Just Friends

CHAPTER 44

Kiara felt guilt as well as anger showering her. Why Harshad had to be so stubborn? Why he couldn't leave her on her own? Dhruv would have never forced her. But at the same time, he would have cared as well. Dhruv! It had been months since she had last talked with him. Even after months, she wasn't able to completely forget about his existence. Avni's mention of Dhruv at the dining table had brought those flashes back into her mind.

"Kiara, are you fine?" She felt a small touch on her shoulder as she glanced at Avni. Kiara gave a slight nod, but Avni didn't seem convinced. "What are you hiding, Kiara?" Avni urged, making Kiara stare at Avni in frustration.

Kiara moved backward, and Avni's hand on Kiara's shoulder slipped. "It will be better if we don't talk about it. I had enough arguments for today." She groaned, walking towards the bed.

"Aditi wanted to have a video call with us," Avni informed, grabbing Kiara's attention.

"Aditi!" Kiara couldn't believe her ears as she faced Avni. "Aditi?" She needed to confirm her heart. "She wants to talk to me?"

Avni had a small smile playing on her lips. Avni was aware that Kiara had missed Aditi and Dhruv in her life. Though she seemed to brush them away yet they were a part of her life and Kiara wasn't good with moving on. "She is annoyed that we are having girl's-hangout without her."

Kiara felt as if her heart was aching and tears accumulated in her orbs. She was happy, very happy but in the deepest corner, the previous wounds surfaced. Dhruv had chosen Aditi over her! Aditi had asked him to break his friendship with her. And Dhruv agreed, he broke his friendship without a word of regret. Kiara shook her head. She clenched her hand together wanting to handle herself. Kiara wasn't going to behave impulsively.

"If you're not comfortable it's fine," Avni muttered, staring at Kiara with concern. "It was just... I wanted to ask you before deciding anything on..."

"I don't have any problem," Kiara whispered not making an eye-contact with Avni. She was aware it wasn't a good idea but she wanted to give Aditi a chance. Moreover, she was scared that if she denied Aditi won't ever give it a second try and she didn't want to lose her.

"Kiara, you don't need to force yourself..."

"She wants to give our friendship a chance, Avni. I can't lose her." Kiara broke into tears and soon Avni was by her side wrapping her arms around her shoulder, and pulling her into a hug. "I don't want to miss the opportunity. What if I don't ever get a glimpse of her if I deny, it today? I don't want to regret it. I have regretted enough things. I don't want another regret to be added to the list." She was sobbing in Avni's arms. Expressing her grief on losing her friend. Her heart wasn't broken over Dhruv rejecting her but because she lost two precious people in her life.

"I can't believe..." Avni shook her head, "the bonds of friendship are deeper than those of soulmates."

___

Kiara was getting nervous as Avni dialed Aditi's number. Soon, Aditi's enthusiastic face came into view. "Hello!" She jumped as she saw Avni and Kiara on the screen. "Damn! I missed this..." she confessed, averting her gaze from Avni to Kiara in guilt. "I really messed it up, right?" It was more like a statement as if she had discovered her mistake.

Aditi never took shit from anyone. She would speak words that could crash your soul but at the same time, she never hesitated when she realized her mistake. "I behaved like a bitch."

"No, Aditi," Avni felt a need to stop her. "You were right in your place. Maybe anyone would have behaved in the same manner." Avni managed to bring appropriate words out of her mouth.