Metro Diaries : A choice

Riya ran towards Aditi and hugged her tightly. Meeting your best friend after 3 years discounted you on all the mannerisms and code of conduct while in public places perhaps because unaware about the curious glances they were attracting from passers-by they continued to be in a tight embrace for a long time.

“It feels  good to see you…!!” Riya gushed finally freeing Aditi from her hug. “….AAAnnnnnddd you look so pretty! Marriage surely suits you Aditi…” 

Aditi blushed at that compliment, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ears. “ Come, lets go to the coffee shop and talk before we become the free entertainment for everyone around us.”

Giggling like two teenagers both of them cross the road to enter Café coffee Day nearby. Riya and Aditi were like Siamese twins throughout school and college. They had met on the first day of the school and had stuck around since then. After college life chose different paths for them because of which they had suddenly lost touch since past three years. But as it is said the way to find a friend is never too far. Few clicks on a computer and the whole world wide web came together for her to get in touch back with her bestest friend in the whole world. No soon Riya planned a trip to the city where Aditi was no after marriage just to relive those old times once again.

Amidst hot coffees and sandwiches the conversation flowed smoothly:

“So tell me Riya… how are things at your end?”

“After college when I went back home, Dad developed some serious health issues and passed away in a couple of months. I had no option but to take up the family business as my brother was very young. But now I am pretty much relieved, my brother is in his final year of MBA in US and will be back soon to take control of things. Finally I will be able to think of myself now, personally and many professionally!”

“I remember you always wanted to have your own designing firm right?”

"Yes Aditi, I always did. But due to personal commitments I had to postpone my dreams. But as of now I am all set to start all over again towards that dream."

“What about your personal life Riya… how is Akshay?”

“Aditi….. we broke up last year. “

“What happened you both seemed so good together?”

“It was maybe due to distance in the relationship or maybe our priorities had changed with the passage of time. But nevertheless, time to press F5 in life and start all over again.” Riya replied with a huge grin.

Aditi tried to study her face very closely to see if there are any strains of pain or hurt and was glad to see that Riya was not pretending. She had truly accepted life as it had come and was coping up well. She felt glad to see her friend become so mature, but then maybe time did this to people.

“Leave all that, you tell me you are married and you still have the newly wedded bride’s glow on your face. I knew Harsh was the man for you… you seem to be so happy. Touchwood.”Riya gushed.

Suddenly the colour drained out from Aditi’s face, “Well Riya… I am married to Jay and not Harsh.  We broke up immediately after the college got over.”

It was Riya’s turn to be surprised “ Whaattt…? You are joking right?”

Aditi showed her mobile phone to Riya where she had a picture of her husband with her as the wall paper. This put all of Riya’s doubts to rest.

Riya went quiet after this. She did not know what to say or ask. The whole college including the professors knew they were inseparable, madly in love with each other. And right now whatever she was hearing was something Riya knew none of them would have guessed it. Everyone knew they were going to be together forever. Before she could find the right words to frame her questions Adit sensed the battle inside her mind and began speaking;

“Riya… Harsh never loved me. I loved him and he just liked me. For him I was the prize catch of the college and hence we were a couple. I adored him to death because of which I oversaw the way he treated me, felt for me or rather made me feel. There was nothing called love in his feelings. It was maybe a like misconstrued as love by all of us! 

While on the other hand Jay had been my best friend since high school. And the way he stood by me in almost everything is something I cannot forget ever in my life. He held my hand through thick and thin, ensuring all through that I am never alone even for a moment. 

The day Jay proposed me and I cried about it in front of Harsh his reaction clarified everything. Very easily he just said so what’s stopping you? You should have accepted it. 

That day I realized here was one man I had spent some of the best years of my life thinking it was a base of my future. And I never realized that the base of it was so weak that the building crumpled totally that day with just this one statement. On the other hand I had one person who adored me, loved me, knew me in and out and yet was willing to hold me all through my life just because he loved me. That was love, not what I thought Harsh had for me or maybe what I thought I had for Harsh.

And as it is said Riya, it’s easier to fall in love rather than making someone else fall in love with you! Trust me love does wonders, especially when you know that you are the world for one person on this earth. And that is what brings this glow!!”

Saying this Aditi squeezed Riya’s hands. Somewhere in those words Riya understood the real base of a successful relationship did not lay on love, rather it was one based on trust and respect. It was about knowing someone in and out and yet willing to be with them for you accept them as they are.