REPUBLISHING

this was supposed to be a book.
but it didn't have a strong plot for me to follow through.

He glanced at the mirror, heaving out a sigh, his nerves were a wreck. And he looked in the mirror and concluded his hair was not any better, out of all days that he could have a bad hair day, it had to be today.

Grumbling he picked up the hair spray that was lying on the table before he went along to fix the strand of the hair that was poking out.

Dressing up for a press conference, shouldn't be as tense as he was making it out to be. But, when the press conference is scheduled to announce the engagement of the heirs of one of the business corporations in the country, you have to make an exception.

Brushing the last strand away from the forehead he backed away.

Doesn't matter. You have already given yourself the pep-talk third time today. Everything's gonna be alright. He assured himself as he sighed.

As soon as he stepped out of the room he came face to face with an anxious Pinky. He blinked at his mother who pulled him towards the room in the corner, Tia's room, as in his fiancee's . He frowned.

"We are already late, we will be leaving for the venue, you both come along soon." She said as she patted him on his arm, when he backed away when her hands neared his hair, rolling her eyes, she gave him a smile. "Nazar naa Lage kisi ki" she said before walking away.

He looked at his watch and indeed they were late.

He knocked on the door. Three times. There was no answer. "Tia?" He called. Silence was what he faced. He waited for a few moments, repeating the same.

He grabbed the knob, and twisted it slightly. "I'm coming in." He called, he stepped inside and he looked up.

His eyes widened when they were met with hazel ones. They both looked at each other, wide eyed.

"What. The. Fuck?" They both yelled simultaneously.

coming soon.

Last book till August I guess, unless I finish my books sooner than that hehe.

....

"Alright, and that's it." Rudra muttered and he grinned. I looked in the mirror rolling my eyes at the reflection, not that the hair looked bad, it just didn't look right.

"Thanks, Rudy." I patted him appreciatively before changing my hair back to the way I am used to having. I grabbed some hair gel before combing it properly.

"But bhaiya-" Rudra started, I passed him a stern glance and he huffed and looked away. Rolling my eyes, I snuck a look at the phone screen.

"Where's Om?" I asked when I noticed his absence in the room, "He is already at the venue helping with the arrangements." I held back a wince at that.

"Bade papa?" I asked as I turned to look at Rudra.

Rudra grinned, "Bingo! Dad's instructions."

We all knew how much Om hated being in the proximity of the Kapoors, well not all of them, but a few certain ones. And that includes Tia's cousin, Riddhima Kapoor. His ex. Poor him.

"Shivaay! Rudra! Hurry up!" I heard my mother's voice call and I turned to look at the door. She walked over to us and smiled at me, "Mera-"

And I knew what was coming, "Mom please, don't start again." She rolled her eyes at that.

"I was going to say that you are looking handsome." I chuckled at that, "Those are welcome but please don't call me that." I grimaced, heera beta, it had started out as a joke and my mother had taken it herself to tease me as much as she liked.

Sometimes I hated Mallika for bringing such topics back to attention. I'd rather stay away from the scrutiny of my family, when they are in the mood for a teasing session.

"We are leaving early, Tia is getting ready, arrive soon both of you." She instructed and I mentally groaned.

"Why can't I come with you guys?"

Rudra grinned, "Who is getting married?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." I dismissed him with a wave of my hand. We'll see about that in a few years, when you will be standing at my place.

I walked downstairs following my mother and Rudra as they exited the mansion before turning and walking to her room; I stood there and waited by her door.

>>><<<

"You have got to be kidding me." I murmured under my breath, I looked down at my wristwatch only to realise that I was running later for the conference.

It had been whole fifteen minutes since I have been standing here, and there was no sound coming from the door.

Did she fell asleep? Knowing her, it was a likely possibility.

Or did she forget that we have a press conference, this afternoon, not the evening. That was a possibility too! You can never know with her.

"Tia? Can you make haste please!" I hissed giving out three sharp knocks over the polished plywood. There was a muffled sound from the other side, followed by a yelp. And an exclamation of surprise.

I blinked at the sequence of the responses.

Is she alright? I thought as I leaned over the door.

"Are you alright?" I called. I winced as I heard things dropping inside. What is she doing inside?

Another muffled voice.

"Tia, I am coming in." I informed, the door was not locked, I turned the knob but didn't part the door, so that she remained prepared, before I stepped inside. But to my surprise it was not Tia who was standing in front of the vanity.

I blinked. Her!?

