A/N: This was something that was bouncing around in my mind for quite a while so... decided to write it down finally.

Sonu wiped off the traitorous tear that'd managed to leak trough his eye as he left the mandap without turning back, after giving Titu his ultimatum - him or Sweety. He could still hear Sweety's words ringing in hid ears. "If the choice is between a friend and a girl, the girl always wins" she'd said confidently and all Sonu could do was to keep his fingers crossed and hope that Titu will make the right decision.

The past few days had definitely taken a toll on him, judging from the tears that seem to have finally decided to break out of the dam called his eyes after a really long time. The prospect of losing the love of his life forever to some girl, who was after the money, willing do anything in order to achieve her goal.

And his hopes have slowly started to dwindle as each of his attempt proves to be futile and after whatever had happened the day before? He was just grasping onto all those frayed strings, trying to hold together the tapestry of his life with Titu, playing his trump card at the very last minute in a desparate chance to get the upper hand. It's all in Titu's hands now... if he chose Sweety, it be like what he'd told Ghasite, meet up every 3 months, reminisce of the times they spent together in nostalgia and move on in their own paths.

He mechanically walked towards the swimming pool, unconsciously grabbing a few bottles of beer and set them down beside him, sitting at the edge of the swimming pool with his legs in the water, ready to drown in his feelings.

He remembered the first time they'd met at school, how he'd taken Titu in, his protective attitude towards him when he saw him like a brother and then it happened, he'd slowly started to fall for him.

His sweet, innocent and na?ve Titu, who he'd first met at a family function, lost in the sea of people and almost ready to cry. Then in their school days, where he used to protect Titu from the bullies, covering up for Titu's mischief. It was true when he informed Sweety that there were things that even Titu himself didn't know about himself and his life.

The time when his mother had passed away, the feeling of numbness that surrounded him, the way he blocked the whole world away as he sat there stoically, not knowing how to react. Titu was sitting by his side the whole time, ready to catch him if he ever fell. And the pieces did fall on the fourth day, the dam had broken and Titu was by his side the whole time, holding together the breaking pieces of his soul.

He remembered his adolescent stage, the teenage Titu trying and failing miserably in the department of attracting girls or trying to start a relationship, ultimately falling back into Sonu's arms for consolation. It was also the first time he noticed that maybe, he felt something more than friendship towards Titu when he felt this white, hot anger that burned inside him when he saw Titu spending less time with him in preference of spending time with his newly acquired girlfriend. 'Jealousy' his mind helpfully supplied whenever he tried to name what he was feeling.

And that revelation only increased Sonu's protectiveness over Titu all the more, along with some sort if possessiveness whenever he saw someone trying to grow close to Titu. But Titu had also shown signs of not showing any interests towards buys when Sonu had brought it up one day in a drunken bout. And that was the day Sonu decided to just bury that crush he had on Titu and go about the way he normally does around him.

But then came the bomb called realisation when he looked back to see that he'd always been in love with Titu, just covered it up under yeh blanket called 'besties' and now that he'd removed that blanket, it was bluntly obvious on how much deep shit he's in.

'But then again, his Titu was oblivious as hell' Sonu thought as he took in a swig from the second bottle of beer, slightly splashing the water and watched the waves moving away from his feet, only to come back near them again. 'Just like Titu' he thought with a chuckle.

It was surprising that none of the family noticed the change in him after the realisation and if they'd noticed, it was possible that they'd brushed it off as they were still showering him with the same affection and love they always used to.

And he pretended that Titu dating other girls didn't bother him but discretely tried to find faults with them so that they don't hurt Titu in the end or take advantage of his innocence and naivety. And in the worst case scenario, put him in a situation where he was forced to choose between him and the girl.

After his breakup with Pihu, Sonu thought that Titu will finally stop this quest and maybe will remain a bachelor, or maybe that he will finally notice that he actually has feelings for him and might reciprocate it...

But then he dropped the bomb of getting married, that too an arranged marriage and Sonu tried his best to dispel the idea out of Titu, who thought that this was the right time to be a stubborn ass and refused to budge out of the idea. And Sonu thought that he will be slowly able to convince him out of this madness if given the time. But... he sighed and opened his third bottle, probably wanting to get drunk out of his senses.

But then entered Sweety, who seemed to be this perfect girl at first glance, but Sonu's senses went haywire, warning him that she wasn't who she portrays herself as and digs into her past, wanting to find some fault in her that can be used against her and therefore, break the whole arrangement.

But whatever he did, she seemed to be one step forward and Sonu was almost going to accept the fact that she might be the one for his Titu, maybe the one who will take care of him, unrequited love be damned but then she drops the bomb that she was just taking advantage of him, causing him to redouble his efforts to save Titu...

And look at how it ended. He was sitting by the swimming pool, drinking and crying his heart out while his lo- best friend is out there, getting married to someone. Not knowing whether his lo- best friend even considers him one anymore, completely smitten by the oh so innocent and perfect beauty in front of him, who is probably going to betray him by the end of the day... If only he'd never realised his feelings for Titu... maybe this all might not have happened at all.

A/N: Part 1 out of 3 done... the rest will be out soon : ) Hope you all like it! All comments and criticism accepted and appreciated!

Thank you all for reading!

Rasi10 signing off

Published on 7 May 2020