"it's a game I play,
howling pretentious rhymes
performing them to
empty mirrors"
~bloeiend
Hopeless Thoughts

||CHAPTER 34||
《¤》

"You stormed off in the middle of the marriage, tumhe ho kya gaya thha?"

I leaned against the limousine's seat opposite to Aryan, scrolling through my feed on instagram. "I didn't necessarily storm off, I just turned and walked away. And mai shaadi khatam hone taq thhi, so yeah, whatever."

He rolled his eyes, "I don't even know why I'm helping you with the Bandhan thing."

I gave him a cheeky smile. "Because mujhey tum bhula nahi sake? Isn't that what you said last night at the get-together?"

Aryan narrowed his eyes at me. "Shut up. I bet you're not going to get the whole deal Chachu promised you after your 'turned around and walked away' session."

I bit my lip. That was arguable, and he was right. "But hey, if he doesn't, he has a wife to loose. Maanyata Oberoi doesn't know what her husband is doing now, and if he doesn't comply with me, I'll complain to my Mommy."

"I should be hating you because you're my competition in business- you're litterally ploying to get my family's incomes in ruin-"

"-but I'm too cute, aren't I?"

That shut him up for sometime. Sometime.

"What's with this Vansh guy anyway?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"It must be something if you are forcing us to pick him up on the way to the reception," he defended himself.

I kept my phone to the side, and a dreamy expression on my face "He just- he is the one for me, you know. I think I've found my man, he makes me laugh and keeps me happy all the time, and you know last time-"

"Fine, I'm sorry I asked!" He countered, horrified, seeing through my dramatics. "Stop this bullshit!"

I laughed. "That's what you were expecting me to say though, right? Chill bro, he's... he's Arnav's bestfriend, and we need him on our side."

His blank face shifted to a smirk, and I winked at him, just as the limo came to hault infront of Vansh's hotel. Photographs were being taken, I could hear the flashes which could be blinding if I looked out of the tinted window. The chauffeur opened the door to let Vansh inside.

"You really didn't need to pick me up, you know," he greeted us, sitting beside me. "I could have just gone with my mother."

"I thought your mother's in Shillong?"

"She postponed her trip. So, you guys really didn't need to do this."

I nodded, ignoring the pointed look Aryan gave me. "So, formality is your thing."

He chuckled. "More like, awkwardness isn't my thing. And I don't mean your ex-boyfriend sending strange looks my way."

"You should have whispered the last part, buddy," Aryan interfered. "But he's right. Utartein hi media wale wapis se hazir. Tab kya jawab doge unhe."

"Wahi, jo mai sare barbies ko bolti hoon," I shrugged at them, smirking. "I'd say that my business is my business, none of your business, but fir profits kaun banayega?"

¿¤?

Contrary to what many would think, I did reply with what I'd said to my newest cousin, accompanied by a signature wink, when the paparazzi questioned me about my life and what was up in paradise.

Yeah, I don't think I gave the reporter enough time to ask anything more, she was dumbfounded at first, all she could do was smile.

"I can't believe you were being serious," Aryan said, shaking his head.

"Is there anything you believe about me," I rose my brow, "except, offcourse the fact that I am pretty and you're never going to recover from me?"

He gave me a blank look, causing Vansh to chuckle.

"It's just that- it's like you're digging your own grave."

"Aw," I tilted my head to the side. "Don't be so serious. It doesn't suit you."

The reception was being held in a huge party lawn, which was cool, because now I could count the stars if I got bored.

"I'll see you guys later," Aryan said.

"Toodles, bro," I waved him off. He throws a fake glare my way before disappearing into the crowd.

"And then there were two," Vansh whistles out.

"Actually, it was always about the two left, and the one not."

I had confused him. I could see it in his face, which though was difficult to decipher under normal circumstamces, was pretty fun to read.

He shook his head, walking with me. "By the way, Arnav called. Tumhare barein mein pooch raha tha. About why you can't be picking his call, but you can be stalking me on my instagram page."

I gave him a sheepish smile. I wasn't ashamed of being caught. "I deep-liked you, didn't I?"

He frowned, "So, it wasn't intentional? Way to puncture my ego, Vika darling."

I rolled my eyes, "If you don't stop taunting me with that name, I'll start calling you Munch."

"Tum mujhey woh bachpan mein bulati thi- which reminds me, that, you- Arvika Deewan- are the reason why I was bullied all through middle school."

Oh, so he remembered.

"Hey, it wasn't my fault that you have a complicated name! Even Mikhael can't pronounce your name properly!" I nodded, not really sure of where I was going with this. Why did I bring my cousin into the conversation?

"How's it complicated? It's so easy to pronounce, a normal Van-"

"Arvika."

