Chapter five: Holding onto yesterday

Sara woke up the next day, with a throbbing headache. She got out of bed lazily, and opened the blinds, groaning as the sun rays hit her face.

Kya faltugiri hai!

The streets of Mumbai were busy as always, from her window. As it was morning time, there were a lot of hawkers and school buses on the street. The city was awake, waiting for her to start her day.

Rubbing her eyes, she headed towards the kitchen to drink some boiled water, a healthy habit. As the drops of water hit her throat, her memory awakened as glimpses of the previous night came back to her.

"Everyone loves you," she remembered saying something like that.

"Sara Sachin Gupte, what stunts did you pull yesterday?" She panicked, talking to herself as she rushed back into the bedroom to take her phone. Perhaps there is something in my phone which will help me remember shit.

One message from Shubman
Hey, you were kinda drunk yesterday so I dropped you home. Take care, it was nice to meet you!

He wrote and Sara looked up, aghast. Kinda drunk? God, and he had to take the trouble of making sure I got home safe? OH MY GOD!

Hey, I'm so sorry you had to go through all that trouble. Also thanks!

She wrote quickly and paused for a second. She bit her lips in nervousness, wondering if she should frame her message in other words. Why is this so hard? What could possibly be inappropriate in this message? And why does this always happen when I text him?

A groan left her lips and she rolled her eyes.

"Just text him, it's Shubman. You're overthinking again," she scolded herself as she clicked on the little arrow button. She plopped herself back on the bed, staring at the screen, head hurting.

Fuck, I should delete my message and send something else.

Just as she was typing a second message, she got a FaceTime request.

"Sanvi?" Sara raised an eyebrow, as she saw the caller id.

"Hi Saanu," Sara tried to smile as she received the FaceTime. What is this horrible headache?

"Gee, you look horrible," Sanvi Marathe- Sara's best friend, a childhood friend said. Sara rolled her eyes.

"Lies, I look good all the time," Sara replied wittily.

"Alright narcissist, I just called to tell you that I'm at the airport right now. I'll land in Delhi tomorrow night, I mean technically day after tomorrow's dawn but yeah,"

"Safe travels, call me when you reach too. Also, did you eat? Is the flight on time? Did you check in? Got your boarding pass? What about the bags? Oh, did you just reach at the airport? Then why are you talking to me, complete all the procedures stupid, and,"

"Oh my God, Sara- you're doing it again, you're rambling like a mad woman,"

"Well,"

"I checked in and all, I'm at the boarding gate and I have forty five minutes,"

"Oh okay,"

"Now can we talk about whatever is going on with you?" Sanvi asked, concerned.

"Apparently, I drank a little at Sayali's birthday party yesterday. I don't remember much except Shubman dropped me home and I was babbling constantly," Sara explained and Sanvi's eyes widened.

"What the fuck?"

"Yeah,"

"So you met Shubman twice in the span of less than a month?" She asked and Sara nodded.

"Yeah,"

"Baapre, good for you girl!" Sara rolled her eyes.

"Shut up San,"

"Did you at least thank him for dropping you home?"

"I'm not a child, Sanvi. I did,"

"Did you obsess a little if you sent the message with correct wording?" Sanvi asked teasingly and Sara's nostrils flared angrily because Sanvi was slightly right.

"Whatever,"

"You're crazy," she said. "Sara, you two don't even talk like the olden days anymore, you still like him?"

"First of all- I am tired of saying this, I did not like him and I don't like him now. I mean, I don't like him in that way."

"Okay, then why would you even hesitate for a second before sending your text, stupid?" Sanvi asked, tired of trying to explain her the same thing for the umpteenth time.

"I...I dunno know,"

"Sara, stop dancing around your feelings. You two have drifted apart and text like if it's someone's birthday and Diwali. Yet, you two pretend that everything's the same when you meet. You two clearly still have the desire to stay in each other's life. You're holding onto the past, but for how long?" Sanvi said and Sara looked at her silently. Sanvi sighed as Sara did not respond.

"Saru, I don't want to do this when I'm on the airport, but it's time to face your feelings because how long will you hold onto yesterday? You have to look at the future, and you have to make a choice; he stays or he leaves." Sara gulped before she answered.

"Why can't we just stay friends? I mean I can't be stupid for wanting just that right?"

"Are you really friends if you don't send stupid memes to each other, if you don't talk about things, if you miss each other yet never express that? How many times have you called him? An invisible string is helping you two Sara, but a string also breaks off if stretched beyond its capacity,"

"Sanu...I, uh..."

