Aditi

I put on a maroon ankle length dress with a side slit ending on my upper thigh. It was covered with monochromatic beads on the top.

My hair was blow dried into natural waves brushing the skin of my revealed back.

The last thing I had to do was put on lipstick. I didn't settle on something minimal today. It was my birthday. And I had every right to make it all about me.

I took a step back from the vanity in my closet, closing the cap of the dior lipstick before keeping it back.

My gaze hovered on my reflection in the mirror. I took a slow twirl to check myself.

After the busy day I had in the office, full of countless meetings. A long warm bath had left me relieved.

I hadn't rushed getting ready. And it showed.

"We're done," said Avni when I walked into the room. Eyana's knee-high boots ticked against the floor when she covered the distance between us. "We'll lead you downstairs."

"Why?"

"'Cause we don't want you to trip on the stairs." Avni grinned, "you'll be blindfolded."

I looked between them in disbelief.

These girls were hell bent on not letting me know what they were doing. When I got home from work, they screamed like I was entering the hall intentionally and not because it was the only way to get to my room.

Considering they'd put so much effort in setting everything, I sighed and turned my back to Avni to let her blindfold me.

"If it ruins my eye makeup, I'm not letting you eat anything on the buffet."

Eyana chuckled at my very serious threat.

"Then I'd pray your makeup fixer is of good quality." Avni let out a soft laugh as she crossed me to stand in front.

When we were descending down the stairs, a slow murmur reached my ears. My sisters stopped me somewhere I knew I was surrounded by people.

"Ready?" Eyana's voice came from my right side causing a tingling feeling in my stomach. I gave her a quick nod.

When the blindfolds came off, I hadn't adjusted to the lighting before the crowd erupted around me, party poppers made me flinch, music started at another end setting the vibe.

Neon light reflected from the Happy Birthday sign board hung up on the wall. Red balloons were tied around the hall with complementary transparent ones full of confetti inside.

Fresh roses were decorated in ceramic vases everywhere, candles adding to the aesthetic warmth with a vintage elegance. White ribbons hanging down the ceiling like curly ringlets.

"Thank you for this." I breathed when my eyes found Avni. She smiled, shaking her head in vague denial, handing me a drink from the server passing by. "Happy birthday to you."

I pressed a kiss on her forehead when she folded her arms around me. I hugged Eyana too. She had been more than just a help for Avni.

Everyone came with wishes and gifts for me. There were limited guests at my party. Yet it felt better than the lavish parties of my father because here I didn't have to pretend I was pleased by meeting people I barely knew.

Conversations felt genuine. Smiles were real.

Avni and Eyana stayed close. Not in the group but close enough to be there for me.

I spent around an hour greeting all my friends. Every time I shifted from one person to another, someone offered me a drink and raised a toast to me.

This was easily the drunkest I'd ever gotten. Though, I was surprised how well I was holding up. Walking straight in heels after drinking so much was a skill. My sisters hadn't suspected this was my first time consuming liquor.

I was talking to one of my old friends when a thick voice caught my attention.

"Happy Birthday, Aditi."

My eyes landed on the familiar dark orbs chasing me like a nightmare. Air suddenly hit colder against my bare skin.

I stood silent.

When my eyes flicked at Sam, his presence oddly made sense. My confusion subsided with a questioning glare.

She stood beside Shrey with a smile. While Shrey looked like he couldn't decipher if being here or showing up uninvited was the right decision. I couldn't comprehend which one exactly. His shoulders appeared tense, layered with a formal ivory suit.

"Thank you." I accepted the gift he was holding in my direction and dropped it to the pile of gift boxes towered on a table near me in the corner.

"Happy birthday." Sam leaned in to hug me. Despite my inner turmoil, I let her hug me. It was only one day that I'd forgive someone for stabbing me.

Unfortunately, it was today.

"Together you look like the decor theme of this party." And this girl had the audacity to joke on us after it had taken everything in me to not yell or stab her. Probably both.

She even earned a glare from Shrey who stood next to her at this. However, if ghosts didn't have the power to scare her, who were we humans?

"Hey," my sisters approached with a smile.

"Hie, I'm Samridhi." Avni gave her a side hug, her face brightening when she heard Sam's name. "So you're the friend my sister couldn't resist meeting when she returned."

That had Sam's smile turning wider proudly. "Exactly," she said, pulling her hand back from Eyana.

An awkward silence erupted when they turned to Shrey expecting a word from him.

"I'm Shrey," he murmured after clearing his throat.

"He's my colleague." I mentioned it deliberately. Because that's all he is.

Nothing more or less.

"We know him," Avni nodded at me then averted her gaze back at him. "We didn't get a chance to get introduced but we were there at the press conference."

Shrey nodded.

