Forever Yours, Vrinda

Part 22

Eight Years Ago,

It had been two weeks since her inebriated state had ignited awkwardness between the duo. Vivaan had tried many times to convince her that nothing had changed between them. There was no hint of doubt or apprehension regarding his love for her, but he did not want to confess his feelings before dispelling her worries and the prevailing discomfiture. He did not want her to feel that he was reciprocating her feelings because of sympathy or to return to normalcy, because he knew that reality was faraway from that.

He had considered revealing the true nature of his feelings towards her many times, but the way expectations kept piling up on her prevented him from adding to the pile. She needed someone to stay as her unconditional companion to replenish the joys she had missed out on while fulfilling her innumerable duties and Vivaan did not want to ask for more. He had decided to wait till they graduate and find some stability in their lives before coming out with the truth, but destiny had other plans for them.

"So, you love each other?" asked Rupa, hesitantly after she cleared her throat awkwardly after listening to the reason behind Vrinda's sulkiness. She looked on, gazing longingly into nothingness with her fists clenched by her side, and when Vivaan turned to face her to answer her question, he felt the undercurrents of agony in the way she quivered slightly, almost involuntarily.

"Rupa...I...you..."

"I know I am late, Vivaan. There's no need to apologize. I always knew that there was something beyond friendship between the two of you. But what is love, if not irrational? I had hoped against hope and it isn't your fault. You may choose whom you love and I will be happy if two of my best friends find their happily ever-after together. I will be fine," she replied, realizing that he had caught onto the unsaid words running in her mind. So characteristic of him. So inquisitive and intuitive, and that helped him to understand the unsaid. It was no wonder she had fallen for him.

"I am sorry if I ever lead you on, Rupa. You had and have a right to expect reciprocation of your feelings and also an apology. Truth be told, I cannot love anyone the way I love Vrinda, Rupa, and you deserve someone who will love you with every bit of his heart, not someone like me who has already lost his heart. I will make sure that you find that guy. I am sorry!" he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she broke into muffled sobs despite her words before. She would move on and that moment would probably remain etched in her mind as a bittersweet souvenir, but she felt an absolute need to grieve in that moment of loss.

"I love you, Vivaan! I will always do, no matter what!" she muttered, trying to stifle her sobs and make the situation lighter. It had been about him and Vrinda, and she had no intention of adding to his agony.

Vivaan placed his other hand over her intertwined fingers, rested over her knees as a gesture of assurance. It pained him immensely to break her heart, but he knew that she did not deserve someone whose heart already belonged to someone else and especially when Vrinda had herself confessed her love for him.

"I love you too, Rupa! You will always find me by your side whenever you need someone!" he replied, patting her shoulder affectionately. He realized, like lightning strikes in darkness, that Vrinda could be enduring the same pain due to his silence and his desire for better circumstances to confess. He realized nothing mattered more than saving her from further agony at that moment, and he would confess whenever they meet next.

"Do you want to attend the next class or do you want some time off? I will stay back," offered Vivaan, looking at his watch.

"It's better if we go," said Rupa, wiping away her tears and giving her best attempts to stretch her lips across.

"As you wish," replied Vivaan, allowing her to get down from the short side wall, which was their place of hangout, and then descending himself.

"Looks like congratulations are in order!"

Vivaan and Rupa looked up with crinkled eyebrows to see Vrinda with barely concealed distress dancing over her pale features. They looked at each other in question and their eyes widened as they realized Vrinda had grossly misunderstood the situation, but Rupa decided to hear it in Vrinda's words before dispelling his misconception.

"Congratulations? For what, Vrinda?" she asked, stepping towards her friend.

"You entered a relationship with him, right? No wonder he chose to not reply or talk about my drunken confession. Now I understand. You could have told me directly instead of playing this hide-and-seek game!" she lashed in an icy tone with agony and frustration swirling in her eyes as she burnt in the green flame of envy.

"That's not what happened, Vrinda. We are not in a relationship," retorted Rupa, knowing that Vivaan would not want to say that readily, at least in front of her after knowing her feelings for him.

"Do you think I would hide such a thing from you?" asked Vivaan, erasing the distance between himself and Vrinda, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"There's no need to shower any kind of sympathy upon me and keep me in darkness!" retaliated Vrinda, their words reverberating in her ears as she averted her eyes from Vivaan furiously.

"You want to know the real reason he did not confess? He did not want you to feel that pity and sympathy which you hate. He did not want you to think that he was doing a favor upon you by confessing. He wanted to assure you of his love. You thought that he entered a relationship with me, right Vrinda? No one can snatch your place from Vivaan's heart. Not me, not someone else and not even you, yourself, Vrinda! Because Vivaan has submitted himself for the role of being your constant, of being your anchor to happiness and shield from everything that pushed you into mutism once, and to be forever yours."