FIRE & ICE

Noodles and Waves

  ||  ANVIKA ||

Today, Yashasvi and I went shopping since it was her day off. I still haven't found a hospital I like—everything's been kind of blah. I need to find one soon because my money's running low, and I can't take any out of the bank or my dad might find out.

I was on a rickshaw heading to Yashi's house, and from there, we planned to hit the stores in her car.

I was glad to see Yashi, but I couldn't shake off the weird feeling from the guy who'd been so rude to me recently. I don't even know him, but his words still sting.

I've always been the sensitive one in my family with a bit of a temper (a classic middle child thing, right? 😉).

When I got to Yashi's house, she gave me a big bear hug, which I gladly returned.

"Shall we head out now?" I asked.

"Sure! Just give me a minute to lock the house and grab the car keys," she replied.

After she locked up, we drove to the mall, but didn't find much there. So, we went to a furniture store to pick up a small dining table and some cushions. Then it was time for some street shopping!

We wandered into some charming little shops with beautiful clothes. Even though I've been to Mumbai before, it was always for work, so this was a fun change.

"Let's go to the beach," Yashi suggested.

"Yeah, let's do it," I agreed.

At the beach, we enjoyed ice cream and people-watching. There were lots of folks with pets, couples, and some flying solo.

Yashi noticed I'd been off lately. "Anvi, you seem so quiet and troubled. What's up?"

I hesitated. "Oh, nothing. Everything's fine," I said, though I was a bit nervous.

"No, I want the truth," Yashi insisted.

I sighed and let a tear slip. "Okay, okay. I bumped into this guy the other day, and he was really rude. I couldn't even reply. I wanted to slap him but ended up running away. I'm more mad at myself for not handling it better." 

Yashi patted my back. "Aw, come here, you big softie. Let me break it down for you. First of all, this guy was already yelling at someone else? Clearly, he was having a bad day. I bet his morning started with him stepping in dog poop. It's not you—it's him!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, maybe he was just having a really, really bad day."

"Exactly!" Yashi said. "And if you ever run into him again, just imagine he's a bad joke. Or better yet, pretend he's an overcooked noodle—flimsy and not worth your time. Just smack him with a metaphorical noodle and walk away!"

I giggled. "A noodle, huh? That's a new one."

"And don't forget, if you ever run into him again," Yashi continued, "just slap him and tell him, 'That's for all the times you've cut in line at the grocery store!' He'll be so confused, he'll forget why he was rude in the first place."

I laughed harder. "That sounds like a plan. And if I need to take it to the next level, what then?"

Yashi grinned mischievously. "Well, if things get really dire, we could always kidnap him, teach him some self-defense moves, and then challenge him to a dance-off. Nothing like a good old-fashioned showdown to set things straight!"

I burst out laughing. "Oh, I love it! A dance-off sounds like the perfect solution. I'll practice my moves just in case."

Yashi then pointed towards a group of kids splashing in the water. "Look at them! They're having a blast. We should join them!"

I was excited. "I haven't played in the waves in forever. Let's do it!"

We raced towards the water, laughter bubbling up as the waves tickled our ankles. I let out a squeal when a particularly big wave crashed into me, soaking me up to my knees. "Oh no! I'm soaked!"

Yashi was already laughing, her feet getting wet as well. "You look like a sea creature now! Time to make a splash!"

We plunged into the water, jumping and splashing each other like we were kids again. Yashi tried to make a dramatic dive into a wave but ended up tripping and falling. I couldn't stop laughing as she flailed about, trying to get back on her feet.

"You're a natural at this!" I teased, pulling Yashi up from the water.

"Hey, at least I'm making a splash!" she said with a playful wink. "Now, it's your turn!"

We continued splashing around, laughing and trying to make the biggest splash. Eventually, we got tired and flopped down on the sand, our faces sunburned and our hair plastered to our heads.

We spent the rest of the day laughing and enjoying ourselves at the beach. By the time Yashi dropped me off at my hotel, I felt a lot better.

 I ordered some pizza, took a quick shower, and then did some yoga to calm my mind. I also read a page of the Shiv Puraan before bed—just a little ritual of mine.

I'm not super spiritual, but I'm definitely not an atheist. I love reading all kinds of books, especially romance and crime. I devour those genres in a day or two, driven by curiosity. 

Books are like a drug—once you're in, you're hooked. It's a beautiful world where you can see the blurry face of your prince charming that never quite comes into focus. 🌟

--------------------------------------------

i know this chapter is short , will compensate in the next one

meet you with the next chapter till then vote and comment

 your thought please vote it means alot 

i would love to see my work getting some appreciation 

take care

 bubbye ❣️🖤