Aarav's POV
I kept the phone aside after discussing the details with the lawyer. Plagiarism wasn't something uncommon; many young writers and people chasing easy fame turned to dirty methods like those. Some got away with the law, and some regretted it in the worst possible ways. I loathed people like this who had no respect for someone's hard work and efforts, and this guy was no exception. He had stolen someone's work he never should have even thought of, and I am going to make sure he never does it again.
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I opened the door to my apartment, and Anant wasn't home. I freshened up, changed into a t-shirt and sweat pants, and went to the kitchen to cook up something for dinner. I made some fried rice and omelette, took my portion to the dining table, and kept Anant's portion separately so that he can reheat and eat whenever he comes. Just as I started eating, Anant came too.
"Freshen up and eat. I cooked just a few minutes ago before you came." I suggested and resumed eating.
"You are back later than usual today, senior." He stated while keeping his phone on the table and going to wash his hands.
"Traffic." I continued eating. 'Did Kanika arrive on time and safely?' I proceeded to text her asking if she went home safely. "Where did you go?" I asked him.
"To look around the city. The night view is really good." He sat at the dining table with his food and started eating.
Soon his phone screen lit up with a notification. I took a peek at it. It was a message from Kanika, the notification blinked with the name KANU and a heart emoji with a smiling face that shows teeth and eyes closed. I immediately took my phone and checked for her response, but none. I wanted to double-text her, but I didn't want to look desperate. I looked at Anant typing on his phone with a big grin like an idiot, just like the emoji. I couldn't contain my jealousy.
"Who are you talking to with such a big grin?" I tried to sound casual.
"Uh… no one… bs ese hi ek dost." He kept his phone aside. It vibrated with another notification, but now he just kept it inside his pocket. Finished his food in a hurry and went to his room.
(Uh… no one… just a friend.)
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'Just a friend, huh?' A question like statement that I couldn't take out of my mind the whole time I ate and did the dishes. I leaned my head back on the sofa. And drifted to the memories of not so long back time, just a few months back, when I transferred to the Pune branch from the main branch in Mumbai. "Friends?" Kanika asked me right after a few weeks of transfer as she extended her hand towards me, and I took her hand in mine and replied, "Friends." I am sure I was smiling the whole day after that and did my best to avoid using that hand, so her scent doesn't fade from it, but well.
I was to be transferred to the Pune branch, so I came here two weeks ahead of the supposed time so that I could find a place to live and get familiar with the city. One day, I went to the mall for no specific reason, and I met her for the first time face-to-face.
-Flashback-
"Ho Aai , mi thieek aahe. Mi ithe pahilyanda aakelo naahi." I assured my mumma, who was on call, asking me if I got a good place to stay and got familiar with the surroundings in Pune.
(Yes, mumma, I am fine. It's not like I am here for the first time.)
I wasn't paying attention to my surrounding as I talked on the call while I looked around the mall and checked out the shops on my side I was about to turn on the corner but ended up colliding with a girl we both stumbled backwards she almost tripped but kept her balance but one small bag fell from her hand and made a sound of breaking something inside.
"Aai, mi thodya vedyane parat phone karto." I hung up the call without waiting for her to respond.
(Maa, I will call back later.)
"Excuse me, are you alright?" I asked, trying to look at her face, but she was picking up her fallen bag and checking inside it.
"Fuck." she mumbled to herself as she took out the perfume bottles to check and found them leaking from the base. 'Fuck' I thought to myself, looking at the leaking bottles, feeling a little responsible for it because I wasn't paying attention to where I was going.
"Umm.. excuse me. I am sorry for this. Let me buy you replacements," she finally looked up at me. And, 'Fuuuck', I swear I could have been a goner at that moment.