Is forever for R.E.A.L?

Chapter 15- Have you moved on?

"Rehan, let's go." I said.
We had decided that Rehan will stay at my home till he finds a steady job and enough money for renting a one room apartment. Also Dad got a raise in his salary so money was lesser of a problem now. He agreed about Rehan moving in without any hesitation.
"It is okay if I stay with you right? I don't want to be a burden."
"You won't. I already told you dad got a raise and he is looking forward to meet you."
"I want to meet him too. He should know who eats most of your tiffin." Rehan laughed.
"Yeah. He was wondering how you like his food so much."
"You are such a idiot you know. You have an upcoming masterchef at your house and you don't know the magic of his food."
"I know he cooks great but I have been eating the food he makes since I was a child so I am used to it."
"True."
We talked about several things until the rickshaw stopped near my area. Even though I asked Dad to clean the house, I was quite anxious about showing my home to someone else. But I am sure Rehan won't mind dirty clothes and books lying around.
"I am sorry if my house is dirty." I told him I don't know why.
"I know you have insisted uncle enough for him to clean the entire house twice or thrice."
"Yeah." I said embarrassed.
We reached my home and I kept Rehan's bag inside. Dad had called from office to inform he kept some money inside the drawer so we could order something we wanted.
"What do you want to eat?" I asked.
"What? Who is cooking?"
"No one. Dad kept some money so we could order anything we wanted to eat."
"Ohhh. But shouldn't we save money?"
"You don't worry about that."
"Okay."
"I will order something."
There was a awkward silence which was followed then by a more awkward question.
"Do you still like Esha?"
"To be honest, yes." I told him genuinely. You don't hide things from best friends. Even when they are your crush's boyfriend.
"I understand."
"I am sorry for what I said that night."
"You should be but it's okay anyways."
"Yeah. I was afraid that you all won't let me back into the group again."
"Honestly, I thought that same." He chuckled.
"How is everything at your uncle's home?" I asked trying to change the topic.
"I don't know. He is saying everything is okay but I am afraid he's lying."
"Why?"
"He doesn't want me to lose hope that everything will be better soon and I can join again. But I know even though the cafe recovers, he couldn't hire me again. He has his own family to take care of and he has done so much for me already. I don't want him to suffer because of me."
"Yeah." I said not knowing what to say.
"I miss Lucy." Rehan said with his voice on the verge on breaking.
"I do too."
"I wish she had been alive. She lost her life in front of me."
"I know." I don't know when and how but I started crying.
"Can we meet her?" Rehan asked
"What?"
"Where did they bury her?"
"There is a pet cemetery nearby. I know where she was buried. Should we go there?"
"Yes but with Ashish and Esha." Rehan said.
"Yeah I will message Ashish and you call Esha."
"Sure."

I messaged Ashish and he replied he would be there soon and Rehan told Esha needed to be picked. We left and picked Esha from a place near her house. However even though we waited for a long time, Ashish didn't arrive nor did he respond to my calls and messages.
"Isn't Ashish here yet?" Esha asked. I tried my best to not look at her but her cute face and long eyelashes demanded my attention. I controlled my feelings for her thinking about various things at the same time.
"No. We should go inside. He would have been caught up in some work."
"Yeah let's go."
After crying on Lucy's grave and leaving some flowers we left. Rehan suggested to stop by Ashish's house and ask him the reason of not meeting.
However when we reached his home, we heard some loud voices from his home.