NEVER HAVE I EVER

Prachi was about to leave after her shocking dress reveal and all the odd reaction she got for it. Rather the lack of reaction, No one said a single word and it made her more uncomfortable. Ranbir's eyes widened as he registered that she would leave and knowing how difficult she could be, he was racing his mind to come up with something that may stop her.

"You can't leave." Aryan said and Prachi stopped in her tracks and Ranbir felt like giving him a bone-crushing hug, but he controlled himself, for the moment.

"Yeah Pika, just stay and play with us." Aarav insisted with a smile, and Ranbir, though he would never accept it, agreed with him.

"Please Prachi." Shahana pleaded with her best puppy eyes, and Ranbir saw Aryan's shoulders drop a bit, as an audible sigh left his lips.

Ranbir looked at Prachi with an intensity that could melt stone, and he saw her determined eyes turn soft. Not a single word uttered but the pleas his eyes sent crumbled the resolve of leaving her. He could almost see her chewing the inside of her cheek to stay strong, to keep her focus.

"Piyush why are you not saying something? You never shut your mouth ever, and now you have sealed it with an airtight seal." Shahana asked turning to him.

The light eyed boy cleared his throat, took a deep breath and said, "Wow, when I said "Accio cutie," I didn't expect it to work!" and proceeded to smile like he hadn't just used the most cheesy line.

"What is the difference between a knife and your life?" Prachi asked in a serious tone, then continued without missing a beat. "Knife has a point."

But still the smile did not flattered, instead it grew wider. Prachi just made a face at him and snatched the blanket back but sat down nonetheless, picking up a glass of cold coffee on her way. She covered her legs with the blanket, sitting cross legged, leaning her back on the couch.

Everyone took their place they had taken before Aarav had gone to bring her down. They had made a perfect circle on the couches. Ranbir and Rhea on one couch,(much to former's annoyance as the latter was deliberately trying to scoot closer to him), Aryan to Ranbir's right, Shahana in the middle and Prachi next to her, all three on one couch. On Prachi's right was Piyush and next to him was Aarav, both on one couch. Aarav on Rhea's other side. Pranbir directly in front of each other. One trying to catch the other's eyes while other trying to look at anything but in the front.

"There will be three rounds, so everyone will have three questions to ask." Aryan explained as everyone took their respective glass.

"I'll start and we can go clockwise?" Rhea offered and everyone agreed.

"So," Rhea started, her face scrunched in thought, "Yeah, Never Have I Ever, cut anyone's hair." She said looking around.

Shahana made a face and took a sip, "When I was seven, my own." she said looking glum, and Prachi, Aarav and Piyush burst out laughing, clearly it wasn't the best haircut of her's.

Aryan took a sip and looked at Rhea, "I know why you said that, Nine, Mitali mami's, while she was asleep." And another round of laughter broke in the group.

Aarav thought something and said, "Never Have I Ever, crashed a party or a wedding."

His jaw dropped to the floor when All four, Arhana and Pranbir, took a sip out of their glasses.

"What?" He asked, amused at Prachi and Shahana.

"Maya, she was forcefully marrying Ranbir, we three got to help." Shahana explained quickly.

"So proud of you," Piyush wiped fake tears and side hugged Prachi over the armrest.

"Okay, Never Have I Ever, wanted to kill someone and planned it out." Piyush said excitedly.

Aarav took a sip followed by Prachi and Ranbir.

"Sanju." All three of them said at the same time and looked at each other.

"He is here?" Aarav asked, first time an angry edge in his voice, though one could trace his mod by his physical expreeseiond too.

"Was" Prachi assured him, "Nothing serious, He is in jail now."

"Go on, it's your turn now." Piyush tried to divert the topic.

"Wait a minute" She turned to Shahana. "Don't you want to have some?"

Shahana pouted and took a sip. So did Rhea, after getting a raised eyebrow from Ranbir.

"Sanju, then Maya. Prachi talked me out of the second one. Now I might have a new target." Shahana said.

"I would much rather not tell." Rhea said and Prachi nodded slightly.

"How did Prachi talked you out of it?" Aryan asked, interested.

"She just told me some flaws in my plan and said it would complicate things for us." Shahana elaborated. "But now I have a full proof murder plan." She glared at Rhea.

