26

8 months later.

Meera disappeared as if she vanished into thin air. She started coming home late at night and leaving for the office early in the morning, sometimes not coming home at all. She started spending all her time at the office, ignoring Aahan's attempts to communicate every time.

Naina got busy with her studies; her focus shifted entirely to preparing for her CA exams. She stopped attending college and devoted 18 hours a day to her studies. There were times when she wouldn't even sleep.

Aahan was going through a period of confusion in his life, unsure of what to do next. He missed Naina every day. Aahan started smoking cigarettes. Jay always came to Aahan's class and had lunch with him. Jay plays some songs and ask to Aahan, how he felt about song.

When Lalita returned from her trip, she told Teena the truth. Teena got angry and said, 'You told me you didn't like me and didn't want to date me when I had already moved on so much.'

Teena was so furious that communication between Lalita and Teena ceased.

In college, Jay starts playing the guitar, and there are girls gathered around him.

One girl is sitting next to Aahan.

"Hi, you're Aahan, right?"

"Yeah."

"You're Jay's best friend, you know him well, right? The way he smiles while singing, look at his lips, so beautiful. His tattoos, each one tells a story of pain, yet he keeps smiling. He's so perfect. Will you introduce me to Jay? I've talked to him, but he doesn't respond." (Aahan is looking at the jay in this way for the first time)

Aahan said angrily, "If he doesn't want to meet, why are you following him?"

Jay stopped playing and said to Aahan, "Calm down, I'm so sorry."

The girl left, and everyone else left too.

Jay asked, "What happened? Why so angry?"

"She was saying to set her up with you, as if I'm nothing."

"You? you ..You're just a living corpse dwelling in the memories of Naina. What did Naina leave? You've given up on life. You smoke 3-8 cigarettes a day, being around I will give me cancer, but "Still, I stay with you. One day, the real Aahan will come back, but it's been 7-8 months, and you've become nothing but a living corpse." (Jay's eyes reflected anger as if his hope had faded away. Now, he seemed exhausted.)

Jay starts to leave, and Aahan wants to stop him, but he can't because Jay is speaking the truth. Aahan looks at himself when he gets home, realizing the state he's in, with an unkempt appearance and a face that is almost unrecognizable behind a long beard.

Aahan said to himself, "How to smile? Have you forgotten yourself? you fool, do you think love is everything? Pay some attention to your friends too. What kind of mess have you made of your face?" (He laughs loudly at first, then the laughter turns into intense crying after a few seconds.)

Naina's mom comes in with freshly made pakoras and sees Naina still studying, with the pakoras now cold. She asks, "Naina, what's wrong? What are you running away from?"

"What's the point of studying so much? Do I have to die from studying?"

"Child, are you saying this, you who always talk about studying?"

"Yes"

"You haven't slept in three days. Do you even know what you're doing?"

"Maa, don't disturb me," she says and resumes studying.

Meera arrives home, and Naina's mom is also there.

"Hello aunty," Meera greets.

"Meera, you're Naina's friend. I don't know what's going on with Naina; she's always studying. It's her birthday today. Please ask Aahan to organize a party for her too," Naina's mom requests.

"Let Naina study, aunty. Birthdays will come, but how will she build her career if she doesn't focus on her studies?" Meera replies.

Naina comes out of her room.

"Mom, where are you?"

Naina's mom says, "Alright, let her study. But do you remember when Naina used to be sick, you would come running home? Now, it's her birthday, and you're here. What happened? Aren't you friends anymore?"

Naina sees Meera, who has come to her house after finally a year. Upon seeing Meera, Naina immediately says, "Sit down, Meera. I'll bring some tea."

Meera sits down, and Naina sits on the other sofa.

Meera asks, "How's Lalita?"

"I'm fine, I don't know about Lalita."

"Are you not going to become a girlfriend now?"

"No, she doesn't love me."

"Are you sad about this? Why are you studying so much? Look at yourself, you look like a ghost. Where's your smile?"

"You had stopped talking. What could I do? I know I was wrong, but who stops talking first?"

"Okay, let it go. Get ready, let's go get a cake."

"No, there's no need. I'm fine like this."

Naina's mom brings tea and sits down.

