Nora despised long flights more than anything else. The endless, monotonous hours spent confined among strangers grated on her nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Each minute felt like an eternity, her discomfort magnified by the lack of personal space and the constant drone of the airplane engines.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she shifted her gaze to the watch on her wrist. The ticking of the second hand echoed in her ears, a relentless reminder of the time slipping away. With a furrowed brow, her fingers instinctively rose to pinch the bridge of her nose, the tension in her body mirroring the frustration building within. They were running late, and the prospect of spending even more time in this hot climate only added to her mounting exasperation.

"Nora!" The voice rang out loudly, cutting through the dull hum of the airport. She turned on her heels, her gaze drawn to a group of three figures making their way towards her with unmistakable enthusiasm. The tallest among them, with a hand raised high in the air, waved frantically, a broad grin spread across their face.

As the trio closed the distance, Nora found herself enveloped in warm embraces, one after the other. Despite the genuine affection and unfettered enthusiasm displayed by her companions, the tight hugs did little to soothe her growing annoyance. If anything, each passing moment only served to intensify her frustration, weighing heavily on her already troubled mind.

"30 minutes. Really?" Her eyebrows shot up in incredulity and her tone laced up with unmistakable irritation.

"It was Kartik's fault!" cried out the shortest member of the trio, pointing an accusing finger at her boyfriend. Nora's gaze shifted to Kartik, her expression a mixture of exasperation and curiosity..

"Kaira!" The said guy snapped at her, his cheeks immediately colouring a scarlet shade.

Kaira Leven. A fashion designer, the First Daughter of the Leven family, spoiled to her very core, though still a very kind spirit. During their childhood years, they always used to squabble about their heights but as years passed by, the arguing ceased by a lot. Nora would argue that Kaira wasn't that taller than her but a passerby could easily notice the few inches of distance between them.

"Sorry, it was my fault" Her eyes drifted towards the last member of the trio, who flashed her a small apologetic smile.

Nella Leven. A law student in training, the second and youngest child of the Levens. Also known as her favourite cousin. Nora and Nella were of the same age except for the few months of gap between their birthdays, making her 5 months younger than Nella. Nella, while being younger than Kaira was more mature and reserved.

Growing up, all three of them attended the same school in Mumbai. However, after graduation, Kaira made the bold move to relocate to the bustling metropolis known as New York City. Following in her sister's footsteps, Nella also ventured across the globe to pursue her studies in law in the same vibrant city. It was there, amidst the bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, and busy universities that they both encountered Kaira's present boyfriend, Kartik.

Kartik Singhania, Kaira's boyfriend and a childhood prodigy, graduated business school with the highest honours and now was set to inherit his father's business. Despite his close connection to Kaira, Nora didn't know him as well as one might expect, given their limited interactions. To her, Kartik was more like an older distant cousin, a figure glimpsed only occasionally amidst family gatherings and reunions.

"It's quite alright, but please, for the love of god, text me next time," Nora said, flashing a smile as she was once again enveloped in a warm hug by Nella. It had indeed been a long time since they had last met, and the reunion brought a sense of familiarity and comfort amidst the chaos of the airport.

Nora had entertained the idea of following her two cousins, drawn by the appeal of living close to familiar faces. However, after careful consideration, she resolved against it, opting instead to pursue psychology in London. While Kartik and Kaira had recently obtained their degrees, Nora and Nella still had two years left to graduate. Their plans for the future were temporarily disrupted when their school abruptly closed down, prompting them to seize the opportunity to reunite and cherish the limited time they had together before embarking on their respective career paths.

"Where is Aniket?" Kaira asked looking behind Nora to search for the boy but when she found no one, she looked at Nora with a questioning stare.

"He isn't here yet, he called me an hour ago and notified me that his flight got delayed, he should be here in...about a minute or two" Nora looked at her watch before nodding in confirmation to her previous statement.

"Well, looks like the whole crew is here," a voice called out from behind, prompting a smile to spread across Nora's face. She felt arms encircle her shoulders, the scent of a clean shave wafting into her senses, causing her to inhale softly, the familiarity of the embrace bringing a sense of warmth and belonging.

"Ket," she whispered, gently twisting in his embrace to meet his gaze. As she looked up at him, she noticed the glimmer of happiness in his eyes, causing them to shine just a shade browner than usual in the soft airport lighting. The rush of emotions flooded her as she realized how much she had missed him. It had been two long years since she had last seen her best friend in person. Despite their efforts to stay connected through regular FaceTime calls, the constraints of their busy schedules and time zone differences had limited their interactions to fleeting moments, leaving a lingering sense of longing for his presence.

Aniket Samrat and Nora Blake had once been an inseparable pair. From their middle school days to high school, they had been as thick as thieves, sharing countless adventures and secrets. But as they reached the crossroads of adulthood, reality intervened, and they found themselves heading down different paths. Aniket dreamt of becoming an author, so he pursued a major in English at Columbia. With their diverging interests and busy schedules, their once frequent encounters became increasingly rare, and the phone calls eventually dwindled to silence.

So, when they finally saw each other again after what seemed like an eternity, there was no measuring the extent of their delight and zeal. The years melted away in an instant as they embraced, the bond of their friendship reignited with an intensity that transcended time and distance.

After a few moments, he finally released Nora from his embrace, but kept an arm draped over her shoulder, prompting her to lean her head against his shoulder. Together, they turned towards the rest of the group, who were watching them with a mixture of emotions evident on their faces.

"Hello, Levens," he greeted them with a nod, not wanting to let Nora go, they all might have been friends since the same age though no one could match the bond that existed between Nora and Aniket.

"Hey man," he turned towards Kartik, who came forward to shake his hand, smiling tightly at him.

"So, shall we?" Aniket inquired, his eyes moving from one member of the group to the next, a sense of anticipation evident in their excited expressions. The air buzzed with palpable excitement as they prepared to embark on their long-awaited adventure together.

The gang was back