ME: If you say so.
BIANCA: You’ll know when you meet him. Now about tonight, you coming?
BIANCA: We can have a sleepover. Get drunk and watch horror movies together.
I smile, remembering those carefree and hilarious nights. We used to steal our dad’s expensive liquor bottles and drink in her room. Then, we’d watch horror flicks and laugh at the absurdity of them.
ME: Rain check on the sleepover. But I’ll come for dinner.
BIANCA: Yay! See you then. I’ll cook your favorite dish, pao bhaji.
ME: You learned to cook? *flushed face emoji*
BIANCA: Dash taught me. *smiling face with sunglasses emoji*
ME: Well, that makes me even more excited.
BIANCA: I’m sending you the location. Come straight from work.
ME: Okay.
BIANCA: Can’t wait. Love you.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Arya
I make a detour to my apartment to feed Pihu and play with her. She’s always waiting at the front door and eagerly climbs up my legs until I hug her tight.
She’s growing bigger and more beautiful day by day.
And becoming quite naughty too.
She also loves playing with water. I almost tripped when she spilled her drinking water from the bowl I kept on the floor.
As I head for the door after changing into my favorite pair of jeans and tank top, Pihu trots after me on her little paws. She mewls when I grab the house keys.
“I’ll be back soon, cutie-pie,” I murmur to her, kneeling to pet her.
She hisses louder, jumping into my lap. Staring into her piercing green eyes, my heart melts at her adorable face.
How am I supposed to walk away now?
“Fine,” I sigh. “Guess Bianca will have two guests over.”
A triumphant purr leaves her mouth, knowing she pouted her way to come with me.
“You have me wrapped around your little paw.” I laugh, standing up. Holding her against my chest and my tote bag hefted on my right shoulder, I unlock the door and step out. Locking the place with one hand, I trudge to the elevator and ride to the parking lot.
In the car downstairs, I place her on the passenger seat and my bag in the back seat.
Putting Bianca’s address in the GPS, I turn the ignition on and glance sideways. “You ready, Pihu?”
She purrs twice as I hit the gas and drive out of the basement and into the night traffic. The city lights sparkle in the sky, adding to the thrill and happiness of spending time with Bianca after so long.
A day I never thought would come again.
I won’t lie that I’m harboring a twinge of fear of my parents finding out she and I are hanging out together. They’ll see it as a betrayal. Mom surely would, along with guilt-tripping me into cutting ties with her again, while my dad would either threaten to disown me or try to create a divide between Bianca and me.
