Conversation
The school was deserted when he entered the gates, not a soul in sight. Then again, he was too early though he had a reason for it. There was so much happening and he needed to think it all out, and what better place to do so at, other than his school, Royal Academy?
He thought of going to his classroom, which would be deserted just like the rest of the school, and just as he was walking towards it, he spotted a lone figure sitting on the bottom steps of the stairs which went up to some labs. Could it be...? He went closer to the stairs and stopped at the foot of the last stair. She didn't seem to notice him as she didn't budge from her position, her arms loosely wrapped around her knees, her head resting against the wall, her phone nowhere in sight and a faraway look on her face. It was so strange to see her like that, that he wasn't able to utter a word for a few seconds.
"Juhi...?" "Huh? Oh, KD. Hi." She merely raised her head and the usual smile gracing her pretty features was missing. "Has something happened, Juhi? I've never seen you like this..." She rested her head against the wall again and sighed. "I know its weird seeing me like this, but I just don't feel like smiling today. It doesn't seem right that I should smile and be happy when yesterday everyone was so tensed and worried because of me, especially my mother...she was crying even after we got home. I've never seen her so broken, KD, and to think that I was the cause of it all...that she was in that state because of my foolishness, I just felt so guilty...and the guilt hasn't gone yet..." she trailed off, that very same faraway look on her face again. KD didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Juhi...it...it wasn't your fault, it was mine. You went to the party as my partner, it was my responsibility...I should have taken care of you...but no, I was too preoccupied with my own problems..." He averted his eyes. The party...it had been a disaster and he had totally lost control of himself...and all because of Kiya Gujral...who didn't care even a hoot about him. He clenched his fists in anger. No. No more. He shouldn't think of her and he wouldn't. He had to focus on his studies, on helping his father with paying the debt. He had to make his father proud, he had to make Jaitley Sir and all of Royal proud...and most importantly, he had to make himself proud, to no longer be ashamed of his deeds, to- "KD... will you sit down with me for some time...? I feel like talking to someone..." He turned his attention towards her. She looked so frail, sitting like that, that sad and forlorn look on her face. It didn't suit her at all. He went and sat down on the same step as her and waited for her to break the silence. "OMG, KD...it wasn't your fault..." she said after some time. "I can understand what you were going through...because I was going through the same...I felt...jealous...and hurt...seeing Samar and Panchi together...having so much fun...just the way you felt about Kiya and Ranveer..." He looked at her in shock and then quickly looked away again. "I don't blame you...or anyone for what happened, KD. It was my fault that I got drunk...for such a trivial matter too...Oh, but KD,...It hurts...It hurts so very much!" Saying thus, tears rolled down her cheeks. KD shifted closer to her and she turned a little and buried her face in his shoulder, crying her heart out. He wrapped an arm around her form, "Juhi? Juhi...sshh...its alright...everything will be alright...I'm here...", comforting her. She sniffed and then moved her face away from his shoulder and looked at him. He cupped her cheeks lightly, wiping her tears, "I'm here Juhi, there's no need to cry. Everything will be fine, hm? Chalo, now stop crying." She sniffed again and gave him a watery smile. He smiled back at her and let go of her face, looking away as he recollected Juhi's words. It did hurt, and quite a lot too, he should know after all.
"KD?... Can I ask you something?" "Hmm..." "You...you really like Kiya don't you? I mean, I've seen you looking at her and the way you reacted at the party...",she bit her lip. KD had stiffened. It wasn't a teasing question. It was pure and honest...but...should he answer in the positive and tell the truth? Or in the negative and lie, yet again as he had been doing since he actually realised that he was in love with Kiya Gujral. He sighed, truth it was. "Yes...yes, I do like her. I wish I didn't, but I do and I know, try as I might, I'll never be able to get over it." He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Juhi. She gripped his shoulder slightly tighter. "I can understand, KD. I know how it feels...but KD, then how could you have spiked her drink that day? I...I mean...I don't mean to sound disbelieving...I do believe that-" "I did spike her drink Juhi." He said and looked away. "I was angry and hurt. I thought she had betrayed me and so, as revenge, I decided to spike her drink so that she wouldn't be able to sing that night and would be humiliated in front of everyone. But...but Juhi, it was all a misunderstanding and as soon as Jaitley Sir cleared it up, I felt so guilty and so outraged at myself...I couldn't believe that I had done such a crime..and...and...I went back to change the drink...and...then Ranveer saw me..and then..." He stopped as the painful memories resurfaced in his mind. Juhi still had her hand on his shoulder. He sighed. "I tried to tell her Juhi...I tried to tell her that it was all a misunderstanding...so many times...I wanted her to just know what had actually happened...then she could continue to hate me all her life...because I definitely deserved it..but she never listened...and now...I just don't want to think about her anymore. I have to focus on my studies...on helping Baba pay back his debt..." He sighed again and looked at her. "Meri chodo, Juhi. What about you?"
She slowly withdrew her hand from his shoulder and held it with her other hand. "I...I guess I like Samar. I always thought that I was someone special to him...that he...he too liked me back. And Panchi, I don't know why...I...I...I just don't know KD. Its all so confusing. I don't know whose fault it is. Panchi's, for sticking to Samar just because she and Ranveer are not on talking terms? Samar's, for going along with Panchi and somewhat ignoring me? Or mine, for being so foolish as to assume that I was ever important to either Samar or Panchi? Maybe I'm overreacting, but...I just don't know what to do..." Saying so, tears welled up in her eyes again. KD noticed this and quickly got up and extending a hand towards Juhi, said, " Lets just forget all of this, shall we? Lets go to the canteen and have something. I'll pay as compensation for not taking care of you at the party." He smiled as Juhi took his hand and stood up. "And anyways, I'm sure all that crying must have made you hungry." Juhi giggled at his remark, "YSS, KD!" "YSS?" "You're So Sweet, KD!" She hugged him then and he hugged her back after a second. She always managed to surprise him with her hugs. He chuckled to himself and then looked at the stairs and his eyes locked with hers.
She was standing there with one hand resting on the banister and the other clenched into a fist by her side. Her expression was unreadable. What was she doing there?! And how much had she heard of their conversation?! He wanted to be angry just by looking at her, yet he wasn't able to do so. Somehow, he felt...lighter...as if a big load was off his shoulders...all thanks to Juhi...
He shifted his attention back to Juhi as she let go of him and gave him a dazzling smile. "OMG, KD thank you so much! Ab jaldi chalo, I'm so hungry!" She took his hand, and dragged him towards the canteen, having come back to her original self and feeling a little better about herself, just because of KD. She started her blabbering again, narrating something that had happened on Facebook. KD let himself be dragged by her, smiling at her antics. Unknown to both of them, this little conversation they had partaken in, was to be the catalyst for a friendship unmarred by suspicion and jealousy. A beautiful friendship of understanding, care and helping each other out, always, whatever happened. A friendship to be treasured and cherished. Forever...
Okay...so how was it? Iss baar toh pakka don't hesitate to tell me that it was absolute bullshit...because I know thats what it was...the characters were OOC...totally...and this time there's no denying it...Like I said..this was an experiment...whether you liked it or not...this is going to form a part of my next KiSha OS...one which I have some hopes for...
I doubt this was liked...but seriously...I...I...don't know what to say..
Bear with me...please?
Indebted,
Mugs.
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