Heal Me With Your Love

#2 Confusion aur Confession!

At 12 am, Samrat is in the cafeteria again by himself. This time he's not scrolling his phone but is staring at the ceiling with his arms crossed across his chest. As usual there's no one around at the late hour, just Farhan keeping him company.

"Maybe it's all in my head, Farhan."

Farhan listens with his usual empathy. Samrat feels nothing but gratitude for his best buddy who's always been closer to him, even when he was faking things in the air force. As usual Farhan listens. It is nice to have someone to vent out to at the end of the day and Farhan is that kind of friend. Of course it goes two ways, Samrat is always there to listen when Farhan needs an ear.

"Maybe I was wrong and Tanvi doesn't love me, Farhan. Main jab kaam mein busy rehta hu toh yeh khayal nahi aate, lekin whenever there's a spare moment I think of this! Main pagal ho raha hu sach mein..."

Farhan throws an arm around Samrat's shoulders. "Yaar, tum itna kyu sochte ho!"

"Puch toh nahi sakta hun na usse."

"Lekin itna tension kyun? Agar kuchh hai bhi toh... hone de na!"

"Nahi! I have to put an end to this. Tanvi ka mann badalna hoga. Without hurting her."

"Hmph. So you are saying agar usko tumse pyaar hai toh you will try changing her heart and mind... Koi aisa kar sakta hai kya, Sam? Aur ek baat bata, tere andar Tanvi ke liye 1% bhi feeling nahin hai kya?"

Samrat doesn't answer him and soon a colleague comes calling his name.

"Samrat woh jo fax nahi aya tha earlier! Woh agaya aur Abhay sir is calling for a meeting?"

Samrat nods and dashes out of the cafeteria. Farhan sighs thinking, meeting is waqt? Yeah, what do you expect as an air force officer? You always have to be ready.

A few moments later, he hears Tanvi's voice.The realization that only the three of them seem to inhabit the cafeteria so late at night makes him chuckle. He lifts a hand in greeting at the girl, not moving from his chair.

"Huh, Farhan tum!" Tanvi looks around the cafeteria. "Sam! Sam nahi hai?"

"Nahi hai!"

Farhan reigns in his disappointment. Is Tanvi not happy to find him? Tanvi is still standing a few tables away unsure if she has to stay.

"Really, Farhan? Kahi chupa hua to nahi hai na firse?"

Farhan huffs and laughs. "Nahi, usko bulawa aaya toh woh gaya. Toh ab yaha sirf Farhan hai!" He rises from his seat with a flair and pulls a chair for Tanvi, "Aap aayiye, padhariye. Batayiye, hum aap ke liye kya kar sakte hai?"

"Haha, oh, Farhan! Kuch nahi. Main bas ghar jane wali thi. Pata nahi kab aadat hui, mere shifts khatam hote hi main Samrat ko dhundhti hun."

"Aur woh tumhe yaad karta hai!"

Tanvi is surprised but also mighty pleased. "Really?"

"Really. Abhi abhi mahashay aap hi ko yaad kar rahe, fir bulawa aaya. Agar meeting jaldi khatam hojaye toh wapas aata hi hoga!"

Tanvi suppresses a grin. Farhan enjoys the expressions he got out of her. Earlier with Samrat too, it's become a habit - he enjoys meddling with intimate affairs of his friends (well that's friendship isn't it?) But then he is also not an insensible guy who causes them discomfort or disclose the secrets they entrusted him with to anyone. He smiles to himself at this analysis.

"I will wait for Sam to drop me home. Hum humesha sath ghar jate hai!" Tanvi drums her fingers on the table, now seated and stares vacantly into space.

Farhan's attention returns to her. While he expects she'd make small talk, she's silent? Also she's suddenly frowning now, her expression transforming into that of sadness. He can ask her why but that's not his personality. So he makes a joke out of the situation -