Two people were standing by the red car. The man had his hands in his pockets. He was almost the same height as Abhay, maybe a centimetre short. Close to him stood a pregnant woman with a fine face. Her clothes were loose but her stomach was evident. Although she was on the shorter and plumper side of the spectrum, she showed off quite beautiful curves in spite of being pregnant, and definitely an envious pair of breasts. The couple looked harmonious and adorable.

"He is Ramit. My best friend since school. That's his wife, Geetha," Abhay told Deepali, before he turned to Geetha, "She's Deepa. Don't say anything bad to her!"

Ramit greeted Deepali with a smile while Geetha smirked and snorted at Abhay. "Fine. Not everyone is an idiot like you, anyway."

"I didn't hear that!" Abhay said as he walked to the trunk to put Deepali's bag.

"You look like a model... What do you do?" Geetha asked Deepali with admiration and curiosity, while she turned her head in the direction of the fighting club board.

"Thanks!" Deepali smiled at the genuine compliment which came from someone she considered beautiful. "I'm a member of the stick-fighting club."

"Their club has a fancy name. Baton Bulls. Abhay posts his weekly progress with that tag," Ramit said.

"Oh, he does. It's one single page of the book every time."

"Deepa!" Abhay had put her luggage inside when he heard her joining them to bully him. "Get in, all of you!"

When all the four doors clicked close, the journey started. At first Abhay decided to go down the old NH5 and stop for the night at the coastal cities, and in the day, ride by the ocean and stop at the beaches, and come back doing all that again. Since he had Deepa he was not going to look at other girls. It was purely just to drive his new car on the highway and enjoy that adrenaline as they hit 140 kmph, because he could not do that within the city. Ramit and he would take turns to drive and talk and talk and talk.

But now that the girls had joined and one of them was pregnant, and because they did not have enough time to cover the east coast, or even reach anywhere near Kolkata, he changed the plan. They were going to drive at a low speed and go to his uncle's farm house. They'd just relax, watch movies, talk, and if the witch didn't mind, leave her out and party with some drinks. What if he did not get to race on the road with his red car, he was going to get closer to his gorgeous girlfriend. He had to thank the witch for the idea. If Ramit was on the top of his list of friends, then Geetha was easier found from the bottom.

They braved the rush hour traffic and hit the highway. It would take four hours to reach the farm house, located on the outskirts of Agra.

By the time they reached their destination, against Abhay's expectations, Deepali and Geetha had become friends. They teamed up to laugh at him. He knew it! His baby was his only good friend. Although he chuckled from time to time, at least he did not add on to their topics.

An hour ago, to make them stop, he told them all the new features the car came with and bragged a little. Geetha then said that in a few years, they'd also have the latest model of car and that they were still better than him because Ramit had his own business, while he was relying on his parents' business. Deepali, instead of rebutting Geetha's words, told her that nowadays, he was not even taking much care of the business. That he had left everything to his father's assistant and spent more than half a day playing with the stick. Abhay was so angry, he blasted music for the rest of the journey.

In the next two days, one pair grew closer while another drifted apart.

Abhay acted all angry until Deepali shouted back at him after lunch. Then she dropped a bomb telling him that she told her father about him. Abhay sat up straight. "Does your dad know how to fight too?"

"Do you think I won't fight with you?"

Abhay groaned and ruffled his hair. "Who asked you to tell them?"

Deepali responded after a while. Her tone was serious. "I told my dad because I was not going to be home. I should tell him."

"You could have just said you were out with friends! How could you not ask me before telling your parents?"

Deepali let out a long sigh in understanding and blinked. She then nodded, looking at him as if he was a stranger. "When I told him, he asked me to be careful at every step. I told him there was nothing to worry about. I said that knowing you had a few girlfriends in the past."

Abhay knitted his brows. What she implied made him feel like he was the worst person ever. Everything happened so fast and he was at a loss for words. Last moment he was throwing a tantrum and now... he did not know.

"You don't even know I have only one parent, right?"

Everything seemed absurd to Abhay. He did not remember discussing her mother ever. Every time she talked about her home, she only spoke of her father. But who knew there was something so big underneath? Then, she was also thinking that he wasn't clean. He did not know why, but many thought that. No one's such thoughts bothered him until now.

"Deepa, I'm sorry," he said, realising that was the first thing to do whatsoever. Then he shouted again, "If you just told me that you were planning to tell your dad, there won't be all this problem!" He looked down and caught his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

Deepali controlled herself from having any sort of breakdown. She was not going to cry in front of this guy. What problem did he have? She could not see one.

As hurt as she felt, she smiled at him in silence.

