And Switched Again

''Noooo! It can't be today! I was scheduled to meet a school friend at six in the evening. What do I do now??'' Gauri yelled crankily.

''Please refrain from making such exaggerated gestures while you are in my body.'' Aniruddh said to Gauri as he dusted himself off. Aniruddh was very self-contained person, and hardly ever showed any hysteric movements. His body language was always reserved and aloof. And to see Gauri make such hasty movements in his body, felt weird to everyone's eyes.

''Ugh! Shut up nerd! It's because of you that I have to go through this!''

''Huh?! How is it my fault? I was the one who tried to save you but you just dragged me down instead!''

''You could have cried and signaled me to watch my steps!''

''Hey, do not hold me accountable for your witless actions.''

''I will, because it's your fault!''

''Have their minds regressed because of the fall?'' Shreya depressingly questioned looking at the swapped duo fighting like wild cats about absolutely meaningless stuff.

''Both of you! Stop your idiotic fight and listen to me.'' Kshirja called out. ''Now both of you have to act like each other until you go back in your own bodies.'' Others nodded in response.

''Are you kidding me?! There's no way I can sit and study like this socially unskilled person.'' Gauri's concerns were most definitely beyond their understanding.

Well, acting like Aniruddh was honestly out of league for everyone. His normal day usually consisted of either studying or carrying out household chores. Like a dignified homemaker, Aniruddh took pride in being the best in housework. And more than anything, he was a well-timed worker. Punctual as he was, never could you see him any late than seven in the evening burning the incense in front of his small house altar.

Aniruddh passed a heavy sigh knowing that he hardly had any substitute to this solution. ''Fine. Let's do that Gauri. I'll go in your stead and you in mine.'' Gauri wasn't very excited about this. But as the circumstances say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

****AT CAFE RETRO****

Aniruddh took an uncomfortable sip of the terribly sweet latte served to him. He had absolutely no escape from the two people sitting in front of him, one of them being the friend he was supposed to meet in Gauri's stead.

Mona was a rather timid girl who found it difficult to get along with new people easily. She had always stuck to Gauri as a reliable support system since their elementary school years. But, right now, she was accompanied by her cousin Gaurav who by Aniruddh's intuition was very much into Gauri. Aniruddh could feel his guts signaling him that this was a blind date setup by the so-called timid girl in favor of her cousin.

''Well, Gauri, you still haven't answered me yet.'' Gaurav said looking straight at Aniruddh who found the gaze uneasy. He tried giving a generic smile that was typical of Gauri, by unfortunately his facial muscles just couldn't tune well with his nervous system.

''Pardon me, what was the question again?'' He had apparently lost the trail of their conversation wandering in his own wonderland.

''I asked if you were into reading.'' Gaurav stated.

''Yes, I am.''

''That's wonderful! I love books a lot. Maybe we could share something of our favorite ones. What do you say?''

''Yeah sounds good! Trust me Gauri is a voracious reader. You will most definitely enjoy her views over her favorite books. The last time she told me about one on call- I was enchanted truly.'' Mona had this sincere delight on her face while complimenting her best friend that Aniruddh just couldn't brush off the topic.

''Well, the one I am currently reading foregrounds the equivalence of dissent with tolerance and democracy. It's a very revitalizing read explaining how individual convictions collide with some community's ideologies or beliefs making the minority suffer. Many other political theories are highlighted there. It's about embracing diversity and restructuring our concepts of religious and ethnic tolerance and the recognition of plural societies. How community discrepancies end in violence because of cultural relativism is what specifically interests me. I am sure you'll find it interesting too.'' Now, this was the information outburst of a computerized part of Aniruddh.

His eloquence confounded Mona and Gaurav who had no idea how to react to this. That was very typical of Aniruddh. He seldom spoke so much. Especially not of out of turn. But, with much persuasion and suitable timing, one could catch a short glimpse of the intellectual braincells inside him.

''O-Oh! That's very genius of you Gauri. You are really smart. Some of my friends from college also share a similar interest. You should join us for an outing. It will be fun!''

