Help,I lost myself again

AAyush POV:

Montreal is so relaxing. The beach house the girls have booked is breathtaking, with a view that could calm the most restless soul. The gentle sound of the waves, the serene surroundings—it's perfect.

I woke up early because Alia had mentioned we needed to be ready by 9 AM to explore the city. As I made my way out of my room, I saw Sidharth sitting on the sofa with his laptop on his lap. Seriously, this guy. Can't he chill for a while, at least during vacations

Sidharth" I called out, trying to catch his attention. "You know we're on vacation, right?"

He looked up briefly, a hint of a smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah, just finishing up some work."

I shook my head, amused but not surprised. "You never change."

Sidharth shrugged, his focus already back on the screen. "Old habits die hard."

I walked over and plopped down on the sofa next to him. "Come on, man. We're in Montreal! Leave the work behind for once."

He finally closed his laptop and stretched. "Alright. What's the plan for today?"

I grinned. "First, we wait for the girls. Then, we explore. Alia has a whole itinerary planned out."

I left the hall and knocked on Diya's room door. No one answered, so I gently pushed it open, only to find the room empty. Alia's room was empty too. That's when it hit me—the girls must have had one of their late-night girl talks and were still sleeping. They were always the ones blaming us for not waking up early and making everyone late.

I decided to let them sleep because, God knows, who knew when they might have gone to bed last night. They deserved the rest.

I wondered what they talked about last night. Knowing them, it was probably a mix of light-hearted gossip, deep conversations, and a lot of laughter. They have this incredible bond, one that's hard to describe but easy to feel when you're around them. It's like they share a special understanding, an unspoken connection

We had all been through so much, from late-night study sessions to graduation, and now this vacation. It was incredible to see how our lives had intertwined, creating a tapestry of shared experiences and memories.

I couldn't help but smile, thinking about how far we had come. The bond we all shared was something rare and precious. It wasn't just friendship—it was more like a family.

🐥

"Here comes the airplane!" Samaira teased, waving a forkful of food in front of Alia, who played along with a giggle.

Sid smirked and shook his head at the scene. "You guys are something else," he muttered.

After brunch, we decided to hit the mall. It was a typical Saturday crowd, with people bustling around, shopping bags in hand. Sid and I wandered off towards a jewelry store, just to browse. Diya was busy looking at some clothes with Hriday, who was trying to pick out a dress for Saanchi

As Sid and I walked past the jewelry displays, a beautiful diamond ring caught my eye. I could already picture it on Diya's finger. Sid noticed my gaze and nudged me. "Thinking about popping the question?" he asked, a playful glint in his eye.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just looking," I replied. "But yeah, maybe soon."

Nearby, Alia was admiring a pair of diamond earrings. They were elegant and sparkly, perfect for her. She seemed to hesitate, probably thinking about the price.

Samaira, ever the practical one, noticed too. " Alia, maybe you should wait and ask your future husband to buy those for you," she teased, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Yeah, right. Like that's happening anytime soon," she said, giving the earrings one last longing look before turning away.

As we moved on, Sid and I saw Hriday and Diya in a clothing store, holding up dresses and discussing which one would look best on Saanvi. Diya was totally in her element, offering advice and helping Hriday choose. It was sweet seeing Hriday so smitten and Diya so eager to help.

Diya and Hriday were deep into their shopping spree, picking out clothes and accessories. Sid and I hung back, watching them with amusement.

"I never thought I'd see Hriday so caught up in shopping" Sid said, shaking his head.

"Love does crazy things to people" I replied with a grin.

We continued browsing, and eventually, Diya  rejoined us, her arms laden with bags when Hriday had gone to the loo. Suddenly Alia had pulled Siddharth to the side.God knows what conversation she wants to have with him and can't I know about but I was too busy  with my Diya. I didn't bother much"All set?" I asked.

Diya nodded, her face glowing with happiness. "Yep! We got everything we need."

Hriday looked equally pleased. "Saanvi is going to be so happy."

"I hope she like them" Diya said, giving him a friendly pat on the back. "I'm just glad we found the perfect dress."

