Riya's Pov:

Eating breakfast at the dining table the next day gave me a lot of time to think about the previous day's events.
We returned back only at around 8 pm. We had so much fun together during the outing , I had no words to describe it. The cool breeze was a nice change after being cooped up in the house, and there was a whole lot of fun in having a picnic, sitting under the shade of a Banyan tree, with birds chirping melodiously in the background. We even took the toy train around the enclosure, after Diya's insistence. It made me remember my childhood days, and how much I had loved doing this then. After spending an ample amount of time roaming around, chatting, identifying various trees and plants and guessing their botanical names, we decided to head over to Vishweshwaraya Museum.

Anandith, being a science genius had fangirled over the ingenuity of the various artifacts and inventions on display at the museum, and had even forced me to take a picture of him wearing a royal knight's helmet.

We had even stopped over at a diner called Little Italy on the way home, to have our dinner. Diya had teased me endlessly about Arya and I had brushed her off as if it was no big thing. Only I knew, really deep down inside my heart, that I was lying to myself.

I was momentarily broken from my thoughts, when I heard Anandith's cell phone ring.

He picked it up and after greeting the person on the other line, purposely reduced the volume of his voice. I was too curious.

"Yeah sure, of course, don't worry...of course I won't tell..yeah yeah alright.. she won't get to know....definitely...in an hour's time? Great..."

He slowly sneaked out of the room whispering all the way with one hand on his mouth, to muffle his voice.

Who was the person on the other line? Who was the 'she' they were referring to? Why did he run away from me? Was it something to do with me?

I had so many questions and my curiosity knew no bounds. Following him quietly, I made sure my footsteps made no sound. I tried to eavesdrop, but before I could attempt to hear a single word, he ended the call with a whispered " It will definitely be a surprise for her...yeah bye..see you soon!"

Anandith turned to me with a smirk and I realized I had been caught. Why couldn't I do anything properly? I was so incapable of doing anything naughty. This was so unfair.

" Do you really think I would have let you hear something that's top secret information?"

" Hmmph," I said with a scowl. "What were you talking about?"

" Nothing."

" I am 100% sure it was something."

" Yes it WAS something, duh but nothing that I can tell you," he replied, still smirking.

" You're incorrigible and you suck," I replied lamely and walked off, Anandith's chuckle radiating in the background.

After an hour of sitting around and reading one of my favourite classics Pride and Prejudice for the fifth time, I got up to answer the door bell, which had just rung.

The person standing on the other side, made me jump with joy and squeal so much that I dropped the book I had been holding in my hand. He was the last person I had expected to see at the moment. He had told me he was going abroad with his parents and sister for a short vacation. I rushed over to him and enveloped him in the tightest hug possible. My arms automatically went around his lean torso and I buried my face in his shoulder. I had missed the warmth his body gave me and I felt so happy.
Just then, I saw four other people come up the stairs and I screamed even more. I released Desh from my breath-sucking hug and went over to do the same to the rest of them.
Kajal hugged me back with a bright smile on her face and Meera squeezed the life out of me. Nikita and Rahul too, each gave me a small hug and grinned.

Anandith had by then, come to witness the scene. He was looking at me, with an eyebrow raised, so as to say "So? Was hiding it all from you worth it?"

I nodded at him, my lips spreading into a radiant grin. I leaned over and kissed his cheek, while my friends cooed in the background.

"You guys are sooo adorable."

" You guys are amazing! Oh my god I can't believe you're here! In my house...you came all the way here! Yayyy this is the best thing ever," I said, starting to jump around.

My friends chuckled.

" Soooo," Anandith said, turning to Desh. " I have heard a hell lot about you. My sister doesn't stop talking about you."

" Eh shut up Anandi, nothing like that Desh. This guy exaggerates too much."

" Is that so?" Desh said with a knowing look and I blushed.

" You guys should seriously go out already..," Kajal said, with a mischievous smile. " Too cute for life."

" Shut up," I said and looked at Desh, who was looking everywhere else but at me.

