EVARA

Aishiki

They would be here any moment. I felt anxious. "Was it okay to ask them to come over or was it wrong?" thoughts clouded my brain. It crippled.

I quickly exited my room and headed out the door to the backyard. Just as I opened the door, it revealed them. The four of them were standing with blank faces, lips tilting up on seeing me. One moment we were all statues, the next moment we were all hugging with a balloon of emotions forming in my chest. What if I couldn't be the same with them after marriage? I hated my what-ifs so much at that moment.

"Come on", they followed me inside.

Mom met us in mid-way.

"Hey kids", she greeted. "Aishiki boli nahi dost ghar aa rahe hai?"

"Sorry, it was a last moment plan."

I sometimes with she'd behave with me like she did with my friends.

We went upstairs and I gave them a whole damn recap of my happenings.

On finishing, I grabbed my water bottle and gulped the cold liquid down. It was refreshing. I suddenly heard my phone ring; the ringing sound was the one to break the silence of the perfectly quite room.

They needed time to process as well.

It was an unknown number, I reluctantly received. 

"Hey", it was a masculine voice.

Ishaan! recognition flooded my brain. 

"Hi", I smiled.

"tu free hai abhi? like I need to talk to you, will it be possible for you to meet me?"

"You can come over, you'll get the chance to meet my friends as well, then."

"Okay lol, I'll be there in 20."

We hung up. Three pairs of eyes darted up, questioning my soul.

"You look comfortable.", Ankita said.

"I knew him as a child." I replied.

"Not as an adult but you still seem comfortable." She pulled me by my shoulder.

"Kya mean kar rahi hai beyy?', I nudged her.

"Usse nahi, please, dusre ladke hai Bangalore mei.", And no, by 'usse nahi' she didn't mean our marriage. 

We then started fighting and laughing. 

"I won't bhaiiii." I threw a pillow at her.

"Kitne friendzone kiye the yaad hai na? situationships bhul gayi??" and you say you won't.", she threw the same pillow back at ne.

"Bachho ke tarah ladne band karegi dono.", Anusha scolded us.

Sonakshi was earning entertainment. She suddenly spoke up.

"Lado bhai but pehle mera question sunlo, what if he cuts off Aishiki from everything she has earned?" she says, controlling her laugh

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!" I screamed at her and then the four of us broke into guffaws. 

God, I missed having them around. I thought to myself and the knock on my door distracted me from my thoughts.

"Sab chup kyu ho gaye?", I asked the girls.

"Open the door. babe! We need to meet him first.", their faces were serious which meant Ishaan was going to be in real shit.

I opened the door only to reveal a tousled hair, no coat, loose tie, vintage watch, sweaty-white shirt Ishaan. I paused, stopped breathing. My heart fucking skipped a beat on seeing him like this.  What was happening to me? 

"Come on in", I opened the door wider.

He did. My friends gasped.

"To aap hai Ishaan Rathore", the three of them vocalized together.

He looked at me and then at them, "Yes?" 

"We have this test for you, and you have already passed the appearance section." 

"Thank you but before that..." he handed me something. 

"I got this for you, didn't know your friends would be here so you may share I guess? there are 4 of them, Red Velvet cookies." 

Red velvet was my favorite and I had told him that once before he left, and he still remembered.  I hid smile, he is still my best guy friend and getting married to him wouldn't be that bad, I guess.

I got the plates, he distributed. We sat, they asked, and it felt like we were all long lost friends, catching up after a long time.

Life felt good again.