21. Assurances.
***Veer's POV.***
"Did you do it?" Kanika asks as soon as I finish coming out of my room and I almost punch her in defense.
"Don't scare me like that." I say as I release a deep breath.
"Hehe!" She laughs and I roll my eyes.
"Stop it." I say and we go down together to talk in private.
"So, did you do it?" Kanika asks again.
"No." I say in a small voice.
"What?" She asks as she didn't hear it, "You and Piya are the same. Talk loudly."
"No!" I exclaim, "I didn't do it."
"Why?" She asks as if she can't understand why I didn't do it.
"Because I felt awkward." I say, "And nervous, and I almost felt like I would faint."
She frowns then rubs her forehead, "You do know when you both start dating there would be more than this. You both can't be that innocent. Please tell me."
"Let it go, Kanika. Please let's do something else. I just can't kiss her out of the blue without clearly knowing her feelings and telling her about mine." I say and she sighs.
"Well, maybe it was too much for you both right now. But we don't have much time. I want this to be done on this trip." She says.
"Please don't make it sound like a task." I say.
"It is one to me." She says.
"So, what do we do next?" I ask.
"Nothing." She says.
"Nothing?" I ask in confusion.
"Yeah. Nothing. Now whatever would happen would be done by her." She says.
"And what would she do?" I ask.
"Get drunk, obviously." She says.
"What?!" I sit up straight.
"But you know what? Maybe there is one thing that you could do." She says, ignoring my shock.
"No, no, no. Answer my question first. What did you mean by getting Piya drunk?" I ask.
"That plan is not until the day after tomorrow. So, can we just focus on tomorrow's plan first?" She asks and I let it go as there is no point in arguing with her.
"Fine. What could I do?" I ask.
"What did you want to do at first? Try to know if she likes you... romantically." She says.
"Now you are telling me to do this?" I ask.
"Not directly." She says.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"That's up to you. Ask her awkward questions, try to read her expression when she is with you, give her hints of what could happen between you two, show some similarities you have between or maybe just say that nothing could affect your friendship. That you will never lose her, no matter what happens. Assure her of that especially." She says.
"Okay." I say.
"You are free to do whatever you want for the next two days. Because the actual game would begin in Manali." She says with a sinister smile.
"Okay." I say and get up.
"But a warning." She says and I stop.
"What?" I ask.
"Spoil nothing. Like don't confess right now and enjoy the trip a little as a single man for now." She says and I smile.
"Thank you." I say and go upstairs.
Next day, we packed our bags and sat in the car as we were leaving for Kargil then for Srinagar later in the evening. Isha and Om will take flight as it is not good for Isha to travel in a car for so long and also they will have some time to spend with each other in Srinagar.
We had fun on the car ride as we sang songs, told stories about our adventures in life so far, played twenty questions, had loads of local food and saw many beautiful places covered in green and white. Piya enjoyed it a lot and the girls almost made us late because of their photo session.
It was almost ten at night when we reached the hotel and sat down for dinner. As Om and Isha were sharing the room, it was a tough decision to make about how we would share the rooms now. Rihaan jumped at the opportunity to share a room with Subu while Piya and I gave him a stinky look.
"What about us, Veer?" Kanika asks with a teasing wink and Piya starts hiccuping, "Just kidding."
"I know." I say and give water to Piya.
"Rihaan, put your bags in my room." Subu says after finishing the starters.
"What?!" Piya exclaims.
"Subu!" I exclaim too.
"Hey, I am in a relationship with him, a serious one at that. So I can sleep in the same bed as him. Are any of you dating each other? Are you? And we need our space too. Come on, Piya, adjust a little. And Veer, stop behaving like a big bro. I think of you as a friend more than that." Subu says, "Now order something. I want to have dinner then go to sleep. My back is hurting like hell."
"Don't worry, Subu, I will relieve your pain by massage." Rihaan says and we look at him with a frown.
"That is the reason they want us not to share a room. Stop talking. And please normalize this everyone. What is the problem in us sharing a room when Isha and Om are doing the same?" She asks and takes the menu.
"I never objected to that. It just feels a little awkward seeing your friend and sister share a room. But then again, have fun, maybe?" I ask.
"Aww! In the end, you are a sweet guy." Subu says and kisses my cheek.
"What is so sweet about that now?" I ask.
"For understanding that we are adults now." Subu says.
We have dinner, then take our room keys. Dev and I would share a room while Kanika and Piya would share another one. Kanika's sinister smile makes me nervous and I pray to God to give Piya some patience to stay with her.
After getting ready, I went out on a walk as I couldn't sleep and Dev was so exhausted as he drove the car the most that he fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed. I had to remove his watch and shoes. And as soon as I come out of the room, Piya does too.
"You are going on a walk?" Piya asks.
"Yes. And you-" before I can finish my sentence, she takes my arm and drags me away.
"Just keep walking, Veer." She says.
"Why? What happened?" I ask.
"Kanika happened." She says.
"Okay." I say with a smile as I enjoy her against me, even though it is unconscious.
We come to the lobby and then she leaves my arm as if I am giving her some electric current, exactly what I was feeling a few seconds ago. For a few minutes, there is silence as we walk towards the end of the backyard, which looks down at the city.
"Can't sleep?" Piya asks.
"Yes." I say.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" She asks.
"Not more than you." I say with a wink, and she punches me lightly on the arm.
"Veer, can I ask you something?" Piya asks.
"Anything." I say.
"We will always stay friends, right?" She asks, and the emotions in her eyes make me go still. She is scared.
"Why would you ask that?" I ask.
She gulps and says, "I don't want to... lose you, Veer. Also not Rihaan and Subu. But... especially you."
"Why would you ever lose me?" I ask.
"Circumstances." She says and I look at her in confusion, "I mean, what if there are circumstances like you like someone or I like someone else and we don't like each other's partners? You will not leave me, right? Or we started having differences and distances. Or... I don't know. Just answer me, please."
I look in her eyes for a few seconds and realize she wants reassurance that whatever happens between us, it won't break our friendship. Don't I want the same assurance too? Piya asking this means that I mean a lot to her, and she doesn't want to lose me just like I don't want it to happen, ever.
After taking her hands in mine, I say, "Never. Whatever happens between us, I will never leave your side. I just can't. Because you are a very important person in my life whom I want in it for as long as I can. And I will fight tooth and nail to keep you with me all my life."
She smiles widely and asks, "Really?"
"Don't make me repeat my words, Piya. You know I don't make empty promises. I will always be by your side, no matter what." I say, and she hugs me enthusiastically.
I hug her back and hold her tightly in my arms. This is what Kanika meant when she said that I had to assure Piya about our friendship. But I didn't do it because she said it, but because I genuinely never want Piya to ever leave me. Never.
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