Anushka
"So will you be home today," I ask into the phone as I switch it to speaker mode so I can tie my hair up.
"Yeah, you can come over. We can go to a movie or something," Anna says, his voice cutting out for a second before I can hear it again.
"I have a few errands I have and I'll come after. Can you just book tickets online," I tell him as I swipe some lip balm over my lips before switching the lights off in my bathroom and handing a hair tie to Genelia who is sitting on my bed.
"Thanks," She says before slipping it onto her wrist and running her hands through her hair.
I put my phone up to my ear, switching it off of the speaker, as I enter the kitchen to see Nitya washing fruits and Samantha with her laptop in front of her on the couch.
"I thought you were going somewhere," I ask Samantha, making her turn to face me.
"My parents said they'll just come here in a bit," She explains, making me nod as I walk past the kitchen to get my shoes.
"I'm leaving to run errands and then I'm meeting Anna. I should be back but if I stay over I'll just text you guys," I tell them, as I tie my shoes up and grab the keys to my car.
"Ok, have fun," Nitya shouts back, before I take a few more steps towards the door and close it behind me.
I push my cart towards the register to get checked out once the light is green again, signaling me to come forward. I start putting the clothes on the counter as she starts to scan them.
"I have these points to use," I tell her, hanging her a small rectangular piece of paper with a barcode on it. My total decreases significantly after she puts that in and I put my credit card in before she hands me the bags of clothes, way too many bags of clothes, before I walk out of the store with my hands full. I put them in the trunk of my car before getting back in the car and driving across the parking lot to the store that I have a few returns for.
I enter the store, trying to keep my head down so I don't get distracted by anything and impulsive buy something.
I take the bag up to the counter and return a pack of socks that was too small for me and none of the girls needed more socks. I also returned a sweater that was way too big for me and then a pair of leggings that were both too short and too stiff so it wasn't comfortable to wear.
"Ok, you are good to go ma'am," The cashier tells me with a smile and I thank her before walking out of the store after feeling the sleeve of a cream-colored fuzzy sweater which is on display.
I twist the key lock out of the hole and close the car door before I walk towards Rana's apartment building. I go up in the elevator to his floor and ring the bell, rubbing the long strap of my purse as I stand there waiting.
"Why don't you just use the key you have," He says, rolling his eyes as he opens the door and then closes it behind me.
"Well hi to you too Anna," I reply laughing as I set my purse down and walk beside him.
"It's just for emergencies. I don't want to use it every time," I explain to him as he walks towards his room.
"Yeah whatever you say," He replies with a laugh before mumbling that he needs to change before disappearing into his room. I plop myself down on the couch before taking my phone out of my purse and turning it on.
I see a few messages on the group chat, not with just us four girls, but with us girls and guys. It's Genelia telling them to come over for dinner if they are free, and then it's all the guys accepting wholeheartedly and telling her they can't wait. I frown a little sad that I may not be there, but I know we'll all meet up again soon so it's ok.
"Did you go shopping before this," Anna asks me as he comes out of his room and walks into the open kitchen that faces the living room, where I'm seated.
"Yeah returns and then I bought more stuff," I tell him as he shakes his head at my shopping addiction and impulsive buying issue.
"Hello! There were good deals ok so I got my money's worth," I say firmly, walking towards him and standing by the island with my hand on my hip.
"Yeah yeah, nuvvu ni shopping pichi," He mumbles with a laugh before handing me a glass of water and taking his phone off the counter. [Translation of nuvvu ni shopping pichi: You and your shopping craze]
"Come on, I bought the tickets so we can go. I was going to go for drinks later today anyway," He tells me, taking his keys off the coffee table.
"Really?" I frown when he says that and cross my arms over my chest firmly.
"What?"
I roll my eyes annoyed, "I thought we were getting dinner too Anna." I frown and pinch his arm and I am met with sheer muscle which is no surprise due to the constant working out he does before going to work sometimes even after.
