Opposites Attract

33.

Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.

°°°°

Sierra shifts her attention back to the Aditya guy leaving me and Noah dumbfounded.

She puts her hands on his shoulders. "How?" She asks, seemingly at a loss of words.

He flaunts his dimpled smile. "I came here for you. Uncle Raj gave me the address to your place and there I met Sina. Her reaction was even more extreme than yours." He tells which makes Sierra laugh.

"I can imagine." She replies.

"She told me I would find you here and surprisingly enough, I was on the guest list here as the representative  of the company I work for." He further continues. "And I saw these beautiful painting of yours and I just had to buy it."

Then he grabs her arms and holds her still.

"Let me look at you first Saras. It's been years since I last saw you."

I would have killed this man for touching Sierra if I could've. But the longing and admiration I see in her eyes stops me from doing anything.

"You've changed. You're not that tall, awkward, skinny teen anymore. And where did that accent come from?" She asks him.

"I studied economics and business studies in Cambridge." He answers.

She gasps. "You're lying."

"No I'm not." His smile widens. After a pause he says, "You haven't changed at all. Still the same pretty Saras. Though Sina has most definitely grown. I couldn't recognise her at first."

She laughs and nods. "She has. She is taller than me now."

"Everyone is taller than you." He jokes and she hits his arm.

"Should I hire an assassin?" Noah whispers in my ear. I wave him away.

"But why now? I mean, anything special?" She asks again.

His expression changes. He arches a brow. "Well yes. It's your birthday tomorrow." He tells.

"What!?" Noah and I exclaim at the same time.

Aditya's eyes shifts to us. "You didn't know? Wow you are worse friends than me."

I ignore his remark. "Is it true?" I ask Sierra.

She has her guilty expression on her face. "Well.."

"Answer Sierra." I demand.

"Yes." She answers with a sigh.

"Why did you not tell us?" Noah asks.

"I forgot. Trust me. I haven't celebrated my birthday since... since.." Her voice degrades from guilty to sad and I get what she doesn't say.

But before I could comfort her, Aditya pulls her to him with a concerned look on his face. "Not again Saras. You've had your share of grief." He says.

She nods and smiles again.

"Introduction please?" Noah demands after a while.

"Oh yes. How ignorant of me. Noah, Jacob this is Aditya. My childhood best friend from India. Aditya this is the artist who created all these masterpieces Noah Song and this.."

"Jacob Woods. I recognised him on first sight. Ofcourse I know this incredible man." Aditya cuts her and extends a hand. I take it just for the sake of Sierra. "Pleasure." He says in his posh British accent.

"Same here." I reply grumpily.

"You have got some really high maintenance friends Sierra. No offense intended." He says in a jolly tone. I collect that he is a happy go lucky kind of guy but hardworking too.

"I'm not just her friend. I am.." I start but Sierra passes me a pleading look mouthing a big no. ".. her best friend."

"Well mate, the original position holder has returned. I hope you don't mind." He ends with a wink.

I don't say anything.

"Wanna show me around Saras? I've heard a lot about New Orleans."

"Why yes. I have so much to tell you. And so much I want to hear from you. Let's go." She excitedly laces her hand with his. But then she spots us. "Don't wait for me for dinner. I'll dine out with him." She tells and before I could protest she leaves.

What the hell just happened?

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"I had a lovely evening." Aditya says as we drive back from the restaurant.

My eyes refuse to leave his face even for a second. It's unreal. He, here with me, after almost 6 years.

After I shifted to America, we stayed in contact for some brief months. He stayed by my side all the time when my parents died. Even took a leave from school for two weeks.

He was the only one in whose presence I cried the most.

He called me everyday even after I left india. But I knew I had to stop him from giving all his time to me. He had a life and he had school. I told him after a few weeks that next we will talk when we both would be settled.

He kept on asking if he did something wrong. But upon listening to why I am doing this, he agreed with reluctance.

And now.. here we are.

"Me too." I reply. "Where are you staying?"

His one eyebrow goes slightly up and other slightly down and his lips fold turn to a side. He is hesitating. I can still read him very well.

"Scratch that. You are staying with me."

His smile returns. "Yes. Yes ofcourse."

I guide him back home. He pulls into the driveway and gapes. "Since when were you so filthy rich?" He asks.

"What? Oh. No. This is not my house. It's Jacob's." I tell as we get out of the car. He takes out his suitcase as well.

"You stay at Jacob's house? Because he's your friend?" He asks skeptically.

I regret this now. "Uh.. Sina turned a teen and needed space and all. So Jacob offered that I live here for some time."

"You guys must be pretty close." He walks inside.

"More than you could imagine."