I glared at her with my curious eyeballs. How could she know about him being in the house in this hour?

"I heard his mother's voice yelling at him to have his tea before it gets cold." She chuckled. What a prodigy friend I have!

I took a deep breath and started to add details to my story, "Yesterday at about 11:00am, Rohan called me to meet him at Strez Park. He wanted to say something. As I was about to go, mom asked me to fill up her credit card authorization form. After that she insisted me to go to bank with her. Unwillingly, I delayed my plans with him and went with mom.

While going, I thought of calling him and informing about it but I couldn't as there was no network coverage. Then I thought that I'll try again after I reach the bank but there I got busy with some paper work. As soon as I remembered later, I called him but he was busy with some other call so I dropped a message saying 'Sorry... couldn't make it. I'm with mom in the bank.' "

I sighed. Words hesitated to come out of my mouth. I gulped...couldn't think of framing any sentence. Looking at the curious starry eyes in front of me, I had no choice but to speak.

"I saw him in the parking lot with a girl. But I couldn't see her face. In the evening he picked me up for the party. When we reached the venue, I asked him about the girl but he completely refused as usual and gave a lame excuse. Moreover in the party I saw Shagun flirting with him and I couldn't control my anger. We had an argument for a very long time. He had changed Rid. He is no more my monster that I knew. He said me that..." I stopped.

"What did he tell you?" Rid asked.

Tears rolled down my cheeks. She rubbed her hands onto my shoulder and consoled me.

I continued "He asked me to for a break. He asked me to get away from his life. Shagun doesn't like our relation and so she asked him to choose between me and her. And guess what? (I choked). He chose her and left me like I was never anything to him. How can he leave me? I know that he loves me and something else is making him do all these. He can never leave me but what should I do now? He told me very clearly that he loves Shagun and I mustn't mess up with her."

"But what about these cuts and wounds? What happened?" Rid asked confusingly.

"Let's not talk about these".

"Why not? Tell me" she insisted.

"Forget it Rid. It's of no use now" I spoke.

"Avu! Tell me. I want to know who did this to my friend." she was curious.

"After he finished his talk, I had no courage to stay there and wanted to leave the party as soon as possible. As I was about to move, he held a tight grip on my right hand and locked me. I tried hard to unlock myself but I couldn't. I couldn't hold back myself and cried in front of him. I asked him the reason for his changed behavior. He told me that he now loves Shagun and don't want to lose her. He also said that he even can't let me go but will come when it's time..."

"Time??" Ridhi prompted in between. I nodded my head and blinked my eyes.

I continued, "He'll come back when it's the right time. For now, he has chosen Shagun and wanted me to stay away from him and Shagun. He also warned me not to mess up with Shagun."

This time I stopped myself. I saw him coming. I hurriedly took my satchel and ran without saying anything to Ridhi.

Two days passed by and I didn't move out from home. These skips from the outside world was possible because it was luckily the weekends. 154 missed calls and 2 messages. 2 messages and 1 missed call were from him and the rest from Ridhi.

'Pick up the call. I need to talk' 'What did you tell your friend? Are you mad? And when did I hurt you?' were 2 messages from him.

The very first thing I did after I switched on the phone is to call Rid. She might be really worried. I dialed the number and was hearing the rings.

After several rings I heard "Avu!! Avu!! Are you all right? What the fuck do you think you have done Avu? I have been trying to call you 100 times but you..."

"I guess the number is more" I corrected.

"Shut up! Is this funny to you? Tell me right now why didn't you receive my calls. And make sure you give me a valid reason." Rid warned me and waited for my reply.

I didn't speak. Ofcourse I had no good reason.

"Avu! Are you all right?" she was getting worried.

"Yes" was my only answer. I kept quite again.

"Only Yes?? Speak up Avu!! And why didn't you allow me yesterday to enter into your room. I was so worried you know. And leave about me...did you think ones about Manish uncle. He loves you so much...what will he do if something happens to you Avika. And did you think about your mother who...??" Rid was very freaked out. I could sense out from her words.

Putting 'on' the speaker, I kept my phone near me on my bed and started to untangle my hair.

"Rid! I know what I did, wasn't good but I seriously needed time for myself....time to let heal my pain and those wounds forever."

"Finally! I'm happy to hear that from you Avu. But where are you now?" Ridhi asked merrily.

"Home! But soon after my finals I'll be leaving to a new place for my further studies."

"What? Where?", she asked spontaneously.

"Sorry I can't tell you. But I'll return as soon as I finish my studies." I was sure this news was very annoying and surprising for my dear friend Ridhi.

There was no response from her side so I continued, "I had no other choice than to move on and this is the chance, I guess, life gave me to move on and start fresh."

"I don't know what to say Avu. I'm happy for your decision but I'm also sad as we'll no longer see each other. You took a good decision but it's unfair for me because you don't even tell me where you are moving. What about our plans?"

"Plans?" I asked.

"Yes, we planned to study abroad together and take a job in the same office and also marry within the same family. Did you forget?" Rid laughed.

She tried hard not to make it awkward. I could sense that.

"No no! I didn't forget. It's just postponed for the time being. I can't think of anything else now Rid...I only want to move out of this situation."

"Hmm... sometimes you have to give up on people not because you don't care but because they don't", Rid spoke. It was the bitter truth! We talked for some more minutes and said goodbye to each other.

************************************

Weeks ...months ...and then years passed by. I didn't change. I'm still the same. But why do the people say that I have changed? I left my home for my further studies and didn't return back. I stayed away from my parents, my brother, my bestie Ridhi and from him. I need no one...I came alone! I'll stay alone! I'll go alone! I don't regret anything that I did in the past.

I gave them what they deserved. This was too much... how can he ditch me...am I not attractive enough? He'll regret for his deeds...how can he slap me infront of all the people...and what for he slapped me?? Because of that girl?? He got worried that she might be hurt...but I too was hurt with so many cuts. I know that I did it all by myself but it really hurt me and he didn't even recognize...

But I wasn't going to hurt her....(laughs) I was helping her to go where she deserves to be. Of course!! He only yelled at me telling that Shagun is like a fairy for whom he always dreamt of and wanted to be with. And so I thought I should fulfill his wish that if she is a fairy, she should he in heaven and not with us.

Was that my fault?? Tell me?? Tell me??(smirks)

*************************************

Today I'm not alone. I have all that I desired. The food served is nice but how come they talk to me? That day, while I was bathing I screamed when the water colour turned red. Another day I tried to fly and compete with the birds but I fell from the window and broke my left leg. (Sobbing). Every day I have difficulty in sleeping because the moment I close my eyes... those evil shadowed-people pull me and tries to take me with them. They are very bad and I don't want to go with them. But there is one person who stays with me. He is good. He understands me and helps me. No one believed me when I said that I can jump high up and touch the sky...but he believed me and I bought some clouds from the sky for him. I want to fly...I like to fly (smirks) other people are very bad...they don't let me do what I want. I want to be free from them and be happy forever......(laughs)