"So what exactly did you do for Christmas?" "Nope, not telling." "I've asked you the same question for five days straight and all you say is this." "Awww... Is Aryan having a wittle twantrum?" "Do not mess with me, woman." We were sitting at a little cafe close to campus. We weren't working, for the first time in forever; we were, what you would call 'hanging out', or 'chilling'. 

"I'm glad you're such a work-a-holic. Otherwise we'd never have gotten this year's work done." "A little present would be appreciated." "Very well, my lackey, ask what you will of me." "Anything?" "Anything except what happened on Christmas." "Damn." 

It wasn't that I didn't want to tell him, it was just that Viha and I hadn't done anything during Christmas. We'd just slept the holidays away. And that wasn't the most depressing part. The most depressing part was that we hadn't even stepped out much. Staying in Bangalore since birth, we were accustomed to a perfect climate. Perfect summers which merely required turning on a fan, and perfect winters during which a simple jacket would suffice. Winter in the U.S was the ninth circle of hell for us, if hell was cold. Krishi went back home, but the two of us remained holed up in our warm and cozy room, relying on layers of thick clothes and each other's body heat to keep ourselves warm. There was a time when I'd maintain distance from people because I hated when they came too close to my face, but drastic conditions required desperate measures. We vowed never to tell anyone, nor remind each other of those dark days. We'd even tried drinking the cold away; it worked, I think. I don't really remember. Anyway, it was a pretty sad Christmas, even by our standards, because Viha and I generally don't celebrate Christmas per say. While Aryan could visit his family, I skyped mine, and spoke with chattering teeth.  

There was also the fact that Viha and I kind of overplayed the amount of 'fun' we had during the winter. Okay, not kind of, a lot. I remember that day as clear as crystal, because Viha and I had promised each other that we'd erase it from our brains. Aryan, Ayan, Viha, and I were sitting in the cafeteria, Ayan, who'd also gone back home starts with, "So what did you two do when we were gone?" Viha and I grinned at each other, "Oh, lots of things." And we left it at that, leaving the guys to wonder about the miraculously awesome 'things' two very cold burritoes had done during a very cold season. 

I snapped out of my reverie when I got a call. My cell phone flashed Viha's name repeatedly, and I picked the call. 

"Hell-" "Ana! Help! Get here quick! Fast fast!" And the line went dead. She sounded hysterical. Aryan and I hurried back to the room. 

I opened the door to see Viha standing on Krishi's bed, in the living room, holding a fly swatter and sobbing. I blinked, "Are you alright?" She looked up, and her tear stained face became apparent, "Cockroach." She said. 

I stood there, staring at her for the longest time ever. 

Time, during which Aryan rushed forward to squish the cockroach like a knight in shining armor, only to squeal and run behind me screaming like the damsel in distress, "It flies! It fucking flies!"

Suddenly, giggles began bubbling out of my mouth and they turned into full-fledged laughter. I picked up the broomstick from behind my door, went up to the scary cockroach and whacked it like a woodcutter hacking wood. It finally stopped moving, and I looked up at the two idiots I called my friends, one of which was the guy I would spent my entire life with. 

I howled with laughter, "I c-c-can't believe y-y-you g-guys were scared of a c-c-cockroach!" 

Wait, did I just think that I'd spend my entire life with him? 

But before I could contemplate that thought,

"It could fly!" Came Aryan's defensive voice. Viha dropped down, onto Krishi's bed. She shivered, "I hate cockroaches." She made her way to the bathroom, turning back to say, "Take that out no? Please." Before she could get to the bathroom, I gasped loudly, "Cockroach!" I yelled. She screamed and jumped sideways, hitting the wall and making me erupt into another bout of laughter. 

Turning toward Aryan, I raised an eyebrow. He shrugged, "It could fly." I chortled at him, "I can't believe I fell for a guy afraid of cockroaches." "Afraid of flying cockroaches." He corrected. I rolled my eyes, and walked toward him. "Not to worry, my lady." I began, wiping imaginary tears off his cheek, "I'll save you from all flying nuisances from this day forth." 

He smiled, catching my finger and placing it on his lips. "Yup. From this day forth." 

Crap. 

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I'm back, I'm back, I'm baaaacckkkk! 

Sorry for the extremely long wait, I was busy with college. 

So anyway, vote, comment, follow, and enjoy!

- Quirky Katana :-P