September began with excitement and celebration. Divya had a lot of birthdays and celebrations to plan. Her mama and Mami had got promoted, her Mama had turned 51 years old and her cousin had his 13th birthday. Their family had decided to gather at her Mama's place for the celebrations. For about 15 days Divya had been there in Andheri and was returning back to her home along with her cousins who thought it would be great to have a slight change with a small sleep over at her place. They were still in the car stuck in traffic due to the barricades of the construction work of Metro, when she received a call from Madhav.

"Hello, Divya. Where are you?" He asked the moment the call had gotten connected.

"I am out, what is it?"

"Haaw, do you know what my dad would have said to this?"

"Just a second Madhav, I can't hear you." Divya then shifted a bit in her seat, adjusted her cousin on her lap such that he could sleep peacefully, and then went back to the call.

"Sorry, I am in the car and you know the kind of traffic Mumbai has. So tell me what would have your dad said if he would have come to hear this."

"He would have said, 'Ache gharo ki choriyo ko der raat tak ghar se bahar rehna shobha na deve hai."

"well than uncle seems like aapki beti bhi ache ghar ko belong nahi karti, humne toh use der raat tak parayi choriyon ke sath muh kala karte hue dekha hai."

"Kon chori?"

"You, now I cant tell him that you as well stay out till late at night, and to add on to it, I stay out with my fam, unlike you... by the way do they know about the ringworm?" Divya giggled as she heard an annoyed 'very funny' from the other end.

"Anyways, I called you to tell you that I am coming to Bombay, so tell me when you want to meet." For a few seconds Divya couldn't reply, however she took a deep breath and said, "See 17,18,19,20 I am busy, I have things going on, I am coming to Bombay on 21st so if you are there till then, we can meet.

"Why not 19?"

"Dude, 19 I have shradh ceremony for my maternal grandmother I can't say that I need to go, it doesn't look good."

"Right, no problem let's see how can we work it out."

That night the call got disconnected. However, Divya didn't get a chance to meet Madhav then. His father had called him back home as there were some issues. Madhav told her that he would explain later on what it was, but they never got connected again.

It was on the 19th of September while Divya was going back home and was seated at Railways station she had received a call from Madhav. He was waiting for his flight at the airport. Divya picked up the call as the two talked about a few things, with Madhav asking once again for his birthday gift and asking if she would be able to come to visit him in Jaipur. Divya wished she could, but there were a lot of things that were there. Jaipur though was in India, it was far away, it wasn't someplace where she could take her 9:21 am local and reach within 3 hours.

"We'll see, so you won't be coming here again?"

"I don't know, mostly not, I don't have any valid reason for my parents to let me go there."

"I really don't like this, we are grown up, on the verge of earning on our own, yet all our decisions are based on my parents wont allow, we don't have a reason."

"well that's what being desi is like, anyways, if you go to Nandini's place I have kept Jalebis and Kaju katlis for you there, do have them. I got to go now, will call you soon."

The two bid byes as Divya's train came. Divya felt quite weird to catch that train at that time. It was as if something new was about to happen. Madhav was gone from this city for good. He won't be coming back again, surely it seemed surreal, but she thought how weird life was. The day when he had come here he was all alone with his family, and today when he went home, he had so many people to bid him bye. Though she was glad he called her, she felt really bad that she couldn't meet him.

If only she could, if only she had the courage to ask her mom if she could go and meet him. What would have happened? Her mom would have scolded her, but than wouldn't that have been worth it? she would have got her chance to say bye to him, to meet him and get that closure of hers... but than it seemed like you really wouldn't know how the last good byes of yours can be like.

Where she had thought that she would bid him bye at the airport, she was here seated at the railway station and saying bye on the phone. She wondered when would they meet next... or more than that, would they even be friends after this?

*******

By the end of September Divya's exam began. It was a hilarious time as She would call Nandini and Rohit, than Aman along with Rishi, Dev, Atharva would gather at Dev's place and call Nadnini, Manav would call Aman and all of them would get connected on the conference call.

All of them would start with the exam as one by one everyone would ask the questions to which they didn't know the answers to. At times Nandini would answer on other times Divya and Rohit, there would as well be times when the boys would tell the answer.

The most hilarious time used to be when Rishi used to tell that Kavya has said that this is the answer and Nadnini and Divya would say a complete different answer. The boys in such a situation used to listen to Divya and Nandini at times and yell at Rishi telling him that he should go with Kavya why is he listening to the answers that they are giving.

