Aarya
The night was filled with animated conversations and laughter as Xander and I shared stories. After a few moments of awkwardness, it was remarkable how quickly a sense of comfort developed between us, making it feel like we had known each other far longer than just a few hours.
“Oh, come on, it can’t be true!” Xander snorted at one of my stories, his eyes dancing with amusement.
We laughed so hard that our fits drew the attention of those around us. “Oh, it’s true. Atul had silver teeth for almost a week after that. That Holi was one of my best.” I gave him a smug grin.
Xander raised an eyebrow, a mixture of curiosity and disbelief on his face. “How many days were you grounded for after that?”
My smirk matched his curiosity. “Ah, I just gave my parents my cute puppy dog eyes, and viola, no punishment.”
That grin he gave me made me feel so satisfied. “You’re an evil genius,” he chuckled, taking a sip of his bourbon.