"A best friend is someone who loves you the most when you forget to love yourself"

Arshita's Pov

I and Shubman were surrounded by many different reactions and excited squeels when everyone got to know that I was going to meet his mom after college today.

Ayushi and Shriya were literally more excited than me, and they agreed upon helping me to get ready.

"Acha toh mtlb mai rishta pakka smjhu" Manjot said grinning and I chuckled saying, "Shut up"

"Haan aur ek ye hai jisne abhi tk apni mom ko nhi batata that I'm his girlfriend" Shriya said hitting Abhay's arm.

"Areyy but she already knows you" Abhay said giving 'its so obvious' look.

"Ha lekin teri best ki trh apni bahu ki trh nhi" Nagar said and everyone laughed.

"Waise I'm very fast you know" Shubman said proudly smirking at me.

"Acha itna bhi fast mt ho jana ki thode time me hum sb bua chachu bn chuke ho" Ayushi and we laughed while Shubman made faces.

We all were talking and eating when my eyes landed on a table where Aditi was sitting and was looking at me directly. Her face was pale, had dark circles and she didn't looked right.

Shubman noticed my sudden behavior change and looked at the direction where she was sitting and then back at me. He nudged my shoulder with his, "I think you should go and talk to her" he said softly.

I looked at Aditi and her condition was not letting me stay away anymore so I nodded and excused myself to go to her.

The walk to her table seemed to be so difficult. We shared this table for two years and, we ate, complained to each other, laughed together, talked about everything, but these last few weeks were like the longest of our lives.

Without asking for permission I took the seat in front of her and said, "You look like shit"

She suddenly looked up in shock, "Arshu" she said her voice was quivering slightly.

I looked at her trying to keep my voice stable and not to break down I asked, "What happened? You got into a fight with Siddharth or something?"

"Arshu" she again looked down at her hands and spoke, "There's nothing going on between me and Siddharth"

My head spanned to her, "What?"

"There's nothing" she said.

"But you were there — at the picnic— you and him?" I said unable to understand anything.

"No" she shook her head in denial and looked up to me with a broken look, "That was a misunderstanding, I was so lost, so hurt and broken that I didn't even bother to explain" she said.

"You're the one hurt and broke?" I asked sternly.

"You're the one who left" she said trying not to break down. "You ignored me, you made it so easy to throw away the two years of friendship just because of a fight. I thought we could fix this, but now you have new friends and —and it's like I never even mattered"

"Why were you with him?" I asked looking straight into her eyes.

"We had something in common" she said.

"What?"

"We lost you" She said almost whispering.

"He's the one who left me" I retorted.

"That's why!" she said and took a deep breath before continuing, "The day we fought, I went to jis house shouting and demanding answers cuz I wasn't able to see you crying" she said.

I looked at her numb.

"Whatever it is just leave it. Are you crying because of all this Siddharth thing?" I asked composing myself.

"Why —why do you care?" she asked on the verge of crying.

"Cuz I do care you idiot" I shouted a bit.

She looked at me for some minute and a didn't spoke a word, after that she again looked down at her hands and sighed. "It's My mom"

My heart sank toy stomack.

Aditi's mom was a heart patient and wasn't much well, she used to take many medications and couldn't help but look at her helpless.

"What happened?" I asked

"She had a mild stroke and is at hospital right now" she said softly.

I looked at her and tried to comfort her cuz there was nothing else I could do at that time, she was totally broken and I felt really bad for her.

I asked her If I could come to hospital to see her mother and she gave me shocked look cuz she knew I was scared of hospitals after my grandmother's death.

"You'd do that? Really?" she asked and I nodded.

She gave me small smile, and then after some seconds she said, "Arshu, I'm sorry for everything"

I looked her and smiled, "Yeah me too" I said and realized how much I missed being with her and share this table and do all those things which we used to do.

I stood up and forwarded my hand to her, "Come lets sit with them" I said pointing at our table.

"Are you sure, what of they don't like —" she was saying when I cut her off.

"Shut up and come with me" I said and she got and we walked to the table. "Guys! This is Aditi" I said smiling.

"Heyy!" she waved at everyone awkwardly.

"You!" Manjot pointed his finger at her and asked "Do you like avengers?" I smiled remembering as how I was welcomed in the same way.

"umm noo" Aditi replied and Mandy made a face while everyone laughed. Ayushi made her sit beside her and introduced her to everyone and I have Aditi an assuring smile.

"I'm happy that you made up with her" Shubman whispered as I took the seat beside him.

I smiled at him and nodded, "Me too"
_____

"OH my God this car is filled with so much noise" Shubman said as he pulled the car out of the parking lot.

Shriya and Ayushi declared themselves as my stylists for the day and to Aditi's surprise they dragged her in too. So the three of them were at the backseat cuz Shubman was going to drop us at my house.

"Shut up, I know you love us" Shriya said hitting his shoulder.

"And you'll love us more once we're done with Arshu" Ayushi said grinning.

Shubman just shook his head muttering something like girls under his breath and mostly kept quite during the conversations as it involved dresses makeup and obviously boys.

"I don't like when they have too much muscles, mtlb kya ho yrr tum? Wrestler?" Ayushi said.

"Ni yrr it's kind of hot, what's wrong with six pack abs" Shriya retorted.

"Eh, I don't like them" Ayushi said giving a disgusted look.

"What about you Aditi, what do you prefer?" Ayushi suddenly asked her.

"Um, I'm kind of on Shriya's side" Aditi replied.

"See, tu akeli hai" Shriya said with a winning smile.

"And you Arshu?" Ayushi asked and I couldn't think of anything.

