(hold onto the memories, they will hold onto you)
and i will hold onto you.

please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh i could recognise anywhere.

❄️

tw: mentions of alcohol, sex and other 16+ stuff. these are fully functioning adults, y'all teenagers don't need to go close to any of this.

31 December, 11:01 p.m.

"Can you stop checking your phone every second? It's pathetic,"

Siddharth drawled, frowning as he looked at his friend. Ratna slapped his hand slightly, rolling her eyes.

"Rude, but he's right babe, you're way too focused on Abhishek," she softly said, wrapping her arms around Alisha.

Alisha leaned her head, resting it on Ratna's shoulder as she sniffed, a feeling an uneasiness in her chest.

"Ratna, why isn't he replying to my messages? He is in the no network zone for quite some time now. What if something-? No, no," she rambled and Ratna sighed.

"Don't worry baba, he's okay. I'm pretty sure he must be partying somewhere. He'll text you once he is out of a hangover, I'm sure,"

"He hasn't texted since morning! Fourteen hours, Fourteen fucking hours and he hasn't talked to me. God, this is so stupid," she groaned.

"So so stupid," Alisha continued. "He's partying and I'm here, waiting for his message. I hate this feeling," she frowned and Naina shook her head.

"Mard jaat, behen. Mard jaat," (Men) she declared and Alisha nodded, agreeing with her.

"Let's smash his car," Naina suggested, slurring on her words as she tumbled a little. Adinath, her boyfriend held her hand gently, supporting her.

"Very obviously, his car is where he lives," Ratna said.

"Where does he live?" Naina asked.

"Dude Chandigarh! Did you forget he's literally Shubman's school friend?" Ratna pointed out.

"She's a stupid drunk!" Sahil gasped, pointing at Naina who frowned. Adinath laughed, shaking his head.

"And she's a whiny drunk," Sahil added, pointing at Alisha.

"Aye what do you mean?" Alisha pouted.

"Stop being sad about Abhishek," he replied.

"Okay talk to me when you really like a person but don't know what they feel about you,"

"Exactly," Sahil shook his head. "How could he not like you? Why do you not think like that? Always whining,"

"He likes someone else," Alisha grumbled faintly.

❄️

Abhishek gasped as he chugged down the liquid. His eyes landed on the couple in front of him, Ishan and Aditi whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears as they held hands.

"I'M IN LOVE," he declared after he cleared his throat, seeking their attention.

"What?" Ishan raised his brow, sighing. "Stop drinking,"

"How is that gonna change the fact that I'm in love?" Abhishek slowly asked, taking pauses in between each word.

"That sounds wonderful, Abhay. Who's the girl you're in love with?" Aditi asked warmly.

"Aliiiishaaa,"

"Alisha? Who Alisha?"

"Deshpande," he dreamily smiled. "My dream girl,"

"Hold up," Yashaswi's eyes widened. "He's in love with Shubi's saali sahiba,"

"L-O-V-E," Yashaswi spelled out in a sing-song manner.

"Hold up, Sara's best friend!" Realisation dawned upon Ishan and Abhishek just chuckled, staring into nothing.

"Good god, that was the girl you were talking about the other day?" Ishan pieced the pieces of the puzzle together.

"I love her yaar, I want her to know but she'll go away,"

"She won't, Abhay. I don't think she would, from what you were saying the other day, why do you have a doubt?" Ishan tried to knock some sense in his wasted friend.

"I love you, Alisha,"

"I'll tell her right away, " he quickly added. Aditi sighed, getting up and walking to him. She took the glass away from him, patting him on his shoulder.

"Abhay, " her voice was soft as she spoke. "She'll kick you out of her house if you turn up there like this. Go to her tomorrow, " she calmly said and he nodded.

"Okay! First...thing...tomorrow?" he asked like a child wanting to go to the park and she nodded like the mother goose she was.

"Okay!" Abhishek grinned.

❄️

1 January, 7:54 a.m.

Alisha woke up with a throbbing headache. She was on the couch, her blanket bunched around her legs as she got up, sitting straight. Sahil was sprawled over the carpet while Ratna and Siddharth had cuddled up on the adjacent sofa, making Alisha frown.

Just friends sleep like this?

She got up, lazily marching to the washroom. It was going to be a long day with this headache.

1 January, 8:30 a.m.

Alisha stepped out of the bathroom, feeling a jolt of energy, the warm water washing most of her fatigue. Her friends were still sleeping so she decided to call up Sara and wish her a new year.

But just as Alisha picked up her phone, the doorbell rang. Alisha winced, her head hurting at the noise. She dragged herself to the door, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw the man.

"Hey Alisha, remember me?" Ishan asked, smiling. Alisha furrowed her brow, scanning him for a moment before speaking up.

"Let me see, a famous cricketer, my jiju's second wife, do I remember you? Yeah, I do,"

Ishan rolled his eyes, flashing a tight lipped smile.

"Happy new year, that's how you greet people, Alisha," he answered and she chuckled.