"Yeah, what's better than to have a detailed murder plan up the sleeve," Piyush said sarcasticlly, "Might come handy anytime."

"Okay, moving on, Never Have I Ever, played a musical instrument." Prachi said and Ranbir, Piyush and Aryan took a sip.

"Odd isn't it?" Ranbir asked, a slight tinge of amusement in his voice while he brushed non-existant dust off his trouser. "Your father is a rockstar and you never played a musical instrument."

"That was the only thing I restrained myself from," Prachi replied, eyes little cloudy, "Before coming here I've already found out that my father was related to music somewhere. So I distanced myself from it."

Aarav and Piyush frowned a little, she had never told them about it. She had just polietly refused mentionaing her disinterest, whenever they asked her to try something in musical lane, as she had a nice voice, but she told Ranbir just over a game?

"I'll go next," Shahana said softly, "Never Have I Ever broken a bone." She said.

Ranbir and Rhea took a sip along with Piyush, what surprised Aarav was when Prachi too took a sip.

"When did you broke any bone?" He asked her.

Is he her physiotheraphist or what, 'isko badi padi hai Prachi ke sath kya hua, kab hua, kaise hua.' Do he want to write her biography or something? Ranbir thought narrowing his eyebrows and fuming internally.

"Last year, I had an Accident." Prachi replied, not mentioning any detail of how sever it was. Looking momentary at Rhea who stared back, unbashed. She saw Ranbir shiver a bit. 

Ranbir closed his eyes as the horrendous sight of Prachi laying on the road in the puddle of her own blood flashed across his eyes. How his heart had stopped beating for a minute as the scene had unfolded in front of him. How he felt like killing the person behnd it, and he would have, if it weren't for the promise Prachi had taken from him. He opened his eyes to look at the forgiving girl to calm himself down and assure himself that she was safe and sound in front of him.

"Aryan ?" Prachi said and the boy looked up thinking about his statement. "Never Have I Ever, Drunk dialed my ex." He said and Rhea took a sip.

"Never Have I Ever, lied to someone about my feelings." Ranbir said in a blank tone.

He stared at Prachi and she stared right back, refusing to avert her gaze or take a sip that might land her in his trap. She knew he was taking his turns as an opportunity to make her say or do something that might break her shell or give a loose end to her act.

"Never have I ever, gone skinny dipping." Rhea said and Piyush took a sip, "On a dare." He explained hurriedly. Aarav and Shahana just shook their head at him and Aarav proceeded to continued.

"Never Have I Ever, gotten kidnapped." Aarav said and Prachi took a sip.

"Sanju." That one name was enough for making two set of jaws clenched. One in mere imagination of what would have happened, and one in remembrance of what had actually happened. The reality was far worse than the imaginations.

"Never have I ever, broken into someone's room or house." Piyush said in an attempt of lightening the aura.

It worked as Prachi blushed a deep red taking a sip and Ranbir and Arhana followed suit.

"You have?" Piyush exclaimed looking at the two girls.

Prachi frowned at Shahana and asked innocently, "When have you?"

Shahana raised an eyebrow and said "We together did. When we broke into the Principal's house. When did you?" Shanana asked and Aryan nodded.

"Tanu aunty's." Prachi said and they nodded.

"Breaking into houses? Crashing marriages? Who are you and what have you guys done to our Prachi." Piyush asked shaking her shoulders and turning to everyone with a dramatic expression.

"You broke into Principal's house? And Tanu is that woman who charged a fake case on your father." Aarav asked and even Rhea looked confused at the Principal's house break through.

"Not just me, we four broke into Principal's house. No not Broke, we just went there for some work." Prachi said. And Ranbir muttered "From the window."

"It isn't just the two for you though." Aryan said to Ranbir.

Shahana let out a laugh, knowing the implementation and Aryan and Ranbir too couldn't stop themselves and broke into laughter. Even Prachi joined and all four of them were doubled over in no time. There were tears prickling their eyes and stomachs were clenched due to the pain they had laughing too hard. They wiped their eyes and pacified themselves as Prachi rested her head on Shahana's shoulder and a few tears escaped her eyes that she quickly wiped and took a large gulp of her coffee staring into nothingness.

