《Short Recap》

"Neel is going to be so happy to find that I'm finally getting along with you two! Oopsy, I wasn't supposed to say that." Lara frowned for a moment.

"No, it's all right," I laughed, "Anyway, I should get going to class. I'll text you guys later, ok."

With that I got up from my seat and slung my tote onto a shoulder before making my way out of the crowded cafeteria.

I think it was time to give Lara a chance. After all life was all about taking chances right. And despite what I felt, Daddy had been right. I needed to let more people into my life.

So this was me trying to begin again.

●○●

I trudged up the stairs of my apartment building, letting out an exhausted sigh as I reached my floor. College had been tiring the past couple of weeks, with mid semester exams around the corner and the assignments seemed to be piling up endlessly.

The college library had almost become a second home to me and the fact that Ms. Banerjee, the librarian allowed me to sneak in food when I stayed back late, ensured that I hardly left the library before eight thirty every night.

Turning the key in the keyhole of my flat door, I pushed it open and stepped in. Switching on the light in the living room, I planted my derriere on the couch and kicked off my shoes before bringing my legs up to rest on the armrest.

I reached out to my tote and took out my bottle. Laziness was making me lethargic and despite my extraordinarily low levels of physical activity, my body ached. Especially my back and neck. Massaging the part where my neck joined with my shoulder lightly, I gulped the stale water left over in my plastic bottle.

I groaned loudly at the thought of millions of micro plastic particles entering my system, but at that moment I could honestly care less.

My phone beeped two times. My hand involuntarily reached inside my bag and rummaged for it.

Vinay had texted a couple of times in the previous week. Just basic stuff like how I was doing and to inform me that his father had returned home from the hospital.

Honestly, even a small text from him brought a smile to my face. I really missed having him around. The little things, you know, like his unworldly distaste for bananas and his mind blowing culinary experiments. I even missed fighting over laundry days.

So like every other crazed fangirl out there, I opened Instagram and searched his profile.

His bio said- A little better than your average teenage dirtbag. Love me or hate me, either way I'm going to shine.

I cringed at the awful choice of words.

Being a wordsmith himself, I expected something more meaningful but then again most people knew him as the stupid 'notorious badboy persona' he had going.

The last picture he'd posted was of the boys and him at basketball practice last year. He was covered with sweat and had picked one side of his team jersey to show off his toned abs while the other hand was slung over Neel's shoulder.

With a nostalgic smile playing on my lips, I scrolled down to the older pictures and clicked on a picture of him with his dad on a trekking trip in the Himalayas just after eighth grade. They looked so happy.

I double tapped the screen by mistake.

"Shit!" I cursed, frantically sitting up and removing the like that had appeared on the picture, "Ugh no! Vinay can't know that I was stalking his profile!"

I bit my lip hard, as I thought, my fingers tapping away on my knee nervously.

But the notification will reach him anyway so why unlike the post?

With a small sigh, I double tapped again and exited his profile, hoping that my slip would get lost in his sea of random notifications.

I tossed the phone onto the sofa and made my way into my room to freshen up. I washed my face and hands with soap and dried myself up before letting my hair loose.

Just as I was slipping on my pajamas, my phone started ringing.

Stumbling into the living room, I answered the phone as I simultaneously buttoned my top.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Hey Akira." Neel answered, "I just wanted to ask when we are going to schedule the next meeting for the app project."

"Right, about that..." I started, "Argh!"

"I can call later if you're...er, busy." Neel said in a slightly amused tone.

"No, it's fine. I was just buttoning up my top," I finished with the last button, before saying "Yeah so the next meeting..."

"Well, we have exams coming up and the basketball season begins right after so I'd really appreciate if we could plan in advance so I can squeeze in time for the group meetings." He sighed.

"Yes, I get where you're coming from. Let's discuss this with Harsh tomorrow." I stated after a moment, "I want the meetings to be convenient for everyone, you know."

"Cool," Neel replied politely, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

No, don't be so frigid! I screamed inside my head.

I missed the goofy Neel. His high horse was apparently too high for him to step down already.

"Hey, wait!" I said quickly.

"What?" Neel tried to blanket the surprise evident in his tone rather unsuccessfully.

"Can you please stop being so cold towards me?" I blurted out, and continued dramatically, "Just forgive me for my past sins and I shall forever be indebted to you."

Neel guffawed at my outburst.

"Thank the lord, dude!" he said with a chuckle, "I was afraid you were never going to talk to me again."

