Chapter 04| Aashi

After the movie, we grab a bite in the McYummy. I order a chicken tortilla and Ria and Arjun order a combined chicken - guellete pizza with extra fries. I don't see what Neel orders because I don't care enough to check.

Anyways, Ria and Arjun go into the love- bird mode which starts to annoy the hell out of me.

"Baby eat this," Arjun almost shoves the pizza into Ria's mouth while she's still talking to me,"uh.  ..mmm. . .that's yum, baby. How can they even make these yummy things. It's a crime."

"Awww. . .you're right, darling. Except, it's not as yummy as you."

"You guys make me sick as fuck." I roll my eyes.

Neel spits out the chicken burger (because I can recognize it's smell from a thousand metres) and start to choke and laugh at the same time.

We all break into laughter but Arjun looks pretty embarrassed, and Neel slaps his shoulder and mutters something, that moves them into sputters of laughter. This quietens both Ria and me and we share a conversation through our eyes.

Something's is definitely up. I try to play along and find out what it is. So, I put on a cheeky smile,"What secrets are you guys keeping from us girls?"

"Nothing, y'all. It's a guy's thing."

This raises the curiousity thousand times more.

"Uhh. . . tell us or Ria will have your balls, Arjun. Figuratively speaking."

"Okay. Look at the girl standing there," we girls both turn around to look at her, "concentrate on the guy she's with and watch when he sits." We wait for the guy to collect his ketchup from the counter and sit. Then, we see it.

When he sits, his jeans goes down. Like really, really down. The crack of his butt is in complete display. It's the men's version of cameltoe. And we all break out laughing huge laughs with watering eyes.

The girl probably with her boyfriend turns around and gawk at us, and like under the observation of a teacher, our laughter tones down a bit. But, it's still there.

I see that the tension between the group that Neel formerly created has died down.

We eat the next few minutes in peace with each one of us not saying anything. We just sneak silent glances at each other and flash a smile.

Suddenly, Neel's cellphone starts ringing and he excuses himself from the group to have a private conversation probably at a more silent place than the ruckus this place is.

"Where did he go?" Words escape my mouth before even registering in my brain. A part of my conscience recognizes the fact that it could be Saheema. Another part realises that I still care. And I yell at both of these parts to keep quiet.

"Must be Ankur."

"Oh, " I say still battling with myself to find out more.

"Actually, they talked before the movie, too. I didn't hear a lot of the conversation. Must be about the biology project you guys got," he says and thinks a little," you both realise you're in the same biology class, right?"

That brings me back to the current moment, yes, yes I know, Arjun. But I highly doubt that your friend recognizes that fact. Saheema is stuck to him like a leech in most of those classes and well, when his right hand is on her thighs, I think he pretty much can't remember anything else.

Instead of spilling all my thoughts, I nod, "Yeah. Thank god, we aren't partners."

"Yeah, I know," he smiles knowingly, "lots of public display of affection."

This breaks a smile out on my face and I squeeze my best friend's shoulder, "You did the first right thing in your whole life."

"I know right. He's god gifted. In basic areas, and pretty much other areas too." She smiles suggestively and we both fall under squeals of laughter.

Arjun gets a text while he's on his phone and not paying enough attention to us, "Ladies, I'll be back in five."

"Go," Ria blows him a kiss and he doesn't catch it, so she slaps his butt when he walks away. He turns around and blows her one casual kiss and she smiles her half- cheeky and half- mushy smile.

My best friend looks dreamy and it's the first time I've seen her so happy.

I side hug her, "I'm so happy for you, Ria. You've no idea. Arjun seems like such a great guy. He's so genuine."

"I know right. I love him so freaking much."

"You love him? Oh my gosh, when did that happen?"

I see my best friend blushing pure red infront of me, which is a rare sight to see. Arjun brings a different side of her, not the cheesy, innuendo spouting fangirl Ria but a cute, simple, innocent Ria. Which makes me fudging like him more. Whoever makes my best friend blush, deserves to stay in both of our lives.

"Just now. Yeah, yeah. I do love him. Oh my freaking god! God, I'm in love," she squeals in a sing- song voice, "I'm so in love. Someone save me."

"Then, let me call Arjun McDreamy. He'll give yo- ou the-e lo- ov- ve drug."

She side hugs me once again and we end up giggling like we used to in third grade.

                         ****

The guys call us down to the parking area to meet. In the meantime, we got our favorite lattes and paid for them. We collect our lattes and sashay our way to the parking lot.

We see the guys talking in hushed whispers, like they are arguing about something. When we finally arrive and stand before them, they turn absolutely silent.

Arjun speaks first, "Guys, I gotta go. I've got some urgent stuff to do. I'll take Ria with me. She comes or she'll abandon my balls."

"Damn right, I will." She holds hands with him, while he pecks the top of her head.

"Why do you guys have to be so mushy all the fucking time?" I roll my tongue then examine the situation. This way I'll be left behind with the green monster,"wait guys, whom will I go home with?"

"You can come with me," Neel speaks pushing his hands into his denim's pockets.

"Uhh. . .no, it's okay. You're not my boyfriend or my driver who drives me around. I can take a cab."

"Please, Aashi. Come with me. I'll drop you. I have to. . .it's no big deal."

Ria urges Neel on, "Yeah take good care of my best friend. So, it's. . . done. Aashi is driving home with Neel."

"But. . .Rii, I can go on my own."

"No, you can't. Who are you kidding? The cab will take as latest as an hour to get here, while you'll be standing here alone like a fool. Let Neel drive you, end of conversation."

"Ok. . .kay," I roll my eyes.

"Yay. .y. .y," Ria claps her hands, cheering as we get into Neel's car. Ria waves at us as the car backpedals from its spot and drives us out of the parking lot. I wave back, seeing Ria and Arjun hug like they haven't hugged in a while.

When they're not being annoying, they can be really cute as fuck.

Instantly, a smile tugs on my lips and I forget everything about my sour mood. Neel catches on to it.

"That's a first."

"What?"

"You smiling. It's like I haven't seen that in a long while."

"Dumbo, we go to the same school. We share at least four classes. I've smiled practically a lot of times today. I'm a happy person. And you haven't seen me smile in a long while?"

"Not with me."

"Yeah, you're right. Right now, it's also not because of you." I feel my anger bubbling up once again as I see outside through the glass windows.

"I think this will change your mind."

Neel changes the lane and starts driving in the opposite direction of my house.

"What!? Where are you taking me? Are you abducting me?" I become hysterical.

"Hell no, I'm just taking you somewhere that you will like."

"Yeah, right. Like you really know what I l-ii-ike."

"I know more than you think. Hold on for five more minutes. We're already there," he says.

I check the vicinity and see that we're on Carter road. I look sideways then I remember; I used to love to come here as a child. But after what happened to my mom, I stopped. 

He probably can't take me to the same place. He couldn't. I haven't even told Rohit about this. And I've been friends with him since forever. I even doubt that Ria still remembers this place.

He drives slowly in the same lane to my favorite place.

He hits the brakes with his long legs, and I lean forward a bit and then, he turns and peer into my eyes with so much intensity, "Can we have a redo of our date? I won't disappoint you this time." 

I hold  my breath and look around, my eyes watering, my thoughts wavering and thinking the same question over and over again, "Can we?"