One step at a time. It's the best way to go. Still... still there always are falterations aren't there? Well, it can't be helped too much.
As I walk up and down the worn, battered streets of Mumbai, my chappals feeling as aged as the street, I get the usual looks.
Is my T'shirt too short? Will Harsh get annoyed about it again? It's so strange isn't it? The moment the relationship get's that term "going around", their whole attitude changes. Like it's not about him and me, but it's about whether we're "going around" or not. Like it's some button one switches off and on. Shouldn't he care enough either ways? I'm the same. Or atleast I think I am. I wanted him to wear a pink shirt before, and I still do. How come he didn't notice my belly below my T'shirt before? Maybe it's a guy thing. What? I know I'm trying to convince myself.
"Heyyy!!!!", I'm enveloped in a big hug. I can smell Ruchika's strong perfume. How I've missed her!!! I smile looking into her excited face. "I've missed you guys soo very much!!!"
"Ooh, pooh!!! I'm sure you've been way busy to even think of us..." I say teasingly, "but we've definitely missed you. A lot. " Her smile remains steady. Jesus, what I'd do without her... Without any of my friends for that matter. Well, my school friends atleast. "Who else is coming? I see I'm first as usual."
"Except for Chotu, everyone's going to be here... Including your "friend""
"Christ, Ruch!!! You have to stop with that!!!" *Giggles* What? We are girls after all!!! She has this weird habit of calling Harsh "your friend", when she's the one who actually introduced us.
"Do you think my T'shirt's too short?"
"Looks fine."
"I'm talking Harsh short. Do you think he'll find it too short?"
She gives me a long laugh, and I know it's useless to bother now.
"Hello everyone!!!" Sneha and Divya enter. More hugs.
"Isn't Harsh coming?" Sneha asks.
"He'll be coming from work." Ruchika replies.
"Work?" I wonder to myself. Somehow Ruchika's always been more knowledged about these little things about Harsh.
"I thought he was going to work from Monday..?" I ask.
"I spoke to him, that's where he said he was." she replies.
Perhaps... "So Sneha, did you get the CD?"
"Oops!!! I forgot!!! Hey, don't remind him Ok?"
We all laugh. I hear Dinx mention their Travel and Tourism friends, "...and then she just went and sat next to Anand!!! Just like that!!!" Ruchika nods, but you can see her face fall a bit, "but he acted like it meant nothing to him. Oh!!! Ruch, he's just so great!!!" Ruchika nods again, feeling a bit better.
"Hello people!!!" Neha's here. I somehow get really excited to see her. I have no idea what it is, but even in college, I see her in the break, but if I see her again between class, I get excited again. It's so weird, I think if a third person reads all this they'd think I was lesbian or something. I'm not. More than me, I'd never disrespect my friends that way. I'm not insulting lesbians or anything, they're cool. But we're just not them.