I let out a relieved sigh and a smile played on my lips as I asked, "Why on earth would you think that, you numbskull?"

Neel gave out a breathy laugh.

"I don't know. I knew you never really liked Lara much, so I wasn't surprised by your hostile response when you learned about our relationship," Neel paused, "At first I thought I'd give you some space to figure out your own feelings for Vinay and all but I guess later I had no idea how to approach you. It's pretty absurd, now that I think of it."

"Seriously?" I raised my brow, "And here I was sulking because I thought I lost one of my best friends because of a silly fight. Plus, Lara's actually quite sweet. Even her dumbness is adorable at times."

Neel snorted.

"Shh..." I reprimanded him, "Don't you laugh at your girlfriend's expense like that."

"Ok Aunty Ji!"

"Hey!" I shouted, "Don't you dare call me that!"

"What will you do if I do?" Neel taunted.

"I will..." I thought for a moment, a malicious smile making it's way to my face, "I'll tell Lara that you don't wear underwear below your jeans."

Eww! Why on earth did I even say that?!

It seemed to do the trick though.

"You wouldn't!" Neel shouted over the phone line, alarmed at the prospect, "No please don't. Knowing her, she might even believe you."

I held back a loud snort.

"I won't do it if you treat me with free pizza tomorrow." I said as solemnly as I could.

"Done, just please don't make me face public embarrassment." He begged.

I punched the air victoriously and mentally gave myself a high five. I was just ecstatic to have Neel back and the pizza was obviously an added bonus.

"So I take it that you'll be back out our usual table during break tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes, I look forward to it." Neel affirmed, "By the way, how's things with Vinay going?"

"Aren't your locker room discussions informative enough?" I shrugged.

"God, no!" he balked, "Vinay never talks about it. He just asked me to make sure you're taking care of yourself once, and I was perplexed. I got to know about the entire dramatic turn of events only recently when Roshni and I were squabbling over whether right person wrong time is actually a thing or not."

I rolled my eyes instinctively.

"Trust Roshni to obsess over my non existent love life." I muttered under my breath.

"Well, speaking of Vinay, I have a small problem." I started.

"Let me guess, you accidentally kissed him again when you guys were supposed to be taking a break?" he asked.

"Obviously not!" I answered crossly.

"Were you stalking him online and you accidentally like post which was from aeons ago?" he cut me off.

"I guess." I said in a quiet voice.

"That's all?" Neel broke out into laughter.

"Yeah." I replied, "Stop laughing, you idiot. I'm going through a midlife crisis over here!"

"Okay, okay." I imagined Neel raising his hands up.

"Ughh...," I shouldn't have told you. I should have just asked Roshni."

I groaned loudly, getting up to get a glass of water from the kitchen.

"Okay I'm sorry for laughing. I know you're new to this, but let me tell you it's normal." Neel conceded.

"I don't care if it's normal!" I argued, pouring water into a steel glass, "What I care about is that Vinay's going to open his phone soon and he'll see that I liked a picture from five years ago and he's going to get creeped out. The first time we met he even said he's not into stalker chics!"

"Jeez, calm down Akira! If anything he's going to be damn happy. You have no idea how much time he spends thinking about you. Yesterday he called Akash, Akira during practice." Neel said.

Really?

I giggled to myself at the thought. It was so sweet of him.

Ugh! Stop acting like a bimbo, Akira!

"So, should just let it be?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. Call or text him," Neel advised, "Remember communication is the key."

Even Dad said that, right?

"Okay, thanks." I breathed.

"No problem. I have to get back to exam prep now. Bye." Neel replied.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye." I said, before cutting the call.

I ran my hand through my hair to remove the tangles and shook my head before opening Instagram again.

Two messages from vinaykarthik_

I clicked on my inbox with bated breath.

vinaykarthik_

Hey

I see that you've been stalking my profile ;)

akira_joshi

Hi

I don't normally make it a habit

to text teenage dirtbags

vinaykarthik_

Typing...

I sat up straighter, eager for the next message.

I suddenly felt a lot less tired for some reason now.

I was already thinking of my next reply.

●○●

First off, Happy Independence Day to all the my Indian and Korean readers!

I'm glad that Neel and Akira finally made up. He reminds of the twin brother I've always wanted but never had.

And this book won third place in the chicklit category of an awards held by Indian Legion. Also, Wattpad Romance has featured Why Me? in their reading list!

So vote, comment, share and don't forget to spread the love!