LOVE AND DHARMA

22. IT IS ENGENDERED

Anjali sat on her bed, the soft glow of the evening sun filtering through the curtains. She held her phone in her hand, hesitating for a moment before unlocking it. Her fingers automatically navigated to her gallery, and there they were—nudes of Ananya, her best friend, her partner in crime.

As she scrolled through the pictures, a smile slowly spread across her face. Each image brought back memories, clear and vivid like they had happened just yesterday.

There was that time when they decided to prank each other in the most ridiculous ways. She could almost hear Ananya’s laugh when she managed to sneak up and pull Anjali’s pants down during gym class, leaving her mortified but laughing hysterically. Of course, Anjali had gotten her revenge later that day, yanking Ananya’s pants down in the middle of their favorite park. The memory of their shrieks of laughter echoed in her mind.

Anjali chuckled softly, remembering the playful spankings they would give each other after a particularly good prank. It was a game to them, a way to keep the mood light even when things got tough. Ananya always claimed that she could spank harder, and Anjali never backed down from the challenge.

She continued to scroll, stopping at a picture of the two of them with their arms wrapped around each other, wide grins plastered on their faces. They had just finished one of their epic prank wars, exhausted but happy. Ananya’s eyes sparkled with that mischievous glint Anjali knew so well, a glint that could mean only one thing—trouble was coming, but the good kind.

Anjali’s smile faltered slightly as the reality of Ananya’s absence hit her, but she refused to let the sadness take over. Instead, she focused on the happiness in those memories, the joy they had shared. Ananya had a way of making everything fun, even the most mundane days were filled with laughter and mischief when she was around.

Holding her phone close, Anjali whispered, "I miss you, Ananya. But I’ll keep smiling for you, just like you always did for me."

Sabyasachi stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hallway to Smriti's apartment. He double-checked the address on his phone, wondering if he'd somehow gotten it wrong. It was his first time visiting, and he was already feeling a bit nervous.

When he reached the door, he hesitated before knocking, still unsure if he was at the right place. But before he could second-guess himself any further, the door swung open.

Standing in the doorway was a girl—completely naked.

Sabyasachi’s eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, he didn’t know where to look. He quickly averted his gaze, staring intently at the doorframe as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

“Um… Hi?” the girl said, a playful smile tugging at her lips as she noticed his awkwardness. “You must be Sabyasachi.”

“Y-Yeah, that’s me,” he stammered, still avoiding eye contact. “Is… is Smriti here?”

“She’s inside,” the girl replied, stepping aside to let him in. “Come on in. Don’t be shy.”

Sabyasachi hesitated at the threshold, his mind racing. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing—or rather, what he was trying not to see. As he stepped inside, he realized the situation was even more bizarre than he initially thought.

The living room was filled with people, all of them completely naked, casually chatting, drinking, and laughing as if this were the most normal thing in the world. The atmosphere was light and relaxed, with soft music playing in the background. There was no sign of awkwardness or discomfort—except in Sabyasachi, who was still fully clothed and feeling completely out of place.