Dear Sir: Our Risky Business

seven

"Avu!" Avyanna heard her name being called out, it was in the most gentle voice. So calm and so kind, a voice that filled her soul with warmth and her heart with joy. Her eyes fluttered open to see where it was coming from, and she looked at her mother's face on the other side of the screen. Sahil sat on her bed, holding the phone towards her, showing her amma where she was sleeping.

"Amma?" Avyanna frowned.

"Nana.... I booked train tickets for tomorrow morning.... I couldn't find any bookings for now.... I'm so sorry.... Mujhe waha hona chahiye..." Her mother said in a hurry.

"Amma? But what happened?" She frowned, sitting up quickly.

"Sahil se meri subah se baat ho Rahi thi... You're sick... You have 103° fever. Aur tabse neeche hi nahi jaa raha hai temperature." Her mother said, her worry was so evident in her eyes.

"Arey Amma!" She sighed, glaring at Sahil. He shrugged, pushing her back to lay down and handed her the phone. Her mother went on blabbering about how irresponsible Avy was for not telling her that she was sick. Sahil walked around her room, opening up the windows to let some air in and grabbed a blanket.

Avy struggled to convince her mother that it was just a fever... She just wouldn't listen. It made it worse that she lived away from her. Vijay walked into the room next, a tray full of things were held in his hand. Ayushi followed after with a bottle of water.

"Yeh dekh rahe ho? Sab pagal ho rakhe hai amma! Look at how they're serving me." Avy giggled, showing her mother her friends who were clearly worried about her.

"I know... But still...." Her mother said in worry.

"Aunty..." Vijay said, sitting down next her.

"Vijay... How are you beta?" Her mother's eyes twinkled. Her mother had it settled in her head that Vijay and Avy would end up together one day. She encouraged her daughter to flirt with him, which Avy found quite unusual.

"I'm good aunty. You should come... But not because she's sick... We'll take care of her... But you have not seen the house or our Avy being an adult... We'll have fun this time. Don't worry about anything. Pack up well, chill out and come here! Okay?" Vijay spoke. It made Avy smile softly at her best friend.

"Amma... Vijay brought this disgusting upma. I'll eat and call you." Avy said, hanging up.

"Disgusting?" Ayushi shook her head at her.

"Look at it." Avy grimaced.

"Go brush your teeth." Sahil scolded her.

"I did in the morning..." Avy whined.

"And then you slept for literally 9 hours. Uth baba! Jaa!" He said nicely, patting her head. Avy was truly the spoilt, childish, bratty kid of the group who needed extra attention, care and affection at all times. And it was even crazier that her friends gave it to her.

"Nahi. I'm not stinking." She refused.

"Phir bhi! Uth na... Wash your face and do your hair. You'll feel better." Ayushi tried to convince her. She rolled her eyes and crawled out of bed. She could see from her peripheral vision how they were all rushing to clean up and make her bed neatly before she fussed about it. Avy smiled to herself. She created a family for herself in these people.

She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and combed her long hair back into a braid. She grimaced at the brown streaked locks that were greasy and fell onto her face. She couldn't help that. She walked out of the bathroom looking a little fresher, but she looked incredibly sick and tired.

"Suddenly kyu hua tujhe bukhaar?" Ayushi asked, tucking her back into her blanket. She shrugged, sinking into her pillow that was against the headboard.