Closing my gaping mouth, I swallowed nervously as the identical anxious face stared back at me. Tell me this is a joke-hallucination-imagination-or anything. What is she doing here?

I looked back at the door, to see if I entered her room, or-

"Tia?" I asked dumbly, looking at her in question. She frowned for a moment, she didn't look exactly shocked to see me there which made me wonder, if she was prepared for it?

"Hi?"

I looked back at her, she raised a meek hand in a wave.

I opened my mouth before closing it again. Frowning, I looked at her carefully before, "Annika?" I echoed in surprise.

>>><<<

"Annika?" I echoed in surprise.

"We'll see each other soon."

"It's been four years."

"It's been six years."

"Ninth, and that soon never came."

I shook my head to clear the thoughts before frowning. There were a million emotions I was feeling, the urge to go to her and ask, demand where she had been?

Why did she never call?

Why never picked mine?

Why did she change the address?

Why didn't she come back?

And she was here now?

But I kept quiet, staring at her without saying anything, without asking anything.

She smiled stiffly, and nodded in acknowledgement, "Shivaay." I rolled my eyes at the formality. Well, I don't expect sudden familiarity from her side. But really? Is this the best she came up with?

"I-what are you doing here?" I asked. She looked around the room for a moment, "my friend, who is apparently your fiancee as well, invited me here." I blinked.

"Tia?" She nodded. Annika was Tia's friend? Why wasn't I aware of the fact?

Maybe because you two never actually dated-- my mind answered back and I rolled my eyes before turning back to look at her.

"Oh." I said. Very articulate, Shivaay.

"Oh?" She echoed in the similar tone, are they going to play the game again? She arched an eyebrow, she was mimicking him.

If I didn't know any better I would have never caught the mocking tone that it carried. I would let it slide this time.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, shuffling by the door.

"So-" I started, but I was at a loss of words.

"-so?" She repeated the word in the exact same tone.

What exactly are we to say to the friend that we meet after almost a decade?

I couldn't help but sigh. The last time we talked there wasn't this awkward silence between us! But it was nine years ago! I looked at her, she was looking everywhere but me?

"Here. I am standing here." I spoke, clearing my throat again raising my hand to gain her attention. She glared at me, and I lowered my hand. Yeah, this didn't change.

I missed it--It's a good thing that she cannot hear my thoughts.

She blinked, "the glass is on the table." I rolled my eyes at the remark catching the hidden message.

"My throat is just fine."

"Well, sure, I can see that." She rebuked.

She looked at me with the corner of her eyes and--hah! She still doesn't know how to be discreet. Some things just never change even after years pass by.

"Oh please."

"How did you know?"

"Your eyes. Obviously."

"This!" I said suddenly, startling her, she turned to look at me with wide eyes.

"You always give me the wrong answers!" I accused. Her eyes narrowed in response.

"Excuse me? When did you even ask a sensible one? And I didn't give you the wrong answer, I just said-" She fired back.

"I would have if-" interrupting her sentence I defended myself.

"-if?" She arched her eyebrows and I glared at her warningly. She simply rolled her eyes. At me.

"I don't know where she is." She said as she crossed her arms and turned away.

Who?

"Your fiancee." She answered.

Did I say that out loud?

My fiancee. Tia.

I gaped at her, and suddenly, I noticed the said person's absence around the room. To my surprise, I completely forgot why I was even here.

"Erm. What?"

"Did I mumble?" She crossed and I sighed.

"Let's just co-operate for a moment." I said pinching the bridge of my nose is exasperation. She shrugged and sat at the edge of the bed that was placed in the middle of the room.

Tia has got some explaining to do.

And she, I turned to look at her, we've got some serious catching up, to do.

But now, we have other things in our hands.

>>><<<

I glared at her when she snorted. "Shivaay baby." She mouthed at me, she was enjoying this too much.

Apparently Tia wanted to surprise me, even Annika didn't know that she was engaged to him. And that's why she didn't inform anyone when she came with Annika, everyone was already in rush.

"I thought it was a nice surprise?" I heard Tia's voice over the phone, "when I heard that she had a childhood friend sharing the same name, I checked the background a bit. And I knew I had to surprise you!"

Well--that was sweet of her. But there was no point in it, we are nothing but strangers now.

She gave a small hum when I thanked her for that.

I sighed, "how long will it take?" I asked, there was silence on the other side of the call.

She is having a manicure session because her nails weren't looking good and she wanted to look presentable at the conference. I sighed.

"Don't worry, I will reach there directly, you and Annika should leave, the driveway to the venue from the mansion will take twice the time it will take me to reach there.

