Stay Forever

Chapter 3 - Stars in her eyes

HAPPY READING PEOPLEEE!!!

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ABHIMANYU

Why God Why??? Can you not keep me away from girls for more than an hour? I mean I love my mom and my younger sister, but the girls in college and everywhere else, I just can't stand them. They're always so clingy and it's impossible to know what they want. I'm glad, at least that the situation here in Mumbai is way better than it was in Jaipur, but my experiences have been enough for me to want to stay away from women and relationships forever.

"Ahana Parihar" the first girl introduces herself, I shake her hand and forward it to the next girl, who took it in a firm handshake.

"Urvi Sharma", she says in her honey like voice. 'Wait what??? what does honey like voice even mean. something's wrong with you Abhi ' 

Firm handshakes from girls is a rare thing and I can't help but admire it. The girl is at least a foot shorter than I am which for some reason makes me want to tease her but I don't think I can do that to just anybody. I guess it's been long since I've trouble my sister. I'll have to visit her soon.

"Nice to meet you", I say keeping it formal.

"Have a seat ladies and tell me what each one of you wants to eat.", Vivaan asks them.

"Tacos for me. Any kind will do.", Ahana says.

All of us turn to Urvi to know what she wants to eat and she looks at us like a deer caught in the light. Cute!

"Don't look at me like that you guys. I'm still thinking.", she says which makes me chuckle. Fucking chuckle! Can you believe it! And now everyone's looking at me. Just great!

"What? It was funny!", I say defensively.

"Ummm I think I'd like the sizzler noodles, the ones that come with momos." she says.

"Okay I'll go order the food.", Vivaan says leaving the table to get the order.

I haven't eaten anything since last night due to the presentation I had this morning. I'm a guy who goes all out when it comes to his meals, but when I'm stressed, I can't eat for shit. My shawarma is right in front of me but it wouldn't be right to eat alone with the girls in front of me.

"You can start eating. We won't mind", says Urvi as if she could hear what I was thinking, with a small smile playing on her lips.

"It's fine. It probably won't take long for him to get here with your food.", I say trying to be polite and she just nods. I take that time to actually look at the girl who is sitting right in front of me talking to her friend. She has a cute button nose and eyes that are greener than the amazon forest. The two of them laugh at something and that is when I notice that pretty dimpled chin of hers. How had I not noticed it before? She tries to look at something on Ahana's phone and wow! She has a little tattoo behind ear. Surprising! My fingers itch to run over it, to know what it reads, to know what it means to her.

'Stop it Abhi, what are you even thinking? Why would you want to know about a tattoo on a girl you've only met. Remember you said you are gonna stay away from all the girls? ', my subconscious mocks me.

"Sorry it took a little long. There was a long queue for the tacos", Vivaan comes holding Two trays, one in each of his hands. "Ahana, here's your tacos and Vivi, this is your sizzler noodles. I'm sorry they didn't have any momos with them nor are there any momo stores here!", he says placing the respective trays in front of them. I know I shouldn't but I want to look at her, to see what is her reaction is right now. Is she disappointed? Angry? Whatever it is I knew I wouldn't like it because it'll make me want get her the momos from wherever she wants. But like the fool I am in front of her, I risk a glance at her, and there she is hitting me with yet another surprise. She has fucking stars in her eyes. Not what I expected! Does the prospect food excite her just as much it does me? Huh! Interesting.

'Why does that even matter? She's just a friend's friend remember? '. There goes my mind again. It's like my mind wants to rage a war against me today!

"That's okay. This is just fine. Thankyou Vivaan", she says smiling at him.

"You're welcome beautiful!", he says and she blushes at the endearment. I have this twisting feeling in my gut and I don't know why I just hate that Vivaan calls her beautiful and also hate the fact that I cannot call her the same.

"So, Ahana, how long have you two been flatmates?", Vivaan asks Ahana and takes a bite of his taco. His question surprises me, because Vivaan never asks questions to girls and he is pretty much reserved just like me and that is why we were able to bond and are good friends. I look at him in surprise only to find him looking at Ahana like she's hung the fucking moon for him. What is it with people and the stars in their eyes today? 

"Just about a year and a half or so. But we've known each other since we were freshers and also it feels like we've known each other for decades now. Right Vivi?", she asks looking at Urvi.

"Yes, it does, and I feel lucky to have found such an easy going and understanding best friend and flat mate just in one go. Before coming here for the first time, I was worried about how I'll make it on my own without my family around, but now that I have Hana, it all feels manageable.", she is now lost in her thoughts, as if thinking about all that she felt when she came here for the first time, alone in a new world away from her family. It makes me want to know everything she's been through till now but all I can do is look at her for now.

Ahana then surprises Urvi by hugging her and the two of them are now close to crying and its time we change the topic.

"So, Vivaan told me the two of you are undergraduates at our college." I look at them expecting them to say something as if I've asked a question. What is wrong with me today?

"Yes. I'm currently a third-year student in Architecture, and Ahana over here is a third-year student in Electrical engineering", Urvi says all excited, like she loves what she's doing in her life and I like that she likes her life.

"So, do you plan on working here in Mumbai after you've completed your course or go back home?", I ask her genuinely interested, but as soon as the question leaves my mouth the sparkle in her eyes dims and she gives me sad smile and says,

"I don't know.", she says simple shrugging her shoulders.

I feel like an idiot for ruining the mood and a bigger idiot for ruining the excitement she had. The sad smile she gave me felt like a punch to the gut. The entire table goes quite until everybody is done eating.

"So, what are we doing now? I want to do something fun.", Ahana says looking at Vivaan like she doesn't care who else joins her in the fun she's talking about, but Vivaan is a must. That's interesting. I thought it was only Vivaan, but I think Ahana likes Vivaan too. I just hope they realize it too and start dating because honestly, I think they're good for each other.

"Something fun? How about the arcade next block? They have this huge ass go carting area. Oh! They also have laser tag. I think it'll be fun", he says with excitement, as if he's not a grown ass 24-year-old. I don't even remember the last time I'd been to an arcade, my sophomore year may be, or maybe when I was in high school. I don't know. You do not have much freedom if you come from a background like mine especially if your parents think your life is in danger even if you go to the arcade with your friends.

"let's do laser tag please. I can't drive for shit and laser tag sounds more exciting anyway, what do you guys think?", Urvi practically jumps in front of us to look at what we think about what she just said.

Fifteen minutes later we're pulling up in front of an arcade and the girls run inside. Shaking our heads, we follow them.

Later it's decided that it's only fair for the teams to have a girl and a boy after the girls arguing for more than five minutes that it isn't fair at all and the two of them are enough to win a hundred games against us. And guess who is in my team? To my disappointment, it's Ahana. Not that I don't like her or anything, but I genuinely wanted Urvi on my team because I feel like we make a really good one. We then gear up and head inside with our laser guns.

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Have you ever played laser tag? Comment the fun memories you made when you played.

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