Piya Sharma, or Piyu as Tara loved to call her started at the laptop screen. The voices of the vegetable hawkers, the customers haggling over prices of tomatoes and onions, the barks of stray dogs and the horns of scoters all faded into the background as Piya read the email. They just lost another contract. A contract Piya and Tara were sure to get. A contract that was their lifeline. The contract that was probably their last hope.

Tara Tandon, Piya's best friend and business partner, rolled her chair closer, her brows furrowed with concern as she read the email over Piya's shoulder. "Oh, Piya," she sighed, her voice laced with empathy.

Piya's fingers flew across the keyboard, her frustration palpable. "This is just the worst. Our only client is late on payment, and now we've lost another opportunity. How are we supposed to keep this company afloat?"

Tara placed a reassuring hand on Piya's arm, her expression gentle. "We'll figure something out, Piya. We always do." She said. There was nothing more she could say. Optimism could only be stretched so far. She turned her attention to her laptop, her eyes scanning the screen intently.

After a few moments, Tara's face lit up with an eager expression. "Hey, look at this!" she exclaimed, drawing Piya's attention. "We've received an invitation to bid on a project from a major fashion house. This could be exactly what we need!"

Piya's eyes widened as she read the details of the project, her fingers tapping against the keyboard. "Backend operations for a fashion label? That's right up our alley. And the scope of work looks impressive."

"Exactly!" Tara keyed in enthusiastically. She got up and turned Piya's chair to face her ignoring the loud screech. "This is our chance to prove ourselves. We just need to dazzle them with our brilliance, Piya. What do you say?" It was impossible to keep the excitement out of her voice.

Piya turned to face her laptop again and navigated through their previous work samples, considering their options. "It's risky, Tara. We're a small team, and this is a big project. But..." Her fingers paused a flicker of determination in her eyes. "If we can pull this off, it could be the lifeline we need."

Tara grinned, her infectious enthusiasm filling the cramped office. "That's the spirit, Piya!" She paced around the cramped room." We'll work our magic, just like always. And who knows, maybe this will be the start of bigger things for us."

As the two friends immersed themselves in the proposal, the sound of Tara's chair wheels and the clicking of their keyboards punctuated the conversation. Piya's focus was unwavering, but Tara's occasional laughter and playful comments helped lighten the mood.

"You know, this little shed of ours is starting to feel like a palace compared to the vegetable stalls outside," Tara teased, gesturing towards the bustling market.

Piya couldn't help but crack a small smile, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "At least the aroma of vegetables is better than the stench of our printer."

Their banter was interrupted by a notification on Tara's screen, and her expression suddenly shifted. "Oh, Piya... My husband just told me he's been laid off. He only has one month's salary left."

Piya's heart sank, and she reached out to squeeze Tara's hand, her eyes conveying her empathy. "I'm so sorry, Tara. That's awful news."

Tara's eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she quickly blinked them away. "It's okay, we'll figure it out. But..." She glanced around their cramped office, their old laptops and the peeling paint, the weight of their struggles evident in her posture.

Tara leaned back in her chair, placing a hand protectively over her growing belly. "Here's the thing, Piya. I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this up. With Raj losing his job, and the baby on the way..." Her voice trailed off, and Piya watched as her friend's shoulders slumped with the weight of their uncertain future.

"We'll figure it out, Tara. We always do," Piya reassured, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. "We just need to land one big client, and everything will turn around. I know it."

Tara offered a weak smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, I know. It's just... sometimes it feels like the odds are stacked against us, you know? I don't want to let you down, Piya. You're my best friend, and I can't imagine doing this without you."

"You could never let me down, Tara," Piya typed, her expression softening. "We're in this together, through thick and thin. And we're going to make this work, no matter what."

Tara nodded, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Okay, okay. You're right. We can do this. We have to." She glanced down at the proposal they were working on, a small spark of determination igniting in her eyes. "Let's show them what we're made of."

Piya grinned, a newfound sense of purpose surging through her. "That's my Tara. Now, let's get this proposal polished until it shines. We're going to blow them away."

A wry chuckle escaped Piya's lips, but the humour quickly faded. "You know, Tara, I'm starting to think that might be our only option if this keeps up. The landlord has been hinting that he'll evict us if we can't pay the rent by the end of the month."

Tara did not respond for a long time, letting the sounds of the market and the groans of their ancient pedestal fan fill the room. "You know, Piya, even if we do end up as vegetable vendors, at least we'll have the freshest produce in town."

Piya couldn't help but chuckle, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "That's true, Tara. And who knows, maybe we'll even start a new trend – the tech-savvy vegetable entrepreneurs."