''Yeah that's right! We can meet this weekend as well. We plan on going to a book café. You can come with us if you like.''

''Oh and then we can go to nearby arcade!''

Aniruddh had once again wandered off in his thoughts. He wasn't a tithe interested in what they were inviting him for. He wasn't a very social person to begin with. And now, his eyes constantly traced the notifications of his phone. They all must be together now.... He thought.

There was this unsettling feeling in his chest. But to be able to label it was beyond his comprehension. He could hear the faint giggles of Mona and Gaurav to which he answered pretty much subconsciously. He dazed off looking outside the window. Ah....He missed his friends....

He heard his phone ringing. But he just wasn't in the mood to pick up and talk. The two people in his company right now had exhausted him enough already. The ring died down and began again. Not checking the display even once, he swiftly answered the call.

''Hello?'' His sounded visibly frustrated. What came as a response was but a loud chaos in the background.

''Hey you bitches! Shut the fuck up for a minute! I need to hear what he is saying!''

''Put the phone on speaker Aparna. We want to hear it too.''

''I have freaking called the most boring person on earth Sanika! What's so exciting about him that you wanna listen so badly?"

''I just want to hear how's he doing acting as Gauri!''

''Exactly. It's a maternal instinct to care for your child in any circumstance.''

''Oh God! Shut up Vedanti. Now you don't start like Sanika.''

Aniruddh's eyes widened as a soft grin flashed on his face. Of course there's no way he is going to accept his loneliness in front of them. But for now, he was really enjoying himself in all their chaos.

''Aniruddh, Gauri just left for you home. She is really tensed about acting as you, but Shreya and Vedanti gave her some basic acting lessons for an hour. And I and Kshirja taught her how to lie confidently.'' Aparna told Aniruddh as listened intently.

''And we came to know Aparna's hidden talent.'' Kshirja taunted.

''Oh please! I am such a great liar that sometimes I am confused myself if what I am speaking is the truth or not.''

''That's basically a delusional disorder Aparna.''

''The most delusional one is the group you is you Sanika!''

''Sanika is not delusional. She just has a severe OCD.''

''Why are you all picking on me now?! Just focus on Aniruddh.''

''So what do you all want me to do now?'' Aniruddh asked breaking in. He knew that unless interrupted, their nonsensical battle could go on forever. But, that was also the content he lived for.

''Oh yes. So you are supposed to go to Gauri's house now. Her parents have gone to their hometown today afternoon so it will be just you and her younger brother. Also you have to pick him up from his friends house before dinner. Gauri said she will send you the location soon.'' Aparna explained.

''Cool. Anything else?'' Aniruddh emphasized.

''Nope. Nothing from my side. You all wanna say anything?'' Aparna asked other. Shreya and Sanika took the phone in from Aparna's hand and yelled right into the speaker. ''CALL US IF YOU GET LONELY ANIRUDDH.''

Aparna facepalmed at their lame action, while others laughed heartily.

''I swear I am gonna sell you all off someday.'' Aparna exclaimed before joining bandwagon.

****AT VEDANTI'S HOUSE****

It was a pin drop silence in Vedanti's living room as the group sat there quietly waiting for a horribly pissed Arnav to burst out. He glared intensely at his friends, especially Kshirja and Aparna who were the most responsible for the current situation.

''Unbelievable!'' Arnav yelled softly yet firmly looking at the two girls. ''We were gone for a while and somehow you all managed to create another extraordinary scene. Just where do you get this never-ending stamina from.''

''Now, well, you see.....There wasn't much we could do.....'' Aparna said avoiding Arnav's glare completely.

''But you could have at least informed me and Meher! Don't you agree Meher?'' Arnav asked. However all he found was a distracted Meher looking blankly at the floor. ''Meher!'' He called out again.

''Meher are you alright?'' Kshirja asked worriedly. Swarangie who was sitting next to her placed a hand on her shoulder that brought Meher out of the trance.

''Huh? Oh yes....What were you all saying. I am sorry I was just focused on something else.'' Meher gave a little embarrassed look on seeing her friends' worried expressions for her. ''We were asking if you are alright? You look somewhat tensed....'' Swarangie bent ahead to face her as she spoke.