"He's obviously not here for business. Besides being Aditi's colleague, Shrey is also our friend." Sam looked at Shrey. "Ease up a little. You look like you've been forced to come."

"Technically, you forced me to come." Shrey whispered so quietly to Sam, I doubt if I heard him fine.

"Drinks?" Avni looked at us after stopping a server with a tray of liquor. She passed martini glasses to all of us and then held one for herself.

"Put it back, Avni. You're sixteen."

She flashed me a look but complied anyway.

"Enjoy the party," I told my friends and excused myself, crossing them the moment I saw Aryan entering through the main entrance.

Like a tsunami, he entered in a black leather jacket paired with parachute pants. His lips twitched at the corners when he saw me.

"It's been so long," he lightly wrapped an arm around me. "Happy birthday, beautiful."

"Good to see you, Aryan." He was the only friend I hadn't got a chance to meet when I came back from Ahmedabad. Last I heard, he was out of town for business.

He smiled, "how are you?"

I took a step back from him opening my arms, "that's how I am."

"You look fabulous, cherrypie."

A soft chuckle escaped my lips.

Aryan was the cool guy in class who had girls lurking behind him. I was shy in school but we became friends eventually when I kept a secret for him. It was Sam, Aryan, Shrey and I.

We were a group.

"Here, I got something for you." He pulled out a small box from his pocket.

"Shall I open it now?"

It was a jewelry box.

A gold chain with five separate pendants shone when the inbuilt box light lit. One pendant had my initials engraved with diamonds.

In a line, the other four were laid beside the chain already weaved in the A shaped pendant. A starfish, tulip, teddy bear, and a ruby heart with a tiny white pearl dangling below it.

"It is very pretty." I took out the chain carefully to wear it.

"Let me help," Aryan spoke, watching me struggle, clasping it behind my neck.

I nodded before turning around. I tilted my head down and pushed my hair over the shoulder to bring them in front.

The pendant hung below the hollow of my neck. It was adding a subtle touch to my loud dress.

"Now that you're wearing it, this actually looks pretty."

"I think-" I pushed my hair back, facing him. "-you're right."

Among all my friends, Aryan was the one who'd laugh in the worst situations. And if I see him cracking, next would be me. That was the kind of bond we shared.

He flirted with me like he always did. But it was never something that made me uncomfortable because he knew his place. He never crossed my boundaries.

That said, I knew how to shut people out of my life very well. Love or not, I don't bear anything when it comes to my self-respect and pride.

I saw Aryan's gaze flickering behind me which made me turn in the direction he was looking.

In an instance, my eyes contacted Shrey. His face was still—no expressions, no movement, no response.

There was something in his eyes which he masked way faster than I could understand.

He hadn't moved from his place till now.

"Hey." Aryan waved at Sam and him, bringing me back to reality. I followed behind when he walked over to meet them.

"Look who is here," he teased. "Missed me?"

It was when I got closer I noticed Shrey's hands fisted on his sides, tight enough that made his knuckles white.

A slow understanding settled in.

So that's what it was.

Jealousy.

A faint smile touched my lips before I masked it behind my glass.

"No." Despite saying this, Aryan drew Shrey close for a hug.

I bit back a smile at his response. Aryan conveniently ignored him. Of course, he seemed used to his friend's ruthlessness towards him.

Then, he met Sam. I didn't miss how his eyes lingered a little longer after she pulled away from their hug. Soft and longing.

When Aryan caught that I noticed, a smile spilled across my face. Teasing him from my gaze.

"I was going to bring Rhea but she refused at the last moment." Sam came close to me to whisper softly, oblivious to how she affected this man.

Although, I rolled my eyes at the lack of efforts her justification carried. "I don't care about him. He's just a guest."

"You never know when you will."

____

For a long time after meeting Aryan, I entertained other friends who joined later. We laughed, drank, danced and even had a: stuffing as many cupcakes in our mouths challenge.

Avni won the challenge for obvious reasons.

But I still got the price for obvious reasons.

Because denying the birthday girl is no less than a crime that leads to hell.

I was on the dance floor enjoying with my sisters, Samridhi and others when I surprisingly saw Shrey looking at me from the bar.

He was sitting with a drink, his face neutral. I held his stare for a minute. Everyone was dancing around me.

Then Aryan came to sit next to Shrey. His appearance broke our stare down when Shrey threw him a glance.

Aryan was smiling, eased up like he always was. He nudged Shrey, saying something but Shrey stayed silent.

Their energy was poles apart at that moment.

Their lips moved when they talked. I don't know what either of them was saying. All of a sudden, Shrey leaned close to Aryan, almost threateningly.

In a moment, he swiftly rose from his chair after muttering something to Aryan and walked away from him.

I kept looking in the same direction, confused at their interaction. Impulsively, I got off the stage and walked to the bar.

"Your man needs therapy." Aryan scoffed, gulping the whole drink from the glass at once.

