It’s funny when you think that you know someone from a very
long time, and then they suddenly turn out to be someone else.
It was an early Sunday evening, and all Nina and Abhay had
to do was cuddle about until Saanchi came. Nina had already briefed him about
her shy and closed conduct so that he doesn’t creep out. The doorbell rang and
Nina almost bounced to get it; she was indeed excited. Saanchi mirrored the
excitement as she met her old friend after 4 long months (some might wonder but
that is a long time for them).
Saanchi was feeling rather happy and relieved; she had just
had the worst first date and was dying to meet someone she could talk to, and
in this situation it wasn’t just Nina; she seemed as close to Abhay. Nina
examined her appreciatively as she spoke to him – way more than her usual one
sentence answers - looking him in the eye and not fiddling for words. It was
like they had already met before. Nina felt proud in a way. She thought Abhay had
a positive impact on Saanchi as she had never seen her open up so easily. Saanchi’s
energy that day was like a fresh breath to their little apartment. The roses in
her hand from the so-called-date might have just a little to do with it. She
kept going on and on while Nina made them tea. It was strange that Nina didn’t
have to put in any efforts at all to bind the three. Saanchi was on a roll that
day.
The next time Abhay and Saanchi got to meet was when all of
Nina’s hometown friends came down to their city for a weekend party. The night
was going great; good music, great drinks and a lot of dancing. The scene
turned around when Saanchi got a little high. She found herself being ogled by
guys around, some even trying to pick her out. But with all her girlfriends
around, she was safe. Really. There didn’t seem the need for Abhay to go out of
his way and grab her by the waist and hold her till the end of the night. Nina
thought it was sweet and responsible of him to take care of her friend. But was
the arm around her waist necessary? She thought. Soon her drink felt like acid
dripping down her throat; the music became the background to the voices in her
head and the thumping of her heart. Was it so easy for him to fall out of love,
the love that her friends looked up to? Countless, unreasonable and undeniable
questions came rushing to her mind, all phrased differently but meaning the
same. She still danced and she still smiled, and tried to ignore what seemed evident
only to her.
Were the others blind, and what about Saanchi? Did she forget
that she was lousing in the arms of her best friend’s love? Did that mean nothing
to her? Nina thought while she burned from inside out. For a moment she
actually wanted to check if she was visibly sending out hot steams. And then her
eyes met Abhay’s. She waited for him to act all foolish and pretend like
he didn’t mean it or at least act guilty.
His
blank eyes stopped at her for a moment, and then moved on, making her feel like
an outsider—abandoned and unknown.
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