Shreya and Vishal boarded the plane, found their seats and settled in for the flight to Goa. Passengers were still pouring into the aircraft.

Vishal glanced at Shreya, who was seated by the window. She was just looking out over the wing of the plane. Why is she so reserved? When she's with me, she smiles but her smiles are small. And she doesn't talk much though I know she can.

Yes, I've seen her grinning and chatting away on the phone once. She had been crossing the road without noticing me while I had been on a call with Darling that day. I still remember that moment. How beautifully and vibrantly she had glowed with a wholehearted smile. She is still beautiful now, in fact she is gorgeous. Her eyes are striking but I would have loved to see her smiling all the way from her heart to her eyes.

If I can't make you smile like that during this trip to Goa, then I don't think I ever can. I would rather find the other Vishal who left you and make him accept you again if that's the only way you'll ever be happy even if it means that I'll have to lose you.

You're ready to lose her, Vishal? So, that means you don't love her, do you? If you really love her, you wouldn't want to lose her to anyone. Vishal frowned a bit as his thoughts questioned him. I know I don't really love her yet. But I like her. I always felt an attraction towards her from the first time my eyes met hers. But I need to know what she feels for me. So, if I can't make her smile wholeheartedly by the end of our trip to Goa, then I will be sure that she doesn't love me. Let this trip to Goa determine our fate.

Absorbed in his thoughts, Vishal was staring at his mobile in his hand when someone slipped into the aisle seat next to him. He glanced up at her and regretted it instantly upon hearing her loud shriek.

"Oh my gosh! Vishal!" The girl would have grabbed the attention of everyone inside the aircraft with her squeal of delight.

Vishal leaned away from her, startled. She was just staring at him doe-eyed, her mouth agape with incredulity. Vishal couldn't help but smile as she appeared really cute. She seemed familiar.

Hearing the girl's shriek, Shreya too turned to see who it was. Shreya froze as she recognized the guy standing next to the girl who had grabbed her attention.

The girl quickly recomposed herself while grinning widely. "Hi, Shreya!" the girl glanced from Shreya to Vishal, exclaiming, "Hey, Vishal! Remember me?"

"Umm... no," replied Vishal while Shreya smiled meekly.

"You don't remember me?" Her grinning face suddenly transformed into an angry one as she frowned. Vishal smiled a bit as she pouted and appeared cuter.

"No, sorry. Do I know you?"

The girl flashed a grin again. "I'm Jo! I had interviewed you after you got an award for some software you designed almost a year ago, remember?"

"Oh." Vishal appeared blur as he tried to remember the interview which had been almost a year ago.

"You may not remember me from the interview since I just fired you with the questions my chief gave me! But I bet you wouldn't have met many girls who told you the first time you met them, 'I think I'm head over heels in love with you!' Right?"

Vishal laughed as recognition dawned on him. "Oh yeah, you're Jyothi from News9. I remember you now."

"Jyothi, my name! Just call me Jo!" Jo was grinning again in delight. "Meet Abhay, my best friend for the longest time ever!" Jo gestured to the guy who had been standing next to her earlier. He was now seated in the seat across the aisle.

"Hi, Abhay. A pleasure to meet you. I'm Vishal," said Vishal, with a warm smile as he glanced at Abhay.

Abhay smiled. "Hi. Nice to meet you, Vishal... and Shreya." A bittersweet smile was apparent on his face as he mentioned Shreya's name.

Shreya forced a smile on her face again.

"So, you guys are going to Goa too?" asked Vishal. Jo and Abhay seem to know Shreya....

"Yeah, for the fashion expo this weekend actually!" answered Jo, "I love Goa! It's such a beautiful place, isn't it? I just love going to Goa, especially at this time of the year! It's not too hot! Just warm, sunny weather, with balmy but cool evenings! Calm seas perfect for diving, boat trips and swimming! Sadly, it's the peak tourist season, but we can't expect everything to be the way we want it to be, right? But it's still worth it! I have visited Goa around this time every year for the past six years without fail! I love travelling! Anywhere and everywhere! Goa is one of my favourite holiday destinations in India!"

