"You gotta trim your freaking nails," Atharv groaned at me.
I glanced at my nails. They were really long. The black nail paint was peeling off them.
"Firstly, I said I was sorry. Secondly, it was your mistake, you know I hate tickling. And lastly, I won't trim my nails."
"I'm going to find a new best friend for myself,"
"As if you're going to get one," I chortled.
I peeled off the bandage and stuck on his right cheek where I mistakenly happened to scratch with my nails in an attempt of stopping the tickling. Thank fully he had not grown his beard after he had trimmed it for the party.
"You look funny," I laughed pointing my finger at his cheek.
He gave me an annoyed look while I kept laughing at him. My phone rang, I pulled it out and noticing the caller id I immediately pressed the green button.
"Hello Appu,"
"I was just wondering whether you both want just a normal base or a crust base?"
"Crust base for both of us,"
"Urgh no, Dhvani. You end up eating my entire pizza just leaving the crusts for me." Atharv groaned, that unfortunately Appu overheard.
"Appu, he's joking. Don't worry we'll order the pizzas ourselves,"
While I spoke, I could sense Atharv's glare on me.
"Dhvani, keep the call on speaker." Appu demanded.
I turned the call on speaker having no excuse to give - of course I didn't want to hear her taunts the whole next week.
"Atharv, I'm ordering pizzas as I got my first salary today. What sort of pizza would you like to have?" she asked while I rolled my eyes, envying on Atharv.
Though Appu had started to eat pizzas she was still a newbie.
"Ten inches of Italian Chicken," Atharv replied.
"Uh, no make it fourteen inches Appu,"
"Even I want a share from your pizza, you ass." I glared at Atharv.
"Stop being mean to your best friend, Dhvani." Appu scolded.
"Sorry, it just happens can't really help."
I shrugged my shoulders.
"And what pizza do you want?"
"Simple mozzarella fourteen inches. And get me lots and lots of oregano and chilli flakes. I'll kill you if you don't get me extra sachets of the two," I said coldly.
"Okay," she hung up.
Atharv passed a chuckle, "You're screwed up,"
"Fuck you," I groaned extending my middle finger at him.
"Don't be so mean to your best friend, Dhvani." he mocked Appu.
I was about to put the phone back in my pocket, when it buzzed. I unlocked it and checked the message. It was from an unknown number.
~ Tomorrow Sultan at 5
We'll leave directly from college
Not having much to guess, I concluded it was from Ryan. Since currently he was the only person in my life who was dying to take me out for a movie. I had deleted his phone number from my contact list in anger the last day after making the deal. Little did I know that I would have to save it back into my phone, but this time putting the purple evil emoji instead of the rainbow emoji.
Atharv has been my adviser since childhood, so I needed to ask him for a solution for the problem I was facing. Indirectly, of course.
"Don't stare at me in that way, I have a serious question." I spoke.
His glare eyes automatically changed to curious eyes.
"Shoot,"
"What will you do if you are in a problem but you cannot face it, like you are in the problem but you just don't want to face it. Did you get it?" I tried to explain, hoping he would get it.
His facial expressions were the answer - I failed miserably to explain him.
"Hold on, if you don't want to face the problems then just run away, hide yourself so that the problem won't find you." he spoke while I looked at him dumbly, not understanding what he wanted to explain.
"Okay," I nodded my head.
"What did you understand?"
"That we both are the shittiest explainers God has ever created."
"I said that you need to hide from the problem so that it won't catch you. Just like how we both hide during the project submissions," he joked.
My brain processed. My problem was Ryan, I didn't want to face him, so just like Atharv told I had to hide from him so that he won't find me. That was what I concluded.
I sat in the living room, on the couch, wiping my wet hair with the towel. My hair smelled like apples. I had decided to stay home the entire day to avoid Ryan. He was obviously not going to come to my house searching me.
My parents had went out for their health check-up and Appu accompanied them as it was her turn. Ved was making lunch for us while Reason was having his meal.
I grabbed my phone from the coffee table and texted Atharv.
~ im not coming today
im at home
😴 💤
Not waiting any more minutes for the reply, I switched off my phone. I breathed in slowly and stretched my arms. After a long time I was relaxed. It feels so safe and happy to be home.
"It's already ten, aren't you going today?" Ved asked.
"Nahi janar ahe mi aaj,"
"I'm not going today,"
"You want me to help you? Wait, I'll help you." I giggled.
I went into the kitchen. Ved had put the rice for boiling and by the ingredients kept on the platform I guessed he was cooking biryani.
"Biryani?"
"Yep,"
"So, can I help you?"
"You can, but please don't mess up."
"I would try," I joked.
I did as Ved said. The aroma of the biryani was authentic. I was already craving for the biryani but had to wait until my parents and Appu returned.
It was seven in the evening. I was happy as I ditched Ryan and that he couldn't do anything. Atharv had came to my house for the dinner as his father was not in the town. We both were playing the video game and I was on the verge to defeat Atharv.
"You're so going to lose,"
"Not so soon darling,"
I heard Ved's footsteps as he came downstairs.
"Do you want to join?" I asked him.
"You know I'm bad at this,"
That was true. Ved never liked playing video games in his childhood but he was the boy who spent hours in the kitchen watching our parents cook. While I had stored a lot of video games in the cupboard that had most of it from Ryan's grandfather's company.
"Yes!" I threw my arms up in the air.
I defeated Atharv. I did a dance with my arms to trouble Atharv. He jerked my hands away.
"I'm going to the store, you want me to get you something?" Ved asked.
I turned towards Ved and asked, "Can I join?"
"Sure,"
"Okay, then."
We both joined Ved for the store run. The weather was extremely cool outside and I regretted for not having grabbed a jacket to wear on my tee. It was not raining, but because it rained continuously in the day, the temperature dropped.
Atharv kept his arm over my shoulder and spoke,"I cannot wait for winters,"
"Neither can I," Ved told.
"We'll go skating this year," I spoke.
"Yeah. Bro, are you here for the winters?"
"Lets see," Ved shrugged his shoulders.
We reached the store. I pulled the trolley to put the items in it. I love pulling the trolleys in the store no matter if I have to get only a few things.
Ved was seriously getting the stuffs while I and Atharv were casually checking the items. I remembered about refilling the ice cream in our fridge and proceeded towards the cold food section.
I checked for the brand and the flavour my mother gets. Once I found the right tub, I opened the refrigerator door to get it. I grabbed four of them and closed the door with my foot. I turned around to head back where Ved was.
But to my utter shock I saw Ryan picking something from the row while Nicole pointed at the something on the row. I wondered what they were doing in the store. It was a public place and Ryan could totally be there.
Without getting noticed, I ran away from the aisle. I dropped the ice cream tubs in our trolley. I wiped off the sweat from my forehead with the back of my palm and panted heavily.
"Hey, why do you seem scared?" Atharv asked.
"I am not," I declared.
"Oh, so why are you breathing so heavily?" he crossed his arms against his shoulders.
Ryan and I were in the same place. Anything could have happened if I stayed there until Ved finished the shopping. I had to run away before things could get problematic. And once I ran away, I wished if I would have asked Atharv to accompany me.