Dying to talk, afraid to approach.
Universal problem. So, what are friends for? They have strong telepathy.

Following morning before Abhedya and Swarnima got up Arya and Maan quietly entered the apartment and crept into Abhedya's room. Arya slept beside him and trailed his fingers on Abhedya's bareback sensuously. Abhedya was fast asleep but could feel someone beside him. Arya got closer and trailed his hand on his neck and face. Abhedya hugged him as close as he could.
Arya shouted, "Help me! Maan. My honour is at stake."

'Hahaha,' Maan was just laughing and enjoying himself.

Abhedya opened his eyes only to see the beautiful girl he dreamt of beside him turned into a bearded thick brow man ... "Arya??" Abhedya said in his morning voice. "Where did she go?" Still, in a daze, Abhedya was searching for the girl in his dreams.

"I am here only darling." Arya tried his best to be the girl.
Abhedya opened his eyes and kicked Arya so hard that he fell hard on his butt.
The room was filled with Maan's laughter, Arya's groans and Abhedya's curses.

"What were you doing in my bed so early in the morning," Abhedya asked him.

"We came for some morning exercises and have some friends time on this Sunday morning. By the way, who did you think Arya was." Maan asked helping Arya get up. Who was continuously rubbing his butt.

"Who else would come in my dreams there's only one person I dream of..." Abhedya realised what he was about to say so he shut up and ruffled his hair.

"Who is it??" Arya questioned. He definitely would not miss a chance.

"I'll just go and freshen up and join you guys." Abhedya went to the bathroom and avoided the question. He shut the door and closed his eyes. 'How can I? I cannot dream of Nim. Did I imagine Arya as Nim? Damn! I should not be thinking like that.' Abhedya told himself.
'Your Sona is replaced Abhey!' His heart which was in dormant mode activated.
Abhedya splashed water on his face and did his morning business.

Arya and Maan were still in the bedroom. "Is Nim not awake yet?" Abhedya asked.

"It's strange. She never sleeps so late. Let's wake her up." Maan said and all three boys went out of the room.
They knocked on her room. No response. "Nim is a light sleeper. She gets up with the ding of the elevator itself. I hope she is fine." Maan got worried and so did the other two.
They knocked on the door, called on her phone both went unanswered. The boys got alarmed.

"She is very tired. Let her sleep. She did a rigorous session of aerobics last night." Gene informed the boys.

"She did aerobics? How long?" Arya asked Gene.

"An hour or two maybe. I tuck her to bed after that." Gene answered.

"Let's go up and talk." Maan went towards the elevator and the boys followed him.

They reached on the floor above and Abhedya got a punch from Arya and he held his collar and asked him with rage "What did you do? Out with it now... you are an ass, jerk."

Maan pushed Arya back and was amazed to see Abhedya not defending himself.
"Abhey? Is there anything you would like you to talk about?" Maan questioned calmly.

Abhedya went and sat on the mat. "I guess I am a problem. She trusts me and I am the one who was going to break her trust."

Maan and Arya had never seen Abhedya so low. So they sat next to him and asked him to tell everything.

Abhedya narrated the whole story from Swarnima giving him gifts to him asking he4 to be his friend, their deal on mot fighting, the conversation between her and his parents and finally when she told him she gave the gifts on that day because it was her mother's birthday.

"I swear I felt so ashamed of myself that I wanted to trick her and fake our friendship.
I have decided guys, I will not let her be with someone so dirty like me. I am... I am.."  Abhedya could not complete and a tight blow landed on his face. It was Maan this time.

"You know what Abhey... you are right. You should stay away from her. What was her fault? She trusted you with everything and you thought she was tricking you? God!! You are actually a swine!" Maan cooled and hugged Abhedya...
"You are mad, my brother. We all make mistakes in judging people and situations. We have been taught to not reach conclusions by hearing a part of the conversation but we are not only curious to know what others are talking about but make judgements based on those. Abhey, it's okay. Our lives are complex and we cannot do anything about it.
But if we are together we can fight it all through. Nim needs us Abhey. She has been fighting it all alone till now and everyone has a saturation point. Let's help her get through it. Admit it or not Abhey you mean a lot to her and she means a lot to you, still. So, give your relationship a chance. Don't be a fool and lose it. Not this time Abhey. You should consider yourself lucky to have met her again. No!! Arya,  I am not saying they should restore their childhood sweetheart phase again but at least try and be friends. Even with all those differences in their upbringing and opinions and lifestyles and motives. So, Abhey if you don't want one more punch promise me you will not talk a stupid teenager and act like a matured boy."

"Matured boy? Abhedya R. Singh? Not in this life. I think he was right. He should stay away from her. You know what I can't abuse you... you are family." Holding Abhedya's collar Arya continued "if a day comes you both separate... I swear I will kill you both no matter whose fault it is."

Maan and Abhedya were shocked to see the new rage in Arya.
"Come on now, get up you cry, baby! Fight with me." Arya challenged Abhedya wearing his boxing gloves.

Abhedya got up with a new zeal and the match began. After three rounds Arya gave up and deduced, "Broken lovers fight with all their might. Hence proved." A final punch landed on his face and Arya fell flat. "It's not my day today."

Abhedya and Maan laughed and went to the shower room. They relaxed their muscles under the hot shower and Arya kept cursing Abhey for his broken self.

The boys came down and found Swarnima's room still locked. They asked Gene to use her X-ray vision and see if she is fine. "She is breathing!! She is asleep though."

"Open the door, Gene," Maan told her.

"That's not correct. She is a girl and it's against rules to do so. Besides Nim is not wearing her contact lenses and she doesn't see anyone with the naked eye." Gene denied the command.

