I got a call. Urmila Asked, "Packed? I have filled out the form for you and paid as well. Arrive at the address by 9 PM tonight. You have been added to the group."

I replied "So sorry, I forgot. I'll transfer the money right away."

"Are you okay?" my voice is flickering.

"Yes, just a slight headache. By the way, how does it feel to get married? Is arranged marriage good?"

"Mmm, it's okay, can't say much. He's coming on the trip. Your friend Aadhira is coming too."

"I'll call her. (I checked my phone.) I'll tell her. Also, listen, I haven't packed. Didn't get time. Today, I'm taking half-day leave. add it to my sick leave."

Urmila said, "If you want to take sick leave, take the full day. Go rest, Bhoomi will handle it. Before that, go do some shopping."

"If you weren't here, what would I do? You are the best HR."

"Don't flatter me too much. Go," she said, laughing.

I packed my bag and called Aadhira.

Aadhira is still driving. "Hi, did you reach the office?"

"I'm stuck in traffic."

"Take leave today, let's go shopping. I..."

"For what occasion?" (She interrupted.)

"Our office has planned a trip to Mahabaleshwar."

"What? Are we going to the temple on this trip?"

"Stop saying that. I've added your name too, so consider the money wasted. If we will not."

"Okay, listen, I'll message my mom. Meet me outside the office."

"No, no! I'll meet you directly at the mall. It's not far from here. Come to Thane, we'll meet at Viviana Mall."

"Okay, as you wish, Gopi Bahu. (Innocent Woman)"

"Stop calling me that, or I'll come through the phone and hit you," I said angrily.

She laughed, "Chill ... prince."

"Yaar! Stop bothering me."

I had a glimpse again, "Stop bothering me..." Someone is saying this line in my head. A girl's laughter. What's happening to me?

I took an auto and saw Bhoomi talking to someone, laughing a lot, but she didn't look at me. She was about to notice me when my auto started moving. I prayed that Bhoomi didn't see me, otherwise, she would come there too.

I went to the mall and to lift my mood, I went to a bar and had a beer. I don't drink during the day, but my headache wasn't going away. I saw some girls dancing in a group, having fun. Memories of school and college kept coming back.

Why do I remember them unnecessarily? Why were my school and college days so special? I remembered my college group seeing those girls. We had a group party like this. It was the first time I saw Aadhira drinking alcohol. She drank so much I didn't know how to handle her. These girls seemed similar.

I went to dance there, reliving my college days. This office life doesn't give me time for myself. I want that life back. I danced to the loud music, forgetting everything, and got a call. I didn't notice because of the loud music.

After a while, I remembered I needed to shop. I checked my phone, there were 12 missed calls. Aadhira will chew me out.

I called her back, but she didn't pick up. I came out for shopping. I couldn't see her. I saw her client, Nisha, there. She passed right by me. Seeing me, Nisha hugged me, and just then, Aadhira was coming up the escalator. Her gaze met mine. Why do I always get caught like this? Nisha held me by both arms and said, "Where have you been? I need your number. Let's party sometime."

Aadhira came and pushed Nisha away from me. Nisha looked angrily but, seeing Aadhira, hugged her too, like she did to me. She said, "You both together, wow."

Aadhira said angrily, "So you're busy here. I called 12 times, couldn't you tell me once?"

Nisha said surprisingly, "What? 12 calls? I get a more-than-friends vibe from you two... ring? (She looked at my ring) When did you..."

I interrupted, "This stupid ring got me into trouble. It's nothing like that."

"Okay fine, I need to do a lot of shopping. You know, I love shopping. Aadhira and I have similar dressing sense. I didn't know Aadhira used to be a tomboy."

I said angrily, "What's the need to become overly girlish? People hover around Aadhira as if she's a model."

"She is. Aadhira, if you want to do modeling, come to me. I have good offers for you." Nisha replied.

Aadhira said, "Mmm that's great, let's shop."

