21

Naina took off the jacket; Meera was about to wear it, but Meera left from there. Naina looked surprised, then saw Meera sitting with Shahnaz again.

She was laughing at Shahnaz's words. When Naina came back, she saw Aahan standing hiding his face.

"What happened, Aahan?"

"I'm feeling embarrassed."

"Remove your hand, what happened?"

"Nothing, I just feel embarrassed."

Naina, while laughing, removed Aahan's hands from his face, and Aahan's face had turned as red as a rose.

"Are you blushing?"

"No, something went wrong with me, I need to complain, how could Jay do this to me?"

Naina said, "Wash your face with cold water, talk to Jay if he did something wrong."

"I just don't want to talk to Jay." Aahan's face had a mix of anger and shyness.

Jay was playing the guitar. Naina said to Jay, "What did you do? Aahan is upset."

Jay put the guitar aside and said, "Cutie is upset, let me check, it's getting late, we should all go towards the hotel."

Just then, Teena and Lalita came laughing together.

Naina asked Teena, "Seems like you two have become friends?"

Lalita hugged Teena and said, "For sure."

Teena, angrily, said, "You just needed an excuse to hug."

Teena ran towards the bus, Lalita chased after her.

Naina thought to herself, "It's strange, everyone is making new friends here. Teena isn't interested in Aahan, and Aahan hasn't even noticed Teena's happiness. What's going on? Meera is upset."

Everyone settled into their seats on the bus.

Jay said to Aahan, "What's wrong? You're not even looking at me."

Aahan replied, "Am I the only one you've met on this entire trip? Don't all these girls attract you? Why me?"

Jay teased, "Do you want something, Cutie? Chocolate? Kiss? Flower?"

In anger, Aahan said, "Am I not your girlfriend? Just keep quiet."

Jay remarked, "Are you upset because of the dance? Everyone seems to have forgotten that you were feeling shy."

Aahan said angrily, "I haven't forgotten. I never felt as embarrassed with my girlfriend as I do in front of you now."

Jay affectionately replied, "Cute! You look like an angry bird when you're mad, Aahan buddy, we're friends. Next time, you dance, I'll sit out."

Aahan, still upset, retorted, "I don't know how to dance."

Jay said, "You just move, and I'll say yes, but only one wish."

Aahan smiled and said, "That sounds good."

Jay widened his eyes and smiled.

Aahan burst into laughter.

Meera was typing an email, while Naina kept glancing at Meera's phone. Naina slowly extended her finger towards Meera's hand, but as soon as their fingers touched, Meera moved away and distanced herself slightly from Naina.

The hotel arrived, and everyone checked their rooms. Meera requested a separate room, but there were no available rooms.

Naina suggested, "Meera, we can stay together, or else you can stay with Teena?"

Lalita said, "Naina and I will stay together, it's the best!"

Aahan said, "No rules will change, Naina will be happier with Meera. Naina's mom said so."

Teena added, "Aahan is right, Naina and Meera have to stay together."

Shahnaz said, "Yukati, tell me why Meera wants a separate room? Naina is here, isn't she? She's a nice friend."

Yukati nudged Shahnaz's shoulder.

Jay said, "I can share a room with Lalita."

No one paid attention to Jay's words; they all went to their rooms. Naina lay on the bed as soon as she entered, while Meera was taking out new clothes from her bag.

Meera took off her jacket and started unbuttoning her shirt, and Naina noticed that Meera was changing clothes right there.

"Meera, Meera, no!" (Naina said with her eyes closed).

"Now what's your problem?" (Meera said, trying to control her anger).

"I won't be able to look at you; wait, I'll go to the bathroom, you can change."

"We're both girls, why are you feeling shy?" (Meera said, controlling her anger).

"I feel embarrassed, even if it were Teena in your place, I would say the same thing."

"Is there any difference between Teena and me?"

"You both are my friends." (Naina's eyes are still closed).

Meera said, "The buttons on my shirt won't open, can you help?"

Naina replied, "I'll come."

As if ordered by Meera to "open your eyes," Naina invoked God's name and opened her eyes.

Meera said, "You look like you're about to commit a sin."

Naina thought to herself, "I prayed so that it wouldn't be a sin" (while unbuttoning).

Meera smiled and said, "You can't control yourself in front of me; that's the difference between me and Teena."

"You know everything, yet you still enjoy teasing."

Meera noticed Naina was sweating, her hands trembling.

Naina took a deep breath and said, "Done."

As Naina was about to leave, Meera grabbed her hand. Meera was wearing only a bra and jeans, and Naina didn't want to look at her. Meera came close to Naina and said, "You're a coward, you're afraid of your feelings, you don't even know what you want" (Meera said in a very intoxicating voice into Naina's ear).

Meera went to freshen up in the bathroom, Meera's voice echoed in Naina's mind, Naina wiped the sweat from her trembling hands, drank water, and put on a nightie.

Naina thought, "I'll change until Meera comes out." Naina took out a green t-shirt, then removed her bra and put on a normal yellow shirt. When Naina was about to take off her jeans, she heard the sound of the door opening, so she covered herself with a blanket.

Seeing Naina, Meera asked, "Why did you cover the bed with the blanket?"

Meera looked at the jeans lying to the side, then went back into the bathroom. As soon as Naina finished changing, she called out to Meera. Meera opened the door.

"Let's go eat something; I'm ordering from here."

"I'm not hungry, you go ahead."

Meera controlled her laughter and asked, "If I feed you with my own hands, will you eat?"

Naina said, "What kind of question is that? I'm not hungry."

The food arrived in half an hour.

Meera pulled Naina up, "Naina, wake up and eat."

Naina, half-awake, said, "I'm not hungry; I'm tired."

"No, no, you have to eat," Meera insisted.

Meera fed Naina a piece of bread.

Naina wasn't hungry because she had eaten a lot of cheese maggi there, but she tasted the food from Meera's hand. When Meera fed her, Naina's tongue touched Meera's hand.

Naina is thinking, "What I felt was like exploring a soul, as if my heart were blooming like a flower, giving off a faint sweet fragrance, like the gentle happiness a flower bud imparts. There was a sense of peace that I felt, I want to experience this feeling repeatedly. I want to understand what this feeling is."

Excitedly, Meera asked, "Tasty?"

Naina just nodded faintly.

Meera said, "Here, take your plate and eat. I ordered the food I like; you know..."

Naina hesitated and said, "feed me."

Meera tried to understand Naina's expressions for a while and then...Meera took the plate.