7 Years & Waiting

Chapter - 54

Sarthak.....

"This is so cool, Saruu!" Amara's little cousin Dhruv shouted for the tenth time as he continued riding the tricycle around their living room, that I bought for him.

"You didn't have to do that, Sarthak! You always spoil him like this" Mrs. Tripathi chastised me but smiled anyways at her adorable child.

"It's nothing, Mrs.T! And anyway...it may be my last gift to him while he is a child" I smiled but it did nothing to release the pain stuck in my heart these days.

This morning I went to the university and was officially provided the transfer so that now I am free to join any Chennai University. I decided to come to the Tripathis so that I can say proper goodbyes to them. In the past few years, Amara's family had become an important part of my life.

Amara...Just thinking about her name revives my subdued pain! The feelings I had been hiding all these years are out in the open now, yet it feels that it would have been better if she would have never known...At least, I would have still deserved the right to say a proper goodbye to my Firebolt. But now I don't even know if I will get a chance to see her or not...

"So....all set to go?" Mrs.T broke my inner thoughts as she handed me a glass of her legendary lemonade.

"Almost! It's Naina's birthday party tomorrow and I am leaving in 2 days, so I decided to get most of the work done today itself" I shrugged and Mrs.T smiled looking right through my glum mood. "I wanted to meet as many people as possible today who I might not be able to see in the next two days for a proper goodbye".

"And Amara? Are you meeting her today?" her aunt whispered condescendingly and I could do nothing but stare at her.

"Naina has invited her tomorrow but I am not sure if she will turn up..." I spoke up the scary truth that I might not be able to see her at all before leaving.

"And what if she doesn't?" she raised her eyebrows and I shrugged.

"Do you remember when you guys were in school? The year you met her for the first time? You used to come here for your supposed math lessons but all you wanted to do was irritate her" she shook her head and I smiled, my mind screening through those happy times. "She used to shout at you, threaten not to talk to you ever again...but you never stopped!"

"I wanted her to come out of her shell....and anyway it was fun teasing her" I grinned making Mrs.T laugh.

"We loved you, your uncle and I! Our daughter was silent for so long that we were scared if she will ever be the same in life but when you come around...things started to change! She started to change...and we knew that you were the best thing happened to her since" she smiled with conviction but her words saddened me even more.

"Well..she is the best thing happened to me" I shrugged in an obvious way.

"My stupid kids" she ruffled my hair in a motherly manner that I never experienced with her till now. "I hope you both get what you really want!" she smiled and went back to staring her playing child adoringly.

I stood up and walked towards the door all the while thinking how I will never get who I really want.

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Amara.....

"Wake up, cupcake! Look what I have here" I smiled as the smell of my favorite chocolate chip cupcakes hit my nostrils. I opened my eyes to witness Dad setting up the breakfast table on my bed. "Get up sweetheart! Or you will get late for college".