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PART III - B

Here's the next chapter. Please enjoy.

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PART III - B

They were at Café Luna, the little café they liked along the streets of Boston. They sat outside in those chairs that faced each other across a table just big enough for two people.

Michelle was on her last pancake and had asked for a refill for her coffee. Parth just played with his food, his eggs and toast had gotten cold now. He tried taking a few bites but they tasted like ash in his mouth. He had came here with Megha the few times she came down to visit him and now all he could think about was her.

Did she eat? Did food taste the same to her? Was she totally okay in Berkeley, while he was falling apart here?

“God, what I wouldn’t give for some samosas.”

Parth smiled wryly. “You could go to Maharajas.”

Michelle glared.

“I hate these knock-off Indian restaurants here. I wanna go back to Bombay and eat some proper samosas, maybe pani puris, biriyani and oh my God Maggi. God, I miss home.”

Parth hummed in agreement, he missed home too. He drowned his coffee, the only thing he could make himself to eat. Michelle must have noticed, but she didn’t say anything. 

“We all miss home Mish.”

“Do you want to go? Maybe we can visit for a few days?”

Parth shook his head. “It’s just a few months.” He shrugged.

Michelle hummed as she finished drinking her coffee. When she turned back to look at him, her eyes were uncharacteristically soft.

“How are you actually?”

Horrible. Pathetic. Miserable

“I don’t know…” he trailed off.

Michelle sighed and reached across the table to hold his hand. She smiled encouragingly and he stared back scrutinizing her.

Michelle almost never wore make up and always carried herself in a way that was so casual and effortless that sometimes, Parth forgot how pretty she really was. Then she would smile and the world would turn brighter and he would be taken aback, because how could he forget.

“I don’t know what to say." Michelle told him softly.

“That’s a first.”

He tried miserably to joke, but it fell short, and she sighed again.

“You don’t have to be okay you know? For us. I know you’re trying to put a brave face, mostly because I'm here. But I’m your friend Parth. I’m allowed to take care of you.”

Parth snorted, annoyed.

“Well that's rich. You never let me take care of you.”

Her smile froze. “What do you mean?”

“You didn’t tell me when your parents got divorced and you didn’t tell me when you broke up with Kishore last month.”

Michelle stared, for once at a loss of words.

“I think that’s kind of hypocritical of you. Expecting me to let you take care of me when you won’t let anyone take care of you, ever.”

“We’re not talking about me here.”

Parth met her stare,

“Aren’t we? Friendship goes both way right?”

“Yes, but..” Michelle narrowed her eyes. “Stop deflecting Parth. I get it if you don’t wanna talk about it but please don’t bring me into this.”