I was staring at Aadhira when she opened her eyes and caught me.

"Good night."

She woke up, stretched, and said, "It's morning."

"Umm... yeah, good morning."

When I got a crush on her, it was so hard for me to stay by her side.

"You know what, I am going to the office to meet my mom, doing a fake hello so I can join her office."

"Yeah, I am also preparing for the office too."

I got up, made breakfast, and after that, I got ready for the office. She also wore formals, and I said, "You look pretty." I started combing from fingers Aadhira's hair, then came to my senses and said, laughing, "You look pretty."

"You already said it."

God! She looks so good in formal dress, it's awkward how things are like this. 

In school memories...

You know my boyfriend is cheating on me. voice coming from classroom, I entered the class. I saw Aadhira talking to a boy.

"Hey boy, get up from here," I said arrogantly.

Aadhira looked angry and said, "Kiara, listen! He's my friend, talk nicely, he's lucky."

Isn't he a bit too lucky? I muttered to myself, I am jealous, He is Getting opportunity to sit with Aadhira. I angrily put my bag aside.

Some girls' voices were coming; I was sitting in the front seat. Aadhira and Lucky were talking about cricket while I quietly opened my book and kept staring.

Two girl seating Infront me they are talking to each other.

The first girl said, "Do you know how to date? I really like Yash."

The second girl said, "Ask him for coffee! I saw it in movies."

The first girl said, "How do you ask?"

What are they saying? We are in the 10th class now. Aadhira and I have been together for 2-3 years, and I also have a crush on her. My crush never really triggered me until after 9th class, when Aadhira changed her behavior and dressing style. She did less drama and fighting, focusing on studies, and the worst thing was she talked a lot to guys. Every day a new guy would come to her class. They all wanted to date her, and sometimes they even asked me for tips. How can I share tips when I don't even know myself? I never thought about it like this. Maybe she is bored and enjoys the attention from boys, having fun and passing time, but what about me? I hated all of them. I should be more confident. I am trying my best, and I will ask her for coffee. The main problem is, I don't know how to ask for coffee. Is it necessary to ask? I am a girl, does it matter? Isn't it normal for Aadhira? What if she feels bad?

In my mind, I thought, should I ask her for coffee? Is this the right way? Will she say yes? Should I say, "Go out with me?" Ughhhh! Someone asks Aadhira out for me. I feel like tearing my own hair out. I put both hands on my head and placed my face on the book, tired. After a while, Aadhira said,

"He's gone, come back to your seat."

Tired, I said, "Yeah, okay, I am coming."

"What's wrong, why are you biting your nails?"

I said, "Aadhira, let's..." My brain was telling me I was making a mistake, don't say anything, she will break the friendship.

Aadhira: "Kiara, did you watch yesterday's cricket match?"

"Cricket?" I don't know anything about it except the word. I couldn't ask. What if Aadhira makes someone her boyfriend?

I said again, "Aadhira, coffee... (I forgot what I wanted to say) where do you get it?"

"Why? Aren't you a tea lover?"

I forced a laugh and said, "I want to try good coffee, I want to try something new," I said nervously. I haven't been this nervous for the past 2-3 years, but since people like Lucky started meeting Aadhira and she stopped talking to me, it has been bothering me since the 10th class started. I feel like washing these guys like clothes. 

"I know a coffee place! Let's go after school today."

Aadhira said this very normally; she will never take me seriously. She is my first crush, and she's a girl. If this girl wasn't so cool, caring, hot, beautiful, and kind, I wouldn't be in this confusion about whether I am a lesbian or not.

In the math lecture, she was sketching our teacher, who looked so funny that I started laughing. The teacher caught me and asked why I was laughing. I said nothing and apologized. Aadhira stood up and said, "It's not her mistake, sir, it's mine." The teacher asked why you were laughing, and Aadhira showed the sketch to the class. Everyone started laughing. The teacher, who was using his phone in class, looked like a monkey in the drawing and was so angry that he tore the picture and sent us out of the class. We both laughed and the class went silent. We bunked the class.

We ran out of the class. Aadhira told me she would handle everything. She took me to a place where we could have coffee. I had coffee for the first time with Aadhira. The coffee was fine, but being with her was more important. I love tea more than anything. I miss my ginger tea aroma. She was enjoying her coffee so much, like it was her only love. She was smiling, and I got lost in her smile. We were in our school uniforms and a handsome, cute guy from the café Said Hellooo her. She knew him, and he said,

"Aadhira! What a pleasant surprise."

