This is a yarn of two best friends who met via social media and were inseparable and then how they met two other best friends and fell in love .
AASHIKA SINGH is sweet and generous with a sunshine vibe
whereas
MAYRA KAPOOR is rogue and savage wit...
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"Don't tell me your so-called emergency talk included another 'What to wear and what to donate'," Aashika teased as she stepped into my apartment, not even waiting for me to open the door properly. She had that half-grin on her face, the one that screamed *I-know-you're-being-dramatic-but-I-love-it-anyway*.
I let out a breath, my fingers tugging at the hem of my oversized long-sleeved T-shirt. It hung on me like a blanket I refused to let go of - soft, warm, safe. My body was still aching with the tension of last night, my mind even more so.
"No. It's something else," I replied, avoiding her eyes. "Something... something you might want to sit down for."
She raised an eyebrow and flopped on the couch, kicking off her sandals like she owned the place. "All ears. But hey, I heard Neel's back in town. Did you meet him yet? Is he here for you?"
I snapped my gaze to her. "Who told you that?"
"Aadvik, obviously. Not directly though... he was talking to Vihaan about something before he took off for his punjab meeting and I may have overheard a tiny, eavesdropped bit," she said, shrugging like it was no big deal. Typical Aashika.
I chewed the inside of my cheek. "Well... about that. Something happened last night."
She grinned like she already had the whole script written in her head. "Knew it. Let me guess-Neel came over, looked at you with those puppy eyes, and you two did whatever you do when the universe decides to stir the pot?"
"No-" I started, but before I could get another word in, she stood up like a flash and pulled a box out of her tote bag.
"These are from Aadvik's mom. I'll serve, and you make me soda," she declared like she was running the show and darted off into the kitchen.
I sighed and sank into the couch, pressing my fingers into my temples. How was I supposed to explain any of it? The gift. The burning. The texts. Neel's almost-confession. Vihaan. The kiss...
My thoughts were spiraling when I suddenly heard her scream.
I bolted up. My heart leaped into my throat as I ran toward the kitchen, my socks slipping slightly on the hardwood floor.
She stood there, frozen, eyes wide with shock. Her mouth fell open as she looked around. Smoke stains still clung to the corners of the stove. The air smelled like burnt plastic and ash, a reminder I had tried to scrub away with lemon-scented cleaner but clearly hadn't succeeded.
