I couldn't sleep last night, my mind completely busy with thinking of different scenarios of what could go wrong in today's breakfast.

I slept late, woke up late and now will be late.

The bell rang, making me jump up. Was Raghav already here? Shit! I was nowhere near ready. This time crunch was making me even more anxious than I already was.

I dressed up as fast as I could, before going out to the living room to see Rudra in a stand down with a strange guy and oblivious to that tension the elders talking happily on the side.

"Oh Sia, come come. Look who's here," Mom called me, before I had the chance to backtrack to my room.

"Oh my! Sia you have grown up so much," an aunty said, which I later found out to be Viraj's mom.

So the strange guy in a staring competition with Rudra was Viraj. Interesting.

"Long time no see," Viraj said, coming forward to greet me, but Rudra came to stand in between, becoming a barrier so Viraj wouldn't come too close.

"Yeah nine years, long time," I said calmly, reeling in Rudra's protection.

"You look so different. I wouldn't have recognised you if we crossed paths outside," he said, ignoring Rudra's presence altogether.

'Like I would roam outside to ever cross paths with anyone in this condition ,' I wanted to say, but I just said, "Same here."

The elders sat down on the couch, reminiscing the old days. There were many things we didn't even remember, which only remained in the fond memories of our parents. While some memories were unforgettable.

Talking with Viraj again felt nice. I had missed him so much when he left. Missed him for so many years, before totally loosing myself to the incident.

Not once did I try to remember him or my any other friend after what dad did. I was too ashamed and too caught up in my mess to think of anyone else.

Right now, speaking to him sparked so many memories I had suppressed. And I could do so, only because Rudra was standing beside me as a protective barrier, making sure that neither Uncle nor Viraj could accidentally come closer.

What a life I was living. I was able to talk with my childhood bestfriend by taking the help of my current bestfriend.

We spoke about a lot of things, but only about the past. I made sure we stuck to that only. Although they seemed genuine, something wasn't adding up.

Viraj wasn't a good liar, from childhood itself. If you knew him properly then you would be able to catch his lie instantly. And, it seemed that this nature of his had carried along the years as well.

The guilt in his eyes spoke volumes. He was genuinely happy to see me, that I was sure of, but there was something in the mix. And that just solidified my doubts from yesterday. Something was really fishy here.

Before I contemplate more, the door bell rang.

'Hopefully it was Raghav this time and not some other guests,' I prayed.

I went to open the door, and thankfully it was Raghav.

Before I could usher him in, I heard my mom saying to Viraj's parents', "Oh we were going to Tanya's house for breakfast. Why don't you join us?"

Great mom! Just great!

I looked at Raghav, making a crying face, but he just shrugged as if saying 'he can't do anything in this matter.'

"Wouldn't we be imposing?" Viraj's mom said hesitantly.

Totally.

"No, no, not at all. Please come," Raghav extended the invitation, making me glare at him.

"It doesn't look good on my part if I didn't invite them at this moment," he whispered to me later.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered in annoyance, before joining everyone outside.

Politeness should go to hell sometimes.