What is wrong with you? Turn around laugh at him and his stupid statement, which is making your heart pound, and walk away.

I am trying but I can't. Did he mean what he said? Am I reading too much from what he very casually said? Can someone like him say something like that to someone like me? What should I make of this? Is that my phone ringing?

'Mad love; So take a look at what you've done

Cause baby now we got bad blood'

Yup, definitely my phone.

I raised my phone to my ear and before I even uttered a greeting the voice on the other side spoke.

"Meet me in my apartment now," and the line went dead.

I turned around and without making any eye contact, said to Nick "I should go now. Something's come up, I will see you sometime," and made a mad dash to the stairs.

I was listening to my brain and running away from the stupid guy who has been constantly flashing before my eyes for the past few months now.

It was only when I reached the lobby it struck to me.

How the hell are you planning on leaving this place unseen? I am sure there are people out there trying to just get a peep at the girl that has Ryan's heart hidden in her purse.

"I take it that your plan was to escape from these people by like never before?"

It had to be him, didn't it?

"No, on my way down I was supposed to acquire magical powers. Powers that help me teleport."

He gave me a fake smile and said, "come with me I can drive you"

Crazy?

After a lot of NO from my side and logical reasoning from his end, Nick drove me to Mini's apartment. I got out of his car and without so much as a goodbye or thank you, I ran into her apartment.

What is wrong with me?

Had it been some other time I would be over thinking about the phone call, the cryptic way Mini hung up and the vague information I have been given. Because, Mini cannot for the life of her keep anything to the point. She loves to elaborate and yap about everything in detail. So, the only logical explanation my brain could come up with is that Mini has been kidnapped. The explanation proved to be right when I barged right into her apartment to find some guy standing in her living room with his back turned to me.

He was dressed in casuals and was looking down, doing god knows what. I have a hunch about who this guy is, but it is impossible for him to be here.

"If you made Mini call me here to demand some ransom, then let me tell you pal, you called the wrong girl. I do not have that kind of money; my boss is a miser."

The possible kidnapper let out a huge sign and walked to the couch and threw himself on it, busily typing away something on his phone and shouted "babe your crazy witch friend is here. As usual she is being dramatic. Come fast or I am sure she is going to turn me into a mouse."

I am taking this way better than I usually would. I blame it on the stupid words Nick said that are cushioning my brain from the blow of what is happening right now.

"Ok firstly" I say pointing my index finger at the lazy, indifferent cow sleeping on the couch "I am not a witch. Secondly even if I were one, I would turn you into a hamster and make you run on wheel all the time" I smile evilly at that thought "and thirdly..." he better close his ears "BABE? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" I shout and Ryan immediately drops his phone to cover his ears and Mini comes running from her hideout.

I am looking between the two of them back and forth and Ryan is still lying on the couch with his ears closed and Mini is slowly recovering from her shock, giving me a nervous smile.

"You" I point at Mini "have a lot of explaining to do."

She raises her hands and waves them slowly as if to say, 'calm down' and is motioning for me to come in. "I know. I called you to clear things out. Just come in and sit down..." she turns in the direction of the couch and says, "Ryan move".

He grumbles something under his breath but moves. I sit on the other extreme end of the couch and Mini drags a chair and sits facing me but closer to Ryan.

"Riya, just listen ok? Do not interrupt. I will tell you everything. I should have said this a long ago but I didn't know what you would say about it. So... I just kept quiet but then this happened and you were dragged into it. This is not how I pictured it to happen..." all I could hear was this and it. She was rumbling and if she didn't shut up and get straight to the point I will probably smack her head.

"... as I was saying it was not my intention to hide it from you. You know that I can't hide anything from you, I even told you about that one time when I...."

"We are getting married" Ryan deadpanned with a flat look.

"We are?"

"What?"

Mini and I reacted at the same time.

He didn't bother clearing it,

"Babe" he turned in the direction of Mini "stick to the point. You look so nervous, for a minute there I thought you were proposing to her."

I had to stop myself from hitting the two of them for the whole 'babe' thing making me uncomfortable and before Mini started her rumbling session again I said "you get to the point. Rant again and I will smack you."

