Hearts In Harmony

44 | Beat the meat.

| AUTHOR |

Vikram was trying to focus on the video game with Angad, but he kept glancing at his phone every few seconds. Reshmi called him whenever she had the chance, and he didn’t want to miss it.

She usually texted him a "good morning" and "good night," but their real conversations always happened over the phone. So, when his phone blinked with a notification, he immediately tossed the controller aside and grabbed it, only to let out a sigh when he realized it was just a spam message.

"Bro, finish the game already!" Angad shouted, chucking the controller at Vikram, who caught it without looking and started playing again. But in the end, Angad won.

Angad let out a triumphant scream, throwing his arms up in victory. "Yes! I won!" He started shaking Vikram by the shoulders, practically jumping in excitement. "I told you I’d beat you, man!"

Vikram rolled his eyes, clearly distracted, but before Angad could continue his celebration, Vikram punched him in the arm. “It’s just a game!”

Angad clutched his arm dramatically. “Ow! What was that for?”

"For being annoying," he said, though his eyes darted back to his phone again.

Angad raised an eyebrow, noticing his friend’s unease. "Still waiting on a call, huh? Bro, relax, she’ll call when she can. You’re acting like a love-sick puppy."

Vikram shot him a glare. “Shut up, Angur. You’re just jealous no one’s blowing up your phone.”

"Touché," Angad said, flopping down on the couch next to him.

Just as Vikram and Angad were settling into their banter, Vikram's phone buzzed loudly on the table. In a split second, he lunged for it, nearly toppling off the couch in the process. His hand grasped at the phone like it was a lifeline, only to see the name on the screen.

“Kiara?” he muttered, blinking in confusion. His heart, which had been pounding in anticipation, suddenly dropped as he realized it wasn’t Reshmi.

Angad burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. “Oh, man, the disappointment is real!”

Vikram ignored him and hit the answer button. “What!?” he almost shouted, leaning back against the couch, trying to mask his earlier enthusiasm.

“Where are you? We’re supposed to go shopping today, remember?” Kiara’s voice sounded annoyed.

Vikram rubbed his forehead, exhaling. “Yeah, yeah, I remember. I’ll be there soon.”

Angad leaned over, whispering into the phone. “He's busy waiting for a special call. Priorities!”

Vikram shoved him off with a frown. “I’ll be there in a bit, bye.” He hung up before she could nag him more and threw his phone on the couch.

“You know, I’m gonna need backup for this. Kiara and her endless shopping trips are basically a death sentence. Help me…”

Angad snorted, leaning back lazily and shaking his head. “Bro, no thanks. I’d rather spend my day dodging bullets in Call of Duty than follow her around while she debates the color of the same kurta for hours.”

Vikram nudged him with his elbow. “Come on, don’t leave me to suffer alone,” he whined, almost making a crying face.

Angad grabbed his phone and stood up. “Fine, fine, let’s go before you start crying about it.”

As soon as Vikram and Angad reached the mall, they spotted Kiara standing near the entrance, her arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently. The moment her eyes landed on them, she shot a glare so sharp it could’ve cut glass.