Chapter 8 on pg. 18
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9. STRANGE
"You still think Ryan wasn't at fault. Do you?", Tia asked as they drove back to the pavilion.
" I don't know.", Aashi replied curtly.
They were welcomed by RD as they reached home.
"How's life my lovelies?", RD asked hugging Tia.
" Its been so long", he said cupping her face.
"Yeah it is. But how could I stay away from you two?", Tia said.
" And how is our interior designer cum businessman doing?", she asked jokingly.
"Well am doing fine.", RD replied as he guided the ladies to the living room.
" You seem to be", Tia said sarcastically.
"Should I take it as a compliment or a taunt?", he chuckled nodding his head.
Nothing changed. They were what they were. Crazy, idiotic, emotional fools.
" I'll get water for you two", Aashi went to the kitchen.
"Iced water please", Tia grinned.
" Sure"
As she took out water from the refrigerator she watched the duo discussing something intently.
If only she could hear. They always have been like this. Tia was her friend but she bonded well with Rishi.
"What's up with Aashi, Tia?", Rishi asked Tia.
They were in the corridor outside the library.
" Why are you asking this?", Tia rolled her eyes.
"Because I care for her. She's my friend.", he replied.
They discussed her but they were unaware of her presence. She listened to their talks from behind the door of library.
" She has fallen.", Tia could only manage these words.
"Fallen? Where? How? Did she get hurt?", Rishi was concerned.
Tia laughed at this nodding her head.
" Stupid. Fallen. Fallen means fallen in love", she said pushing him slightly by his forehead.
"With whom?", Rishi asked as if he knew. He wanted to confirm.
" If you know that. Why do you ask me?", Tia had understood Rishi well by then.
"Ryan?"
"I feel the same."
"Didn't she tell you anything?"
"No. Its my guess."
"Even I feel the same.", he mumbled when he saw Aashi near the door.
" Hey Aashi.", Rishi called her out signalling Tia of her presence.
"What's going on here?", the third person asked.
" Nothing. Jaipur trip Aashi.", Tia replied.
"Yea exactly. Actually Varma sir had asked me to prepare the itinerary. But as I have no knowledge of the place and Tia has been there so I thought of taking her help", Rishi tried to manage the mess.
" Okay. Then where's the list? Are you making the list orally? I must applaud your memory then.", Aashi scoffed.
That was always her favorite look.
Tia and Rishi always knew their friend didn't appreciate any kind of intrusion in her personal space.
And once that was done they were only greeted with her deadly glare.
Today they did the same probably. But alas she couldn't hear a single word.
They stopped talking as they saw Aashi coming to them.
"Water", she said amused at the solemnity of her surroundings.
" Everything all right?"
"Yeah. We were just talking of the party.", Rishi said.
" What party?", Aashi asked taking a seat besides her friend.
"I was going to inform you Aashi. I have kept a party tomorrow evening for all the business delegates. Like a get together. I hope you don't mind.", Rishi cleared her doubt.
" No, why will I mind?", Aashi was happy as there would be many people in the house now. She didn't have many close acquaintances but she loved places full of people.
"Okay then. I'll ask them to make all the necessary arrangements", Rishi said standing up.
" Should I call Ananya? I mean I know its a business party but I guess we will get an opportunity to know our neighbor.", Aashi proposed.
"Or may be you are thinking of leaguing against me with all your female friends", Rishi laughed.
Aashi was stunned. She never expected him to be this normal especially after what had transpired between them the night before.
Aashi threw a confused look at Tia.
Tia shrugged her shoulders.
She knew something has happened in these few minutes that had softened Rishi.
" I'll take your leave lovelies. Make sure you both look your best tomorrow", he winked.
"So let's invite your new friend", Tia said as her eyes beamed with joy.
" First you tell me what did you say to Rishi that he's behaving so weird?", Aashi asked her friend.
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Let's invite your friend.", Tia pulled Aashi out of the house.
" Where is her house?"
"In our lane", Aashi giggled.
They both came near a big house, just like theirs.
But the colour and architecture was different.
The name plate outside on the compound wall read
" Ananya Diwan"
"This is strange. Shouldn't her husband's name be on the plate?", Aashi was confused.
But Diwan did rang a loud bell in Tia's mind by then.
" Relax. It can be someone else too. And she had told that her husband was a travel journalist so it definitely cannot be him.", Aashi assured her friend.
Meanwhile the watchman came from the security cabin.
"How can I help you mam?", he asked opening the gate.
" We are here to meet Ananya Diwan", Aashi said.
"Am sorry ma'am but she's not in the town for the next week.", he said.
" Oh! When did she leave?", Aashi asked.
"Yesterday noon"
That was even more strange as Aashi had seen Anu watering the plants in the garden from her terrace.
"But that was in the morning. There might have been some emergency", Aashi thought as they reached their home.
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What did Tia tell Rishi? What is Anu up to? Will the party bring new faces on the front? To know more stay tuned for next updates.
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Edited by daydreamers - 10 years ago
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