Part 27:
Morning kriya wakes up and gets ready quickly to go and check on Rey. When she enters rey's room after knocking for couple of times, she saw Rey sleeping peacefully on his stomach. He was still on last night's party dress except he had removed the jacket and was on white button down shirt and sky blue faded jeans. Kriya doesn't feels like waking him up so she left the room closing the door.
When kriya goes down, she feels little confused to see swayam, nanu and payal sitting on sofa in living room. The worry and sadness was visible on their faces. When they look at her, they all stand up looking at each other nervously.
Kriya going to them says "good morning. What's the matter? Why are you all looking so worried?"
Payal asks her "are you fine kriya? "
Kriya doesn't gets where exactly it's going. So she just nods.
Swayam was about to ask something, nanu speaks, "kriya we heard that Rey was little violent last night. Did you go to him or spoke to him at night?"
This is nanu. No nonsense or running around the bush. Direct questions. Always.
Kriya now understood why all looked so tensed. So she says "yeah. I spoke to him last night and yeah I was with him"
Swayam feels proud of her answer and says "did you able to manage him well?"
Kriya gets confused by his words but still nods her head. She looks at nanu, he too has the same proud smile on his face. But at the moment kriya doesn't want to initiate any serious conversation with anyone. Because she wanted to be there with Rey when he wakes up. Last night's outburst was huge thing for Rey. She wanted to be with him to make sure he is doing fine emotionally. So she says "if you all don't mind I will take some coffee for Rey.?"
The trio just nods their head giving her sad smile. While kriya was going to kitchen she hears their conversation and then she understands nanu and swayam's presence and their expressions.
Nanu : see payal, I told you yesterday night, kriya will handle rey, don't worry. She is very matured for her age.
Swayam: Jo kaam hum log itne saalo mein nahi kar paye the, kriya ne ek hi baar mein kar dhikayi. Wow.
Payal : haan but that doesn't justify rey's behavior. Why does he behaves so violently some times? Poor kriya, she had to face such an horrible act.
Nanu : payal everyone will have their own way of removing their frustrations. And it is Rey's way. We can't blame him.
Payal : I don't know Papa(nanu). I just want Rey to stop his this stupid stunts. Otherwise it will scare kriya and she definitely doesn't deserve such an act from Rey.
Kriya fumes in the kitchen while making coffee. Payal's sentences angered her. But she understood the sensitivity of the matter. Kriya decides she will resolve this misunderstanding between rey and payal mom as soon as possible. Rey has already punished and tortured himself emotionally for so many years which he doesn't deserve so it's best to solve the issue as early as possible. Doesn't matter how angry rey gets because of this on kriya.
When kriya comes out with two cups of coffee for herself and Rey, nanu payal and swayam stops talking and looks at her. Kriya going towards them says "don't blame rey simply for his actions. Without any strong reason, no one behaves like that. (Looking at payal) And don't think that Rey feels happy or relieved after such strong outburst. Such acts are usually outcome of internal bottled up emotions which torture the person all the time". Kriya looks at nanu and swayam for few seconds before leaving and going towards Rey's room.
Rey was still sleeping on his stomach peacefully. Kriya keeps the coffee mugs on side table and sits next to rey's sleeping form. Gently pushing back the hair from rey's forehead, kriya calls his name to wake him up. Rey slowly wakes up and says 'good morning' to kriya. To which she just smiles and gives coffee mug to Rey.
Rey : give me just 2 mins kriya I will brush my teeth and come. I don't have anything in the morning before brushing.
Saying that Rey runs to washroom and as he said he comes back after couple of minutes feeling fresh and see kriya is holding her coffee mug and just staring at it. She was thinking something deeply. Rey clears his throat and kriya looks at him pushing her thoughts away. She gives rey his mug.
Rey taking the mug, sits next to kriya and says "I am fine kriya. Don't worry".
Kriya just gives sad smile and says " I don't believe that no one has tried to find out what's the reason of your such outbursts all these years. I mean no one thought that 'oh may be something is bothering him'..I mean itne sare close friends but no one guessed it.. strange". She was still in deep thought.
