No-Longer Best Friend Ki Dulhan: Ishqaan

Chapter 2

As she told them how she had found Sonu and made her somehow step back, the colour had drained out of their faces, their expressions turning horrified. Wanting to quickly move forward this part, she began continuing the story, but Sonu quickly interjected.

"Ishqi is being modest, wo khud mere saath aakar khadi ho gayi thi and she said ki agar maine jump kiya to wo bhi kood jayegi."

Shit. This was the part that she had wanted to leave out, worried about his reaction. A swift glance at him told her all she needed to know before he even started speaking.

"What were you thinking Ishqi?!? Agar tumhe bhi kuch ho jaata to? Were you out of your mind? Kisiko bachane ke liye apni life risk pe daalte hain kya?"

"And Sonu... I am so sorry that I made you feel that you couldn't come to me with your problems. Ab to der ho gayi hai, but just so you know, you can tell me anything. Anything at all. Especially something like this. Saari reputation gayi bhaad me, your safety is our priority. Ok?"

"Maine tumhe kaha tha na Sonu, ki kuch bhi ho jaaye tumhare bhaiya tumhari hi side honge."

She was staring at AVM as she spoke those words. Words that she was beyond grateful were true. She finally saw Sonu, and she looked so... relieved. I knew it, only if she had let me tell all of this before, maybe it wouldn't have come to this, she thought.

"Anyway, phir maine or Sonu ne ek plan banaya-"

"Sab much tumne kiya Ishqi, mai to bas baithke ro rahi thi."

Sonu looked so miserable that her heart immediately went out for her.

"Koi nahi, its ok. Tum already kaafi stress me thin."

She said reassuring and hugging Sonu. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw AVM staring at her, but she thought wo Sonu ko dekh rahe honge. Kartik was smiling knowingly.

Then she told them the whole story with Sonu praising her every now and then in between.

"Achcha... To tum us din pool side pe isliye ro rahin thin?"

Ye AVM bhi na, inhe sabkuch kaise yaad rehta hai?

"Han, or jab aapne bola na ki ab tum mujhe noch mat lena, usse mujhe yaad aaya ki Sonu ka tuta hua nail kaise kaam aa sakta hai."

"Or for your information, mai kabhi kisiko nochti nahi hun."

"Oh realllly?"

"Han, rEalLy."

She said making a face. She continued the story with minimal interruptions after that, still stopping at various points to let everyone collect themselves.

"Or isliye maine aaj mandap me shaadi tod di. Ye sab public me nahi bol paayi kyunki ye sab sunke to Sarla Aunty definitely shaadi tod detin."

AVM was understandably teary eyed. He still looked very cute, I m-mean, thik thaak hi lag rahe the. Kartik was still smirking.

"Kya hai Kartik?" She asked irritated

"Kuch nahi. Kuch bhi nahi."

Chalo chodo, abhi or bhi important kaam hain, she thought getting up to drink some water.

Just as she turned, she was tackled into a hug. Not by Sonu, but by AVM!

She wound her arms around him as he broke down completely and started sobbing on her shoulder. The heartbroken and gut wrenching kind of sobbing.

Her heart felt like it was being shattered into a million pieces. She did all she could do, murmuring words of comfort to him and stroking his back.

"Its okay, its okay, shes fine now... Ab thik hai wo..."

She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach that seemed to automatically come with his touch.

When they finally separated, she already found herself longing for something that she knew she couldn't have. Him.

He was still with Rhea after all.

Ab to Karik was grinning from ear to ear like a cheshire cat. Isko kya dikkat hai?

And as if all that wasnt enough, she remembered something she had said by the poolside when she was drunk.

"Mummy, agar banda pasand aana hi tha to phir ladai kyun karwai? Feelings ko itna ghumaya kyun?

Shit shit shit shit shit, she cursed mentally. Aur kya kya kaha tha maine us raat?? AVM speaking broke her out of her thoughts (which were kind of all over the place)

"Thank you Ishqi, thank you so so much Sonu ka khayal rakhne ke liye. God knows what would have happened if you werent there. Thank you."

After a pause and drinking some water, he spoke again.

"Achcha ab rona dhona bohot hua, ab us Mayank ko expose karne ki taiyyari karte hain."

"Aap hi ro rahe the sirf, baaki sab to chup chap khade the."

She said teasingly, mostly just to lighten the mood, but when he began to put on a stoic face, she quickly backtracked.

"Are are mai to mazak kar rahi thi, itna sab sunke to kisiko bhi emotional ho jana hai."

She was surprised yet again when she was hugged by Kartik and Sonu.

After all, as calm as collected Kartik was during everything, he was also human in the end, although an amazing one.

And Sonu... well, she had given her so many hugs in the past few days, she had lost count by now.

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If there are any typos, please ignore them, I wrote this chapter at 2am. And my lazy ass didnt even go through it again. Thank you for reading!