Just A Friend?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Sweety and Kavitha spent the next four hours wandering through the aisles of a bustling mall, flipping through racks of dresses. Despite Kavitha's initial skepticism, she had thrown herself wholeheartedly into helping Sweety find the perfect outfit.

As they tried on dress after dress, their conversations were a mix of humor, banter, and Kavitha's protective instincts coming to the forefront.

"You know," Kavitha said as she held up a stunning emerald green dress, "I'm still trying to figure out why all of a sudden you're so keen on shopping. The Sweety I know hates this kind of stuff."

Sweety tried to brush it off, casually shrugging. "What can I say? I'm evolving," she said with a smirk as she grabbed the dress and disappeared into the changing room.

Kavitha raised an eyebrow as she leaned against the dressing room door. "Uh-huh, evolving into someone who's planning a secret date, perhaps?"

Sweety rolled her eyes, even though Kavitha couldn't see it. "Not everything is about a date, Kavi. Sometimes a girl just wants to look nice."

"Sweety," Kavitha said with mock seriousness, "I know you. You have three levels of dressing: casual, work mode, and 'Oh my God, I need to impress someone.' You've never, and I mean never, just wanted to look nice without a reason."

The door swung open, and Sweety emerged wearing the green dress, which fit her perfectly. Kavitha blinked, momentarily speechless. "Wow... okay, that one's a winner," she finally said, impressed.

Sweety did a little twirl in front of the mirror, admiring herself. "You think?"

"Absolutely," Kavitha nodded, but her eyes narrowed slightly as she added, "So, who are you trying to impress?"

"No one!" Sweety protested, though a hint of a blush crept onto her cheeks. "I just want to feel good about myself."

Kavitha crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. "Right. And you just decided this out of the blue? Come on, Sweety, I know something's up."

Sweety bit her lip, trying to think of a good excuse. "I have a client meeting," she said, avoiding eye contact as she adjusted the dress.

Kavitha wasn't buying it. "A client meeting? You don't have time for any new ad contracts! You're only in Chennai for what, a month and a half? Why would you take on something new?"

Sweety mentally cursed Kavitha's ability to remember every detail of her schedule. "Well," she began, searching for a plausible story, "I'm actually meeting with them to turn the offer down in person. You know, just to be polite."

Kavitha stared at her, deadpan. "You could do that by email."

Sweety quickly countered, "But I don't want to seem unprofessional. Meeting in person shows I'm considerate of their time and effort. And besides," she added with a mischievous grin, "it's a good excuse to wear this dress."

Kavitha shook her head, half-amused, half-suspicious. "You're up to something, Sweety, but I'll let it slide for now. Just remember, I've got my eye on you."

Sweety laughed, grateful that Kavitha had let her off the hook, even if just barely. "You're the best, Kavi. And to show my appreciation, I'll treat you to double pizza with extra cheese!"

Kavitha's face lit up at the mention of food. "Now you're talking! And make sure it's the good stuff, not that diet pizza nonsense you tried to feed me last time."

"Deal," Sweety agreed, chuckling. "Double cheese, all the toppings, and dessert on the side. Happy now?"

"Very," Kavitha grinned. But as they made their way to the cashier, she couldn't resist one last poke. "But I'm still not convinced this is just for a 'client meeting.' You're hiding something from me, and one of these days, you're going to spill the beans."