"Yes, Mr. Anderson I want to cancel the meeting. I am very sorry for the inconvenience. Could we reschedule it? Oh great. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Thank you so much, Mr. Anderson.” Just as I am about to put my phone back in my bag I hear a familiar voice.
“Cancelled out on a male client to meet me. Wow! Either you have been missing me too much or the male client is not cute. I go for the second option. And can u stop looking at your watch I am pretty aware of the fact that I am an hour late. I will never understand that time is money. Anyway, how have you been?” said Ria in one long breath.
“I have been good. You should tell me all about your Goa trip. How was it?”
“No first we talk about the phone call that I got today morning. You know I am not a morning person but even for my mom 4 o’clock in the morning is a little too early for chit chat on the phone. So whats wrong?”
"Why would you think something is wrong? Can’t I just call my friend because I was missing her. Do I always have to have a reason to call an old friend. The world has become cheap I tell you.”
I could see Ria was not buying my story and her ever fast brain had formulated a lot of possibilities. And possibilities which I would never guess unless she told me.
“Ananyaa, look if you have some financial problems you can always ask me for help. I have no problems as such. Please don’t hesitate.”
“Oh my god! No no. Its got nothing to do with that. I am actually here to talk about Trisha.”Ria looked as though I had stabbed her with a knife.
After a long pause Ria spoke, she said, “Okay. So what about her? Is she in India? Why would you suddenly want to mention someone I haven’t talked to for seven years?”
“Ria look this is important. This is higher than Rahul. This is way above him. You cannot let the mere teenage issues affect what I am going to tell you right now.”
“Let me guess her ever blooming business in the states has become even more blooming right? And this is way above Rahul how?”
“Her business isn’t blooming now.”
“Oh! That is sad. Recession hit her too? Well too bad it hit everyone.”
“Ria this is much more than recession. Can you, for once, not just think about that day and try and listen?”
“Ananyaa, I might remind you I didn’t start the fight.”
“It doesn’t matter who started the fight. You both were wrong in your own ways. I just want you....”
“Wait a minute you think I was wrong. Wow! Thats great. That is just amazing.” Ria put down the money for her coffee and walked out of the restaurant.
I could see my self as the 17 year old me, still stuck between two friends. I had no clue what to do now. Ria was my last hope and she refused to listen to me. She had walked out on me. Infact she reacted the same way as the 17 year old Ria would have reacted. I had no idea I would trigger off the same emotions in Ria that were prevalent when she was 17. I had guessed she had grown out of it. But then I can see I was wrong. I put down my cup of coffee paid the bill and walked out of the coffee shop.
It has been a week since I met Ria and almost two week since I last met Trisha. I honestly couldn’t meet Trisha after the whole Ria incident. For some strange reason I felt guilty of telling Ria bits a pieces about Trisha. I am sipping my coffee when my phone beeps with a message. It is by Ria. I read it over and over again just to be sure that I was reading right. I messaged back and left the coffee shop with a victory smile on my face. I had not won yet but it was the first step to success. I was going to meet Ria tonight at her place and she wanted to know everything I wanted to tell her that for old times sake. This is what the message read. I was going to preserve the message forever.
To be continued..
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