When he felt it was too silent, he opened his eyes. Deepa was still in front of him. Her toes had a pastel green nail polish this time. She should have hit back at him by now. He did not look at her. He did not want to seem like he was asking for her opinion on this, because he wasn't.

Geetha was sitting on one side, watching them. Ramit had just gone out to fetch something from the car. When she heard Abhay picking on Deepali, she was sceptical about meddling in their business, but when she saw the wretched yet determined smile on Deepali, she knew she had to step in for her own good.

"Are you out of your mind? What an imbecile!" she said, standing up, literally and for her new acquaintance against the idiot. "Do you know what Ramit did? He told his parents that we decided to divorce without telling me! At least, she wants to give you a chance! Or was it never in your mind?"

Deepali could not help but cry. The words that Geetha spoke were what she could not say out loud.

She shook her head and wiped off her tears. "Thanks," she softly told Geetha.

She turned to Abhay. "Sorry. Mind your own business from now on. Don't call me or try to talk to me."

She fetched her luggage and walked straight to the door.

"Where are you going?" Geetha shouted behind her.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Abhay asked, finally looking up at Deepali's back.

She did not respond to either and walked out.

Geetha shouted again, "Deepa! I should not run. I have something to give you!"

Few seconds later, Deepali turned back out of hesitation. Geetha walked a few steps forwards, caught her arm, and took her into a room, a little forcefully, pulling on her slender arm with all her strength while she kept her smile up.

Once inside, Deepa asked, "What is it?"

"Advice."

Deepali only felt like crying. At this point, things were clear in her head. She didn't need any relationship advice.

"Don't go. We'll go back together." Geetha said.

"Is this the advice?"

"Yes."

"Why? You know I can fight."

Geetha agreed. "Ramit said he'll feel awkward when I asked to come. Then I said it won't be the case if you're also there." Who knows if Ramit once again kicked her out because of this and left her by herself like he did when she followed him to their home?

Deepali's face turned dark as she thought, this adorable looking woman was not truly adorable, she was selfish.

Slowly Geetha asked, "Are you really going to break up with him?"

Deepali stayed silent. How could she not? After everything? Yet a huge part of her heart did not want to end things with him.

"You're in this together. You should have told him before. I was livid when Ramit did something like this." Geetha paused. "Do you know that Ramit and I... we have quite a few problems?"

"Misery loves company. Tell me." Deepali said, her face still a little dark when she looked at Geetha.

Geetha felt her sadness was being capitalised on but she told her anyway. It was not many times that she got to speak of such things. "I thought I was having the time of my life when we got married. I was a little unreasonable but he was fine with it and everything was under control. I did whatever I wanted. Solo treks, exhibitions, reading, watching documentaries, whatever. I gave as little time as possible to my job and rest was all mine.

"I just got out of my parents' house and I dreaded having a family. But Ramit was not quiet for long. He pestered me and we would fight... No. He did not pester, he was trying to please me," she corrected herself, "Then, we were attacked."

"I heard about this."

"It was very dangerous. I thought everything was over. But Ramit saved me. He really pulled me behind and took the bullet. That time I understood, if our lives ended at that moment, I'd not be content at all. But he would. You should have seen the glint in those eyes when he was protecting me."

Deepali felt that she was not listening to their problems, but their love story instead. She cut off Geetha, who was still savouring the past with a soft smile and happy eyes. "So now you are a happy couple?"

Geetha turned to her and raised her brows with a stiff smile. "I'm currently friendzoned."

"Aren't you pregnant?"

"Yes. Pregnant and friendzoned."

Deepali felt better after knowing that. She was in a comparatively better place than Geetha.

"Why did he do that after risking his life to save you?" She was interested now.

"Ask him. He's behaved lukewarm ever since then. Anyway, the important point is he told his parents that he, no, we both, wanted a divorce without talking to me about it. I know what you did is positive compared to this, but did you see that guy's face? That idiot's soul flew out of his body."

"It's not like I'm forcing him to come and meet my parents. It's been 5 months."

"Fine. Just know that some fear big changes. Not everyone feels ready for a new life at any given time."

Deepali sighed and lay in bed.

When Geetha saw Deepali's disinterest, she did not insist on changing her mind. Her thoughts flew back to that day. As someone who values time very much, she still could not wrap her head around how one could go through such great lengths, even giving up completely on themselves, for someone else. She told him, didn't she? That everybody had only one life, and that he had to realise it? Did he try to test if it is true?

She let out a heartfelt smile. Her husband was amazing, no matter what.

∼•∽

When Ramit came back with his laptop, Abhay was on the couch with his head in his hands. He settled down the stuff he held and tapped Abhay's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know!" Abhay looked up.

"Where are they?"

He pointed to one of the doors.

"Both of them?"

"Yeah... I don't know anymore."

