Unfinished Business

3. meetup

God, why does she make such plans all of a sudden? She's so cute, but she's way too social. But anyway, I guess I didn't have much of a choice. She was practically bubbling over with excitement, and I knew she wouldn't let me off the hook. I could already picture her calling me every 5 minutes if I bailed out. I sighed, looking at the time as I stood in front of my wardrobe.

Okay, let's do this.

I tossed open the doors of my room's wardrobe, taking in the organized chaos of clothes hanging in all directions. A mix of work attire, dresses I never wore, and old hoodies from Mumbai. I decided to go casual but not too casual—after all, this was the first time I was meeting most of the people from school in ages.

As I finished, I looked around my childhood room. It felt so familiar, the same vibrant yellow walls and the same bookshelves crammed with my old favorites. The room had been untouched for years, and in a way, it was like stepping back in time. The old posters from school events, the soft carpet beneath my feet, the scent of jasmine and fresh linen — everything felt like I never really left. Except now, I was here for good, or at least for the time being.

I grabbed my phone and checked for any updates from the group chat. A few texts from Ishita, but nothing important. Still, I smiled to myself. It had been so long since I'd spent time with her, and now that I was back, I couldn't wait to catch up.

When I made my way downstairs, I heard Digvijay talking to Dad in the living room. I rolled my eyes; he was always so engrossed in his own little world.

I walked over to the door, and as I stepped out onto the porch, I caught sight of him walking toward his bike, looking ready to leave.

I smirked and walked over to him, swiftly putting him in a playful arm lock. "Where are you going?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face.

He groaned, twisting to free himself. "Ouch, come on, Maya! I'm just going to meet my friends, not getting kidnapped."

"Ha! Yeah, sure," I teased. "But before you leave, drop me at the Tulip Café. I have plans of my own tonight."

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, shaking his head. "Let me guess, you're going to meet your high school gang, aren't you?"

I gave him a look. "Yeah, and?"

"Well," he smirked, "is your best friend going to be there?"

"Ishita, Of course," I replied, knowing exactly where this was going.

"And Karn?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I froze, slightly caught off guard. "What? Karn? Why would he be there?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You tell me, Maya. Haven't you two always been in each other's orbit? It's just weird not seeing him around."

I could feel my heart do that little flip again at the mention of his name. Karn Rajvansh. Even hearing his name still stirred something in me.

I cleared my throat, trying to act nonchalant. "It's just a school friends' meetup. No need to make it a big deal." I paused, adding in a playful tone, "And you're definitely not invited, little brother."

Digvijay snickered, still looking me over with a teasing grin. "Oh, don't worry. I have other plans."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, just drop me at the café, please?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said, grinning like he had all the time in the world. "But remember, if I have to listen to your nostalgia trip with Ishita tonight, you owe me dinner tomorrow."