A Tale Of Two Hearts

The Help

"What the fuck! Why aren't you ready yet?", Naina seemed disgusted.
"Ready? For what?", Khushi asked innocently.
" Uff, I thought we were going out to celebrate; you said that on the call toh.",Naina said folding her hands as a sign of frustration.
"No no I have a better idea. We don't need to go out, we will stay at home and bake a cake. I just found the best recipe book online."
Khushi was in a chirpy mood.
"Fuck you, I am not gonna waste my time on a stupid cake, you have 10 minutes on your hand, get ready. We are gonna go shopping ; you will be needing a lot of new clothes for college and I have heard that there are a lot of cute boys there, you need some good clothes to get their attention right?", Naina was speaking in a language she spoke best.

However, Naina's speech sent chill waves down Khushi's spinal cord. Yes, there will be boys there. Something that she had totally forgot about. How was she to face them? The only boy that she had actually had a conversation with, that lasted more than a minute, was her cousin Rounak. She didn't know how to carry a conversation with a guy and yes she felt a bit shaken when she was in the presence of the opposite gender. Her feet used to wobble, beads of perspiration would appear on her forehead, she would start stammering and her mind would stop working.

"Naina you talk to a lot of boys right? How do you do that?", Khushi needed her bestie to teach her a few tricks so that she didn't make a fool out of herself in front of her new college mates.

" Who on earth asks such a question? I talk to them with my mouth.", Khushi was testing Naina's patience now. "Just fucking go and put some clothes on and we will talk on our way to the mall." Naina ordered.

Khushi went to her room, changed into whatever she found close to her hand, all the while thinking about how she will face the unknown creatures called boys in her new college.

Quest mall was not far from Khushi's house, but she visited it once in a blue moon. She was not really a mall person. She saw it as a place where people could just waste money and click selfies. Khushi didn't think herself to be pretty (though this was a wrong conception) and so she didn't like taking self portraits, just a few now and then for her FB and WhatsApp display pictures.

While they were waiting for the uber, Khushi explained to Naina her problem. Naina was well aware of this problem but when Khushi put it into words, she just couldn't help laughing. She burst into laughter much to Khushi's disgust.

"So you basically want me to teach you to talk to boys.", some people gave them weird looks because of Naina laughing like a maniac.
"I am clueless how one teaches such a thing.", Naina blurted out still unable to stop laughing.

" Okay, fine I'll deal with it myself. Thank you for your help." Khushi just couldn't take Naina's mocking anymore.

"Aww, you are so cute.", Naina finally controlled her laughter.
The uber arrived.
They got in.

Naina continued, "Okay, we will find a lot of boys at the mall to teach you a few things."

First thing Khushi wanted to do after entering the mall was to enter the book shop. Khushi always had a strong affinity for books. They filled a void in Khushi's life. However Naina was not letting Khushi go anywhere near Starmarks. There were more important things that needed to be done like buying cute attractive clothes.

"Hell no, I am not trying that on.", Khushi complained when Naina gave her a crop top to try on.

"But,why? Its the latest fashion. Everyone's wearing it and besides that, you have the perfect figure for a crop top. I mean what's the use of having such a flat tummy if you don't show it off huh? " Naina was not gonna let Khushi pass on this.

"But I feel a bit shy.", Khushi's point was valid as well.

" Just fucking go and try it on.", Naina spoke in an authorative manner. Khushi complied.

When Khushi came out in that top a lot of eyes went towards her.
She was looking ever so pretty. Her long black hair, her lean figure, her dark black eyes ( which was her best asset), her pretty face, her aura, her elusive charm and her shy attitude all made her just so irresistible.

However, Khushi didn't like the attention. She felt embarrassed, as if she had done something totally wrong. She went back into the trial room to change back, but Naina had something else on her mind.

"You are not changing back, you are wearing that crop top the whole day.", said Naina darting into the trial room before Khushi could close the door and got hold of Khushi's original spiral top and came out.

" Naina Mukherjee give me my top back.' Khushi shouted out to her but Naina was in no mood to listen.

Khushi was forced to come out in that gorgeous crop top. She kept on nagging but in her heart she knew very well that Naina was not going to listen to her. In reality she didn't want Naina to listen to her either.

However something strange happened. All the boys were staring at Khushi. She was liking the newly found attention.

They bought a lot of other clothes. Naina picking out all of them.
Khushi didn't mind. Naina was the fashionista after all. And she was doing all this just to help her.

They entered CCD for some much needed coffee. It was here that Naina started her lessons.

" So first things first. Never ever be desperate. If you like some boy, act as if you don't care about him. This will make the boy curious. You will be like a mystery to him. And he will be desperate to understand you and make you his. Got it?, But don't be too arrogant otherwise the man will not be interested in you at all and might even think that you are just a regular bitch.", Naina seemed pleased of her explanation.

Khushi could just manage a subtle "Ummmm".

Naina then said, " Watch and learn.".

Having said this Naina winked at the guy sitting opposite to them who had been eyeing Naina for quite some time. This acted as a signal. However, after that Naina didn't even look at him.

However , there the man was a few minutes later with a smile on his face.
He asked Naina," Umm lady, can I buy you a coffee?".

"Well that's so sweet of you, but I kind of have a boyfriend, so I am gonna pass on that.", Naina blatantly lied.

The man looked a bit unprepared and taken off guard, but then he said okay and went away.

" Understood?", Naina looked proud.

"Well, I guess...but you don't have a boyfriend right? So why did you lie?", Khushi seemed puzzled.

"Babes, that was just to teach you.. I was not interested in the guy. He was a bit creepy, constantly looking at me. Oh and I love doing this.", Naina explained again bursting into laughter.

Khushi was finally beginning to understand a little bit. Khushi adored Naina for the help. The much needed help. Now she hoped the best for her college days and just prayed she didn't come off as a loser.