"Alright, listen up!" Sneha clapped her hands together as the group gathered near the entrance of the mall. "We've had enough drama to last a lifetime. Today, no fights, no tensions—just shopping, eating, and acting like normal university students. Got it?"
"So, no talking about Hamza?" Siddarth smirked.
Akansha groaned. "Why did you have to bring him up first, then?"
"He just wanted to remind us," Aarav teased. "That way, we can get it out of our system now."
Shumaila shook her head, but for the first time in days, she felt light. She wasn't thinking about her past troubles. She was just here with her friends, ready to enjoy the day. (Han dukhi aatma)
The first stop was a trendy clothing store.
"Komal, just pick something already," Siddarth sighed, arms crossed as Komal inspected the same dress for the third time.
"Excuse me, shopping is an art," Komal huffed. "Not my fault you have no sense of fashion."
"Not my fault you take forever."
"Oh, please, you like standing here next to me. Admit it."
Siddarth opened his mouth to argue but stopped. Something about the way Komal grinned at him caught him off guard. He scoffed instead. "Fine. I enjoy watching you waste time."
"Sure, fake boyfriend," Komal teased, making Aarav and Sneha snicker in the background.
"Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd think you two forgot this was fake," Aarav mused.
"Absolutely" Sneha agreed.
Siddarth rolled his eyes. "We know it's fake."
Komal shrugged, smirking. "Do we, though?"
Siddarth had no comeback.
After the shopping spree, the group headed to the arcade.
"Alright, listen up!" Rudra declared, standing dramatically on one of the tables. "Whoever wins the most tickets today gets free dessert from the loser."
"And who's the loser?" Shumaila asked, arching a brow.
Rudra grinned. "You, if you don't win."
"Challenge accepted."
What followed was a chaotic battle of arcade supremacy.
Shumaila dominated the basketball game, making one perfect shot after another. Aarav stuck close to Akansha, helping her win a claw machine plushie despite her protests that she didn't need help.
Sneha and Rudra teamed up for a racing game but spent half the time sabotaging each other. Siddarth and Komal somehow ended up in a dance battle, where Siddarth miserably failed.
By the time they were done, the scoreboard was clear: Shumaila had won.
"Rudra, your wallet is about to suffer," Sneha teased.
Rudra groaned. "Remind me why I suggested this?"
As they settled into a cozy restaurant, the mood was relaxed and happy.
"Okay, now that we're all in a good mood," Aarav started, turning toward Akansha, "I have a question."
Akansha looked at him warily. "What?"
"Would you mind if I properly courted you without keeping it secret?"
The table fell silent for a split second before Sneha nearly choked on her drink. "Did you just say court?"
Aarav, unbothered, nodded. "Yes."
Akansha blinked. "You're being serious?"
"Completely."
Shumaila and Komal exchanged amused glances while Siddarth smirked. "Man went old-school with it. Respect."
Akansha, for once, didn't have a quick retort. Instead, she muttered, "We'll see."
Sneha gasped dramatically. "Oh my god, she didn't say no."
"Shut up, Sneha."
Laughter filled the table, and for the first time in what felt like forever, everything felt normal.
After dinner, the group decided to grab some sweets from a nearby shop. It was supposed to be a peaceful end to a fun evening.
But then, they saw him.
Hamza.
Standing by the counter, his back turned but unmistakable.
At that moment, Hamza turned, his expression unreadable as his gaze landed on Shumaila.
The laughter instantly faded. Shumaila froze, her good mood evaporating.
The tension in the air became thick, suffocating.
And just like that, the night took a turn none of them were ready for.