#2 If You're With Me...

Mishti was busy with her NGO works for next two days. Days went so fast and nights were mercilessly long. 5 years later, she could again feel the fragrance of Abir in her city! Two years after their break up, Abir left the city and now after 5 years, he is back.

So they're not together for 7 years. Yet she keeps missing him time and again! Although they were mere children when they were in love, everyone said such love stories are not true love but simply attractions... even when Abir himself moved out of love, Mishti could never really get over it! All credits to these silly social media sites, but she's still in touch with Abir for the namesake. Still she misses him.

But why? She doesn't even want to look for answers.

As crazy as it might sound but Mishti will never get over that "mutual break-up" as she and Abir declared it to be, and she has understood this well by now. Mishti sighed, she just hates that she misses their togetherness so much, it feels like running to her phone and send him a long paragraph telling how much she hated him for doing this.

But she stops.

Whether he's with her or not, How does it matter anyway? Destiny has always been unkind to her, so it is now.

Mishti feels like an old soul in this 21st century.

She is someone who is still fond of letters or at least face to face conversations. Even silences can speak volumes, you just have to listen to it. And one of the most horrible things that happened to her was over a mere text! Ugh, each time she remembers her break up, more than sadness it drowns her into a sea of anguish.

"Damn you Abir Rajvansh, even after all these years you still have your power over me. I just hate the fact that I can never hate you." Mishti switched on the light. She is just done with her sleep for this night also.

"Are you sleeping? Or still busy in your studies? Mr. Studious...", Mishti texted Anurag.

Anurag Basu.

Mishti's undeclared best friend and savior.

As much as she tried to stay afar from this boy, she was just walking towards him only. No, she was not in love with him but she knew it very well that if today she chooses to see him that way, he'll make her the happiest. But love and Mishti - probably doesn't go along! And Mishti did not want to loose that friend who almost knew her inside out, whom she can share her feelings with, whom she can trust with her whole heart...

A good friend!

"Yes Ms. Philosopher, I'm here only. But what are you doing at this hour of night? Wait, I hope you're not going to work on your plan of running away!" Anurag replied.

Mishti chuckled.

This boy always gives her an excuse to smile.

"No Sir, you know what I might be doing at 2 am of the night, right? And you even know the reason." Mishti replied immediately.

Anurag knew. He always knew.

His little tiny-tony Ms. Philosopher has the solution to each problem to this world. She might call him the "Too Intelligent Man", but he knows it well, the strength and maturity Mishti possesses is incomparable. Mishti was and is the fighter, she is always clear about things, her perspective on things is always so different and so beautiful..

"Mishti is beautiful."

But the one thing that overpowers her, that can destroy her, that breaks her is her heart.

No she isn't weak, she has so much love to give everyone, so much kindness, that she often forgets to be gentle to herself! While taking care of other's feelings and emotions, his Mishti has forgotten to care for her own emotions, her own feelings, her own desires...

This hurts Anurag..

Maybe more than when he couldn't clear his Engineering Entrance Exams on hist first attempt.

To know that his strongest Mishti is falling week and he can do nothing about it... To know that this girl who knows only to spread love has shut the doors of her pure heart for love... To know that the one who deserves to carry only that brightest smile on her face is hiding her tears... hurts.

Anurag felt an ache in his heart.

No he won't let her cry alone in the night.

"Come on Mishti, don't tell me you're upset over Abir's homecoming. Poor guy has returned home after 5 years! Who knows how he stayed in a hostel all this while! Don't spoil your mood over his precious happiness!!!" Anurag texted back.

"You shut up okay, I was not doing anything that way. You just focus on your studies. What a silly idea of talking to you!" Mishti frowned, then Mishti giggled.

Anurag smiled. He made her smile. He would even turn this world upside down if he needed to, only to make her smile.. his undeclared best friend...

"Okay, so you're not crying, are you? Now listen to me, our movie date was spoiled by your rain. So what about planning the next? When are we meeting?" Anurag texted. Asking her out was the most difficult task for him. He knows that she needed time. And he would never let her do anything she didn't want to. But this date was his attempt to give Mishti a break from her never ending work schedule. Anurag wanted to give this girl at least a day break only to take care of her, make her smile and let her pause for a moment...

To let her live...

Mishti smiled, yes their date is pending. Only if it didn't rain that day, they would've gone to movie and she was even thinking of giving herself another chance in love. Two years ago it was her only who stopped Anurag when he was about to propose her. She knew she wasn't ready for a relationship at that time and made it clear to him that she needs time. And Anurag, to her surprise, didn't say a single word. She never really thought that they'd even remain friends, just like when she and Abir parted ways...

"Ugh! No Mishti, not again. No need of dragging your past here. You know the differences very well now." Mishti shook her head.

Differences...Indeed by now she could clearly see each difference. Anurag, to her surprise, never let their friendship get affected by her rejection even for a single moment. Even when she stopped talking to him, she behaved rudely, he never lost his patience and accepted every damn thing she sent his way, which he never deserved. And today, she was willing to give herself a chance in love only because her "undeclared best friend" made her believe that she's not someone hard to love. But...

But then, does Mishti want to believe in herself? She felt pity for her heart.

Mishti cannot let her own conflicts hurt anyone, especially those who really cares for her.

"Have you slept? Hey..." Anurag texted.

"There's an event tomorrow in the NGO. So let's plan it for day after tomorrow. Done?" She replied immediately.

This boy knows well to lift her mood up. Now she will sleep peacefully.

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