"Okay, I'm sorry Sara. I rambled off more than I should have. Let's talk about this when I come back, okay?" She said with a smile.

Sara nodded, closing her eyes for a second, the headache had never left her since she opened her eyes this morning.

"I'm sorry," Sanvi added, suddenly feeling that she had upset her best friend and cussed at herself. You should see your mouth, you stupid woman.

"Sanvi, paagal. I expect the truth from my best friend and nothing else, I know whatever you say stems from your genuine concern for me," Sara smiled, understanding her friend.

"Also, I bought the chocolates you wanted!" Sanvi said, wanting to the change the subject.

"Thank God otherwise I would have had to kick you out of my house," Sara replied and Sanvi gasped.

"Hawww how dare you?"

🦚

It was evening time. The Sun had already set, making way for the night sky. The streets were busy as it was peak travelling time for everyone. Shubman was at his house, preparing for dinner when his mother called.

"Shubman kaisa hai?" (How are you Shubman?) he heard his mother's melodious voice as he received the call.

"Theek hu, aapko miss kar raha hu," (I'm okay, I'm missing you though) he answered honestly. "Kya yaar Mummy, kya fayda ghar lene ka agar aap yaha nahi ho!" (What's the point of buying a house if you're not here with me!) he frowned and heard his Mom's small chuckle.

"Acha, chalo aapki khwaish puri kar dete hai!" (I'll fulfill your wish!)

"Sachhi?" (Really?) Shubman asked enthusiastically.

"Me and Manvi are coming to your house for a week!" Rekha declared, making Shubman's day.

"Mummy, aur pura ek hafta sirf mera, okay? Kahi bhi plans mat banana," (You have to spend your week only with me, mom. Don't make plans anywhere else!) he warned.

"Acha theek hai, par ek din toh Sara ko milna hoga hi!" (Alright, but I have to give one day to meet Sara!)

Sara.

"Fine," he said, the train of his thoughts suddenly changing its destination and started towards the 'Sara Gupte Junction'.

"Yayy, Kusum society jaate," she had said. Kusum society. Where it all had started. He still remembered the first time they met, at dinner at Sara's house. She was wearing a pink balloon sleeves shirt and black pants. Her long hair was braided and she wore a white coloured plastic hairband in her hair.

Kusum Society. The home he had with her.

"Shubi, awaaj aarahi hai kya meri?" (Shubi, can you hear me?) his mother's loud voice ringing in his ears snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Haa, kab aare hai aap?" (Yes, when will you be coming?) he asked.

"Kal ki bus se," (By bus tomorrow)

"Arey! I'll arrange a car for you two, don't come by bus!" He said.

"Chup kar, we'll come by bus," Shubman sighed, knowing it was no point to argue with his mother dear. The two said their byes and hung up. But, Shubman's train of thoughts resumed, as he sat still, still thinking about Sara. Why do I think so much about her? Oh, God.

He co erred the chopped vegetables with a lid, and went to his room. He needed to clear his mind, and the only way was cricket, of course. He had a hanging cricket ball in his room, which he would hit at times like these to clear his mind. He liked the simplicity of the exercise. The ball went back and fro, and he dictated the direction, the speed of the ball, he had control over it, unlike his feelings- over which he had zero control.

As he hit the ball the first time, he thought about his and Sara's first meet.

"Hello, I'm Sara," Sara said, beaming at the taller guy she had seen in college that morning.

"Uh hello Sara, I'm Shubman," he replied anxiously. Conversing with new people was never easy for him, but it seemed so easy for her. For Sara.

"Shubman, I have never heard this name before," she murmured and he nodded, not knowing what to say.

Second hit. The first time she called him her friend.

"Congratulations Shubman! You were so good on the field today," Sara said as Shubman and the college team won their first match in the inter-college championship.

"Thanks Sara,"

"Aaj tumne iss dost ka naam roshan kardiya!" (You made my name proud today) she said with a Poo (from K3G) like attitude and laughed, a laugh which was joined by him.

"Shubman, no. Just focus on hitting the ball. That's it, don't think, don't think" he said aloud, to distract himself. "Sara, Sara, Sara, why do you keep on thinking about her?"

A/N: This chapter was a lot about their feelings, and it was not something easy to write for me, so I hope it doesn't feel cringey. Lemme know what you think! I trying to keep the pacing speedy, so I hope everything feels organic!