||CHAPTER 6||
《¤》

"And this fur?" The curvy, fat lady sitting next to me pointed at her stroll. "This is from Italy. My husband got it last week."

Resting my forehead on my thumb and forefinger, I gave her my not-really-interested smile.

"This fur isn't made by torturing animals though, you know. My husband had made his ideals very clear when he started his brand: No animal to be harmed."

She was already taking up too much space on the two-seater. I didn't need her to impress me to deal with her company. This was why I hated such parties.

"Well, that's really nice, Mrs. Nair. Lovely spending some time with you. I think my father is calling me, excuse me," I excused myself.

"Arvu!" Jolly bua stepped in front of me before I could escape into the kitchen. "Where are you going? You couldn't have possibly met everyone already!"

Under the dimmed lights, I skimmed through the crowded living room. "Bua, I don't even know half of them. And all they want to do is explain to me their company policies, and I'm just sixteen!"

"That's a pretty good age to start interning, Arvu. Fix your connections right now."

"Bua, really? Mujhe laga tha ye party mere liye hai?"

Jolly bua grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter. "Look, I know ki tumhe ye parties nahi pasand, but you need to create an impression. Arnav told me you're not exactly loving it back here, but being your lovely bua, I really care for you."

"But bua–"

"–Arvika, listen to me. I'm asking you to do things I regret not doing when I was your age. You'll understand when you're a little older, but it's a man's world and if you don't buckle up now, it will remain so. Don't make me say the words. You're smarter than that."

Her implications were of deeper impact. "Mujhe pyaas lagi hai. I'll be back," I answered, ending the conversation there itself. Dodging past different people, I entered the kitchen hoping it would be empty, only to find Vansh and Karan inside.

"What are you doing here?" I eyed them, opening the fridge door.

"Auditioning for a dance competition," Karan retorted sarcastically, shoving some Pringles into his mouth.

"I don't think the starters being served out there are so inedible," I pointed out, snatching the tub out of his hands. "Ye Arnav ke hai!" 

"That is why I'm stealing his!" He snatched it back.

"His mother is a celebrity dietician," Vansh offered an explanation.

With curious eyes, I watched Vansh playing on his phone and Karan stuffing his mouth with unhealthy snacks, "In that case..." I opened up the larder on my right, "Have them all. Arnav ka secret stash hai. He doesn't know that I know about it, so mere khilaaf complain kiya bhi tho dekhlena." (This is Arnav's secret stash. He doesn't know that I know about it so if you even think of tattling about me... watch out.)

Awestruck, he followed the rows of junk food stored inside the larder. He picked up two more cans of Pringles and thanked me. "I surely wouldn't want to be on your bad side. Ever."

"It's Arnav you should be worrying about," I reminded him.

"As long as the secret of Pringles disappearing to Narnia stays between you and me, I'm gonna be chill. I'm going to the store room. You guys coming?" Karan winked in return, before walking out of the kitchen.

Vansh declined the offer and I shook my head, grabbing a water bottle as he left.

Uncapping the bottle in my hand, I poured it into a glass on the counter where Vansh was sitting. "So how was it with your step-daddy?"

"You tell me. You saw it live."

He chuckled bashfully. "It was certainly entertaining to watch Arnav lose his shit."

I pursed my lips. "If you were in his place, what would you have done?"

"I'd have taken those chocolates and ignored the rest. At least would have gotten chocolates to mend a broken heart."

Minutely impressed, I grinned. "Quite the budding businessman, huh?"

"Bagging deals in a private welcome party?" He poured himself a glass of water. "You've clearly figured me out already..."

"Is that so?" I tilted my head to the side. "Then please don't wait here on my account. You wouldn't wanna miss out on Italian fur, Nair Auntie is positive that's a good product. Bag those deals."

He leant forward, folding his arms on the counter between us. "Italian fur can wait. I'm invested more here."

I mimicked his actions. We weren't so close, and yet it felt a little intimate. "If that's your way of bagging a deal with the Deewan Industry, let me tell you, you're talking to the wrong person."

His small, ever-present smirk transformed into a smile continuing into a low laugh, as he shook his head. "You know, I have some theories about you."

"Well, everyone does," I proceeded to keep the bottle back in the fridge "What's your version of my sob story?"

"I wouldn't call it a sob story," he shrugged.

"Well, people won't exactly introduce me as a rainbows-and-unicorn person," I replied, folding my arms.

