||CHAPTER 43||
《¤》

The clichè thing was seeing my brother's best friend in the kitchen, making pancakes, all alone.

The non-clichè part of the deal was sleeping in different rooms, and him classically not being my boyfriend.

Eyeing the heap of freshly made pancakes on the plate beside him on the counter, I padded towards him, aiming for the shelves above the counter.

His movements halted on sensing my presence, and from the corner of my eye, I was trying hard to not see his disheveled hair, early morning droopy eyes, and white shirt he slept in.

"Jal jayega," I cleared my throat, removing a few dishes from the shelf.

"Huh?" His ears registered the sizzling sound before he flipped the pancake. "Oh, thanks."

Deciding to observe his features at six thirty in the morning, I turned around and climbed on the counter, dangling my legs. I was trying not to be obvious that I was staring at him, but I didn't have a reason to shy away from such meek confrontrations.

"So... tumhe khana banana pasand hai ya fir tum mujhe ek bad host feel karana chahte ho?"

"Well, jab ek teer se do nishaane mil rahe ho, koi kaise inkaar kare?"

"Spoken like a true businessman," I patted his shoulder.

"Don't you know it," he commented, a low smile sprucing up his face.

"You made me believe that you won't judge me," I scratched my arm.

He turned the gas off, "And I am not! I am just..."

"Shocked?" I watched him as he came and stood in front of me. Even with my elevated height, he was slightly taller than me.

"I mean, yeah... Tumhe yaha wapis aye sirf maheene huye hai, yet you were the one to act upon the fishiness in Karan and Gaur Sir's case. Are we that shitty of friends?"

I scoffed, "It's because you are friends that you didn't want to dig deeper."

Digging deeper meant acquiring information worthy of blackmail. Now, or ten years later, they would be able to blackmail each other for their industries. And that, that would be the time they backstab each other, and realise they never were friends to begin with.

And that was the break out they didn't want. So to keep each other close, they didn't get closer.

To escape the guilt, they didn't want to be the guilty.

"Then why did you?"

I waited for the guilt to make me feel ashamed. Someday, I knew it would hit me. But another thing I knew for sure was that my ambitions wouldn't be the reason for my demise.

"So that no one else tries to be his friend," I replied, eyeing the pancakes beside me.

The reason I stated, was more of a solace to myself. Convincing others was nothing compared to convincing one's ownself.

"And Vansh..?" When he looked up again, I continued. "I'm sorry."

"For not letting me trust you?"

I gulped. He was more insightful than he ever let on. "Yeah... You're not just my bestfriend from seven years ago."

The smirk that I didn't know I missed had returned. "Well, like I said last night, you're not just my bestfriend's sister either."

¿¤?

"It would be better if you're not in this, Vansh," I told him, playing with the styrofoam cup with Kawfee 'n' Koolphi label in my hand.

"It would have been better if you hadn't poked into this matter in the first place, actually."

I sipped in through the straw. We were sitting on the tables laid outside the store, waiting for Mickey to arrive.

"You're just going to be guilty all your life now," I said lowly. "You do not want to lose a friend just like that. You know him since..."

"Seventh grade. Yes, he has been a great friend, and maybe I will regret knowing something shady about him, but would you have backed out if you were in my place?"

I couldn't meet his eyes. All of us were a bunch of liars, pretending or not. "If that would have been the case, I don't think I would be the kind of person I am now."

"And what kind of person do you think you are?"

An honest liar.

The killing of a motor-cycle engine saved me from the spotlight of replying. Mickey parked his Bullet by the roadside, not looking up at us until he reached our table.

"I didn't know this was supposed to be a double date," he announced, scraping out a chair to sit.

I smirked at him, "Well, the thing's you'd do for some money..."

He shrugged, smiling ingeniously, "I don't mind a threesome that involves good money."

"What is his role, Arvika?" Vansh cut the chase.

"My role can be varying. Which reminds me, haven't seen you in a long time, buddy."

I sipped some more, watched some more.

"This is a bad idea. What could he possibly do other than spoiling young kids?"

"Excuse me, I do not spoil anyone. You guys come to me on your own accord."

That wasn't a lie, and gauging from Vansh's reaction, it was clear that the point wasn't arguable. Moreover, I hadn't invited Vansh here, he had forced himself on me. He could leave whenever he wanted to, and that was probably the reason why he wouldn't.

I cleared my throat to gain their attention.

"You'll get a thousand bucks for each job you do for me-us."

He contemplated for a moment. "Fine. But I have some conditions."

Vansh's eyes drifted to mine, his jaw locked. "And they are..?"

"No contracts. I don't want to be legally bound to do something illegal."

In simple words, he didn't want to get caught.

"Fine," I shrugged. "Next."

"Half of the money in advance."

"And what if you don't find us the information we want?"

"That's going to be your problem. I'll do what I can."

Vansh and I mutually agreed for this one, though he wasn't supposed to have any opinion in the first place."

