He knew he couldn't shut her up. He knew if he continued rejecting, maybe she will start doubting his identity. He didn't want to get exposed this soon. He really feels comfortable this way.
It's not that he doesn't like eating Indian food. He was eating Indian food in almost every meal for the past four years. So food is simply food for him, whether Indian or western. It's just that he hadn't eaten any Indian fast food for a long time.
He sighed. Fine. It's just about eating something he likes. He convinced himself and started eating.
Somya, who was unknown of her dear friend's internal fight, was cheering herself inwardly. You would think it's funny, but Somya is a big nation lover, so just now, when she has offered him food, she was only doing this because she didn't want Western food to outdone Indian food!
Tsk Tsk! Such a naive girl. She doesn't even have an idea how her naive thoughts put Varun in a dilemma.
They finished their food soon and when the bill arrived...
Varun was sure that he is not going to pay the bill at any cost. Afterall she was the one who dragged him here. He had planned to make her embarrass as every girl when sitting with a boy thinks it's their birthright to make the boy pay while eating on a table of two.
But then again, Somya's wasn't one of those everyday girls. She was only one of her kind.
Somya checked her pockets and put a note on the bill, and said, "I'll pay mine, and you will pay yours."
Again she did something unexpected, which Varun didn't expect. Varun finally realized that he couldn't use his reasonable mind to deal with this unreasonable girl.
"What? Do you want me to pay for you? Look, Mr. Beauty, it's the end of the month, I get a little salary and after giving it all to my mom, what I get back as my pocket money is less. So, I will treat you sometime later. This time you should pay for yourself," she said, smiling cheekily.
I told you, Somya is a miser. There's no way that she will lend her money to someone that easily without any good reason.
He tried on embarrassing her, but now he was the one who was getting embarrassed to death by her. The minimum money he has in his pocket right now is more than the cost of this entire café.
But this damn girl embarrassed him over a petty bill. He was about to slam the table angrily with his card when he suddenly remembered what his identity is for her.
Realization struck him, and he felt he is done for because all he had in his purse are cards, and after seeing those cards, anyone could tell that they belong to a rich person. He can't even fool a waiter with his card, let alone a bank employee.
Finally, after long deep thought, he told her, " I left my purse in my office, so send me your account details. I will transfer money to you online, and you will pay for me. Will that do?"
"Of course! Why not." and with that, she quickly pulled out her phone and send Varun her UPI ID on WhatsApp.
Varun too quickly transferred her the amount without keeping back the change, but Somya stubbornly returned the change to him.
After they left the café, they separated their ways.
When Varun entered his office, somebody was already pacing the room in his office.
Seeing him enter that someone quickly made a run towards him and waited for Varun to come in and then rained questions,
"So you finally got someone, ha? Even went on a date, great? Tell me everything quickly now."
"No, I was just out for a walk and nothing else," Varun replied.
Rahul pouted at this " Out for a walk and in with a girl, who do you think I am? A five yr old?"
Left with no other option, Varun told him everything since the day he and she met in the alley.
"Oh! So you and she are talking for quite some time." Rahul grinned.
"Don't think much. She only thinks of me as her friend and nothing else."
"And how do you know that?"
"....because she doesn't have that look in her eyes, what you know as 'lovestruck eyes' whenever she looks at me," he explained calmly.
"And what about you?" Rahul asked, still unsatisfied.
"Huh?" he didn't get.
"I mean, what do you take her as?" Rahul asked.
" Less like a friend, more like a troublemaker," Varun replied with an irritated tone.
Rahul sighed and yelled inside, 'Idiot brother, at least think for a moment before replying' and said to him, "Varun, from what you told me, I don't think she is a bad girl, and as you said, she isn't after you either because of your wealth or because of your status.
So why don't you give her a try, AS A FRIEND."
Rahul said while closely observing his brother's facial expression. He knows well how his brother reacts while talking about girls, so he took precautions and added that 'as a friend in the last.
Varun listened to his brother's words but didn't reply.
Rahul took his silence as an agreement and continued, " Look, brother, I know you are tired of all this and want a change in your life. So why not take this chance. Besides being sometimes playful, she isn't a bad girl." 'and more like a smart girl who knows how to pet you,' Rahul said inside his heart with a grin.
Varun sighed and replied, " Yea, you are right. There is nothing bad with being friends with her."
Rahul almost shouted 'hurrah' but stopped himself at the right moment.
"But it doesn't mean you can hope too much out of this," Varun stated. He obviously knows what's going inside his brother's mind.
Rahul knows his brother well. Afterall he knows him since they used to wear diapers. If his brother didn't want Somya to approach him in the first place, then she won't be able to come near him either willingly or unwillingly, but Varun didn't use his ways and let her approach him.
That only means that he feels something towards her too.
Rahul only hopes that over time this 'something' will take a good transformation.
Now when I look at these brothers, I remember someone's wisdom-filled words...
~A Best Friend...
He is a person who accepts silence
over conservation
A relationship like this denies silly promises
and persuasion
You don't feel the need to second guess thoughts
or measure words~