“I get it! Mere jaane ki wajah se you have to step in, right? Thank you mere bhai! Sanvi please meri baat sun yaar. I'm really sorry-”

(You had to step in because I left, right?...Sanvi please listen to me.)

“Baithke baat krte hai Pratham.”

(Let’s sit and talk, Pratham.)

She spoke curtly but Abir couldn't take his eyes off her. His heart and mind were at unease leaving Pratham alone with her. He knew Sanvi was smart and strong enough to handle herself and him but he couldn't help and feel worried.

Sanvi could sense his worry and walked towards him.

“Tu office jaa aaram se. I'll be fine.”

(You go to office.)

He was still sceptical.

“Are you sure?”

She smiled and pulled him down in a soft kiss.

“Wha-”

They heard Pratham's shocked voice but she didn't care. She pulled back and smiled at Abir.

“I'm sure. Aaram se jaa.”

(Go without any worries.)

“I've made breakfast. Have it on time. Per pr jyada zor mat daalio and rest well.”

(Don’t put too much strain on your leg and rest well.)

He kissed her head and left. Pratham stood there, still gaping.

“What the fuck, Sanvi? I understand tu naaraz hai mujhse but you can't do this! Hum shaadi krne wale the!”

(I understand you are upset with me but you can’t do this! We were about to get married!)

Pratham yelled and she yelled back.

“Exactly Pratham! Hum shaadi krne wale the! Pr tu mujhe mandap pr, beech shaadi chhod ke gaya tha!”

(We were about to get married! But you left me mid-wedding on the altar!)

He opened his mouth to counter but didn't get anything. She sat down because her leg was still weak and she couldn't stand for long.

“I don't know maine kya soch kr tujhe haan kr di thi Pratham but I am happy ki wo shaadi nhi hui. Because I know for a fact that I never liked you like that. And I also know ki tu bhi mujhe koi like wike nhi krta hai. You just wanted to be better than Abir somewhere.”

(I don’t know why I was thinking when I said yes but I am happy that the marriage didn’t happen….And I know you also don’t like me or anything.)

His eyes hardened at her words and she knew she had caught his throbbing nerve.

“Maine ya Abir ne kabhi bola nhi toh iska matlab ye nhi hai ki hume kabhi samajh nhi aaya. Uske aur mere liye hum teeno hamesha se ek hi unit hai but tune hamesha humse competition kia hai Pratham. And especially from Abir.”

(Me or Abir never said anything doesn’t mean we don’t understand. For me and him, the three of us were always one unit, but you have always had competition.)

Pratham looked away and clenched his fists. Sanvi knew she had to do this. Make him realise his mistakes.

“Tu hamesha se Abir se jealous raha hai. Wo university topper tha, tune tab bhi usse congratulate krne ki jagah, uske liye celebrate krne ki jagah, usse question kia. ‘tune aisa kya padh lia jo humne nhi padha’, ‘pakka khud se top kia hai na?’ and so on. Aur usne hamesha teri harr chhoti badi khushiyon mai tujhse jyada celebrate kia hai.”

(You have always been jealous from Abir. He was the university topper, and yet instead of congratulating him, celebrating with him, you questioned him. ‘What did you study that we did not’, ‘Are you sure you topped by yourself?’ and so on. And he has always celebrated your big and small moments with you.)

Pratham was fuming now. Sanvi was digging at his wounds.

“Abir got his dream job on the first try. Tu tab bhi uske kiye khush nhi tha balki you started taunting him for his capabilities because you couldn't get yours at the first attempt.”

(You were still not happy for him but taunted him for his capabilities because you couldn’t get yours at the first attempt.)

She took a deep breath and continued.

“Aur jab tujhe laga ki tu professionally toh uske saath competition kr nhi skta toh tune usse personal competition kia. You knew he loved me. And you knew you did not feel anything like that for me, aur phir bhi tune mujhe propose kia. Just to show him that you can win from him somewhere.”

(And when you felt that you cannot compete with him professionally, you started personal competition….and yet you proposed me.)

That was the final nail. Pratham was seething and burst out.

“Haan toh kya galat hai isme? Kya galat hai agar mai usse better banna chahta tha toh? Jisse dekho pure time Abir Abir ki mala japta rehta hai. Aisa kya hai usme? Aur phir aakhir dikha dia na usne ki chahe toh kuch bhi haasil kr skta hai. Tune choose toh usse hi kia na at the end!”

