Aditi's POV
We were waiting for Ruhi for 20 minutes, so that she can go to the library. Well, we were a bit irritated because of the reason, but our irritation vanished as we made our way in the college.
The campus!
We are here to complete our bachelor's degree. Radhika is doing bachelor's in performing arts and I are doing bachelor's in fine arts, whereas Ruhi is doing bachelor's in business administration.
As Ruhi went to the library, we made our way towards the canteen. We sat there with our snacks.
Radhika exclaimed, "Ruhi and her obsession with books!"
I nodded, "For real, yaar! She has her whole bookshelf filled with books, yet she doesn't miss a chance to buy a new one."
She said, "But seriously, all her rantings about her book boyfriends, she is always in delulu!" We both chuckled at that.
"By the way, we are in such a big university, thought about trying to make a real boyfriend?", She asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
She already knew my answer would be no, but still!
"No way! I don't want to waste my time in all these things, until I find my THE ONE.", I replied in a serious tone, "What about you? "
"I don't know yaar, it's like I want to find my love, but at the same time, I want to stay away from it and focus on my studies. Because, staying away from all these is also one of the reasons why we were able to make it till here.", She replied.
I replied, "I know right! It's so difficult to choose between the two. But I think that if he's the right one, we won't face such issues."
She just hummed in reply.
After that, we both were lost in thought and quiety eating.
Now, I couldn't stop my mind from drifting towards him, my best friend. It's like, I've never met such a gentleman like him.
If only the situation was different, we must have been together.
As I continued thinking about him, Radhika snapped her fingers in front of my eyes, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Aditi!", she called out.
"Huh?", I blinked.
She sighed, "Don't say that you were thinking about him again! He is living his life out there!"
I just nodded.
They obviously know everything, after all they are my best friends, and I trust them with my life.
I finished eating and stood up to put my plates away.
While walking back to my seat, my eyes drifted around the canteen, taking in the surroundings. As I continued looking around, my shoulder suddenly bumped into someone.
I didn't see his face as he had already walked past me, but then, I heard his voice, as he mumbled an apology, "Sorry."
I froze. That voice. That voice sounded way too familiar.
I turn around slowly, almost scared that it might not be real. But then, I see the guy standing there, his back facing me as he seemed to look around for someone.
Why does it feel like... it's him?
I walk towards him, my steps slow, almost careful as if this was a dream that would shatter by just one wrong step. Once I am standing behind him, I lift my hand, my fingers trembling, and tap his shoulder.
He turned around.
My breath hitched. The world seemed to stop around me as I stared into those black orbs that sparkled every time he saw me.
"Naman", the sound came out as a whisper. His face showed confusion for a second and then it was recognition. His own eyes widened. His swallowed, hard. "Aditi", he said, his voice hoarse.
Without giving a second thought about our surroundings, I threw my arms around him. He immediately reciprocated the hug. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I felt him crying too.
We stayed like that, in each other's arms, for what felt like eternity. Finally, he pulled away and looked at me with that soft look he always had, and said, "Tell me this isn't a dream. Please."
I chuckle through my tears, "It's real, Naman. I am real."
THUD
We come back to our senses as we hear something falling down. Looking around, I find Radhika's phone fallen on the ground.
We look up and we are met with four pairs of widened eyes, all of them with their mouths agape.
Before I could even say anything, Radhika and Ruhi grabbed my arm and pulled me to sit at a table, and the two guys who stood there, took Naman to another table.
But wait! Don't take him away, I want to talk to him! I cried in my mind.
As soon as we sat on our seats, both of them started looking at me with a questioning look. Obviously, a girl who doesn't even look at a guy, hugging one in front of so many people, might shock them.
I took a deep breath and said, "It's him."
Both their eyes widened again and after a few minutes of silence, both of them grinned and started screaming - not so loud - only for us to hear.
Seeing them, I got a wide grin on my face too. They never saw him, because I didn't have many photos with him and the ones I have our back in Delhi, where I used to live before I came to Mumbai when I was 13 years old.
5 years! It feels so surreal to know that he is sitting under the same roof!
I looked back at the table where he was sitting and saw that he was already looking at me.
Suddenly, the three guys stood up and came up to our table, sitting on the opposite side. I noticed the guys giving him teasing smirks and nudges.
There was silence for a few seconds, before Ruhi decided to break it, "Why are everyone so awkward? You guys are making it look like Aditi and Naman are here for some arranged marriage set up!"
One of the guys said, "She is right! Didn't you have complaints against her, Naman?"
I frown, "Complaints against me?"
Naman huffed, "Yes! You disappeared without telling me anything! Where were you? How could you leave me just like that? Do you even know how much I missed you, Adi! "
I replied, "I missed you too, Naan-"
"Don't call me that yaar, my friends our here too! " We all chuckled at that. I used to call him naan back then and he always got irritated, but that's what friends are for right?
Suddenly, he looked away, and with a pout, said, " I don't want to talk to you! "
At that I heard his friends chuckle.
One of them said, "Nakhre mat kar saale, jab dekho tab Adi - Adi karta tha, ab Adi samne hai to jyada bhav mat kha!"
[Don't show tantrums, you always used to miss her and now she is in front of you and you are showing tantrums! ]
My eyes widened after hearing his words, before I could say anything, Ruhi spoke, "Kyu nhi karega nakhre? Aise achanak koi chhodke jayega to bhav khana to banta hai na! "
[Why won't he show tantrums? If someone leaves him like that, he has the right to show tantrums! ]
"You are not on my side!? " I glared at her. She just shrugged and said, "He is right, so definitely, I am on his side. "
Bloody traitor!
Then that guy again spoke, "You don't worry, I am with you.", he said, looking at Ruhi. Why are they both throwing daggers at each other?
Anyway.
I smiled at him.
Naman spoke, " Haawwww, Siddharth!" Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Ruhi rolling her eyes.
Suddenly, the other guy spoke, "Why are you guys making teams, two best friends met after 5 freaking years, and you guys are busy doing this!"
Someone sensible at least.
Radhika jumped in agreement almost immediately.
"This is not fair yaar! I was supposed to be angry at her! ", Naman said, only to receive a smack from that guy.
"Okay, okay.", he said, raising his hands in surrender, "But I still haven't forgiven you."
"Guys, lets bunk, we should celebrate this reunion! ", Ruhi spoke, always ready for fun.
"No way! Today is the first day!", said the Siddharth guy.
Ruhi rolled her eyes, saying, "Who said you are invited?"
"Let's go together guys, all six of us. I mean, we are all happy that they met right? " Radhika said.
Naman finally spoke, "Okay then, final, we are going to bunk and celebrate! The bills are on me."
"Oh, no need Naan. Ruhi said that she was going to give us a treat, so she will pay, right Ruhi?" I said, giving her a smirk, you traitor.
She narrowed her eyes and said, "What did you say? I didn't quite get it." She said blinking her eyes innocently, clearly faking it.
I rolled my eyes and Naman again spoke, "Let's go then guys!"
As we walked out of our class, I went near my friends, and immediately asked Ruhi, "What's with you and that Siddharth guy, huh?"
Ruhi, clearly not expecting me to notice, replied, "What? Nothing's going on." She said, but I still kept looking at her, asking her to say the truth.
"It's just that he is a selfish idiot!", She said slightly frustrated.
Radhika said, "Oh my god Ruhi, what happened?", she is always ready for drama.
Ruhi sighed and said, "So I went to the library to get the book, and out of nowhere, he came and took that book before me. And then... It was like jaggu and sarfaraz from PK you know, we both started fighting for the book, but someone took it without our notice, just like that oldie did in the movie. And guess what? Because of Mr. Selfish, I am suspended from the library for a bloody month! Ugh! "
She let out her frustration. She does love enjoying her life, but when it comes to studies, no one can come between her and her studies.
Unfortunately, for the guy, he came in between them. Now god only knows what all things he will have to hear from Ruhi.
As we walked, I finally got a chance to talk to Naman, just us.
We walked side by side without saying anything, before I decided to break the silence. "Just a few days after are 7th class finals", he looked at me, not expecting me to speak anything, "Papa got a call from our relatives from Mumbai that dadaji died. We had to come to Mumbai immediately. We thought it will be a matter of days, after everything will be settled here, we will go back to Delhi and continue our lives. But unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and we had to stay here for longer than expected. Family problems, you know. 1 month became 2, then 3. Now, class 8th was going to start in a few weeks and still the work here wasn't completed. So, papa decided to live here for one year and I continue my studies in Mumbai itself. After 1 year, everyone was already settled here. I tried so hard to convince them that I wanted to go back, I want my life back. Even though I had Ruhi and Radhika with me by that time, I wasn't happy, because I didn't have you. I tried to get your contact and social media details too, but it all went in vain. So finally, I had to give up and accept my life here. Sorry Naman, for leaving you like that.", I said, genuinely.
God knows how many times I have given this speech to the walls with the hope of telling him everything if I meet him again.
"It's okay Adi, I can understand, those were the situations you couldn't do anything about. When I got to know that you weren't there with me in class 8, I was shocked and- and hurt too. When I finally got my personal phone, I tried to contact you, but I couldn't find you. I missed you so much Adi, you are the best friend anyone could ever get. Please, please promise me that you won't leave me again. I want my best friend back. ", He said
"I promise Naman, I am not going anywhere. Never." I promised and just then we reached a roadside punjabi dhaba.
Yes! These dhabas are the best!
As we made our way towards the rest of the group, we saw that Ruhi and Siddharth were fighting. Ugh!
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