Why do I always get stuck? What's my luck? How do I tell Aadhira I wasn't with Nisha? Nisha gave me her card and said, "Keep in touch." I just nodded. Aadhira was walking ahead, I was following.

"What a trouble. Aadhira, listen..."

"Listen to what? Why do you always make me angry? You never have time for me. Ignored my calls for Nisha. What is it... don't say you have a crush on her too."

"What do you mean?"

"You said once, remember? You had a crush on someone in a classroom. Who was that girl, Kiara? Why did you hide it from me? What else are you hiding? We're not kids to play guessing games. Sit down and tell me everything. Are you dating me, kissing Bhoomi, and hugging Nisha."

"She hugged you too," I tried to explain calmly.

"Well, Bhoomi didn't kiss me." Aadhira was furious.

"Fine, whatever you say, I'll do. Please calm down, I don't want to fight here."

"Who wants to fight? I'm wasting my time on you. Do you ever value me?" Aadhira blood is boiling so much that I could make a red tea like green tea.

"Value me? You chase those stupid boys and kiss a girl in your office. Did I get angry? Did I ask why you did it?" My anger was building slowly due to the headache. maybe I lost control.

"No, but you know that's how I am. You are not like that. What are you hiding?" She little calms down.

"You weren't like this either. I met you. you didn't care about the world. Where's that cool girl gone?"

Aadhira's anger grew. She said, "That girl is gone. This is the new Aadhira now. Accept it or not, this is who I am."

"This is a lie. This isn't you. You didn't tell me what happened in 9th-10th grade that changed you so much?"

Aadhira clenched her fists in anger. I looked at her angrily.

Aadhira gave me an annoyed look and said, "I don't give a fuck! Stay away."

I got angry and left from there. Now, I'm trying on some hoodies. It's been half an hour. She is nowhere to be seen, and my anger has disappeared into thin air. Isn't she going to come and make up? Come on, Aadhira, damn! Why do these beautiful girls play so hard to get?

I put down the hoodie and went to look for her. She was talking to Nisha. What does she think? That new friend will take my place? Look how much she is laughing, and she always ignores what I say. Damn! Can you ever take me seriously?

I angrily walked over and saw that Aadhira noticed me. Her eyes were full of anger, and her gaze was deadly. I didn't say anything and just grabbed Aadhira's hand, taking her away. Nisha glared at us as if something strange was going on but then got busy with her phone.

"What?" Aadhira asked.

"I don't understand this mess... can you help me?" I asked very sweetly, trying to be cute.

"Stop making that annoying face."

"Okay!" I made puppy eyes.

She quietly came with me. Between us, there is never an apology or a thank you. Sometimes it just happens like this. things end just like that.

"Should I try on a kurta?" I went to the fitting room to try on a brown kurta. I was wearing a back-zip top which was now stuck, my hair caught in the zipper. I took off phone from my jeans and called out, "Come in."

"What?"

"I'm stuck."

"Which fitting room are you in?"

"The one near the kids' clothes section."

"Okay, I'm coming."

I was losing my mind. How did my hair get stuck like this? Who told me to change with my hair down? She knocked.

"Kiara?"

"Come in, the door is open."

"Oh, half-dressed," she smirked.

"Are you here to enjoy or help me?"

"Fucking calm down! Let me first get your hair out of this mess."

Both my hands were stuck, so Aadhira lifted my hair from my neck and made a bun.

Her touch on my neck gave me a warm feeling, her mere second of touch could make me faint. Maybe it was the first time we were locked in such a small room together, Aadhira so close to me, untangling my hair. 

I looked at myself in the large mirror and then at Aadhira. Her care and love for me sometimes made me wonder how she became my Best-friend. Maybe we'll always stay friends like this because it doesn't seem possible to be anything more.

"Will you stop staring at me?" Aadhira said with an annoyed look, which was her regular expression, I know.

