Anika pushed up her Ray Bans, and pouted in her review mirror or her car, checking her lipstick.  Her reflection smiled back at her. A real smile.

It had only been a day since Shivaay came back but she was already feeling incredibly good. For starters she had slept so well last night that she had almost missed her morning alarm. And that was it, she just couldn’t help feeling happy, she had taken a nice long shower and actually took time to select her outfit, and even managed to put some effort into her hair and makeup, she shuddered looking back on her depressed days where she had been such a sour sight.

She bopped her head, her shoulders swaying to the beat of ‘stiches’ by Shawn Mendes. She grinned at nothing. What a great day!

Just as she was readied herself to the final chorus with her imaginary guitar and all, she saw Prinku shuffled past her window.

Anika threw herself across the passenger seat “Prinkuuuu!” she hollered. She pursed her lips when Prinku’s step didn’t even hitch.
Shaking her head she started her engine, driving hurriedly to catch up with her. Prinku jerked to a sudden stop looking surprised as Anika slammed the breaks right in front of her.

“Hey! Good morning!” she grinned popping her head out “where to?”

“just work” Priyanka mumbled, pulling her ear plugs out.

“great! Hop in. I’ll drop you”

Priyanka frowned “ but you go the other way”

Anika rolled her eyes “So?! Can’t I drop my favourite person to work for a day!?” she smiled wider.

Priyanka’s forehead creased “ how many cubes of sugar did you take in your coffee today?”

Anika’s smiled wiped off “aww common! just get in now, won’t you?”

Priyanka sighed “dosen’t look like you would let me go anywhere, anyway” she grumbled pulling open the door, Anika laughed “Smart choice”

She started the car giving the accelerator a good nudge, loving the way her car purred underneath her feet “Ready?” she looked over to Prinku, who was gawking at her wide eyed. “what? did you forget something or what?”

“alright. Two questions” Prinku said
“one. Should I be worried that I won’t reach work in one piece?” before Anika could answer, she held up a finger “two. Tell me how many cubes of sugar you exactly had”

Anika snorted “do I look like someone who can’t handle a car?” she let the car roar a bit as if to prove her point.

“ yes” Priynaka answered without hesitating.

Anika waved her away dismissively pulling out of the driveway “ people who seem like they can’t handle a car are probably the ones who drive as well as a racer” from the corner of her eye she caught Prinku’s face change but only for a second before she looked away, out the window. “just don’t make me late” Om’s worried face flickered in her mind, and wondered if it was true. Had something really happen to change their sweet soft Prinku?

“so…” Anika sighed as their car rolled to a stop at a traffic light “spoke to your brother yet? You might have missed him” silence answered her.

She looked over to see Priyanka hunched low in her seat, looking out the window, her ears plugged.

Anika reached out, pulling her plugs out “ hey!” Prinku protested, glaring at her.

“its rude to be listening to your own thing when you are sitting next to the driver”

Priyanka gaped at her “seriously?!”

Anika shrugged “am just saying its rude "

Priyanka sighed “no. I haven’t spoken to him. I will tonight. It looked like he had a lot going on” Anika nodded.

After all the fussing had stopped, Dadi was hell bent on stuffing Shivaay with as much food as she could before he would sternly push her away, and after that he was hoarded with calls and people coming to meet him.

Anika had lingered around him for so long, hoping she would catch his eye and they could finally talk.

She looked out watching the seconds on the traffic light run backwards. She had so many questions for him. So many. She didn’t even know where to start.

How about that the kiss part?  Anika shook her head so hard, she thought she’d hit the window. She couldn’t think about that now! She shouldn’t!

Don’t you wanna know what he thinks about you?

Anika groaned letting her head droop on the wheel. Her inner voice has got to shut it. Just shut up right no- a loud horn from behind, jerked her back into reality.

The light had turned green. Cursing under her breath, she shifted the gears in a hurry, their car roaring away with the sudden acceleration causing some of the passer-by’s to throw them annoyed glares.

