Enchanted : A Story Of Love And No Love

CHAP. 21 Meet Meet

ABHINAV'S POV

Class XI, 21 May 2016

It is funny how life is unfair to everyone, only that way making it fair to everyone. Right now I was caught up in one of its cruel game to trap human entities. And for starters I am loosing badly.

Last three months were easy on me because I didn't had to face my weakness. I was leading a normal life, forgetting love, forgetting to love her.

The God however sitting up in the heavens wasn't satisfied with my aches and pain.

The thing is in past few months I figured even if I gather enough courage to tell her about how I feel, the chances of us working is very slim. That is given the fact that she even wants to be with me. Also am just tired of being the second priority on her list of people.

One look though and I know I will throw it all away. And today I had to resist to just do that.

"Abhinav this is Zara." Meet gestured towards her. "And Zara here is the handsome friend, Abhinav."

This hangout is going to be anything but cool and relaxing. My heart was skipping beats every alternate second. This is not good for my health.

I just pep talked myself into holding it longer. I have done this for five months, am not going to throw it all just at her presence.

"Hey" She shrugged.

This is going to be one hell of a day.

"Hello"

It has been two days after I bumped into Zara outside my classroom. The day I had an actual conversation with her in five months and I totally ruined it. Apparently playing it cool isn't in my dictionary anymore. Remembering the parts of the conversation made my stomach upset.

Next I did something more stupid.

I blurted out in a squeal, "Actually I already know her."

I mean I more than know her. We weren't going to behave like we're two strangers. That will be much more complicated and weird to have than the situation we have now.

Meet looked shocked only for half a minute until his cheeks burned red. Reality had finally dawned upon him. Obviously Zara and I were in same school from start of the elementary, we had to have known eachother.

"Oh!" His face contorted into a O shape. "Who am I kidding? Obvious, two of you must be acquainted." Meet face palmed himself.

He paused animatedly soon after as if thinking about something very deeply. "Were you two ever friends?" Instantly multiplying the tension in the room to ten times more.

A loud cough blocked him. I looked wide eyed at Zara and for sure I knew she did it purposefully to divert his attention.

Was that question that hard to answer? I know we had differences, we hadn't had real conversation in a while. In short, we had drifted apart but it wasn't that bad.

Keep lying to yourself Abhi, you know it is much worse than bad.

My subconscious mind wasn't letting me portray cool.

They whispered something to eachother after he asked for water. Few seconds later, Meet flashed his toothy grin once again.

Meet is a new friend of mine whom I acknowledged at my coaching centre. Our start wasn't the best of starts for friendship though.

Actually our first meeting was hilarious. It was usual day at coaching early in the study year. So, new students were common. But none of them new students challenged to take seats of the priors.

Meet had managed to done just that. Not any seat but mine. We had a heated argument following a brawl. No one wanted to show a white flag.

However, at end of the fight outcome was different than everybody had imagined. I realised he was worthy of befriending.

Gradually over days we got along and here we are today. Hanging out as friends.

For a while he had been chirping and biting my head off to hangout with him. Also, he wished that I meet his special girl.

On those days, never could I have guessed that the special girl he so often rammed about was going to be Zara.

"So you two didn't really need that introduction. Good." He placed his hands in his denim pants' pocket. Zara was now behind him, three of us standing awkwardly in this awkward silence in the middle of Meet's home which he had to himself.

I rubbed the nape of neck. Hardly seeing Zara in the eye. I only met eyes of Meet.

"Didn't really." I heard Zara voice in utter distasteful tone.

"Okay, enough of this silence whatever. I think I need food." Zara scowled and headed out of the living room. She went towards what I guessed was Meet's kitchen.

"Great idea!" Meet sang in a jingle tune and followed Zara into the kitchen.

I decided I did not need anymore of this awkward talk and tense environment, so I didn't follow them inside.

Sighing I slumped into one of the giant leather couch placed in the room. I slipped the remote and flipped through channels nothing catching my attention on the television.

I looked around the house for a little bit to engage my bustling mind. I noticed that for residence of one person, Meet's house was quite huge. I knew his parents are rich and all but letting your kid all alone over the other half of the country is probably nuts. On top, he's got this posh house to himself.

I know, my mom would never do that. Probably I will never ever let her or ask her to do this to me.

"We should start." Meet entered the room with both hands filled with snacks and beverages. Zara soon followed him in, looking absolutely normal. Almost extra ordinarily normal.

She was putting on a façade just to not let Meet know. I don't think Meet got to know anything that had gone down between us from Zara in their brief trip to the kitchen.

Zara was colder to me but I don't think Meet realised this or the tension between us. He was too happy to have friends over to hangout than to notice these tiny human behavioural details.

"What do you want to see?"

"South Movie!" Zara and I cried at the same time.

Some things don't change, Zara.

Two hours later I was bored to death. Ten minutes into the first movie Meet turned into another movie. Somehow after half and hour of flipping between the two movies, we ended up watching a taped football match.

No offense, football is my favourite too. Meet hardly let anyone of the three of us to focus into really watching.

I never in my wildest dreams have imagined, he could be this cheesy.

Meet and Zara cuddled the whole time while I sat beside them like a bag of potatoes frowning to myself. Meet totally forgot that he had a other friend over, me. And she was not a tiny bit interested in reminding him the fact.

In fact, she would all together try her best to avoid eye contacts or acknowledge me.

I wasn't bothered by their cuddling. Those things have ceased to have effect on me. Her personal affection for someone simply didn't leave jealousy like it did before.

However, I can't deny. The person caught in between these exchanges of endearment did effect me.

***
Abhinav: Vote for all forgotten friendships.