Best Buddies - Surprises Continue - Part 7

Part - 6
Part - 5
Part - 4
Part - 3
Part - 2
Part - 1

‘What the hell is going on?’, I asked myself.

I was looking right and left, trying to figure out what is going to happen and what past happening is leading to this future happening.

Ranbir had actually had a fight with him some time back. They were really good friends at one point of time.

Ishaan decided to solve all their previous outstandings with a game of pool.

So instead of the usual meeting at the boxing ring, the pool table would act as one.
A game of pool was decided to act as the decider and the loser pays 100bucks straight and close all previous accounts.

And the game of pool started with Ranbir and Ishaan teaming up and facing one opponent.

It was not going to be a long game but promised to be an exciting one. Ishaan and Ranbir were good at the game as they usually had a game out.

But against their opponent, they stood nowhere. Although the game delivered to be an unforgettable one, Ishaan and Ranbir stood no chance of a win.

Ranbir had to shell out 100bucks for the loss. It was surely not a great evening for him I guess.

The loss did show on their face, but they just could not help it. I guess it hurt their ego.

Well I was in a good mood and in a mood to pull their legs,

"Were they your friends? And why did you gift them 100 bucks. You people never gave me even a single one."

Ishaan was as if just waiting to take his anger out on someone.
"Nikhil, shut up, are you in a mood to get beaten up by the two of us."

"Not fair. Now I know why you lost. You were two and he was one, still he won."

"Ranbir, don't you think he is talking a lot today."

And they ran behind me all the way still we reached a restaurant pre-decided by Ishaan and me.


Inside another surprise was awaiting Ranbir.

The same guy to whom Ranbir had just lost a game of pool too.

Jai was Ranbir's best friend at one point of time.

Jai-Ranbir were sort of an example of true and perfect friendship. Friendship like them was hardly ever seen. Both like complete opposites and yet so similar. They had known each other for almost 6years.
This is what I had heard about both of them from our classmates.

But then suddenly a few months back things took a weird turn and the two could not stand each other since then.

The only mystery surrounding this was the reason of the crack. The question was, what had happened that the two of them had to part ways. No one knows what had actually happened. The secret is locked deep in their hearts and it would be rather difficult to know the truth.

Jai confronted Ranbir,

“Sorry.”

I could see the emotions getting the hold of Ranbir.

Jai came forward and hugged Ranbir.
“Happy Birthday Casanova.”

Jadoo ki jhappi actually does work.

And I could see their damp eyes. I guess this was the best gift Ishaan and I could ever give Ranbir.

“Sorry Einsten.” Said Ranbir.

We still did not know the reason of what went wrong, but I guess things should never be so bad between friends.

So the four of us had a delicious dinner that night.

I had never seen this side of Ranbir before, so damn emotional. Who says guys don’t have heart and that guys are feelingless. Every damn guy has emotions within him; it’s just that he doesn’t show them.

But something more was awaited.

“Ranbir, I am going to States forever next week.”
This statement from Jai came as a shock for Ranbir.

“I just wanted to tell you that friends like you are scarce and wanted to only carry our good times to States and so I am here today. You are my best friend and will always remain.”

Ranbir was speechless.

We left the restaurant. Jai left for his house after handing over the 100 bucks he had won just a few hours back and then we left walking. A quiet walk on a summer evening.

Ranbir was not in a condition to say anything and we thought it was better to leave it to him to get over the stuff before we said anything. I could very well understand his state of mind at that point of time after all a similar situation had come up between me and Ishita, though I was on the other side of the fence then.

This was maybe the first 15minutes of our life, when all the three of us were together and no one uttered a word.

But half way through, Ranbir stopped all of a sudden.

“Whats wrong, Ranbir?”, enquired Ishaan

“Thanks a lot guys. You people really made my day.”

And then he raised his hand forward,

“Guys promise me that whatever happens, we will never break our friendship.”

And without waiting a second we put our hands on top of it, an agreement of lifetime vailidity of our friendship had just taken place.

Back to Wonder City, a quick Bye, Back to Home, and right to sleep.

Even on bed, I could not help myself from thinking, that what such thing must have happened that two best friends could not even stand each other, and if things were so bad, then how the hell that within a minute they forgot everything.

There surely must be some other reason attached to it. They surely didn’t break their friendship at their own free will, there is surely some other hidden fact.





The next morning I got a call from our cricket coach. The Dubai Under 18 Cup was starting in a weeks time and practice sessions would begin that very day.
Now the vacations were going to take a huge turn. After this tournament, next in line was the CBSE annual meet. The schedule was really going to be tight.

I guess Ranbir’s birthday was going to be the last happening outing of the current vacations. Because as soon as the Dubai Cup gets over, all three of us will be heading to India for our individual events.

But still the thing haunting me was the Jai-Ranbir debacle. I really wanted to get to the root of the problem.


And before I could think further came a phone call.

“Ishita, where are you? Since your surprise visit to my house, you have just gone missing.”

“Yaar, I had this Admission problem going on. So I was totally busy with it. I have finally got admission in your school.”

“Hey, that’s awesome.”

“Listen, then meet me for coffee at 8 at starbucks.”

“Done.”




It was after a long time that I was going to spend some time with her. I was feeling a bit weird also at the same time, no idea why.

We sat at the table facing the main road.

“So, found your Bride?”

No Hi, no hello, straight attack.

“I guess you are doing good, aren’t you.”

“Shut up Nikhu, I have told you so many times, that don’t even think of me.”

Well, then the usual discussion, how were you, missed me and how is everything going and so on.

I then told her everything about Ranbir and Ishaan, like how I met them and then about Bhavika, and also about Jai.

Even she was shocked to hear of such an unusual turn to a friendship.

Initially she totally denied accepting that such a thing could even happen.

But eventually she agreed to help me reach the core of the matter.

“Jai is leaving in a week’s time. So that’s the only time we have with us. Ranbir will not tell us, Jai is the only person who can.”

“Wait a minute. There surely is a third person who knows all this and that person is the centrepoint of this problem.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Give me some time I will let you know.”

“Arey, tell me now.”

“Have Patience Nikhil.”

As if this Jai-Ranbir mystery was not enough to ride a hurricane in my brain, she was adding more to it.

And then her phone rang, she told me Bye and just left.

What the hell? Confusion prevails and the mystery still continues.


I got busy with my practice sessions. Meanwhile even Ranbir was busy with his football team training sessions and Ishaan with the dance & drama. Also, Jai had delayed his flight by almost a fortnight so that surely gave us more time to find out.

The Dubai under 18 cup had started and we were considered one of the top contenders for the cup. But we lost in the finals by a close chase and the inaugural trophy just went of our hands. Well that did put us down a bit, but I did get the Best Player of the Tournament Award to boost my confidence.

Just post the match, Ishita called up.

“I have found out the reason behind the Jai-Ranbir friendship.”

“What, you serious? Tell me.”
There was a lot of noise in the background and I couldn’t hear clearly, still I kept the handset close to my ears, for whatever I could catch.

But then suddenly the handset went blank.

It was out of battery. The battery also had to get over now only. Why the hell didn’t I charge it?

I would not be able to speak to Ishita till tomorrow afternoon, just because of the after parties that followed the tournament.

Now again and again different thoughts kept running up and down my mind on what could actually be the reason.

And the thing I could not do, how did Ishita do it?

...to be continued...