A Lot Like Love

three

"Yes Uncle"

"What about Aarohi?" he asked his words directed towards his wife.

"I have just tugged her to sleep," Mahima said, passing him a cup of coffee.

"Thank you for the coffee" he smiled before taking a sip of it.

"Anirudh, breakfast is ready" Mahima called as she passed Trisha three plates of hot poha.

On cue, Avika walked out of the bathroom and joined everyone for breakfast at the table.

"What are your college timings?" Varun asked once Avika settled on the chair.

"I think it's twelve to five" she replied.

Varun nodded.

"Since, you will be travelling by yourself from now make sure you text me while leaving from college, alright?" Mahima said.

Avika nodded, understanding her mother's worry.

⁕ ⁕ ⁕

   "Damn yaar, if I have to travel in so much of a crowd every day and wrestle myself out of the train then I think I will just travel by OLA every day," Trisha said as she tried to catch a breath.

"Yeah right Ambani ke baad tu hi next rich hai na?" Avika mocked with a hint of humour in her eyes.

Trisha scowled at her before looking around the crowded station for Anirudh. On cue, Avika's phone rang, she pulled it out from her front pocket and glanced at the screen. She slid the green option and pressed the phone to her right ear,

"Did you get down at the station?" came Anirudh's voice.

"It was the last station dada" Avika deadpanned.

"Yeah, fine smartass! Where are you now?"

"At the station? Waiting for you?" she said but it sounded more like a question.

"Which side are you standing on? Churchgate side or Virar side?"

"What? Dada, we are at Churchgate station then how can we be at Virar?" she asked dumbfounded.

"Avi, I know we are in Churchgate but which side are you both standing?"

"I don't understand what you are saying," she said, her brows furrowing in a faint quizzical manner.

"What's wrong?" Trisha asked, looking at Avika's state of confusion.

"Give the phone to Trisha"

Avika passed the phone to her. Trisha looked at her with an eyebrow raised in question "What is it?" she mouthed as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Which side are you standing on? Churchgate or Virar?"

"How about you just meet us outside? Near MOD?" Trisha suggested.

"Okay"

Trisha passed the phone back to Avika. She kept the phone back in her front pocket before Trisha took a hold of her right hand and walked out of the station. They stood outside waiting for Anirudh's arrival.

"Trisha?"

She hummed in response.

"Do you think Viraj likes me back?" Avika asked, her voice softer than usual.

Trisha looked up from her phone "Why do you think he likes you?" she asked warily.

"Something seemed different yesterday. It felt like he saw me more than a friend" Avika reasoned as she thought about last night with a soft smile lingering on her lips unknowingly.