Cornell Law School, NewYork

"Ave, Don't you think someone is blushing a lot today!" Alice, the hot and one among the famous chicks of the college commented. She blinked her eyes in disbelief at the scene infront of her.

Her bestfriend, Avery whom she loves to call Ave with love, shifted her attention to the place Alice was looking. Her own eyes widen and a chuckle left her mouth.

"Oh Yes! You are right Alice. But what made our topper, not so interested in love Shreya, now smile like an idiot?" Avery grinned with a tint of mischief in her eyes.

"Stop it girls! It is just I'm reading this novel and it is so good. The proposal is so unique and romantic!" Shreya's eyes were wide as she understood the thoughts running in their minds. The girls were mad, completely mad. She shook her head in disbelief before shifting her gaze to her book along with sipping her all time favourite cappuccino.

"Com'on Shreya, we all are friends for three years and we know you don't like all this. But today, you aren't only reading this book but also appreciating. That's quite indigestible! Atleast let us see what is so unique and romantic in this!" And even before Shreya knew, her book was snatched from her hands by Alice who laughed loudly seeing her poker face.

"Alice, return my book! I still haven't completed it," Shreya whined, standing up the next instant and came near Alice's side to take the book but Alice too stood up and moved back.

They moved around the canteen with a completely irritated Shreya trying to take hold of her dear book and in the hustle bustle, Alice didn't realize when she bumped into someone earning a soft yet loud hiss in return.

"Oww! Alice!" Shreya laughed and quickly got hold of the book from Alice's hand who had now her attention on the girl she bumped into who happened to be Rhea, Shreya's one and only bestest friend in the college.

Though she and Avery were friends with Shreya, they were more of frenemies who loved teasing and competiting with each other.

However, Rhea checked her brand new iphone and then looked up. Her brown eyes glared at Alice who shrugged carelessly, hiding her concern and they all knew it yet Rhea kept standing there with her one hand on her waist.

"Okay, Fine! Sorry!" She apologized seeing Rhea's non-shifting glare.

"Since my mobile is safe, you are also safe." Alice rolled her eyes and Rhea turned to Shreya. She giggled running to hug her.

"Rhea, because of you I couldn't tease Shreya," Alice whined as they all walked to the table where they were sitting before Rhea's arrival.

"Why were you teasing her?" Rhea raised her eyebrow hearing that her bestfriend was being teased by them.

Avery pointed at the book in Shreya's hand and Rhea's eyes widen. Out of the sudden she squealed in happiness confusing both Alice and Avery.

"Shreya, You are reading the book? Oh my God! I can't believe." Seeing her happiness, Shreya laughed out loud. The book she was reading was suggested and even given by Rhea who always complain about her bestfriend's unromantic nature. First, Shreya had refused to read it but then who could refuse Rhea!?

"Uff! Leave all this, tell me what is there in this book." Alice was truly curious now.

"Leave it, Alice. You won't get it." Rhea teased and Alice glared at her.

"Why wouldn't I? I guess you forget, I had four boyfriends, which means I am experienced in this field more than Shreya," Alice stated with a smirk. Shreya opened her mouth to reply but Rhea held her hand.

"You know, This is the only matter in which you can beat Shreya otherwise.." She left her sentence in mid with a teasing smirk and Alice fumed in fake anger. She had been trying to beat Shreya's top score from last two years but wasn't able to.

However, seeing their faces, Avery giggled out loud making them turn to her, "You all give me vibes that says, my today's source of entertainment is ready."

"And from which angle I look like an entertainment source to you?" Alice asked and this time even Rhea giggled while Shreya quickly opened her book, and got busy in that.

"Ave, Let's not tease her more, or else she will start crying and her face will become a mess." Rhea whispered to Avery, remembering how last time Alice started crying when she couldn't beat Shreya's test score. First, she ruined her makeup and then cried more because of it.

"Actually, I have an amazing source of entertainment for today," Alice chirped suddenly shifting Avery and Rhea's attention to her.

"And that is?" Rhea asked while Shreya, who had by now completed her book, looked up with a frown.

"See, Shreya Desi," She started but was cut off by Shreya in between," It is Desai," Alice made a bad face and shrugged making them chuckle," Yeah whatever! So Shreya Desai doesn't believe in fairy tales but loves reading romantic proposals," Shreya was about to cut off her again saying it was her first time reading a romantic book but before that Alice continued,"But still is a fan of arrange marriage while Rhea Arora, her bestfriend prefers love marriage, so why don't we have a healthy debate between the two?" She finished with a stupid grin on her face while Avery tried to stop her.

Everyone knows how much Shreya and Rhea's views differs from each other, specially when it comes to Love and Marriage. Though they never let it disturb their bond.

