As long as you love me

A Small distraction Part 2

My offer letter came in a couple of days. I was assigned to Mumbai with Geetha! Kavin was put to Kerala. I don't know how to talk with her either!

Siddharth's dream about having Geetha got shattered too!

I was prepared, I packed everything! Finally, Siddharth showed up!

It is not a break-up, is it? Siddharth asked.

Don't know! 4 years and I can't believe it ended just like that! I said!

I texted her often! But she never replied!

Finally, I was ready to leave. I took my mobile&typed:-

"Ria! 4 years! I could hardly remember anything else other than your face from our college life! We both struggled with each other's feelings to build our love from dust! Though the kiss with Geetha didn't mean anything. I still feel guilty about it! I am leaving Mumbai tomorrow! It is gonna be a 6 months training! I hope the gap will help you understand. The fight isn't worth losing our love! I can't live without you! and I know, you know that I hope you can forgive me! I love you!"

I hit the send button!

Ria: Tc :)

A reply came after a couple of minutes!

Most of our friends came there to send us off! I met Geetha& we exchanged a formal smile! Ria didn't show up! The flight took off.

I'm sorry! Geetha mumbled!

It's not your fault! I said!

"I ruined it, Rahul! I shouldn't have. We should never have become friends"

NO, it's ok Geetha! I said!

Though the guilt took 2 days to settle!

We reported in the office and made a conference call with my friends.

I helped Geetha to find a hostel and I took an independent room!

As the room rent was lesser than the men's hostel!

It's been a month!

Often Siddharthh would call me! But Ria's number never popped a notification! I always checked her Facebook activities.

It's been a month! Her last photo posted-"feeling blessed with @abishek Rathor."

My heart broke.

Has she moved on already? I couldn't accept it!

I ran through my chats and emails! Fuck! I found a mail dated 2 weeks back in spam!

It's from Ria! How the fuck did I ignore it! I didn't even open it. It got missed up in between the ad's mails. Shit 3 mails! I hadn't opened any!

I opened the first mail!

"Dear Rahul! after all, we have been through together! I couldn't think of a day without you! we've done this before but I always had a hope that we'd meet the next day in class! But now that you're gone! I miss you! I hope you're doing fine! What you did was wrong! I wouldn't be able to forget that but I can forgive you! I just can't think of you that way with someone else! I know you would be angry with me too! If you are not! Just call me back or if you want me out, it's okay! I love you! Take care!

"I love you too"! I said in a teary voice as I read that!

The next 2 mails dated with each 2 days gaps! They were just!

Hey, you upset?

comeback Rahul! love you :( :(

Did she move on? Just like that?Because I didn't text back?

Maybe she thought I was moved on. Maybe she lost hope on me! Maybe she thought I forget her! What have I done! Why would I be angry with her? How can she think like that? I screamed and threw my phone at fall the phone broke and the battery spill out!

I called Kavin!

Kavin: You know what?

Me: What?

Kavin: Um... Ria... I don't know!

Me: What happened!

Kavin: Ria is in love with her cousin they are getting married soon!

Me: What!

Kavin: Yeah! No one wanted to tell you! I'm sorry man.

All of a sudden the world felt dark!

I broke! I performed poorly at work and slowly Geetha healed me! Soon she moved in as she couldn't afford the hostel & poor food made her sick.

I told her about the marriage and stuff about Kavin's call!

So? Did you call her? She asked.

Nope! I can't. I said!

Rahul! Why don't you?

I didn't feel to! I said and turned on the Tv!

No matter how much I acted normal! I had still not moved on! How can she do this to me? My heart died slowly every day.

The days used to be depressing. But the evenings after the work were easier as Geetha was always around, she cared for me!

I felt used to the comfort of having her! And I slowly started losing myself in her! which I shouldn't have.

The late-night "Huggs& talks often used to end in " we should not have done that. We even kissed more than twice in the past 2 months. I am again caught in a loop of not knowing what kind of relationship is this. Geetha always wanted me to see with Ria again.

I'm technically cheating on Ria! But she betrayed me with Abhishek! I said to myself every time I kissed Geetha!

Yet me& Geetha had some limits that we never crossed! We always slept in separate rooms, it was never more than just a kiss and even they were not intentional at all it just happened which we always regret in the end! Often she reminded me of Ria!

But every day in the end!

Geetha would ask! Did you call her?

And I would say nothing.

After 3 months I got credits for outstanding performance in my company!I took Geetha out to a restaurant to celebrate, at least she escaped my horrible cooking for a day!

Rahul? Do you love me? She asked suddenly.

(I wasn't expecting that, though we were together, at the end of the day, it was Ria's memories that cross my dream, I never had thought a future with Geetha)

I remained silent, stirring my plate with a spoon.

Sorry, I should not have asked that Geetha said after a moment.

Sometimes I feel so! I said.

But you know you belong to Ria right? she asked.

Umm! (There was an awkward silence)

What are you trying to say? I asked.

Maybe I should move out! Geetha said in a broken voice!

Why? I asked worriedly.

Because I can't stop myself from falling in love with you!! said Geetha as tears rolled down her eyes.

Hey!! If Ria moved on maybe I should too! maybe it will take some time, I said grabbing her hands.

No! I loved How you loved Ria! I can't believe it ended! It was your love for Ria, that made me to like you, Call her tomorrow! She said in a strict voice, wiping her tears.

"I nodded yes!," I was confused with her feelings.