As we made our way out of the mall, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. It had been a great day, full of laughter and good times with friends. I glanced over at Diya, who was chatting animatedly with Hriday about their shopping adventure. She caught my eye and smiled, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Ready to head home?" I asked, slipping my arm around her waist.

"Yep," she replied, leaning into me. "It's been a fun day."

"Yeah, it was," I agreed, kissing the top of her head. "And I think Hriday's going to be very happy with Saanchi's reaction to that dress."

Diya giggled. "I hope so. He's so in love with her."

"Just like I am with you" I said softly, pulling her closer.

Diya blushed, a shy smile spreading across her face. "I love you too, Aayush."

Alia POV:

As I browsed through the cases, my gaze landed on a pair of diamond earrings. They were absolutely stunning, twinkling under the lights, and I could already imagine how perfect they would look on me.

I checked the price tag and felt a pang of disappointment. They were definitely out of my budget. I knew I had enough savings to cover the cost, but it would leave me with nothing left. For a moment, I considered asking Dad for the money. He would have been more than happy to buy them for me, no questions asked. But then I thought about now that  I'm earning for myself now. I didn't want to depend on anyone, not even Dad, for things like this.

As I stood there, contemplating, Samaira walked up beside me. She noticed the earrings I was eyeing and smirked. "Maybe you should wait and get your husband to buy those for you," she teased.

Her words made me laugh, but they also hit me hard. It reminded me of Akka saying   "nachina vasthuvu preminchina vaditho konipinchu kovadam lo kuda santhosam undi" when she forced bava(her husband) to buy her a pendant necklace

(Happiness lies in letting the person who loves you buy the thing you like.)

The joy of receiving gifts from loved ones shows how we express love and care through giving, whether it's a small gift or something more significant. This idea highlights the emotional exchange where material gifts symbolize affection and thoughtfulness.

It also touches on the idea of depending on others and the balance of giving and receiving in relationships. While it's awesome to get something special from someone you love, it also makes you think about the mix of being independent versus relying on others. It highlights the balance between taking care of yourself and enjoying the warmth of being cared for by someone close.

That was it. I decided I wouldn't buy the earrings now. Instead, I'd wait and ask my future husband to get them for me someday. It felt like a sweet and romantic idea, something to look forward to.

I gave the earrings one last look and turned away. "Yeah, maybe you're right," I said to Samaira, chuckling.

She grinned. "See? I'm always right."

🐥

As we reached nearer to the Place Diya and Hriday were waiting,  I can see Aayush wants to spend some time with Diya alone but Diya is busy with helping Hriday shop for Saanchi and Siddu never gives Aayush a single moment alone.He is always stuck to him.

How will they talk to each other with you there Siddu?!

That's it maybe someone must tell him that couple need some their time also!!

Maybe I should tell me

I pulled Siddharth aside when Aayush and Diya were talking and said " don't always stick to Aayush all the time,let him have some time with Diya,too" I said

He just looked at me for a while.did not utter a word!!This is making me blush!!!

I mean a direct contact of his eyes with my eyes followed by a moment of deep silence that I could hear my heart thumping loud.

What is it ? Are we playing a game?!who blinks first?

But none blinked!!

He then brought his head to my heart and asked " Should I stick with you instead" and in that moment I am sure my heart beat might have rose to almost 130.
I couldn't find any to say because deep down even I want That and I can't tell him that and this proximity is not letting me think of a comeback!

AAyush POV:
I dipped my toes into the pool, feeling the cool water against my skin. Diya was already wading in deeper, calling out to me, "Come on, Aayush, the water's perfect!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming" I grinned, easing myself into the pool.

We swam around for a bit, enjoying the tranquility of the mostly empty pool. Diya looked over at me, a playful glint in her eyes. "You know what this reminds me of?" she asked, her voice teasing.

"What?" I replied, curious about what she was going to say.

"That time I tried to teach you how to swim, and you ended up pulling me under instead" she said, laughing.

I chuckled, recalling the incident vividly. "Hey, you were the one who panicked and grabbed onto me like a lifeline!"

"Well, you were supposed to be my lifeline" I retorted, splashing her lightly with water.