''I am perfectly fine you see! I am a bit thirsty. I'll get some water in the kitchen.'' Meher blurted out as she hastily stood up. ''I can fetch you some. You can sit down-'' Vedanti suggested getting up as well.

''No! No it's fine. My feet are sore sitting for too long anyways. I'll get it myself.'' Meher rushed to the kitchen leaving her friends brooding over her strange behavior.

''Something's really up with her. She has been absent-minded since we left the antique shop. I wonder what got her after seeing the Seraphim's Song....'' Arnav thought aloud. The last thing he remembered before Meher started to act weird was witnessing the magnificent antique. He had no idea what had had got her since then.

''Wait hold on! You both got to see the antique?!'' Shreya asked with amusement.

''Yes and it was quite a spectacle. That antique has many myths surrounding it. One of it being about psychic powers.'' Arnav replied.

''What powers?? Something like teleportation? Oh I wanna go Harry Style's concert!'' Aparna switched into her fangirling mode before letting Arnav complete. However Arnav on the other side was awestruck was by the sense of Deja vu. (ref :- chapter unraveling romances)

''It isn't something that miraculous. The power it holds is simply of reading minds.'' Arnav clarified all the excitedly gleaming eyes.

''And reading minds is simple you say?'' Sanika asked rhetorically raising an eyebrow. Arnav just shrugged back to her. ''But it doesn't work. I couldn't hear a thing. Even Ayaan said he never experienced any sort of powers that it holds.''

''And this Ayaan is?'' Shreya wondered how they always end up meeting new and interesting people every time they go out together somewhere. ''The son of the antique shop's owner.'' Arnav told her.

''Ooo. Is he handsome?'' Sanika's undying curiosity of imagining a person's face whom she had never met before had always stunned her friends.

''For God's sake Sanika, are you already not blessed with a boyfriend? Please let the other guys off the hook.'' Shreya urged with a distressing tone, worried about her own crush who was at risk of falling prey to Sanika's curiosity too.

''I am just curious! There's nothing else to it.'' Sanika argued pitiably.

''That's not the fucking concern right now idiots!'' Aparna winced at how the topic was slowly drifting away into something ridiculous. ''Arnav, tell us what exactly happened with Meher. Since when did she start behaving like this."

Arnav thought for a while. It was hard for him to remember exactly given all the commotion that followed Aniruddh and Gauri's second body swap.

''This is why I advise you all to eat almonds. Hmph!''

''Sanika shut up!'' Sanika's interruption was immediately ceased by a fed up Swarangie. ''Go on Arnav.''

''So as far as I can trace back...Ayaan gave showed us antique, then he told us myth surrounding it....After that....umm....Oh Meher touched it and suddenly her expressions changed.''

A sudden realization struck Arnav. He recalled Ayaan's words. The antique has the power to read minds when it comes in contact with something supernatural. Wasn't their situation exactly fitting the criteria? They were going through an exceptional case of body swap and they discovered the antique just at the right time. He quickly caught on to the possibility that, perhaps, Meher could actually activate the powers of the Seraphim's song. Maybe she really experienced it given the fact that she never mentioned that the antique did not work, unlike Arnav and Ayaan. But then, why was she hiding it?

''Guys....I think, Meher did find out something regarding the powers of that antique....'' Arnav stated in a low voice.

Just when the others were about to raise their questions, the clank of a steel glass hitting the floor deflected their attention.

Meher stood there frowned at Arnav's reasonable suspicion. ''Meher, you do know something right?'' Kshirja forced the question on her.

Meher had perplexed look on her. She had no idea how to handle this situation. She couldn't let the cat out of the bag right now. Especially not in front of everyone. Before she could come up an excuse, Shreya spoke up.

''You heard someone's thoughts, did you not?''

Well, it was probably gonna take quite the time and energy for Meher to disclose all the information that she herself had hardly processed.

''Say it Meher. What did you hear. I don't get why you are hiding it from us.'' Kshirja whined at her. She didn't quite like the idea of any of her friends going through something all alone.