(What wrong did I do? What is wrong if I wanted to be better than him? Everyone keeps chanting his name. What is so special in him? And he afterall showed that he can achieve anything. You chose him at the end after all!)

“Tujhe abhi bhi samajh nhi aa raha? I didn't choose him. He had been the only one all this time. Bas tune beech mai aake mujhe confuse kr dia. Do you even realise tune kia kya hai Pratham? Tujhe zara sa bhi guilt hai? Ye toh mai thi aur mere saath Abir tha. Imagine meri jagah koi aur ladki hoti aur uske saath uska Abir nhi hota, teri harkat toh uske aur uski family ke liye lifetime humiliation ban jaati.”

(You still do not understand?...You confused me by coming in between. Do you even realise what do you did, Pratham? Do you even have some guilt? It was me and I had Abir. Imagine if there was some other girl and she didn’t have her Abir with her, your act would have made her and her family a lifetime mockery.)

Sanvi countered and Pratham still defended.

“You don't understand, Sanvi! Meri dream job hai ye! I couldn't leave it! Aur tujhe kya lagta hai? Tera wo ‘World’s Best’ Abir nhi jaayega agar usse aisi opportunity milegi?”

(This is my dream job!...And what do you think? Your ‘World’s Best’ Abir will not go if gets an opportunity like this?)

He mocked but frowned when Sanvi smiled. 

“Nhi. Wo nhi gaya. He stayed. Because he couldn’t leave me alone.”

(No. He did not.)

Pratham was tongue-tied. Sanvi took a deep breath and said.

“Tujhe Abir se competition krna hai na? Usse better banna hai na? Tu pehle thoda sa uske jaise bann, phir better banne ki sochio Pratham. Stop being jealous of him, of everyone around you. Ye krke tu khudko sabse dur kr rha hai aur kuch nhi. Chal maan lia tu ek din wo sab achieve kr lega jiske liye tune hard work kia hai. Phir uske baad kya? Kiske saath krega wo success celebrate jab koi hoga hi nhi.”

(You want to compete with Abir? Become better than him? Then become like him first, then think about becoming better….You are just pushing everyone away by doing this. Let’s assume you achieve whatever you’re working hard for. What then? With whom will you celebrate that success if no one would be there.)

He lowered his head not being able to meet her eyes.

“Mai maanti hu career important hai. Lekin logo ki, apno ki kimat pr? Think about it.”

(I agree career is important. But at people’s, your own family’s stake?)

They sat in silence for some time until he spoke.

“You know what? Tu mujhe kab samajh hi nhi paayegi. Na tu aur na hi Abir.”

(You would never understand me. Neither you, nor Abir.)

Sanvi sighed and answered.

“Tune mauka dia kabhi? Hum jab bhi koshish krte hai tujhe samajhne ki, samajhane ki, tere paas hamesha ek counter argument ready hota hai.”

(Did you give us a chance? Whenever we tried to understand you, make you understand, you always had a counter argument ready.)

He scoffed and got up. She followed his movement and frowned as he grabbed his bag.

“There’s no point in talking to you or him right now. Mai bas Abir ko ye kehna aaya tha ki ye apartment apne naam krwa le. I won’t be sharing it with him anymore. I’m moving to Bangalore permanently.”

(I just came to tell Abir to get the apartment to his name.)

“Pratham? Please understand that we care for you. Hum hamesha tere liye best chahenge. Chahe tu maane ya nhi. But iss baar tujhe samajhna padega ki tu galat hai and you have to come back and accept your mistake.”

(We always want the best for you. Whether you agree or not. But this time you have to understand that you are wrong and you have to come back and accept your mistake.)

Pratham didn’t say anything but moved out of the house without any word. Sanvi rolled her eyes knowing he would come back on his own after realising his mistake.

When Abir returned that evening, Sanvi was in the kitchen making dinner.

“Mana krne ke baad bhi ghus gyi na tu kitchen mai? Thoda sa thik hote hi laparwahi shuru. Per mai dard bhadd jaayega na Sanvi.”

(You entered the kitchen even after denying, right? You become careless after some relief. The pain will increase, Sanvi.)

He scolded her making her pout.