The Inseparable Friends, that's what Priya and Preetha were called.
"You are so patient and understanding," Jaya told Priya.
"Why do you say that?" Priya asked.
"Preetha can be so rude sometimes!"
Priya's smile did not waver. "What happened?"
"Oh nothing! I asked her to lend me some money, and she quoted Hamlet to me."
Priya laughed. "Yes, she has been cheated several times, so she doesn't like to lend. How much do you want?"
"Oh, I found someone to lend me, but I wondered how such a generous person like you can be her friend?"
"She believes people easily... So some have taken her for a ride. But she is not a bad sort," Priya said again and went back to her work.
***
"I am sorry," Preetha said as she saw Jaya walking up. "I thought about it and decided I would lend you..."
"No, it's okay," Jaya said, her face showing it wasn't.
"Priya told me you were upset..."
Jaya raised an eyebrow. "She told me that you had been cheated before because you were such a fool!"
Preetha frowned. "I have been cheated yes, because I trusted people."
Jaya laughed sweetly. "You still do, don't you?"
"What do you mean?" Preetha asked.
"I mean, you think Priya is a friend, and she thinks you can be easily lead, that you are rude. You know, she told me that I should have gone to her instead. More likely to get the money."
"Meaning?"
"Oh I don't know. You are her friend... you should know."
Preetha's lips formed a thin line.
That evening, the two friends became sworn enemies.
If only they hadn't let what Jaya thought of them get in the way of how they felt for each other. They hadn't asked each other, "Did you say this?" but instead known, "You couldn't have said this."
"You are so patient and understanding," Jaya told Priya.
"Why do you say that?" Priya asked.
"Preetha can be so rude sometimes!"
Priya's smile did not waver. "What happened?"
"Oh nothing! I asked her to lend me some money, and she quoted Hamlet to me."
Priya laughed. "Yes, she has been cheated several times, so she doesn't like to lend. How much do you want?"
"Oh, I found someone to lend me, but I wondered how such a generous person like you can be her friend?"
"She believes people easily... So some have taken her for a ride. But she is not a bad sort," Priya said again and went back to her work.
***
"I am sorry," Preetha said as she saw Jaya walking up. "I thought about it and decided I would lend you..."
"No, it's okay," Jaya said, her face showing it wasn't.
"Priya told me you were upset..."
Jaya raised an eyebrow. "She told me that you had been cheated before because you were such a fool!"
Preetha frowned. "I have been cheated yes, because I trusted people."
Jaya laughed sweetly. "You still do, don't you?"
"What do you mean?" Preetha asked.
"I mean, you think Priya is a friend, and she thinks you can be easily lead, that you are rude. You know, she told me that I should have gone to her instead. More likely to get the money."
"Meaning?"
"Oh I don't know. You are her friend... you should know."
Preetha's lips formed a thin line.
That evening, the two friends became sworn enemies.
If only they hadn't let what Jaya thought of them get in the way of how they felt for each other. They hadn't asked each other, "Did you say this?" but instead known, "You couldn't have said this."
ahem.. my head is spinning.. may be this is a typical Girls talk??:)
ReplyDeleteJeevan do you mean to tell me men don't try to split up good friends through indiscreet words and actions?
ReplyDeletehey, i don't think tis' true. There can be a misinterpretation but deliberate, malicious falsehood-this appears to be too far-fetched. And further good friends don't give up on each other so easily- unless there is something fundamentally hurtful on a continuum. At least I would like to think so.
ReplyDeletePeople do carry tales and maliciously spread gossip. Sometimes it opens old wounds and breaks ups happen, sometimes it does no harm. I am simply dramatising here given the short story format and my attempt to keep it very to the point.
ReplyDeleteThe point being, don't trust people who try to tell you what someone else said about you... It maybe true, but out of context.
But thanks Ritu, for reading, commenting and your faith in people.
@Meera..
ReplyDeleteI am not saying that men dont, may be.. but I guess its mainly girls do, Men are mostly busy with some other things than the gossips...
@Jeevan. True, their minds work differently. Maybe that's why I have used women here subconsciously :)
ReplyDelete