Colors - Paradox ✔️

7

The park was beautiful. It was full of big trees, beneath which there were seats for the visitors. Many colorful flowers could be seen from the place where Sangeeta and Saurav were sitting. At the children's zone, it was noisy and crowded. But here, in this part of the park, where people were sitting and talking, it was peaceful.

Saurav called this morning Sangeeta to spend some time here. He wanted to meet her here as they both loved parks. It was not their first meeting in Pune though. After sorting out the problems, they had already managed to meet a couple of times.

"Shreya loves swings!", Sangeeta joyfully told her bestie.

"Really! Well, she is very fun loving", Saurav was already aware of Shreya's nature.

"Yes, she is. But sometimes, she is just as lazy as me, you know!", Sangeeta laughed.

Their conversation was long. Talking about their jobs, parents, Kolkata, they didn't have any idea when it was already 7 in the evening.

"Um, can we have the dinner together?", Saurav cautiously asked.

"But, Shreya must be waiting for me."

"I mean I can call her. She won't mind", Saurav gave her assurance. "Just call her. "

"Umm okay", Sangeeta took out her phone from the bag and called Shreya. But there was a busy tune.

"I guess she is talking to someone else. Ok I'll just leave a voice message then. I hope she calls me back..."

They were going to enter the restaurant when Sangeeta's phone rang. She thought it was Shreya. But it was not.

"Yeah Amit! What's it?"
Sangeeta answered the call while Saurav had already managed to book a table and grab the menu card of the restaurant.

After finishing the call, Sangeeta came back! "Who was it? ", Saurav asked.

"A colleague" , she said.

"Okay what should we eat? ", Saurav grinned.
                    __________________

It was 10pm. Shreya had her dinner. She couldn't receive Sangeeta's call, but she listened to the voice message. She was happy for her, though she didn't like eating alone.

She texted Amrita for the first time in a while.
                              [Eiii! What's up! 😋]<<
>>[Hello!
Nothing great.
I'm going okay.
You? ]
                             [I'm good too!
                              I'm bored.
                              Sangeeta's out with
                   one of her friends. ]        <<

>>[Boy--friend?
     😏]
                             [Ahh! No! Friend I
                                    said.
                           How's Chennai ?? ]  <<

>>[ Not so bad! I don't like the food. ]

The door bell rang. She ended the chat with Amrita and went to open the door. This was not Sangeeta because she had the key with her. So she won't knock or press the calling bell.

"Hello?", Shreya greeted the stranger.

"Umm hi! My name is Payel. I have just shifted here. Are you Shreya?" The girl had a sweet smile. But how come she knew Shreya's name?

"Y-Yes. But do I know you?", Shreya asked with a little bit of confusion.

"No you don't. Actually I got a job in your company and shifted to Pune. I know someone in the office who told me that you'd been living here and I could be friends with you! "

As the girl finished, Shreya wondered that there was only person in the office who knew her home address.

Shreya being silent, the girl continued.
"Shivam. You know him, right! "

Shreya definitely knew him.

Well, with Shivam, things had been better these days. They'd talk more naturally. They sometimes went to have coffee together, during the break. He texted Shreya often and she had realized that he had a good heart. Though sometimes , he showed some arrogance, he had helped her a lot too.

Shreya invited the girl inside and they both sat on the sofa.
" So, you came here today?", Shreya started the conversation.

Shreya was always good at new conversations. It was Preetha who couldn't start it well.

"Yes, I told Shivam to meet me but he said he was busy. So he told me about you. I hope you don't mind...", The girl exclaimed.

"Not at all. I love to talk". That was the truth. Shreya continued, "so you are his friend, you said?"

Payel smiled. Shreya was not expecting the answer she gave after this.
"Yes. Actually, umm.. I'm his... Ex girlfriend".

Shreya controlled her reaction.
"Oh! I see!"

Payel said, " yes, our bonding is not that strong now. But I'll definitely sort things out with him."

"I see. I hope you guys come around."
Shreya told her with a half hearted smile.

" Yes! We definitely will... ", Payel smiled.

This time Shreya didn't like the confidence of the girl. She didn't understand why.