Echoes Of Destiny | Multicouple ✓

19. ECHOES OF FRACTURED BONDS

Samaira

Two years ago

"Let's have a girls' night tonight," I said, trying to get Avya's attention, but she was glued to her laptop as usual, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

"Avya!" I shouted, feeling a bit annoyed that she wasn't even listening to me. Not a flinch, not a nod-nothing.

"Hmm?" she mumbled, her focus still on her laptop screen.

"Are you even listening to me? We don't even hang out anymore," I said, settling myself beside her and making sure she couldn't ignore me this time.

She paused, blinking as if coming back from another world. "Why don't you hang out with your boyfriend, Samaira?" she said, her voice dripping with mockery.

Was Avya... jealous? That was unusual for her. She wasn't the jealous type at all. Smiling, I leaned in closer, determined to tease her out of her mood.

"Avya, are you jealous?" I asked, my tone playful.

"Who wouldn't be?" she huffed, finally closing her laptop with a snap. "At first, I thought the idea of my two best friends being together was cute. Now it just feels like I'm third-wheeling all the time!"

I laughed, loving how her frustration bubbled to the surface in such an adorable way.

"C'mon, you're just jealous I have a boyfriend and you don't," I teased.

"No, I'm not," she shot back, her denial a bit too quick to be convincing.

I knew she felt a bit left out, but it wasn't because she begrudged me my happiness. Avya was a hopeless romantic, always dreaming of her own perfect love story.

She just hadn't found her sunshine yet.

"You totally are," I said, nudging her with my elbow. "Don't worry, your prince charming will come along soon enough."

She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "Sure, if he's not too busy riding his white horse through a Wi-Fi dead zone," she quipped.

I laughed, grateful that I had her in my life.

Avya was the best friend anyone could ask for, even if she was prone to bouts of cute jealousy. The truth was, I didn't want to lose our friendship just because I had a boyfriend.

That's why tonight, it was all about us, and no boyfriends allowed. It was high time we had our own girls' night, just like old times, like back when in high schools.

"Anyway, how's that art studio going-you know, the one your boyfriend gifted?" Avya asked, and I could almost hear the air quotes around the word "your boyfriend."

"It's going great," I replied, the excitement in my voice undeniable. "I'm really looking forward to my first exhibition."

Avya smiled at my excitement, she knew how much it meant for me.

"Also, stop hand-quoting 'your boyfriend' every time you talk about Vrit. He's your best friend too, remember?"

"Yeah, well, he's been spending more time being obsessed with you than hanging out with me," she retorted, crossing her arms.

"He's not obsessed with me, Avya," I protested, a little shocked that she'd use the word "obsessed."

Sure, Vrit and I were in the honeymoon phase of our relationship, but obsessed? No way.