They Don't Know about Us

Chapter 48 - A promise of forever

The bell above the café door chimed softly as Riddhima stepped inside. Warm air kissed her skin, rich with the scent of coffee and toasted bread, the low hum of conversations wrapping around her like background music. Sunlight poured in through wide glass windows, catching dust motes midair, painting the wooden tables in lazy gold.

She paused just inside, instinctively tugging the collar of her grey turtleneck a little higher before scanning the room, looking for her girls. After meeting with Ananya, she had informed Armaan that due to her and muskaan both having a day off from work, they had planned a spontaneous lunch date with Jeevika.

Muskaan spotted her first and she threw her arm in the air, waving it enthusiastically. It wasn't long until Riddhima noticed her best friend waving her arm in the air frantically, a gesture made to catch her attention.

Riddhima exhaled through her nose and walked toward the table where Muskaan and Jeevika were already seated. Her hair was falling loose out of her braid now and glossy down her back.

Before taking her seat, Riddhima made sure to lean over her sister and threw her arm around her, giving her a hug. Jeevika looked up next and smiled. "There you are!"

Riddhima slid into the chair beside her sister, setting her bag down on the table, "sorry I'm late."

Muskaan leaned forward, elbows on the table, eyes sharp. "No, no. We'll get to late later. First —" she gestured broadly at Riddhima's neck, "—this."

Riddhima blinked. "This?" She was confused as to where Muskaan was pointing. Looking down at her fabric covered chest she muttered, "what?" At first Muskaan was pointing out something odd however seeing her top stain free, she was confused.

"That," Muskaan corrected. "You never wear turtlenecks unless you're hiding either a crime. You don't even like turtlenecks."

Jeevika frowned slightly, glancing at her sister's collar. "It's not even cold." She pointed out masking her expression but given her sister hadn't come home the night before and now she was wearing a top that fully covered her, it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

Riddhima reached for the menu, far too casually. "I like the look." She was definitely not sharing her boyfriend's artwork with them, especially with her sister there. So she decided to go through the menu with keen interest, avoiding their questioning gazes as she mentally cursed Armaan and his reckless mouth.

Muskaan snorted. "Liar." She had covered far too many marks on her neck to buy her lies. After all, she was the one who had suggested the turtlenecks once upon a time.

Jeevika tilted her head, studying her more closely now, the calm in her posture, the quiet glow that had nothing to do with makeup. "You look... different," she said gently, smiling warmly at her.

Riddhima looked up, "different how?"

"Lighter," Jeevika replied after a moment. "Like you're well rested and more relaxed." Riddhima looked down and smiled and Jeevika continued, "in the past few weeks, I have just seen you break down, suffer through panic attacks, so it makes my heart happy and relieved seeing you like this?"

"I am happy too, we are happy!" She blushed, snippets of the previous day coming to her.

Jeevika's brows lifted, something clicking into place. "So you stayed over, how—"

"WAIT." Muskaan's eyes widened. Muskaan slapped the table. "YOU STAYED OVER. VIREN JEEJU ALLOWED IT?"

"I told Jeevika di only." Riddhima sighed, "as for jeeju...we told him I had night duty" Riddhima brushed a fringe behind her ears guiltily while Muskaan looked at her gobsmacked.