"Fine! Head of Finance," Mike said hurriedly, words tumbling out like coins he couldn't afford to lose. "You start Monday. Please, MK—you're the only one who can save us."
Before she could respond, the line went dead.
MK stared at her phone, sunlight bouncing off the screen, catching in the water's reflection. "Damn. Damn, damn!" she muttered, dragging a hand through her damp hair. "That man is unbelievable."
She was so frustrated she nearly hurled the phone—but stopped mid-swing.
"Right. No more smashing things," she told herself. "My bank account still hasn't recovered from the last one."
Across from her, Shriya leaned back, a smirk curling at her lips. "You've got anger issues."
"I do not."
"You were literally about to commit phone homicide."
MK rolled her eyes. "Okay… maybe a little." The reluctant smile that followed softened her face in a way Shriya hadn't seen before.
"Come here," Shriya said, standing and extending a hand. "You don't have to bottle it all up. You'll explode one day."
MK hesitated. The water rocked gently beneath them.
"Seriously, MK. It's okay to let someone in."
Before MK could respond, Shriya's foot slipped on the slick wooden floor. MK lunged forward on instinct, catching her—but their combined momentum tipped the boat, and both went over with a loud splash.
The cold hit first—then the laughter. Loud, wild, unrestrained laughter. MK surfaced, hair plastered to her face, gasping. "Crap! This is your fault!"
Shriya came up beside her, grin bright as sunlight. "You pulled me first!"
Their laughter echoed across the lake. Nearby, curious onlookers started cheering, and soon one kid jumped in, followed by another—and suddenly half the lake was alive with splashing water and laughter.
"Is this even allowed?" someone yelled.
"Technically, it's prohibited!" MK shouted back, pushing her wet hair out of her face, still giggling. "But I think it's too late now!"
Shriya wasn't laughing anymore. She was just watching MK—how the sunlight glistened off her wet skin, how her smile seemed to defy everything she'd been through.
It disarmed her completely.
The park guards began approaching in speedboats, whistles cutting through the laughter. Their rented time was up.
---
They left the park drenched, shoes squelching with every step. The late afternoon breeze carried hints of rain, but MK couldn't stop smiling.
"Come to the club with me," Shriya said suddenly, eyes bright.
MK stopped. "No, I have… preparations to make."
Shriya tilted her head, half-teasing, half-serious. "Preparations—or avoidance?"
MK looked away, flustered. "What are you talking about?"
"A mistake then?" Shriya asked softly, stepping closer. "Because if it was just a mistake…" she leaned in, her voice low, "why is your heart beating so fast?"
MK froze. She didn't even realize until then that her chest was rising and falling too quickly.
"I have to go," she muttered, fleeing before Shriya could see her blush.
Shriya watched her run, smiling to herself. "Definitely not a mistake."
---
That night, MK tossed and turned in bed, the memory replaying on an endless loop. The kiss. The fall. The warmth that lingered far too long.
What's wrong with you? she thought, clutching her pillow. You don't even like girls… right?
Her phone buzzed. A message.
Shriya: You asleep?
Shriya: I can't sleep either.
Shriya: Just checking if you got home safe.
MK typed, deleted, retyped, deleted again. Nothing felt right. She sighed—and then her phone rang.
She swallowed hard. "Hello?"
"You can't sleep either, huh?" Shriya's voice was lazy, amused.
"I was sleeping," MK lied, stretching the word. "You woke me up."
"Sure you were," Shriya teased. "You sound wide awake."
What started as banter stretched into something softer—two voices drifting between teasing and confession. Minutes became an hour, and silence started feeling like a language of its own.
Then came the line that sent MK's pulse racing.
"Can I come over?" Shriya asked. "It's boring here."
"No! I have work tomorrow."
"You start Monday," Shriya countered. "I was there, remember?"
MK groaned. "Oh… yeah."
"Perfect. I'll be there in fifteen."
"Wait—no, Shriya, I didn't—hello? Shriya?"
The call ended.
MK stared at her phone. "She doesn't even have my address," she said aloud, sinking into the couch—then froze. "Jesse."
She called immediately.
A sleepy voice answered on the third ring. "MK, it's three a.m…"
"If you gave Shriya my address, I swear—"
"I didn't," Jesse mumbled. "I gave her your old address."
MK exhaled in relief—then frowned. "Wait. Why would you give her the wrong one?"
"I figured you wouldn't want her showing up uninvited," Jesse said, yawning.
MK buried her face in her hands. "I wanted her to come over."
A long pause.
"MK… what did you just say?"
"Nothing. Go back to sleep." She hung up—just as someone knocked on her door.
Her heart jumped. "No way…"
She peeked through the peephole. No one.
But when she opened the door, a familiar figure stumbled forward, and they both fell in a tangle of limbs.
"Ouch," Shriya groaned, rubbing the back of her head.
"Are you okay?" MK asked, genuinely concerned. She took Shriya's hand gently to check.
Shriya smirked. "You care about me."
MK snatched her hand back, turning to close the door—but froze when Shriya's arms wrapped around her from behind. Warm breath brushed her neck, followed by a soft kiss that lingered just long enough to undo her.
Before MK could speak, Shriya walked past her and sat on the couch. "Let's watch a movie," she said casually, as if she hadn't just turned MK's world upside down.
MK stood there, heart hammering, caught between fury and something dangerously close to wanting more.