She wailed over the call and I giggled. She was seriously acting like a small kid...
" Suha. It's ok. Seriously... I can handle this much plus bhai really doesn't want to meet you before the wedding now," I told her and she hmfed on the other side
" He's being unreasonable. You tell me, is it that bad that your sister is getting married? I don't get him," she asked in anger and I knew that she was being serious. I could sense it from her tone. Did I need to talk to my brother again?
" Very," a voice came from the side and I clinged the phone very close to my ear, just to hear everything he said. I didn't know that she had converted the call and had started talking to him but, I wanted to hear it.
" I was like that too, when you guys started dating. I didn't talk to him for 1 week because elder brothers are protective of their younger sisters..." His words touched my heart and I looked back at the man who was in the living room, checking on some papers with a small. He was right. My brother was protective of me.
" But bhai!" She shouted
" No Suha. What you did, in his eyes is wrong. Tanish is our friend. I have talked to him thousands of times. He left for her and he wants to come back for her," these words struck me too and I looked at the laptop in front of me, where I had opened the chat of him and me. He had asked me, to get back or at least talk. I still had it on seen. I've just, left it.
" 2 years ago. You, I Pranav. Everyone knows that he left because her father did not want him at the death anniversary and we all know that he has not been able to get over it. Then why are you pushing it?" His voice had anger
" They're is fine with me marrying her. Ok. That's fine but Suha, Prawny knows that she still loves him that's why he's angry," my eyes widened and my heart started beating heavily.
Why were these people deciding what I like and what I don't? Why do they get to choose? Why do they decipher my feelings wrongly?!
" That is why everyone knows that this is wrong," he added and I bit my lower lip. I wanted to shout but, till I didn't make a stand at everything, I wouldn't know what to do.
I know that my dad didn't want him at my mom's death ceremony and I wasn't angry because of that. I was over it and I needed to tell him that before telling anyone.
" But bhai. Don't you love her?!" She shouted and tears fell from my eyes as I typed the message I never wanted to type in my entire life.
" Didn't uncle tell you to stay away from her?! Didn't he ask you not to come to aunt's death anniversary!? But you still came and helped her then didn't you?! Couldn't he do the same!?"
" She loves my best friend SUHANI!" he shouted and there was a long pause.
I didn't know that even Sohit was told not to come there. I had thought that my dad only threatened Tanish...
Tanish, Sohit, and Pranav. The 3 musketeers of the school. Best friends and always stuck together.
In college too, they went to the same college so, their entry into the house was pretty common. But, I never actually talked to them because they were all in their own league till I came back from my college. I had gone to Gujarat, Ahmedabad for my college, and only after I came back 4 years later did I notice Tanish.
No, it wasn't something epic. It started with a text that turned into interest. He was the one who tried on me, and that was honestly my breaking point. No guy ever approached me head on after getting to know who my dad was.
We dated, for 6 months. Did dumb things I would love to forget now. I had completely become his at that time and Sohit? I never looked at him.
Bhai and Tanish had a fight when bhai first found out that I had started dating Tanish. They had many fights over the time we dated and now that I look at it carefully, I came between their friendship and I'm still sorry to him for that.
At the age of just 23, I got the biggest push and shock of my life. He left me. And I don't care if it was because of my dad, my mother, my brother, or because of me but he left me at the time I needed a support system the most.
I was heartbroken. The guy I thought would be with me forever left me in the middle of a big hurdle in my life. That was the time when I understood that he wasn't the one who would stay with me. It was then that I understood that I didn't need him.
I had my dad, bhai, Suha, and my other friends. I had my relatives, and even if they were really annoying, at least they were there. I had Shubhangi auntie, who become a new mother figure for me and I had him. Although he stayed away, kept quiet, and didn't practically remember anything, I still clearly remember that one night I, and bhai both had cried on his chest after drinking. I remember him putting me to bed, putting on a warm blanket, and the soothing words he told me. I remember how he had picked me up in his arms and carried me all the way from bhai's room to my room.
Sohit liked me. I knew it. I was the one who didn't pay much attention to it because he never approached me. I wish he had now. Or, I wish I had talked to him back then, to get it through nicely. I don't want to be seen as the one playing with everyone's feelings here. I never wanted and never will want anything bad for anyone be it Sohit and be it, Tanish.
