Flashback....

Rahul's POV

I was so much in love with Swetha that the words of Rithick did not sink inside. I was angrier on him for saying those words about her. I knew that he was not much into girls and so thought that he blamed my Swetha. I wanted him to leave at that moment. I already saw Swetha coming towards me. He wouldn't go. Instead he held my hand and started to drag me. I pushed him back but he wouldn't leave me.

He pulled me away from Swetha's direction saying, "Please, don't believe her Rahul."

His eyes were much softer now begging me to go with him. But my anger was only increasing by the minute. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks; I tried not to say anything hurtful to him but the words came out with the full impact like water hitting a dam!

I screamed my lungs out.

"I know about her Rithick, Don't come in between us. What do you know about love? You would know only if you had fallen in love. Don't you want me to be happy? Are you so selfish?" My heart was pounding in my ears. I had an adrenaline rise like never before. I hated him; I hated everything about him at that moment right there.

He stared at me for a while with hurt in his eyes. I didn't care, not when he can tell lies about my Swetha. His lips were quivering like he wanted to say something, but he thought the better of it. He then walked away from me and I know he went with a heavy heart.

For a minute there I thought I had lost my best friend, my brother, but I didn't care. I did feel a twinge of guilt rising in me, but I chose not to acknowledge it. Swetha was here and that was all that mattered. I turned my attention to her and was lost in her.

Life was bliss alongside Swetha as we laughed and talked like we were the only people on earth. They were some of the happiest days of my life and I was completely smitten by her. All through those days I kept wondering how anyone, let alone Rithick can talk ill about Swetha. She was such a sweet and caring girl.

Even though I was very happy with Swetha, the words of Rithick kept on echoing in corner of my mind. I was so irritated with him that I decided not to talk with him though I barely saw him at home or in the school. I had a feeling that he was avoiding me deliberately. I thought it was best that it remained that way. But still I felt the loss of a brother. I did miss him.

That particular day is still fresh in my memory. I went home late. I was exhausted and didn't want to converse with anyone, so I went straight to my room. I was still pretty angry with Rithick and didn't look for him. After freshening up, I went downstairs to have dinner. We usually had dinner together at the same time every day. These days Rithick avoided me at the dinner table by coming either before or after I had dinner. I could always feel his presence; it was the kind of bro-bond we shared, but not that day. I could neither feel his presence nor catch a glimpse of him anywhere in the house. It was at that time I realized that Rithick was missing. Immediately an alarm clock went off somewhere in my head. I looked for him everywhere. I searched all his favorite spots in and around the house, he wasn't there.
Suddenly my aunt asked me about Rithick. I knew all along that she had suspected something was going on between Rithick and me. But being the understanding mother that she is, she didn't discuss about that with us. She must have decided that we could sort out our problems ourselves and I am ever so grateful for that.

Right now I didn't know where he was and a pain was overtaking all my other emotions. I just blabbered to her something about an extra class in the evening. I also told her that I was going to pick him up after the class.
I came back to my room and searched for my mobile. The shock and pain was overwhelming! I first called my mother to ask her to contact Rithick, but she didn't respond. I didn't know what else to do. I decided to do the inevitable, to call him. As I was searching for his name in the contact list it pained me more to see that he was not on the recently called list when usually he is always there. It was too much for me. As the number was getting connected, I was so impatient for it to ring but it didn't. His phone was switched off. It was the last straw.

I took my bike Keys and went out in search of him. I searched in all the places we would usually go. After that I started looking for him at his friend's homes.

I know Rithick loved me more than I did, so I was sure that my words and activities slashed his heart. I was riding like a mad man on the street, calling out his name at every place.

The time was ticking fast, it was already 9.00 p.m. I was trembling with anxiety; my eyes stretched looking for him. I was in an extreme state of emotion with my heart screaming for him. I didn't know what to do or where to search for him. As time goes by, I feared that I was going to lose him forever. That thought gave me the energy to think of the next practical solution. It was to go to the police station. But before that, I decided to call him again.

I took my mobile and with all the hope in the world called him. I was relieved the moment the phone rang. But he did not answer. I decided to call him again and again and after a few missed calls his line was connected. "Hello", I wanted to say a thousand things at once but was shocked by the change of voice. A million ways of how he could have got hurt swam through my brain. Suddenly I couldn't find my voice. When I did find it, it was all broken.

"Where is Rithick?" I managed to ask suppressing my urge to ask a fifty more questions. He didn't answer my question instead he asked me to come to the nearby sea shore.

I rode the bike at full speed and reached the nearby shore in a few minutes. I could see the silhouette of two people sitting facing the sea. I ran towards them. Relief flooded in me and the knot in my chest unwound when I recognized one as Rithick.

"Rithick!" I screamed.

He didn't flinch. I could see tears rolling down his eyes. I knelt down beside him, took his face in my hands. I could see pain etched on his face. His eyes were lifeless. If anything I felt more scared than I had felt an hour ago. Seeing Rithick like this was too much for me.

"Look at me Rithick!" I said and I practically punched him in the face.

"Why did u do this? I was so scared for you. I have been searching for you everywhere." I was begging him to speak.

