chapter-15

☆Anshuman☆

I came out of the meeting room, and my secretary approached me, handing over my cell phone, saying,"Sir, your sister has been trying to reach you since morning."

I had an important meeting today, and we must secure this tender at any cost, which is why I was occupied with my team since morning.

As I walked to my cabin, I called my sister.

"Hello, fighter jet," I greeted.

"Heyy, brownie," came the reply.

"Where were you busy? You know I've been trying to contact you since morning." she said.

"Yeah, I got it. I was busy. Tell me, what happened?" I asked.

"My wedding date is confirmed, so come back as quickly as possible," she informed me. My parents have been discussing her wedding for a year, and it seems they've found a match.

I just hope he is a good guy and keeps my sister happy, or I wouldn't approve of the wedding.

"When is it?" I asked as I need to wrap up my work here before the wedding date.

"Next month." She said.

"That's cool...." she cut off my statement.

"But you've to come back soon, you have to do a lot things, you know that right."A small smile appeared on my lips.

"Ya, got it, will try my best to reach there sooner."

"Bhai..don't you miss us?" She said winning.

"What are you saying, ofcourse I do." I said before she can infer my silence into something else.

"Then please come soon, it's been a while you visited us." She complained and I smiled a bit.

"Hey listen, I need to go, I have an important conference to attend, I'll call you in evening." I quickly said changing the topic.

"Ok, bye , take care bhai." She hang up.

After finishing my work in the conference room, I headed to my house that I bought two years ago. I live there alone.

It's been nine years since I moved to the USA for my studies and graduated with a degree.

After completing the degree, I joined one of the top companies in the USA. I worked hard and made my way to become the MD of the company.

I visit my family once every six months, and I think this is what made my sister think that I don't miss them but that's not the case.

The thing is, everytime I visit my home, I remember the moments, I've spent with Evara, which I don't want.

She doesn't reciprocate my feeling and I can't force her, so It's better to let her go. Though I physically did let her go but mentally I am still not over her.

She was my first love and I hoped to make her my last but things didn't turned out to be like that.

I remembered our last conversation, when I was so excited to tell her about my admission to a foreign university.

□Flashback□

(A/N)

▪︎One week before he left for abroad studies.▪︎

I called Evara and asked her to meet in the same cafe where we usually meet. I wore a sky-blue shirt with navy blue jeans.

Excitement showed in every action as I got ready to meet her. I waited a few minutes before I heard a chiming sound, and my eyes traveled to the entrance.

There she was, wearing an orange tank top with very deep blue jeans, her hair tied up neatly in two pigtails, her face

glowing.

As she walked towards me, I felt something was amiss. I didn't see her regular smile; she seemed upset. What happened?

Soon she took her seat in front of me, smiled a little, wishing me a good morning as it wasn't noon yet.

"So what would you like?" I asked, my eyes on her.

"Anshu, why did you called me?" I was taken aback at her question.

"Why? Can't I call you? Ain't we friends?" I said in playful manner.

She looked at me with a straight face, her expression was stoic and the words that left her mouth made my eyes wide in shock.

"No." I didn't say anything, trying to process that she just declined us as friends.

"I don't know how things went ahead, but you are just my best friend's brother and there's nothing more."she continued.

"We were never friends to begin with, I just asked for your help and It was supposed to end there, but I am sorry if I ever led you to think anything else and thank-you so much for all you help and rides you gave me." Her words made me feel shattered, I was speechless, unsure of how to react to this. I choked on my saliva.

"Oh! Sorry" I don't want to break down in front of her, so I composed myself and continued.

"I just wanted to tell you that ,I qualified the scholarship to study in USA and I'll be leaving next week."

"Ohh, congratulations." A small smile appeared on her lips.

"Now you can pursue your dream, I am so happy for you." She said looking me in the eyes.

□Flashback Ends□

Since I moved to USA, I have never got to have a glimpse of her. Thinking about all this, I went to bed.

▪︎2 weeks later▪︎

I knocked on the shining SS door, I finished my work and didn't even told my family that I am coming, I wanted to surprise them.

The door opened revealing a girl, whose face was covered from a yellow paste, as soon as her figured me, a gasp left her lips and her eyes went wide.

