Her

Genuine smile

Naini POV
I woke up to my cell ringing, I answered it without seeing the name.
"Hmm?"
"Are you seriously still sleeping? Bro wake up!" It was Chaithra.
"Shit! I forgot... I'm up! I'll be there in 10 ok?" I sat up.
"I'll reach in 5 I thought you were already on the way.. but it's fine. Come fast I have an important appointment with PM today I need to prepare for that."
I woke and rushed to get ready and reach for my monthly brunch meet with my childhood Bestie, half sister to Cubo and the Defence Minister of this country. I reached our regular meet up hotel in 15 minutes.
"Hey I'm sorry I'm late... I slept in." I said as I sat in front of Chaithra Aka Chay.
"Wow.... Must have been a heck of a week for you to sleep in" she commented and called for the waiter.
We order pancakes and juice. We caught up on eachother's month and how it's been. She told me about the new project she wants to launch on people's safety and I told her about my new job and Mr. Asshole Rana.
"Woo.... Seems like you HAD a hectic month. And you sure you don't want me to ruin Rana?... I could do that if you want." Chay my usually calm introvert friend only chooses violence when her loved is hurt says. That made me smile. The real genuine smile that I hadn't had in a long time.
"Chay I'm fine. He can die for all I care about, I told you this because we share everything and that reminds me. I sent your brother on a business trip, to Paris." I hate lying but she can't know the truth.
"Ya.. he sent me a text, are both finally starting that business of yours?" She asked about the business plan me and Cubo made almost 5 years ago.
"I hope so."
"Okay. You know Bhavya is getting married?" She said.
Me and Chay were childhood Bestie/classmates. We studied in the same school and we had 2 others friends in our batch Bhavya and Laxmi. At the beginning me and Chay used to have fights because one of my other bestie was Jabeli, Chay and Jabeli were eachother's enemies but they were both my friends that used to lead to soo many fights them telling me to choose between them and I not wanting to choose then Jabeli left the school and Chay and I became inseparable. Bhavya and Laxmi were our friends/classmates not as close as we were but still close.
"I'm not surprised she getting married so soon... Her parents are strict." I said.
"Ya... We are invited to the wedding it's next week.. will you come?" She asked
"Sure.. soo did you finally decide to get out of your bachelor time and start looking for someone or are you still in the *I don't believe in love* phase?"
"You believed in love, look where it got you bro." Leave it to Chay to not sugar coat anything.
After speaking for sometime with had to leave. She had a meeting with PM and I have to get back to Tandav base for some work.
Chay is the definition of introvert who succeeded in life but she also had her issues.
1. Her father who only married her mom to take care of Crish and never actually cared for her.
2. Her mom who always saw are more of a compitition than her child
3. Whole family who never tried to listen to her.
4. She was never loved. Even by me, I love her but not enough...
5. Always shunned to silence even tho she is the brightest of all of us. And many more..
Chay and I bonded over our love for morally grey fictional character and books. We till date share each other book recs and have long conversations about our fictional boyfriends.
Chay get me and I get her. We meet once a month but stay in eachother's heart every second of our life.