"Oh, nice!"

"How about you, Vishal?"

"This is my first visit to Goa."

Jo glared at Vishal in disbelief. "You can't be serious! Such a beautiful place like Goa and this is gonna be your first time? Seriously?"

"Yea, this's just my first time."

"Alright! I know Goa like the back of my hand! I'll show you around all over Goa that by the end of this trip, you'll definitely choose Goa as one of your favourite holiday destinations too!"

"Sure, but we'll be busy during the fashion expo. You can take us around Goa after that, okay?"

Shreya smiled a bit. We'll be busy? I'll be busy but you'll be bored at the fashion expo, Vi.

"What work do you have at the fashion expo?" Jo was frowning as she tilted her head a bit, pondering in confusion.

"Shreya will be showcasing her designs there. So, I've come with her."

"Oh." Jo glanced at Shreya, "You're not his girlfriend, are you? Please please puh-lease say no! Wait, what nonsense am I saying? Silly me! Of course you can't be his girlfriend! He's always wanted an arranged marriage! So, you guys must be friends just like me and Abhay, am I right?"

Shreya and Vishal were stunned. Always wanted an arranged marriage... how did Jo know that?

Before any of them could respond, Abhay called out to Jo, interrupting their conversation. "Jo, is your pass ticket with you? It's not with me."

"Umm... no, maybe it's in the bag I put overhead. Why did you give it to me in the first place?"

"Because it's yours, Jo."

"Uh... you know I'm very careless!"

"It's fine. I'll check it." Abhay stood up and quickly searched in Jo's bag in the overhead cabinet as an airhostess was walking along the aisle, ensuring that everyone was ready for take-off. "Okay, I got it. I'll keep it with mine," Abhay spoke in a low voice as he seated himself again.

Jo grinned as she turned back to face Vishal. "My adorable and irritating best friend! Don't ask me when I met him, where I met him or how I met him! He's always been there! I've known him forever! We grew up together, played together, studied and bunked classes together and never ended a day without a single quarrel at least! And we work together now!"

"Wow, that's nice." Vishal smiled as he noticed that Abhay was quite soft-spoken unlike the gregarious Jo.

Jo leaned over closer to Vishal as she whispered, "You know, he is the only reason my parents let me go anywhere without their supervision. My parents - they are quite progressive but in some issues, they can be the very very conventional type. So, as far as they're concerned, I going away for a few days on a tour or a holiday alone is totally not acceptable. But they trust Abhay; he's like a guarantee for them that I'll be well-behaved." Jo burst into giggles as she finished speaking.

Vishal grinned.

As Jo chatted away to him throughout the duration of the flight, Vishal didn't realize the time fly. Though Shreya liked Jo as a person, she was quite annoyed with the way things were turning out.

Soon, they landed in Goa and the four of them settled into adjacent rooms in a hotel.

***

The next few days passed in a flurry as Shreya was busy showcasing her designs at the fashion expo and meeting potential customers and many other fashion designers. She was utterly pleased with the recognition she was able to gain during the fashion expo.

Vishal had tried to stay with her at her booth and help her as much as he could but Jo had been able to whisk him away many times. Meanwhile, Abhay was obviously avoiding Shreya while she too felt awkward whenever he was around.

In the evenings, the four of them visited the spectacular beaches and shops in Goa. They even went on a serene sunset river cruise along the Mandovi River one evening in Goa. With an excited and chatty Jo, Abhay tagged along despite a little reluctance. However, due to Jo's and Abhay's presence, Vishal and Shreya never got a moment of privacy to talk to each other.

***

During their last day in Goa, before their return flight to Bangalore, the four of them walked into a restaurant to have lunch. They ordered their food before choosing a table and seating themselves.

"Guys, I think they might take forever to bring the food! Shall we order for some cold drinks?" Jo broke the silence.

"Sure, I think I'll have lime juice. What would you like, Shreya?" asked Vishal spontaneously, turning to Shreya.

