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"Coffee and anything more?"Kavya asked yelling from the Kitchen.

I turned my head towards her, seeing her upside-down figure because I was lying on the sofa inverted. My feet dangling off its back and my head on the carpet.

"Cupcakes!" I yelled back.

"Coffee, cupcakes, and anything more?" She yelled again peeping from Kitchen Island.

"It's all good!" I shot her thumbs up.

I stared at the ceiling, blew the bangs over my forehead. I skipped school today and decided to hang out with Kavya . She, being the college student often stayed back in her flat doing self-study. And she didn't mind my company at all.

So much had happened and I was finding it difficult to wrap my head around the things.

I lifted my index finger stretching my arm up. This position really helps in pondering upon things.

First, I was still a spy

Second, Ishaan gave me the wrong address

Third, nonetheless, Lux was still present there

Fourth, Shiru is the most untrustworthy cat in the world

Fifth, Lux knows where I Live

Six, Lux knows where I live

I lifted the rest of my fingers LUX KNOWS WHERE I LIVE

I turned my head burying in the carpet shouting in it AHHH!!. Then my OCD kicked me reminding me people walk on the carpet.
My head snapped to front cringing.

Lux kinda know where I live. Because I entered my neighbor's house calling it mine and they were confused as I was when I barged in some, that you could call it a family dispute I guess. But anyway that's the least of my concern, the house was just adjacent to my house.

So yeah Lux kinda knew where I live now.

How did I let this happen?

How did I choose such an unreliable cat?

My phone rang.

🎵Oh my God, I'm a fool
Keep on coming back to you
I'm so stupid for you
I'm so stupid for you

You're so bad for my health
But I just can't help myself
I'm so stupid for you
I'm so stupid for you🎵

Thank you ringtone for summarizing me I thought sarcastically accepting Riya's call.
She might be livid at my sudden absence for today in school.

"You didn't come today"

Oh shit

I fumbled with my phone

This was not Riya's voice

I got up startled sitting on the carpet staring at the mobile screen.

Riya

I read carefully it's Riya of course. I sighed lying back. Thinking so much about Lux made me now imagine his voice. How funny. I chuckled to myself.

"Riya! How are you girl? Missing me so much? Aww.." I said putting my hand to my raging heart. Calm down dude calm down.

"Well I am not alone who is missing you here," Riya said but wait what did she say!!!

"Avi"

My heart skipped a beat. Stupid heart. Stupid beat.

He actually was Lux then!!

I jumped up running to the Kitchen holding the phone tightly.

Kavya peeped, her eyes widened noticing me barging in, "Woah.."

"Say to him I am not here!"I shouted shoving my phone to her.

"What..wait? Who is it?" Kavya whispered pointing with the cupcake at the phone.

"It's Lux" I whispered back

"Why's he calling you?" Kavya asked still whispering.

"How do I know!!!"I hissed.

"So you ask him?" She shoved my phone back to me.

"Nope, I can't " I shoved it back.

"Why?" She handed it back.

"Because," I told handing it back to her.

"You know we can hear you," Riya said from the other side of the line.

"Clearly" Lux added.

I gulped, "um. ok, so well why did you call?"

Kavya patted my back sympathetically then went continuing her work she drew a heart over the cake with the arrow in it, writing A and L at the ends.

I narrowed my eyes at her. Not funny!

"You didn't come to school today," Lux said.

"Isn't it obvious now?" Riya asked sounding annoyed now.

"Well, I have some work" I lied.

"Drink some water kid you have been lying there upside down since you came here. Blood rushed would have made you feel dizzy" Kavya said cluelessly? Couldn't she see what was going on here?? sliding a glass of water towards me.

"Busy huh..?" Riya said.

I turned rushing out the Kitchen.

"Well okay, I just skipped today because I wasn't feeling like coming. Big deal??"

"I don't know you tell me? When someone tries to block your way and then threaten you to give your best friend's number-

"I didn't threaten you" Lux cut her off dryly.

"And you have no choice but to listen to them considering that person's eyebrow-raising reputation. But still, you act as a true friend dials her number for them instead of carelessly and in a scared manner giving the number to him. So tell me is it a big deal, Avi?"

"I feel grateful but you should've simply said you didn't have my number or lied to him I am your pretend best friend when in reality we hate each other's guts, "I suggested remorsefully.

"Oh yeah he would have, as if believed us" Riya replied sarcastically.

"And he is here," Lux told.

"Well you brought it to yourself now handle it alone," Riya said leaving. Oh no!

I ran back again to the Kitchen.

Kavya jumped when I gave my phone to her with a pleading look.

She sighed speaking. I stepped back leaning against the refrigerator anxiously. What did he want from me?? Like seriously!
The thing that was bothering me was that I couldn't put my finger on what was making me so cautious and hesitant when it came to Lux. This all started in a pretty much fun or a light way. I treated it as a joke didn't expect the situation to take some different form. I was getting in deeper and deeper. And the more I consider upon it the more confused I become.

"Laksh right?" Kavya said.

I don't know what he said so I motioned to Kavya to put it on speaker. She did begrudgingly.

"Yes who's it?" he asked.

"What are your intentions with my daughter?" Kavya asked strictly.

I snorted putting a hand to my mouth.

"Don't you sound quite young to be her mother?"

"Thank you," Kavya said.