Ramit sighed. He did not know what Abhay did not know anymore. He did not know why he looked so down or what happened. But he was sure he missed something huge.

He walked to knock on that door but Abhay stopped him. "Let them be. Let's go." He pointed upwards. "Wine?"

Ramit fetched his laptop and phone and they went upstairs. On the way, he texted Geetha. 'We're on the second floor.'

Her reply was quick. 'Fine.'

∼•∽

Upstairs, Abhay opened a cabin. Inside was a glass cupboard showcasing a great collection. His uncle changed the password to its lock but he knew it would be one of the 7 his uncle always used. While he was busy trying, Ramit was urging him to stop. He went so far to say he won't drink with him.

"Don't be like this, baby. These are the spoils of an intellectual war." Abhay's face was still sad, although he said that.

Ramit kicked his butt but soon Abhay succeeded. His uncle was scared of losing passwords, so he knew his uncle would not create a new one just to deal with him.

Abhay selected two bottles, which he hoped would not catch his uncle's attention, and walked out onto the terrace.

While one drank, the other was busy typing. Ramit had a burst of inspiration for the algorithm. The ride which was hassle free for the most part helped him think. He had a new idea he wanted to try, no matter the results. In fact, he was not worried if it was going to work. He knew he had the best idea.

After a while of lonely drinking, Abhay nudged Ramit. "Put that aside. Ask me what happened."

"Hm?" Ramit looked up but his hands did not stop and he soon looked back into his screen. "What happened?"

"Deepa... she... I didn't know about her mother. I kept saying 'your parents'." He explained what he knew.

The clicking of the keys stopped. Ramit looked at him as if he grew a second head. This damning guy! "How the hell did you not know?"

Abhay once again held his head. "She told her dad about us..." He told him every word that followed.

Ramit poured a glass himself. As if the sadness in his own life wasn't enough, his friend had to make his own contribution. "At least she didn't break up with you yet."

"She will... What should I do?"

He looked at Abhay, who was like himself in this regard, actively searching for true love. While he dived in and risked it all for one person, Abhay was more careful. His dating lasted as long as it was playful. Flirting, kissing and making out was the only thing he did. He knew because Abhay always gave him too much information. Although he did not listen with enough attention, his head still caught the main point. When it was time to take a step further, emotionally or physically, he backed out. He'd break up and be depressed about it for a couple of months.

"You don't want to break up yet this time?"

"Why will I? I was going to confess to her soon."

Ramit scoffed at him. Look who's talking. "Really? You want to propose to her?"

Abhay did not answer. He hadn't thought that far yet.

"You have to settle down sometime."

"Like you?"

"I am one bad example."

Both sighed and drank up their glasses.

Pouring himself another glass Abhay said, "You are a good example. What more problems do you have with the witch?"

"Stop calling her that! I just don't understand her." He did not know how long his happy bubble would last. He did not know what her true intentions were. He did not know why she was acting all nice and he did not want to think about it either.

Abhay felt tipsy by now. Although Ramit seemed to be pessimistic about his wife, he could see that the witch actually became a little sensible and a lot more accommodating. As he thought, he suddenly recollected how Geetha took Deepa with her.

He stood up with a start. If that witch spoke any embarrassing things from school, he was going to lose face!

"Where are you going?" Ramit asked. He no longer had the mood to work. A game was loading on his screen.

"I should go and keep those two apart. Geetha knows too much!"

Ramit scoffed. "She's forgotten half of the things. Moreover, she isn't the type to put in so much energy to speak about you." Ramit knew how much she loved to declutter her surroundings and she did the same with her brain. In fact, he'd almost never caught her being nostalgic.

Back when he proposed marriage to her, he called her to the restaurant saying they could catch up and then talk about the past. Before agreeing she had told him they should talk about the future instead and not waste time talking about the past as that yielded nothing.

"I still have to go and apologise first. Break up or not is up to her." He paced down the stairwell to find Deepali.

∼•∽

A/N:
Updates are going to be regular from now on.

Abhay: ENFP; Deepali: INFJ. So yeah, Ramit and Abhay are both diplomats (NFs), Deepali too. Geetha is an analyst (NT). Somehow I don't have one sensor here... At least one of them is an extrovert. If you have other opinions, do let me know. I barely understand my own MBTI (don't think I'm lazy, I do tons of research but humans are just that complex) so I'm all ears for any new typing of all my characters.

So this chapter is the final breather. Upcoming are all confrontations! Small, big, serious, casual... all showdowns!!!

Btw, I have edited the first scene of the book and added some details. I think it got better, so have a look! I am just going to give the rest of the book a thorough proofread, since I didn't use read-aloud for the first chapters.

Thank you and see you Saturday!