The next day was quite busy for Neil as he was the champion of last-minute packing. Hence it was late afternoon by the time both he and Adi started their journey to their university. It was quite late by the time both of them Loughborough. Neil's phone battery was completely dead. He did all the necessary check-in formalities required for a second-year student and made his way to his room and quickly plugged his phone into a power socket. After he freshened up, he checked his phone and saw many missed calls from Raina.
Neil checked the time and he knew that Raina would be up till late and hence decided to call her.
Raina picked up the call and said, 'What?'
Neil gauged that something was wrong, 'Baby, are you okay? I am sorry you called so many times. My phone battery was dead.'
'Just cut the crap, Neil. I know you were out enjoying with your friends, but don't you dare you to give me this bullshit.' Raina yelled.
'Raina, look at the way you are talking to me. I wasn't enjoying myself with my friends. I hope you remember that yesterday I was busy helping Alia move to her university in Central London. So I got caught up with helping her settle in. And today I packed all my stuff and drove off from London to move to Loughborough myself. So first know the full reason, before you accuse me.' Neil was angry.
'I don't care. Yesterday it was Alia. Today it's you. Tomorrow it will be someone else. You just don't have time for me. Please stop treating me like a convenience toy. You just ignore me all the time and think that it is okay.' Raina said.
'Raina, please. Stop it. I told you before as well that please stop giving me a hard time every time I am out and I can't call you. I am giving you a valid reason. If you can't accept it then I can't do anything about it.' Neil was very pissed and cut the call.
Neil got out of his room and went straight into Adi's room. He looked at Neil and said, 'Let me guess. Raina fought with you again.��
'Why do you ask when you already know?' Neil sat on Adi's bed.
'I dunno man. What to do with her? It's like she has some split personality disorder. When you are with her she is the sweetest person ever. At one moment she is so loving and in the other moment she becomes like this poisonous witch.' Neil said.
'Girls man. That's why I stay away from them. They are just too complicated.' Adi commented.
It had been nearly two years now that Raina and Neil were a couple but then also they had fights nearly every day. Their relationship looked perfect from the outside but it was fully damaged by the lack of trust. It seemed like their relationship was more about physical attraction rather than emotional bonding.
'By the way, how did you like Alia?' Neil asked.
'Oh, Alia is cool. She seems so understanding. Not demanding at all. She is just perfect as she is.' Adi praised Alia.
'I know right. She is a sweetheart.' Neil said.
'Unlike your Raina.' Adi interrupted in between.
'Shut up man.' Neil left Adi's room and went to sleep.
Neil and Raina's fight went on for 2-3 days. She hadn't called him since then and whenever Neil tried to call her she would disconnect the call.
Amidst all of this, Neil called Alia.
'Hi Neil, how are you?' Alia said cheerfully.
'I am good Alia. How are you?' Neil sounded a bit low.
'Neil is everything okay with you? Why do you sound so low?' Alia enquired.
'Nothing like that Alia. I am good.' Neil said.
'If everything would be alright with you, you would have not called me Alia instead of Aloo. So don't hide from me, just tell me what's wrong?'
'It's Raina. We fought again and she is not picking up my call now.' Neil said.
'Oh, Neil. It will be fine. It's hard for either of you two to deal with this long-distance relationship shit. Just talk to her and I am sure you will sort out your differences.'
'Why should I always call her? She is the one having problems with me. She should also take some initiative.' Neil was irritated.
'Neil, just keep your ego aside and talk to her. Talking is the solution to everything. Cribbing alone won't give you any results. If she is being childish then you be the mature one. You know she is a drama queen and likes to stretch things. But then we also know that she is a nice person from heart. Just give her another chance and speak to her.' Alia advised.
Neil did as Alia asked him to do and spoke to Raina and sorted out their differences. After he spoke to Raina, he messaged Alia telling her that they patched up. Alia was very happy to hear this.
After a few hours, Alia messaged Adi.
'Hi, Adi. I hope you are keeping well. I just needed a favor from you. You also must be knowing that these days, Neil and Raina fight a lot and it's none of their faults, it's the distance. But please take care of him and whenever you feel he is low just send me a message and keep me posted. Thanks.'
Adi's phone buzzed when he was in the common room with Neil helping with the freshers' events. He checked the message and smiled.
'Why are you smiling Adi? Whose message is it?' Neil asked.
'See for yourself.' Adi showed Neil Alia's message.
Neil smiled after reading the message and said, 'This girl just worries too much.'
'I don't think she worries like this for every other person Neil. You are special to her.' Adi said.
'Of course. We both are special to each other as we are childhood friends.' Neil said.
'Oh no no no … This is not just friendship. It is the start of something else.' Adi smiled.
'You need to stop watching romantic Bollywood movies. All you think about is this. Now just wrapping this welcome boxes.' Neil changed the topic.
Adi knew that it was not just friendship and he replied to Alia's message, 'Will sure do.'