"Oh my God, Shub you just shifted closer to listen her opinion right" Shriya said smirking.

"Nah I don't need to, she loves me the way I am, cuz she stares" Shubman said and winked at me with his all time smirk. "And that too a lot"

"No, I don't" I said as my cheeks started heating up because of blushing.

"Admit it, Arora" Shubman said grinning.

"Don't flatter yourself" I said and he laughed.

It had been a while that Aditi came over to my house and Shriya and Ayushi were just so excited that they climbed out of the car as soon as it stopped, and the three of them rushed inside, so I and Shubman were left in the car.

"Umm was it okay?" I asked looking at him and he turned to me, "To invite Aditi to the table today"

He gave me a look, "What are you talking about?"

"No I mean, I'm still it one of you and yet I —" I was saying when he cut me off.

"Do you think kisiko koi problem thi?" he asked me.

"I don't think so" I said.

"And did it make you happy" he asked and I nodded.

"Then what's the problem, they don't have any problem and it makes you happy too!" he said soothingly looking in my eyes, "And that's what matters"

I stared at him dumbfounded cuz I was still surprised by the fact that he always knew what to say to make me feel better.

I looked down and muttered a "Thank you" and turned to open the door of the car when he grabbed my arm and stopped me.

I turned and looked at him, "And for your information, you're one of us, so stop thinking that you're not" He said and felt the gush of gratefulness spread over me and gave him a smile.

"Okay. Thank you" I again said.

"I'll meet you later, my little pirn star" he said and slapped his shoulder and got out of the acr laughing.

I entered the house and mom was still not home so we had the house to ourselves. Ayushi and Shriya ran upstairs to my room and I went to the kitchen to bring something for them to eat and Aditi came with me.

It was awkward cuz I knew things weren't going to be normal suddenly as it used to be but they'll be better with time.

I looked at her and said "You should eat with us from now on"

She looked up and stared at me for a second and spoke up, "It that ok?" she asked.

"Yess it is" I said and gave her a small smile.

"So what's this this thing with Shubman?" She asked and I gave her a look before replying, "We have a lot to talk about" I said and she nodded and we went upto my room.

Ayushi threw a towel at me and pushed me to the bathroom, "Go take a shower, fast"

I came back after taking a shower and they were preparing everything for me when Shriya suddenly shouted, "This is perfect" and took out a dress from my closet.

She gave it to me and wore the dress and they made me sit in front of the mirror getting me ready.

I was actually afraid of meeting his mom, but it's not like I'm hua real girlfriend but still the thought scared me.

After half an my room's door opened and my mom popped her head in. We stared at each other for some seconds and then she looked at Shriya, Ayushi and Aditi and they jumped to introduce themselves and then she left.

Thing between me and my mom were still not changed.

"I'm going to meet Shubman's mom" I said trying to keep my voice polite.

"You're going to meet his mom?" she gave me shocked look and and then just muttered something like how good are the girls for helping me out, and them left.

After an hour finally they declared me ready as Ayushi did my hair and Shriya did my makeup and Aditi helped them out.

We came down and and I was surprised to see that mom prepared some sandwiches for us and I also wanted to thank her for not treating my friends badly.

Shriya, Ayushi and Aditi rushed to the kitchen and munched on the sandwiches and when I was going to join them my mom called me fr behind and I went to her.

She handed me a small velvet box and looked me, "I thought maybe this will look good with your dress" she said and before I could say thanku she went to her room straight.

I came back and sat with everyone and opened the box and gasped.

"They're beautiful" Shriya said beside me and I smiled. "Yeah they are"

I took them out and wore them and they were really beautiful and I remember that she bought them for me when I was eight cuz and promised me that she'll give it to me when I grow up.

The door bell rang and Shriya and Ayushi rushed to open the door as we knew it was Shubman.

"They're really a good company" Aditi said smiling.

"Surely they are" I replied.

As soon as we reached near the dooe Ayushi and Shriya were already telling him that he looked good and he'll surprised when he sees me.

But he was standing there as usual laening on the door, arms folded on his chest, smiling at his friends.

"Here she is" Shriya said as soon as I came in front of him.

He looked at me and stood up straight and I also looked him from top to bottom and for the first time I realized that was seriously good looking, like fucking handsome.

Shubman's outfit

Our gazes locked and we stared in each other's eyes, and everything else seemed to be blur out and I could just see his shining brown eyes.

"Well you clean up well" Shubman said and I came out of my trance and before I could say anything Shriya already stepped on his foot, earning a girlish yelp from him.

"Ye kisliye tha?" He asked.

"Are you serious? You clean up well?" she said annoyed, "Try again or I'm going to kill you right here" she threatened him.

"Fine" he said and then turned to me and gave a smile, "Arshu you look breathtakingly beautiful, I'm honored to be in your presence tonight" he said.

Arshita's outfit

I smiled trying to control mg blush and kept my hand on my heart saying, "Ah be still my heart" and he laughed.

"Aur iski baari, how do I look?" He asked amused.

"You look like someone stepped on your foot" I said and everyone laughed.

"Ah" his face broke out in a grin, a big, wide and goofy grin, which could only be one and only Shubman gill showing his very own dimples, "Quite accurate"

And when I looked at this grin, those obssessing dimples and I really meant when I thought, be still my heart.

Cuz this fuckin' heart of mine wasn't planning to be still.

____________________________________

Heyyy peeps! ☺️☺️

So back with an update, I hope you all liked the chapter.

So finally the two of them are coming closer and closer and maybe growing some feeling for ecah other, but to know what's going on you need to keep reading!

So keep voting and commenting 💖💖❤️❤️