Siren of Hearts

50. Disaster- 1

As each of them picked ice creams from the parlor beside the restaurant, Siddharth continued to seek an explanation from Ishita about the confrontation with her classmates. Ishita, still fuming in anger, sighed in frustration. Siddharth glanced at Nitya, who then briefly explained the situation to him. After absorbing the information, Siddharth fell silent for a moment and then burst into laughter.

Ishita, annoyed, questioned him, "Why are you laughing? You think I was wrong? Who the hell are they to judge us?"

Siddharth looked at her, still chuckling, and responded, "They are nobody. They mean nothing to us. That's why you were wrong."

She wanted to snap at him, but he continued, "You didn't have to explain all the truth because they don't deserve your words. You explained our situation to this group," he gestured toward their small circle of six friends, "because it was worth it. Isha, they were our classmates. You have colleagues in the hospital; I have my teammates or co-firemen in the rescue station. Reserve the word 'friend' for this close-knit group," he referred to their intimate circle. "'Friend' is not a casual term we should use for everyone we know. That's why they don't deserve our sincerity."

Ishita understood his point — the importance of categorizing people based on their roles in different aspects of life. Not everyone deserved the depth of connection reserved for true friends.

The group strolled along the silent and peaceful highway, immersed in the chatter of old times. Siddharth, captivated by the serene night, looked up at the sky. The half-moon shone brightly, casting a gentle glow on the surroundings. He then turned his gaze toward Ishita, whose face was radiant under the occasional streetlight and, more prominently, the moonlight. Strands of her hair danced in the soothing breeze, and Siddharth found himself falling in love with her all over again.

He whispered, "The moon looks beautiful tonight."

 Raj and Deepak groaned in response to his romantic comment, while Ishita smiled, her face illuminated by the moonlight. Nitya and Priya, however, seemed a bit clueless. Raj and Deepak exchanged glances, and Deepak looked at his wife, Priya, shaking his head in disbelief. Raj sighed, "Women are so dense."

This remark offended Nitya, Priya, and Ishita, who looked at him with disapproval. Deepak attempted to explain, "Sea looks beautiful, moon looks beautiful - means 'I love you,' indirectly. It's an Asian phrase."

Ishita, catching the meaning and finding it endearing, couldn't help but smile widely at Siddharth. She playfully added, "He says it many times." This revelation prompted laughter from the group, and Ishita's friends exchanged amused glances.

Raj, however, remained unimpressed and expressed his disdain for public displays of affection  with a dramatic sigh, "We can see that. I hate PDA." The others couldn't contain their amusement, and laughter rippled through the group.

As the group continued their stroll, Priya pointed out an interesting fact, "Guys, it's not raining on this night, for the first time in six years." Realization dawned on everyone. Every year, on their reunion night, heavy rain had been a constant, and Raj always found Siddharth getting drenched in the memories of Ishita.

Deepak added humor to the moment, "Because they are married already. So, heaven also cooled down." The words brought a gentle ache to Ishita's heart, and she instinctively grabbed Siddharth's arm, leaning against his shoulder. Priya followed suit, leaning against her husband Deepak. Raj, in a playful manner, glared at the two couples, "Hey! Stop it. My wife is at home, almost 8 months pregnant. She's not with me. Nitya is single, so stop making us feel useless."

Siddharth shook his head, "I can't play dumb anymore. Nitya, let me make a confession on behalf of a coward." Nitya looked at him with curiosity. Siddharth continued, "Instructor Vinay likes you. Really. He just can't dare to confess because you're his superior, and it might make things awkward." The rest of the group looked at Nitya with anticipation. Nitya smiled, "I had no idea. I'll talk to him."