"Bhaiyaaa..!!" Nitya hugged me so tightly.

"Hey..hey.. You gonna choke me." She broke the hug and looked at me saying " bhai, what a surprise, I am so happy, let's go mumma will be so happy." She said and dragged me inside.

A lot has changed since I last came here, new things can be seen, new wallpaper on walls, new furnitures etc.

I had grand welcome, my mumma made a lot of dishes for me, my dad came back from his office to meet me and my best friends also came.

In the evening, I was having fun with my friends talking about things that happened in my absence, when my eyes fell on my sister, who is roaming with a phone near her ear.

"What happened, Nitya?" I asked grabbing her attention.

"Nothing, I've been trying to call one of my friend." She said while trying to call that person again.

"Whom are trying to call?" I asked.

"Eva." She uttered.

"The cell is ringing But she isn't receiving the call." She added.

"Maybe she doesn't want to." I shrugged my shoulders.

"I don't care, if she wants to talk to me or not, but I'll keep calling her until she picks it up." She argued and again dialed the same no but no response.

I hold her shoulders and made her look at me "Don't worry, I know someone who can help you." She raised her eyebrow at my statement.

"One of my friend knows her, I mean she works with her, so maybe she'll be of help." I said and fished out my phone from my pocket.

Two years ago, I was randomly going through my Instagram, and I found a post by one of my friends who visited India. The picture included four girls, one of whom was Evara.

I asked her about Evara, and she told me that Eva was the cousin of her friend Erica.

I asked for Erica's ID, and we started talking. That's how I usually get to know about things related to her. I know this may be considered as stalking, but I just couldn't stop myself from doing that.

"Hey.. Erica, it's me Anshuman?" I said putting my phone near my ear.

"Hey!!, Anshuman, how are you?" She replied excitedly.

"I am fine, what about you?" I spoke as I sit on the sofa and Nitya took a seat in front of me.

"As always happy and smiling. " I smiled at her statement.

"Actually Erica, your cousin..." she cut me off in between saying "what about her?" Her voice came out suspecting.

I paused for a moment to find an excuse before continuing "ahh..the thing is, my sister wants to have a pre-wedding shoot and since Evara is in the same line, so I thought to ask her but she isn't picking up the call." Nitya leaned closer to me listening her name.

"Oh, she must be busy, today she has to fill in for one of our senior." She explained.

"She'll be free by 8 or 9 I think, then you can contact her." She finished. I looked at Nitya, indicating that she should call at that time. She smiled at me giving me a thumbs-up.

"BTW,  you are also invited in my sister's wedding. "

"Really." I could sense her excitement from here only. "I would love to come."

Later that night, I glanced down at my wrist watch and it showed 8:30. I thought it's the right time to call her.

I was debating if I should call her or not but it's not like I am calling her for my personal reasons. So I called , the bell started ringing and with each ring, my heartbeat was beating faster.

I was about to cut the call, when I heard  a groggy voice saying 'hello'. She must just reached at her apartment and dozed off before having dinner.

"Hey." I spoke in response to her hello.

"Hello, who's this?" This time the voice came out more alert, so I assume she must have recognised me and acting like she doesn't.

"Ahmm..Nitya has been trying to reach you all day, but you didn't answered so, I thought I should.." I didn't even finished and she interrupted me defending herself.

"No, it's not like that, actually I was a bit occupied today, and I was planning to call her. "

"By the why did she called? I mean it's been nine years and how are you? Are you back in India." I was surprised at her questions I thought she wouldn't care to ask anything about me.

But I shouldn't interpret this into something else,  so leaving everything I just got to the point.

"It's between the two of you, so you can call her and ask. For your information, she is getting married." She gasped after hearing my words.

"Okay, I should hang up." I said shortly before hanging up and dialed another number.

"Hey, can I know her address?" I asked the other person.

"Why?" She again asked suspecting.

"I got her appointment but forgot to ask her address." I lied.

She told me Evara's address and next thing I did was calling a pizza shop to deliver a pizza at her place.

I know her this much that after some hectic schedule she usually skips meals because she feels tired to eat or make.

After half an hour later ,the delivery guy called me saying he delivered the pizza where I told him.

I sighed in relief, I hope she have it and don't go sleep empty stomach.

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