Chapter 6 •6•The Faraway Friend

Jivika's POV

After the ceremony, I left for my room as I was really tired. Now Radhs' behavior is really scaring me. If she is so much worried and rebellious about all this, I'm afraid she would end up doing something wrong with herself. My phone kept ringing and I kept ignoring it but it continuously rang. Don't people have sense that if someone doesn't pick the call for once that means that they are busy? I walked to the other side of the bed where my phone was and angrily picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi Jivika. It's me... Simmi? Do you remember?" She said in a meek voice.

"Simmi?" I said emotionally and smiled remembering her.

"I'm in Mumbai. Can you meet me now? If not, it's ok." She said unsurely.

"No Simmi. Of course I can meet you. Just tell me the time and place." I said eagerly.

"Ok so can you come to café coffee day in an hour? I'll be waiting."

"Ya sure." I said and hung up. Café Coffee day is a 45 minute drive from home so if I leave now I'll reach here on time. Thinking this, rushed to my room and on the way bumped into someone.

"Ouch di? What are you doing?" Abhi said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Abhi Can you drop me somewhere? I'm in a hurry."

"Umm... actually I have some important work from the office. So... why don't you go with the driver?" He asked as a matter of fact.

"Abhi like I said, I'm in a hurry. And the driver would get me late. It's ok. You do your office work, it's important. I'll go with the driver." Saying this, I walked to my room, changed the Haldi clothes, put on my glasses, tied my hair and rushed outside.

And now I bumped into Chachi. Seriously, what's wrong with me? "Jivi beta sambhal ke. What's the hurry?"

"Chachi, my faraway friend, has come to Mumbai after a long time. I'm going to meet her."

"Ok. Sambhal ke Jana. (Go carefully.)"

"Ji Chachi." I shouted back as I was already running.

-Café Coffee day-

Ok first of all, I'll have to apologize to her for being so late and then anything else. I looked around the tables and spotted her sitting on a corner table wearing an orange anarkali frock and hair tied in a side braid and trying her best to cover her head with a scarf uneasily. I held back a laugh. The traditional dress and scarf is not because she is very sanskari but because she is a model and her fans wouldn't let her breathe if they come to know it's her. Perks of being famous.

She was looking here and there when her eyes caught a glimpse of mine and they glistened with happiness. She wanted to shout but she just gestured me with a hand to come excitedly. I went there and couldn't help complimenting her, "wow Simmi. You look-"

"The type of girl that every Aunty Ji wants to make her bahu. Right?" She completed.

"Yes." I chuckled and then got emotional, "I missed you so much Simmi. It's been a long time. Almost a year."

"Ya I know. Actually the sets of my shoot are in Italy, Singapore, and Paris etc. I didn't get to come back for a long time. And this happiness, my career and everything I have now... I owe it to you Jivi. People say I am a self-made star but no. I am a star made by you." She said holding my hand.

She will never forget that. Even though I ask her to. Some 5 years ago, she was nothing but an item girl. Ya the one who dances in cheap bars in front of cheap men for money. But I am not ashamed of it. I am not ashamed to call her my friend. She hadn't wished that fate for herself. She desperately wanted to get away from there and god made me the medium. Once when she wanted to make a portfolio to audition for a movie, she needed money. Around Rs.60,000. For travelling to Mumbai from Manali, the clothes, star makeup, and a photoshoot from the best Bollywood photographer. Luckily, I and Radhs had gone there for a vacation with friends. I came across her and desperately wanted to help her. That time, I didn't have any money encashed so I gave her my diamond studs and asked her to pursue her dreams. And I don't regret trusting her at all. Today she is here thanking me for her achievement. We have been friends since then. I have always motivated her and always will.

"That was your past Simmi. Focus on today. And today you are a top rated model associated with A-listed products, brands and movies."

"Still. If not for you I would have been stuck in some bars for sure... for I don't know how long." She said looking down.

"Simmi... Now listen to me... as a girl who is looked down upon and with eyes of disgust by society, you could have cared less. You could have gone out of the way to arrange money, but you didn't. You were born and brought up in the center of immorality but you chose to live with self-dignity and not let it down at any cost. That's what makes you special and stand out from the rest of them. I love you and respect you for who you are. And not once will you say thank you or I am leaving." I said with a pout and she smiled.

"Ok. Ok. No more getting sentimental. Are we forgetting that we're sitting in a coffee shop?" Just then the waiter brought two coffees and Simmi covered her face as he bent to place the coffee on the table. "Here's your order ma'am, one black coffee and one cold coffee." And left.

"Happy to know you still remember my cold coffee preferences." I said taking a sip. "Ok so tell me! What's going on in your life?" I asked because I know it's much more interesting than mine.