She reminisched how Ranbir had jumped through her window so many times to come and meet her, in the dead of the night. How she had beaten him when he had came the first time. She had scolded him so many times when he had barged into her room. How she had always left her window open waiting for him to come. How she had confessed her feelings when he was about to leave through the same window.

Her thoughts were intrupted when Shahana nudged her and she looked up to see everyone looking at her. Her eyes met only one pair that was boring into her with a knowing look. She turned towards Shahana and gave her a questioning look.

"It's your turn Prachi." She muttered and Prachi nodded.

"Never Have I Ever learned how to swim." She spluttered out the first thing that come to her mind.

Everyone but Shahana took a sip as Shahana gave Prachi's hand a light squeeze.

"Never have I ever, ran for my life." Shahana said taking her turn and Pranbir took a sip.

"He saved me from some goons." Prachi said, her voice void of any emotions as she tried to lock all her escaped memories back in their boxes and in the deepest corner of her heart. "Though I was the one who beat them." She said trying to fill some emotions in her voice.

Memories tried and tried to break free of their cage, rambling against each other and the walls of her hollow heart. But she turned deaf to the numerous times he had said heartfelt 'I Love You's to her. She turned blind to all of his sweet gestures. Get a hold of yourself, she told herself.

She felt another squeeze on her hand and snapped into reality only to catch the last line of Aryan's statement. "Regretted a decision only to cherish it later."

She took a sip as everyone else did. God knows what they reasoned their's for. Well she did heard his 'Accepting Rhea's bet." and said "Coming to Delhi." on her turn.

"Okay, never have I ever hid something from my bestfriend." Ranbir said and she smiled as Shahana side hugged her, not taking drink.

"Okay this is the final round, go big everyone." Ranbir said rubbing his hands together. "Everyone swear on the one they love the most and everyone will tell the truth." Piyush said.

"What? No. What nonsense?" Prachi fumed, standing up.

"Why? were you planning to lie?" Ranbir asked a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"No" she exclaimed.

"Then were you going to leave midway?" he challenged.

"No." she stated.

"Then do you have any problem?" He asked

"No." She threw the words before she could process his.

"There, sit down." he instructed.

"But... " "Prachi...." He said and she took her place huffing.

"Go big or go home." He announced and sat back down.

"Never Have I Ever, been viral." Rhea said, smirking at Prachi remembering her fake MMS.

Prachi knew why she said it and took a sip, looking striagth in Rhea's eyes. "Fake MMS." She stated bluntly. She knew that Ranbir, Aryan and Shahana knew the truth and she was confident that Aarav and Piyush would never doubt her character.

Rhea didn't knew that so she just smirked wider, but her smirk flattered when she saw Ranbir taking a sip from her peripheral vision.

"Ranbir you..." She started but got cut off when Ranbir stated "Molestation charges."

"Fake" Prachi couldn't help but add, looking in his eyes.

"You proved it fake." Ranbir commented staring right back and Rhea clenched her fists. She'll have to think before speaking.

"Me next?" Aarav said breaking their eyelock. "Hmm..." He thought for a second, "Never Have I Ever, hid someone in my room, or hid in someone's room."

Pranbir took a sip and the other's looked at them. Shocked.

"What do you think one can crash a marriage just like that? And ofcourse they hid in Tanu's house." Shahana defended Pranbir but they both blushed, furiously. Arhana giving them a teasing look didn't seem to help too.

"Never have I ever had a crush on sibling's Bff or Bff's sibling." Piyush said, wriggling his eyebrows at Shahana who blushed a deep shade of Red.

Everyone took a sip. Shahana took a sip and looked around not meeting anyone's gaze and finding some things she had never seen before in the house. Like the nails in the furniture. The shining knob of the drawers. The design of the crown moulding. The small specs of honey in the brown of his eyes. The patterns around the skin of her eyes as he laughed. These adorable dimples on his cheeks when he laughed. His smile sending butterflies in her stomach.

Wait what?

She averted her eyes and looked down at her nearly empty glass.

