My Summer Love Story | ✔️

ch. 14 ✰ relationship drama with the gang

As I get lost in my thoughts, I feel a light hand on my shoulder. I gasp to myself and turn around to see a curious Akash looking at me. "What are you doing?" he grumbles. It seems like he just got out of bed because his hair is completely messy, strands effortlessly falling into his face, and he's wearing black basketball shorts with a green t-shirt. I stammer to myself. "Uhm, n-nothing."

"Nothing?" He raises his eyebrows at me, as if he's not persuaded at all by my lie. "So, you're telling me that you're pressing your face into this wall for... nothing?"

I grumble in defeat. "Okay, fine." I gulp to myself and lean into Akash. "So, I was simply on my way to eat breakfast, right? And right when I reached the stairs, or right here rather, I heard..." I pause to myself, recollecting my thoughts. "I heard Ayushi and Manav arguing in the kitchen."

Akash looks at me concerningly and blows an exasperated sigh out of his mouth. Then, he frustratingly runs his fingers through his hair and curses, "Shit."

I furrow my brows. "Why just shit? You don't seem surprised."

"That's because I'm not." He places his hands on his hips and nervously bites his lip.

I glare at him in question. "So, are you going to tell me why you're not surprised?"

He pauses for a few moments and looks at me with a serious expression plastered on his face. "This is not the first time this has happened," Akash whispers to me.

"Seriously?" I murmur. He nods his head in response. "What do you mean?" I question.

"What I mean is," he pauses to think to himself, "This is not the first time Ayushi and Manav have argued like... this," he gestures to the kitchen downstairs where they continue to argue. "I've been best friends with Manav for as long as you and Ayushi have been friends, except Manav and I have never lost touch with each other."

I look at him in question. "How do you know that—"

"—Ayushi and you lost touch?" he finishes my sentence for me. "Manav told me." I raise my eyebrows and look down at the ground. "Yeah, that's how close we are," he continues speaking. "And we're so close to the point where we tell each other every single thing that occurs in our life. Such as his relationship problems," he winces.

"Damn," I murmur.

"Yeah," he nods his head solemnly. "They've been dating for at least four years, ever since they graduated from college, but they've always argued, like, always," he emphasizes. "Manav always complained to me how stubborn and hot-headed Ayushi was, because she honestly is," he slightly chuckles. "So, they'd always have mini arguments where Manav complains to me afterwards, and then the next day they would be completely fine, creating this on again and off again situation. It was so annoying," he grumbles. "I know that they love each other, but they need some couple therapy, I swear to God. And Manav himself is stubborn, so two stubborn people in a relationship don't exactly go well together."

"Yikes," I wince. "So, what do we do about this?" I gesture towards a still arguing Ayushi and Manav.

Akash draws in a deep breath. "Honestly, time is our best friend here. I usually would wait for them to calm down, giving them at least a day to regain themselves, but if they're still arguing or ignoring each other then I would step in."

"Okay," I nod my head. "I was just so shocked because I never thought they would be the arguing type of couple."

"Yeah, me neither," he solemnly responds. "Hopefully they get rid of their arguing tactics before they get married because if they keep on doing this then it is going to lead to divorce."