𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐁𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒

𝟎𝟑 || 𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡

“Wake up, Avani.”

The voice didn’t just reach my ears it dragged me out of sleep like an unpaid bill I had been avoiding.

I groaned, my eyebrows knitting together as I forced my eyes open. The light stabbed straight into them, sharp and merciless like the sun had a personal grudge against me. I blinked twice, slowly adjusting, even though every instinct in my body begged me to roll over and disappear back into sleep.

From the corner of my blurry vision, I caught sight of Tisha standing near the end of the sofa with arms crossed and something clenched tightly in her hand.

That posture alone told me,
Drama had already clocked in for the day.

I yawned, stretching slightly before pushing myself up into a sitting position, my hair falling messily over my face.

“When did you come from London?” I asked lazily, my voice still thick with sleep, while my eyes wandered around the table, searching for my phone.

“Had to come when I saw this news first thing in the morning.”

Her tone snapped like a whip.

I frowned, mildly annoyed already. “Why on earth are you shouting this early in the morning? Even my problems wake up after 10.”

Finally spotting my phone near the edge of the table, I leaned forward, stretching my arm to grab it.

“How can you do this to me?” she burst out, her voice rising, sharp and accusing. “You hide things from me? Dosti ka ye sila diya tune?”

I paused mid-reach, slowly straightening up, blinking at her like she had personally lost her mind overnight.

I adjusted myself more comfortably on the sofa, one leg folding under me as I looked at her properly now. “Chilla mat, chudail. Subah subah hungama karne se pehle dhang se bata toh kya hua hai.”

And then thwack.

The newspaper hit my face.

“You are dating my brother and you didn’t care to tell me?” she fired rapidly, words tumbling over each other. “I know that brother of mine won’t say a word, but you? You could have told me. At least. How can you hide something like this? Aren’t we best friends?”