''Yeah Meher. If it's something problematic, we can deal with it together like always!'' Swarangie said with soft smile.

''Was it....perhaps my thoughts?'' Arnav cut in the flow suddenly. Meher grimaced reflexively at the thought of unveiling it in front of Arnav himself.

''What was it?'' He demanded, now more aggressively than ever.

''Hey Arnav! You shouldn't -'' Sanika cut off the sentence of her disapproval of Arnav's tone glancing his face. He looked scared, and on the verge of tears. Probably, letting out something hidden for so long for taking a great toll on him.

Meher averted her eyes from him. She simply nodded to which he caught on. Others were usurped by immense inquiry and worry simultaneously at the sight of the worsening atmosphere.

In a moment of silence, Arnav picked his bag and dashed out of the house without sparring a glance at his friends.

''ARNAV!''

''WAIT!''

They called out to him, but he refused to look back. As he went away, they turned to look at Meher who sat down looking exasperated.

''Meher, now tell what this all about.'' Everyone had their eyes set on her that made sure she couldn't excuse herself anymore.

''I heard his thoughts. His hidden feelings. Something that he wished to keep hidden perhaps forever.....He like Aniruddh.'' There was a massive outbreak of reactions at this revelation.

''Does Aniruddh know of this??'' Shreya asked. Meher shook her head in denial. ''He kept it from everyone.''

''That idiot. What's wrong with liking someone? I don't get why he was so flustered that he actually broke into tears. Are we not reliable as friends?'' Aparna pulled a face as she spoke. This led to others being doubtful of their current status as best friends as well. They were caught up in a turmoil of trust and boundaries.

''I guess, it's not about being reliable.'' Kshirja spoke as her friends looked at her. Her voice was gentle. Her eyes were soft with a deep pain of understanding. ''It's about being seen. Don't we all have that place in our hearts? A place where no one else but only we can peep. A place that we don't want to be seen by others. Something that weighs our hearts but we still can't let it go. Just because, it's too precious to lose. Just because it holds something. But when someone sees right through us, we feel embarrassed. It's like being displayed naked. All our emotions lie unprotected under the observation of someone. That insecurity is really frightening. It must scary for Arnav as well.....''

Everyone stood in silence, reflecting on Kshirja's words. Truly, who wasn't entangled in thorny vines of insecurity and shame. They all had their own broken shards to tend. And yet, their determination to stick with each other through anything only ever increased now.

****AT ANIRUDDH'S HOUSE****

Dusk had already fallen by the time Gauri reached Aniruddh's house. Thankfully, his parents and elder sister arrived later than her so she could get some time to explore the two-storey house at her own pace. She made a note of the things kept at their respective places to not look like a stranger in front of Aniruddh's family pretending to be him.

Right now, she was in the kitchen, chopping the vegetables next to Aniruddh's mother who was busy stirring the curry on the stove, humming a tune of the 90s decade. ''Dear would you like a taste of this? Tell me if it lacks any flavor.'' She said spooning the curry feeding it to Gauri. ''It seems perfect to me.'' Gauri remarked, still conscious of the person in front of her, who just smiled back and went on with her task at hand. Gauri was unsure of Aniruddh's relationship with any of his family members as never specifically mentioned anything to either of the parties. He wasn't purposefully being secretive of his family. He was just not the person who expressed every single thing to anyone.

After spending an hour with his mother in the kitchen as stated by Aniruddh, she tried being as casual as she could be with her. The lady, as Gauri carefully observed, was definitely possessing physical features similar to Aniruddh and his sister, although her charisma certainly displayed a palpable difference. She was someone with a sense of good-humor and caring characteristics, something very insignificant in an everyday Aniruddh. This coerced Gauri into believing the pranks of genetics as she compared the mother and son on the basis of their affable nature.

