8x featured | A pick your own genre / version story. Choose between a sweet ChickLit love story or a mind-bending Thriller Romance.
When a grumpy billionaire fake dates a sunshine barista to understand how love works, they are forced to face the mon...
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(Priyankha's Version)
Brew Space was clearly recovering from the aftermath of a long office hour rush, if the number of utensils lying in the sink expressed anything at all. The order preparing station was filled with syrup bottles and milk cartons for quicker access and the ordering screen had been tapped way too many times in the past few hours. Grace was right. People in Starlight drink way too much tea and coffee.
With a loud sigh, Priyankha tried to find herself a spot in the quiet corner of the café with a cupcake in hand. It was earned today. She was beyond exhausted; certain her feet were going to give up on her if she had to stand for one more minute. As if just on cue, her phone rang and she barely managed to not squeal when she saw the name on her caller ID. "Tannu! How are you?" Her voice was a whisper but it barely concealed her excitement.
"Don't call me that, Akka." The caller scoffed in fake annoyance and Priyankha didn't notice the smile that grew on her face. "I have a very nice name if you've forgotten, after all, you've been away for so long. It's Tanvi-"
"You'll always be Tannu to me." She kicked off her footwear and settled on an empty chair near the billing counter. Accessible enough yet private. Her aching feet seemed to like that very much and her stomach growled at the sight of the sweet dessert she was holding. Pulling the wrapper away, she bit into the cupcake and her mouth exploded with the tastes of a subtle vanilla extract perfectly balanced with chocolate.
The sugar instantly kicked in and the very next moment, she was off guard with her posture relaxed and hot tears threatened to spring out of her eyes. This wasn't the best cupcake she had ever eaten but it was everything she needed right now. It hit her, suddenly and all at once. How much she missed her family - her Ma, her Appa, her little sister Tanvi. She would do anything to run back to them and envelop them in the tightest hug and never let go. She most definitely would, if only she could.
She realised she had let out a loud disappointed exhale into her phone when Tanvi asked in a concerned tone, "Akka, you're okay na?"
"I-'' Priyankha bit her lip, barely managing to hold back a sob. "I'm trying." She admitted at last. There was no point fabricating false stories to the person who could see through all her little white lies. Well, most of them, at least. But that was for her own good. Knowing everything wasn't always a good thing. Tanvi, her younger sister, her partner-in-crime, the only person who'd instantly know Priyankha wasn't okay even before she could understand that. "I miss you guys though. So, so much."
A part of her wondered if that was why she had called. If she had somehow figured Priyankha wasn't fine...
Tanvi's voice cut through her train of thoughts. "I miss you too, Akka." Before any of them could get more emotional, Tanvi started rambling, a series of events she had memorised so that Priyankha wouldn't miss out on whatever was happening in her little sister's life. She would normally have pulled her sister's hair for ranting so much but all she wanted to do today was hold her sister close and tell her how much she loved her.