Only my Naani could call me with such a lovely endearement.

"Naani ji, kaisi ho aap? Sab baddhiya?"

I knew she felt my spite.

She gave a look over to me and Vansh.

"Oh, sorry," I said to her. "Vansh, meet the person I've loved troubling throughout my time in Mumbai, meri maata shree ki maata shree. Naani, meet Vansh. Iske school almanac mein koi complaints nahi hai. Aren't you proud of me that I made such good friends?"

She gave him a clipped smile, and turned to me. "Maanyata aur Raman tumhara intezaar kar rahe hai. Media hai, unke saamne embarrass mat karna."

She turned and walked off. There were several reasons why I wasn't on good terms with her, but there were a whole load of others that compliced as the reason why I preferred my Daadi over my Naani.

¿¤?

"Please come a bit closer- miss, your hand around Mr. Oberoi's shoulder please, as if you're hugging him from behind-yeah yeah, smile!"

Could I please put my hand around his neck too? That would save the camera guy his energy because he was trying to reap out emotions out of our non-existent relation.

"Perfect," said the guy, as the he clicked few photos in a row.

"You need to smile, Mamma," I said to her. She was looking stiff, something she never was for the cameras. "Everything is going your way. Right, Dad?"

My mother saw me with a strange look clouding her eyes.

"Thank you ma'am. Thank you Sir," the camera-man excused himself, leaving us with his flash equipments and a very awkward silence.

It seemed as if I thrived for awkward.

"Is Arnav going to come tonight?" Raman Oberoi broke the silence.

"Nah," I shrugged at him. "You can't bribe him. He seems to have a personal vendetta against some people."

"Behave, Vika," my mother said in a stern voice. I smirked at Oberoi.

"Anyways," I told them, "I almost forgot to congratulate you guys on your wedding. I'd say that the food was great, but you know, I didn't have any. Naani is on the watch, you know."

Oberoi presented me with a gentle smile. "Please make sure to have some tonight then. Tumhara favourite dessert bhi hai, and how can I let my daughter go without eating some good food?"

His good-man act was definitely wearing out my patience. I poked his arm with my index finger. "Mere alvida kehene se pehele hi aap mujhe miss karne lag gaye? What is it with the Oberoi males missing me?"

He laughed, she didn't find it funny. "Lighten up, Mamma, aap Maanyata Oberoi ban chuki ho."

Her phone started to ring at that exact moment. "I'll talk to you later, I need to get this."

I waved her off. Then folded my hands and turned to her husband. "Nice suite buddy. You know what else suites you?"

He still kept on smiling.

"Yeah, not that smile," I completed the answer.

"I wasn't joking when I said you're a really smart person, Arvika."

I rolled my eyes. "What now? You're having a proud father moment? Without the cameras?"

"I really love your mother-"

"-and I really couldn't care less."

"I'm being serious."

"The only way you could show me your seriousness is by signing the papers that you've hidden in your suite and handing it over. Uske baad, aapka Bandhan pavitra rehta hai, ya nahi, woh tho mujhe newspaper se hi pata chalne dijiye."

He took out the papers, and I unclipped his pen from his breast pocket, offering him the Parker I carried around instead.

When he gave me a quizzical look, I smiled. "Invisible ink pens sirf baccho pe jachta hai Mr. Oberoi."

"That wasn't invisible ink," he nodded at his pen.

"Well," I exclaimed, "then I'll consider it as a genuine gift from you. Thanks."

He shook his head before signing the papers. I wish I could frame this moment- because I'm pretty sure I just created a turning point for the Deewan Industries.

"There you go," he said, handing over the papers to me. "One third of the Yatis Hotels under Deewan Corporation."

I smiled giddily at him. "Now I'm going to say something I've been waiting for eons to say- you know after watching so many serious web-series, I really practiced this one infront of the mirror."

He rose an eyebrow, "What is it?"

I extended my hand forward for a shake that he accepted. "My lawyers will contact you."

_____

Namoshtaii!

The last part was fun to write. There are some scenes that keep on running in our mind, and we pretend that we're the main characters and, like, for a moment it's all giddy and stuff. What all scenes do you imagine yourself playing?

Suprizingly, this week, I didn't have any exams. But I do have PTM on Sunday, so yeah... almost same.

I'm halfway thru composing another song for DJH. That makes the third of the original songs for DJH.

Amazing cover art by my girl @bloeiend again. Thankyou so much Bhavana! This means a lot to me:

Also, hogwartsalumini gets this Chapter and Chapter no.2 to promote. We are soooo close to 1k votes, thank you sooo much everyone! Lets get to 1k before weekend?

So well, read vote comment and promote!

~emcee.