Dinner time passed by without much conversation as the family decided to a movie while eating. Gauri was indeed thankful that there was hardly any talk in the family as it avoided any unnecessary speculation of her credibility as Aniruddh. After dinner, she quickly tried to escape to Aniruddh's room to keep away from any casual talks. As she was walking towards the upper room, she heard Aniruddh's father call out. ''Where are you going?'' He asked. His eyes remained glued to the television as he changed the channels.

''To my room.'' Gauri replied as calmly as possible. Every time she had to act as Aniruddh in front of his parents, her conscience hurt somewhere.

''Are you feeling unwell?''

''No, not at all.''

''I see....It's just that you have been a bit strange today.''

That very remark from his father gave Gauri a major attack. She wasn't sure how to respond any further. She wanted to run away so badly that given a chance she could flee right now from there.

''Well....how so? I don't think I am different today.'' She tried to clear up in a clumsy way.

''Is that so?'' Aniruddh's father put down the television remote and looked at Gauri. ''I see you haven't burned the incense today. You have never missed it without a reason. And, I heard from your sister that you didn't go for your usual evening stroll either. Are you sure you are fine?''

Gauri felt her legs trembling. Aniruddh never mentioned this to her. What was she supposed to answer when she had no idea about this schedule of Aniruddh's. She swore to punch him hard in the knuckles when they get back to their own bodies for this severe miscommunication. But right now, she had to make up something to halt this conversation from going any further.

Just as she was about to explain, her phone rang. ''Ah! My friend seems to be calling me. I'll go upstairs, maybe she needs some help with our assignment.'' Stating so, she rushed up the stairs leaving Aniruddh's father staring confused. He's really strange today....He thought and went back to watching the television.

Gauri shut the room's door tight and locked it from inside so that she isn't invaded suddenly when she is being herself and not Aniruddh. She took out her phone once again from her pocket and looked at the dial. It was a call from Aparna. She called her back and sat down on the bed as she patiently waited for her friend to pick up.

''DUDEEEEEEEEEEEE'' Aparna's wail was so loud that Gauri had to take the phone away from her ear.

''What is it? Be calm and then talk. You gonna kill my eardrums.'' Gauri said with an exhausted sigh.

''IT ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN BE CALM AT!! BRO WE HAD A FIGHT TODAY!!''

''Huh? What fight? Please don't tell me it's again something ridiculously lame between Swara and Sanika.''

''NOOOOOOO! It's Arnav! You just listen to me and stop asking questions.''

''Alright go on. I am listening.''

''So getting to the gist of it....Arnav, is love in with Aniruddh.''

Gauri froze for a moment. It was quite a blow for her already unstable emotions after acting as Aniruddh for so long. And to have yet another bangarang in the group was too much an enervation. How sorely she prayed for peaceful week, but fortune just seemed not favor her.

''I need some time to digest this. Anyways, how many people know of this? Does Aniruddh know?'' Gauri asked.

''No he doesn't. Except Aniruddh everyone does. Arnav specifically requested to not mention him anything. He wants to confess his feelings himself.''

''Well that's quite bold of him. I am proud I'll say. Just wondering how Aniruddh would react to this.''

''He'll probably be like 'okayyyyy' in his usual soulless tone.'' Gauri laughed a bit at Aparna's comment. Indeed Aniruddh wouldn't make things awkward in the group. He just knew how to be level-headed all the time.

''Anyways, I am really tired. I'll sleep now. So text me the details of this incident. I'll make sure to read it later.''

''Of course. It's way past your bedtime.'' Aparna cackled much to Gauri's dismay.

As she hung up the phone, she noticed the battery dying down. It was too much of an inconvenience to get up and reach out for the charger, but she just had to knowing that she was currently in a situation where there could emergency calls at any moment. She got up and walked up to the study table but couldn't find it there. She was horribly but still decided to extend her search to the adjacent wardrobe.

As she opened it, she was astounded to see a series of neatly arranged clothes and other accessories that belonged to none other than the owner of the body she was possessing at the moment. She smirked at thought of disarranging everything just to have him troubled when he returns.

As she was hunting the insides of the wardrobe, a box fell and hit the floor revealing all the contents inside. A bunch of loosely tied papers scattered across the floor. Gauri groaned at the excess amount of work she created for herself. As kneeled down to collect the papers, she was astonished at the discovery of the contents of the papers.