I love... I don't know whom but that guy isn't Tanish anymore. I am sure so
" Let's meet. I want to end this," I sent him and immediately, within seconds he read it. In a minute, I had a reply
" What do you mean by end? What do you want to end?" I looked down at the keyboard and gave out a small sob that apparently traveled to the other end of the call
" End it. Forever. Let's meet at the beach like always," was the only thing I typed before closing the laptop and keeping a hand over my forehead
" Pari? Are you crying?" I heard her ask and shook my head
" It's just the drama I'm watching. Very emotional," I lied and she knew that I was lying
" Don't lie," she said sternly
" I'm serious. I've been seeing it for years now," I told her
" Which one?" She asked me
" My life," I told her and heard a few keyboards being hit harshly
" There's no Korean serious like this," she told me over the call and I smiled a little
" I mean literally," I told her and heard a gasp
" It's not that emotional Pari. C'mon. You don't have to cry over it," she told me
" I'm not crying suha... It was just a small sob. Nothing much. Papa is there in the house and you know how sad he gets when I cry," I told her and wiped my eyes quickly before someone walked into my room. I didn't want to complicate things. Maybe, I should've just never texted Tanish back. Then, none of this would've ever happened.
I'm 25 now. Of marriageable age.
I had a boyfriend from when I was 22, till I was 23 and I've done everything with him. It's really hard to find a groom for such a, shameless girl.
Yet, my marriage got fixed to the most eligible bachelor in Mumbai. He knows everything about me and still accepted me as a wife.
I still don't love him. I'm just grateful.
" Where are you going?" Bhai asked before I got out of the house and I showed him a banner of my favorite movie's release date. Yup, BTS made a movie only last year and it had been released in India. What no one knows is that I already saw it eng dubbed when it got released in Korea.
" I told you to get over these guys," he told me, " they look like girls," he added and I smiled
" You said this to me and that's fine but don't go around saying this to my friends. And suha said that she's sorry," I told him before getting out of the house
" Didn't you see this is 7 times on your laptop till now?!" He asked me
" Movie theater feels bhai! You won't get it! I'll come back till 7!" I shouted and got out of the house, breathing heavily.
Just 30 minutes ago, I texted him to meet me. I don't know if he's there or not but, I will go there and wait till 7 if he doesn't come. Till 7, I'll wait again, as I did in the rain when he left me.
That day, I had thought that waiting for him, forever would be my destiny but, when I got my scooter by the beachside and saw him, sitting at our old spot, I couldn't help but think back. I guess I was wrong. Waiting wasn't in my destiny anymore. Not when I moved on from him and went on to someone else I don't even know whether exists or not. But I know that there is someone better than him for him. In fact, Sohit himself is better than...
" Tani," I took the nickname I had given him years ago and he looked at me with a smile
" You want to end things before the marriage right?" He asked me and I sat on the rock in front of him. I nodded
" I want closure forever before marrying him. That way, you and I will both know for sure that it's over forever," I told him and he nodded while looking down
" Do you have to though?" He asked me, " Can't we keep it open for when we both want it back?"
I blinked once and shook my head. I wasn't here to create any more confusion in my mind than already was.
" You got a girl too?" I asked because it seemed like that and he sighed. I guess I was right.
" No," he told me, " couldn't get over my ex. She wants closure now though," I smiled and nodded.
" And are you giving it? Or should she just go away, thinking that it's over from her side? Hoping that her try reached you?" I asked him and he nodded
" Let's get it over with," he agreed, " She is marrying my best friend after all. I won't be causing any problems to anyone anymore. I don't want to start fights between your brother again. He needs to chill it," I smiled at that again and we got comfortable. The tension that was once there ended with us smiling and he threw a small pebble into the water.
" Just one question," he said after a long time and I nodded
" When did you stop feeling for me?" He asked me and I blinked. I don't know when exactly but
" I guess at the time when I understood that it was worthless waiting for you..." he looked at me with squinted eyes, " It wasn't going to work even if you stayed back that night and now, I understand it too well. Find a good girl for yourself for me,"
He nodded and chuckled
" I'll get over this, cheating woman immediately now. Thanks for that," he told me and I shook my head
" Thanks for my closure," I said and got up. He nodded behind me as I walked forward and a new confidence came inside me. My mind was clear now. I should've done this earlier. Way back.
" Pari!" He shouted and I looked back with raised eyebrows. My heart started beating fastly and I hoped that he didn't say something that would stop me from achieving what I already had achieved. I hoped he wouldn't take my peace back.
" Congratulations on the wedding! I'll be there," he shouted and I smiled. My heart relaxed and I went back to being peaceful in my mind
" I want to say that to you too, within the next 2 years!" I shouted and he chuckled, " Forget this ungrateful woman and get a proper chick who can cook!" I added and he did an OK sign
" Done!" He shouted and I turned around again.
Now, I was sure that at least the main person knew what I wanted. All I had to do was convince the others now.
I hope I could...