Aarya “Wow! It’s exquisite!” I marveled at the stunning neck tattoo that adorned my best friend Lea’s skin. My fingers traced the lines of the intricate design as I asked her, “I want one too, but I’m such a wimp thinking about the pain. Did it hurt?” Nestled at the base of her neck, where the curve of her neck met her shoulder, was a beautifully detailed wolf outline tattoo. Centered below the tattoo were Steven’s initials, forming a meaningful and artistic representation of their connection. It looked truly amazing. A cheeky smile spread across her face." At first, it was a touch painful, but after some time I was cool with it. In fact, I was more than cool." “Hmm, that’s good to know,” I chuckled, wiggling my eyebrows. “So, spill the beans. Why have you been grinning like a Cheshire cat since last night?” Lea’s cheeks flushed as she attempted to hide her face, her smile peeking through. “Um...” I grinned “Gurl! Come on! Tell me! What is happening to you? I have never seen you

AaryaAfter my presentation, I reclined in my seat, taking a deep, calming breath. I turned towards Lea, and inquired, “How did it go? Did I manage to pull it off?”Lea’s eyes lit up, and she responded with uncontainable enthusiasm, “Pull it off? Girl, you totally rocked that presentation! Finally, we’re through with our last submission for the semester. Free at last.” She exhaled with a dramatic flourish.Relief washed over me and I responded, “Thanks, Lea. And now, onto the interview.”“Its tomorrow, right?” she asked, stuffing her face with french fries. This girl can eat. And the sad part is she doesn’t even get fat after eating so much! So unfair.“Tomorrow. I’m feeling both nervous and excited. Is that even possible? Honestly, I’m still amazed that I made it to the second round,” I admitted.Receiving that email from CMH Industries, notifying me of my selection for the internship opportunity, was an ecstatic moment. The email was like a ticket to a new world of possibilities, and

AaryaAs I reached my floor, I was greeted by an anxious-looking David pacing near the reception desk.“Hi, David. Is everything OK? Why do you look so... for lack of a better word... constipated?” I raised an eyebrow, concerned by his demeanor.“Aarya! You’re here! What happened at the meeting? I heard you’re on some dream team for a project,” he blurted out, wagging his eyebrows and completely ignoring my question. Typical David–always eager to dive into juicy gossip.“Oh yes, I am. But it’s a top-secret mission. Shhh...” I smirked, placing a finger against my lips.“Wow, I heard that,” Jen chimed in as she approached us, wearing a fake pout. “Babe, won’t you please tell me about that?” She looked at David, and their lovey-dovey interaction made me want to roll my eyes. I wasn’t much of a romantic, to be honest.As I walked toward my desk, I chuckled at them. Getting everything ready to move to the 40th floor. Jen and David started helping me pack everything into a box, making it eas

AaryaAs the alarm rings, I groan in my slumber. I move a bit, snuggling closer to my pillow. The alarm continues to blare. I was so irritated that I yelled, “Lea, turn the fucking alarm off before I throw it out of the window! I want to sleep! My pillow and I are in a comfortable position.” As I bury my head deeper into the pillow, I sigh in satisfaction and murmur, “It smells marvelous. And it’s so soft and firm.”My head sank into the pillow, and I sighed in contentment. This had been the most peaceful sleep in ages. A soft chuckle filled the air, and the pillow beneath me started to shake. “Thanks for the compliment. Your pillow appreciates it. But if you keep moving, it won’t stay soft,” a voice responded.Startled, I looked up, disentangling myself from my comfortable cocoon. His words finally registered. My eyes widened in realization, and my face heated up. I had been lying on top of Xander. My arms were wrapped around his torso, and my head had been buried in his chest. Ah, no

AaryaThe soft “come in” prompted me to approach the elegant gray built-in desk where a grinning Alex was seated. His office exuded an elegant and modern executive style that matched his personality. As I walked toward him, I tried to quell the nervousness that had driven me to walk into the boss’s office impulsively. I shouldn’t have done this! How am I going to ask them?“Good morning, Sir,” I began, steadying my voice while internal tremors danced beneath the surface. “I apologize if I am bothering you, but I needed your help.”Alex’s hand waved dismissively, his grin unwavering. “No worries. I was about to pester Xander about your date, anyway. Also, please address me as Alex. My future sister-in-law can’t be calling me sir.”My eyes bulged out at his words. Did he just call me his sister-in-law? What? It’s too soon for that. Although I don’t mind... No! Not going there!“I thought we preferred sister over sister-in-law,” Sean’s voice drew my attention to the sofa, where he was cas