"Excuse me?"

"Excused."

I gaped at him in disbelief before quickly dropping on the chair next to him. "Neither he is my man nor do I care for his therapy."

"Great." The sound of liquor hitting the glass echoed between us when he refilled his glass. "You say he's not your man, he talks like he's ready to murder me if I touch you again."

"What?" I laughed.

"Seriously? You find it funny?" He put his drink down to give me full attention. "He walked out threatening me."

"That's dramatic," I said, though my smile had faded a little. "Shrey doesn't threaten people."

"Oh, he absolutely does. Just in very polite language."

I rolled my eyes. "You're exaggerating."

"Am I?" He tilted his head. "You didn't see his face."

I had.

The way he leaned in. His tightened jaw. The way he stood up like he needed to distance himself before something reckless happened.

"He doesn't get to react like that," I said evenly. "He lost that right."

Aryan studied me for a second. Not teasing now. Just observing.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "That's what I told him."

I blinked. "Told him what?"

"That you're not something he can guard." He watched me before adding, "for the record, I wasn't flirting."

"I know." He never had to justify it.

"He cares, Aditi."

I released a deep breath. "I can't help it."

He nodded, patting my shoulder lightly.

___

At this point, I couldn't bear standing in my heels let alone dancing on the stage. Dizziness was clouding my mind when the alcohol really started getting to me.

"I need some fresh air. I'll be back." I told Eyana before slipping out to the backyard.

Moist grass touched my bare feet, my heels were dangling in my hand as I walked. That was a quick relief.

I settled on a bench under the shade of a tree. Calm consumed me when I closed my eyes, releasing a sigh through my nose.

I stayed like that for some time.

"Tired?" A voice forced me to open my eyes

I looked up without answering for a minute.

"Were you following me, Shrey?"

He ran a hand through his hair like he was debating what to say. "I just came to talk."

I wrapped my hands around myself when a cold night breeze touched me. But I felt relieved when warmth engulfed me from a warm jacket that was put around my shoulders.

I paused.

The possibility of my intoxicated mind playing tricks on me died when I touched the sides of the ivory suit jacket resting on my shoulders.

"Today was a nice day, wasn't it?" He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I don't get to see your smile often."

"It is my birthday." Not just any birthday—the one I get to spend with my loved ones after years. It was supposed to be nice.

"I didn't know Aryan and you were still friends."

"I'm still friends with everyone." I paused to look him in the eye. "The only exception is you."

This was meant to hurt him. And it hit exactly where I wanted.

He let out a small laugh, "you did clear it when you didn't miss mentioning me as your colleague earlier."

"What else do you think you are?" I paused. "Once we add being an uninvited guest at my birthday party to the list too."

He stayed quiet, his eyes found the ground.

If I'd heard him right earlier, he told Sam she forced him to come. Which, considering her nature, she could've really done.

Shrey's silence was enough to validate my conclusion.

He would never shift blame or justify himself if it made someone else a villain. Rather, this is what he chose. Silence.

"Sit." I shifted on the bench. Adjusting the jacket on my shoulders when another breeze hit.

He watched a hair strand flying over my face quietly. The feeling of his gaze on me unsettled me enough to look away.

His gaze was unsettling but not uncomfortable. Not even when he looked at me like that.

I brushed the hair strand behind my ear.

"You've changed." He said it in a way I couldn't depict if he meant it good or bad.

"People grow up." My eyes fell on his revealed arms beside me. He had a good physique—veiny forearms, toned biceps.

I almost forgot what I was saying.

Damn.

"That's not growing up." His voice made me look into his eyes. He was already staring.

"Then what is it?"

"You restrict yourself around me."

I didn't respond promptly. Neither did I cut-off our eye contact.

"I thought that was very obvious." My lips twitched in a bitter smile to provoke him.

"I'm sorry, Aditi," he whispered. "I never meant to break your heart."

My previous smile fainted.

He was... apologizing?

I swallowed.

Was I supposed to forgive him now?

It's okay. Was I supposed to say it's okay now?

Even though I didn't want to say it, his apology warmed my heart. It felt like my heart had found a steady rhythm after years of unrest.

"We're not the same as we were before." My voice came out so weak, it almost depicted disappointment.

"I know. And it is my fault."

My jaw tightened. His honesty was seeping into my walls little by little, cracking them on the weak spot.

I hated how his words were affecting me.

But I can't forget that he's acting nice right now because this isn't about work. If it was professional, he would always think of himself.

Not to forget how he always deflected when I brought up the question why he had joined my father's company.

It envies him when he sees me with my other friends, but he was the one who let me go in the first place.

I won't let him inflict his emotions on me.

"It's cold outside. I'm heading back." I got up but before leaving, I left his jacket at the armrest of the bench.

And I didn't turn back.