Rey says " that's because I never gave a chance for them to think other than the reason 'because mom is hurt I am hurting myself'. I never allowed anyone to come near me in such situations. I never expressed anything to anyone about my inner trauma till now. I don't blame anyone for that kriya"
Kriya shaking her head, denies what rey said and says "still Rey. Aise react Insaan tabhi Karta hai jab uske deemaag mein bahot Kuch chal Raha ho. Something very deeply bothers someone then only they react like that. Yeh tho common sense ki baat hai." She is angry on everyone for not trying to understand why rey behaves so violently some times.
Rey understanding her emotions says " that's okay kriya. I used to behave very rudely to them whenever they tried to make me understand what I am doing is wrong. And I always used to be quite with them for few days after such an act"
Kriya becomes more upset and says " that's what rey. That is what my point. They all tried to tell you what you are doing is not good instead of trying to know what's the reason behind your such act." She looks more than disappointed with everyone now.
Rey now got her point and somewhere he too feels kriya is right. No one tried hard to know the reason, instead they just blamed him. But he pushes that thought.
Kriya asks taking the mug from rey "when was the last time you did oil massage to your head?"
"What?" Rey gets confused why such a sudden random question.
Kriya smiles and says " seriously Rey your hair needs oil massage. They have become so dry and rough. I am sure you use lot of gels or hair spray regularly. They have damaged totally"
Rey couldn't take this comment and says " excuse me? My hair have become rough and dry? Mine? (Dramatically, pointing his index finger at himself) Wow. I take care of them the most. And what do you mean by 'have become rough and dry?' you don't even know how were my hair before. Maybe they are always like this"
"You mean always your hair is rough and dry only?" Kriya asks in a challenging tone.
"What? No.. my hair is not damaged. They are in good condition. I don't need any oil massage. Ewww" says Rey annoyed.
Kriya simply stands up taking both mugs and starts leaving the room and before going out of the door says "be ready. I am getting some oil for your hair"
"No I don't want oil massage kriya." Rey complains seeing kriya's determination. He knew kriya will not leave him today before applying oil to his head.
"No arguments Rey. Change your shirt. I will warm up some oil and get it for you." Saying she leaves this time.
Kriya takes oil from her room while going down to kitchen. She warms up quite a generous amount of oil in a bowl. When she is passing through the living room to go upstairs, swayam who was still there with nanu and payal, asks "kriya, umm how's rey?"
Swayam got the point that kriya is angry on them. May be they, payal or him, are somewhere responsible for Rey's such outbursts or they might have failed to understand why rey behaves like that.
Kriya in serious tone says " yeah he is fine". She expects swayam's next question but swayam just stands there looking at kriya, trying to understand what's she thinking?, why she is behaving so distant and cold with him? Did he do something to hurt rey because of which Rey behaves so violently some times ? His chain of thoughts were intrupted by kriya, who says hesitantly " umm excuse me, the hair oil is getting cold, can I go if you don't have anything else to ask?"
This formal behavior of kriya hurts swayam. First time kriya is shutting him off like this. Swayam just nods his head first then asks "can I meet Rey?". Kriya just nods her head and starts going to rey's room. Swayam just follows her.
Rey was working on his laptop when kriya enters his room. Kriya says " rey go and change the shirt. Quick." Rey looking at her says "no way kriya. I am not gonna take oil massage to my hair. It will be sticky sticky." To which kriya just stares at him putting both of her hands on her waist. It was clear message that he doesn't have a choice. Sighing loudly rey closes his laptop and changes his shirt. When rey sits on the couch, where kriya is waiting for him, he looks at the door and see swayam standing there leaning on the door frame.
Rey becomes hesitant, knowing very well why swayam is present at his house today morning, but still says his good morning to him. Swayam just nods his head and take a chair and sits Infront of rey .
Swayam slowly says " look I know, I mean I got it now(looking at kriya for few moments, who has started applying oil to Rey's head standing behind him and then looking back at Rey) that I am responsible or at least I am involved somewhere behind the reason why you behave some times like that. But I really don't know exactly how or what did I do. So can you please explain this time.. ?". Swayam looks between rey and kriya, trying to understand their reaction or their facial expression at least for some clue. Rey becomes stiff at swayam's question which didn't go unnoticed by swayam but kriya's reaction was totally confusing. She just continued applying hair as if she didn't hear what did swayam say.