"Sanjay broke up with his girl so he wants to meet at the bars to get out of his little sad state," Rana explains, saying the last few words with a sour expression.
"Ok, ok. Just be in your limits you know that right.," I hold his shoulder for a second, my eyes furrowing into one line and my lips facing downward.
"Amma laga chepaku please," He groans, his eyes rolling back again as he shakes his head and relaxes against the wall. [Translation of Amma laga chepaku: Don't tell me like mom does.] I close my eyes for a second, letting my thoughts calm before I open my eyes again and walk towards him. As much as I have a lot to say to him, now is not the time and I don't want to spoil the few hours we have together.
"Fine let's go." I walk out of the door behind him as I pull my hair to one side of my shoulder as wind flies through it, forcing the thick black bunch into tangles.
Prabhas
I hold my stomach as I continue to laugh the same way I have been for the past 10 minutes as Nithin tells us his experiences during his work conference yesterday.
"This kind of stuff only happens to you man," I tell him, hitting his shoulder as I shake my head, the smile of laughter still embedded on my face.
"Avnu bava, naku ani itlane jargutayi," Nithin complains, running his hands through his hair as he leans back on the pink blanket thrown over the sofa. [Translation of Avnu bava, naku ani itlane jargutayi: Yeah man, things like this only happen to me.]
We are at the girl's place again, just hanging out for dinner as we all had no plans tonight. I turn my eyes slightly to the left so they rest on Nitya who is telling us about her day with her hands telling just as much of the story as her mouth is.
I raise one of my eyebrows because even though all of us are listening to her, someone seems to be a little extra interested in what Nitya's saying, or actually more interested in Nitya. I nudge Mahesh's knee with my hand and he lifts his eyebrows up in a curious manner. I nod my head towards Nithin who is no longer leaning back on the sofa, but sitting upright and his whole body facing Nitya. He is someone who is often very playful and is always joking around, but the smile he has on his face is not one of a joker or even a flirt, but something different.
"We need to ask him about it later," I tell Mahesh, a smirk replacing the smile that was previously on my face as Mahesh nods at me.
"We have to go, she said she needs help with bringing the stuff up," I turn to my right when I hear Genelia's voice say those words in a little bit of haste.
"Oh yeah Anushka's here," Nitya says as she looks at her phone and springs up off the couch.
"You stay here, they can help her," Ram insists, wrapping his arms back around Genelia's petite frame making the rest of us roll our eyes. Samantha gets up too once she reads the message on her phone and I glance at Mahesh for a second and he shrugs before getting up along with me. I look down as I follow the two girls and Mahesh towards the front door of the apartment.
They told us before that Anushka probably wouldn't come because she was with her brother, so I had accepted that I wouldn't see her, but now that I know she's coming, this new sense of joy and happiness is taking over my chest.
We walk down the steps to get to the parking lot until we abruptly stop in front of a dark blue car.
I see the back of a body standing by the door on the driver's side. She uses her finger to signal at us to come to the back of the car before a small beep sound rings through my ear and the trunk of the car opens. I stand beside Mahesh and look up again when Anushka twirls around so her face is now towards us instead of her bags.
"Thanks for helping," She says, a soft smile on her lips as her cheeks become more prominent and small laugh lines take shape around her mouth.
She hands Samantha two big brown bags and then two more to Nitya who takes it and walks back towards the building. She hands Mahesh two more white bags which are smaller but are very very full before pausing when she looks at me.
"That's all in the trunk, I have stuff in the front seat." I nod at her and follow behind her as we walk to the side of her car. She opens the passenger door and hands me two white paper bags with a pink logo I know very well.
"Did you stop for ice cream," I ask her once I take the bags safely into my hold.
She nods, "Yeah it was on my way back and I made it right before closing. They said they just started selling a bunch of new flavors today so I got them for us to try," she explains to me before grabbing the handles of two more brown cardboard type bags and then slinging her colorful purse over her shoulder before shutting the door.