"Fine, you go inside and wake her up. Ensure if she is fine." Maan ordered Gene and questioned Abhedya.

"No! She does not know anything about it. I swear I did not let her know how guilt-stricken I was. I behaved perfectly and she must be clueless. I don't know the reason for her excessive exercises." Abhedya told the boys who accused him of her situation.

"See that's the problem. Your good behaviour. She was expecting a jerk and she got a gentleman." Arya said twisting his jaw left and right to get to its exact position.

"Shut up Arya. Instead of those lame jokes get to work now. Let's make this Sunday morning special for her. She likes porridge, Upma and poha. Let's make that for her. Get some flowers from the balcony. Set in the vase and what else... yeah instrumental music." Maan directed the boys to get to work.

"Can we make something edible for us to eat?" Arya and Abhedya requested making a face.

"We all are eating that only. No more questions, she will be out in max thirty minutes." Maan specified and the boys hurried towards the kitchen.

The bright and sparkling clean kitchen was a mess. They knew how to cook but were unaware of the ingredients. Arya and Abhedya played with food in the middle. Maan kept scolding them.

"Haha haha haha!" came the sound of the laughter they were waiting to hear. Swarnima saw the boys in the kitchen struggling to make breakfast. "What are you doing? Who asked you to do all this?" Swarnima said in between her laughter.

Maan came out and sat on the chair. Arya followed his suit. Abhedya was still standing in the kitchen staring at her but when their eyes met he started decorating the Upma and got it in front of her. She smiled seeing it. He made an infinity symbol with shredded carrots.

"I made breakfast since you were sleeping like a log." Abhedya took the bowl to the dining table.
"Sorry! I don't know how come I slept till so late. You should have asked Gene to make breakfast. I am so so sorry." Swarnima apologised.

"Relax! Nim. He is just joking. Come sit. The breakfast is ready and it would have not been so messy had these two not used your kitchen as a playground." Maan pulled a chair for Swarnima.

Maan closed Swarnima's eyes and gestured the boys to lay the breakfast on the table. The boys rushed to the kitchen and quickly laid the dishes on the table. Maan removed his hands and Swarnima saw the most beautiful and interesting breakfast table.

She thanked them and asked, "What's so special? Why all this?"

"You are special and special people deserve special treatment," Abhedya told her with a shine in his eyes. He was determined to make the day special for her.

Arya dropped his spoon and exclaimed, "Wow! I am using this dialogue on my girl. Abhedya you are a genius bro. What a line!!"

Swarnima lowered her eyes and took a bite of Upma from her plate. "It's so salty!" The boys looked at each other with accusing eyes.
Abhedya took a bite from her plate and assessed, "It's fine?"

"Now it's fine! The extra salt mixed with 'this' sugar candy(pointing at Abhedya ) makes it now balanced. And 'ummmm' tastes yummy!" Swarnima commented.

This time Maan dropped his spoon and questioned, "What's wrong?"
Swarnima and Abhedya both started to laugh.

'Hahaha,' Arya copied them. He was feeling left out since he didn't know the joke and it is so against the rules. Maan was just happy to see both of them happy.

Arya got up and put his hand on Abhedya's mouth and threatened, "Tell me else I will throw tomato sauce on Swarnima's white dress."
Hearing the threat they burst into even louder laughs. Maan joined them too. It was such a unique threat. Arya threw sauce on Swarnima and all went quiet.

"Arya!! You know that was my favourite shirt. You spoiled it." Swarnima scolded Arya.

"That's for not sharing the joke with me," Arya explained victoriously.

"You are such a child Arya!" Abhedya commented to him. 

"I am a child coz Maan didn't ask me to become a matured boy." Arya reasoned picking Maan's words from an earlier conversation.

"YOU ARE IMPOSSIBLE, ARYA!" Maan and Abhedya said in unison.

Swarnima excused herself and went to her room for changing her shirt.

"Now tell me?" Arya asked.

"The 'line' you liked so much was used by Swarnima. She told me when I asked her the reason she got me those gifts.
The sugar candy dialogue she spoke was by me when... when... Umm... I first stayed at her place and she made sandwiches for me... I told her they were salty on purpose and she tasted them to confirm. That's when I said it's now balanced. She played along. That's it, Arya! You are such a curious cat." Abhedya narrated the two incidents and it brought a smile to his face.

'Click' Arya clicked a photo of smiling Abhedya and said, "See that's the thing. This smile on your face is a gift of the bond you share. You saw her laughing? She only laughs like that with you. You are lucky, Abhey!"

Swarnima returned in a crisp white shirt and sat to have her breakfast.
"You cleaned the shirt?" Arya asked munching the food.

"No!! Thanks to you I doubt the stain will go!! It's a different one." Swarnima cleared him.

"Huh! All your clothes look the same! Boring! No variety!" Arya said casually and bit his tongue and mouthed a 'sorry' to her.

Swarnima was used to such comments. At least Arya said in a normal tone. "One day Arya!" Swarnima replied and ate her food. "The food is very tasty guys! Thank you! and sorry again for the trouble."

A fresh splash of sauce again came on her this time from Abhedya. She was shocked and so were the other two on the table. "That's for thanking and saying sorry to your friends."

Swarnima recovered from the shock and saw her shirt.

"You both, by the day after,  she should get a new shirt from each of you else be ready to face the wrath of Maan!!" He ordered the boys who laughed and gave a hi-five to each other.

"We will leave now! You have your exams tomorrow. I know you both have already prepared for it, still... all the best!" Maan gave a brotherly hug to Abhedya and Swarnima.
After they left the secret elevator, Swarnima was going to her room for changing her shirt when Abhedya pulled her hand from behind, twirled her and remarked,  "you drip happiness."

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