LIFE.... AS IT COMES (CHAPTER 10)

“Uh huh! So, Danny is coming huh?”

“Yeah!”

An uncomfortable silence prevailed. It was Saturday and the friends were gearing up in cleaning the apartment together to make it look presentable for the guest. Which in this case was Danny.

Though Danny too was a part of their gang and all, but the sheer mess of the flat would also leave Danny reeling from shock. Last day’s fight forgotten, Kunal and Ryan were busy flipping a coin so as to see who gets to clean the loo.

This time unfortunately, Kunal became the prey. As he clipped a cloth peg over his nose, and Ryan solemnly helped him put on the raincoat (protection from the dirt and germs, you know), it was evident that all was forgiven and forgotten in the passing night.

Sheila was busy preparing the kitchen and the food. Her parents had sold off their flat and shifted to the quite town of Pune. Sheila visited her parents frequently but rarely ever got any occasion to prepare a complete luncheon for them. And their families rarely visited the guys. Ryan’s parents being divorced and Kunal was an orphan since he was three years old. Though his cousin’s family raised him, it was always Kunal who visited them.

Danny on the other hand seemed like an extended family to Sheila. And he just loved the food she cooked for him. So, putting all misgivings aside, she began preparing the dishes for him with utmost care.

“Shell, are you shelling peas?” Ryan joked.

Sheila managed a weak smile at him and turned to wash her hand.

“Hey Shell! Look. I know you get irritated when I talk while you are cooking but I really want to talk! Can I?” Ryan asked in a puppy-cute voice.

Sheila looked at him and shook her head in exasperation! God, she thought, he knows how to melt my heart!

“Ryan!” she shouted!

“What?” he asked in an innocent voice.

“You are doing it again!”

“What am I doing?” he asked laughingly.

“Melting my anger!” she shouted again.

“So that’s good, right?” he said.

“Uh huh! Uh huh! Uh huh!” she stamped her foot.

“Awwww come on sweetheart let me give you a hug! Maybe then you will forgive me?” said Ryan as pulled Sheila into a tight hug.

I will never be his dream girl, she thought as she nestled close to his chest, and never will he say that he loves me, but I will not allow my feelings come in between our friendship. We were friends and we will remain friends till the end of the day. And I know I can do it. I am strong!

She is too good for me, thought Ryan as he ran his hand through her hair, she definitely deserves someone better. Not me. Am no good for her. She deserves someone who will value her simplicity and her true love. And me? I can’t even give her what she wants from me. It breaks me to see her cry and yet my hands are bound in shackles so tight that I cannot even reach out and wipe her tears. Even though she is crying for me. God, he thought silently, why me? Why? Why can’t I be the one who will bear the smile on her face? Why do I have to be the one who will flow away through her tears?

They kept on hugging each other, each lost in their own thought. Each deriving strength from the other. And each reluctant to let the other walk away from that moment.

Unnoticed by them, Kunal had crept into the joint living room to declare to the them and to the world that he had finally managed to clean the bathroom. The scene that met his eyes made him stop dead in his tracks.

Last night after the bitter fight, Kunal had ‘compolated’, in his words, about the fight, the reason behind it all and thus had finally come to the conclusion that Ryan was indeed not at fault.

But seeing the pair of them together changed his track of thoughts.

Maybe they are meant for each other, he thought. And if I continue with my behavior like last night, I will end up not only hurting myself, but hurting these two too! And no matter what tune my heart sings can I really tolerate seeing my two best friends all sad and morose? I really can’t! They accepted me, made me a part of themselves, and for their happiness can’t I bury my feelings? Am I that selfish? Ryan was right. Sheila is too good. And Sheila too was right. Ryan, after all, is the best! And if this thing culminates into marriage, won’t I dance to see them happy? I shouldn’t let my feelings come in between them. Yes. I can do this. I will make sure that they end up together. And this is my final decision.