'Speak', said Sumithra as she twirled the straw inside her very pink drink. I had somehow managed to convince her to hear me out which also included payment in the form of that pink monstrosity.

'Why are you talking like I committed a crime?', I asked trying not to be intimidated by her piercing glare.

'Because she just resurrected an old obsession of hers out of the blue! Salome isn't someone who's loud about the things she likes unless they're that important. The only other reason for her to be getting lost in her obsessions is when she's trying to desperately ignore something'. Sumithra wasn't actually angry, she was concerned and I got that from the way she frowned as she explained it.

'I wasn't honest with her about who I was. She found out in a terrible way and she feels like I betrayed her', I sighed.

'Did you?'

'Not really. It just blew out of proportion and before I knew it I was guilty', and I looked at hands trying not to remember how disappointed she looked when she found out about Naomi.

'I honestly don't understand a word you're saying', she deadpanned.

'I told her not to be everyone's fairy godmother while ignoring herself but when the truth came out that my ex's name was Omi as well, it made it look like I was with her as if she were a rebound making me the biggest hypocrite in the world', and I looked at her timidly but Sumithra's expression surprised me.

She looked amused as if it didn't surprise her.

'The fact that she doesn't know she's the biggest hypocrite of them all is what's funnier', and continued to sip her drink but paused at my stunned expression.

'It's the truth. She goes around telling people to put themselves first but then does the complete opposite when it comes to her own life! She used to call Karthick-', but she paused and I noticed that her mouth twitched a bit.

'It's okay. I know who he is, you don't have to talk about him', I said gently and for the first time, she smiled at me.

'No, it's fine. Sometimes when I rant about them I feel like he's still here but then it just suddenly hits me', she explained and sat straight as if to get a hold of herself.

'What I was saying is, she used to scold Karthick for being everyone's superman when all they ever did was use him. He'd admit it but then go back to doing the same thing. Omi hasn't admitted it once but I think she knows, I just don't know why she can't take her own advice'.

'Why would she do that?', I asked hoping that she could open a window for me.

'Salome's been hurt a lot and when she sees other people hurting, it's like this basic instinct for her to help them even though those people are worthless. She says that she knows what it feels like to want someone to help her when no one would. There's probably only 1 percent of the people she's helped who actually care about her', she said.

That made sense.

'I wish she could stop doing it, though', I murmured.

'If she did, you wouldn't even be friends with her. Also, how did you end up being friends with her? She told me you knew who she was at some shop but come on, you don't just happen to be friends with someone like that. You've met her before, haven't you?', she asked curiously.

'I'm impressed at how you deduced that', I grinned but she didn't care, she was clearly not the type to be swayed.

'To answer your question, yes, I had met her before, it's just that she doesn't remember', and I smiled at the memory.

'Are you going to make me ask or-' 'You really don't like suspense, do you?', I scowled.

'I'm not the one desperate here', she countered back leaving with no choice but to drop the pleasantries and just get into it.

'It was during my first semester which wasn't quite long ago. A bunch of seniors made me do their assignment and it required getting material from the university library but I didn't know that I needed to be a senior to access the information they needed. So, I got caught and the librarian kept asking me why I was being so shady and that was when she walked in'.

I remembered how Salome looked that day. You would think that I noticed if she was pretty or not (she was pretty) but I was more interested in her eyes which held emotions too big for their size and the way her lips seemed to be in a constant pout as if it were deciding whether to smile or frown. Having gotten to know her better I now know that she was clearly annoyed about something and she kept biting her lip as she waited for the librarian who was too busy scolding me.

'And?', rudely cut in Sumithra causing me to internally scowl at her.

'And she immediately figured out that I had been set up because she was there for the same books. She told the librarian that it was a silly prank and that it was a part of their fresher's day program. Anyways it worked but before I could even thank her, she was gone. The next time I saw her was at the shop'.

'Typical Omi', she sighed, 'Once she has something in her head, it's nearly impossible to get her out of it until it's dealt with'. Sumithra then broke into a grin and giggled as if she had just discovered something.

'What?'

'The fact that she met you in a library. Ah... She's really clueless', she laughed.

I had no idea what she was talking about.

'It's private best friend stuff. I'm not just going to dish out everything about her', she said defiantly.

'I was hoping you would', I said with a sheepish expression.

'Why would I do that?', she asked as if it were the craziest thing in the world.

'Because I care about her!', I blurted out unable to reel it in anymore and I looked up to find Sumithra backed up against her seat as if she was hit by the force of my emotions.

'As in you like her? As in a crush?', she asked with concern in her voice which made me confused.

'Why do you sound like you're sorry for me?', I asked bewildered at her sad posture.

'Because the last time someone said they had a crush on her she said that it was okay and that it would go away soon'

Well, that just brilliant.

'Ah this is hopeless, isn't it?', I asked burying my face in my hands.

'It's hopeless only if it's one-sided', came her voice causing me to look up.

'What is that supposed to mean?'

'You don't know if she likes you yet', she said in a carefree tone.

'But you know, don't you?', I asked excitedly.

'That's classified information', she grinned.

'I will give you anything, just help me, please. I just need to know if what I'm doing is right. I'm taking a risk here' and I rubbed my neck trying to calm myself down.

'I can't just tell you if she likes you or not. She hasn't told me anything other than the fact she cares about you as well. You hold a special place in heart', she sighed finally being compassionate.

'I hurt her bad, didn't I?', I gulped.

'Oh don't think so highly of yourself, Ethan. You disappointed her, that's what you did. It takes more than a lie to hurt her. Believe me, that woman lost her best friend and herself in a short span of five years, you have no idea how resilient she is', she smirked.

'Is she still grieving over Karthick?', I asked. Maybe understanding this part of her would help me.