And when Divya and Nandini themselves used be in doubt they used to support Kavya as Manav used to say, "What is this, you don't even know the answeres to these?"

Once frustrated, Divya herself had asked them to go and fetch answers from Kavya if it were so. However on a random Wednesday afternoon on her cellphone Divya gave her final exams and was finally on the verge of graduation. It didn't mattered to her what the result was for she knew that she was going to get full marks as all answers were full proof.

It was on their last exam Madhav had received his gift, Divya had selected the frame with Nandini however she didn't really knew how the photographs had turned out to be. Hence it was quite nice to see that.

At night she was watching one of the Korean dramas when she all of a sudden got a call from Madhav. It had been a while that the two had talked, especially after he had left. They didn't had much time to talk with their exams and Madhav starting with his work at his fathers office once again.

"So you liked it?"

"Yeah Its amaizing, I have already hunged it up on the wall. Wait a minute." There was a silence for a few minutes and then Divya could hear Nadnini's voice. She said a hello but even before she could say anything ahead Madhav said,

"Nandu its Jeel" Divya almost felt as if her heart would fail. Jeel was Madhav's girlfriend, though she was laughing, Divya felt nervous to even hear her name from him.

"Hi Jeel, how are you?" Nandii replied. Her voice sounded so unsure and nervous. Divya was sure she would have been cursing Madhav for having taken her on this call.

"Madhav, you guys can continue I will call you later." Nandini said further as Divya said a Hi back. However hearing this the two couldn't control each other and began laughing.

"Ohh shit Nandu its me Divya!"

"fuck, kuutaa Madhav, I was so scared, I was like why was he introducing me to Jeel all of a sudden."

"Never mind, though guys thanks for the gift, I wanted to buy one like that as it is." Madhav said.

"Yeah we know."

"Shit how?"

"Remember in march we were on a video call, we were discussing gifts and you were like you wanted to add a photo frame on the west wall of yours with all of ours picture in it. we were a bit confused as to what to buy hence we bought this." Divya answered.

"Shit seriously I don't even remember this?" Madhav marveled.

"Yeah, we know we are great."

That night was the last call Divya could remember having done with Madhav for a long time. A call where they all laughed, teased Madhav in a team, and she even forgot that he had a girlfriend. For many days she waited for him to call, but never got guts to call him herself.

It was somewhere around the weekend that Divya, Natasha and Nandini were talking on their group chat about the different things that they liked and that their friends liked. The topic had came across due to Nandini as it was her birthday and Madhav had asked her what all things did Nandini liked and somehow Divya realize she didn't really knew what all was it that she liked. It was Simran and Nandini's mom whom she had asked about this.

"I knew a few things that I had seen nandini ordering all the time but others I wasn't that sure." Divya typed back.

"I am not sure about the things that my friends like but yes I know very well what all things they prefer." Natasha's reply popped up.

"But don't you think that if we know a person for a while now than we should atleast know the kind of things that they liked or preffered?" Nandini countered.

"That's not necessary, its been almost 11 years that I and sakshi are friends yet there are so many things that I don't know about her, like I just got to know that she at times even eats nonveg, I wasn't aware of this." Divya replied and when she read the message herself did she realize how stupid it sounded.

'Fuck!! Dude shit, I am such an asshole, I don't even know if my best friend is a non vegetarian or not."

"But dude you guys haven't met for years, that's quite understandable."

"Yes it might be, but that's not just with Sakshi its even with parth and you guys. Parth knows each and everything that has happened in my life yet I have never asked him if he is okay, why is it that he comes up on the terrace,why was it that he began smoking. Fuck I am such a bitch. My friends easily remember the names of the people whom I like and have a crush on more than that even the names of my other friends I don't even remember the names of their friends.."

It was a sudden realization, nothing that came with a slow gradual process but like that of the rain during the rainy season, somethimgh that was already there but one could see finally at the right time.

She felt guilty for having neglecting her friends for such a long time.

"You know what this time when they call me I am going to listen to them and keep my trap shut."

Yes..she would listen to them and hear them and be the real friend that she should be.

She got off from her bed and decided to start it off immediately with Parth. She remember how she had seen him a bit tensed in the evening while their family was having dinner. She checked the clock and it was around 11 she knew he must have not been asleep hence she picked up the kittle and the cup noodles and a water bottle from the kitchen and went out of her house.