Did even the thought of going out with me seem so ridiculous to him? Would I go out with him, given the chance? Did I really have feelings for him? But Arya... I thought. I didn't know what was going on in his mind did I?

" Guys, seriously stop all this nonsense," Desh said. " We're just best friends and nothing more."

" Really? Just friends?" Meera taunted.

" Yes yes yes," I said.

"Okay then. So do you know why we're here?"

"Because you missed me so much and couldn't live without me?" I said, smiling.

" Of course of course, but what's in two days?"

"My birthday! You guys are staying for my birthday? Yayyy I have the best friends ever!"

Desh hugged me again and whispered into my ear, " No I am the best."

And I couldn't help but chuckle. He was soon going to get suffocated by his own ego.

Kajal raised an eyebrow at me, with an inquisitive look, on observing our exchange, and I rolled my eyes with a grin.

She grinned back and mouthed ' We need to talk.'

"Stop getting all mushy mushy when we're around guys, keep it down a little..." Rahul said with a mischievous smirk.

"Are you jealous dude?" Desh shot back.

"Of course not. "

" Aww Rahul, let me give you another hug too," I said advancing towards him.

He wasn't much of a hug person. One hug was his limit. Whereas I loved hugs and I felt like teasing him today.

"Oh come on, " I said, running behind him.

He leapt over one of the sofas in the living room and ran for his life. He hurriedly scampered up the steps and stopped. He didn't know where to go. The others were all right behind me. They were grinning like idiots. I decided I would let him go but Desh had other ideas.

He crashed into Rahul who was unfortunately standing against a wall.
"Omph!"
He smirked mischievously and put his palm on Rahul's chest who yelped and shoved him away.
We were trying so hard to muffle our laughter behind our hands.

It was so funny to watch. Then he tugged Rahul towards himself and tightly put both his arms around him, trapping him in his embrace. Rahul couldn't get out so easily.

Rahul was turning red all over due to embarrassment and we were turning red due to laughing.

"Weren't you the one who was getting jealous for a hug? Now why are you squirming like a caterpillar?" Desh said, in his most husky voice.

We burst out laughing once again.

"Okay bro, I think that's enough," Nikita said.

"Yeah Desh, let him go," I said.

"Since all your fans wanted to let you go, I am letting you go. Just kidding bro. I was fooling around with you,"

"I know, I know and I was acting too."

"Yeah right." Kajal scoffed.

"OK OK I am in the mood for ice-cream," Meera said, trying to change the topic. " Who else wants some?"

Everybody nodded their heads eagerly.

" I don't have any at home."

"Please could you go buy some for us? We are your guests no?" Kajal said, with a cute pout she knew I couldn't resist.

" Aaargh okay."

"Anandiiiiiiii," I called my brother. "We're going shopping for ice-cream."

Mom had gone to office and so had dad so we had the house to ourselves. We could do whatever we wanted.

After Anandith came into view, I grabbed a bag and his arm and walked out of the house saying "Be right back!"

Desh's POV

Just after Riya and her brother left to buy ice-cream, the house phone started ringing. I didn't know what to do. Should I pick it up or not?

After contemplating a while, I picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

The person on the other line didn't reply for a second. Then-

"Hello, Can I speak to Riya Krishnan?"

" Who is this?"

" Arya Mahadevan. And who are you? Anandith?"

"Nope, Desh."

Again, there was a silence on the other line.

"Sooo you're the dentist she was interning under right?" I asked. "Is there a message I can convey to her?"

I closed the phone's mouthpiece..and turned to the group standing around me..."It's Arya....shall we play a prank on him?"

They all nodded their heads enthusiastically.

" No, it's alright. I wanted to just talk to her."

"Really? Was there more than a boss-employee relationship?" I asked with a grin.

The man on the other line started stammering.

"Whaaaaat? Whaaat are you saying? Nooo not really...of course not."

