Not You

Chapter 18

"So...what's going on?"

Mads and Aditi were sitting in their favourite restaurant sipping their favourite pina coladas, unwinding after another long day at work. This was done rather frequently. Any time, they were stressed out with work or any other part of work, they would call each other and meet up here. This is of course when Mads was too tired to cook. Otherwise, Adi always preferred the Gupte cooking over any restaurant. That now included the other Gupte as well.

Mads bit her lip in nervous anticipation and faced her best friend. She took a quick sip of her drink and said, "Um...so there's this guy..."

Adi's eyes bulged out in excitement and set the drink aside to say, "Ooooo tell me more!"

Mads broke into a smile that gave Adi a glimpse into how she must have looked as a teenaged girl crushing on the boy next door. It caused Adi to smile as well.

Mads said, "Do you remember me talking about that guy...from work...um...Kunal?"

With that, she turned slightly pink in the face. Adi giggled and nodded. She knew she could tease her friend now about the blush but then she would get even more conscious and stop talking so she refrained altogether.

Mads ploughed on with the blush turning deeper, "Um...yeah...It's him. You knew, didn't you?"

Adi laughed at that and said, "Duh! Every time you speak of him, you have this goofy smile on your face. It's so obvious!"

Mads widened her eyes and questioned urgently, "Oh my God! Do you think it's noticeable to him too?"

Adi patted Mads on the knee and said, "Mads, we're in our late twenties. It doesn't matter if he knows!"

Mads shot back, "Of course it does!"

Adi asked with a quirk in her eyebrow, "How?"

"He...um...would know..." Mads finished somewhat lamely.

Adi laughed again and said, "That's the point! You want to date him right? Wait, he's single right?"

Mads swatted her on the knee and said, "What is wrong with you? Of course he is!"

Adi countered, "Then what's the problem?"

Mads hunched her shoulders and slumped on the table putting her hand to her temple and said, "I don't know if he likes me back."

Adi rolled her eyes and said, "That's not a problem. You can find out!"

Mads asked curiously, "How?"

"Ask him out!"

Mads looked at her friend dubiously and said, "I have no idea how you do that. It sounds so stressful."

Adi picked up her drink and took a sip. She then said, "Mads, you have a great skill at your disposal. Your cooking! Why don't you...throw a party and invite him to that? Better yet, call some of your other colleagues along too."

Mads nodded slowly and said, "I guess I could do that." She then looked at Adi and said, "Oh but not too many people. Our house is not big enough for that."

Adi threw her a dry look and said, "I meant a quiet little dinner party for 4-5 people, Mads. Not a college frat party with loud music."

Mads made a playful face and said, "There will be cute boys though!"

Adi giggled and said, "Now that I can live with..."

Mads looked much more at peace now that she had told her best friend everything. She leaned on the back rest and asked, "So...tell me all about your exciting love life!"

Adi opened her mouth to say something and then closed it. She then asked suspiciously, "Why would you think my love life is exciting?"

Mads looked caught out suddenly. Adi noticed that the Gupte siblings had the exact same sheepish hand-in-cookie-jar expression. Mads said with a nonchalant air, "Uh...because of Purab Roy of course. Tell me what's going on with him."

Adi frowned slightly and responded, "Good...We chatted a few days back over email. He wants to take me out again soon." She sighed at the end.

Mads noticed it and went, "That dreamy huh?"

Distractedly, Adi looked up and absently shook her head to say, "No it's not that. I mean he is dreamy but..."

"But what?"

Aditi looked out the window as she saw flashed of memories go by in her head of crashing into Adi the first day, of him laughing with her, of the hug, of him waiting outside her office, of holding his hand and walking on the ledge, of...Adi.

"But what?" Mads urged.

Adi came out of her reverie and shook her head slowly, her heart beating fast again. Now she knew how Mads was feeling a few minutes back. Only this was worse. This was Mads' own brother she was thinking about. She took a deep breath and said, "But nothing. It's late. Let's order! Ooo! I have a notepad. Let's make a list of all the things we need to buy for the party. What say?"

Mads smiled knowingly and nodded along. She said, "Adi?"

"Mm?"

"I'm letting you go for now."

Sigh.

Author's Note: So what did you guys think...fornow? LOL :P The chapter is dedicated to @Fanka_07 whose company I miss everyday after work. I have a great deal of deep thinking to do. Till then, all ofyou are cordially invited to the dinner party chez Aditi & Mads. :) Do come.The Guptes are cooking. :D - S