Author pov
Bondita is still lost in her thought . When she finally comes to her senses, she realizes that Anirudh is the only one she loves and he is the man she wants to spend her life with. But at the same time she can never hurt Aansh. She feels stuck in a complicated situation and doesn't know what to do?
The more she thinks the more she gets worried. Her heart beats fast with each passing thought. She can't come to a conclusion. What should she do in this situation? Should she accept Anirudh's love? Should she reject him because she doesn't want to hurt Aansh? She is struggling to make a decision when her phone starts ringing.
She looks at her phone and sees Aansh calling. She feels even more confused and guilty at the fact that she is still thinking about Anirudh. She doesn't want to talk to Aansh right now because she feels like a hypocrite and a selfish person. If only she could get some clarity in her mind so that she can make the right decision.
She can't just ignore the phone call, otherwise, Aansh will have a doubt that she is ignoring him intentionally. She tries to calm herself down and then decides to pick up the phone. She knows that Aansh will be expecting her to answer the phone in her usual cheerful tone and not the low voice that she currently has.
Bondita picks up the phone and tries to sound cheerful. She doesn't want Aansh to know how she really feels right now. She is trying hard to hide her sadness, guilt and heartbreak. Her voice is unsteady and it has lost its usual cheery tone.
"Hi Aansh.." she tries to say with a cheerful voice. The effort she is putting to sound cheerful is very apparent in her voice. She is trying to hide her emotions to the best of her abilities so that Aansh cannot sense it. But Aansh knows Bondita well enough to observe that something is wrong with her. Aansh is quick to notice the change in her demeanor and her tone. He has been with her long enough to know that she's faking it. He can sense that she is in turmoil so he decides to ask her directly about it. "Are you alright? You don't sound like you do normally."
Bondita takes a deep breath and tries to fake a cheery smile on her face. She doesn't want Aansh to worry about her so she says, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just had a long day and now I'm tired that's why I sound different."
Aansh doesn't buy her story so he asks her again. "Are you sure? Because it feels like there's something wrong. I'm worried about you. Tell me what's on your mind. It could be something that is worrying you."
Bondita is silent for a moment before she gives in. She can't maintain this facade in front of Aansh. He is so perceptive that it is making it hard for her to keep her composure. She doesn't want to lie to him anymore. "Sorry. I just had a lot on my mind. I'm a little confused on a few things."
Aansh immediately senses that she is hiding something from him. He keeps probing her to find the answer. "What are you confused about? Did something happen? Please tell me. I feel like I can help you."
"It's nothing Aansh," she hesitates, and then realizes that it is just better to tell him the truth now rather than later. "Please, don't be angry or upset with me. I know I might sound like an idiot right now but I just need to tell you something."
Aansh can see that it is taking a lot of courage for Bondita to say this. He waits patiently for her to open up. He doesn't want to force her to reveal anything she isn't comfortable sharing. He wants to know what's on her mind but at the same time he doesn't want to hurt her.
"Not here, can we meet and talk?" Aansh asked.
"Okay, where can we meet?" She replies with a slight sigh of relief. She is glad that he didn't force her to tell him over the phone. She feels more confident now that she can meet him in person and explain the situation properly. She realizes that this is an important conversation and she cannot handle it over the phone like this.
Aansh gives her a time and place where they can meet each other. They decide to meet at their usual coffee spot in an hour. The time is enough for her to get herself together and prepare what she is going to say to Aansh.
Time flies by and Bondita meets Aansh at the coffee shop as they had decided. They get a table and sit down. She is eager to tell him her feelings but she is also nervous about his reaction. She doesn't want to hurt him but she doesn't know how he will react. The tension is thick between them as they stare at each other, waiting for anyone to initiate the conversation.
"We need to talk," Bondita finally takes the first step and breaks the silence between them. She knows that there is no point in hiding anymore and that he has to know everything that has been on her mind.
"I have something important to say and I really need you to listen. I know this is going to hurt you and I'm sorry for that. But it is something that I need to get out of my system." She pauses for a brief moment and takes a deep breath to find the courage to continue expressing her feelings.
Aansh looks at her with a nervous expression on his face as he stares at her. He is already starting to feel the tension and the weight of what she is going to say. But he doesn't show it and acts as if he is ready to hear her out, even if she broke his heart. He is silently preparing himself for the inevitable.
"I have been keeping this inside me for a long time but I need to tell you this now for my own sanity" Bondita says in a low voice. Her eyes are locked on his as if she is expecting him to understand without any words. She needs to get this out quickly before she loses her courage.
"Aansh, I have a confession to make..." She pauses as she feels a wave of tension pass through her. She is hoping that he will listen to her until the end but she is worried that he will blow up on her before she can finish her sentence. She is trying all her best to be calm and explain herself in a composed manner.
"I also have som----"
"Please don't interrupt, I beg you. I want to say this in full so that there are no misconceptions and so that I can explain myself. I want you to know that I'm deeply sorry for what I'm going to say but I ask you to please listen. And please, don't say anything until I finish." She wants to tell the truth without taking any more time. She doesn't want to drag this any longer because she knows how painful it is.
His silence makes her feel a bit relieved. At least he is not yelling at her now. She takes a deep breath and starts speaking again. "The confession I want to make is that I have developed feelings for someone else. I have been trying to deny them but now I can't do it anymore."
