adore | sumellika ✔

13

Krish sighed and twirled his spoon in his cup of chai.

Radhika and Harsh were sitting opposite to him, talking about something. Krish wasn't sure what they were talking about; he had zoned out after some time, not interested for he felt like he was eavesdropping on their conversation. He realized that he should probably say something, just to let them know he was still there.

"Oh gods, that is so funny!" He exclaimed, faking a laugh.

Radhika stopped talking and glanced at him with what seemed like a surprised and shocked look.

Harsh gently shook his head as if telling Krish bad words to say, bud.

That's when Krish knew he messed up.

"Krish..." Radhika began with a sigh. "I was talking about how my dog died..."

"Oh." Krish deadpanned as his cheeks flushed red from embarrassment. "Sorry...I–um, yeah..."

Radhika rolled her eyes and continued playing the game of Let's Pretend Krish Doesn't Exist again.

After tagging along while they laughed, talked about inside jokes and many more things that absolutely tortured Krish, he decided to intervene.

"Well..." Krish began, clearing his throat. "I think we should head back home, am I right, Radha...?"

Harsh narrowed his eyebrows. "You both...live together?" He asked with confusion.

"Nothing of that sort!" Radhika piped up, shaking her head with surety. "We just live nearby. Don't misunderstand anything."

"Don't misunderstand anything."

"Oh, okay then," Harsh said as he broke into a smile.

"Krish, why shouldn't Harsh also come? We can drop him then drop me, right?" Radhika looked at Krish, placing all the pressure on him.

He got annoyed almost immediately. Why was she so intent on him coming everywhere we go?!

"Sure," Krish replied, rather half heartedly.

Krish slumped down the driver's seat, his gaze searching for Radhika, expecting for her to sit beside him.

Instead, she sat behind. Even worse, she sat with Harsh.

Getting annoyed but it's fine. It's fine, Krish. It's nothing. Nothing to be mad about. It. Is. Absolutely. Alright!

A tiny voice seemed to tell him: stop convincing you are just annoyed. No, that isn't true! You are jealous, idiot!!

Krish let out an annoyed huff. "Don't know what goes on in my mind these days..." he mumbled in a dangerously low voice.

"What was that, Krish?" Radhika perked up, looking at him, her conversation with Harsh momentarily paused.

"Nothing, Radha, nothing," he continued, sighing. "Continue your talk." He motioned at them.

"By the way, how did you both get your nicknames for each other?" Harsh asked, smiling.

"Oh, that..." Radhika grinned. She glanced at Krish. "Do you want to tell him or should I...?" She asked.

Krish gestured at Radhika to continue.

Radhika's grin widened. "Well, you know, my mom and his mom had always been friends. That made the both of us childhood friends too." She paused then went on. "I hated him when I first saw him."