My Triangle Love Story

Chapter-12

Now I find myself in the car with Akul, a person I just met—or so I’m told. We’re on our way to my home. Gowtham and Aashiq have work tomorrow, so Akul volunteered to drop me off. Everyone insists he's my best friend, but I’m skeptical.

They say I went to an all-girls college. Vivek mentioned I used to be grumpy around boys, and Teja told me I was too afraid to confess my feelings to the boy I loved. How could Akul be my best friend?

I noticed him staring at me during dinner, which only added to the weirdness. But my friends wouldn’t lie to me, right? There’s no reason for them to.

My curious mind couldn’t handle the silence in the car. I set my phone aside and turned towards him. “Akul,” I began. He immediately shifted his gaze to the road, pretending to focus on driving as if he hadn’t been staring at me a moment ago.

“Yeah, Siri? Do you need anything?” he replied.

“When and how did we first meet?” I asked.

Akul’s eyes softened. “I met you when you were falling apart in life, Siri—”

A loud horn drowned out his words. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that!” I said.

“When I first met you, you were falling down after getting drunk,” he repeated, smiling.

“Me, drinking?” I asked, shocked.

“Not every day, but it was a rough day.”

“How did you know it was a rough day when you just met me?”

Ignoring my question, he stopped the car, got out, and walked around to my door. He opened it with a smile.

“Get down,” he said gently.

I stepped out of the car, surprised to find myself in front of a grand, high-rise café. Its majestic presence was intimidating. Akul started walking towards the staircase.

(Is he serious? Is he really going to walk all the way to the top floor?)

Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and, without asking, pulled him into the elevator. He didn’t protest, just kept smiling at me. It was only the two of us inside. I released his hand, feeling a bit awkward.

“Why are you smiling so broadly?” I asked.

Akul shook his head, still grinning. “Nothing.” He pressed the button for the top floor.

Suddenly, I remembered. “Aish, I forgot my phone in the car.”

He turned to me, his expression softening. “Sometimes you have to give yourself some time alone, breaking all connections with people and things.”

“So, am I drinking coffee all alone now?” I asked, a hint of frustration in my voice.

He laughed, and for a moment, I couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. Any girl could fall for him, I thought.

A question popped into my mind. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out without answering. I followed him, the question lingering in the air.

We stepped out onto the open terrace, and the sight took my breath away. The whole city sprawled out below us, glittering like a sea of stars. It was so beautiful it almost felt surreal. Akul gestured for me to sit wherever I liked before heading off to place an order.

I chose a spot on the balcony, where the view was the most magnificent. After a few moments of soaking in the scenery, Akul returned with a tray. He hadn’t even asked what I wanted, but he seemed confident as he placed it on the table.

"Here’s your favorite Oreo milkshake with your favorite teddy bear printed straw," he said, handing me the glass and straw. His smile made me chuckle.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"Teddy bear printed straw?" I repeated, laughing as I took it.

"Let me take a photo of this lovely landscape. Give me your phone," I said.

"It’s in the car," he replied nonchalantly.

Annoyed, I crossed my arms. "All the beautiful things can’t be captured. You must feel them. Don’t try to lock such things on your phone screen," he said philosophically.

"Are you some kind of guru or what?" I retorted.

He laughed, taking a sip of whatever he had ordered for himself. "If they are captured, they can be seen as many times as we want," I insisted.

"And who’s stopping you from looking at this view daily? We can come here every day if that’s what you want," he said.

I wondered if he was flirting with me as I took a sip of the milkshake. My eyes widened. "It’s so tasty!" I almost screamed in excitement.

He laughed at my reaction. I finished the milkshake in no time, savoring every drop. Then, a lingering question popped back into my mind.

"Am I really your best friend? You didn’t even answer if you have a girlfriend or not," I asked, curiosity burning.

He choked on his drink. "We are really best friends, and yes, I have a girlfriend."

"Ohhhhhhh, who’s that girl? We can go on double dates—like you, me, and Vivek, and your girlfriend..."

"SIRI!" a familiar voice interrupted us. I turned toward the voice and saw Vivek approaching.

I ran into his open arms, feeling the warmth of his hug. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Office dinner, I told you yesterday," he said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Here, meet my best friend, Akul," I said. "I came with him on my way home."

Turning to Akul, I added, "And this is my husband, Mr. Vivek Vardhan."

Vivek blushed, looking as cute as ever. They shook hands and greeted each other warmly.

Vivek offered to drop me off at home. "Akul, I’ll go with Vivek. Could you excuse us?" I said. For some reason, he looked a bit upset but replied with a simple, "Okay."

Vivek introduced me to some of his colleagues before we left the café together, heading home.