Chapter 50: Chapter 50

Emma and Emily looked around the new 3 BHK apartment. Emma and Zada had been planning to move from the hostel to an apartment for a while and Emily’s arrival fuelled it.

Emily took initiative in property hunting, and she herself liaised with real estate agents and short listed three apartments out of all. Since morning, the three of them have been visiting the apartments to finalise the place. This was the last apartment and Emily and Emma instantly loved it.

But Zada looked completely zoned out. She was like that since morning.

“Okay, out with it..” Emily demanded, as she came and stood in front of Zada, with her arms folded across her chest.

“Uh?” Zada was startled out of her depressing thoughts with Emily’s words.

“Where are you, Zada? You have been completely away since morning. I am sure you noticed nothing about the other two apartments we visited today. Neither did you notice anything about the apartment we are standing in right now. What’s wrong?” Emily asked impatiently.

“I am sorry, girls. I should have paid more attention. I am just a bit off today. Don’t mind me. I am okay with whichever apartment you two choose.” Zada said, trying to paste a smile on her face.

“That is not my question. What is wrong? You have been like this since yesterday.” Emily said and Emma also nodded.

“Did you fight with Freddy bro?” Emma asked curiously and Zada looked away.

Emily rolled her eyes.

“Don’t tell me you are upset over some silly lover’s tiff!” Emily said with a huff.

“It’s nothing, girls. I had a disagreement with Liam. That’s it.” Zada said with a smile.

She didn’t want to share her personal problems with anybody. Not even with her close friends, Emma and Emily.

And moreover, she is embarrassed to say that she doubted her boyfriend, Liam Fredrick, cheating on her. Such nonsense it was. She should have trusted Liam.

When is she going to start learning to trust him? She had fallen in love with him knowing his past as the university playboy. She knew he had had numerous flings before he met her. But ever since they met, he had never been seen with any other girl. That should have proven his loyalty.

But her insecurities got the better of her. Being in a relationship for the first time, and that too with a guy who has had numerous past affairs is not easy.

As Zada trailed off in her thoughts, Emily and Emma exchanged mischievous glances. A plan was hatching in their minds, evident from the way their lips curved into identical grins.

"Zada, you know what you need right now?" Emily chimed, nudging Zada playfully.

Zada glanced at her, her eyebrows raised.

"What?"

"A good old-fashioned therapy session of course! You need to vent out your feelings, and we are here to provide you with the most unconventional, incredibly helpful, and scientifically unproven therapy ever!" Emma declared dramatically, throwing her hands in the air.

Zada couldn't help but chuckle at her friends' antics.

"Oh really? And what does this magical therapy entail?"

"Step one," Emily began, adopting a serious tone, "is to let out your frustrations. Scream into this pillow as loud as you can. It's scientifically proven to relieve stress."

Emma handed Zada a pillow with an exaggerated flourish. Zada hesitated for a moment, then burst into laughter, grabbing the pillow and letting out a muffled yell into it.

"There you go! Feeling any better?" Emma asked, pretending to take notes on an invisible clipboard.

"Actually, I do feel a bit lighter," Zada admitted, her smile growing.

"Excellent! Now onto step two," Emily continued, "the dance therapy. Put on some music and dance your heart out. Trust us, it's like magic for the soul."

Emma grabbed her phone and started playing an upbeat song. Emily and Emma began to groove, encouraging Zada to join in. At first, Zada hesitated, but then she shrugged and started dancing along, letting go of her inhibitions.

The three friends danced around the apartment, laughing and twirling, until they were out of breath and collapsing onto the couch in a fit of giggles. Thankfully, the real estate agent was in the next apartment, dealing with another client.

"Okay, now that you've danced your worries away, it's time for step three," Emma announced with a grin.

"And what's that?" Zada raised an eyebrow.

"The ultimate cure-all: ice cream therapy!" Emily exclaimed, rushing out of the apartment.

“Where is she going?” Zada asked curiously.

“There is a super market across the street. You can see it through this window.” Emma said with a grin, pointing out through the window.

Within ten minutes, Emily rushed back with a tub of ice cream.

"Ah, the ancient wisdom of indulging in sweet treats," Zada chuckled, the tub of ice cream.

As they sat together, devouring the ice cream, Zada felt a sense of comfort and gratitude wash over her. Her friends had managed to lift her spirits and make her forget her troubles, even if just for a little while.

"You guys are crazy," Zada said between bites.

"But we're your crazy friends, and we'll always be here for you," Emma said, patting Zada's shoulder.

"You know, I am really lucky to have you both." Zada sighed contentedly.

Her entire school life, people had only seen her as the princess of the Royal House of Zidra. People befriended her, just so that they could get to her brothers. She never could recognise who is genuine or who is using her. That is one of the reasons why she decided to keep her identity a secret when she joined the university.

And that proved a good decision. Emma had befriended her not knowing she was a princess or that the university popular boys were her brothers. Emily considers Zahir an enemy and Zian as Emma’s love interest, so she gains nothing by being friends with me. So, I earned two dear friends.

And Liam, Liam Fredrick, didn’t fall in love with the princess of Zidra. He fell in love with Zada Dupont, an ordinary girl.

I sighed and took my phone without my friends noticing. I dialled Liam’s number for the hundredth time that day. I had expected it to go unanswered like all my previous calls. But much to my shock and joy, Liam attended the call.

“Zada, stop calling me. I am not in a mood to talk to you.” He said and hung up the call, without even waiting for my response.