Chapter 15 : Show me the right path

“Tani are you awake?”, Anu asked.

“Yes.”, Tani replied.

“I want to tell you something.”, Anu said.

Tani turned to Anu and asked, “What?”

Anu turned to Tani and said, “I.. I.. No.. Nothing.” And was going to turn back to the other side but Tani took her hand and said, “Say. Don’t hide anything.”

In that moment Anu was enchantingly looking at Tani’s face and was exploring her beauty.

Tani said, “What are you looking at like that?”

Anu placed her finger on Tani’s lips and said, “Shhh… stay quiet. You look gorgeous in the dim lights.”

Their breathing became frequent and faster. Tani touched Anu’s finger on her lips.

Anu came closer to Tani and said, “My eyes don’t want to go anywhere else except you. Why?”

“I.. I..”, Tani muttered.

Suddenly Anu kissed Tani on the lips. Unable to control herself, Tani put her hand on Anu’s waist and pushed her towards the bed. The gap between them is gradually decreasing. Their bodies touched each other. She caressed Anu’s cheeks and kissed her eyes and then her cheeks, neck and finally her lips.

Anu’s breathing became frequent. Her heartbeat was also fast in sleep. “Anu.. Anu.. Hey..” Anu heard a familiar voice in her sleep is calling her. Anu woke up suddenly. Her breathing is still rapid. Anu saw that Tani was calling her. She looked at Tani in surprise, and looked around the room. Drops of sweat accumulated on her forehead.

Tani asked seeing her condition, “What happened? Are you alright? Why are you panting like that? Did you see any dream or something?”

Anu looked at Tani with shock and remembered her dream again. Tani frowned and sat in front of Anu and asked, “Will you tell me what happened?”

“The dream.. no nothing.”, Anu said this and quickly got up from the bed and went to the washroom hurriedly.

Tani thought, “What happened to her? How strangely she left! She seems to have had a bad dream. Or may be something serious!”

On the other hand, Anu is standing leaning on the washroom door and holding her face in both hands. She started shaking her head continuously and said to herself, “How did I dream this? Why did I.. why did I see all this? I don’t understand anything. My head is bursting. Me and Tani… she is my best friend and I have all these dreams? If she finds out, she’ll have a bad impression of me. What should I do!!!”

After some time Tani knocked on the door and said, “Come downstairs. Mom is calling for breakfast. I’m going down, come fast.”

“Yes, I’m coming.” Anu replied from inside the washroom.

Tani deliberately lied to Anu. She actually wanted to know what was going on in Anu’s mind. So she was hiding in a corner of the room. Anu also came out of the washroom after a while and started peeking around the room, suddenly Tani came in front of her from behind. Anu got startled and stammered and said, ‘You.. you.. what are you doing here? You.. you said you were going down.”

“Hmm I will go with you. Before that tell me what are you hiding from me? Did you dream something about yesterday?”, Tani asked.

“I.. No, I’m fine! Ah, I’m totally fine.”, Anu said without looking at Tani’s eyes.

Tani held Anu’s right hand and asked, “Look, I am by your side. If you don’t tell me something, how can I understand what you are thinking, what is going on in your mind, what has happened to you?”

Anu stood with her head down and said, “I will tell you if something is difficult for me, but I really don’t want to be a burden on you. I know you are by my side and always will be, I believe that. But there are some battles that have to be fought alone. I hope you understand, I know you are very understanding, mature. So please let me fight my battle alone. I want to be mature. I want to be independent like everyone else, like you.”

Tani nodded and said, “Sure. I won’t stand in the way of your decision. I know everyone’s struggle is different. I support you. But one thing, if there is any problem, tell me. I will try to help you as much as I can. Promise.”

Anu nodded with yes and hugged Tani. She said to herself, “I know you will always be by my side. But now I also have to understand what is correct and what is wrong. I have to clear the confusion that has been occurred in my mind. Without you, I feel alone every moment. From you, I will not hide anything. Once this matter is clear to me, then I will tell you first. Promise Tani.”

Tani doesn’t want to enforce it either. She knows that Anu needs some space now to digest everything that happened.

That afternoon, Tani got a call from the police station. Police summoned Anu to give her statement. Tani told Anu about it. She was a little worried at first; but then got confidence in herself and went to the police station along with Tani. She gave her statement proudly. Because she was not the criminal, she was the victim. Tani also felt proud that she had gained the courage to face the situation.

The police officer said, "That's very brave of you. Most of the time girls don't want to come forward in these situations, they lie. And these assholes got out of jail and done the same thing again. I really appreciate your courage.”

“All the courage I got today is for Tani. From her, I learned how to face fear. Thanks to you sir for your prompt work. You are also a very devoted person.”, Anu said to the officer.

Tani was proud of Anu. The one she loves is growing fast from inside. Tani is sure that she is trying hard to improve herself. Tani supported her from her heart, and also put her hand on Anu’s shoulder to encourage her.

In the evening, they returned home from the police station.

Tani’s mother asked, “Where did you guys go?”

Tani said, “I will tell you. But before that, promise me, you will not tell anyone.”

“What’s with the promise now? And what’s the matter?”, Tani’s mother frowned.

“There is something”, Tani said slowly.

Anu was a little scared after hearing the conversation between them. If she tells aunty everything now.

Anu pulled a corner of Tani’s top. Tani gestured to Anu that, “I am here, don’t worry.”

“Say what is it?”, Tani’s mother said again.

Tani took out a plastic bag from her back, which she had hidden behind.

“What is this???”, said Tani’s mother looking at the bag.

“Your favorite Phuchka (Golgappa/Panipuri).”, said Tani with a smile. We went to the park, so I thought today let’s have a small party at home with our favorite snack.

Anu had forgotten that Tani had said that she would bring phuchka for aunty. Anu breathed a sigh of relief. They sat together and enjoyed their evening snack.

Anu was waiting at the room for Tani. As soon as Tani entered the room, she said, “I was scared. I thought you would tell aunty everything right away. And I forgot about Phuchka.”

“Hmm. Will tell mom. But tell on time, else mom will worry. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Ok you change the dress, I will come later.”, Tani assured her and left the room.

Anu nodded. She thought to herself, “You are doing so much for me Tani. I am doing wrong with you. I want to tell you everything. But if you misunderstand me after knowing my dream! I will be alone again. I can’t even imagine being apart from you now.” Looking into the mirror, she said, “So do I really have feelings for you? Do I really love you? Is there anything more to us than friendship?”

Anu bowed down to the idol of Radha-Krishna and said, “Tell me what should I do. The feelings I have for Tani, is that right? You know everything. Guide me please, tell me what I should do. I don’t want to lose her in any condition.”