🏃Featured song🏃🏻
All Of Me
(John Legend)

Author's POV-

"I'm saying, I wanna date you."

Everything around Aditya became less visible. No sound went in or out of his ears except for the words from Vedant Velan.
I wanna date you. It was supposed to be all fireworks and magic to every girl. A confession from a man she likes. It was for a nano second for Aditi, yes. But realization hit her hard like a brick. The brick of reality broke her skull and made her inside shred a thousand tears of unknown cause.

"No..." The word fell out of her lips as a mumble. It was as if she was in some kind of movie. And lighting had just struck her at an odd odd angle. "N- no. You- you dont know what you are-"

"No, it's okay!" Vedant hastily crossed the distance between them. "Its fine! My mom will support us! I know it hard to face I was shocked too at fir-"

Aditya pushed his way past Vedant, stumbling on his cloak before tearing it off and running out of the party venue. Vedant made to follow at once and would have too...

Aryan blocked his way, bumping their shoulders. The Ron costume was just off the charts when he began intimidating the other guy in the room. The boy crooked his vision and gave him a look of warning.

"You ain't going anywhere near Aditya." Aryan placed a hand in Vedant's shoulders and flashed a smile.

The calm person that he is, Vedant pleaded with him through his eyes. He kept looking at the exit through which Aditya went out. Just after few seconds, Ved went for it and slashed Aryan to his right and ran towards the exit. "Aditya, wait!"

Wiping his tears, Aditya took a turn and looked back. The thought was painful. That Ved wanted to date him, that he has been all in love with Aditya and not the real Aditi. Love or like or lust, all was with Aditya who didnt even exist.

The thought, again, drove her nuts.

She fished her phone out of the robe and dialed Anu.

"Anu...."

"Aditi where the fuck are you?" Ananya's voice echoed through her ears and that made her eyes pop a little drop of tear.

"Anu, I need you. I'm outside," Aditi whimpered through the phone and tried utmost not to scare her off. "I don't know what to do," And the trial was a failure because Aditi's sob would have heard by people living in the arctic circle.

"Okay, shit. Stay there. I'm coming, don't fucking cry." Anu marched toward the exit and her eyes darted towards the silhouette of an Harry Potter.

"Found you," Anu said and ended the call before bouncing away and hugged her best friend.

"Ananya, I-" Aditya began but never had the chance to complete that sentence, for she began to cry on full time.

"Its okay, Adi. I'm here. You are okay,"

Anu rubbed circles around her back and tried a way to comfort her friend.

The two of them found a place near the parking lot to sit, with Aditi on Anu's shoulder. Amidst the only darkness, there sat silhouette of two, finding comfort in each other.

Aditi took her time to narrate what happened earlier to Anu while she sat calmly, fidgeting with the strands of her hair.

"He wants to date Aditya. Not me, Aditi." That was the last straw which Aditi has had. She waited for the response of Anu while narrowing her doe eyes.

"Well, who's to blame for that?" Anu asked, dumbfounded, as if she forgot everything that has happened past these months. But Aditi has been thinking about it since she exited the party. If she hadn't imposed like Aditya, she would have maybe had a chance with Ved after all.

"Yeah, Anu. Everything's my fault. I'm the one to be blamed here. Yes, I never should have went with all this non sense. It was all stupid of me to have thought about being like this, none can hide one's true identity!" Aditi vomited words along with tears.

People try to blame others for the unfortunate things happened. Like, one's heart maybe or may not be at rest knowing that they aren't at the fault there and somebody else is, cause it would be that simple after all. But in some cases, It was neither the first nor the latter. It was the universe. The omnipotent thing which likes to play with all, at any time, any where. It found pleasure in seeing people in distrust, agony and most of all, confused.

"If you hadn't done that, you wouldn't have got to know these two. I know you love them cause I can see it Adi, and I also know that it is not more than you love us. Its cool, really." Anu crooked her neck and looked at aditi. "Even though you seem mad at Vivaan, I know that you are the one who keeps the water bottle in his locker everyday. And I also know that you talked to that Ivy girl,"

Aditi let out a snort. It was silly of her to warn Ivy about Vivaan. She should have seen Ivy's face when she asked about Vivaan at library, tomato red, with her freckles brimming with a shade of pretty pink.

"He is like your little brother, isn't he?"

Aditi nodded and looked at her shoes. Was it all worth it really?

"If you truly like him, you should let him know the truth Adi."

"You know that I still don't talk with Vivaan because he found out about me! Now, now, this guy, he likes me, Anu, If he knows I'm a girl, then he'd he'd never see me ever again!" Aditi spike out loud that Anu's ear buds bursted.

Anu grabbed Aditi's hands in affection. "Its okay to be scared Adi, but its important that you dont hurt him. I saw Vivaan, yes. So think of how he'd react when he finds about this, the thing you are going to say to Ved."

"Yes, but, Can't I just continue whatever going on between us, just like before?"

"No, honey. That's not possible. You can't have the cake and eat it too,"

"What can't I have the cake and eat it too?"

"Aditi, are you not hearing yourself? You sound fucking silly."

"Well, Fuck."

"Yes, fuck." Anu hugged her best friend and spoke. "If he really is into you, he'll stay no matter what and I just know that Ved will stay."

Anu motioned towards Aditi and took her by her hand and led her out to a nearby store.

After twenty minutes at the fitting room, Anu turned Aditi to look at her reflection. "Done."

Aditi looked at the mirror only to see a beautiful girl infront of her. She was beyond beautiful, and the Yellow chudi that Anu chose for her was doing its best by showing the best features of Aditi. The oxidized jumka and a small bindi was enough. Aditi was just as beautiful as the moon, but in her own way.

At last, Anu let down the hair which Aditi has been kept inside the wig. Her hair has grown, a lot. And somehow it was wavy, just opting to her outfit.

"What have you done to me?" Aditi playfully punched Anu in her stomach, followed by a scowl from Anu.

"Well, that ain't the first time you are telling me this," Anu smiled and took out her phone. They clicked multiple photos and exited the store.

-&-

A/N:

A cliffhanger? Lmao I don't know!

Anywhoooo how are you all? I'm doing fine, just fine really. So yes after a whole 3 months? Yeah, please don't tell me 2024 is already coming to an end T-T

Have been a bit busy hehe and yeah thanks so much for the patience while I took my own time in publishing this chapter.

Honestly we wrote this chapter like two months ago and literally, forgot about it. I randomly browsed and found this one. (Forgive me)

So here it is!

I loved this chapter more than anything (idk why) because it has references to the first chapter ivyB4winter and I wrote.

It all seems like it had happened decades ago😭

Anyhow, one long ass of an author's note, I know.

Please let us know how you liked this chapter!

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See you very soon, until then tata!

ivyB4winter
agustadearly18

Buhbyee!