"My turn," Prachi said stiffling her laughter at her sister's expense, while everyone gave Arhana teasing looks. Rhea was looking at them shocked. She looked over at Prachi with a questioning look and Prachi nodded lightly, confirming her doubt. Rhea tilted her head to side a little and shook her head, trying to empty it from the errand thoughts. She have no interest in anyone's life as long as she get Ranbir.

"Never Have I Ever gotten drunk." Prachi smirked at Ranbir and he pouted a bit, remembering the Holi incident.

He took a sip along with Rhea.

"Never Have I Ever, had my first kiss." Shahana spoke bluntly looking straight at Ranbir. Prachi looked at her shocked, given they were supposed to 'Go Big' but that was just odd.

She shook her head. And looked over to see Aarav, and Piyush taking a sip. She turned sideways to look at the clock and her eyes widened, they had came to play at nine and it was a quarter left to eleven. Just two more questions and she will chase them all to their rooms. Literally if she had to. The nutrient supplements she take made her really drowsy. She was so busy in her thinking that she completely missed the shining eyes looking at her as she did not take a sip. She had not even thought that Shahana would do something low key to slip her up.

So the MMS of her with that shame of a boy was fake too. Someone was trying to break them up. Aryan's thoughts mirrored Ranbir's and they looked at each other.

"Aryan, your turn." Prachi said, trying to end the game as soon as she can. Aryan nodded and thought for a moment, "Never Have I Ever, been proposed." He said, looking around as Ranbir, and Prachi took a sip. Rhea followed suit. What shocked him was when Shahana took a large gulp, smirking at him.

"Ranbir, it's you," Rhea placed a hand on his hand and he brought the glass to his lips as an excuse to remove his hand from her touch. "Never Have I Ever, lied in this game." He looked intently at Prachi as she took a sip, bound by the promise.

Prachi hurriedly got to her feet, finishing her drink and putting the empty glass on the table. "It's over, now everyone go to sleep, it's really late."

Everyone looked over at the time and agreed, getting up and making there way to their rooms. Prachi picked up the glasses and placed them in the kitchen sink. She gathered her blanket and started towards her room after she was sure that everyone left. 

Her feet got caught in something she couldn't see because of the big blanket ball she had in her arms and she felt herself loosing balance. A small yelp left her lips and she closed her eyes waiting to hit the floor face-first. The impact never came though. She knew she had a blanket in front of her but she had to feel at least something. And then she did felt it.

A strong arm, holding her. Wrapped around her stomach, the hand attached to it holding her waist from the side. She could feel the hand's warmth through the thin material of her dress. Her back pressed against a solid chest. She couldn't comprehend if it was her heart beating rapidly in her ribcage or the person's that was behind her. Maybe both. Her savior let out a breath and it grazed her neck, making goose bumps appearing at her neck, causing a tingling sensation run down her spine, the pit of her stomach tightening and making her knees go weak. She took a ragged breath through her mouth and the person straightened her. She felt the warm breadth near her ear and her eyes closed on their own accord. A silky smooth voice whispered in her ear, moving the arm from around her stomach to rest both hands on the sides of her waist. She clutched the blanket tightly.

"I know what you lied about." Her eyes snapped open as the hands disappeared from her waist and the solid warmth left her back. She turned around just in time to see his room's door close, her body already missing the warmth, and she made a quick walk to her room. She dropped the blanket on her bed and placed her palm on her racing heart. Closing her eyes to focus on her breathing. After her heartbeat and breathes returned to a normal pace, she dropped on her bed.

She was about to turn off the lights when she saw something familiar on her bed-stand. She propped herself on her elbow to get a better look and there it was. The object she had been looking for. Her Key. Under it was something that diverted her attention and she picked up the small piece of paper. It was neatly folded in half. As curiosity killed the cat, she opened it chewing on her lower lip. There were just three words written in a familiar scribble and instead of all the mess, they were more than enough to make her cheeks turn rosy.

'You Looked Cute.'

A/N:- Hey lovely readers, How are you all? Hoping the best for you lot, here is another chapter for you. Hoping with all my heart that you like it as much as I have loved writing it. If you do, make sure to vote and comment. If you come across any mistake, feel free to point it out. Inline comments are most welcome. Make sure to share your thoughts.

Lots of Love,

Simran