Best Friends and Cousins? (An Indian Love Story)

Chapter 17

After about a minute of Ashley kissing me, we gently withdrew. I held her arms, as she had her forehead pressed against mine. "Thank you."

"For what?" My eyes shoot up to look at Ash's face.

"For accepting me, for trying to make me feel more like myself, for trying to get me to become more confident in myself, for-for everything."

I chuckle, pulling her into a hug. She hugs me back tightly, taking in a deep breath from my shoulder.

"We should get going. We're going to be moving to Canada, which is going to be shit cold through the year. We need to get enough rest. Break ends in two weeks, so we're going to have to finish all purchases and packing before that. Get some sleep." I kiss her cheek and walk to my own room, hearing her retreating steps.

I strip out of my clothes, jumping into the shower cabinet in the jack-and-jill bathroom, careful to lock Ash's door of the bathroom. I just stand under the shower, my hair in a bun on my head, letting the warm water wash away the grime of the day. I feel my muscles relax under the heat of the water as it rolls down my back, thinking about what I was going to tell Nikhil. He would understand. He's not that . I can make him understand.

I get out, a towel wrapped around my torso and pick my phone up.

MY❤️ ~ hey love, I hope you reached safely. I'm boarding the flight to Toronto. See you there in a few weeks😘 (7.30 pm)

Me ~ yeah, I reached my apartment safely. We need to talk, by the way. It's nothing serious, I just need to confess something and then discuss some things with you. Hope you had a safe flight😘 (11.30 pm)

I set the phone on my nightstand and slip into my pyjamas - night-shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Grabbing the bottle of water off my desk, I slip out to fill it, in case I get thirsty in during my sleep. Coming back, I see my phone lighting up with a message from Nikhil.

MY❤️ ~ Love, no matter what it is, I still love you, and wouldn't let you live in peace, I mean break up with you, unless you want me to. We're in this together, whatever you did. I still love you. Can I call you tomorrow? I'm a little tired 😍 (11.40 pm)

Me ~ I love you. Please get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow 🥰 (11.42)

MY❤️ ~ I love you. I promise I'll call you tomorrow, and you can tell me everything you wanted to. I also need to ask you something, so I'll do that during the call. Good night. It's still early evening here, but Imma crash cause I'm stiff and sore all over. I need a proper bed. Good night. Please sleep, princess🤗 (11.45)

Me ~ Try sleeping on the ground if you're sore all over (if it isn't waaay too cold for that). It's almost midnight, and I'm tired, so I'm also going to sleep. Good night, my bad boy 😉 (11.47)

MY❤️ ~ 'your bad boy', huh? I love the title. Thanks for the tip, I will do that. It ain't that cold in my apartment. Good night, baby🤤😴 (11.50)

I smile to myself, content at the reassurance I received from him. Setting my phone on the nightstand, I snuggle into the covers, hugging one of my pillows, wishing I was hugging Nikhil instead. I let the cool warmth (if that makes any sense) of the covers lull me to sleep.

"WAAKKKEEEEE UUUPPPPPPPP! NEHAAAAAA! GET YOUR ASS OFF THE BED! WE'VE GOTTA GO SHOPPINGGGGGG!" I grunt in response, chucking my throw pillow at Ash.

"Go away! Lemme sleep. Bother someone else. Take them shopping at-" I crack one eye open to glance at the digital clock on the wall, also taking in the green bracelet on her wrist, "8 in the morning. Good luck finding a store that's open at this hour of the day, Ashton."

"Ashton?"

"The male version of your name Ashley."

"Male version?" I grunt and point in the general direction of her left wrist, where I had seen the green bracelet.

"Oh, you noticed. You're actually accepting me."

"Yeah, I noticed. Yeah, I am accepting you for who you are, because I love you. Now let me sleep."

"Fine, one more hour Neha. We've got to go shopping, then do the laundry to pack up stuff and then contact the movers to hel-" I drift into the state of suspended limbo, his (Ashton's) voice keeping me ebbing on the fine line between sleep and consciousness. I hear him sigh, his lips touching my forehead. The last thing I hear, before I fall prey to the clutches of sleep again, is the soft closing of the door of my room, peace settling in.

"Neha, one hour's up. It's nine in the morning. Get up. We gotta go! WAAKEE UPPP!"

"Fine. I'm up, I'm up. Now get out of my room so I can get ready." I push Ashton out of my room, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Groggy, I drag myself to the bathroom, in front of the mirror and splash my face with cold water. Still not completely awake, I go through my morning routine barely conscious of what I'm doing - brushing, doing my business, showering, etc. etc. etc.

Finally feeling slightly awake, I step out of my room, ready to go out. I grab an apple off the island in the kitchen, making myself some coffee.

"You're finally here." I just hum in response, glaring at the coffee maker, trying to make it work faster through sheer force of will. "Are you ready or do you need to get more ready."

I glance at myself in the mirror in the hallway, giving myself a once-over. I'm wearing a pair of red leggings and a golden hoodie with the iron-spider symbol across the front, coupled with a pair of royal blue converse. My hair is in a messy bun at the top of my head, a few short locks falling out the front, making me look like I spent hours trying to perfect this, when all I did was use half a minute to bundle my hair on top of my head. I hate it when people give me shit for looking good when I know I don't, but they still insist.

"Yep, I'm good to go. Do I look like I put too much effort? You know how long I took to get ready. People still give me weird looks when I say I did not spend more than 15 minutes getting ready."

"Hey, you look perfect. Don't worry about those who don't believe you. Tyajat. Don't you always say that to me?" I smile at her near perfect pronunciation of the Sanskrit word that means leave, let go. I give her an impressed look through the mirror, turning around.

"Tyajat. Let's go."

We set off walking to the town square where the streets would be lined with shops trying to sell warm and cozy things for the (not so far away) winter.