"Shut up Riya, I am already scared of your reaction and now you are threatening me." She let out a huge huff and continued. "Ok back in college when I was interning with the Daily News I was there during Mr. Vesh's interview and that was when I first met Ryan. We spoke a little and then he wouldn't just let me be. He kept asking me to go out with him and at one point I had to yield"

"Aww, good old days. You had to give in at some point. I knew you couldn't resist this." Ryan pitched in, gesturing at his body.

I paid no attention to it and Mini acted like she did not hear him but I could see the light pink brushing her cheeks.

What have I done to endure this?

"And then I got to know him and he stopped being the obnoxious person he was." Mini stopped talking and was opening and closing her mouth. She had an expression that I completely DID NOT understand. Her big eyes looked at me expectantly like I was supposed to figure out what the happened next.

"Mini no matter how much you blink those beautiful doe eyes of yours, she will never understand. Your friend sucks at this." Ryan cooed at his 'babe' and then turned to me.

"My dearest dumb evil witch, all my girlfriend is dying to let you know is that, we are in love. Yes, I said girlfriend. Yes, we are in love. Yes, we are serious about this and yes, this is happening."

Ryan answered all my questions every time I tried opening my mouth. I did not know what to say.

Girlfriend. Love. Serious. Happening.

I was deep in thought when his voice startled me again,

"I love her Riya. I know she has no one and considers you very important in her life, but now she's got me too. She was scared that you wouldn't be happy with her choice, even though I am a little offended by it, I was ok with her keeping our relationship private. But now I don't want to anymore. I am sorry you got dragged into this, but the truth is I couldn't say her name without her consent. She has been killing herself from the day I said your name instead of hers. She thinks it is her fault, you are enduring all this. She did not even have the courage to see you and has locked herself here crying all day long. I am saying you all this because I can't see her cry. The tissue boxes are covering the entire trash can and I don't really know what to say to calm her down. My failures are reducing my points for the Best Boyfriend of the Millennium title. I am not sure if you like me or not but I am never leaving your friend, Riya. Ever. I am going to make her mine whether you like it or not. I want you to accept our relationship without any pressure or I will make sure you accept it."

He finished his speech and got up. He walked in front of Mini kissed her forehead and whispered "I will leave you guys to talk and please tell me you wouldn't be asking for her acceptance in anything else in our future. She is hard to please and scary," he said the last part a little loudly and left the apartment.

"Am I the only one or did Ryan really sound like he was talking to the girl's parents asking them for her hand in marriage. Jeez I suddenly feel so old."

I did. I felt like Mini's mom. Mini lost her family in an accident when she was eighteen, since then she was alone. She lived in hostels and dorms and never went back to her home again. She hardly spoke about them but when she did, she broke down. She had very few friends but the ones she had were really close to her heart.

I was one proud member of that group, because this beautiful girl's heart was a very warm place. I loved her more than I will ever say out loud and am very protective of her even if she doesn't know about it.

What I failed to realize was, Mini was sobbing silently and fat tears were flowing down her cheeks. I saw her lips tremble when Ryan was speaking to me. Wow, that guy was really something. Who would have thought that the tough looking brat was a closet romantic and part time Romeo?

I walked up to her and hugged her as tightly as I could. Now she was hiccupping and weeping.

"Shush. It's fine, it's going to be ok. I am fine, do not cry or worry about me. I am all good. Now look at me, kid." She rubbed her eyes and looked at me questioningly. I stood straighter and placed my hands on my hips and acquired the posture of a mom. "I do not approve of that boy. He is bad for you; he is mercurial, bossy, hard to keep up with and stupid for most part of his life. But, there is a man in him dying to be good just for you; I get a glimpse of him every now and then. He is a good man. Few days ago, he told me that he was madly in love with a very beautiful girl and just looking at him I could tell he was whipped. And the way he spoke about you gives me hope that he will keep you happy. You have my blessing."

I knew I was important to Mini but I never thought I would be so important to her. She deserved someone who could take good care of her for once. And if Ryan was the guy for her and who am I to say no?

Now where is that brat? He called me an evil witch, stupid and scary.

~*~*~*~*~*

Drum roll please...

Who guessed about Ryan and Mini? But aren't they cute together?

Let me know what you think.

Until next time, stay happy.

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