"People are just beliefs, Arvika," his smirk was accompanied by his shiny eyes reflecting in the dim lights. "And you? You're the most intriguing theory."

It wasn't just a Girl's washroom, hell no. It was a Gossip Portal, with a new story churning up every minute. And as much as I tried ignoring them all morning, they just wouldn't mind their own damn business.

It all started with them talking about the public announcements about Yatis Hotels joining Oberoi in a joint venture, a negotiation masked with a marriage scheduled in August. It was just a headline in the morning paper, until all sorts of stories associated with it stank the washroom altogether.

"Hey, chill out," Ishita patted my shoulder while I washed my hands in the sink. "They are just jealous that they didn't get a Welcome-Home Party."

"Of course we are," came a snarky response from a girl who was a senior. "We don't get offered two of them from two daddies. Is that true though? I heard your Daddy number 2 wants you back in Mumbai and has offered chocolates in exchange."

"Was that supposed to be funny?" Ishita folded her hands. I kept ignoring the commotion until the shortie on the side replied with some unbearable sass.

"Don't like this one? Well... someone clearly subscribed to Daddy Issues!"

I couldn't help but laugh at that one, shocking everybody in the washroom. "I know, right? Seems like this month a bonus Issue got mailed to me. But hey, I'm spoiled with choices now. That's the Daddy Issue only the rare are privileged with."

Not waiting for their exaggerated reaction, I waved them goodbye, Ishita hot on my heels.

"They aren't going let this one slide," she giggled beside me, as we got into the class before the bell rang signaling the end of recess.

"I'd be honored if they didn't."

She gave me a confused stare, "Pagal hai kya? Why would you want that? I mean tune unki faad di, but ab woh tera peechha nahi chhodenge. They won't leave you alone!"

"Hey, only means they'll put their time to good use."

"Can't, I've got homework," Arnav said, his phone perched between his ear and shoulder, a hand reaching into the refrigerator for a bottle of water.

Ignoring his presence in the kitchen, I continued beating the cake batter.

"Well, maybe it's got something to do with the fact it's school night, idiot," he replied after pausing for a few seconds. "Come on guys, kal hi humne ek party attend ki, kabhi padh bhi liya karo." 

I tilted my pan and poured all the brown batter into the Borosil glass container, garnishing the texture with crushed nuts.

"Well, look, I can't confirm about Friday's, but tonight I can tell you that neither me nor Arvika would be coming. Yeah, whatever, bye." He ended the call, and looked at me. "Ritwik thha. He's home alone tonight, wanted to throw a party," he explained.

Fishing out a packet of raisins from the shelf, he casually added a few raisins to the batter.

"No!" I yelled, shocked. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"Because..." he settled himself on the granite-marble counter, "I like raisins."

"So freaking what?" I tried spooning out the disappearing raisins. He just spoiled the only good thing that was going to happen today. "Dude, I hate raisins!"

"You basically hate everything," he plucked the spoon from my grip, licking out the batter. "And you're not the only one who's going to eat it."

"First of all, who said I'm gonna share the cake? I made it, I eat it. And secondly, you just licked kacche ande and doodh." I looked at him, disgusted. 

He eyed the spoon, gaze shifting between the batter and me. "Iske andar ande thhe?" 

"Veg cakes banata kaun hai? Do I look like Sanjeev Kapoor?" 

"Kacche wale?" 

"No," I shook my head, "Maine omelette ki bhurji dali thi. Obviously kacche wale thhe bewakoof!" 

He struggled gulping, "Can you please pass me the bottle?"

I rolled my eyes, backing away from the counter to reopen the fridge and grab a bottle. And as and when I turned back, his grim face had morphed into an evil grin. I could only skid across the kitchen floor before he emptied an entire pouch of raisins into the batter.

"Dafa ho!" I yelled at him, pushing him off the counter. Just to piss me off more, he dipped his spoon into the batter again, messing with the mixture.

"Now I feel like a man. Kacche ande with cocoa utna bhi bura taste nahi karta," he nodded at me, as I glared at him. 

"Arnav, don't make me hate you more," I warned him.

He gave out a smile, not quite reaching his eyes, and I could almost feel the change in the atmosphere, "At least, this time I will understand why you hate me."

_____

I am not supposed to update until nxt week, but then i though why not?!

So, happy holi in advance everyoneeeee. What r ur holi plans? Mine are none, cus my exams are the bin bulaye mehmaan.

Anyways, read, vote, comment and promote!

~chaashnee.