Chapter ~14: Shrutika

“You know what my biggest mistake was?” She asked me.

‘Loving him!’ I want to say it aloud, but my throat was too heavy to blurt anything out.

“It wasn’t loving him.” She paused “It was believing that he does feel same for ‘me’.” She answered her question herself.

She started slapping herself while murmuring “It was my fault!” after every slap.

I shook my head and shouted “STOP IT!” But she wasn’t listening so, I ran towards her and hold her hands to stop her “Stop it! You are hurting yourself.”

She looked directly into my eyes. Her eyes were filled with sadness, pain, ache, dejection and her, those eyes were directly looking at me asking me ‘Why? Why have you stopped me from punishing myself.’

“It is not your fault.” I whispered. A sudden wave of strength came in me as I shouted, “LOVING SOMEONE ISN’T YOUR FAULT!!” I put my palms on her cheeks softly "It’s your devotion towards other.” I explained her.

Tears were pooled in both of our eyes, blurring our vision.

“But- but that person doesn’t feel same for me. Is-Is m-my devotion th-that weak?” She asked.

But I wasn’t having any answer to her question.

She was waiting for an answer that I never had.

Out of sudden an unknown man barge inside the girl’s washroom.

He was wearing three-piece business suit. Perfectly set hair and polished shoes.

He separated us – pushed me on my butt – pick Vanshika up in his arms and went out.

He had done all this in only 2 min or less than it. He was just like wind.

She didn’t even resist.

I wasn’t even able to see his face properly but she did.

‘Who the hell he was?’ this question stuck in my mind.

I wiped my tears, washed my face and came out.

Both Arav and Anshika were standing in front of bathroom.

I ignored them.

Then only Aarav called my name “Shrutika!”

I stopped, that I shouldn’t.

“Can we talk? Please!” He literally requested.

My heart was too heavy, if I said yes and then blurt out something rude to them then.

I was about to deny, but he said “Relax, we are friends, and we know what you are facing currently, and we won’t mind if you let it out on us.” he looked at Anshika and then they both nodded.

Water pooled into my eyes again. No, I don’t want anyone, think that I am a cry-baby.

I ran away from there.

‘I can handle this, yes, I can. I am not a cry-baby; I can handle everything’ I was running madly while murmuring this.

Out of sudden someone stopped me by holding my wrist and took me in the warmth of their arms.

“It’s Ohk!” He spoke. I knew the owner of this voice.

It’s him!

“No! Nothing is ok. You know how hurt she was?” I nuzzle my face into his chest and cried.

Ya, crying. There is nothing I can do except crying.

It was too much.

Every word they said to me was correct.

I was-will never be a good friend to anyone, I deserve to be alone.

Alone, Alone and Alone.

I can’t even console her properly. I made it worst by my words. I even made her question on her feeling. I was so stupid.

She deserves someone better than me.

A good friend, not me.

He caressed my head softly.

“You tried!” He whispered into my ear “You did your best to comfort her.”

 “NO! I made it worst.” I raise my head; tears were flowing unstoppably.

I got confused when I looked at him.

Was he mocking at me?

But I was wasn’t feeling being mocked.

“I can never laugh at you and I am offended that you even let this thought enter into your mind.” He said while squeezing his eyes a little, pouting, then again, a smile took place on his lips, “No one in this word, has set a criterion that you have to do this or that to be a good friend. Vanshika showed you the part of her, which she hides from everyone. She shared something that was very important to her only to you. But rather than being happy that she is opening to someone you are worried about the things which is not important” He spoke all this like it was nothing.

He took a deep breath and continued “You are not the perfectionist, you are her friend, who was with her at her worst, who tried to her best to console her friend.”

I shook my head “No! I did nothing.”

He put his palms on my cheeks and looked directly into my eyes and said in stern voice, “Stop bounding yourself with so call standards, which have no worth in your life. Stop it! You are strong. You have to be strong and throw that shityy standards out of your head and get back to the real word, the world which care for none?”

After saying aa this the left me alone to think on whatever he said.