Vriha tried to come back as fast as she could, fearing the outcome of the mess she created. However, she started panting midway as her breathing got heavier. Having no other choice, she had to slow down.

"Calm down fast, I need to get to Swara," she said, looking down at her chest. "Why is it that whenever you are in a hurry, the world chooses the exact moment to slow down?"

Taking almost twice the time she had intended, Vriha finally reached the spot Swara had been waiting for. All the tightness in her chest loosened when she saw Swara and Naman chuckling over something.

Swara managed to sort it out.

"Of course she did. After all, whose sister she is," Vriha muttered, raising her collar in triumph.

Naman stood up seeing Vriha coming towards them. "Let's get you home, shall we?"

"You are coming with us?" Swara asked, stunned.

"I need to talk more about this," Naman said, gesturing to the diary, before a sudden thought crossed his mind. "It's okay to talk right?" He asked, subtly eyeing Vriha.

"She knows," Swara answered his unasked question. "Misha doesn't," she added as an afterthought, in case Naman ended up blurting the truth in front of her.

"I guess our introduction is long overdue," Vriha said, forwarding her hand, "I am Vriha. You must be the infamous Naman."

Naman enthusiastically shook her hands, before asking excitedly, "Do you need an autograph?"

"You are not a celebrity," Swara deadpanned.

"Am I not playing a character? All the other people out there playing characters from books/scripts are called actors. Then why not me?"

"Correct," Vriha said with a huge smile on her face, before whispering, "You are my favourite character."

"You just fed fuel to the fire," Swara groaned at Vriha, as she noticed the blinding smile that came up on Naman's face.

"Vriha, You should have been the author," Naman declared. "You know my actual worth, unlike someone who made me an extra," he added, gritting his teeth at Swara.

Swara rolled her eyes. She already knew that the moment he would crib about him not being a main lead would come sooner or later. He actually lasted for more minutes than she had imagined.

"By the way—"

"No." Swara said, before he could even finish his question.

"But—"

"No."

"At least, hear me out..."

"No, no and no," Swara said, before turning to pick up Vriha's bag, but Naman beat her to it. Dangling the bag over his shoulders, he looked at her with puppy eyes.

Shaking her head at his nonsense, Swara took Vriha's hand in hers and started walking towards the exit.

"Come on yaar," Naman grovelled, running behind them.

"Things won't change in the diary," Swara said with finality in her voice.

"Already written things don't change. But the male lead hasn't made an entry yet. And you haven't outrightly specified that I am an extra. You can just make me the main lead," Naman said, throwing his arms up in the air.

Their conversation took a sudden pause, as Naman abruptly went ahead.

Swara and Vriha glanced at each other, silently questioning what happened.

"Do you think he got angry?" Vriha asked, looking  at his back.

Swara shrugged her shoulders. Before she could make any assumption, Naman came running back.

"The cab is here, let's go."

"You called a cab?" Swara asked, looking at him in astonishment.

"Obviously," Naman replied in a duh tone. "Don't tell me that you were going to make Vriha walk in this scorching heat," he said, making a tutting sound.

"Come kiddo. Let your sister walk if she wants to. You my dear, deserve princess treatment," Naman said, putting his hand on Vriha's shoulders as if she was his best buddy and started walking with her.

A smile formed on Swara's face as she looked at their retreating figures. Even if he had just mocked her, a warm feeling spread all across her chest. Although subtle, his care for her sister hadn't gone unnoticed. She wondered if he even knew how much those little gestures meant to her.

"Are you seriously not coming with us?" Naman hollered from a small distance, having stopped after he realised that Swara didn't follow them. "Goodness, I wasn't actually going to make you walk. Come" he said, moving his hands in a 'hurry' gesture.

"Coming," Swara yelled back as she half-jogged towards them.

As she reached near them, the warm feeling took a back seat while annoyance stepped forward.

He had resumed the conversation she had abruptly halted.

"Tell me the truth. Don't you think I have the ability to become the main lead? Like I can do way better than the one your sister is going to bring," Naman asked Vriha.

"You don't even know who is the main lead. How can you be sure you are better than him?" Swara grumbled from behind.

They resumed their walk as soon as Swara fell in line with them.

"You don't know that either," Vriha pointed out.

"Huh?"

Both Swara and Naman looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"We don't know the person who has taken over the role of main lead. You haven't met him yet. Apart from what you have written about him, we can't know how he is going to turn out," Vriha explained.

"Exactly," Naman said, nodding enthusiastically in agreement with what Vriha said. "No one knows how he will turn out. But I am here. You know me. And to be honest, I am...kind of amazing."

"So modest," Swara taunted under her breath, while at the same time, Vriha uttered, "I agree."

Naman high-fived Vriha, before looking at Swara, "See? Even she agrees."

Swara sighed, looking at his expectant gaze. "The most I can do is make you an important side character."

Naman's shoulder deflated at her response. "Why not the main lead? I know I am capable. I can do better. Please.

Swara groaned internally, trying to figure out a way to finish this topic. Suddenly a light bulb lit in her head, making her smirk.

"Will you be okay becoming Selena's lover?" Swara asked, hitting at the right spot. She knew how much he hated that fact. He had told her herself. "Selena is the female lead. It is already written in the diary. It can't be changed," she mentioned before he could try and ask to change Selena as a lead as well. She knew he was going to.

Naman's mouth opened and closed, not being able to utter a single word. To say he was flabbergasted was an understatement.

Swara smirked at his state , internally rejoicing her victory.

"But is it mandatory for the two leads to be a couple?" Vriha questioned, pouring water on Swara's efforts.

"Can't two main leads just remain friends till the end?" Vriha asked.

"Siblings are fine too," Naman piped up, before wiggling his eyebrows at Swara, "Come on author, be a little unique. No need to write the same cliche stories. Write something new. Something awesome. Something that has Me."

"It. Is. Not. Possible," Swara muttered through gritted teeth, before stomping ahead.

"It. Is. Not. Possible," Naman mimicked Swara, making dramatic faces, behind her back

Vriha tried muffling her laughter but still some chuckles came bubbling out at his words and the reaction it caused.

"Sorry," she apologized in between the laughs when Swara turned to glare at her.

"Take it out on me. Don't scare the poor kid," Naman said to Swara, shielding Vriha.

"Don't teach me how to act with my sister," Swara muttered, before getting inside the cab.

"Memememe," Naman mocked, sticking his tongue out at her, before helping Vriha settle down inside the cab, who was still shaking with laughter. Giving the bag back to Swara, Naman moved around to take the passenger seat.

"Enough," Swara warned, as Naman turned his neck to look back at them, while subtly eyeing the driver. She didn't need everyone knowing about this crazy ordeal.

Naman rolled his eyes at her warning. He wasn't stupid to speak about it in front of strangers.

Or maybe he was, but she didn't need to know that.