'Who isn't?', she frowned.

'No as in, hasn't she accepted it? He clearly means a lot to her. She's always talking about him. She manages to bring him up in almost every conversation we have that I feel like I'm literally competing against someone who's not even here', and I sat back hoping that I hadn't offended her.

'She still talks about him that much?', she asked with a frown and for a second I regretted bringing it up.

'Yes, she does', I pushed myself.

Sumithra took a minute to prepare herself and then sighed, 'It's a long story, a sob one too'.

'I'm ready for anything' and she nodded.

'Omi, me and Karthick were a trio but our relationship with each other was different. Omi used to say that I was his pocket of sunshine and he was mine. Karthick and I were always either laughing or annoying each other but for Omi, he was her pillar. I'm not surprised that she keeps him on a pedestal even though he's hurt her countless times', she smiled and I could see that even though her body was here, her mind was swimming in their golden past.

'Why would she put him on a pedestal even after that?'.

'He was her lifeline. He found her during a time when she had given up on almost everything but he pulled her out of that hole. I met her only after all of this had happened. No one really knew how their friendship even started. It just happened one day although I know that he did it to make me jealous', she grinned,

'We had got into a fight as usual and he started talking to everyone else except me thinking that it would irritate me but his trick was getting old so I ignored him. His prank however backfired because the person he had chosen was Omi. He thought he could just stop talking to her and she wouldn't care but boy was he wrong', she laughed.

'Omi was so pissed off that she wouldn't even look at him and I caught him more than once trying to make things right but she wouldn't have it'.

'What did he have to do to get back on her good graces?', I asked curiously and watched as an evil grin spread across her face.

'You see the thing with Omi is, she doesn't really make anyone do anything. They end up doing it, so you could imagine how shocked she was when he acted like a human umbrella for her to shield her from the sun during one outdoor class', she laughed and I could feel my heart sink with fear.

'Was he alright?'

'She said she found him with a splitting headache afterward and that it was only then she decided that he was truly sorry. Ever since then they were inseparable'. Sumithra paused to take another sip from her drink before continuing, 'For Karthick, he needed someone to listen to him and that's what Omi does best. She listens and knows exactly what to say even if it was the cold truth. Karthick, in turn, would listen to her and try to help her see the brighter side, she said she felt safe whenever she was with him'.

'I think I can understand now, why she's still not over him', I said but she shook her head at me

'It's that simple. Karthick was everyone's friend, and so everyone was grieving him in their own way. Omi and I grieved differently as well and we both got through it- well I got through it differently', she said.

'What do you mean you got through it?', I asked confused.

'I found a new friend and he helped. He was like an anchor for me. People think that I replaced Karthick but-', and she had to stop herself to take a breath. I noticed that her hands were shaking now so I got up and positioned my chair next to hers so I could hold her hand.

'It's okay', I said as she turned her face away from me, so I handed her a tissue which she quickly dabbed her tears with.

'I don't understand how people can be so quick to judge like that. Everyone has their own way to get through grief and my anchor happened to be another guy. It doesn't mean I just got over him. God, how could they even say that? Karthick was my happiness, my own special brand of happiness and like any designer brand they only release one unique version and I've kept him safe in my heart ever since', she cried and shed a few more tears again.

'I don't even know why I'm telling you this', she sniffed with a slight smirk and I chuckled, 'I don't mind. It's impossible to keep intense feelings like this inside', and she smiled in agreement. Sumithra wiped her eyes carefully so she wouldn't smudge her eyeliner and then positioned herself again.

'You really don't have to-' but she cut in, 'I want to because I want Omi to get a real anchor. Not fictional men or boy bands, I want her to allow herself to trust someone with her feelings. And that won't happen unless you know what she's been through', and she looked at me as if she were assigning me with an important mission.

'While I had my friend, Omi had no one to talk about her grief with. Of course, we were there for her but it's just not the same. You've lost a part of yourself, it's not that simple and for someone like Omi who feels everything too deeply, she was drowning. She got caught up with the wrong crowd who only ended up using her and then they threw her away like some used tissue. She kept grasping at every little sign of happiness that came her way but she still couldn't get out of it.

Omi has always been in this dark tunnel and just when she was about to step into the light, he was gone. It must have felt like someone had pushed her back in but she fought so hard not to end up at square one again. I feel like when most of us made our way out of the graveyard, she's still there at his tomb refusing to let go. Everything she does is related to him that sometimes I can't help but feel like she's limiting herself. It's okay to grieve and I know that everyone has their own way but Omi hasn't even tried. I guess the first time she actually tried was with you', she said and I felt like I had been hit by lightning.

'What?'

'She's obviously told you about herself and you've seen her have a panic attack-'

'What does that have to do with anything?', I asked confused.

'Ethan, if there's one thing you need to know about Omi, it's that she only tells you what she wants you to know about her. If she allowed you to see her at her worst it's because she wants you in her life, because that girl could be having a panic attack in class and no one would even know, believe me, it's happened', she said wryly.

'But I screwed up. I can't get anywhere near her'

'It doesn't take much to get back into her good graces, you just need to keep showing her that you're sorry and that she's not a rebound. She's not a rebound is she?', she asked sternly returning to her murderous self.

'No! Naomi was my first girlfriend but it's different with Salome! I can never see her the way I saw my ex! Salome is the only person who saw me as just Ethan and not Ethan Pharaoh. She never once asked me to do anything for her and all I can think about is making her wishes come true but I don't even know how to make the first move when I have to compete with someone she calls her lifeline', I sighed perplexed with all of the new information.

'It's true, you'll never be what Karthick was but it's only because you're someone else for her', she smiled with a gentle expression.

'And what's that?'

'You're her Gilbert Blythe'.