Vrishali was popularly known as the life of the party. She had a natural ability to make friends with anyone she met. Everyone adored her, and she had yet to find her perfect match amidst all the chaos of her college parties. However, she was not in...
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Are you on Instagram?" Vijay asked, breaking the silence. Vrishali glanced at him and nodded. "Let's get connected."
"Sure." Vijay and Vrishali exchanged their usernames and followed each other. "Padmanabh is not on social media. He uses Whatsapp."
"Social media isn't everyone's cup of tea," Padmanabh replied and Harika just looked out of the window. Vijay went through some of the posts that Vrishali had posted, and they talked about them.
"Is this your first time visiting the south side of India?" Harika asked after a while. "Yes."
"Have you never been to South India?" Vijay asked. "No, I have never visited any state other than Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh was a family trip when I was fourteen."
"That's a beautiful state. We have been to Bir for paragliding. Padmanabh did his paragliding flying courses for there." Vrishali looked at Padmanabh. She had gathered new information from Vijay. Vijay had been her giving her details about Padmanabh here and there.
"When we were in university. Padmanabh loved backpacking around Europe. I have joined him whenever I could," Vijay said. Vijay looked at Vrishali and Padmanabh. "You know, for a change in the routine— You two should backpack across India. I know Padmanabh is busy, but maybe you two can try to make it work."
Padmanabh looked at Vrishali at the same time she did. They shared a look before Padmanabh looked at Vijay. "Maybe."
Vijay smiled at Vrishali. "He is going to come around if you decide to backpack. He loves backpacking. . ."
"I will keep that in mind."
Harika remained silent, lost in her thoughts, as they roamed the vibrant streets of Thanjavur, adorned with colourful traditional architecture and bustling with life. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air as they stopped to enjoy their evening coffee and snacks, a delightful respite from their wanderings. Although Vijay hadn't planned to join them, Harika had different plans. Harika had particularly dragged him into this.
He made a genuine effort to keep Padmanabh and Vrishali alone, only stepping in when they welcomed him to join them. His instincts told him that Harika was stirring the pot, seeking to create friction between them, which he found quite unsettling.
Vrishali sipped her warm coffee, her gaze fixed on a lively family passing by on the street. They were adorned in vibrant traditional clothes that reflected their heritage. The boy, full of mischief, was playfully teasing his little sister, who responded with a frown and narrowed her eyes in irritation. Meanwhile, the father and mother engaged in a cheerful conversation, walking a few steps ahead of their children, radiating joy and connection.
Vrishali's lips softly smiled as she absorbed the warmth of the scene before her. Beside her, Padmanabh noticed her distraction, his eyes drifting to the family, particularly the animated children. A slight smile appeared on his face as he stood up, ready to settle their bill, the moment bringing a sense of contentment to his heart.