Actually kriya understood, when swayam asked "how's rey?" that swayam got it kriya is angry on him or blames him indirectly regarding Rey's situation. So she expected him to pull his act at least now.
Rey composing himself slowly says "no dude. You or anybody for that matter, is not at all responsible for my such behavior. I take the full responsibility."
Kriya pulls Rey's hair little roughly while massaging, when she heard Rey's reply. Ray hisses in response. Kriya without any care continued massaging roughly and says " the knots in your hair are so old that they won't be freed so easily." Rey turning back to face kriya, glares at her. He knows clearly that kriya is telling about Rey's stubbornness that he is now also not expressing the real reason. Kriya glaring back at Rey with equal or even more intensity, turns his head straight, facing at swayam and continues applying oil little roughly only. Few moments no one says anything. Then kriya mumbles "I wish instead of patiencely smoothing and massaging your hair, I just could take a clipper and shave off all the stubborn hair completely".
Rey looks back at kriya horrified, turning his head completely to her. Swayam just coughs at this statement controlling his amusement at the situation. Swayam understood now that kriya is talking about Rey's stubbornness implying it at the hair massage task. Kriya again turns Rey's head back facing swayam and starts pouring large amount of oil on rey's head which results in leakage of oil on rey's forehead in few directions. Rey totally annoyed gets up saying "kriyaa" but kriya pushes Rey's shoulder to make him sit back in his original position and starts massaging seriously. Again no one says anything for couple of minutes which results in crossing kriya's patience level completely this time. She pushes Rey's head annoyed and says " are you going to open up at least now?"
Rey sighs again and turning to her says "it's not easy yaar kriya. I can't share it so easily with any other person (except you)."
Kriya with stern tone says "why not? You are not expressing your feelings to complete stranger here. I am telling you to share it with your closest friend"
Rey looks at swayam feeling defeated. He doesn't understand how can he repeat all those things to swayam when he knows very well that swayam will be mad and he will drag rey to payal mom and clears the misunderstanding. Then at that moment rey realizes, was the misunderstanding worth it? He knew it's not true in his heart. He knows very well that his mom doesn't blame him for his dad's death. Then why did he behave like that for all those years? Rey's thoughts were intrupted when kriya grabs Rey's hair roughly with her both hands and shake his head roughly.
Rey cried (not literally) this time shouting " kriya". Rey stands up turning to her completely which he regrets the moment he looks at her face. She was angry, it was clear by her look but her eyes had tears, which stirs something within rey. The feeling was very strong. Kriya was crying for all Rey's emotions and what he expressed last night to her. He never had someone, who felt his emotional struggle along with him and goes through the same stupid emotional pain as a result. Rey slowly turning to swayam, who was also standing by now, expressed everything.
Swayam didn't fail Rey's expections, once after rey is done with his side of the story, swayam stood there stunned for few moments looking at Rey, then blinking his tears few times, as expected, swayam dragged rey (literally) to payal mom and confronted everything in the presence of nanu and the gang. Yes the gang also got the news at night from swayam about Rey's outburst and though rey never used to talk to them for few days after his such outbursts, but the whole gang used to be present next morning just to check on Rey. Today was also no different.
For next hour or so rey stood there witnessing Payal's outburst. She cried a lot which resulted in rey glaring at kriya in turn the whole gang glaring at Rey with double intensity. Finally rey stood defeated, allowing payal to shout at him for blaming himself so stupidly all those years. Finally when rey thought the whole situation is settled to some extent, when payal sits down on sofa and starts sobbing silently, smriti enters the house. Which resulted in one more round of scolding session from payal Infront of smriti, expressing his stupidity to smriti. Finally nanu and smriti are able to manage payal and make her calm. Rey goes and sits on his knees infront of payal, holding his ears. Which came to the perfect closure for all the emotional struggle rey and payal went through because of Rey's misunderstanding, when payal hugs him and cries, later composing herself finally.
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