Only after she was away from the traffic did it dawn on her that she wasn’t the only one in the car to witness her possessed antics.

She cringed, daring a look towards Prinku. Prinku stared wordlessly at her. Her face set in stone as if she was plotting ways to jump out of the car.

Anika cleared her throat “sorry..umm you had to see that..I…. uh.. have a lot on my mind”

“clearly” she replied, not looking at all convinced.

“well here we aree!!” Anika sang out suddenly pulling into CNN’s parking lot glad for the distraction.

“I think I got you on time too” she grinned checking her watch, she looked at Priyanka to see her already looking ahead “ hey” she touched her shoulder.

Prinku’s eyes snapped back at her “nothing”

“well you don’t wanna be late, do you?”

She stared at Anika for a second before she nodded “thanks for the ride” she mumbled and shutting the door before Anika could say anything back.

Anika drove up a few paces when suddenly her phone rang, she slowed down pressing her phone to her ear “Go for Sharma” she chirped cheerfully.

“Go where?” Ritu’s voice hissed back.

Anika grinned “ what’s up Ritu. Tell me whats hawwwt?!”

“Your ass is what’s gonna be hot if you don’t show up here in another half an hour!”

Anika chuckled “ what’s the hurry? I’ll get there when I get there”

“tell that to your unit head who’s been ravishing the halls for you. You are gotta get here. NOW!!”

“give me five minutes tops Ritu, I’ll be there so soon, you wont even have time to end this call”

“Ya right as if-“ Her voice zoned off as Anika’s eyes suddenly caught movement in her review mirror, she peered in close and noted a group of people hustled together a few paces from her car.

Her brows snapped together as she made out Prinku’s hunched up figure in the middle. Anika watched as one of the girls who seemed taller than the rest, suddenly reach up yanking Prinku’s files from her hands and throwing them on the ground, stuffing another set of files into her hands.

Anika narrowed her eyes “actually Ritu” she cut off her friend “ make that ten minutes. You’ll see me in ten. I’ve got something to handle” she ended the call, reversed the gears, and rammed her foot down hard, the car shot backwards her tires screeching loud enough to get the groups attention.

She didn’t even bother to slow down and drove it right between the group and Priyanka causing them to jump back alarmed.

She unbuckled and got out slowly, making sure her eyes bored into everyone in that group. There were six of them. One boy and five girls.
Anika lingered more on the girl who knocked down Prinku’s stuff.

“Watha hell is this! You almost killed us!” one of them shrieked.

Anika pouted “ sorry I missed” 

“who the fuck are you? And who even allowed you on this premises” the knocker asked more coolly than her minions.

“exactly what I was gonna ask” Anika crossed her arms “ I thought this was a workplace where adults worked, not where illiterate high school bullies reside” she eyed each one of them.

The knocker suddenly leaned forward peering behind Anika “ aww did Prinku just call her mommy to come save her?”

“worse” Anika muttered, stepping up close she looked her right in the eye   “am her best friend and you need to fuck with me before you can get to her” the knocker stumbled back, glaring at her for all she was worth.

“so what now? You’ll fight us or what?” the guy in the group asked.

Anika snorted “ fight you? What is this 1998?” she gave them a sad look “you guys are really a bunch of dorks aren’t you?”

“watch your tongue lady”

“no you are the ones who are going to watch it from now” Anika took her time cleaning her Ray Bans “ see that camera up there?” she nodded towards a small camera stuck to a lamp post pointing towards them.

“Now, I’ve got a friend who could literally hack into anything that resembles even a tiny bit like a machine, am sure I could give him a call and ask for the footage where you people were allegedly harassing a co-worker on work grounds” she chuckled watching their faces blanch.

“I’d love to hear what your chief editor would say after watching that”

Anika’s smirked, satisfied at the worry lines that were beginning to form on the tall girl’s head.

