Forgetting The Ex

Stop Staring

"It's been some time since we met Sandy",she grins.

I nod, feeling uneasy.

Somebody rescue me, please.

"Yeah. It has",I smile.

"Nikhil is working here too. I'm sure you probably know though",Ananya shrugs.

"Yeah. We see each other quite often",I smile.

I was surprised to see Ananya waiting for her brother outside the hospital. Though I was startled,I couldn't stop myself from greeting her.

Even though the initial few minutes of conversation flowed quite smoothly,I felt awkward now.

I'm talking to the sister of the guy that was my friend turned marriage-proposal-guy turned friends-who-kissed turned friends-that-like-each-other-but-don't-do -shit-because-the-girl-has-no-clarity-over -her -feelings.

I couldn't just leave too,I think it'll be rude.

So we just stand next to each other quietly,lost in our thoughts.

"I really wished you were my sister-in-law."

I flinch. Talk about awkward.

"Anu,I-",I pause.

"It's okay",she squuezes my hand,"I understand. You must have your own reasons. But please... don't give him false hopes",she ends quietly.

My throat feels dry. Did I just get roasted?

I simply nod at her, wondering why I felt rubbish.

The girl's looking out for her brother,Sandy. What's wrong in that? You know you would have been jailed long ago if someone broke Sneha's heart too. Ananya is at least polite about it.

My mood plummets. I don't know if I'm turning negative or if I'm just wrong or if everyone just has a problem with me.

Snap out of it. Don't do this victimizing crap. It doesn't suit you. Heart break is normal, natural. Sneha didn't go beating on Dhruv's door when he broke my heart. Everyone deals with... love differenly.

Granted,Sneha doesn't know about it. But that's not the point.

Nikhil frowns when he approaches us, assessing the situation, probably.

"Bye",I force a smile, nodding at the both of them.

I'm still in hearing range when I hear...

"What did you do?",Nikhil asks.
"I didn't do anything."

I walk away faster,not interested in eavesdropping.

One should never eavesdrop siblings' and best friends' conversations.

***

"I can't run anymore",I try to take deep breaths,my sides hurting.

"Come on Sandy",Anshu starts marching on the spot.

"Why couldn't we just go to the gym?"

"I wanted to run today."

"Heard of treadmill?"

"Run in nature's lap."

I fake gag at the line,"Your alternate career is definitely not a poet."

"Whatever",she rolls her eyes.

"Why are we running so far from campus?"

"Stop asking so many questions",she looks around.