"Alright."

Annika looked at me for a moment, and the awkward silence between us had dissipated.

I turned to look at her, "How come no one noticed when you came here? I know Tia said-" I frowned.

"You do not need to look at me accusingly." She huffed.

"I wasn't accusing you..." I said softly, she relaxed slightly. "I-" pausing the sentence for a moment, but she continued.

"I bumped into Pinky aunty along the way, I cannot say about the rest they all seemed to be in rush, Tia did introduce her, but she didn't recognise me or maybe didn't pay attention."

I smiled at her apologetically.

"She must be in rush." She rolled her eyes at my words, "it's okay, I know we were meeting after years. It's normal."

Probably. But it didn't take a moment for us to recognise each other? Strange? Or not?

"I was merely surprised to see you here." I said, composing myself, "it has been like, what? Nine years?" I asked.

She nodded, a little surprised before nodding.

"Plus three months." She added chuckling softly. I smiled,

"don't tell me you have even the dates, hours, minutes, seconds counted as well-" I grinned.

She opened her mouth to answer and I let out an overly dramatic gasp, "You did not-"

"Fifteen days, nine hours, nineteen minutes-"

I rolled my eyes, at the scandalous expression that she gave me, "do you want me to say the seconds?" She asked in a hushed whisper, the familiar twinkle in her eyes visible.

I leaned in, "do it. At this point I'd say you'd be throwing random numbers." Narrowing my eyes I turned to look at her. I mentally calculated the day, she was right. But the rest- I knew she was messing up with those.

She smirked at me, before turning away rolling her eyes.

She rolled her eyes, "Do not underestimate me, Oberoi."

After the punch that you had landed on my jaw-when have I ever? My hands unconsciously reached for my jaw and she gasped at that.

"Ouch."

"Don't be dramatic."

"I'm not."

"Are your alright?"

"I-i didn't mean to."

"It's alright."

"It was a mistake!" She protested, already grasping at the context, as she reached out to pull my hand away.

I nodded seriously at that, "A painful mistake." I agreed. She smacked me on my arm lightly.

Giving her a lopsided grin, I shook my head.

"I would never." I said, placing my hand over my chest, "you are such a drama queen." She said with a roll of her eyes, before shaking her head with a playful smile.

"Let's go." She said.

"Pray tell? Where?" I asked, she blinked.

"The conference?"

"What?"

She blinked at me.

Conference? Conference! We are going to be late!

>>><<<

She changed the songs on the radio and I rolled my eyes handing her the remote, the tapping of the buttons was getting on my nerves.

"Thanks." She muttered as she tapped the buttons.

I sighed, as the familiar beats reverberated through the music system, one that was adored by my sister, Prinku.

I glanced at her, I was not surprised at the glee that took over her features, she and my sister used to share the same taste in music.

I rolled my eyes when she sang along the lyrics.

Arrey ladki beautiful,
kar gayi chull

"Would have made sense if there was a beautiful girl in my car." I muttered.

She gaped at me, "Did you just-"

I turned to look at her momentarily, "Uh huh." I nodded before turning back on the road.

"You take that back."

I chuckled, moving a hand off steering, I shrugged vaguely.

"As if."

"Tone it down." I groaned. As I turned to face the other side.

I frowned when she patted the controller, "what are you doing?" I asked as she tapped it against her palm.

"It's not working." She spoke. I rolled my eyes taking the controller from her hands. "Roll it further and you might see your brain, if there's any."

I glared at her, before tapping the power button.

"Well done, genius. Couldn't have thought of that myself." She snickered as she turned to look at me triumphantly.

I threw the controller somewhere in the back and she shook her head.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." She grinned, "Your habit of throwing things didn't change." I smiled at that.

"Some things simply don't." I answered, she merely hummed.

I turned the radio off manually and she resumed what she had been doing earlier, looking outside the car window.

The silence felt strange between us.

We have never been quiet. There was always something that we could talk about. Without any clear topic, we could talk for hours and now, even a few sentences feel strange.

And so did the unfamiliarity.

It was suffocating and for the first time I wished, I'd rather be somewhere else than here.

I may have been wrong, some things do change.

>>><<<

Ah, so this was the first chapter, if you haven't already guessed, ShivIka are childhood best friends who have lost touch or something, and Annika and Tia befriended each other in later years.
😭 if that makes sense.

Tell me, how is it, because this is my last try for a rom com. 😮‍💨

Well, I don't know what their interaction was like, me and my best friend usually stay like this, either I am being roasted or he is ;((

REPUBLISHING