She then went upstairs at the terrace and set the water for boiling through the plug from the meter room and went back downstairs to get Parth.

"Aunty, where is parth?" She asked.

"He is in his room, go in." Divya walked towards his room and knocked the door once, as soon as she heard a soft yes she walked in and announced, "Maggie?"

Parth smiled back at her brightly as he got off the bed while divya walked into the kitchen and called out for Parth's mom and asked, "Are there any chocolates?"

"Yes check the freezer he kept them there this afternoon." The two ladies winked at each other as Divya took out two dairy milk silk from the freezer and went out.

"You weren't supposed to get them, they are mine."

"I am giving you my Maggie, don't be an ass and come." Pulling onto his hand Divya took him upstairs and rushed to the kittle in which the water was already boiling.

"so whats the occasion?"

"Sit I will tell you."

Divya prepared the Maggie as Parth kept on observing her, Divya herself was a bit awkward as to how and what was it that she should ask him first.... She than thought it would be better to get the conversation going as naturally as possible, because parth won't open his mouth just like that.

And true to her prediction Parth sat there just like that hogging on his noodles while Divya kept on wondering how was she to approach to this topic...how was she going to be there for him?

It was then she wondered about the days when they had first began talking, she wondered would they have even been friends had their mothers not takked to each other or they wouldn't had been neighbours?

"you know I was thinking, what and how would have we been had we not been neighbours and our mothers wouldn't have been friends?" Divya said aloud.

"I don't know, but why all of sudden this?"

"Just like that" Divya shrugged her shoulders and took a deep breath and let it out. " I was just talking to Nadini and Natasha, and I realized that we had known each other for so many years yet there are so many things that we don't know about each other... like I don't even know the girl you like, or the kind of friends you have in your college, or how your day was..while you know all about me."

"so you want to know about my friends?" Parth asked. He was looking at her while she ate her noodles, but she wondered what was it that she wanted to know about him?

"No, I mean yes... it could be anything, like how and what do you feel right now?" Divya asked.

There was a long prolonged silence around them as Parth let out a chuckle and said, "This might sound rude, but Divya things are so convenient for you right? One day you realize you hadn't been there for people and hence you arrange them Maggie late at night and tell them to talk about their feelings, one day you realize that you have feelings fro this guy and that those feelings are getting quite overburdened and to prove yourself that you are no more a pushover you go and confess your feelings to him without even a second thought."

"have you ever thought the way you behave, the kind of words that you speak, the kind of things that you do might affect someone a lot?"

"Parth, whats wrong?" Divya asked. Each of the words that parth said to her didn't made sense. She wondered was it really true what she said was she really that kind of a person? But than why was it that she had to know that from him, why couldn't she just know her feelings and what she was from herself?

Was she so dense? Was she just so much unaware and clueless about herself?

"You really don't want to know whats wrong Divya, we all are in this lockdown and there are a lot of things that we all are realizing I just hope that you wont jump onto chances to make yourself feel less guilty. Its okay the way you are, we are fine with it, just don't give surprises to people." Parth stood up from his place and walked out from there leaving divya behind to think over things.

She didn't wanted to feel bad but she did.

How she wished she could have been more attentive about the things that were going around her. It was one thing to be immersed in one self but a complete different thing to be ignorant about the others.

As she laid in her bed, she texted to Parth, "I am sorry, I wished I had known this earlier, I wished I would have been more attentive towards you, but I promise you parth I will be there always for you."

Parth didn't reply, however the next day it was him who knocked on the door and asked her if she wanted to have Maggie with him.

And while they sat on the terrace Divya listned to parth's story. She tried to understand him, she argued with him and she laughed with him.

That night, Divya became a true friend to Parth, she had a lot of things that she wanted to do for him, but than as parth had said she would take them slowly so that it doesn't become overwhelming for him. She than wondered why did it so happened, she had so many advices for people, for the friends from her college and why was it that she forgot about the people who were always there with her?

However she was now glad that she understood what was needed. Wrapping her hands around parth, she asked, "So who is the girl? You never told me about her.'

Parth looked at her and shook his head. "I wish you had a little more brain, you sure know how to pretend to be smart."

"I am smart."

"Yeah that's why it took you so long to understand that you at times neglected the people around you."

"aren't you being an ass?" she questioned him.

