Better Together

43 | perfect

You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not.

Ruhaani didn't remember where she had read that. However, she had always found it to be too hard to believe. Being perfect was actually subjective in her perspective. Everyone had their own definition of perfection for everything. For instance, she had a perfect idea for a book, for a happy afternoon, for tea. So on and so forth.

People defined their own perfect.

If someone didn't fit their definition of perfect lover then why would they still love them? It was rather foolish and hard to digest. It had always been until today.

She was being foolish and loving a person who was not even close to her definition of perfect person to love.

She raised her cup to her mouth and sipped on the tea she had made. It was late afternoon and she was spending it with herself with steps that led down to the backyard from the kitchen door.

The sugar was slightly less, it was far from perfect. Yet, it was something she was still enjoying.

She didn't know what caused that dull ache in her heart anymore. Was it because she knew Aadarsh didn't feel that way about her? Was it because she knew she was doing the wrong thing and yet not able to help herself? Was it because she knew what she felt for him he probably felt for someone else? Was it because she saw no hope that anything would change, especially after that silent conversation they had with each other?

Or perhaps it was all of them combined! A perfect recipe for heartache.

"Can I join you?" Abhi asked, standing at the top of the stairs.

She nodded with an encouraging smile.

"I am sorry for earlier today." He spoke settling beside her, his hand held a small bowl of dry fruits.

"You don't have to be, Abhi. You did nothing wrong. We were just two people who had two very different point of views about the movie. Nothing wrong in that."

"No. I am sorry because I failed to see that it could hurt you."

Ruhaani fell quiet. She hated being vulnerable around people. She had started to be that way, when she realized that no amount of showing people how hurt you were brought you any good from them. She would rather weep in private than be called a weak person in public.

"It's okay," she said softly, instead of denying. She looked up and turned to him. He was staring at the bark of the tree a little distance away, just near the compound wall.

"You okay?"

"You know the colleague from office I have this massive crush on," he began to speak slowly.

"Hmm, massive is understatement." She mused aloud.

Abhi turned to her with a smile what came quickly and disappeared just as fast. "She's engaged. Has been for four months. She hadn't told anyone about it. She's getting married in June." He looked at his feet in his slip-ons.

It all suddenly made sense to Ruhaani. Abhi was actually crying because he was hurting, not because the movie made him sad. They both had not been talking of characters back in the day, they had even talking about their own feelings. Even though Abhi hadn't shared anything about this colleague he had a special interest in, he always shared what he felt about her.

"How did you get to know?"

"She announced it. Looked happy." He answered detached.

Ruhaani placed her hand on his. He looked sad. He turned to her with a sheepish smile. "Maybe I should have gathered the courage and asked her out on a date, like you suggested. At least she would have rejected and given me the reason. I spent months just thinking... we could be something."