"I am so sorry for everything. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I know you were only looking out for me. I am sorry once again. Please talk to me". I was in tears now.

He didn't open his mouth instead he was just staring into the waves.
The silence was overpowering. The place was filled with just the sound of waves.

Suddenly, the silence was broken with the sound of my name being called. I hadn't realized until then we had company and I almost forgot about the person who had spoken over Rithick's phone.

I turned in the direction of the voice.
He introduced himself as Pradeep. The name rang a bell in my almost numb brain. I had never seen him before but realization dawned on me as I remembered Rithick telling me about him before. He was his best friend.

I could see pain and hesitation in his eyes. He kept looking at Rithick like he was asking for permission to speak. Finally after what seemed to be eternity, Rithick nodded and Pradeep started talking.

He took a deep breath and said that it was something very personal and that it was about Swetha. I didn't react. It was my turn to be silent now. I just knew that whatever he was about to tell me now was going to kill me and I braced myself for the inevitable.

"Swetha and I were in love", he spilled. The moment I heard that sentence, my heart broke into a thousand pieces. I thought there might just be an explanation for it and then he dropped the next bomb.

"She left me for someone else. I thought she loved me with all her heart and soul." He said.

I was feeling dizzy now.

"She played me and I didn't realize. I was madly in love with her whereas she was just performing I guess. I couldn't breathe without her. I felt my life had come to an end. But I thought she might consider me and that the whole thing about she leaving me was a joke."

"So, I went to her and asked for an explanation. She coolly replied that she was no more interested in me and that she had found someone else."
Now I felt the earth move under my feet.

"I confronted her again and the entire conversation turned into a fight. I didn't want to hurt her but I too said some words that were unforgivable. But in my defence she deserved it."

"The next thing I know is that I am being dragged into the principal's office and served a suspension order for harassment. I was alarmed. I couldn't believe that Swetha would do such a thing. That she would stop so low to get me expelled. I came to know later that her father was a very influential politician who wanted to throw me into jail for what he thought I did to his daughter. It was only because of the intervention of Sanjay uncle that I escaped imprisonment."
Pradeep finished with a sigh.

I didn't know if I was spinning or the earth was spinning so fast. I felt nauseated. I couldn't breathe.

I stupidly decided to ask, "Do you have any proof?" I think I knew the answer before he showed me the proof!

He had with him a big shoe box full of letters, pictures and gifts. I instantly recognized her in all the photographs. She had the same smile on her face like when she was with him. I even recognized her handwriting!
Everything was over! The world had ended.

I slumped over and fell on the sand.
A familiar hand touched me; I knew it was Rithick's. That warmth made me break down and I was sobbing into his shoulders. I was shivering and quivering. The only word that escaped my mouth was "Why? Why? Why?"
Finally Rithick spoke for the first time after our fight; his voice was very hoarse,

"I am sorry Rahul. I didn't want this to happen to you. That's why I tried to warn you about her in the beginning itself. Then when you asked me if I didn't want you to be happy, I couldn't bear the agony. I thought maybe she might really be in love with you and that too for your sake. I really wanted you to be happy Rahul. You mean the world to me. So, I decided to follow her and see for myself if she had mended her ways and really loved you. But that was only my speculation. I found her yesterday evening at the movies with a boy I didn't know. She has been seeing another boy when she proclaimed her love for you. That was enough for me. I couldn't allow you to be played by her anymore. So I called Pradeep and explained the situation to him. I begged and pleaded with him to come here and save you from her. He has come all the way from Coimbatore for this. I couldn't find the nerve to call you, I knew I was crushing your dreams, I am sorry again that you had to go through so much pain!"

I threw myself at him and hugged him tight. I was devastated that Swetha cheated on me but somehow relieved to get Rithick back.

"I love you bro" I said. I couldn't say anything else. It was like I was in a trance and didn't know my existence.
I have no idea what happened next!
It seemed like we said goodbye to Pradeep and Rithick rode the bike back home.

Suddenly I felt the warmth of the bed and closed my eyes. When I woke up the next morning, Rithick was by my side.

"What happened?" I asked him. He was silent.

The entire scene of the previous evening started coming back to me and so did the pain. I couldn't believe that I had been cheated upon by my Swetha. I didn't fail to notice the irony in the word "my". She is not mine, she did not love me and she cheated me. These words started to revolve around my head. I had an excruciating pain flowing through my body and I knew it was nothing physical. I started to weep. Again, Rithick tried to comfort me and I didn't allow him, I knew I wanted him to comfort me but I don't know why I didn't allow. I started to scream and ran like a madman. But Rithick held me. He was talking to me but I couldn't hear his voice. I was disoriented! I have no idea for how many days.

The days went by in a blur. I did not talk to anyone. But everyone including Riya and Nethra were there for me.
Everyday morning and evening, Nethra was in my home. She spent all her free time with me. She brought me books to read, accompanied me to the park or movies with Rithick. I slowly started to see her in a new light.

As months passed by,

My pain eased. I had broken off with Swetha a few days after the incident with Pradeep and before she could do me any more harm and then started healing.

Somehow I felt that the healing was because of Nethra.

Flashback continues
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