UNEDITED [ DIDN'T PROOFREAD, TYPOS CAN BE POSSIBLE ] 

Shiva's POV:

The early January winds are chilling making my hands severely cold. This time always records the lowest temperature in Shimla and it seems like, iss saal har saal ka record tut raha hai. 

By the time I've reached home after my morning finance class, my whole jacket was covered by morning dew making it wet.

Just as I was about to use the spare key, expecting my roommates already out for their jobs I found the door opening.

"Shiva!" Karan squealed . After that I entered the house to find both of my roommates, Karan and Aryan standing there. 

Karan , as touchy-feels as usual , grabs me and pulls me into a tight bear hug.

Sach kahun, toh meri humesha se yahi problem rahi hai, I found hugging to be a bit awkward. Apne haathon ko kaha rakhun? hug karne waale ke peeche ya uska kandhe pe, aur apne arms ko kaise place karun. I mean kaunsi postition ka hug kya cheez define karti hai, Mujhe ghanta kuch nahi pata. 

Kabhi hug karne wala peeth thap thappata hai, or sometimes they simply rub your back in circles. And, honestly mujhe dono hi bahut uncomfortable feel hote hai. 

[A/N : is it only my issue or anyone is damn relatable. So yeah again, this is my situation :) ]

Unaware of my internal struggle, Karan continued to hug me for quite a time before finally letting me go.

"Finally! Finally tu pakad mein aaya" Aryan groaned dramatically. "Mujhe laga tha apne bhai haath se gya." 

I  internally smiled at Aryan's choice of words and their double meaning as he finishes speaking. 

Aryan and Karan exchange a glance with each other, one that I'm sure says many things. Par mujhe kuch samajh nahi aaya.

Waise Karan aur Aryan toh jeegdi yaar types hai, forever best friends and yeh bhi ek reason hai ki I feel like the odd one out , inke group mein. Par jo bhi ho, dono bahut acche hai, try bhi karte hai apne saath include karne mein, but then again my social anxiety steps in .

"Tum dono mera intezaar kar rahe the?" I asked them, surprised that they'd go to that much effort to talk to me. 

"Ofcourse tera hi intezaar kar rahe the." Karan dramatically confirmed. "Warna tu toh don ban jaata hai aaj kal, jisko pakadna mushkil hi nahi, na mumkin hai." Both Karan and Aryan laughed at the joke but I just smiled.

They dragged me to the couch and shoved me down where I landed on a cushion. Then the interrogation began.

"Kaun hai woh?" Aryan demanded, clearly dying for an answer.

"Hmm, Kaun?" I asked, even as a picture of Raavi flashes through my mind. I had a feeling that I knew exactly who they are referring to.

Karan rolled hi eyes "The cute girl, jiske saath tu uss din date pe gya tha, woh." He settled in on the remaining cushion of the couch, while Aryan keeps his hands on my arm.

"KIsne kaha woh date tha?" I warily asked them . Inko dekhke aisa lag raha hai ki inhe zarurat se zyaada hi cheezein pata hai. 

A little too late, I catch my mistake of not denying that she was cute. Indeed she is cute. 

Karan put his hands on his waist out of exasperation, "Hum Gadhe nahi hai. Uss Raat ko jab tumlog waapis aaye toh hum dono ne dekha ki kaise tujhe support karke woh room tak chodke gyi. Aur yahi nahi jaane se pehle she kissed you on the forehead. Ab yeh kaunsa chakkar hai agar date nahi hai toh?" 

Aryan sighed, but his eyes twinkling. "Jab ladkiyaan forehead kisses de toh woh kitna mast haina!."

I could feel the back of my neck heat up at the thought of that night. And my cheeks feeling hotter than usual. Ladke bhi blush karte hai kya? was the only question that ran through my mind , at the moment. 

"Tumlog mujhe aur Raavi ko chupke dekh rahe the?" I questioned all of a sudden, as soon as I came through this point.

"Ahh, toh uska naam bhi hai!" Aryan grinned excitedly, nearly bouncing up in anticipation. "Raavi se kaise mila bhai?"

"New year eve waali party mein." I answered reluctantly, and then waited for Aryan to take credit .

Aryan's expression promptly turned rather smug just as I had predicted. "I told you , mere saath party mein jaana best idea hoga."

"Toh ab direct puch rahe hai, Are you guys dating?" Karan interrupted, clearly not willing to wait for Aryan to complete.

"UHmm, woh , haa?" I responded, but it sounded like more of a question than an answer.

Luckily, Aryan and Karan are too much ecstatic to notice my hesitant response. Aryan grinned brightly and pulled me into an embrace, yet again, but a quick one to my relief.

"Aur tune kaha tha, ladkiyaan tujhe pasand nahi karti." Karan laughed at the supposed irony, and I felt a knot forming in the bottom of my stomach. 

Kyunki sach toh yahi hai Raavi mujhe isiliye date nahi kar rahi, kyunki mein usse pasand hun, balki mein sirf ek rebound hun. Aur yeh cheezein aage kya mor legi, I have no idea.

