7 Years & Waiting

Chapter - 51

Amara....

He was late.....As usual! We had one English class in common and he had made it a habit to be late...Especially since he started dating Miss Wanna-be Sanjana...I bet they are doing it in some corner somewhere in the college...Urghhh! Now I can't sit through the class with that mental image...

I gathered my stuff and exited the classroom before our professor could arrive. As I walked towards the canteen, I witnessed Sarthak and Sanjana hurdled together near the gates as expected. I watched Sarthak untangle her arms from around his neck and after a kiss on her cheek came running my way.

As soon as his eyes fell on me standing in the middle of the corridor, his pace slowed and he gave me a sheepish smile.

"Did you miss the class again because of me, Firebolt? I'm so so sorry"  he fake pouted as always and I shook my head in resignation.

"Whatever! I am going home" I shrugged and turned to walk away but he held my hand.

"Wait! It's just four-thirty...Let's go to the Cheese Maggi Joint. My treat..." he grabbed me by my shoulders and started guiding me towards the main gate and I, as usual..couldn't deny.

"Sarthak! Can I ask you something?" I speculated my question as we sat outside the small cafe while our Maggi was being prepared.

"Uhuh!" he nodded busy fidgeting on his phone.

"Do you love her?" his back straightened at my question and now he had my undivided attention.

"Who?" he scrunched his eyebrows as he placed his phone aside.

"Sanjana...You idiot!" I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous question. "Are you...like...in love with her?" Why? What does he sees in her?

"Love! No way....We are just hanging out" he shrugged with an easy smile as if 'hanging out' meant playing badminton with a person.

"What does that entail..'hanging out'? I asked air-quoting the words. "I mean you guys are literally stuck together all the time...kissing and licking and God knows what!" I gave a horror-filled expression and he laughed.

"You jealous, Juliet! I can kiss you if you want" he made a puppy-face and I smashed him in his arm.

"Oh shut up Saru! No..but seriously! You never once felt anything remotely near love for her?" I asked again. Why are you with her if you don't love her?

"Nope...Love is a very strong word, Firebolt! You can't feel it for anybody and everybody" his expression turned serious and I could say that he was not joking now.

"Sanju's not anybody! She is your girlfriend"  I spoke accusingly.

"Ya...she is! Kind of...And she is a really nice person as well....But! I don't love her..." he shrugged.

"But why?" I pushed.

He sighed as if out of words and stared at me for the longest time....What?

"Love is not a present that can be distributed to everyone...And my present is not even with me anymore!" he kept gazing at me as he spoke. I felt shivers at his each word and my mind didn't register the meaning.

"What does that mean?" I asked but the reverie broke when the cafe guy set down two bowls of noodles in front of us.

"You talk way too much, Firebolt! Now let me eat...m starving!" Sarthak broke the tension and indulged in his food.