"My house lacks a daughter-in-law, but Naina doesn't listen," Naina's mom says.

Meera, surprised, asks, "Naina? Daughter-in-law?"

Naina replies, "Mom, you've started again. I'm going to my room."

And she leaves.

"Have some tea, my dear daughter-in-law," Meera's mom says with a smile.

Meera smiles in astonishment, "Daughter-in-law? Aunty, do you even have a son?"

Naina's mom takes a sip thoughtfully, "I like you. I've told Naina too. I know she likes you. I'm her mother, I understand a bit. Naina never listens. She says you and she are friends. Now, you tell me, can two girls ever be friends?"

Meera starts laughing, "That was a good joke, aunty, but I'm not your daughter-in-law. Naina herself told me she likes someone else."

Naina's mom, coughing, says, "My dear daughter-in-law, convincing Naina is not that easy. She loves you, I'm telling you. Just tell me, do you or don't you?"

Meera takes a sip of her tea and says, "You're pretty cool, but that's a weird question for me. Naina and I are just friends."

Naina's mom remarks, "If it continues like this, it will be the slowest love story in the world, 'extremely slow love.'"

Meera feels very embarrassed. Naina receives a call from Teena.

"Where are you, Naina? It's your birthday. Come, let's cut the cake."

"I don't feel like it."

"Come on, stop being so sad. I've had something like a breakup too. Let's forget about it now."

Naina agreed to Teena's suggestion, and when she came out after getting ready, Meera was standing with a car. Teena called again, "Say thanks to Meera for me."

Meera was standing with her car in front of Teena's building. When Naina was going to meet Teena, she found Meera standing on the way, leaning on her car.

Naina asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here as a bride, bringing the wedding procession," Meera replied.

"Bride? Meera, what's happened? Are you feeling okay?"

"Your mother is calling me 'daughter-in-law.' Your mother has accepted me as her daughter-in-law."

"So what? You don't love him anyway."

Naina is angry, but still gets into Meera's car. Meera takes her to buy ice cream, picks up some from a stall, and hands it to Naina in the car.

"Grab it before it melts."

"Meera, are you going to eat ice cream?"

"Yes! Eat."

Both are eating ice cream. Naina has finished her ice cream, and some ice cream has stuck to Meera's blouse, near her breasts.

"There's ice cream on you. Are you a child?"

"Clean it off; my hands are sticky."

"Let it be; it's just a stain."

Naina remembers the old Meera, whom she used to admire. Meera's lips were like eating ice cream. Naina couldn't control herself.

Naina approaches Meera and unbuttons her shirt to remove the ice cream stain.

Meera was initially shocked. "Naina, what are you doing? It's 12 clock and we're in car" she said as Naina slowly traces her fingers over Meera's face, gently moving down to the buttons of Meera's shirt, where she pauses. Naina delicately traced circles around the side of Meera's heart, so light and gentle, as if Naina's face mirrored the tense calm before the storm, a silent anticipation of what was to come. Naina was doing all this while sitting on Meera's lap. She just had a devilish smile on her face.

"AHH! Are you not interested in talking? don't u have any questions?" Meera asked. (Meera was just looking at Naina. Naina was trying to vent her anger, her hair was open, and her eyes showed both kajal and anger.)

"No! You just need to be punished."

Naina realized she had made a too bold move. Meera felt embarrassed, but Naina hid her face. Both were in shock for about 10 minutes. Meera was frozen like ice, unable to move even the slightest. Meera grabbed Naina's face as if it hadn't rained in the desert for years, her eyes fixed on Naina's lips and then Naina abruptly wakes up, it's 2:08 in the morning, and she notices the pakoras are still there.

What kind of joke is this in my life? Is this some kind of dream? Why do dreams feel so real? Has my brain become a good writer? Did it decide to turn the story of my life into a movie? Is this the only story you found, brain? The more I try to keep my distance from you, the closer I get, why Meera? Why did you leave me alone? It's been 8 months, and I hadn't even thought about her until this dream. I really want to meet Meera now, but she hates me, she will never meet me. (Tears start streaming down Naina's left eye. She eats the pakoras, drinks water, then puts on loud music with headphones.)