Finally, in a few minutes, she got my hair out of the zipper. I pulled down the top immediately, revealing half my bra to her, but it was nothing new to her. With a cold face, she said, "Try the kurta."

My expression showed that I expected her to leave, but she didn't understand my expressions, and if I said something, she would get angry.

I took off the top and looked in the mirror. She was scanning me well. Shit! My cheeks turned red-yellow-green. I wanted to cover my face. What should I do? If I blush in front of her, she'll tease me to death. In friendship, this is normal, right? Right?

I put on the kurta and asked, "What do you think?"

"You..." (She scanned me again from top to bottom. Her gaze scared me more than her face, her look pierced me like an arrow. When will this crush-disease go away... I felt like shouting, but she continued)... "Not bad."

She took so long to say 'not bad'. I shouldn't take her words seriously, I should spill them on Aadhira, but I have to be a friend too.

Her eyes trouble me so much, there is a different darkness in them, and that eye's shine reminds me of the moon. What am I saying? gosh, I don't want to become a Dil-jala-aashiq (heartbroken poet) now.

I asked, "You didn't like it?"

"I said not bad."

"Still angry?"

"No! Take this. Do all the shopping with my card! Consider this kurta...(she scanned again)... a gift from me."

Why, why, why? Blindfold yourself. I haven't seen her do this with any boys or girls, which is weird. Why does she do all this nonsense only with me?

"Listen, I'm really bored. Let's go watch a movie."

Remember what happened last time at the movies? I'm scared.

"Okay."

As we left the fitting room, she said, "Keep the kurta on, or your hair will get stuck again. Give me this top."

"Ohkay... but"

Her eyes asked, but what? Raised eyebrows.

"This tag..."

"Ahha" she closed the door and said, "Do you have anything to cut this with?"

Do I look like a serial killer? Do you think I carry a knife or scissors with me? I controlled my anger and didn't let it show on my face. I said sweetly, "No, Aadhira, leave it..."

"Wait, it's almost done." She was trying to remove the tag. Why are these tags always near the back of the neck? I kept looking in the mirror at her trying to remove the tag. Then I saw anger on her face, and she brought her lips close, and my eyes widened. 

She tried to remove it with her mouth. Her lips wetness touched my neck. Out of fear, I closed my eyes and fists. My imagination was running wild. Why did I watch K-dramas? Why do I romanticize Aadhira in everything? This is not a romantic moment. She said, "Done."

I took a deep breath and quickly stepped out. She showed the tag and made the payment with her card. We went to watch a movie. The movie was quite romantic, and I couldn't bear to watch the scenes. Is this love or lust?

"What happened? Should I order popcorn?" She asked, placing her hand on my thigh. She did it just to ask, but her hand didn't move. It was just a tab.

"Tell me, popcorn?"

"Yes! no! yes! bring it."

"Do you want anything else?"

Just move your fucking hand, someone understand my feelings. What if I get a heart attack right here, Uncle Yamraj, are you here?

"Coke?"

"Okay, bring it." She got up and finally moved her hand. I took another long breath. Today, I am more sensitive. This gay-panic is not stopping.

She brought the popcorn and came close to my ear to ask, "How's the movie?" Her warm breath felt like chloroform to me.

I nodded. We shared the popcorn together. and our fingers touched. She looked at me and asked why I was frozen, moving her neck without sound. I smiled with the popcorn. After a while, she put her hand near my seat. Oh god! Where do I put my hand?

 I guess I'll have to put it next to hers, I will waste my time thinking about her and the movie won't make sense with her touch. Wait, wait, a kissing scene is about to come. I guess Aadhira, Bhoomi, and my... scene... scene... Naked body...Aadhira's tattoo flashed, two girls was laughing... in my mind. I got serious. I asked Aadhira,

"Aadhira! Aadhira!(high voice).....Aadhira! (Little high voice)"

The noise was too loud, so she didn't hear. I tapped her hand and asked....