I giggled actually she was like my mother. Awesome mother. I cleared my throat my chest hurts thinking of mom.

"Well then as you're her mother I hope you're aware of your daughter's dropping grades ..

Kavya's head snapped to me. She glowered at me in a stern mother way.

"She hardly pays any attention in the class" Lux went on digging my grave, "I won't say she is dumb she actually is very smart"

I blushed to my feet.

"But yeah utilizes that ability in somewhere unnecessary and doing childish things"

"Screw you" I muttered

"Excuse me?" Kavya said to Lux, in my defense.

"Like being absent today when our half-yearly is starting from the next month and of course this week we'll have our unit tests how can I forget?. How can she forget? She can't afford to be absent and miss out on schoolwork..."

"Ahhhh shut up shut up!!" I yelled couldn't control myself.

I stomped my foot, rolled my eyes at the phone and made a move to leave. I wasn't childish.

"Okay well I am thinking of some way to send her back to school," Kavya said.

I swirled around in disbelief.

She winked at me reassuring.

I exhaled out, relieved now.

"That's really not required since most of the main subjects periods are over. You could tell me where is she at ? so that I could come there, continue the tutoring which I am assigned to and she's avoiding like some plague."

WHAT!!

Stalker alert!

I stayed calm because I knew Kavya won't-

"Only if you care like you said as a mother"

Kavya's face transformed to determined taking hard decisions as a mother kinda way, she shot me a firm look while I motioned my arms helplessly saying to her just hang up, switched off the phone.

"No!! You're supposed to be an awesome mom!" I shouted.

"I do care for her like a mother and if you prove anything otherwise than the actual tutoring purpose, then Laksh boy be ready for a mother's wrath. This is the address... you promised my daughter will ace these exams"Kavya said, shooting me when adults are talking, kids don't interrupt look.

I tilted my head resting against the wall. Shit. Shit shit.

The doorbell rang before I could even think of an escape plan. What the hell!! was he just standing outside. What did he want from me???

Was he seriously in love with me?!

Love annoying me ugh...

Kavya eyed me sternly before leaving to answer the door.

Time to escape I looked around and found nothing if you could ignore walls and my disability to walk through walls.

"Avi" Kavya called.

"Coming mom" I answered mocking.

"Hey freak"

What was he doing here now?

"Aryan?" I said frowning seeing him at the door. A bit disappointed. No, I wasn't disappointed I was relieved. I told my stupid heart to get his shit together and stop bothering me.

"Hello, can I come inside?"Aryan asked giving a charming smile to Kavya.

Kavya stared at him distastefully like some rat trying to enter her house.
"No," she said frowning.

"Okay well...hey my name is Aryan" he held out his hand to her completely ignoring me.

Kavya eyed his hand now frowning more.

But that didn't faze Aryan he went on, "my friends call me Ari"

"So Aryan why are you here? And how do you know about my house?" Kavya asked folding her arms very obviously ignoring his held out and his attempt at whatever he was trying to do.

Aryan's eyes traveled to me as if remembering or noticing me for the first time. I observed him he was in casuals so he didn't go to school today too.

"I want to talk to freak"

"Go look in the mirror for it," Kavya said waving her hand off dismissing him.

Aryan laughed, "you're so funny and pretty" he added shyly.

What an act. The boy was anything but shy.

I stepped in front, "Kavya please go back in I'll have a word with him alone" I said.

Kavya eyed Aryan suspiciously, "call me if he tries anything funny, I don't like the vibe this boy is giving off"

Aryan put on a smirk I failed to see the reason behind it aside from that he's blind and deaf.

I moved out and he followed me after checking out Kyra from behind.

"She's not interested in you" I spelled it out for him. If he was finding difficulty in spotting the obvious things.

"Oh she is I know," he told me with over/ useless confidence.

"Okay I might be wrong," I said. I mean if Kavya was interested in narcissistic jock who knew!, "well why are you here? I am surprised" in a disappointing way.

"Ishaan is asking about some notes. He said you must have completed it by the night and he wants it now" He repeated monotonously eyes glued to the door which I made sure to close.

Notes

Was it a code word for spying? If it was , then it was the stupidest code word in spying history. Cause, asking me for notes was like the most absurd thing out there.

But Aryan seemed to have believed it or just didn't care.

So here Ishaan wants notes as in spying notes?

What notes should I have had made on a deserted bridge a cat betrayed his owner, scene?

Because seriously racing is out of the question here.

"He said you blocked his number that made him concern" Aryan continued now looking curious why would I block Ishaan's number.

Well, I had to because If I didn't Ryan is gonna do that for me nevertheless. Naming Ishaan as Isha in my phone didn't really work out.

"Can you just pass him my words that I didn't make the notes cause the topic was wrong it was like so wrong" I told trying not to laugh at Aryan's expression.

"Just tell him I'll talk to him soon," I said ending his problem. Time to say bye to Spy plan. That wasn't for me I need to find some other and doable ways to earn money.

"Well, I don't know what's going on between you two but a piece of advice. Stay out of it Tanya is getting suspicious already" he said carefully

Yep
Right decision, no spying from today.

"Oh thanks"

He nodded then looked at the door, "can you like give me her number?"

"No," I said turning my head.

"Alright Freak see you at school then" he gave me a mock salute and then left.

I stood tip toes seeing him leave and two people coming this way.

Riya and Lux

Great