Her ponytail and the grey and white shirt made her look so beautiful that I blushed. But that bitter guy put salt between us, and Aadhira always smiled now. She had improved a lot after we became friends, and she had changed. Now, I hated that Aadhira talked sweetly.

I said in front of the guy, "Why are you so sweet to everyone? Have you gone mad? You were never like this."

The guy got angry because of me, thinking I was the villain. His face looked so ugly when he got angry. Aadhira said, "Isn't it a good thing? Good people like good people. You were running towards that double battery guy, doesn't he talk like this?"

I replied angrily, "Stop, I hate this. You should talk politely only to me, not everyone."

The café guy said, "I think I should get back to my job." He left like Aadhira would ask him to stay, which irritated me.

Aadhira replied, "You're biting your nails again." She held my hand to stop me from biting my nails, but I pushed her hand away. She thought I had gone crazy and ignored it.

"Did you like the coffee?"

"It's fine," I said with a grim expression, as if I didn't like it.

"You didn't like it, right?"

"No, actually, I am a tea lover."

"Your coffee craze is over?" she said, laughing.

"Yes! Dating is the worst," I said to myself, but it came out loud.

She said, "What? Date?"

"Are you planning to date someone?" I didn't know the answer, so I didn't know how to reply.

I said, "Yes, friends dating. You spend a lot of time with guys."

"Yes, I was feeling bored, and you know what? I fought with my mom again."

I asked, "Why do you hate your mom?"

Aadhira replied, recalling a painful memory, "She divorced my dad because she liked someone else. Dad wanted to meet me, but for her ego, she didn't want him to. Dad came to meet me in an illegal way, and after many warnings, she claimed that my dad wanted to kidnap me. He got arrested, and after that day, he left the country. I miss him."

"Did you call him?"

"I don't have his number. I don't know where my dad is."

"Lets find your dad."

"Maybe in the future, but not now. Let's go. Bill, please."

That bitter guy came again, handed me the bill, and gave me an angry look, which I returned. Aadhira looked lost, deep in thought, probably missing her dad a lot. I didn't know how to make her happy, so I asked her, "What makes you happy? Let's do that today."

"Your happiness."

I blushed, knowing it was just a friendly reply. "That's so kind of you, but seriously, what would make you happy?"

"I forget everything," she said, still lost in her thoughts.

I spent time thinking as we walked away from the cafe.

Back to the present.

I am in the office, and Bhoomi asked me to complete a task, but I couldn't do it on time. I was so sleepy, having not slept well on Sunday. She is angry and called me into her cabin. I went in, looking tired.

"Yes, Bhoomi," I said.

"Listen, stop the work. Let's go out somewhere. Your panda look is not cute," she said with a sweet tone. If only I could tell her that I'm dating Aadhira, she would understand. But her anger sometimes drives me crazy, and I don't want to lose this job.

We went out together. That coffee cafe was the same, and I recognized the guy there. He smiled at me and asked,

"Hi ma'am, what would you like?"

Bhoomi replied, "Aashish, just give me 2 cups of latte."

Aashish replied, "What's up, Bhoomi? Long time, no see. 

Bhoomi replied "Meet my girlfriend, Kiara."

Girlfriend? When did that happen? Bhoomi is such an assumer. She didn't ask me to be her girlfriend; she just asked me out and assumed we were a couple.

He looked at me and said, "She is beau....tiful. You're a lucky girl. Kiara, have we met before? You have such a familiar face."

Bhoomi laughed, and I got angry. "Aashish, do not flirt with her."

I said, "Hi, Aashish."

Aashish said, "I am the owner of this cafe, and you have a sweet voice, lady. I feel like you love tea, not coffee."

Bhoomi replied, "No, she loves coffee just like me. We both coffee lover."

Yes, you're thinking about how many lies I told Bhoomi. Yes, that's correct. I lied that I like coffee. I'm not a fan of coffee.

Coffee came after a few minutes, and we started talking.

Bhoomi said while having coffee, "You canceled the date again. Why are you doing this? You are my girlfriend, and I care about you." She held my hand, and I pulled back, finding it uncomfortable.

"Bhoomi, you know what? Let's forget the past thing. Let's enjoy right now." I thought it was the right thing to say, but I felt guilty afterward. I was doing something wrong.

We had coffee and got up. I saw Aadhira coming in with someone, holding hands and laughing. Who is this girl? My focus was so much on Aadhira that, out of the blue, Bhoomi kissed me just as Aadhira entered the cafe. Her eyes locked on me. Damn!