Chapter 3: Friends

"Payal!" she said and her sister turned around.

"Hey Khushi, come have a seat with us," Payal said and scooted over a bit to give her some room.

"Khushi, this is my friend Anjali," Payal said

"Hi, I'm Khushi," Khushi said extending her hand forward for Anjali to take.

"Hey, I'm Anjali. Nice to meet you," Anjali said with a sweet smile on her face. Khushi sat down with them and sat down to eat.

"Payal, is it only the two of you that eat together?" Khushi asked.

"Yea, but also Anjali's boyfriend Shaleen," Payal said.

"Yea, he's not here today. But my brother's just joined the school today, so they will be sitting with us from now on," Anjali said.

"Really?" Payal asked "Khushi just joined today, maybe they know eachother and have met."

"Payal, it's such a big school and so many people here, I don't think I've met them," Khushi said.

"Met who?" came a reply from behind Khushi and she turned around to see Arnav standing there with a boy next to him.

"Chotte! And Akash! Come here and have a seat," Anjali said excitedly.

Arnav took the empty seat between his sister and Khushi; Akash sat in between Payal and Khushi.

"Chotte..." Anjali started off only to be interrupted by Arnav, "Di, it's Arnav."

"Ok ok. Arnav and Akash, this is my friend Payal," she said pointing at Payal, "and this is her sister Khushi," she said looking at Khushi.

"Payal said that it's also her first day here, so you guys might know each other..." Anjali said.

"Yea, we met this morning and are also in the same English class," Arnav said looking at Khushi who was busy eating.

"That's great, so at least you both know someone else," Payal said.

"Yea, we will all get along great," Anjali said. All of them started eating their lunch while talking.

"So how do you guys like the school so far?" Anjali asked.

"It's really nice. It's got a big library, I was thinking of going their later," Akash said.

"You like reading also?" Payal asked him.

"Yea, why?" Akash asked her.

"Well, my friend Payal is a big bookworm, so you both might have something in common," Anjali said.

"Remembering of library, I totally forgot that my book is due today! I'll get going and see you guys later," Payal said while finishing her lunch and getting up to leave.

"Hey," Akash said.

"Yea?" Payal said looking back at him.

"Mind if I come with you?" Akash asked.

"Sure, come on," Payal said. Both Akash and Payal threw their finished lunch away and walked away to the library.

Anjali drew her attention away from them and looked back at Arnav who was staring at Khushi.

"Ahem ahem," Anjali coughed and Arnav quickly turned his gaze away from Khushi.

"Di are you alright?" he asked.

"Yea, I'll just go get some water," Anjali said and left the table to get some water, leaving Arnav and Khushi alone.

"So, do you like your classes?"Arnav asked Khushi.

"They're good I guess," Khushi said.

"Hey, can I have you're number so I can call you later to talk about the project," Arnav asked.

"Yea, here," she said handing him her phone, "You save your number in my phone and I'll save mine in yours."

Just then lunch ended and the bell rang for them to go for their next classes. "Great, i'll call you after school," Arnav said and got up to leave.

Khushi got up also, "Okay," she said smiling. She was about to pick up her lunch o throw it away only to have Arnav pick it up before her, "Here, I'll take it. You can head off to your next class."

"Thanks," Khushi said and left for her next class and looked back Arnav to see Arnav also glancing back at her with a smile, and she also smiled. The next class for Khushi went by quickly and finally the bell for the end of the day rang. Khushi went to her locker, grabbed her stuff and waited outside at a bench for Payal to come.

She had been waiting a few minutes for Payal to come out, when she felt someone sit next to her.

"Hey, you again?" Khushi asked.

"Yea, me again. Is there a problem in that?" he asked.

"No, nothing like that. Actually my brother is with your sister and there at the library again, so she wanted me to let you know that they maybe a bit late," he said.

"Oh, thanks for telling me," Khushi said. An awkward silence filled the air and Arnav decided to break it, "So where are you from?"

"I'm originally from Lucknow, we just moved here a few months ago," she said.

"Oh, same! My family just moved here a few months back also," Arnav said.

"It's kind of feels a bit weird though. Like we don't really know anyone here, or have any friends," Khushi said.

"Yea, but aren't we friends now?" Arnav said.

"Yea, of course," Khushi replied back. Just then Khushi heard a horn honk and looked up see that their driver had arrived, she looked back at the entrance f the school and noticed Payal also coming out also along with Akash.

"I have to go," she said back to Arnav .

"Ok, see you tomorrow," Arnav said.

"Bye," saying that Khushi left and sat inside the car right after Payal had sat inside. The car drove away and Arnav felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Bhai, shall we go? Anjali Di is waiting for us over there," Akash said pointing to the other side of the parking lot, "Yea, let's go," Arnav said walking after Akash.

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