AADHYA REHAN✓

56| Happy Birthday ✓

Rehan Malhotra

"What's the name of this guy?" I question Liya as I pull the car out of the house.

"Kevin." Liya smile as she answers me.

"I don't like this smile or Kevin," I tell her.

She shrugs her shoulders. "You are going to drop me. So I'm prepared not to say anything to you."

"Just don't let him touch you. Or stand anywhere closer to you. And don't hug him when you see him. If you are uncomfortable with this you can tell me and I can drop you back home." I say as we reach the cafe.

"Bye. Love you." She leans in to kiss my cheek and run inside. I shake my head getting out.

I have called Kavya and asked her to meet me here, to keep an eye on Liya but Liya doesn't know that yet. Even if she sees me she won't come to kill me leaving her date.

"I'm here."

I look up from my phone to see Kavya. She has lost weight, in an unhealthy way. Dark circles around her eyes and her face looking gloomy, she's changed.

"Hi," I say putting on a smile. "Let's get inside. Liya is with her date."

"You want to scare the boy?" Kavya asks laughing.

"Sort of." I smile opening the door for her.

We get inside and sit a little bit far away from Liya, with her back to me.

"One cold coffee. What do you want?"

"Nothing," Kavya reply setting her purse down.

"Make it two," I say to the waiter before he went to get our order.

"It wasn't necessary," Kavya said softly.

I nod. "How are you?" I ask.

"Good." She smiles looking down. "I never dared to talk to you, from childhood. You always have skipped my heart."

I stare at my hands nodding.

"I'm sorry-" She says shaking her head. "I just. I don't know from where to begin. It took me a lot of courage to call you. All I wanted to tell you is that I'm sorry. For everything that happened to you and Aadhya and your baby."

"It was not you."

"My mother always told me, you were mine." She look into my eyes and tears glistened in hers. "I was blind in my love for you. We were such good friends and then I fell in love with you. Tara always told me to back off but something in me couldn't. I couldn't lose you. I was going mad and my mother thought, bringing you to me would erase all sorrows. I should have told her before, that you were not mine in the first place."

The waiter comes with our order. Kavya wiped her tears as he placed the coffee in front of us.

"Thank you," I say before he went. I look at Kavya and I feel so wrong. I don't know why.

"I always used to avoid you. You always have been my cousin. I couldn't ever see you anything above that. You were my friend. I did lose my friend when your mother manipulated you. And I was also responsible for everything that happened. I should have talked to you. I should have told you that you were always gonna be my friend." I speak holding her hand.

"I've done some stupid things in the past. I don't know if you can forgive me for that. I was the jealous crazy bitch." She says laughing and I smile at her.

"It's all good." I nod. "Now can you tell me how you really are? I know the answer is not 'good' but I hope you, uncle and Karthik are doing better."

"We are going." She mumbles. "To States. Papa's leave is gonna end and he didn't wanted to us leave here."