Anya cursed herself as she paced the living room, chewing on her nails. She had been watching Youtube for the past two hours, trying to get her thoughts to settle down but they didn't.

Mirza didn't say anything as she had walked out the other day, to either of them. Kaynath's words stung a little and she didn't know why.

Were they dating? Did Mirza casually forget to mention that because she was too busy?

She traced Mirza's conversations back to when she first mentioned the haircut girl and estimated that it had been quite some time. A few months, give or take, at the very least. She needed some air or something to blow up. Pursing her lips, she made a quick decision and walked out.

To the mushroom house it was. At least that would occupy her thoughts a little more. It was a Sunday and there wasn't her best friend to hang out with because she was mad and there wasn't Kaynath to annoy as the shop remained closed.

Sighing a little, she stepped in the cool moss, and looked at the vials of toxins. Deadly nightshade, which was her fastest and most expensive selling product, was one of the best gifts she had received from a relative in the States. The bright, shiny black berries could lure anyone and that was the very effect of it. A single dosage could cause confusions, hallucinations and even death. A giggle bubbled out of her at the thought.

World domination! Or at least that was what her client said, when they had come to collect some portion of it. She was careful not to sell more than 100 mL to any client but what they did with it was none of her business when she just wanted some extra cash.

Mutual enemies.

Five consecutive knocks sounded at her door and she waited a heartbeat before opening the door. A person in printed overalls stood before her, gazing at her lawn with intensity before snapping their eyes back to her.

"Your daisies are drying up. And hello, again."

"Well, summer is insane this year, isn't it? Come in," she held the door open and looked at the square clock on her wall. Fifteen minutes and not a second more was her policy.

"The same deadly nightshade please. A bottle of 100 mL."

"Be right back," she smiled and left to search for one behind the shelves. She needed to pack more bottles but she was also running out of glass vials and mini bottles and needed to buy extra. Humming to herself, she pulled out her freshest bottle where she had handpicked the leaves herself. She charged extra for the berries.

This was probably the only reason she actually made an effort to interact with people she might have hated— contacts were always great. Her family may not have given two shits about her but her extended family always had a calculative look in their eyes and gave her contacts when they saw her mushroom house.

Not that she would ever let her parents in this. They just assumed that their daughter needed her space to read and grow her powers without affecting others.

"Here you go," she set the vial on the table and motioned for Zel to pick it up. They stood up with hands in their pockets, bending down, brown eyes narrowing at it and then straightened back up and placed a generous wad of cash on the table, waiting for Anya to count it.

Anya counted it once, then twice and then nodded as she packed the vials wrapped in bubble wrap before securing it in a vintage brown package and signed her name on it.

"I'm not one for aesthetics," Zel muttered under their breath.

"Yeah, but it feels soft and sweet," Anya piped back, matching her gaze with theirs.

"For someone meant to be killing people? I'm sure it really is." They turned their back, without waiting for her reply and a chime sounded as they walked out. She remembered then that she had to buy things for her side of the shop. Not that they had granted it, but she was sure she would get it.

***

As she passed by Kulsum's Confectionery, she noticed there were workers who were now pushing up a sliding glass door that would hold a separation between her side and Kaynath's. It seemed that although Kaynath wasn't thrilled, she had already set this up.

Probably doesn't want to see me as much, she thought.

She went to the nearest vintage store just two streets away from her place and remembered she didn't even make a list, but then again lists were for losers. She would pick the most exciting things. She kept patting her bag as though checking if the cash was still there. It had been quite some months since she'd gotten a customer after all.

The shop smelled of rich wood and had little antique things, decorative mirrors that were propped up on one side of the wall, mahogany tables and teapoys, and an old clock made of rosewood. Small decorations sat on the tables and old cartons were being pushed out by someone.

She figured she mostly needed small tables or stands to set up all the flower arrangements she could think of, and possibly use her wooden cartons to turn them to stands for her pots. On the way out she noticed little cards and immediately got an idea.

Pressed flowers, everyone loved that shit.

On the way out she had a bag full of cards, three cartons, cello tape, scissors, and watercolours which she would have to learn to use.

She was hungry though after scouring for all those things. Her mom would chide her again for buying stuff she would never use like the hundred other little things she bought impulsively that lied in the storage room.

