Long Distance Relationship | ✓

• 36 •

Karan looked to his left to catch glimpse of his cousin, Arjun. His eyes glancing at the glass filled with whiskey that Arjun placed on the parapet wall.

He tried to put up a smile and picked up the glass. 

"No Cheers." Arjun said, taking a sip from his glass. "What's the matter?"

Karan smiled a little, "how did you know?"

Arjun smiled, turning around and leaning against the parapet wall. "I have been married long enough to know. First fight?" 

Karan sighed, turning his gaze to the view of the city under the night sky. "I wouldn't call it a fight. Just a... little bit of irritability due to miscommunication, I guess."

Arjun started chuckling. "Okay, I got the answer I was looking for. Definitely your first argument!"

"Actually... I think I feel guilty more than I feel mad at her." Karan spoke his mind aloud. He took a long gulp from his glass. 

"Easy, Karan." Arjum murmured. "I can only imagine what a long distance relationship immediately after marriage would feel like... I mean, I guess that was the most beautiful phase of my marriage. You know... the crazy, stupid feeling of being madly in love."

Karan grinned, "You were whipped!"

"Says the man who was as excited as a teenager watching his first adult film ont he day of his wedding!" Arjun chuckled.

"Aww man, awful comparison!"

"On a serious note, how is your marriage doing?"

"Pretty good, I guess." Karan picked up the glass gulping all the contents of the glass.

"Karan?" Arjun said, putting his glass down on the top of the wall staring at his first cousin warily.

"I don't know where to start..." Karan muttered. Karan was glad he had Arjun. He was the perfect older brother. The guy he could safely confide in, the guy he could go to for mam to man advise, the guy who always had his back. 

"Say it!" Arjun said, silently waiting for him to get the words.

"It's a little complicated..."

"Okay,"

"Uh, you know Preeti right?"

"The fashion designer Preeti, your school friend."

"Yeah," Karan mumbled, walking over to the table to get the bottle of whiskey. He desperately needed another drink. 

Arjun held the bottle, taking it from his hand, "Sit. Is this the Preeti who was also your first girlfriend?" He asked, sitting in the chair.

Karan sighed and sat. "She wasn't a girlfriend ..."

Arjun stared at him. Karan sighed and decided to speak out the whole truth. "We were just having a friends with benefits of sorts. It barely lasted two months."

"Seriously?" Arjun muttered sinking back on his chair. 

"Okay, don't judge me for that now. I told you girlfriend back then because...well, I knew you'd try to convince me to not do it. But.. that's not even the point here."

"Okay, let's get to the point then."

"Yeah, so Preeti and me, we were cool. Until ... the other day she comes home with dinner for me." Karan narrated everything from the evening that was relevant. 

"That's... messed up." Arjun muttered. "So, you told Aditi?"

"No. She doesn't like Preeti and she has told me a couple of times that she feels Preeti is making a move on me by flirting. But I always assumed that was Preeti's way of fun. I mean, she's always been a little over-friendly and flirty that way. I had a party at home and Aditi was on call when she heard Preeti. She got mad and then I told her about Preeti and my awkward past. Two days later Preeti is on the doorstep telling me that she has feelings for me. I mean... was she sleeping all this while? Suddenly, she realizes she loves me.. I mean what's she even thinking?" Karan kept mumbling his frustration.