''Oh....How amusing. Love letters huh.....'' She smirked slyly on reading a few of them. ''Our dear Aniruddh seems to be hiding an existing love affair. I am looking forward to the interesting turn of events when the group becomes aware of this.''

As she collected and carried the letter to the bed to read, her phone rang again. This time it was Vedanti. Knowing Vedanti, Gauri had a fair idea of what she had to talk about.

''Yes my dear, I know you wanna gossip about today's incident, especially Arnav's reaction. But I am too tired for this. And I have to go through my newly found discovery so please let's have this discussion tomorrow.''

''Huh? What? No! I know Aparna must have already told you about it. I haven't called you for that. I called to tell you that I found a solution on your body swap!'' Vedanti chirped excitedly

Gauri's eyes illuminated with hopefulness. ''Tell me more kiddo.''

''So Gwendoline gave me this book on shamanistic ritual which can help in retrieving the lost soul of the respective body. We can try it out with you and Aniruddh together!'' Vedanti's delighted tone was just as much gladdening to Gauri.

''That's great! So who do you plan to meet us now? Some shaman or exorcist?'' Gauri was somehow sure that Vedanti could actually bring out any such practitioner and have them do something for her.

''Gwendoline has approached one on our behalf. But she isn't able to secure an appointment we can try it ourselves. It's just the preparation that's a little tedious. But I think we can manage.''

''Well, if you are confident then I think that's all that matters. We trust you.''

''I am just worried about Aniruddh denying cooperate...''

''And why would he deny something that's for his own good?''

''Don't you know him? He'll probably explain how this is just an unscientific hoax and how he is against this.''

''To do hell with his scientific principles! We need any possible that we can acquire. I can pretend to be Aniruddh for too long!''

''Well, I understand calm down...''

''Ugh! I'll talk to that jerk myself. Anyways I got to deal with this new business as well. He seems to be keeping a lot stuff from us.''

''Huh? What does that mean? Oh and what is the discovery that you mentioned earlier?''

''Ah yes! Hear me out! Aniruddh has a lover!'' Gauri's thrilled proclamation appalled Vedanti. She blinked her eyes in confusion, not registering it completely.

''WHAT?! That's impossible!!''

''I am certain about this Vedanti! Poor Arnav....I feel so bad for him now. He couldn't even get a chance to confess yet....''

''No! That can't be. Tell me all that you know. There seems to be some misunderstanding. There's no way he is in a relationship....'' Vedanti just couldn't come to terms with it. She was oddly resisting it, as if to protect some already known truth.

''Hey what's wrong with you suddenly? Why are you so stuck on denying this?''

''First you tell me where you got this news from? Did you mention this in front of him?''

''No I didn't. In fact I found just a few minutes ago. I was searching for charger in his wardrobe when I accidently stumbled onto a box full of love letters. Gosh! Who knew Aniruddh could be so romantic! He totally -''

''Gauri!'' Vedanti's solemn voice caught Gauri in her tracks. She was quick to read the graveness of the mood on the other end. ''We better stop this here never to take out again.'' Vedanti uttered grimly after a short pause.

''You know something about this?'' Gauri questioned inhaling deeply. Her guts were so focused on intuiting her the inappropriateness of the question.

''Those letters.... are given by ex-boyfriend.'' Vedanti said gulping down a big lump in her throat.

''Oh! That's it then. I understand we need to be cautious bringing up a breakup in front of Aniruddh I guess....'' Gauri tried to falsely soothe herself praying that it wasn't anything beyond this. But the Vedanti's trembling voice indicated a sombre truth ahead. ''Say it. I can feel that there's more to it.'' Gauri insisted. Fear took over mind.

Vedanti pursed her lips to wash the dryness of her mouth. She knew that if this is revealed, it will cause a scene of intense havoc. But it just couldn't be hidden anymore. It had finally come to this. Her lips slowly parted to say it out aloud.

''Aniruddh's ex-boyfriend....is dead.''

To be contd....