"Well, that is all. I'm onboard with whatever else you have in store for me."

"How reliable is your stalking skill?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You shouldn't be asking that." When I didn't understand, he continued further. "Parents divorced due to the end of a contract. Bandhan. Want me to say something more?"

"Speak no more," I smiled at him. No one knew why my parents were divorced. I slid him my styrofoam cup. "Taste it. The Black Coffee is amazing here."

Slithely, he lifted the cup from the table, and placed his hand over the five hundred rupee note. "Don't I know it?"

Folded inside the money was the paper in which I had scribbled the things I wanted him to find out. Noticing it, he smirked at me-his creepy smile- then got up from his seat. "See you on Monday then. And oh, is Happy Partying a phrase?"

With a salute our way, he was off again, driving away on his Motor bike.

"I don't like him." Vansh released his breath.

"Good thing he isn't your bestfriend's sister."

¿¤?

"Do you think I should get a motorcycle too?"

We were at the two corners of the elevator, riding up to the seventh floor, returning from the small trip to the Cafe. When I glanced at him, he was deep in thought.

"What I think is," I replied honestly, tucking in my sunglasses on the crevice of my shirt, "I won't ride with you unless you've got a lisence."

Subtle hints of an approaching smile dotted his face as he bit his lip, "That's quite controversial, don't you think? I know you have some faith in me."

"Well then, I'll tell you one thing before you follow on your... dream. Mujhe noisy bikes nahi pasand."

The lift came to a halt, and we entered our lobby. He knocked on the door while I reached for the bell.

Instantly, Ishita opened the door, hiding her body behind it.

"We aren't salesmen," Vansh told her, "Darwaza poora khol na."

She had a creepy smile on her face while letting us in. I raised my eyebrows at her. "What's... up?"

"Nothing," she shook her head.

I was getting suspicious now. She turned around and I followed her to Arnav's bedroom, where I could hear the boys laughing.

As I stood by the door, my poor brain still couldn't understand what was so funny that had made all of them huddle on Arnav's bed. Vansh had joined them too, and Ishita didn't wait for me.

"And this is the time she stole our mother's make-up kit, and usne Mamma ka kajal lipstick ki tarah- oh shit!"

The mistake Arnav Deewan committed while narrating the story behind the photograph in his hand, was looking up and making eye-contact with me. Accidentally, or not.

I didn't need to roll up my sleeves for revenge, I always served it with a smile. "Is that so, Arnav?"

All the laughter in the room halted the moment they realized that their subject of humour, was in the room.

Call it twin connection, or whatever, but I could see it in his eyes that he knew what I was going to do.

"No..." It barely came out as a whisper, and I doubt he realized that he wasn't talking in his head anymore.

"No?" I pouted, walking towards the group. Albums and photograms laid in heaps on his bed, making it slightly difficult for me to spot the one I was looking for. "I didn't steal Mamma's make-up kit?"

The others could guess that whatever was going to happen, was going to bring a lot of entertainment.

"SHOW IT ALREADY, VICKEY!" Karan yelled, the hint of salacious humour governing his face.

"Arvika, no-" Arnav kept chanting, reflexively, until his reflexes could kick in.

But before his hand could land on that particular album which held his most embarrassing childhood memory, mine did.

"Guys, do you want to see Arnav's bestfriend?" I looked at them, a grin widening up on my face.

"Wasn't it Vansh?" Ishita frowned, looking at the said duo.

I shrugged, "Sorry Vansh, but you were always his second. Because..."

I trailed off, to let the suspense element it down to the picture of a four year old Arnav playing with Barbie and Dollhouse in the bathroom.

The moment of silence could be interpreted as shock, but right after it ended, the whole room was echoeing in heinious laughter.

"I should..." Ishita was trying ti speak between her giggles, "I am so jealous of you. Even I didn't have that big of a dollhouse- neither could I carry it to the bathtub!"

"It wasn't mine!" My brother defended his honour. "Ye- ye Arvika ka tha!"

"Bro, itna tho mai bhi jaanta hoon ki she never played with dolls," Vansh chuckled. "It is all you."

The album was no longer in my hand- Ritwik had snatched it to see in clearer detail.

Me? I was relishing the fact that I was the one with her mother's kohl on her lips. Arnav was right- annoying him was amusing, because why not?

_____

Namoshtaii!!

So, uhm, SUPRISE!! I bet none of u expected a Sunday update, but well, I did anyway.

And as most of u might know, JEE dates are out, and mine is on January 11. In desi language, meri fatt rahi hai. Also, this is pressurising me to complete DJH asap, and hence the suprise update!

So how many of u have embarrassing childhood pictures? I do, and in one, I am brushing my teeth in the balcony, and I'm sure you can figure out why that is 'embarrassing'.

Rn, m out shopping w my mamma for Durga Poojo. Also, a haircut.

Anyways, read, vote, comment and promote!

~emcee.