I nod with a smile, thanking her for bringing ice cream as it's one of my favorite things to eat, along with many other things. She clicks on her car keys twice, securely locking it, before walking towards the building in front of me. I glance down as her foot steps up onto the curb but misses and she suddenly falls back slightly against me.
I take a small step forward so my body will catch her safely and she won't fall.
Her head makes contact with the bottom of my neck and chest area making my eyes drift downward as well. Her hair is soft and a very sweet, fruity smell wafts into my nose and immediately comforts me.
I want to say it's honey, but I don't remember exactly how honey smells, but I can say it's some mix of fruits and flowers, maybe some kind of extract. Her hair is down and open so it fully covers my upper body and then her hips make contact about where mine are so I use my core to keep us up and standing at an angle.
Her arms kind of flare out at the sides of her body, loosely holding onto the bags in between her fingers and her legs just stay barely touching the edge of the curb.
Her body is warm against mine, I know a very odd choice of words, but I can't really think of another way to describe it. She's not short or very thin or very petite, but clearly filled out in the right places and very toned and even through our clothes I can feel every curve on her body.
She is tall so it's not as though I feel like there is a child against me, but a woman, a strong one too. I tilt my head slightly and I am met with her face, a very worried one, with her eyes tightly closed, her eyebrows all squiggly and out of shape, and her lips tightly pressed together in a thin, straight line.
Her chest is barely going up and down as I can no longer hear fast breathes, but very slow, staggered ones, as if she is trying to reassure herself of something in her head.
God she's beautiful.
"I got you," I whisper, pushing my shoulders up and forward so her body is lifted off of mine and goes onto the sidewalk and over the curb successfully. She turns around to face me very quickly and looks at me with a frozen face.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Prabhas," She says frantically, tightening her hold on the things in her hand as she looks at me with a frown. She shakes her head side to side, saying no, as she continues to apologize when I don't say anything as I am still slightly in a trance.
"It's fine, it's no big deal. I'm just glad you didn't fall," I tell her, getting up on the curb and slowly standing beside her, a slight smile on my lips to reassure her.
"Did you all already eat dinner," She asks as we walk closer to the large white door a few blocks away from her car.
"Not yet, so you came at the perfect time," I tell her, opening the door up wider after she goes in and starts walking towards the stairs. She smiles at me, tilting her head down slightly as she readjusts the bags on her arms.
When she looks down, a few pieces of her dark hair fall forward, curtaining her face away from me. She knocks on the door once we step out of the elevator and onto the floor the girl's apartment is on.
I know I must look like an idiot because I've had a wide smile plastered on my face since I've seen Anushka and it grew even wider after she said my name. This weird feeling, tingling or tickling, I can't put a word on it, but I got a feeling.
I felt that desire to hear her say my name again and again because in her voice, from her mouth, the way it rolled off her lips, it sounded like a melodic verse sung by an angel.
"Ice cream," Nithin chants out when he walks towards me after I walk in after Anushka and closing the door behind me.
"It's for after dinner," I say, in a very orderly manner, as I move the bags away from his face, making him frown.
"Gosh when were you Mr. rules huh," He says, his voice hinging with annoyance. That only lasts for a second though before his shoulder perks up when we hear Anushka's voice perk up louder than everyone's.
"Hmm, is there a certain someone causing you to change," He asks, tapping his finger on his chin as he circles around me while we walk towards the kitchen.
"No idiot, and I could actually say the same about you," I retort back, raising an eyebrow at him, the corners of my mouth going upward.
"You seemed to be a little extra interested when Nitya was talking," I start off before Ram, who suddenly appears from behind Nithin continues, "Is it what she's saying or it is her."
Ram pats Nithin's back before Ram and I burst into laughter as we follow the girls towards the dining table.
And that's the end of the chapter!! Sorry for such an abrupt ending, I really just wanted to give you guys something to read. I hope you all enjoyed, comment below which couple you think is going to get together next!
-Ag