"You're right, I'm sorry Ishan. Just a little hungover. Happy new year, how did you turn up at my house this early?"

"I...well, I have a new year's surprise for you," he smiled. Alisha felt her heart race, confusing her.

Why am I so nervous? Out of the blue?

"A surprise?"

"Yes, it's a...hmm, how do I describe it? Yeah, male human being,"

"Way to narrow it down," Alisha commented and Ishan groaned.

"Aur kitni der?" (How much time more?) he asked and Alisha felt her confusion increase.

"MY HAIR DOES NOT LOOK GOOD, CONTINUE STALLING HER!"

Abhi?

"Is that...?"

"I'm sorry for his stupidity," Ishan muttered and Alisha stifled her laughter.

"WAIT, Ishan...she knows, doesn't she?"

Ishan sighed, shaking his head.

"What did I do, God?"

Ishan and Alisha heard his voice again.

"Well right now you're disturbing my very asleep and hangover neighbours, so I would suggest you to come in my house," Alisha said. Abhishek hesitantly opened the door of the staircase and Alisha's heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on the familar face.

He flashed his boyish smile at her, trying to appear confident, but he did not feel an ounce of faith in his body.

"Can I go in? I gotta pee," Ishan said, and Abhishek made a face of disgust. Alisha nodded, pointing to the restroom.

"So," Abhishek started and Alisha looked at him, swallowing nervously. "Hi!" He said and she gave a tight lipped smile, inhaling sharply.

"Hello Abhay,"

"I wanted to say something, it won't take a lot of your time, just...yeah, I'll be quick," he said and Alisha nodded, again, her nervousness reaching a new apex.

"Alisha Mahesh Deshpande. A few months ago you were just my bhabhi's best friend who used to have purple hair and then dyed her hair cherry red,"

"It's red- wait, you said it correctly for the first time," Alisha interrupted him and he just slightly smiled, trying to calm his racing nerves.

"But now, everything's changed Alisha. Everything," he said and she looked at him, chest tightening in anticipation. "You're my dream girl, Alisha. The love of my life," Alisha softly gasped, slightly in disbelief.

"Alisha, I want to start every new year with you, I want to hold your hand, kiss you every day and want to laugh at the stupidest memes in existence with you. I love you, Alisha,"

Alisha stood frozen, his words hanging in the air. Her lips parted slightly, words caught in her throat. Suddenly, the vocabulary she had built all these years disappeared from her mind.

Say something.

Say something.

"And...it's okay if you don't," he feebly said at her silence. "I don't wish to lose you over...this. Last night when I saw Ishan and Aditi, all I could think about was you. And it's okay, it really is, if you don't feel that way. I just...think about it okay? Maybe, maybe...give me a small chance? A tiny chance? Not now, maybe...maybe in the future," he sincerely said, his heart sinking in disappointment at her reaction.

"I love you, Alisha. And I don't want to-

Abhishek froze as he felt her lips on his, her hands tugging on the collar of his hoodie as she pulled him down. For a moment, he didn't react but as his mind resgistered her action, his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

As they pulled away, their foreheads touched, the two trying to catch their breaths.

"You love me," Alisha breathed out and he nodded.

"I do,"

"I love you too," Alisha finally said.

Four simple words. But everything changed.

"I love you too, Abhi," she repeated and he grinned, speechless. He buried his face in her shoulder, embracing her.

"I love you,"

The words were like a powerful chant for the two.

Abhishek, who had been in many casual relationships, had known only his college girlfriend as a serious relationship. And they had broken up and gotten back together a record number of times before finally parting ways.

Alisha, who had grown up in two messed up houses, whose last boyfriend broke up with her because he thought she was cheating on him, when she wasn't and refused to accept his mistake after she proved her innocence.

For them, having someone who loved and cherished them equally was somewhat different.

All the others in the apartment decided to gather in the kitchen, not wanting to intrude in their intimate moment.

Alisha pulled away from the hug, her hands still around his neck while he held onto her by her waist.

"I still don't understand why in the world did you decide to disappear from the face of the earth yesterday?" She glared at him and he nervously chuckled.

"Well, yesterday was a little too hectic. In a last minute spur, I booked a flight, got on it and by the time I reached Ishan's house, everyone had already started partying. I had a little alcohol and got too nervous to text you," he explain, a goofy smile on his face as she scratched the back of his neck.

"I don't know how I'm attracted to you, but go on," Alisha rolled her eyes and he flashed a smug grin, kissing her cheek.

"Your love for me was just proved again by the Peraltiago reference," he said and the two shared a laugh. "Since we are on the topic of how much you love me, I will like to say something," he added on and Alisha nodded, listening to him.

"Don't forget how much you love me,"

"Abhi, what do you have to say?" She asked softly.

"As I was saying how I was in a haste yesterday, you know the flight, airport and everything," he started and she nodded.

"I might have forgotten your earring in the haste."

THE END, but isn't this the beginning?

Do drop your reviews, thank you for the love💌