Rahul nudged Arjun and whispered, "Hey, do you know why she's living here?"
Arjun raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
With a completely serious face, Rahul replied, "Because… it's her house."
Arjun gave him a deadpan stare. "Not funny."
Before Rahul could retort, Ananya walked into the room, arms crossed. "What are you two whispering about?"
Rahul and Arjun, caught off guard, blurted in unison, "Nothing!"
Ananya smirked. "You do realize lying is written all over your faces, right?"
Rahul, determined to change the subject, turned to an older man nearby. "Uncle, do you also think so?"
The man nodded. "Absolutely. It's painfully obvious."
With that, everyone removed their shoes and stepped inside.
Ananya nodded. "Great. What do you guys want to drink? Coffee or tea?"
Rahul leaned back. "Can I get a green tea?"
Arjun shook his head. "Just bring coffee for everyone. Don't indulge his high-maintenance nonsense."
Realizing he wasn't in a five-star café, Rahul quickly backtracked. "Uh… yeah, my bad. Coffee's fine."
Ananya turned to an older woman. "Aunty, can you make four cups of coffee?"
The woman nodded. "Of course, Ananya."
Rahul grinned. "So, you're not making it yourself?"
Ananya scoffed. "If I did, you guys definitely wouldn't drink it."
Rahul whispered to Arjun, "Is it that bad?"
Arjun shot him a glare. "Rahul, don't make me lose this contract. I don't want to go looking for another house."
Ananya folded her arms. "For the record, I stopped eating sugar, so my tea is really bitter. That's why you guys wouldn't like it."
Rahul and Arjun exchanged glances. "Health consciousness," they muttered at the same time.
Ananya sat down, resting her elbows on the table. "So, why are you guys moving in?"
Rahul shrugged. "Internships. After that, we start job hunting."
"What about you?" Arjun asked.
"I'm studying acting and direction."
Rahul leaned forward. "Oh, an upcoming actress?"
Ananya shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. You know how unpredictable this industry is."
Just then, the maid arrived with four cups of coffee. "This one's for you, Ananya. The rest, take your pick."
Rahul took a sip and muttered, "I just hope I survive after drinking this. Arjun, if anything happens, call an ambulance."
Arjun rolled his eyes. "Stop being dramatic. Just drink it."
As they sipped their coffee, Rahul asked, "Ananya, what will you do when you make it big?"
She exhaled. "No clue. First, I need a chance. Then I have to prove myself. Let's see how things go."
With that, she brought out the rental contract. Arjun signed it, took the keys to the first floor, and shifted his luggage.
"Rahul, let's go," he called out.
As they were leaving, Ananya waved. "Bye, guys."
The drive took about thirty minutes. When they reached their destination, Arjun stared out the window at the massive house in front of him.
"Rahul, is this your uncle's place?"
Rahul smirked. "Yes. Do you regret not moving in now?"
Arjun shrugged. "Nope."
As they approached the door, it swung open.
"Welcome, Rahul!"
Rahul smiled. "Hi, Aunty! Where's Uncle and my cousin?"
"Inside. Your favorite room has been reserved until your internship is over. Oh, and one more thing—your father instructed me not to let you drive."
Arjun burst out laughing.
Rahul's aunt raised an eyebrow. "And who is this?"
Rahul introduced him. "Aunty, this is Arjun. He came along to drop me off."
She nodded, but Arjun could sense something in her expression—something cold.
As they entered, her tone shifted. "How many times have I told you to cut off your friendship with him? You joined some second-rate college just because he did, instead of networking with people of our status."
Rahul's smile faded. "Aunty, how many times do I have to say this? Don't talk about my friends like that. People with 'status' only care when you have money. Arjun isn't like that."
She sighed dramatically. "Your mother complains all the time. She even avoids telling her friends where you study."
Rahul rolled his eyes. "Aunty, if you're done nagging, I'll go shift my luggage."
She nodded and walked off to the kitchen.
Arjun nudged Rahul. "What was that about?"
Rahul sighed. "Nothing much. You know—gatherings, family parties. My aunt wants me to attend them with my cousin."
Arjun laughed. "So, no more movies with me, huh?"
Rahul smirked. "You know I don't care about these artificial people who only talk about status."
Arjun patted his back. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, I should go. Your aunt doesn't like me, so I'll save us both the trouble."
Rahul frowned. "It's not like that—"
Arjun shook his head. "Rahul, I've seen enough people in my life to know when I'm not welcome. See you Sunday at the theater. I'm not coming back here, anyway."
Without another word, he walked off.
Rahul sighed, watching him go. Nothing escapes your eyes, Arjun. You're too smart. I'm jealous of that.
Dragging his luggage inside, he was greeted by his uncle. "Where's your friend?"
"He had to leave," Rahul replied.
His uncle raised an eyebrow. "Was it because of your aunt?"
Rahul nodded. "He understood. No problem."
His uncle sighed. "I never understood why you chose that college or why you befriended him."
Rahul didn't respond. His uncle simply said, "Go unpack and join us for lunch."
With a heavy heart, Rahul walked to his room, feeling torn between two worlds.
As Arjun walked away, he murmured to himself,
"Life teaches you a lot. They say money can't buy happiness, but if I have to cry, I'd rather do it in a Benz than by the roadside."
He looked up at the sky, the clouds heavy with rain.
"Being born poor wasn't my choice, but dying poor? That's on me. It may take two years, maybe ten. But I'll chase money without losing myself."
The rain began to fall. Adjusting his bag, he sprinted toward the bus stand, ready to chase his future.
Before stepping onto the bus, he whispered, "Because our eyes are small, does that mean we can't dream big?"
With that, he stepped inside, disappearing into the crowd, leaving behind nothing but the sound of rain on the pavement.