"Good, because Riya's mine. And I am not sharing her," I said, cutting the call.
As soon as I placed the phone back on the receiver, I burst out laughing. And so did the others. I knew the guy was totally jealous. It was evident from the tone of his voice. He seemed like a nice person from what Riya had told me. And I was happy for her. I don't think I would ever have feelings for Riya, I couldn't. But I had enjoyed teasing the poor guy so much.

"So what's next guys?" I asked,turning to them.

"We wait for Riya to come. You better tell her dude. I need to see her reaction," Rahul said.

"You guys are so mean," Meera added. "You just ruined a completely good relationship between the two of them."

" Nope I didn't. If I did anything, I made their bond stronger. I made him realize how much he likes her and this will cause him to admit his feelings to her sooner."

"Genius dude."

"I know," I said, brushing imaginary dust off my shoulder. "I am."

..........
Riya's POV:

"You did what?"

" I told him you were mine. Just to tease him, you know."

"Arya called? Oh my god why didn't you tell me before?"

" I am telling you now, you idiot. You just came back."

"You could have called Anandith. I would have called him back and apologized immediately."

" I don't have your brother's number, genius."

"Right. You're such a brat. Why did you say such an absurd thing to him?"

" Is it so absurd?" I couldn't help but tease her.

" Shut up, you know it is."

"Hmmm."

Arya's POV:

I was in a state of partial shock when I ended the call with Desh. Riya was in a relationship? With Desh? What did Desh mean by "Riya's mine?" Were they already together or Was Desh planning to propose because he liked her..? The thought made me jealous. Extremely jealous. Infinity times jealous. And angry. My blood was boiling with rage. I couldn't think of anything else. I was going crazy. OK I was 100 % sure I liked her. Very much. Now what do I do? I missed her like crazy too. I missed her smile, her beautiful almond shaped eyes and her bubbly nature. I was slowly starting to feel like a lovesick teenager.
What had that girl done to me?

The various emotions that went through me confused the hell out of me. Jealousy, anger, sadness and betrayal.

Betrayal? Why? It wasn't like she belonged to me did she?

But I just had a teeny tiny hope she liked me. I think she did. I was reading the signals right weren't I? Or was it just my imagination?

I needed some time to think about everything that was happening in my head. I had to sort out my mind's clutter before I became insane.

But first I needed a drink. I was feeling down in the dumps and I needed to drown my sorrow in it. I didn't know if it was a good idea but it felt right at the time.

I took my first sip and before I knew it, I had emptied the entire bottle of Jack Daniels in my fridge.

A knock sounded on my door. I went to open it and it was Shyla.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I screamed in my half drunk state.

"You called me?"

"Did I?" I slurred.

"Yes, now go sit on the sofa like a good boy."

I burst into a peal of giggles.

"Good boy? Who said I am good? I am not good enough for anybody...nobody wants me..."

Shyla looked at me with a disgusted look. Then she sighed.

"Come on, you should sleep."

She took my arm, and steered me in the direction of my bedroom.

"I don't want to sleep...," I whined, like a two year old.

She forcefully turned me towards my bedroom and pushed me in.

She came in too and sat down at the edge of my bed.

"What happened Arya?"she asked, really softly. " Do you want to talk about it?"

I guess I was cranky.

"No but I want you right here, beside me," I said, pointing to the sleeping spot next to me, on the bed.

She was momentarily shocked and I heard her breath hitch in her throat.

"That is NOT a good idea Arya,"

"Pweease? For me?"

Her eyes softened." Alright."

She moved closer and sat next to me but didn't lie down.
I lay my head down on her lap and closed my eyes.

I vaguely heard her mumble " I wish you were sober right now, it would have meant so much more," before blackness took over my vision and I was out.
......................x..................

So guys I am back with a longer chapter!

Did you like Desh's return? And what did you think of his prank?

Do you think Arya shouldn't have taken it so seriously?

And what about Shyla? Isn't she the sweetest?

Read, vote, comment and as always enjoy! :D

Adios amigos,
:) harshini :)