Rhea looked at Shreya asking if they should do it and as she nodded, Rhea nodded with an excited grin.

"Okay then, me and Alice will be the judges." Avery announced and both Alice and herself shifted their chair closer to Rhea and Shreya.

Within few minutes, a number of students gathered around them with some on Shreya's side and some on Rhea's side.

"Arrange Marriage binds with an unknown person taking us on a beautiful journey of falling in love." Shreya kept her point first. For her, marrying an unknown stranger sounded both exciting and challenging.

"But In love marriage, you know your partner in and out before marriage itself which means no long process of settling down." Rhea stated and there were murmurs among the students which made her grin as she got one point.

"And since you already know your partner, there's no chance of cheating." Rhea kept her second point.

"Well, A recent survey states that seventy five percent of young adults prefer arrange marriage over love marriage and the reason is cheating." Shreya smirked as they heard students murmuring more than before, indicating that she got this point.

"Arrange Marriage makes our families happy too." Shreya stated, feeling happy since she felt she might change Rhea's opinion with this debate.

"But won't they be happy in their child's happiness?" She asked and sipped her juice while waiting for Shreya's reply.

Although, she knew she was right but she also knew her bestfriend who always keep her family's happiness above herself. If needed, Shreya could even leave her dreams for her family. As much as it sounded dramatic, she knew her bestfriend could do it.

"Ofcourse, they will but then what is the guarantee that the happiness is not fake? Might be they pretend to be happy for their child but deep down, they might have wished so much." Shreya spoke after thinking for a moment," Marriage is a bond that binds the two families together and arrange marriage binds the two families together in all aspects." She finally smiled as she saw Rhea's confused face.

"But there are certain cases where the families agree for love marriage too. Both the families accept each other happily." Rhea argued, their debate was going in the other direction but they didn't even realize. Nobody did, for they all felt both of the girls were right and were confused who won this point.

"Okay, I agree with you but see, It takes years in arrange marriage to know about your partner, to fall in love with them and to get habitual of them but in case of Love Marriage, there's no such worries. You already love your partner and things are much more easier." Rhea spoke and Alice agreed with her this time while Avery looked at Shreya for her reply.

"Well, let me remind you. Falling in love takes time, first you meet, accept feelings, proposals, then dating, telling your parents, making them understand, if they agree then fine but if they don't, then what? All the time gets waste, either the couple runs away or part their ways." Shreya looked at a frowning Rhea who looked at her in disbelief. Shreya chuckled and continued, "In arrange marriage, though it takes time but there's no tension of future. You don't have to worry if you will last with your partner or not. There's much more freedom in arrange marriage plus it makes your parents happy and their happiness is all what matters!" Shreya ended the topic earning claps from Avery while Alice looked at Rhea.

Just then the bell rang indicating their first lecture. Rhea immediately stood up earning laughter from Shreya who understood her ways of running away.

She turned around and pointed her index finger at her," You Miss.Desai, One day when you will fall in love and opt love marriage, that day I will tell you," Shreya laughed harder imagining herself falling in love. However this made Alice and Avery laugh too.

Rhea walked out with a loud huff and Shreya followed her immediately.

"Hey bestie! Are you angry?" She asked and Rhea shook her head in no.

"I am not but I just want to tell you that love marriage is also good as much as arrange marriage is." Rhea whined. In other topics in which their point of views differ, she still manages to make Shreya agree to her somehow, but in case of this topic, there's no way she can change her point of view.

"I never said love marriage is bad. It is just I prefer arrange marriage more." Shreya said.

"And that too just because it makes your family happy, right?" Rhea rolled her eyes which made Shreya smack her head playfully.

"That's one of the reason and you also know, this love, it is not for me. I have dreams to fulfill, and I can't waste my time on some stupid feelings which I know will have no future!" Shreya shrugged her shoulders. She knew her family will never approve Love Marriage and then, she herself preferred arrange marriage.

Rhea was about to reply when suddenly they saw students, mostly girls running towards the entrance on college instead of the class.

"What happened to everyone?" Shreya asked, completely confused and all of the sudden, Rhea's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to reply when they were interuppted by Avery who came running to them.

"I will tell you," She panted and till that time, Alice too reached near them. Avery smiled widely and continued, "I heard there's new admission," Her eyes twinkled as Shreya frowned, "That too, the one and only, most handsome--"

"Oww!" Shreya couldn't hear Avery as a handsome young boy, who looked in extreme panick, bumped into her. She stumbled on her feet, closing her eyes in fear of falling down but a hand sneaked around her waist, saving her.

"Vihaan Malhotra!"

"Vihaan Bhai!"

Shreya heard both Avery and Rhea speaking at the same time and she opened her eyes only to meet a pair of most beautiful and soft black orbs she had never seen before!

To Be Continued.

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