"Nothing much. Just that I had come to India for a big big project and I'll leave after that. Jivi. You're a local right? You know about the big-fat wedding that's being covered by all the news channels and social media?"

'Ya. It's happening in the backyard of my Mansion.'

I couldn't help rolling my eyes. "Yes, Simmi. I know it very well. It's the merger of two big fashion brands and textiles, the Khuranas and the Singhanias, through the wedding of their children."

"Singhanias?" She said in shock. "You mean-"

"Ya... my cousin, Radhika Singhania is getting married to Ranbir Khurana, the heir of Khurana empires."

"Radhika? She is a model." She stated not asked.

"Ya but how do you know?"

"Oh gosh." She said frustrated. "How can a witch like her be the sister of an angel like you?"

"Simmi language. You're talking about my sister." I said a bit loudly.

"Oh sorry b...but... don't you think she is a little... not little... too selfish and arrogant?" She asked, trying to calm me down.

"Simmi, you're telling this because you don't know her. Ya she is a little short tempered but she is a very sweet person."

"You know, in the fashion industry, she is famous for her tantrums and egoistic behavior. Rest I don't know her personally and I don't wish to. Really. Because if she says something to me, I don't think I'll be able to tolerate it silently."

"No Simmi. She is not-" I stopped midway as I saw Ishaani entering the café. She was wearing a knee length pink dress and a yellow handbag looking adorable as always. She sat on the other side of the glass wall waiting for someone. She was a little nervous and kept calling someone.

"Jivi?" Simmi whispered like a spy. "What are you looking at?"

"Simmi, that's Ishaani." I said pointing towards her. Ishaani was too busy to look at us. We were sitting in such a position.

"Jivi... This is a coffee shop. People come here. There's nothing unusual." She said.

"Ya but-" just then I saw a man coming and sitting on the adjacent chair blocking my view.

Ugh! I moved a little but couldn't see his face even though I tried a lot. Also they were sitting at quite a distance which wasn't helping at all.

"How cute! Look, they're a couple. Her boyfriend." She said excitedly pointing towards them. I didn't find anything exciting or to be happy about. I was worried about her. She is just a nineteen year old teenager. What if that guy is playing around with her?

"Should I talk to Ishaani about this?" I asked completely confused.

"Who is she to you?"

"She is Radhika's to-be sister-in-law."

"Jiviiii! Not everyone is as nice and frank as you. I mean she is practically nothing to you right. She'll just lash at you for interfering so much in her personal life. These youngsters nowadays are just... too much."

"But Simmi, I just can't-"

"Hey look! The famous model SIMRAN ARORA! Over there!" Someone shouted.

"Shit! I have to leave. Come. I'll drop you." Saying this she pulled me by arm and her bodyguards who were standing at a safe distance rushed to her side and made a fence between the public and her with their arms. Phew! That's why I didn't want anyone to know about my family.

•••

We walked to the black Mercedes and the driver started driving.

"Jivi! You are safe from all this. Sorry about that." She said.

"No Simmi. It's OK. I met you, that's enough. I don't know when we'll meet again." I said feeling sad that she would depart.

"No Jivi. I'm shooting in India only for a few months and I won't disappear, I promise." She said happily.

"And Jivi... One more thing, I totally forgot." Saying this, she handed me a royal blue velvety case gift wrapped with an off white ribbon.

"What's this?" I asked surprised.

"Open it." She said excitedly.

I opened it and my eyes shone as it reflected the beautiful diamond studs in the box. "What's this?" I asked but then my eyes widened in realization.

It was exactly the same design diamond earrings which I had given her three years ago to pursue her dreams.

"Don't think I'm trying to show off or return your favor. I will be indebted to you all my life. I just... liked it and so I bought it for you."

"It's beautiful. Thanks." I said.

It was a long drive home and we kept talking about everything. But the image of that guy and Ishaani still hadn't left my mind.

I reached home after saying goodbye to Simmi and the sight was something I didn't expect.

It was late night and all the guests had left and those who were staying had left for the hotel. I got really worried at the sight. Chachu, Chachi were arguing with Radhs and she was just screaming and yelling angrily while Abhi was standing quietly at a corner not knowing what to do.

I walked to him and asked him what happened. I was hardly able to keep my breathing even. I had never seen such a big debate between Radhs and Chachu. She was always the one to act mature and go easy on Radhs. But today she stubbornly opposed Radhs decision which led to this.

"Di, Today Ranbir's family came and his mom said that their family Purohit Ji (priest) told that the 'Mahurat' (sacred time specified for some task) of the wedding, that is, day after tomorrow is very inauspicious for the wedding so they decided to hold on the wedding day after tomorrow. And Radhs couldn't agree so all this." he said pointing towards three of them

I was shocked. "What day after tomorrow?"