"No I am not, because at times I really needed you, but you were so immersed in your pain that I couldn't tell you about it. divya did you ever wondered that so many times when a friend of yours might have called you could be because they wanted to tell you something... but you would keep on going about how cool your things are. I am not saying its not good, but Divya, at times listening to what other person wants to say can be more important than what we have to say."

Divya knew parth was right, you would never know what that smile or the cheerful hi from the other end would have to say... at times a simple hello could have many reasons sometimes even desperate one, and may be asking twice if everything was fine to your loved ones is necessary, irrespective of what your state is.

****

Divya soon began developing a closer relation with her friends, Sakshi,Aditia, Parth, her brother at times Nandini and Natasha as well and by the time December rolled in she herself was on trips and Madhav had gone a trip with his friends from Jaipur. And just like that days had gone by, Divya applied for her first attempt for Afcat and gave her exam in February, Nandini herself took up a job at a event management company, Aman, Atahrva and Dev began helping their dads with their business, Manav had shifted to delhi for a few projects and than was back to his home town.

Simran had started practicing yoga. It was in March when Divya finally went to Nandini's place to meet everyone again did she came to know about Simran and her boyfriend's break up. She didn't say much to her this time all she had to say was

" Its okay if things are not working Simran, why worry yourself? You tried to mend things with him for a good amount of time if its not working now than so be it. but you know at the end of the day, you don't need a guy to know your worth, you should be able to feel proud of yourself.. and that's what matters. You work on making the best version of yourself, rest would all fall in place."

"You tell me did you contact Madhav once again?" Simran asked.

"we do keep on texting each other from time to time, but not that much as we used to earlier, he now has work, I was busy studying and I myself thought it was better not be so much in contact with him, it was difficult for me only." Divya replied.

"So when was it that you had last talked to him?" Nandii asked.

Divya wondered about it for a while and than said, " I guess on Diwali, he had called, I was about to call him to wish, but he did, he was in a hurry so all he did was wished me and hug up the call. Other wise the proper conversation that we had was when he had called to thank for the gift."

The girls nodded their head as they ate the pasta and the garlic bread. Divya's own words made her think. It had surely been a while that they had last talked. So what if he didn't called her, she should have called him as a friend.

She didn't called him immediately, she tossed and turend over it for a while and than called him however he was on scooty and hence couldn't talk to her and told her that he would call her soon.

That soon came about two to three days later while he was at his shop.  

*****

Distance and time, scientifically as complicated these concepts were, emotionally and mentally in a relationship it affected the human a lot. When three days back Divya received a call from Madhav, she was shocked and worried. She didn't knew what was it that she was to speak, why had she called? What did she wanted to talk to him about? She felt lost.

And she felt even more lost when she heard his voice. It seemed as if she was talking to someone else. There were so many things in his life that had happened and she didn't knew about.

"Sorry I was on scooty the other day when you called, and day before yesterday Atharva had called me so I couldn't call you and yesterday I got a call from my ex."

"Ohh you guys had a break up?" Though, Divya and Nandini had already figured that out, she played dunb to see if he would tell her about it.

"Yeah, we did in January, things weren't working out, you know how I need to be physically there while in a relationship, I cant do this long distance,."

"Hmm and what about her? Why did she called you?"

"She wanted to talk things out and was all that she knew we could make things work, I cant she wants us to keep on talking, then she as well wants us to do a video call, and even after that she wants a separate call on weekends. Already my schedule is so tight, I could hardly give time to my family and over that she wants to get over a call."

Much to Divya's surprise she didn't say anything to that. She wondered what would had she done 3 months back? For sure she would have asked him what was it that he wanted, what was it that he felt about it, and the whole break if he was doing wel, but after all this while did she realize she wasn't anyone to ask pople how did they felt over a change, if they were okay with that break up, for at times its better to be just a passerby and not someone who would leave an impression of a great memory over a person.

She didn't wanted to do anything with Madhav than, she was tired with the kind of feelings that she had for him. She cared for him, she longed for him, she considered him a friend, but she felt that the friend that she could see in Madhav was somewhere not there, atleast not over those calls which had now became on obligatory calls.

She missed their sudden calls and the nonsence talks that they had, this discussing about his ex and then his family and then just being silent wasn't their thing.

Divya soon disconnect the call wishing him safe journey as he was scheduled to go to Goa that weeked, and as she proceeded with her day, she found herself accepting a job offer for content writer as she moved ahead with her life.