A/N:-

I apologize to you for the "discontinue" message before. I honestly wasn't feeling like continuing this story at that time, but now I feel like doing it. Sorry again.

***

Alex:

I walked back to the officer's headquarters, thinking about the absolute foolishness of mine. What was I thinking? I was supposed to act "friends" with her, but the challenging look that her eyes held, really made me lose my temper.

I won't deny she is different. Different from all the Indian women I've seen till now. She isn't afraid of anybody. She likes to roam around freely, without the accompaniment of anybody (I know that because whenever I see her, she is alone). She takes stand for what's wrong. She doesn't hide away.

And I won't even deny that she is beautiful; very beautiful actually. She has thick brown-black hair which seems to cascade down her back in a beautiful braid. Her oval face is a sight to sore eyes. She has eyes the shade of almonds and color so deep, you would feel like just staring at them. Her brows are shaped to perfection around her eyes and she has those rosy lips, which looked so soft that I...What in the name of God am I thinking?

I reached the headquarters' doors. The sky was getting darker by that time. As I entered the apartments, I saw Jordan and Matthew playing something with a deck of cards.

"Friend, where were you?" Jordan said to me, without taking his eyes off his cards. We didn't have college today, due to some religious festival holiday.

"It's none of your business." I answered, nonchalantly.

"Whoa...what did you eat in the afternoon? A bowl full of chilies?" He said. "Wait, wait...did you bump into her again?"

I sighed heavily. Then I began to explain what I had decided to do and what happened in the afternoon. Matthew watched me with an unknown expression (not a happy one, must I add), while Jordon looked disgusted and amused at the same time.

"What?" I asked Jordan.

"You are trying to insult someone, by starting a friendship with them?" Jordan said, his expression looked like it said 'REALLY?!'

Okay, I know this wasn't the best idea but...but...I don't know, I just feel like it's right. Why? God knows why.

I shook my head and jumped on the bed. The room was plain; plain white walls, a wooden almirah and bed. But somehow, it gave away a comforting vibe.

I looked at both of my friends. They were pretty busy playing a heated game of bluff. I took of my shoes and got under the bed covers. Soon I drifted off to sleep.

...

I woke up to the sound of doors opening and closing. Matthew had a towel in hand while Jordan was fast asleep on his bed.

Rays of sunlight fell in my eyes and I used my arms to shield myself.

"Matthew, please pull the curtains!" I said.

Matthew chuckled and then drew the curtains. I looked at the clock and realized that it was just seven in the morning. We don't have college until nine. Matthew was an early riser, unlike I and Jordan. He liked to take a quick walk before starting his day.

"Why up so early today?" Matthew asked me, as he pulled out his clothes from the hangers.

"No reason"

Then out of nowhere, he said, "You seem quite intent on taking revenge from that girl, aren't you?"

I looked up at him. He had a rare look on his face and no sign of playfulness was shown through his eyes, which made me uncomfortable. I shifted in my bed.

"I don't know...it's not revenge. We are talking about my dignity, my respect here. She had no right to slap me, did she?" I said.

Matthew sighed. "But don't you think calling her extremely childish things like 'filthy', 'creature' etcetera was out of the limits?"

"Uh...maybe it is. But it stings doesn't it?" I said slowly. "But wait, are you one her side now?"

"It doesn't matter whose side I'm on. Whose right, that's what matters." He said, all too quickly.

Something was amiss here. Matthew didn't intervene into others' matters, be it his own friends.

"What's with you? I've always been like this." I said. I wanted to test him. Matthew wasn't the one to keep things in his stomach for long.

"Don't you get it? It's just childish and wrong!" He shouted at me. I saw Jordan stir in his sleep.

"Is that new to you?" I shouted back at him. This senseless argument was heading nowhere.

Matthew took a deep breath and then, rather calmly, said, "Look Alex, I think we should stop bothering her. That's all."

And that's when something clicked. It seemed like a bizarre thought, but I just couldn't keep it in. I had to ask him.

"Do you like her, Mat?" I blurted.

Matthew's jaw visibly dropped. His blue eyes couldn't hide the surprise. He tried to recover all too quickly, but I managed to catch everything. He ran a hand through his golden-blonde hair furiously. "I-I don't know what you're t-talking about."

Confirmed. My best friend Matthew Hemmings liked my enemy Anvesha something. This was horrible. I didn't know what to feel. Angry? Happy? I just didn't know.

But in just...like a week? That's kind of impossible...

"I was literally born with you and you think I couldn't catch onto the white lie?" I said, anger surged through me in a sudden wave.

"Look here Alexander, just stop. I don't know what you're saying."

Alexander...he called me by my full name, which was unlike of him. He is lying straight to my face. I realized that my hands were clenched in fists. "Actually, you do know exactly what I'm saying!"

"Even if I do like her, my friend, that's none of your business!" Matthew shouted. He furiously threw the towel at the chair, and then grabbed his clothes. After that he left, with a loud slam of the door.

None of my business? Really? Matthew and I are like brothers. We share everything...we are together from the day we were born, for God's sake! And suddenly he tells me that his personal life is "none of my business"? Hurt was the only thing I could feel at that moment.

"Well...that was...shocking." Jordan drawled. I didn't even know he was up and hearing our conversation. Or fight, should I say.

I realized that my mouth was hung open. I quickly shut it. A huge cyclone of thoughts whirled in my mind. But one thing was clear. Those thoughts weren't good; I wasn't feeling happy about this.

Matthew was the calm one in our group. He hated fights, arguments or anything like that. Anyone could have guessed it because of his absence from my arguments with her...when he ignored us while calmly watching us at the same time.

Matthew likes Anvesha, romantically. He likes a woman who is not of his community. If anything happens between them, the society will never accept it. Matthew is not a stupid person to not understand this. He should know this perfectly.

But all this comes afterwards.

The main thing is, how could he manage to like someone romantically in just a single week? A single week where encounters with that woman have been nothing but enraging?

I threw my head back into the comfortable pillow. I was thoroughly frustrated and confused.

Why is coming to India turning so...eventful?

***

I again apologise for that message. I wasn't feeling like I should continue this story, but now I want to continue it (again).

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