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wednesday, august 17th

a big thank you to Sakshi for this amazing cover art x

Tara

MAA FORCES ME TO WEAR HER FAVOURITE DRESS.

"This is your first time attending a high school party," she smiles, handing me my helmet. "But you don't have let everyone else know, okay?"

"As you say, Captain."

I run a hand through my hair and tug the helmet over my head, climbing onto the purple scooter Dad presented to us before we left India. "I'll be back before you know it."

"Don't worry about me," she says, shaking her head. My heart aches with guilt at the sight. "Live a little, kiddo."

Sahil's house is a short, albeit scenic drive from mine. I reach the Roy residence fifteen minutes later, gaping at the fairy-lights and red carpet ornamenting the entrance. He did well, I tell myself. Cars line both sides of the road, and the low thumping of pop music can easily be heard from afar. There must be at least fifty people in attendance already, and I'm barely ten minutes late to the party. Two security guards clad in identical uniforms hold the gate open, gesturing for me to stop staring at the decorations and hurry indoors.

Ishq Shava blares through the speakers, and the dance floor is full of couples attempting their best version of a Bollywood-themed Salsa routine. I stifle a smile.

Perhaps I've missed my country more than I let on.

Tables are scattered around me, invisible under the numerous heaps of food and beverage options resting on top of them. I almost run into a group of friends doing the latest Tiktok dance routine, and they glare at me as if I just rammed a truck into their house.

Then it dawns upon me.

I have no way of recognising him.

He has no way of recognising me.

Which means I'm going to have to ask people for directions (and look like an absolute idiot in the process). "Excuse me," I mutter to the girl standing beside me. "I'm, uh, I'm looking for the host of this party."

"You'll find him in the kitchen," she replies, still staring at the damp grass beneath us.

"And where's the kitchen?" I echo, mentally beating myself up for not thinking of all this beforehand.

The girl opens her mouth to answer, then frowns and studies my outfit as if she's looking at me properly for the first time. "You're Tara, aren't you?"

Yes. What gave it away?

She does such a commendable job of maintaining an unreadable expression that I can't tell whether to laugh or be taken aback by her question. "Yeah. How did you know?"

A triumphant smile spreads across her features, and breathing returns to my lungs. "Maya," she grins, holding out a hand. "I'm Sahil's best friend."

Woah.

Nice first impression you made there, Tara.

"Hi," I squeak, shaking her hand while silently praying to every god I know that she doesn't notice my discomfort. Maya's grin only deepens, lending a pristine (and not to mention absolutely gorgeous) glow to her warm skin.

She is, by far and wide, the prettiest girl I have ever laid eyes upon.

Poor Sahil had zero chance of not falling for her, even as a kid.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier," she says, and her tone is genuinely apologetic. "I'm used to girls asking about him during parties, so it doesn't quite excite me anymore, you know?"

Ouch. I raise both eyebrows in question, and Maya lets out a low chuckle as the consequence of the statement occurs to her. "You don't have to worry," she laughs, gently patting my back. "Let's go look for him, shall we?"

Maya links her arm with mine and leads me indoors, where another uncontrollable crowd of students envelops us. "Exactly how huge is this house?" I hiss, elbowing my way through the mob as Maya sashays ahead, shockingly undeterred. The floor is encased in expensive marble, and my breath catches as I take in the gleaming chandelier hung overhead. We have always been well to do, never rolling in money and never having to pine after it either.

I'm not sure if the same can be said about Sahil.

"Oh, there you are!" Maya shrieks, breaking my train of thought. My gaze follows hers, cutting between the myriad of passersby. Then I see him.

And my heart splits into exactly two thousand pieces.

Because there, nearly two metres from me, stands a boy with sparkling golden hair and enviable ocean eyes. One arm of his cradles a disposable cup while the other is draped around a girl's waist so tight, it appears as though it was designed for the sole purpose of holding her.

No.

No.

Please, no.

My ears start ringing, the wave of panic engulfing me rapidly turning dangerous and intolerable. Maya opens her mouth to introduce us, but for once in my life I'm quicker than bad news. I resist the tears blinding my vision and swivel sharply on my heel, only to collide head-first into an approaching onlooker. Of course.

Curious obsidian eyes meet mine, and a pair of steady arms root me into place. Once he is sure I won't fall, the boy detangles his arms from mine and pushes the metal frame of his glasses up his nose, irrefutable concern evident behind the lenses. "Kya hua?" he asks me in a fluent, velveteen voice. The earth stops spinning below my feet. Hindi. He just spoke to me in Hindi.

"Oh sorry, how stupid of me. Are you okay?"

I think I have forgotten the art of speech.

Somewhere in the distance, Maya bursts out laughing. She steps towards us, mouth curved into a smile, and says what my heart already knows. "Sahil, meet Tara Gupta. Tara, meet Sahil Bose-Roy."

***

a/n: I cannot believe I took two weeks to write this chapter. The next one is going to be such a delight to write ahhhhhh (screams in Hindi). Thank you all for loving this story so much. You mean the world to me, and to Sahra <3