Just A Friend?

Chapter Forty-Four

"Sweety," Kavitha whispered urgently in her ear. The music playing softly in the background seemed distant, as though she were in a dream. The notes danced around her, lulling her further into the depths of her drowsiness. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but it was a losing battle.

Her eyelids, heavy as if weighed down by the day's events, kept closing despite her best efforts. She heard Kavitha's voice, but it was muffled, like a sound traveling through water. She was drifting in and out of sleep, her body craving rest, yet something in Kavitha's voice pulled at her.

Kavitha's gentle tapping on her shoulder was like an insistent knock on the door of her dreams, trying to rouse her. Irritation began to bubble up within Sweety, mixing with the remnants of her interrupted slumber. With a sigh of frustration, she forced her head up, her eyelids fluttering open just enough to shoot an annoyed glance at her friend.

"Tsk, what is it now? Whatever it is, not now, please!" Sweety muttered, her voice thick with sleep. She hadn't fully emerged from the haze of her drowsiness, and the last thing she wanted was to be disturbed. But Kavitha wasn't looking at her; her attention was fixed on something else, something that had stolen all her focus. The anxiety etched on her face made Sweety's irritation quickly turn to concern.

"Look who's here," Kavitha whispered again, her voice tight with an emotion that Sweety couldn't quite place. She didn't even turn to face Sweety, her eyes still locked on something—or someone—across the room.

"What n—" Sweety's voice caught in her throat, the words dying on her lips as she followed Kavitha's gaze. Her half-formed protest evaporated as soon as she saw the person approaching. The remnants of sleep vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden, sharp alertness. Her heartbeat, which had been steady and slow in her drowsy state, quickened, thudding against her chest with a new, frantic rhythm.

She tried to stand, the instinct to rise and greet the person overpowering the sluggishness of her limbs, but the Mehndi artist working on her hands quickly warned her not to move, reminding her that the intricate designs were still wet and delicate.

Awkwardly, Sweety sank back into her seat, her eyes never leaving the woman who was now just steps away, a warm, familiar smile lighting up her face. The closer she came, the more Sweety's nerves began to fray, her calm exterior cracking under the weight of her racing thoughts. Her heart, once pounding steadily, now raced in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears like a drum.

"Darling!" The woman's voice was full of joy, the single word infused with warmth and affection that swept over Sweety like a comforting embrace. Her smile was radiant, her eyes sparkling with genuine happiness as she came to a stop in front of her.

"Sridevi Aun...ty," Sweety stammered, her words stumbling over one another as she forced a smile. But despite her best efforts, her nervousness seeped through, turning her smile into something awkward and forced. Her mind raced, desperately searching for something to say, but her thoughts seemed to vanish into a void, leaving her standing there, mute and overwhelmed.

"I've missed you so much," Sridevi said softly, reaching out to gently pat Sweety's cheek. Her touch was tender, her eyes filled with a deep, abiding care that began to soothe the frantic beating of Sweety's heart. The warmth in her voice, the genuine affection in her gaze, began to calm the storm raging inside Sweety, grounding her in the moment. Her body, which had been tense and rigid, started to relax, her posture softening as the initial wave of panic began to ebb.

Sweety wasn't entirely sure why she had felt so terrified at first, why her heart had leapt into her throat the moment she saw Sridevi.

Perhaps it was the fear that she might not be alone, that she might be accompanied by someone whose presence would complicate things further. Someone Sweety both longed to see and dreaded encountering under these circumstances. The mere thought of that person being here, under the same roof, sent a shiver down her spine.