She shook her head “you really are a bunch of dorks aren’t you? I mean who would do something like this, right in front of a camera?”

“please” one of the girls at the back finally broke, “ we wont ever do this again. We are so sorry mam”

Anika laughed out loud “ mam? seriously?”

“how about we pay you?” the guy asked and Anika shot him a death glare “ you need to talk less dude, everything that comes out of your mouth is worse than sewage” he backed away almost cowering.

Anika put on her glasses flipping her hair over her shoulder, she had chosen the right day to look bad ass. “so, this is what going to happen, ladies, you have about half a minute before my besties stuff is back in her arms-“ she stopped suddenly peering at them over her glasses, “ I’ve already finished a sentence, why isn’t anything happening?” 

They snapped suddenly, and scrambled, picking up things that were scattered on the ground.

Anika nodded continuing “right… and the work that you have stuffed into her hands will be obviously taken away” papers were snatched from Prinku and replaced with her former books.

“on second thought, maybe you should just do her work for her too, cause I’ve just decide to take her on a much need besties day out”

“bullshit!” the tall girl yelled, losing her temper.

“I really don’t think that’s necessary” Priyanka spoke softly for the first time. She tugged on Anika’s sleeve “just let it be”

“am sorry, did you just raise your voice at me?” Anika raised her brow, ignoring Prinku.

The girls behind her elbowed her sharply and the tall girl bit down hard “ what I meant was, we don’t even know what story she is working on and how she usually gets her projects done”

“Aww honey, see that’s why phones are invented, call her and take notes of how she wants it done and by when she wants it done kay?”

She turned and stopped “oh, and remember don’t try anything funny cause” she got up close to the tall girl “am not the kind of girl you want to fuck with" she cocked her head, letting out a small laugh “ but you might’ve already guessed that by now”

“lets go” she tugged Prinku out of there and drove away.

They didn’t speak anything for a minute of the ride when “how could you do that! What were you thinking!?” Priyanka cried out in dismay.

“what were you thinking!?” Anika spoke louder “ I can’t believe you would let them treat you that way!!”

“I could’ve taken care of it”

“How? By doing their work for them?”

Priyanka opened her mouth and closed it again. She turned away, staring out the window.

“what? You are angry now?” Anika probed

“no!”

“that sounds angry” she sighed “ look you can’t expect me to just drive away when I see you in trouble”

“ I don’t need you baby sitting me! I don’t need anyone doing that for me!”

“then own up Priynaka” Anika bit out angrily “ own up, and stand your ground and don’t let people get way with stuff like that!” they pulled into the hospital’s parking lot.

“ oh so now I get a lecture from you !” Prink glared “ thanks babysitter but no thanks”

Anika sighed rubbing the nape of her neck “am not lecturing you, and am not your babysitter either. Am your stand by” Priyanka’s eyes flashed to her, her answer taking her by surprise. Anika watched as the anger in her brown eyes simmered.

“stand by?”

“yeah. Stand by” Anika nodded grabbing her bag and getting out.

She heard Prinku follow behind her “why stand by?”

“Because…you’ll need someone to stand by in case things get bad, plus what else do friends do?” Anika grinned over her shoulder.

Priyanka stuffed her hands in her pocket “ when did we become friends?”

“well.. I just took out an entire group of gangsters for you and you are about to witness me get my ass whooped by my boss cause am late for work, so.. if you ask me, I think we got a good start at this friends thing, now hurry!” she started jogging.

“that’s so lame” Priyanka called after her before she started to jog too, but the corners of her mouth pulled into a smile for the first time in a long time.

*************************

“ why do you eat so little?” Jhanvi muttered placing another roti in Omkara’s plate.

“ma don-“ he sighed unable to block her before she silenced him with a stern look.

“ I already ate two”

“just two” Jhanvi frowned.

“am already stuffed ma, look am even growing a tummy” Om protested.

“Don’t argue with your mother” Tej’s gruff voice interrupted their soft dispute.