"Toh Bhai, first kiss kaisi thi?" Without delay, I feel my cheeks heat up even though I had never actually had my lips come in contact with Raavi's . For some reason, my mind wandered to that kiss she had planted on my cheek when we were ice skating, and I feel my cheeks and neck burning.

The smug expressions on both of their faces told me that I really am blushing as hard as I suspect I am, "Lagta hai mast hi thi." Karan stated and I quickly search for a way out of this conversation. A glance at the time on my phone easily gives me one.

"Mujhe kaam pe jaana hai 5 minute mein." I told them as I hastily stand up from the couch and start to head to my room to change my clothes. 

______

My little talk with my roommates took up a chunk of the time I had blocked off to get ready for work, and so I stumble into the Famous , Shimla Paradise, Ek well furnished grocery store and ice cream parlour, jaha pe filhaal ke liye, I'm doing part time job, and currently reached seven minutes late.

And Kaveri isn't a bit hesitant to bring this to my attention. "You're late," she announces as I stumble through the back door.

"Pata hai! " I holler back at her over my shoulder as I grab the clip board with the accountancy and tallies written onto it.

Mein aaj tak kabhi late nahi hua hun, and I'm kinda proud of it. For a moment, I felt guilty for those seven minutes , Jab meine Kaveri ko Store mein akela chodha . Usually Store or Parlour hum teen, mein, Kaveri aur Arjun sambhaalte hai.

 Par aaj, jab Arjun ka off tha, tabhi mujhe late hona tha.

"I'm sorry," I apologize as I come to the front of the store and sat on the counter, checking the tallies.

Kaveri laughs, the kind of laugh that's so shrill, ki aisi hassi sirf pahad ki ladkiyaan hi kar sakti hai. 

Jab mein pehli baar Shimla Paradise mein kaam karne aaya tha, which is nearly a year ago story, they had assigned me to the shifts Kaveri worked, and we became quick friends,  Yes Even the Boring , Shiva Pandya got a friend and That's Kaveri. 

She is fun and easygoing, Ek aisi Ladki which resembles Kinjal a lot, maybe yeh ek reason ho sakta hai I'm so good in terms. Besides ,Kaveri hi ek Best friend hai . A person with whom I could relax around. 

I find myself relaxing in the comfortable atmosphere of The Store as I wait for customers. It was small and cozy and just trendy enough to be the kind of shop that Instagram posts were made of. 

Almost 30 minutes later, there's a break in customers and Kaveri pulls up a stool beside me at the cash register.

"Toh usse bataane ka, ya Date pe puchne ka plan kiya bhi hai ya nahi" I ask her, a knowing smile flitting across my face.

Kaveri groans and drags her hands over his face. "Meine Tujhe kitne baar bola hai Shiva. Arjun got a girlfriend that he loves, and I don't want to be the one to tear them apart."

Arjun is our coworker that usually worked shifts with us, and it's clear to anyone that bothers to pay attention that Kaveri is head over heels for him. Of course, Arjun, the biggest sweetheart in the world, is unquestionably oblivious, Total Dense and Oblivious man.

 To top things off, he had this super possessive girlfriend that micromanaged his life and walked all over him.

Admittedly, Mujhe woh Ladki bilkul bhi Pasand nahi hai. Arjun deserves someone like Kaveri, or better Kaveri herself. 

Arjun and Kaveri were my secret ships, the kind I would sit in my bedroom and write fan fiction about if I was a fan fiction kind of person, but mere paas na hi writing skills hai aur na hi patience. And moreover I have the fear log bolenge ki ladka hoke fictions likhta hai. So so.

Absentmindedly, I begin clicking a pen up and down against the countertop. "But they broke up," I point out.

"Sirf thode time ke liye," Kaveri efficiently counters me, and we both know that his point is valid. "You know woh dono kaise hai. They'll be back together any day now."

"I still think, Tujhe usse bol dena chahiye, how you feel.I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

Kaveri stares at me, appalled at my suggestion. "Woh mujhse fir kabhi baat nahi karega. Or usse bhi worse, jaisa tune bola, uski girlfriend usse kahi se pata chal gya I'm in love with Arjun, toh woh khud hi Arjun ko mere paas aane nahi degi."

I sighed, knowing fully well that there was no right solution to Kaveri's problem. The sound of my phone ringing interrupts any depressing thoughts of my ship inevitably sinking.

"You should answer that," Kaveri tells me as a group of girls walk through the front door. "I'll take care."

I nod, answering the call as I make my way to the back room. "Hello?"

"Hey, My Prince Charming." A familiar voice sounds through the phone and a slight smile makes its way to my face.

"Raavi," I state the obvious, settling against a counter.

Shee sighs melodramatically over the phone. "I thought meine tumhe ussi din mana liya tha , on you calling me Princess."

I roll my eyes and laugh. "Kuch chahiye tha , Princess?"

Raavi evasively changes the topic. "Kaha ho tum?"

