Naina
As there was a line for the boats, we stood near the railing and observed the water currents. Ira and Reyansh were slightly ahead of us, muttering something softly and sparing us swift glances.
"Does your friend love Reyansh?" I snap out of my thoughts and turn to face Abhay. "What?" "I asked whether Ira loves Reyansh. Do you have some kind of auditory issue, or are you just that daft?" he snaps. "You don't have to be an ass, Abhay. And to answer your question, yes, I believe she loves him with all she has. Ira never realises when she's in love, and neither does Reyansh. You can read them both by- "their eyes." he finishes my sentence.
I turn around and face him. "Your eyes reveal nothing. I've been trying to figure you out ever since I met you," "Darling, I'm flattered that you spend so much time trying to figure me out. He smirks, tapping my forehead, and says, "I think you're obsessed with me." I narrow my eyes and say, "I'm not obsessed with you! Why would such a thought enter your mind? I'm merely trying to.. figure you out."
"You can figure me out while we go boating. Let's go, it's our turn," he gently leads me toward the front of the queue.
"Alright, so Ira and I will take the pink boat while you two can have the blue one. Is that okay?" Reyansh announced. "Yeah, more than okay," I grumble. I move to stand beside Ira, "The sunset is so pretty, right? I just love looking at-wait, why are your cheeks red? Tune aaj blush nahi lagaya tha, and what are these flowers in your hand? Wait, did Reyansh give you these? Oh my god, he did, right? Tere liye vo itna sab karta hai, but still you think his feelings for you are platonic. Take a hint, Ira!" I exclaim in a single breath.
"Take a deep breath, Naina. Mere se jyada toh tu excited hai," she says with a slight grin on her face. "Of course mai jyada excited hu, after all, I was the one who shipped you two together first." The words leave me in a rush. "I'm starting to think that maybe you were right about his feelings towards me," she says, hiding her face from me, with a shy look spread all over her.
Ira is the sunshine in my life. When things got tough or I couldn't see beyond the storms in my life, her being there made it a bit easier. We have been best friends for more than a decade. When I was 8, Papa decided to shift to Juhu as he found a better job here. I was extremely shy as a kid and making friends felt impossible. On the first day of class, my heart was pounding so hard it echoed in my ears. I stood frozen at the doorway, overwhelmed by all the new faces. I was so nervous I genuinely thought I was going to puke my guts out right then and there.
And then there was Ira.
She waved me over like we'd known each other forever. I remember how she scooted her backpack over and patted the seat next to her with the biggest grin. "You can sit here if you want," she said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
We spent that lunch break huddled in a corner of the playground, sharing a pack of sour gummies she brought from home. She talked enough for the both of us and didn't seem to mind that I barely spoke above a whisper. That day, Ira didn't just befriend me-she gave me a safe place to be myself.
She slowly brought out the more extroverted version of me and helped me grow into the girl I am today. She deserves the absolute best in life and I know Reyansh will be good for her.
"Let's get this boat ride over with," I say as Ira and Reyansh climb into one boat while I start getting on the second. As I climb on the ledge, my foot twists slightly and i stumble, falling backwards. Abhay snakes his arm around my waist and holds me in place. I wobble and end up in his arms as the boat is rocking due to the river's current.
His arms tighten for a second before he lets go, yanking himself away from me. "Watch your step," he mutters gruffly and all but shoves me on the seat. Rude.
"So, where did you grow up?" I ask him as we sit on opposite sides."I grew up mostly in Delhi, up until I was 12, i think, then we moved to Pune for a few years. My mom had gotten a promotion and my dad had also just transferred, so it made sense. now, I'm here in Mumbai, for my bachelors." He leans over and dips his hand in the water.
"What do your parents do?" I inquire. "My dad is a lawyer and my mom is a police officer. What about you?"he replies, staring at the setting sun. "Crazy coincidence, my dad's a lawyer as well. My mom's a gynaecologist, or was, I guess, she retired recently,"I answer.
"Do you also- wait, is Reyansh asking Ira out? Look, over there, he has something in his hand! Quick, paddle closer to them, I need to see this,"I shout as I am overwhelmed with joy. "No, I won't, have you heard of something called privacy?" he rejects my idea without a second thought.
"Arey, I just want to get a little closer to them, so that I can record this. Ira won't forgive me for not capturing this moment," I say while getting my phone out. "Saara kaam mai karu aur aap bas maje uthaiye,"he grumbles and starts paddling towards them.
I start recording on my phone and watch through wide eyes as Reyansh whispers something to Ira and wipes a tear off her cheek. I know that girl is probably crying because she is overwhelmed by Reyansh confessing his feelings. Reyansh engulfs her in a hug and kisses the top of her head, while Ira buries her face in his shoulder.
I swoon over them and stop the recording. "That's so cute," I rave over them. Abhay chuckles dryly and mutters, "As if." "You got a problem?" I turn around and ask, knowing he's about to say something insensible.
"Yes, actually. I think that love is a-" "Waste of time?" I cut him off and face him. "I knew that you were the kind of person that doesn't believe in love," I scoff. "That's where you have me wrong, darling. I think love is something that damages you. Love physically, mentally and emotionally leaves a mark on your soul, and you never know if its for the better of worse,"He says.
"I think that love is something that changes you. it doesn't matter if it's platonic or romantic, love changes some part of you, willingly or unwillingly. Its better to accept it instead of fighting it, like the ocean currents that wash over you at the beach," I murmur softly.
"That's- thats an interesting way to look at it," he mutters close to ear, watching the happy couple rejoice.
"I think that we can teach each other a lot of things," I share a brief glance with him and as the boat ride comes to an end.
I get off and walk towards the refreshments centre and grab a bottle of water for my parched throat. Abhay is an interesting person. He appears as a paradox, but is actually quite simple to decipher once you get to know him for more than a minute. There are still lingering bits of resentment for the way he behaved in the cafe, but I know that they will fade soon.
Ira and Reyansh walk together, hand in hand, and something in heart shifts. I'm so happy for Ira and I know that Reyansh will treat her right.
After a while, we all head home and I go to bed, already overwhelmed by the first day of college.
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Word count: 1345
Love,
Adi<3
(Spicyvixen)
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