Jhanvi threw a worried look at Om, and Om bent his head down, swallowing back a mean reply. This was why he hated having a family dinner.

He stuffed his mouth with bigger pieces of roti, anything to leave this table.

“ what did you decide about my proposal?” Tej asked, Om closed his eyes for a second “ it’s not a proposal dad, you are asking me to give up my career”

Tej smirked “opening one exhibition doesn’t make you a professional artist, for crying out loud there wasn’t even one journalist to cover that event”

“this may seem shocking, but it’s not everyone’s dream to have their affairs plastered on the front page”

Tej waved his hand “ whatever you think, I’ve given you a month to think about joining the family business, yet here you are bickering to your mother about your body” he gave a frustrated sigh “ when will you grow up?”

Om bit down hard “ I told you a million times, I have no interest in your business” he bit out, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.

“then!? Do you expect me to allow you to waste the rest of your life playing with colors and flaunting stupid exhibitions!” he bellowed standing abruptly, his chair screeching back loudly.

Om pressed his lips in a tight line, clinching his fist, how dare he?
He looked at his father with pure hatred in his eyes.

“ do you know how many people out there are dying for opportunities that you have? The luxury you have?”

“ I dint ask for any of this” Om seethed, he opened his mouth to say more when he felt his mother’s hand press his shoulder tightly.

“ Tej..” she murmured softly, trying to soothe her husband “ let him eat, we can talk about this later”

“there isn’t going to be a later. You will join the business whether you like it or not.” He threw down his napkin and looked at Jhanvi “get him ready”.

Jhanvi nodded watching Tej walk away, she looked at her son who sat, red in the face clenching his fists.
She pulled his plate from him and tore a bite of roti “ here” she said putting it near his mouth.

He turned away angrily “ am not hungry”

She pulled his face to him again frowning “ ma se jhoot nahi bolthe” she pushed the piece through his lips, she watched as his glare softened and he sighed, chewing the roti.

“why doesn’t he get it ma, why can’t he accept it that am not like Shivaay”

She smiled at him fondling his hair “he is only hard on you because he thinks this is what is best for you”

“ well, he thought wrong! he called my paintings a ‘play of color!’ ” he threw up his hands.

“ I know you don’t do it because it’s what your dad wants more, but if you really put your mind to it, you can actually be good at it” she fed him another piece.

“ that’s not true” he said between mouth full.

“ why don’t you give it a shot Omki? maybe you’ll like it”

“ ma I already have a job! Am an artist!”

Jhanvi sighed “alright how about I tell you that you go to office for just three months, and after that, if you still don’t like it, I’ll talk your dad to not bother you again and you can go back to your paintings. How about that?”

He groaned pressing his temples “ I can already tell you I won’t like it, I don’t need three months to decide that”

Jhanvi cupped her son’s face in her hands “ please Om, for me?” she pulled on her puppy face, she knew  worked best “ just three months”

Om stared at her for moment, and sighed, slumping into his chair “ three months and you promise you’ll talk to him?”

Jhanvi’s face lit up “ I promise”

He rolled his eyes at his mom’s reaction “only for you ma”

Jhanvi nodded “ now finish up the rest, ill put in a search for a secretary”

“ why a secretary?!”

“cause that’s the first thing you need before heading to office, someone to sort things out for” Jhanvi spoke, as if she were giving a life lesson “ just leave it to me” she nodded walking away.

Om shook his head after her “ didn’t even make sense what she said”

***************************

A/N:
Hey people. Hope you all are safe and sound. Please stay at home and fight this pandemic together.

So here's the chapter 3. How's our badass Anika? Also the girls being friends? We really enjoyed writing about them cause girl besties are so much awesome, right?

If you like our story, dont forget to vote and comment. We need your feedbacks. Even if it's just a word, we will be the happiest to get your reviews.

For beginners, please do read our first book 'Beintehaan'

Yours
Trushnamallipudi ♥️