Friend....

After my meditation, I slowly stood up from the bed, stretching my muscles, feeling the refreshing sensation as the tension melted away. I walked towards the door, but before I could even touch the handle, the doorbell rang, cutting through the quiet of the room. I opened the door and found a boy with brown hair and black eyes standing in front of me. He was looking at his watch, seemingly impatient. He looked up, saw me, and immediately started yelling, "C'mon, Bhai! Open the door already!" Without waiting for a response, he barged into my room, his voice trailing off as he continued to complain.

I stood there for a moment, taking in the sight of him—Aryan. My best friend from the old days, back when I was still wasting time in college. As he walked in, his casual demeanor felt oddly familiar, almost like no time had passed at all. It was a strange feeling, having someone so close from my past, yet everything had changed. I couldn't help but reflect on the way things used to be.

After sorting through my thoughts for a moment, I sighed and broke the silence. "I'm hungry, bro. Let's go out and eat something first."

Aryan stopped in his tracks, staring at me as if I'd just spoken a foreign language. He raised an eyebrow, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Are you blind or something?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I glanced at his hands, and my eyes widened when I saw the tiffin box in his grip. Suddenly, a memory hit me like a wave. Aryan's mother often used to send me tiffins while I was living alone in this city, knowing that I didn't have the time or energy to cook for myself. Her meals were always filled with warmth, even when she wasn't around.

I quickly snatched the tiffin from his hands and opened it, revealing my favorite dish—Dosa, golden-brown and crispy, paired with chutney. The sight of it made my mouth water. "Oh yeah," I exclaimed, feeling the comfort of familiarity wash over me as I eagerly dug in, not caring that I hadn't even washed my hands.

Aryan, watching me devour the food in silence, raised an eyebrow again. "Done eating?" he asked, his tone a mix of amusement and mild disbelief at my enthusiasm.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, nodding with satisfaction. "Yeah, all good."

"Let's go," he said, turning toward the door.

I was about to ask where we were going when he answered before I could open my mouth. "The club."

The word club hung in the air for a moment, and suddenly, a strange feeling settled over me. A memory surfaced—one I hadn't thought about in ages. There had been something... off about the area around that club the last time I had passed by it. My mind raced as I recalled the dead bodies I had seen in my past life, just near the club. At the time, I had brushed it off as a coincidence, but now... now something didn't sit right.

I felt a chill run down my spine as my instincts screamed at me to be cautious. It wasn't about heroism or trying to save anyone—it was just that odd feeling gnawing at me. My curiosity got the better of me, and I nodded. "Okay," I said, my voice calm, but internally, I was already bracing myself for whatever lay ahead.

We left the building together, and as we stepped outside, I saw Aryan's bike parked nearby. It was a Harley Davidson, sleek and powerful, its black body gleaming in the sunlight. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Of course, my best friend was rich.

I reached for the keys in his hand without asking. Aryan stared at me, his face a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "Do you even know how to drive this thing?" he asked, his tone teasing but with a hint of concern.

I froze for a second. In this timeline, I didn't know how to drive a bike. But that didn't matter. A rush of excitement shot through me as I looked at the bike, feeling an irresistible urge to take control. The sound of the engine, the power, the freedom—it was something I had longed for, something I had dreamed about in my previous life. I didn't even know why I was so drawn to it. Maybe it was just the allure of speed, or maybe it was something deeper.

I smiled, my expression a mix of confidence and mischievousness. "There's nothing your father can't do," I said, trying to make light of the situation.

Aryan shook his head, laughing. "Alright, fine. But don't crash it, okay?"

I didn't wait for him to say anything more. I took the keys from him, my fingers brushing against his for a brief moment. It was a simple exchange, but it felt significant somehow. I could feel the weight of the moment, as if this small action would lead to something bigger.

I climbed onto the bike, the leather seat warm beneath me. I adjusted my grip on the handlebars, feeling the vibrations of the engine beneath my fingertips. Aryan sat beside me, his face full of curiosity as I started the engine. The roar of the Harley's engine filled the air, and I couldn't help but grin widely. It felt good—no, great—to finally hear that sound. It was as if everything was falling into place, and for the first time in a long while, I felt truly alive.

I gave the throttle a little twist, and the bike lurched forward. My heart raced in my chest, not just from the excitement, but from the sense of freedom that came with it. The wind whipped through my hair as we sped down the road, the city around us becoming a blur. Aryan's laughter echoed in my ear, and I couldn't help but laugh along with him.

For a moment, nothing else mattered. It was just me, the bike, and the open road ahead. I had no idea where we were going, but I knew one thing for sure: whatever happened next, it was going to be an adventure.

As we approached the club, the air felt heavier, the weight of my past life pressing down on me. I glanced at Aryan, who was grinning like a fool beside me, completely unaware of the significance of this place to me. He didn't know about the bodies, the strange feeling in my gut, or the faint sense of déjà vu that had begun to creep into my mind. But I would find out. And when I did, nothing would be the same.

I took a deep breath, focused, and pulled into the parking lot of the club. Something told me that tonight, everything was about to change.