The Wrong Number

28

10:02 pm, Singh: AREY ALANKRITA

10:04 pm, Ally: HAAN SINGH WHAT HAPPENED

10:05 pm, Singh:What on EARTH was Ruhan doing yesterday???

10:06 pm, Ally: he was trying to talk to me.

10:06 pm, Singh: why?!??!!?

10:06 pm, Ally: Anu, is it *that* impossible to believe that a guy might want to talk to me?

10:07 pm, Singh: you know what I mean. Ruhan isn't just 'a guy'. You hate him.
10:08 pm, Singh: right?

10:10 pm, Ally: um

10:10 pm, Singh: ALANKRITA SUNDAR, YOU SLY VIXEN

10:10 pm, Alankrita: okay, maybe those tutoring sessions led to this blooming of a friendship

10:11 pm, Singh: This is absurd. I still remember the time you called him a 'loser face' in fifth grade.

10:11 pm, Alankrita: well he isn't that bad once I got to know him

10:13 pm, Singh: that's it. You are calling me and telling me EVERYTHING.

Alankrita sighed, relieved. She finally had someone to share her excitement with. It had become quite tedious to actively not tell anyone about Ruhan coming over. It took her a second to punch in Anu's number. Almost as soon as she put the phone to her ear, Anu's voice shrieked through it.

"Why the hell haven't you told me anything yet? How could you do this to me? I knew I was right from day one!"

"Argh, Anu, stop! Let me talk, will you?" Alankrita cut her off, and began to tell her every detail.

Over the next one hour, everything that had talked place between Alankrita and Ruhan was spilled out over the phone. Alankrita's throat felt quite sore when she was done.

"I knew that shirt looked familiar! Suchith's worn it a million times! And so have you!"

Alankrita giggled. It had been one of her favourites, and she'd always had an eye for it ever since her brother, Suchith, had bought it at Dollars and Pounds. When he left for medical school, leaving it behind with a couple of other clothes, she'd taken complete ownership of it. By what Ruhan had texted her, it smelled of her too. Alankrita wondered what he was doing at that moment. Anu's next question brought her attention back to the call.

"So are you going to take this any further?"

Alankrita stayed silent. Was she going to take this any further? "Erm," she mumbled, "I don't know, da. We're just beginning to hang out."

She heard a sigh from the other end. "Ally, c'mon, don't act stupid."

"Anu, he's not into girls like me. He's into," Alankrita struggled to find a suitable word, "girls...not like me?"

Anu yawned loudly, and said sleepily, "Okay, whatever. Goodnight. I'm going to bed now. I'm going to dream of my new OTP."

"Anu," Alankrita began in a menacing tone.

"What do you think of the ship 'Ruhankrita'? Chee, that's probably the lamest ship name ever."

Alankrita collapsed into muffled giggles, dropping her threatening act completely. She heard Anu laugh on the other end.
"Goodnight, Ally. For real this time."
"Goodnight, da," Alankrita said with a grin, and sunk deep into her covers.

*****