Golden Fusion

18.

The meet with Rhythm had been eventful.

From introducing herself to every band member to trying to ignore Ved's strong gaze at her was difficult for Vani. Ved, on the other hand wasn't able to control himself and wanted to hug her tightly. He definitely couldn't do that knowing Joshua and Samuel were very much present and on guard with Vani. Before talking to Vani, he needed the two boys to know that she was the girl he met in Paris. The girl he was hopelessly in love with for a long time.

After the employees from Aubree had met all the boys, it was time for everyone to get back to work. Everyone dispersed to their respective work areas. Ved took this chance to talk to the two boys. Vani reached Joshua and Samuel at the same time that Ved did.

"You guys need to explain how y'all know each other." Samuel spoke before any of them could.

"Yeah, about that. I want to talk to you guys alone." Vani insisted.

"No, let's talk now." Joshua ordered and Vani huffed.

There was no one else in the room apart from the four of them, so it was a very comfortable atmosphere for Ved. Whereas, for Vani, it was very daunting, knowing her two best friends and the fact that the guy she almost fell for was her best friends' bandmate.

"Go on guys." Samule spoke.

"So, um – " Vani stammered.

"She's the girl I met in Paris." Ved interrupted.

There was a one-minute silence before Joshua reacted.

"The fuck? The one you love?"

"You told them?" Vani looked at Ved with shock. "Why?"

"They're my friends! Of course I would tell them. If I knew they're your friends too, I wouldn't!"

"You wouldn't?" Samuel asked with a look of betrayal.

"I mean I would – wait, why are you guys siding against me? She's your friend too! Ask her also." Ved retorted pointing at Vani.

"Hold on. I need to sit for this." Joshua breathed out and sat on the sofa. Ved, Vani and Samuel were about to sit down too, that is, until Samuel realized that Ved was sitting next to Vani so he went and sat in between them.

"Yo, what the hell!" Ved asked confused as to why Samuel preferred being squished rather than sitting freely.

"You need to stay away from her." Samuel explained and Ved huffed and took a seat opposite to Vani.

"Too bad, I can look at her face from here." He teased and Samuel got up to try to block him but Vani held his hand to stop him from his antics and he sat back.

"So, she's Pikachu?" Joshua asked Ved and he nodded.

"How did you agree to that name?" Samuel asked with a confused face.

"I thought I'm never gonna meet him again." Vani couldn't be more embarrassed.

"We know everything from Ved's point of view. Vani, do you have anything to say?" Joshua asked looking at her.

"No. I'm sure he told you guys everything." Vani hissed at Ved.

"Yeah, he did. He also mentioned how you're not interested in him and that's how it's going to be." Joshua's tone sounded like an order and that made Vani furrow her eyebrows.

"What do you mean that's how it's going to be?" She asked and Ved smirked at her. "It's not what you think, alright?" She told Ved. "I want to tell you that that's my decision. It's not because you're telling me to do that."