"Aloooo" I heard my brother Akash yelling for the nth time this morning. I shoved the last bite of parantha and rushed outside. He kept honking until I was inside the car with him.

"What is wrong with you?" I slapped hard across his arm, which didn't affect him much because of his stupid gym body.
"You take forever to do everything. You are like a freaking sloth" he says with a grimaced look.
"I don't" I reverted.
"You do". He says starting the car.

"Oh, by the way, Ishir is riding with us today". The color from my face drained as soon as I turned around and saw Ishir sitting nonchalantly with his headphones plugged in.

Whatever happened to his fancy car?

I face palmed myself in my head, for not even acknowledging my surroundings before blabbering.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I mouthed the words at Akash who had a stupid grin on his face, and instead of saying anything he just laughed.

"You know sometimes I'm sure that you hate me" I huffed out in anger but it was directed to certain someone in the back seat.

How can he be so ignorant? Does he not remember what happened last night? Or is he choosing to ignore the fact? Arghh.

The drive was in silence and I decided to catch up on the next chapter of the audible book I was listening to. I recently caught the wind of Dark Romance, and I didn't know they were this fun or I would enjoy any of it because I am too much of a soft romance girl and Simran introduced me to this new world. It's the opposite genre of what I usually read.

"We are here" Akash pulls me out of my reverie and I curse him because the male protagonist and female protagonist were having an amazing banter, I love enemies-to-lovers tropes and this one has an arranged marriage trope too. All the angst gives it a certain edge and it is so fun to read.

"Why are you in such a foul mood?" Akash asks getting out of the car.

"Nothing," I said. Akash usually drops me off at college on the way to his work.
"Did something happen in one of your books?" Akash gives me a weird look. I shook my head as no.

"Okay, I'm gonna see you later" I ran off from there before Akash bombarded me with any more questions, I shot a glance at Ishir who was leaning against the car with a cigarette between his lips.

Damn, those lips.

We haven't spoken to each other and honestly, I don't have the guts to talk to him about what happened yesterday and I know for sure he will not talk to me about it either probably because he is too disgusted by it.

I found an empty seat at the back of the class, I was in no mood to sit in the front today, meanwhile, I settled into the seat and shot a quick text to Simran asking about her whereabouts. She lives close to the University yet she is always late to the first class.

"Bitch, what's up?" Simran walked up to where I was sitting and plopped down in the chair making a screeching sound as she pulled it closer to the desk.
"God! Don't ask," I said.
"What happened? Loverboy kissed you again?" Simran says a bit too loud for my liking. This girl has a set of loudspeakers in her vocal cords.

"No. He just decided to ride with us today" I said.
"Did he say anything? Or did he at least look at you?" Simran asks.
"No. He is ignoring me, and I guess I shouldn't expect anything more from him," I replied. Doesn't matter how much my stupid heart wants Ishir to notice me or talk to me but the logical part of me knows he will never which is why it bothers me more as to why would he kiss me.

I am not his type. His type is someone like Meera or Simran, skinny, with perfect skin, and long hair, always looking like they have just walked out of some magazine.

I feel a pang of guilt cowering in my chest, as I feel jealousy one of the ugliest emotions thinking that Ishir would probably choose my best friend any day over me to have as his girlfriend or partner.

"You know what? Forget about that asshole. And if he tries anything again with you just kick him in the balls" Simran can be outspoken for me. I am not saying that I am a timid girl but she is straightforward and clear with her words and thoughts unlike me who can fumble sometimes I guess this is why we get along. We are the opposite.

"Yes, Ma'am," I said. The class soon started and we both indulged ourselves in the world of photography.

There is this camera I want to buy so badly, but I haven't enough money saved up yet and I don't want to ask Dad about it as he already has so many things to deal with.

If only there was a way. Maybe I can ask Akash to lend me some money. Or just wait till I graduate, this is my last year anyway after this I am applying for jobs first thing.

——————«•»——————

"I swear to God if you make me watch that stupid movie Pride and Prejudice one more time I will hang myself in your bedroom and haunt you forever," Simran says, taking away the laptop.

"We are watching some action, some gore, something very nasty tonight," she says excitement filled in her tone.
"No. I promise this is the last time I am asking you to watch Mr. Darcy" I beg. I am not a fan of action movies. I like romance. I love love.
"Shut up! That is what you said last time. I am not falling for those puppy eyes this time" She says putting on some weird ass movie named Fresh with that Winter Solider guy from Marvel.

