Best friend v/s Boyfriend

Chapter 2

"Kya hai yeh? Maa, you know I don't like parathas!"
Avni frowned, quickly closing the lid of the vessel Neela had placed on the dining tabe.

"Avni, stop your tantrums and eat them. What's wrong with parathas? They're tasty!"
Neela scolded while simultaneously packing lunch for Ashish and herself.

"I'm going to Heytal aunty's. She probably made poha today. Bye Paa, bye Maa!"
Avni leaned over and planted a quick kiss on Ashish's cheek. He was sipping his tea while scanning the newspaper, barely reacting as she dashed out the door.

"Avni!"
Neela turned to her husband, annoyed. "Ashish, why didn't you stop her?"

"Why would I? Let her go," he chuckled, licking a bit of chutney from his fingers. "I'll happily eat her share of parathas."

"No chance," Neela snatched the container from him before he could help himself. "Ketan has warned you about your diet. No more parathas. Have this juice instead."

Ashish made a dramatic face like a scolded child, while Neela grinned, amused by her husband's sulking.

Avni halted in front of the house directly across from hers. She didn't bother knocking.

"Aunty!" she called, stepping into the dining room.

"I knew you'd come for breakfast." Heytal smiled knowingly and placed an extra plate beside her own. "Aaja, baccha."

"Good morning, Ketan uncle," Avni said as she settled into the chair.

"Morning, sweetheart! You're early today!" Ketan smiled between mouthfuls of poha.

"What to do? The smell of your delicious poha was dragging me here like a magnet."

Both Heytal and Ketan laughed at her dramatics.

"By the way, where's our hero? Still asleep?"

"Probably. Our son isn't half as sharp as our Avni," Ketan said, chuckling.

"So true. Let's fix that. I say we get him married. Maybe then he'll start acting like a responsible adult."
With a wicked grin, Avni stood up and headed upstairs, leaving Heytal and Ketan smiling after her.

Without knocking, Avni stormed into Vidyut's room.

"Hello, Maharaj! Time to wake up from your never-ending sleep!"

Vidyut groaned but didn't move.

Avni switched off the fan, yanked open the curtains, and snatched his pillow. He whined like a toddler.

"Yaar, sone do na. Let me sleep..."

"Oh really? Should I call your dad, then?"

"What the-? We're not kids anymore! What time is it?"

"It's nine. I don't want to miss the first class. Get up!"

With a shove, she pushed him off the bed. Grumbling, Vidyut finally gave in and dragged himself into the bathroom.

"Phew."
Avni wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead and then noticed his phone vibrating on the nightstand. Curious, she picked it up and unlocked it-after all, they knew each other's passwords.

"Juhi?"
Her brow arched, a teasing smile tugging at her lips as she opened the chat. A 'Good Morning' selfie greeted her, followed by a trail of messages from previous days.

"Hah! Mr. Arrogant hasn't replied even once. Poor girl. Time to help Juliet out."

Avni quickly typed:
Morning ❤❤