Destiny

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Karan pulled up at Sweta’s house just as Siddarth’s car disappeared around the corner. “Was that Siddarth’s car I just saw going around the corner?” He asked Sweta.

Sweta looked at him worriedly but did not answer him. She didn’t know how Karan will react if he came to know about Gauri and Siddarth’s relationship. “Don’t be silly Karan, why would your brother come here?”

Karan sighed and chuckled at her question. “Hmm..let’s see, to visit your friend, may be.” He said and was not surprised to see her gape at him in shock. “Well are you going to tell me what is going on between them or should I take a guess?”

Sweta’s shoulders drooped in relief. She was glad she didn’t have to watch what she said to Karan about Gauri and Siddarth. “How did you figure it out?”

Karan tapped his fingers on the stirring wheel. “She is the girl from his past right?”

Sweta nodded.

“I just figured it out at Sanya’s wedding and the way they couldn’t keep away from each other at the reception confirmed it. Tell me something, what is it about her that you and my cousin are both so devoted to her?”

Sweta knew this question would come one day from Karan. He was slow in noticing what was obvious but not dumb. She got out of the car and waited for him to join her. “I met Gauri almost seven years ago, few days before the first day of college. We were to be roommates, but when I met her I instantly disliked her.”

Karan looked at her in shock, “Really? I can’t see you disliking anyone, most especially Gauri.”

Sweta smiled at his surprise, “I was a stuck up, spoiled girl back then. I was into being popular and having the best, nothing else would do for me. When I met Gauri I thought she was beneath me. I didn’t want to be roommate with some bookworm. I wanted a roommate who was more like me.” She still cringed at the memory of her first encounter with Gauri. How Sweta had tried to insult Gauri but she never answered her back.

“So what made you change your mind about her?” Karan asked her. He really wanted to know and understand what was so special about Gauri that it made his cousin withdraw from everyone. He wasn’t shallow but to him Gauri was not that good looking so it wasn’t about her looks so then what made Siddarth notice her? And what was it about Gauri that made the girl he loves so much be so loyal to her?

Sweta gazed at the small garden in front of her house but was lost in the past. “I tried to see if I can find another roommate but it was too late to make changes so I was stuck with her. She stayed out of my way and I did everything I could to avoid her. The freedom of not answering to my parents got to my head and I befriended wrong crowd of people. I was out partying all the time, not caring about my studies or attending classes.” Sweta felt ashamed at the way she had behaved back then and wondered what Karan will think about her after hearing about her past.

Karan could not imagine Sweta as a party girl, but he also knew many kids go thru what Sweta had gone thru in college. In fact many of his friends had fallen victim to this type of behavior. “Something big must have taken place for you to turn your life around and choose a better path for yourself.”

Sweta nodded somberly, “Yes something big did happen. Gauri had overheard some of my friends talking about how the guy I liked was going to have his way with me at the party that night. She told me but I did not believe her and went to the party. Gauri broke her own rule and followed me at the Sorority house where the party was to take place.”