Forget-Me-Not : Bound by Secrets

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

Second week of September, 2000

It was an official girls' night out, and Dia was determined to make it go as she planned. She was sitting on the couch in Geet's living room, with Vidhi leaning against her legs on the floor. Geet had gone into the kitchen to bring food, and somehow, instead of squeals of laughter and funny games and gossip filling the entire hall, there was only silence. Ananya hadn't come yet, and surprisingly, she was running late. Dia frowned to herself. Ananya was never late for one of their evenings. What was wrong with her friend?

She leaned back and sighed, then nudged Vidhi with her legs. "Why are you so quiet today, nerdy?"

Vidhi jumped as if someone had just woken her up from a deep sleep. "Me? Quiet?"

She snorted. "This evening sucks," she said bitterly, and Vidhi turned to look at her. She wasn't smiling, neither was she happy. Something was up. "It really does," Vidhi said miserably, and then Geet came out, humming that god-awful cheerful tune. She set down a plate of snacks and smiled widely at her friends. Suddenly, Dia's temper went.

"Stop humming that goddamned song, Geet," she snapped. "It's getting on my nerves."

Geet stared at her in surprise, so did Vidhi. They fell silent.

"Someone's grumpy this evening," Geet finally said.

Dia gave her such a cold look that she physically recoiled. Ever since that day in the hospital, when she'd told Dia about her mother, they hadn't had one proper conversation. Dia had wanted to tell everyone, wanted her to share with her best friends, but she'd refused. Now they were standing on opposite ends of the world, and Dia refused to budge or see her point. Geet couldn't possibly tell the others about her mother! There was no point... she was gone, gone for good. A few days earlier, all contact between them had vanished. It was as if her mother had dropped off the face of the earth. She had nothing and no one to say this to, and she didn't even want to. She wasn't used to letting others shoulder her burdens. It was how she was made, how she'd been ever since she was a kid. She couldn't help it.

It was easy for Dia, who had both her parents at least staying with her. And even then, they refused to accept their elder daughter. How could Geet ask for any help, when she knew all her friends had their own respective troubles to face?

"Oh yes, grumpy," Dia said in irritation. "But you are acting all happy and cheerful and merry when this is the worst evening of our life! Own it, Geet, tonight sucks. You know it too."

Geet froze. She'd trusted Dia not to spill her secret to the others, but right now, she wasn't very sure. Dia looked decidedly pissed off by her insistence on secrecy. She hadn't said anything until now, but she knew Dia. If given a chance, she'd share everything with her best friends.

Luckily, the doorbell rang, diverting their attention from her, and she rose hurriedly. "I'll see who it is."

"If it's Ananya, you'd better grill her ass for being late," Dia called after her.

Vidhi stiffened against her legs, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, and Dia bent down to dangle her hands around her friend's shoulder. "What's gotten into you tonight?"

"Nothing," Vidhi brushed her off, "Really. Why do you think so?"

"Come on, Vidhi, I haven't grown up with you to not know when you're tense. What's the deal?"

"It's... well, actually, it's nothing, but..."

Ananya's voice interrupted their talk, and they both looked up to see her entering the house with her trademark, mischievous grin, one arm around Geet's shoulders, and another person at her side.