Passing by a bajji shop, she let the delicious smell of bajjis waft over to her and paused.

"Two chili bajjis, please," she peered over the guy dipping chilies in the batter and frying them in bubbling oil. She hoped they were really really spicy.

The guy nodded and within five minutes she had a plate of them with hot sauce in her hands. She set her bag down, and looked around, waiting for it to cool a bit as a familiar figure stood a few feet away.

Dark curls, lean frame and the shirt she had gifted him. His gaze was fixed on someone else though and she caught Kaynath at another shop.

Why was she always around?

That was definitely him though and she didn't know whether to hide or just go up and talk to him. Munching on a bajji, she felt the spice rise up in her, her nose and eyes getting watery but it was worth it.

He decided to turn around and look at her then.

Oh no, oh no.

He walked up to her and had the same grin as all those years back. The same gait and confidence with which he carried himself.

"I didn't know you'd get so emotional seeing me," he laughed and bumped his shoulder with hers.

"It's the chilies," she sniffed. They really were spicy.

"I mean, nobody believes that so you could drop the act," he chuckled.

"You're still in town, huh?"

"I could ask you the same question," she muttered under her breath as she asked the shop for extra tissues and wiped her face and hands.

"Ever so charming. Come now, it was just a joke, don't get too serious," his pearly white teeth flashed.

"What are you doing here, anyways? I thought you went...abroad or something."

"I did, and now I'm back for a vacation," his eyes roamed and settled on Kaynath who was bargaining with the owner while waving a cabbage in the air. "Know her? I was with her once but she's got one hell of a temper."

"Never liked women with a sharp tongue, did you?" Anya snorted as she paid for her bajjis and lifted her bag.

"You were softer," he peered at her. "But also, boring, you see? That's why we had to break up."

She walked away without saying another word.

Perhaps Kaynath was bluffing about Mirza, when she seemed to have one night stands. Anya couldn't see her ever sustaining love or looking at someone adoringly.

Or perhaps she was just being delusional.

She went back to her mushroom house and started on the cards. Mirza and her hadn't ever fought much before, but she had an ominous feeling that Mirza was probably disappointed in her. She didn't know if Kaynath had apologised for her behaviour yet.

Soon she was testing watercolours and drew white tulips on it. She supposed she could say the rest later in person. White tulips for sincere apologies.

Packing a little gift box with the card and Mirza's favourite Hershey's chocolates in it, she sighed and went out to her shop and knocked a few times before entering.

"Mirza?" she called out. There were customers and her friends around but she couldn't spot her.

Turning to the nearest employee who was measuring a sequined cloth for a customer, she waved to get her attention. "Hey, have you seen Mirza?"

She frowned for a moment and then her eyes lit up. "Oh, you must be Anya. No, she's on leave today, she mentioned something like that."

Her spirits fell.

"I could tell her you were here–" she continued, her smile wavering.

"No, thank you for the offer though," Anya mustered up a smile and left.

She walked up to her apartment and didn't hear a sound from inside. Debating whether to call or not, she finally decided to ring her phone and test the waters. Maybe she'd even know if Mirza was home this way.

It rang twice before Anya panicked and cut the call. There was a rustling from inside and her heart beat so hard. Then it stopped and she waited for a long time before ringing the bell. The rustling stopped and it grew so still from the other end.

She waited for a minute and then turned around, her throat tight as tears threatened to spill out. 

***

It's been a long time and I took an even longer time to gain motivation to write. I thought this would be a book where like the others, they would fizzle out of my memory but they've stayed and so the story continues. To anyone and everyone still reading, thank you for staying and sharing support. It means the world to me. Also, have chili bajjis if you're into spice. 

Now, for the ONC stories of friends! 

Golden Apples of the Sun by pixelmum

Lara Croft, archaeologist and brazen tomb-raider, unearths her latest, greatest discovery: a golden apple capable of giving its bearer anything they desire. Except that everyone else seeks the apple's power, from corrupt tech companies to supernatural beings. To complicate things, the golden apple has inexplicably transported a furious Diana, queen of the Amazons, from the Olympian Realm into Lara's world. And she is beautiful when furious. 

Boots of a Booty by guywortheyauthor

It's sort of like if Wednesday and Enid were lovers, but also dungeons and dragons characters, and the dungeon master keeps trying to kill them off.