"Go make some popcorn before we get into it" Simran orders hitting pause on the movie.
"Don't you think you are getting too bossy to me, huh?" I narrow my eyes at her and she gives me her pretty smile and pushes me off the bed.

I made my way to the kitchen to make some popcorn as asked by Her Highness and found Akash eating ice cream.

"Cheat day, huh?" I ask him to get the packet of popcorn. He just hums and continues to devour the ice cream.

"Pride and Prejudice night, huh?" he asks setting the tub of ice cream aside.
"Unfortunately no. Simran wants to watch some murder" I said waiting for the popcorn to be ready.
"Your best friend is weird, Ani," Akash says.
"At least I have one" I countered back. My brother has friends but not what I and Simran have. I guess it is because he always has been so busy, with his studies and now his business so he doesn't get much time for himself, and when he is not working he throws himself into working out, having boxing matches with Ishir and Nishant.

"I have acquaintances," he says proudly. I give him a "really" look. "Are you talking about your employees or Ishir and Nishant?" I ask and he just rolls his eyes at me.

"Whatever. Don't be up too late" he says and leaves the kitchen. The popcorn was ready too, but my eyes fell on the tub of ice cream, and I got almost tempted to have some but with the thought of losing some weight, I put the tub back in the fridge.

Starting tomorrow I am going on a diet and working out.

Simran was on a call when I entered the room and asked me to keep my mouth shut.

"Is it Nishant?" I mouthed the words at her, and she nodded as her cheeks turned red.

I settled down on the bean bag which I kept near the window because that is where I usually sit and work, also it gives me a good look at Ishir's room if he has the window opened, which makes me realize I sound like a stalker.

Simran is pacing around my room, playing with one strand of her hair as she talks away on the call, I pick up my camera and click a picture of her.

"Cut the call, Simran," I said. I want to watch a movie and I am already halfway through the bowl of popcorn. She shows me her two fingers indicating two minutes. God knows what they are discussing so much about.

Maybe I should continue listening to my audiobook. Picking up my phone I opened the app and played the audio. This book I am listening to is giving me goosebumps, every time the guy talks he does something, and for some reason, it reminds me of the deep voice of Ishir.

My mind was drifting again to Ishir's thoughts or rather his hands and the kiss. God! I will go crazy if I don't talk to him about this.

Should I text him? Will it be weird? I just want to clear the air and until I do that I will keep thinking about the kiss and all the other possibilities at least once Ishir tells me that the kiss was a mistake I can try to move on and maybe just a little hate him.

"Tell me now," Simran says pulling out my earphones.
"What?" I yell at her. This is the second time I have been interrupted. Dante and Vivian were having a good moment.

"Are you listening to the book I suggested?" Simran asks with a glint of mischief in her eyes and a little bit of pride.
"Yes. And I was at the really good part of it" I said taking back my earphones.
"So, what do you think?" Simran asks.
"I love Dante," I said excitedly. I am listening to King Of Wrath this book is all the rage on Instagram.
"Oh dude, you will so fall in love with Kai Young. His and Isabella's chemistry is damn good" Simran exclaims jumping on the bed.

"Okay. Now can we get back to watching the movie?" Simran asks.
"No. First, you have to tell me about your call with Nishant" I said taking up space beside her on the bed.
"Okay. So...he called just to check up on me and also he wanted to know if I would like to go on a date with him this weekend I said yes" She rambles in one breath.
"Oh my god! Are you serious?" I ask just to make sure. This is Nishant we are talking about he never goes on dates, all he does is work and work.

Simran shook her head like crazy.

"Are you sure?" I ask her. I don't want her to get hurt, The last guy Simran was with kind of fucked up things for her, and she decided not to date older guys.
"Yes. See I like him and I want to see where this goes. I know what happened last time is making you worry but you know not everyone is the same" Simran says. She is right not every guy is the same, maybe Nishant is a much better man than the last guy she was with, but his reputation tells a different story which worries me.

"Still I need you to be careful and if he does anything I will punch him in the face," I said pulling her in a hug.

"Anyway, where are the popcorn?" Simran looks around and I give her a sheepish look.

"You finished them?" she glares at me and throws a pillow at me.
"Ouch". I was getting snacky and it's not my fault.

Simran hits the play button to continue the movie. I hope this turns out to be a good one.

——————«•»——————

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