"Shimla paradise. I had to pick up a shift today."

"Tum Shimla paradise mein kaam karte ho?" Raavi asks me, excitement seeping into her voice. "Mujhe tumse ek important baat puchni thi, but maybe I'll head there, grab some ice cream, and ask you in person."

The dial tone sounding in my ear alerts me of Raavi hanging up on me. I smile and shake my head at her antics, pocketing my phone and heading up to the counter again to help out Kaveri.
"Kaun thi woh?" she asks me as she plunges an ice cream scooper into the water to wash it off.

"Woh, meri girlfriend," I admit upfront. Kaveri knows me way too well for me, and usse baat chipaane ka koi faayda nahi hai, so I simply said the truth. Hope ki woh ulte sawaal na puche jaise Karan aur Aryan ne kiye the.

Kaveri grins and lets out a whoop, startling both me and a couple sitting at a table in the back corner enjoying their ice cream. "Abbey Bhaisaahab, Ye kab hua?"

"New Year Party," I replied shortly. Kaveri's smile remains on her face and I can't help but smile back at her for being so genuinely happy for me.

"Ab tu bhi jaldi se Arjun ko bata de, so that hum dono double date pe jaa sake" I can't help bringing up Arjun again.

Kaveri pretends to glare at me. "I thought we were done talking about him."

I laugh. "We never really are, are we?" Kaveri shrugs, not able to deny it.

The opening of the front door cuts our conversation short, and I look up to see Raavi striding in, hands in her pink hoodie pocket.

"What can I get for you today?" I ask her a smile barely concealed. Raavi mein kuch toh aisi baat hai, usse dekhte hi khush rehne ka dil karta hai.

Raavi looks up at me with a grin on her face. "I suppose mujhe yaha pe cheezy hoke "tumhari" demand karni chahiye and then we make out, but I think mein abhi parlour corner se black forest ice cream in a waffle cone lungi. Abhi ke liye, bas itna hi." She gives me a cheesy wink and I laugh and roll my eyes as I struggle to rein in my blushing cheeks.

"So kya puchne ke liye yaha tak aagyi?"

"If you'd like to go on a date with your princess tonight." Her eyes shine as she runs a hand through her hair and flashes me an easy smile.

"Par hum ek hafte pehle hi date pe gye the," I point out and Raavi begins shaking her head at me as if I was a little kid .

"Who says we can't go out two nights in a week?"

"Yeh bhi theek hai" I give in. "Toh iss baar kya plan hai, dekho firse koi stunt mat karwaana mujhse?" Kaveri handed Raavi her  ice cream that had begun to melt .

 She takes it without complaint, licking off a brown drop of chocolate ice cream that trickled down onto her knuckles.

"Offo Prince Charming, sabar karo, sabar ka phal meetha hota hai" Raavi looks at me, challenging me to beg her to tell me. Even though it drives me crazy, I decide to play along this time.

I walk over to the cash counter with her and she paid the price for her ice cream.

"Toh, tumhi ho woh, famous girlfriend," Kaveri stated.

"Famous toh mein hi hun, no doubt in that," Raavi confirms. "Aur aap kaun hai?"

"Kaveri, Shiva ki best friend." 
"Raavi" she forwarded her hand for a handshake to Kaveri , and they both shake hands and hugged each other.

The lack of customers besides Raavi allows us to chat for a few minutes before Raavi has to leave for a class.

"Offo, tum log ek goodbye kiss kar hi sakte ho. I'll pretend not to look," Kaveri generously offers and my cheeks flame. If only they ever behaved and stayed the color they were intended to be.

"C'mon, Charming" Raavi says she turns his head and sticks her tongue in her cheek so it pops out. Forming a cute pout.

 Timidly, I stand on my tiptoes and reach up to peck her on the cheek from the other side of the counter. I'm just pondering how surprisingly soft her cheek was against my lips when she grabs my arm and pulls me back to her, planting a quick, hard kiss on my lips before turning around and walking towards the door.

Reeling, my heart pounds in my ears as I stand next to Kaveri, trying to comprehend the fact that Raavi just kissed me. One simple kiss shouldn't have taken me off guard as much as it did, and the fact that it did wasn't good.

Even if our relationship was built upon unusual terms, we were dating, and kissing was normal for couples. Somehow though, I hadn't given Raavi and I kissing that much thought, and after kissing her, even if it was just once, I realize that I should have. Because kissing Raavi could potentially be disastrous.

The door shuts behind Raavi, and Kaveri looks at me with a thoughtful expression. "You're practically glowing. Dang, tu toh full flat hai yaar uske liye."

I laugh nervously. "Well, I am dating her." And suddenly, the thought seemed scary. Because deep down I had this suspicion that maybe, just maybe, I was already falling for Raavi little by little, and it was an unforgiving awakening. I wasn't supposed to have any feelings for her. We were supposed to be able to leave this relationship in a couple of months with no strings attached, and I was becoming terrified that it wouldn't be as simple as I had originally believed.

"Lag gyi Lanka."

***