's bag.

"Hey man. Long time no see? Sorry about that punch." Nikhil says, gesturing towards the tiny, almost-faded scar on Swapnil's cheekbone.

"No hard feelings man. I kinda deserved it. I was being a huge jerk." It makes me happy to see they are sharing a hearty laugh.

Nikhils comes over to me, and takes the bag from my hand, before seeking permission and pecking my lips. We look over at Swapnil who just cleared hos throat.

"I was afraid my little friend here would die single and a virgin. Thanks for actimg up on your feelings man."

Nikhil just laughs and helps Swapnil into the house. I park the car and go back in to see Swapnil enveloped in Anya's arms, while grandma and grandfather look down at them from the second floor. Swapnil rubs his nose against Anya's and I smile at Nikhil, who is descending the stairs after putting Swapnil's stuff into the guest room.

We make our way up to the room and get Swapnil settled in, which takes some time due to his leg.

Nikhil nudges me and gestures towards Anya, who's now snuggled up against Swapnil. He leads me out and pushes me against the wall of our room, smirking.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I'm just going through some mental stuff, which has caused a writers' block. I hope this wasn't too boring, because it is only a filler chapter. Any guesses on what is about to happen next? Reply in the comments.

Good Bye Loves