Gun and My Girl

24. To Jodhpur

Prisha

I was about to walk out from there when Tanu threw up and Aarthi babhi aided her. I don't know why but looking at them I felt a pang of hurt. How can I feel hurt because of someone's happiness? Adhitya is going to be a father and his family accepted Tanu. I should get rid of my feelings for him. I should not have feelings for a man who is going to be a father to someone else's baby. 

"Papa, I am going to Jodhpur!" I said to my father with this thought in my mind. I will stay away from him and get a hold of my feelings before coming back. 

My family agreed after I said I was going to meet Abhinav bhai and Ishaan bhai. We met at our hospital when they bought their professor for treatment. They are both younger than me but I call them Bhai just to irritate them because they called me Chotu when we first met. We gelled well and have been in contact till now. They are both gems of a person. Shrugging off my sadness I rushed to meet my best friends.

I went to Ridhis' home, dragged her, and texted Vivaan to meet us at our regular spot. We reached the spot in 40 minutes and ordered our favorite pulka with cashew curry. We all ate to our heart's content. We three will celebrate all our happy moments and sad moments here only. This daba witnessed our successes, failures, smiles, tears, and most importantly our unwavering friendship.

"I am so happy for you guys!"I chirped once we reached the cliff and set up our tent.

"I love you!" I said and hugged Ridhi.

"I am sorry!" I apologized to Vivaan holding my ears with a pout. 

"That slap was actually necessary to knock some sense into my mind and it was not the first time you beat me, right?" He asked pulling my hands away and wrapping his hands around my shoulders pulling me into a hug. He was right. I have beat him many times but this was the only time I slapped him out of anger. All the other times I was just messing with him, which he too does a lot.

"But I must say your slaps hurt like bitch!" He mumbled rubbing his cheek and making me laugh at his expressions.

"Then be careful before acting stupid next time." I sassed and gave him a glare at which he made faces and laughed.

"Who was he?" He asked after a pause.

"Leave it, guys!" I said looking away from them. I don't want to spoil their mood with my feelings.

"That's not fair Prishu! You were the first one to know about my love. So, tell us now!" Ridhi demanded. How can I tell them that the man I love is right in front of my house but I can never have him in my life?

"He can never be mine. Then what's the point of knowing who he was?" I asked wiping the traitor tears which managed to come out.

"How can you say that Prisha? Tell us his name. We will see how he will not love a girl like you!" She said again making me chuckle amid my tears.

"He can never be mine because he already belongs to someone else. He is going to be a father." I said and broke down in front of my friends. I was holding it back for a long time. I fell to the ground sobbing hard and soon they both engulfed me in a tight hug letting me cry my heart out. I wish it was not Aditya whom I loved! I wish it was not him! Because now I can't even share this with my family. I don't want to spoil the beautiful bond both families share just because of my feelings. I don't want any of them to feel awkward around me or each other. Their relations are more valuable than this. With those thoughts, I sobbed louder as I had to let it out all now and go home acting happy!

"You know guys, I am not able to be happy for someone's pregnancy for the first time! Am I becoming selfish and a bad person?" I asked amid my hiccups but they didn't reply anything and tightened the hug rubbing my back. My sobs died down after crying for a long time and Ridhi wiped away my tears and planted a kiss on my forehead. Vivaan too kissed my hair saying everything would be all right.

" I am going to Jodhpur tomorrow," I announced and they frowned.

"I want to clear my head and it is Abhinav bhais' coronation in some days. I want to go there away from all this." I said and they both nodded understandingly.

"Come on girls! Enough of rona dona! Let us get started with our party now!" Vivaan exclaimed and we both nodded smiling. He took out his guitar and started hitting the strings creating soothing music and I was lost in the night covered with a blanket of stars amid the woods, combined with the cold breezes and beautiful magic Vivaan was creating. 

We spent the entire night on the cliff and I drove back home the next morning. I managed to act all happy in front of my family and packed my bags in the afternoon. I sent a formal mail to Bhai asking for leave and booked flight tickets from Mumbai to Jodhpur. I informed Abhinav bhai about my arrival and he said he would send someone to pick me up.

I got on a flight and reached Jodhpur by evening. Abhishek came to receive me. We also waited for a while for his girlfriend and once she came we drove off to the royal palace. Once we reached the workers took our luggage while Abhinav Bhais' wife welcomed us in. She was very beautiful and looked classy and elegant.  She did aarthi of Abhisheks' fiancee teasing Abhishek along with Abir and Abhigya. 

"Bhabi maa! Please, not you too!" Abhishek whined looking at her and she held his ear twisting it.

"Then why didn't you tell me anything about it, huh? I thought you would share it with me but you hid it from me for so long!" She exclaimed twisting his ear.

"Bhabi maa, it's paining! And Bhai sa knows about it!" Abhishek whined and she left his ear.

"I will look at your Bhai sa later. But first, you both come here." She said and kissed his and his fiances' forehead lovingly. She then asked Abir to show us our rooms. One thing was very clear. Abhishek is close to his brother while Abir is his bhabi maas' kid.

Abir led us to our rooms and teased his bhabi all the way along with Abhigya. Abhigya said Ishaan bhai and Abhinav bhai went somewhere and would be back by late night. I decided to meet them in the morning. 

I went to my room and took a relaxing shower. I called Maa and informed her about my arrival. Then  I called my overprotective brother. I saw a few missed calls from Adithya but chose to ignore them. I am not in a state to talk to him right now. I need some time to clear my head.