"I'll have lime juice too." Shreya smiled at Vishal but her smile faded when she sensed that Abhay was watching her.

Vishal frowned a bit as Shreya's smile faded. What was wrong with her? If she's having a problem, why can't she be frank like Jo? "Okay, how about you, Abhay?"

Before Abhay could answer, Jo alleged, "No worries, I know what he wants! Come, Vish, let's go give our order for the drinks!"

"Okay," Vishal smiled as he accompanied Jo to the counter where they gave their orders.

Staring at the table, Shreya felt uneasy as she realized that she was alone with Abhay for the first time, since the day she had rejected his proposal.

They remained silent for a long while.

Finally, Abhay spoke, "So, he is the one?"

Shreya glanced up at him in surprise before lowering her gaze to the table again with a slight smile. "Yes."

Abhay smiled a bit. "Cool."

Shreya remained silent as she glanced at Vishal. He and Jo were talking to another couple Jo seemed to know. As she realized that Jo and Vishal would not be returning to the table yet, she turned back to Abhay and stated, "I'm sorry."

Amused, Abhay raised his eyebrow. "For what?"

"I know you were hurt by my rejection that day."

"Rejection will hurt... obviously. But your rejection didn't hurt me. Instead, I realized that I don't love you because I'm already in love."

Shreya met Abhay's eyes for the first time that day, in a mixture of surprise and relief.

"And there's no need to be sorry about it. You could have just said no and gone. But you asked me if we could just remain as friends since you already love someone though you didn't know if he would ever come back to you. I should be saying sorry to you for leaving you abruptly that day."

"Aww, there's no need for that." Shreya smiled a bit.

Abhay smiled. "Jo and I have always been friends. Ever since she met Vishal the first time, she's been 'head over heels in love with him' quoting her words. When she told her parents that, they didn't believe her and questioned her about the relationship she had with me. Was it just friendship or more than that? So, she decided to help me find the girl I love since that would solve our problem."

"Oh." Shreya uttered while listening to Abhay intently.

"We considered many girls we knew. If I approved of any girl, she would have some reason to disapprove. If she approved of one, I would notice reasons to disapprove. You were the only girl who we both found perfect in every aspect; you were literally flawless."

Shreya bit her lip and turned her face away a bit. Why was Abhay praising me? It was making me feel uneasy. Only Vishal resides in my heart. I won't ask or expect him to praise me; it would be enough if I could just see sincere love in his eyes.

"So, I approached you and tried to get to know you but you showed no interest in a relationship more than friendship. I finally confessed my feelings to you and indirectly proposed but your rejection actually helped in aligning my thoughts. That's when I realized that Jo is the one I love. Then, what am I doing with you? Upon realizing that, I left you abruptly and didn't meet you again. I'm sorry, Shreya."

"It's okay. There's no need to be sorry. I'm glad that I was able to help you realize your love for Jo. But haven't you confessed your feelings to her?"

"No. I'd rather wait and let Jo realize it on her own if she ever will. I wouldn't want to lose our friendship for that reason."

As Shreya was about to speak, she and Abhay were startled as Vishal cleared his throat and seated himself beside Shreya. Alarmed, Shreya and Abhay glanced at Vishal. When had he come? What all had he overheard?

"Jo seems to know a lot of people here. I guess she would since she's been visiting Goa quite frequently over the past few years," voiced Vishal in an effort to lighten the atmosphere that had become tense since he had aired his presence to Abhay and Shreya.

"Yeah, she does," responded Abhay, before glancing at Shreya apprehensively.

Jo skipped over to the table and jovially started chatting away about the friends she had just met at the restaurant. Abhay, Shreya and Vishal were soon caught up with her words as they waited to have their lunch.

To be continued...

A/N: Please don't forget to vote and comment.. It's the last day of their trip to Goa, how is it so far?
What do you think of Abhay and Jo?
Abhay, Jo, Shreya and Vishal: who do you think might or might not end up together?
Who would you want to see together at the end of this story?
Hope you like this chapter.. :)