She retaliated with a splash of her own, giggling. "Yeah, but not if you're going to drown both of us!"

We continued to swim around, enjoying each other's company. Diya always brought out the fun side in me, and her laughter was infectious. She swam closer, her eyes mischievous. "You know, I think I'm a much better swimmer now," I said confidently.

"Oh really?" she challenged, raising an eyebrow. "Prove it!"

I smirked and dove underwater, disappearing from her sight. I surfaced a moment later right in front of her, making her gasp in surprise.

"See? Told you!" I grinned at her.

She rolled her eyes, but a smile played on her lips. "Okay, okay, you've improved" she admitted. "But I'm still a better swimmer."

"Race you to the other side!" Diya challenged, already halfway across the pool before I could even respond.

"Hey, no fair!" I called after her, but I started swimming anyway, trying to catch up.

Diya reached the other side first, laughing triumphantly. "I win!" she declared, sticking her tongue out at me.

I rolled my eyes, pretending to be annoyed. "You always cheat."

"Maybe you're just too slow," she teased, splashing a bit of water at me.

I swam over to her, grinning. "Oh, you think so?" I said, playfully pulling her closer by the waist.

She giggled, trying to wriggle free. "Let go, Aayush!"

I held on for a moment longer, enjoying her laughter. "Not until you admit you cheated."

"Fine, fine, I cheated," she said, still laughing. "Now let go!"

I released her, and she immediately swam a little distance away, turning back to face me with a playful smile. "Catch me if you can."

I shook my head, amused. "You're such a tease, Diya."

"That's why you love me," she said confidently, her eyes twinkling.

I couldn't deny that. "Yeah, you're right," I admitted, swimming towards her again.

Author's POV:

Alia giggled as she splashed water at Diya and aayush in the pool and chasing Samaira "Come on, Samaira! You can't hide from me!"

Samaira smirked, ducking underwater to evade her. "Oh really? Let's see if you can catch me first!"

Their friends cheered and laughed, enjoying the playful chaos. From his lounge chair, Siddharth smiled. "You three are like kids."

Hriday teased from the side, "Careful, Siddharth, or they'll drag you in too."

Alia, hearing this, got a mischievous glint in her eye. She swam over to the edge of the pool, right in front of Hriday. Grinning up at him, she asked, "You think you're safe over there?"

Siddharth raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning, Alia?"

"Oh, nothing... just wondering if you can keep up!" Alia said with a mock serious tone. With that, she splashed water at Hriday but as hriday had ducked his head it water splashed over Sidharth catching Alia off guard. He jumped up, shaking off the water, looking at her with surprise and amusement.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that!" Siddharth said playfully.

Alia let out a  shriek and quickly climbed out of the pool. She dashed towards the garden area, trembling and wondering what he would do if she manges to get hold of her

Their friends cheered them on as Siddharth chased Alia around the pool and through the garden. Alia's heart raced, not just from running but the adrenaline rush and stress this was giving her

She glanced back to see Siddharth just a few steps behind. She tried to pick up the pace and entered her room. He followed her, closing the room door behind him to keep her from escaping. Alia backed away, trying to think of a way to stop him.

Statue!" she said, hoping he would freeze.

He didn't stop. Instead, he slowly walked towards her.

"It's a rule, statue," she repeated, her voice a bit more desperate.

But Siddharth just kept coming closer. He placed his hands on either side of her, trapping her in place. "You should know by now, I don't follow the rules. I set them," he murmured, his face inches from hers.

Alia's heart was racing now, and she felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. She looked into his eyes, feeling her crush on him stronger than ever, but still unable to say anything. The moment hung between them, filled with possibilities she dared not speak aloud.

Siddharth smirked. "Next time, think twice before splashing me."

In her mind, Alia couldn't help but replay the close proximity and his teasing words. She wondered if he felt the same intensity in those moments as she did, or if it was all just playful banter for him.

Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it was shorter than usual.You know sometimes you have those days where the words don't flow as easily

I promise the next chapter will be packed with excitement and surprises that will make up for it. I can't wait for you all to experience it with me.I might make a spoiler reel.

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