Friends.

Ruan and Shanaya walked towards the near by cafe..

Shanaya ordered frappé coffee for herself. Ruan too follows her.

They both were sitting silently.. They don't know what to say or talk about..

So Shanaya took a lead and said..

"so.. How's your hand now?"

For a second.. Ruan was thinking..

'what happened to my hand?' then he remembered that last time he had act quite well..

"ohh.. It was not that serious.. Its absolutely fine now.."

Shanaya nodded her head in understanding..

Then with a charming low voice she said.. "Thanks.. Once again. If you didn't hold me on time..i don't know what would have happened..so Thank you."

First of all.. Ruan was lost in her charming voice. 'so sweet and beautiful'

He thought.. Then he came out of his thought and said.. "ahh.. There is no need of Thanking me.. After all we are friends.. So there is no thanks between the friends." he said this with a confident smile..

Shanaya raised her brow..she said to herself.. 'when did we become friends? And i didn't agreed on this friendship.'

With a serious quite mischievous face Shanaya asked.."Are we..?"

Ruan gave a confusing reaction..

So Shanaya explained further..

"Are we friends? And from when did we become friends..?"

Ruan was like what to say.. He gave a embarrassing smile and said..

"Are we not? I thought we are..its okay.. we were not, but we can be right?" saying this he extend his hand for the handshake and then he said..

"will you be my friend?"

For a second, Shanaya was shocked yet excited.. But she hide her emotions immediately..

Then she extend her hand too.. Just as she was about to shook his hand.. Just a inch away before touching his palm.. She took her hand back.. With a mischievous smile on her face..

She said.. "i see..hmm.. I gonna think about it.. Then i gonna think deeply about it.. And then may be I gonna answer you.."

Ruan was shocked for a second when she took her hand back.. He felt like his heart was about to break.. When he heard her further.. He realised.. He was being played..

He squinted his eyes.. And fisted his palm.. And took his hand back.

Shanaya giggled at his reaction.. Then she said.."I don't befriend with Idiots.."

Now it dawned to Ruan that this girl is really something.. Every one in this country are dying to befriend with him.. And here this crazy girl just rejected me..

Shanaya controlled her laugh.. His reaction was great..

Ruan took a deep breath and gave a broad charming smile.. He said..

"I don't mind to be an idiot for you.."

Shanaya was caught off guard.. His smile literally gave her heart a boost. And his next sentence.. Her heart started beating faster.. She can't believe her ears..

She shook her head and took a sip of her coffee.. She don't know how to reply him now.. It was hard for her to swallow the sip she took right now. She almost chocked..

Ruan was enjoying her reaction.. She look like she had just received a great shock.

Ruan flicked her head with his finger and said.. "you crazy girl.. Here have some water.."

Shanaya brush his hand away..

"i not crazy okay.." said shanaya with a serious face..

Ruan smiled and said.. "can't you answer as i answered.. Can't you say the same sentence i said.. Can't you be my crazy girl.."

The more he speaks the more it becomes difficult for Shanaya to control her heart. She must admit that she was going crazy because of him..

Shanaya took few deep breaths to calm herself. She looked into his eyes.. His deep black eyes were like a ocean with was making her sink in it depth..

Controlling all her emotions she said..

"so cheesy..Now i doubt your intentions. Like this! i gonna think.. Can we become friends?"

Ruan was shocked.. He got nervous. Did he just go overbroad.. Did she feels like offended.. 'ahh.. Ruan you just messed everything..' he thought.

Just then Shanaya stood up.. Without waiting for him she walk towards the pay counter. She paid the bills for both the coffee.

Ruan immediately followed her. When he saw her paying the bill.. He stopped her.. "Hey.. I must the one.. Who should pay.. After all i invited you for the coffee. And it doesn't look good.. I am here and the girl pays the bill.."

Shanaya ignored him. She had already paid the bill.. And left the cafe.

Ruan was getting nervous.. Did she really rejected my friendship.. 'ahh.. Ruan.. Think something..' he said to himself.

He too left the cafe.. When he came out, he saw her walking towards her company.. Her hairs were talking to the wind.. Making her look more attractive.

"Heyy.." before he speaks further.. Shanaya turnaround.. She looked into his eyes and said..

"it's okay.. Friends do pay the bills for each others.." saying this she entered inside her company.

Ruan was like.. 'Boomm.. What was that.. It means.. Did she just accept me as her friend..' his heart was beating so fast..

He was behaving like she confessed her love.. Right now she just confessed the friendship.. What will be the scenario when she confess her love?..

Right now Ruan was on ninth cloud.. He was so happy that he can't describe his feelings.. 'yess.. Yess.. We become friends..' he keep repeating this in his mind..

And left the place. He was excited.. He want to share this with someone..

So he went to Sheng corporation.

## STORY ##

Bend, But Don't Break:

One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream, and listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees.

I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died down.

When I think about the bamboo tree's ability to bounce back or return to its original position, the word resilience comes to mind. When used in reference to a person this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other situation that stretches the limits of a person's emotions.

Have you ever felt like you are about to snap Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it. During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health. You felt emotionally drained, mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical symptoms.

Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point then bend but don't break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you.

A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal. With hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having.

If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience like the bamboo tree, bend but don't break!