Blue Side Of The Sky

C H A P T E R - 0 4

Song for this chapter: One More Thing by Sleeping Lions

"It's easy to act like you're in love, but the moment you stop pretending, you'll know if it was ever love in the first place... or not... "

⁕ 𝖠𝗋𝗒𝖺𝗇 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗄𝗎𝗋 ⁕

You know what they say about friends? They're the ones who drain your wallet!

Since I couldn't lend Aparna a hand with her new apartment shift, I was left with no choice but to splurge on her all-time favorite grub from our favorite restaurant, Hazel and Berry. It's the place where we'd usually kick back.

"You're chowing down like a toddler, Appy," I chuckled, sliding a napkin her way. "Can't you manage a meal without making a mess for once!?"

"Absolutely sir, but for that, you gotta quit acting like like a total ass and start taking your life seriously," she shot back, laughing.

"Well, that's a tall order!" I quipped, a smirk playing on my lips. "But I am continuing my college and doing the night shift to earn, so yeah, I'd say I'm pretty damn serious."

She took a long sip of her Blueberry mojito squinting her eyes. "When you're using me to do all your assignments and you just binge-watching Netflix during office hours, you're really the poster child for seriousness," she said, dripping with sarcasm.

"Hey, you can't blame me, can you?"

"Hell no!"

We both burst into laughter, savoring our meal together.

Among our gang, it was Aparna who really got me. She was like my spirit animal, a damn good observer. She was an open book when she was around us – expressive, outgoing, the life of the party. But the moment she stepped out of our circle or met new folks, she did a complete 180. Awkward, shy, and looking lost – a total introvert in disguise!

She once made me sneak out at 5 a.m. on a December chilly morning because she swore that there was a shop near the railway station selling the tastiest tea in the city. 

I was puzzled. Aparna, as far as I knew, wasn't much of a tea enthusiast.

The place was perpetually packed during regular hours, and the only time this teashop wasn't swamped with people was when it cracked open its shutters for the day.

So, off we went, full of anticipation. But then, her face fell as she saw the "Closed" sign. Bummer, right?

But we weren't about to give up that easily. We decided to revisit the tea shop the next day.

It turns out, that her real motive wasn't about tea; it was about meeting a ten-year-old girl who worked at the stall from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. She was the daughter of the tea vendor and she used to help his father before heading off to school.

She wanted to pass on her old clothes and some books to this little girl. But the father, brimming with pride, stubbornly refused to accept any charity, saying he could manage his family's needs.

Ah, Typical male ego, isn't it?

She, though, remained graceful, even in the face of such arrogance.

She was the kind of person who'd still be polite to people who were acting like total jackasses, totally tight-lipped about what actually mattered, and yet she'd spill her guts on the most random, inconsequential stuff.

When our plates were finally wiped clean, I made a move to summon our server and foot the bill. But, in classic Aparna fashion, she beat me to it.

That's just Aparna, you know? One minute she's insisting you make amends for your unfulfilled pledges, and the next, she's swiping the bill right from under your nose.

The night had already begun to fall, bringing with it a hint of chill in the air that the arrival of October always heralded – the scent of winter snowdrops.

As we strolled along the dimly lit road, our conversation meandered through some random topics. Me thinking of quitting my draining job, as it had become quite exhausting and unsatisfying. She began sharing some alternative career options that aligned with my interests: event planner, stand-up comedian, and blah blah blah.

Stand-up comedy? Hmm, now that truly ignited a spark within me. The idea seemed more exciting with every passing moment, and I thought of giving it a try.

I offered to drop her home on my bike, but she was adamant about taking the metro, claiming she didn't want to risk her life with my alleged reckless driving.

It's frustrating! Why doesn't she take me seriously? Why does it feel like no one ever takes me seriously?

After I got back home, I noticed two missed calls from Mom, so after freshening up, I decided to give her a callback.

The call turned into a group video chat, featuring Gaurav, Mom, and yours truly. Our conversations were always a lot of fun. Mom always had my back, and why shouldn't she? I was her favorite son, after all.

"Gaurav bete (son), your little bro needs some love, you know? After all, you're stuck with him as family once we're out of the picture," Mom teased, her laughter filling the room.

"Did you catch that, Gaurav? Love and respect – that's the way to go when dealing with yours truly," I chimed in, flashing a smirk and fully aware I was needling him. I could practically smell the whiff of jealousy coming from him.

"Mom, look at this dude with his cheeky grin. I'm the elder one, but he treats me like chopped liver," Gaurav whined.

Mom was in splits, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of her two grown-up sons bickering like a couple of alley cats, although we were way past petting one of them.

As I was absorbed in our conversation, an unknown number flashed on my screen. I dismissed the call at first, but then it flashed again. I declined it once more, but to my frustration, it kept flashing.

What the fuck was going on with this stranger? I had to cut short the video call that I was enjoying with my family to answer this persistent unknown caller.

"Hello?" I answered in frustration.

"I'm calling from the Vasant Kunj Police Station. Is Aryan Thakur on the line?"

"Yeah, that's me." By now, I was a mix of confusion and mild panic, thinking, 'Why on earth were the cops calling me? Sarah, what kind of mess have you gotten into now?'

"Mr. Aryan Thakur," a stern voice began, "we're reaching out to you because Sarah Bedi, for whom you so vouched, has been skipping her check-ins with the Station Head Officer. If she doesn't play by the rules, we may need to resort to legal measures, and I'm sure you're aware that such consequences could have repercussions on you as the guarantor," the officer warned.

I groaned internally, thinking, 'You've got to be kidding me.'

"Alright, sir, I'll ensure she shows up tomorrow," I replied with a heavy sigh, my irritation was evident in my tone.

"Very well, and ensure she's on time," he warned before hanging up.

Ugh!! Damn it! What the fuck Sarah!

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Aryan and Aparna are really like the best friends I have in my life. I hope you're enjoying the characters as much as I am writing about them. 

And really what the hell Sarah?

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Happy reading🌸∽ Love, Nisha