"Really?" Aansh said excitedly?
Bondita was not expecting Aansh's reaction to her confession. She was expecting him to be hurt, angry and upset at the news of her feelings for another man. But instead, she sees that he looks unphased. He looks relaxed and has a calm expression on his face. He doesn't seem disturbed at all and is actually smiling at her. This reaction from him takes Bondita by surprise and she cannot understand why he is not getting angry.
"I'm confused," she says after a moment of silence. "I was expecting you to be upset with me. Why are you so okay with me having feelings for another man?" She feels disappointed now that she can't let her emotions out through a fight or argument. He was supposed to be upset at her but instead he looks relieved. Was she being delusional when she thought she felt mutual love between them?
"You are being surprisingly calm about this whole situation," she comments. Her eyes search for some kind of rage or anger in his face but she can't find anything. He looks almost relieved to hear her confession. She is surprised by his reaction and feels a bit disappointed. She needs to find out why he is reacting this way instead of getting angry at her.
"Bondita you make me the happiest man on earth" This statement completely shocks her. She stares at him, utterly speechless. His words take her by surprise and she's at a loss for words. A deep confusion washes over her as she wonders what he means by that statement.
"Bondita, you know I also need to tell you something!" he said excitedly
"Oh ?" she says with a puzzled look on her face. She can't believe what she's hearing from him. He's not showing any anger or disappointment right now, instead he's acting all excited. Why is he being so positive while she's here feeling like the worst person on earth? She feels her heart pounding in her chest as she awaits his response. They both seem to have something important to tell each other but only one of them can say something at a time. She wants him to go first so that she can finally get some clarity.
"Please go ahead," she prompts him. She feels nervous and excited about what he has to say. Her heart is beating rapidly with anticipation so she is trying her best to stay calm.
He smiles at her and she couldn't help but smile back at him. Her excitement grows as she waits for his next words. She loves the fact that he feels happy instead of being upset. But she doesn't want to get her hopes up in case it is the wrong thing he is trying to tell her.
Bondita you know I met a girl while coming here to meet you. And unknowingly I fell for her. I didn't know how to say it to you,"
The wave of relief washes over her as she hears Aansh's words. She feels relieved that his announcement was not about his acceptance of her feelings but was about him seeing another woman. "Oh really?" she asks excitedly, a little surprised by his revelation.
"Tell me about her?" Bondita asked joining his excitement.
"Her name is Priya. We went out couple of days ago and we had a great time together. We hit it off well and got to know each other quite well. I've been thinking about her ever since I met her. She's a fun person and I enjoyed spending time with her." His words are clear and full of conviction. She realizes that he is not saying this just to hide his own feelings for her but because he truly feels this way about Priya.
"So you cheated on me?" Bondita joked.
"Yes," he replies laughingly. "I'm guilty of this crime. I didn't expect to meet the love of my life after I started dating you. Can you ever forgive me?" He keeps the joking tone while talking and it is still hard for Bondita to understand whether he is serious or just playing around with her.
"You know Bondita, I was so tense while coming here"
"Were you waiting for me to get angry?" she says with mock annoyance. "You are lucky that I'm not one of those crazy ex-girlfriends who'd beat you up if they ever caught you with another girl."
"So we are like those romantic movies where two people fall for each other but later find out that they have feelings for someone else?" she asks, playing along with his joke. She is relieved that the tense situation has become less heavy and is now full of lightened mood. The two of them start laughing and joking about the similarity of their situation with that of a romantic movie. They both feel more relaxed and relieved now that the awkwardness of the situation has passed. The tension has faded away and they are enjoying this small moment of light hearted fun.
"So Ansh Best friend again!?"
"Yup back to being best friends again" they both smile at each other. It has been a while since they've been laughing and joking like they used to. Their entire friendship was filled with these kind of fun-filled moments and it feels good to be back to them once again.
"But even though we are friends, now we both have someone in our lives that we love right?" she asks, looking at him. He nods and then they both smile at each other. It doesn't take them long to get back to their old friendly banter in just a few seconds. It feels like they are back in time when they hadn't gotten involved romantically with each other.
They share a warm and affectionate hug, which expresses their renewed friendship. For both of them, this hug was just not a friendly gesture but also a reminder of how much they cared and were comfortable with each other. They felt no awkwardness or tension in the moment they shared this hug. They both looked like all the burdens of the past had disappeared and they could finally move on with their lives without regrets.
"Best friend forever!" they say in unison while smiling at each other. This friendship is more precious to both of them now as they have gone back to their old selves. They are not in love anymore and both are loving other people but they still care about this friendship and want it to stay strong in the future as well.
The two of them walk in different directions with a feeling of satisfaction and relief in their hearts. For both of them, the meeting turned out exactly as they wanted it to be. They have moved past their romantic relationship and are now back to being friends again. They feel good that they came here and had this conversation.
But Anirudh has seen them from a distance and witnessed the whole situation. He couldn't hear what they were talking about but he is able to sense the familiarity between them. He notices the affectionate way they are hugging each other and the lightness in their expression.
He leaves from the place feeling disappointed and heartbroken.
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Longest chapter till now!
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