The Breakup

WOW Winner

I knew before even looking at the vibrating phone, that it was Radhika.

Did you have your lunch? she’d ask, I’d say yes. She would sense the dejection in my voice and ask me if I had seen the latest celebrity fitness video (babes you must watch Namrata and Kareena’s Pilates video, its rocking), I’d say all the right words, she’d then tell me whats for dinner… some new recipe that she would have dug up (she thinks that can take my mind off the break up) and then we’d hang up.

‘Sigh’! the usual.

The phone vibrated again. I did not want to pick up, not that day, not after what I had done!

But I knew she wouldn’t stop, the phone vibrated again. I steadied myself and picked it up

‘Lunch khaya? How was it?’…the usual…

I kept the phone down. She promised me smoked salmon with asparagus for dinner.

My heart broke.

Radhika and I had been roommates for about 5 years, well, were…nowadays, she was my mother. She knew how hard the break-up had been for me. She had been telling me from day 1, how toxic it was for me, but love is a strange thing.

And, after all that she had done for me in the past few weeks…Orange Olive Salads, Salmon Greek salads, Thai salads…how could I? How….just how?

She deserved better, a friend who she can be proud of. Not someone who betrayed her behind her back. But what could I do, a girl has needs….

Just once! This won’t happen ever again

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I knew it wasn’t right. I knew I was hurting my best friend, maybe I was harming myself more. But I couldn’t help it…just couldn’t.

Saket had sworn me to secrecy, he said she won’t understand…He had cheated before, I have known it forever, we work in the same office afterall, and now….but it felt good…great infact…and I couldn’t stop!

‘I think Radhika knows’ I told Saket over lunch at work

‘Oh come on….she never found out about me…I have been fooling her for such a long time’ he winked at me

‘But how do I explain all this?’ the words pierced my ears, my heart bled. Was this me? Plotting behind my best friend’s back with a serial cheater!

I should have told her about Saket long back….maybe he would have just stayed away from me then

Saket was saying something…but I cut him mid-sentence. I needed to go and confess to Radhika…right away! I had made up my mind.

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‘Is that her?’ right outside our building, just across the street. There she was…with him!

No…not Saket…HIM!

The memories came flooding back, oh how his hands moved, those eyes, they just knew what I wanted…always. Why did she force me to break up? Why did I break up?  And what was she…?

I wanted to go and slap her but I was not angry though…I rather felt relieved.

I cheated, she cheated! The world was good again. I realized bystanders had started gathering around me. I realized I was on my knees, tears rolling down my cheeks. I stood up. They were looking, but I didn’t care, I ran to her anyway and hugged her.

She mumbled ‘I…I dont’t….this is the first time…’

‘Happens…a girl has needs…’ I told her and then I turned to HIM…’Bhaiyya, do plate golgappe dena’

His hands moved with dexterity as he mixed up the boiled potatoes and the chickpeas…a man of few words, his eyes pointed at the chutneys around….I nodded, he scooped up double the measure of the tangy chutney…just the way I always loved…I told you, he always knew.  I picked up the first golgappa and kissed it…welcome back honey, I said to it.

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Things are back to normal now. Radhika is still the diet-nazi, but she understands now. I am allowed a cheat day on Sundays. We both gorge on golgappas together now.

And Saket, well, I haven’t told her about him. We still gorge on that absolutely delicious chocolate pastry from our office pantry every day along with the asparagus, broccoli and smoked salmons she dutifully packs for us for lunch.

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda’