||CHAPTER 23||
《¤》

I wouldn't have known that Karan Bahl was sneaking off, or in in this case, during recess if I wasn't doing exactly the same thing on Tuesday. Armaan Qureshi and I were roaming the corridoors of the second floor, sharing a packet of biscuits sold only in his locality, which he normally got for lunch daily, and as we walked past the library, when my gaze landed on the slightly ajar door of the Psychology classroom.

"Fir ammi ne mujhe kaha- kya hua Arvika?" He stopped his narration when I abruptly halted in my tracks, taking cover behind the wall so that I could see what was going inside.

"Shh," I placed my index finger on my lips.

Karan seemed to be having a heart-to-heart conversation with Mr. Gaur, the young Einstein doppleganger, Psychology teacher. I couldn't make out the faint whispers but I did hear something along the lines of 'Dad kaise hai?'

"Armaan," I whispered. "Bell abhi bajney hi wali hai. Why don't you go back to our class? I... I have something to discuss with Mr. Gaur."

"Mr. Gaur? Par tum P.E. me ho na?"

Shit. "Yeah, I am... but I think I might reconsider taking Psychology. Learn a bit about mind manipulation and stuff, you know?"

He seemed convinced, "Oh, okay. See you later."

I saw him going upstairs and turned around, only to be staring up at Karan Bahl's questioning eyes.

"Tum yaha kya kar rahi ho?"

Okay, I seriously needed to work up on my lying skills. "Tum yaha pe kya kar rahe ho, dude," I glanced behind him. Mr. Gaur was arranging his desk. "Break mein bhi padhai? Tujhe pata hai maine tujhe kitna dhundha, and tu yaha pe sadd raha hai?"

Alright, that went way better.

He sighed, pulling me with him to climb the stairs and reach our floor.

"Mujhe bhookh nahi thi," he grabbed the biscuit that was still clutched in my hand, "par ab lagi hai."

"Do you honestly love Psychology so much that tu apna break bhi uspe kurbaan kar de?"

We entered the classroom where our group was already seated. Karan's arm went around my neck, pulling my in a side hug as we approached the others. "Vicky, tu mujhe ignore hi kar, I am honestly more comfortable with you that way."

"Oh really?" I ask, fist bumping Ritwik for no damn reason. "Because I recall an afternoon when you were in so deep an agony, that you had to pull yourself out of your comforts and confine in my residence."

"Behen, itni hi kadak angrezi agar tu Negi ki class me phade na, tho woh tera kuch bhi nahi bigad sakti!" Ritwik exclaimed before Karan could reply.

"Woh waise bhi mera kuchh nahi bigad sakti," I said with an attitude, standing with a stance, hands folded.

"Grades ke alawa," Ishita chimed in. "Grades se yaad aya, since tomorrow's a holiday because of Eid, are you guys up for another group study session? Because Maths mere palle nahi pad raha, aur meri didi apne college wapis gayi hai."

I considered the fact that these group study consisted more of an unplanned indoor picnic, and gave in. "Sure, I'm in," I pursed my lips. "Just kal shaam ko mat rakhna. Baaki koi bhi time chalega."

Arnav raised an eyebrow. "Kyu? Kal shaam ko kya hai? Dad aa rahe hai kya?"

You might wonder how pathetic it is, that we siblings don't even communicate about our father's arrivals, but that's just how it was. Confrontations are the only way we know what the other knows.

"Pata nahi," I shrugged.

"Fir aisi kya zarurat aa padi ki Arvika ki evenings booked hai?" Vansh asked. But no, he wasn't talking to me. He was talking to the hand that was around my shoulder.

Everyone noticed it at the same time, except Vansh offcourse. His gaze was slowly turning into a glare, and the feeling of butterflies in my stomach was like an old visitor, one that hadn't visited in a decade or two maybe.

"Bro," Karan teased, strengthening his hold on me, "Sorry, par mere haathon me tere naam ki mehendi nahi rangne wali hai."

The cackle of laughter that errupted, was not infectious for my brother. He didn't know on which team he was supposed to be playing.

Vansh looked grumpy, and that made me fuzzy. His eyes hooked to mine as he let out a breath. "Arvika ko suffocation ho raha hai."

"Nahh," I squeaked, trying to breathe. "I'm perfectly alright."

Karan winks at him, and Ritwik slaps Vansh's shoulder. "Usko tho nahi ho raha, par tujhe bohot garmi lag rahi hai. Kya garma garam pak raha hai hamare adde mein?"

They shouldn't be wiggling their eyes at me, but they don't spare me.

"Mujhey kya dekh rahe ho, khoobsurat hoon, attention tho attract karungi hi," I say, shrugging.

Before our bantering could continue though, Ms. Negi enters the classroom. Her gaze landed on me as usual, but it had more of exhaustion to it than it had anger.

I didn't know her story, but I knew she was slowly giving up. Whatever grudge she held for me wouldn't end any time soon, trust me when I say I know a lot about holding grudges, and apart from hampering with my grades (which weren't excellent to start with), there wasn't much harm she could inflict my way.

¿¤?

Uno isn't a game you should be playing with your siblings. Especially if your sibling is cunning and just knows how to be flying in cloud nine.

"How do you have three plus fours' cards? Why do you even have them? When did you even get them?"

Oh no, it wasn't me whining like a poor baby. I was the cunning sibling, and he was just... plain and gullible, bawling his eyes out over the fact that I had landed him three plus fours back to back, and had just one more card remaining. And guess which card that was? Yeah, another plus four.

"Colour changes to..." I make a scene of trying to peek into his collection of ten cards as he keeps on adding to the collection, "yellow."

"This is seriously some scheme. Mai teesri baar nahi haarne wala," he says, dejected, as he pulls out a six of yellow.

I could win quite easily, but I enjoyed the cat-mouse game. So I pulled out another card, and it turned out to be Wild. Pursing my lips, I shrugged, and he smirked, placing his own Wild. "Colour changed to... blue."

I pick out another card, scowling at him, and fortunately, it does turn out to be a seven of blue. He then grins, bringing out another Wild card, "Colour changes to... Red."

The colour I draw out isn't red, but a four of green. And then I decide to draw the big guns out, placing my last plus four from my collection. Yeah, he didn't even realise I didn't place the card I had pulled out in front of him.

"Colour changes to yellow," I declare, and he places his another Wild card, smirking.

"Colour changes to blue," he sings.

"Colour changes to yellow," I act desparate, placing my card firmly on the stack. He knew me; just not my tactics.

"I have got loads of Wild, I ain't losing this round," he smirks again, placing his last card. Last, because I may not know him, but I knew his tactics. "Colour changes to Green."

I pout, letting him enjoy his two second happiness, before grinning like a cheshire cat. Slamming my last and final card which was Green, I declare, "Uno!"

His face was a myriad of everything a sibling would love to see. And I enjoyed every minisecond of it.

"How- when- what?" His mouth remains open, as I slide out of the dining table where we were battling.

"I told you so, loser," I stretch my arms, "mujhse Uno mein jeetna mushqil hi nahi, namumkin hai."

"Tune cheating ki hai!" He objects.

"Achha? Kab aur kaise?" I don't think I cheated. I did play by the rules, just not by the conventional ways. "Accept your defeat, that too thrice. Bechara!"

I ruffle his hair, and he slaps my arm away, scowling.

The clock on the wall strikes eleven when I let out a yawn. "So, what does the winner want?" I tap my chin with my finger, pretending to be in deep thought.

"You did not-"

"I'd like someone to do my chemistry homework," I announce, ignoring him. "The notebook's on my desk. Thermodynamics mere palle nahi padd raha hai. Homework questions tho tujhe pata hai. Kal raath taq ho jana chahiye."

He follows me to my room to get my notebook. I hop on my bed, ready to call it a day, when he hesitantly stops at my door, then walking back to me.

"Tu kal shaam ko busy kyu hai?"

"Kyuki main apne dost ke ghar jaa rahi hoon," I decide to give him candid answers.

"Aur ye dost kaun hai jinhe apna group nahi jaanta?"

"Maine kab kaha use tum log nahi jaante?" I observe him as he walked to my open windows and closes it to stop the rain drops from coming inside.

"Tho bata na kaun hai teri yeh saheli?"

By the way he made himself comfortable in my bed, by making me roll inside and changing the temperature of the A.C. with the remote on the bedside table, I knew he wouldn't be going back to his room tonight.

I bit my lip, contemplating. "Can I call my dost my sahela?"

_____

Namoshtaii!

Uno is a game definitely not meant for siblings. I say this, and I don't even have a sibling. Share your favourite crazy  Uno/cards incidents with everyone in the comment section below, and I will dedicate a chapter of your choice to the most hilarious one on next Friday ;D.

Moving on, it's freaking HAILING here in Pune! And the first shower of monsoon was a blast hahhaha.

Anyways, read, vote, comment and promote!

~emcee.