FIFTY SHADES OF KAPOOR | 18+

" Tripti "

"It's been a month since I've been here. I think I should just go back," Tripti said, glancing out of the café window, where raindrops traced their paths down the glass pane.

"You're worrying too much; that's the problem here," Hailee said, nonchalantly sipping her coffee. The steam curled around her face, giving an air of calm indifference.

"I just don't want to be a burden for you," Tripti confessed, her eyes nervously flitting around the quaint coffee shop, adorned with vintage posters and the hum of soft jazz in the background.

"Oh, come on. I'm glad that you're here with me. You have no idea how hard it is for me. After you came, I just don't feel lonely," Hailee shared, her fingers idly tapping on the porcelain coffee cup.

"Lonely?" Tripti asked, raising an eyebrow. "What about your boyfriend?" Tripti inquired again, her gaze searching for any hint of emotion in Hailee's expression.

"Oh, him. I'm going to break up with him," Hailee declared, her voice matter-of-fact. The cafe's atmosphere seemed to shift, and the murmur of surrounding conversations paused for a beat.

"What? You guys seem pretty okay together," Tripti remarked, her surprise evident in the furrow of her brow.

"Well, there's no problem between us, and it's clearly just sexual. There's nothing in my heart for him, and I'm getting bored," Hailee explained, her gaze fixed on a distant point as if searching for answers.

"We're drifting away from the actual issue here. I want a job. I graduated a year ago, and I couldn't find anything. Dad's calling me back to join our family business, and I hate it," Tripti expressed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on the table.

"Well, your family business isn't that bad, to be honest," Hailee offered, her eyes assessing Tripti's reaction.

"Hailee," Tripti called in disbelief, her tone a mix of frustration and surprise.

"Alright, alright... I can understand what you're saying," Hailee said, glancing at the waiter and signaling him for the check. She left a generous tip with a playful wink, and the waiter responded with a grateful smile.

"I'm tired, Hailee. I need something this week, or I won't be able to deny Dad's call," Tripti said, her shoulders slumping as if carrying the weight of her dilemma.

Hailee took the check, gave a nod of acknowledgment to the waiter, and winked again. "Hailee, are you even listening to me?" Tripti asked, her eyes pleading for attention.

"Of course, I am," Hailee replied, standing up. They both walked out of the cafe, the door chiming softly behind them.

"Just wait; I'm going to find you something worthy," Hailee promised as they strolled down the rain-dappled streets, umbrellas bobbing in a sea of hurried pedestrians.

"If you chose fashion design with me, you'd be doing designing with me. But you chose industrial design; it's such a competitive field, as they say," Hailee observed, her steps purposeful yet unhurried.

"I liked it—the product designing sector. But I just hate it now," Tripti confessed, her voice carrying a mix of nostalgia and disappointment.

"Don't worry. We'll find something here for sure; this is New York," Hailee assured, looking at the big banner ad in the city square, raindrops glistening on her dark hair.

"Today's the launching of Light Year One," Hailee mentioned, a spark of excitement in her eyes.

"Yeah, saw some reel on Instagram. The features looked cool, but look at that design; it's just so off," Tripti commented, her gaze fixed on the futuristic billboard as they continued walking.