Love Over Friends.

Chapter 3 - New school

Aaliyah's Point of View:
Today is the first day at our new school, and I'm dreading it. Not just because of the new faces and unfamiliar hallways, but because I still haven't told Alisha my secret. She doesn't know that I used to cut myself whenever I received bad news. Well, "used to" is the right word now. It only happened twice, but I'm starting to heal. I've promised myself I won't do it again, and I'm proud of that. Still, I think it's better to keep it from her—Alisha would go ballistic. She'd probably lecture me for hours, and nobody wants that. My scars are still there, though, faint but visible. I tug the sleeves of my sweater down a little more. It's November, so I can at least hide behind the cold weather and long sleeves. Amazing how much a smile and a sweater can cover up.

When I go downstairs, I find Alisha at the table, her plate stacked high with parathas and samosas. Typical. I can't help but facepalm—every time I see her eating, it's always the same thing. Shahrukh Mama is spoiling her, feeding her too much, and it shows. I sit down across from her, giving her a mock glare.

"What?" Alisha mumbles through a mouthful of paratha, raising an eyebrow.

"You're obsessed," I tease, shaking my head with a grin.

She just grins back, unfazed. "By the way, I need to tell you who I saw yesterday!"

I perk up, "Oh? Well, let me go first."

But before I can start, Alisha cuts me off with an excited squeal. "No, no, you have to hear this!"

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Okay, fine. What is it?"

She smirks, clearly enjoying the suspense. "I saw your favorite actor."

Shahrukh Mama, always with his sharp ears, shouts from the kitchen, "You see me every day!"

"Second favorite, Mama," Alisha clarifies.

My heart skips a beat. "Wait, who? SM?" I blurt out.

"Who's SM?" Mama asks, his curiosity piqued.

"Secret Moneybagger!" I shout back, smirking at the ridiculous nickname I just made up.

"Sounds dodgy," Mama grumbles, but Alisha and I just laugh as we head back upstairs to grab our school bags after finishing breakfast.

"You're serious? You really saw him?" I ask again, half in disbelief.

"Yes! At the party," Alisha insists, practically bouncing with excitement.

I shake my head. "You were probably imagining it."

"Nope," she says firmly, eyes sparkling.

I chuckle and change the subject, "By the way, I saw Hussain yesterday." That sets her off. Alisha erupts into a fit of laughter, doubling over and clutching her stomach like I just told the funniest joke in the world. Her laughter is contagious, and soon she's laughing so hard there are tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she wheezes, trying to catch her breath. "Hussain doesn't live in London—he lives in Houston!"

I cross my arms, giving her a look. "I know what I saw."

"Sure you did," Alisha giggles, wiping her eyes. "You were probably imagining that too."

We head downstairs to the car, still giggling as Mama waits for us. "Any song suggestions?" he asks, as we climb in.

"Any song will do," Alisha shrugs, as he hits shuffle.

The soft melody of Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jaana Sanam fills the car, and Alisha bursts out, "Hussain's favorite song!"

I smack my forehead in exasperation as Shahrukh Mama shuts off the music. "Enough with the DhoomBros obsession," he says.

"But Hussain admires you," Alisha says playfully.