Mishti's fingers danced across the keyboard, her focus unwavering as she delved into her work. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Tia, her  assistant, entered the room with a concerned look on her face.

"Tia, what is it?" Mishti asked, barely looking up from her laptop.

"Ma'am , your family has been trying to reach you for the past fifteen minutes. They say yourphone is switched off and wanted to talk to you. "
She  sighed, momentarily torn between her pressing deadlines and her family's needs. With a resigned nod, she set aside her laptop and stood up from her desk.

Thanks, Tia. I'll give them a call now," Mishti said,
Tia nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, and left Mishti to her thoughts. As Mishti reached for her phone, a sense of apprehension washed over her. What could be so urgent that her family needed to reach her immediately? With a deep breath, she dialed her family's number, ready to face whatever news awaited her on the other end of the line.
Her mother's voice crackled through the phone, urgency evident in her tone. "Mishti, beta, please come to the restaurant as soon as you can. It's been too long since we had a family dinner, and the Rajvansh's are also joining us."

For this reason , mumma called me ? *Scoffs*

Mishti's mind raced with a flurry of emotions at her mother's words. It had been days since the two families had come together for a meal .
" I'll be there right away, Mumma ," Mishti assured her, her voice tinged with curiosity. "I'll see you soon."

With a sense of urgency propelling her forward, Mishti quickly gathered her belongings and headed out the door. Little did she know, this family dinner would mark the beginning of a new chapter in her life, one filled with unexpected twists and turns, and the promise of love on the horizon.

As she entered the restaurant, her eyes scanning the familiar faces of both the Maheshwari and Rajvansh families. As she reached the table , she saw everyone indulged in their own talking and she quickly greeted them with " Jai shree Krishna" .

Her gaze fell upon the only vacant seat, sandwiched between him and her brother.
With a nervous smile, she quickly took her place, her fingers tapping anxiously on her phone in an attempt to quell her rising nerves.

As soon as she was seated , Vikram Rajvansh, her uncle, addressed her, his voice cutting through the tension.

"Mishti beta, how's your business going?"

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Mishti mustered a polite response, her eyes averting to the tablecloth below.

"It's going well, Uncle. Thank you for asking," she replied, her voice tinged with nervousness.

As the conversation shifted around her, Mishti's mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions .

Mishti couldn't help but steal a glance at him as she settled into her seat. He looked effortlessly handsome in his casual attire, his disheveled hair adding to his charm. But her scrutiny didn't go unnoticed, and she felt a jolt of nerves when their eyes met briefly before she quickly looked away.

Before she could dwell on the encounter, her sister-in-law - Niara  concerned voice pulled her back to the present. "Mishti, you look exhausted. Are you feeling okay?" she asked, her eyes filled with genuine concern.

Mishti forced a smile, masking the turmoil within her. "Yes, bhabhi, I'm fine. Just a bit of a migraine," she replied, hoping to brush off the attention.

However, Abir's sharp ears caught her mention of migraine, and without hesitation, he sprang into action. "You have a migraine?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice.

Mishti nodded, feeling a mix of surprise and gratitude at his sudden attentiveness.
Before she could protest, Abir rose from his seat and swiftly made his way outside to his car.
Minutes later, he returned with a small bottle of medicine in hand, offering it to Mishti with a reassuring smile.

"Here, this should help," he said, his gaze softening as he met her eyes.

Mishti couldn't help but feel a flutter of warmth in her chest at his thoughtful gesture, her heart skipping a beat at the unexpected moment

"Thank you, Abir," Mishti replied,

"No worries," Abir replied, his smile widening.

This moment went noticed by both of their mothers , who always wished this - Their children together.
But little did they not know if this is what both abir and Mishti wished for.

As the laughter and banter between the siblings filled the air, they made their way towards their cars to head home.
Mishti's father , Karan  turned to her and asked,
"Mishti, will you be driving your car?"

Mishti nodded, replying, "Yes, Papa."

"Okay then, come soon. We're all waiting at the Maheshwari mansion," he said before leading the rest of the family towards their destination.

However, as everyone started moving towards their respective cars, Abir noticed that Mishti hadn't budged. Curiosity piqued, he approached her just as she banged her hand against the bonnet of her car in frustration, muttering a curse under her breath

Mishti, what happened?" Abir asked, concern evident in his voice.

"It's nothing, Abir. My car just isn't working," Mishti replied with a sigh. "I'll just book a cab."

"Why book a cab when you have me?" Abir interjected, his words catching Mishti off guard.

Mishti looked at him, her expression unreadable as she analyzed his offer. Sensing her hesitation, Abir quickly clarified, "No, no, that's not what I meant. What I meant is, we're going to the same place, so you can come with me if you're comfortable."

Mishti's eyes softened as she considered his words. "You sure?"

"Absolutely," Abir replied with a reassuring smile. "One hundred percent sure, Mishti."

With a grateful nod, Mishti accepted Abir's offer, and they both settled into his car, ready to embark on the journey together.

As we settled into the car, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful yet cute she looked in her tired business outfit. Her disheveled hair framed her face perfectly, and there was a hint of exhaustion in her eyes that somehow made her even more endearing.
But what am I even thinking? Abir, shut up, you're thinking rubbish, his mind mocked him.

"Focus, Abir, focus on the road," I muttered to myself, tearing my gaze away from Mishti and focusing my attention on driving.

Yes, that's what I needed to do—focus on the road and not let myself get distracted by thoughts that had no place in my mind.

But try as I might, I couldn't shake the image of Mishti from my thoughts. There was something about her, something that drew me in despite my best efforts to resist. Maybe it was her determination, her fiery spirit, or maybe it was just the way she looked at me with those captivating eyes.

Passing onto the streets, I noticed an ice cream cafe, and suddenly, without thinking, I asked her,

"You want an ice cream, Mish?"

Mishti's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected nickname, a blast from our childhood past.
"Yes, sure, Abir," she replied with a smile.

Without hesitation, I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and made my way outside towards the cafe. As I approached the counter, memories of our carefree days flooded my mind, reminding me of the bond we once shared as children. Despite the passage of time and the complexities of adulthood, some things never changed—like the simple joy of sharing an ice cream with someone you care about. With a sense of nostalgia warming my heart, I ordered two cones of our favorite flavors and returned to the car, eager to savor the moment with Mish by my side .

you remembered our favorite ice cream," she said with a smile.

"Yes, mishti , how could I forget?" she replied, returning the smile.

I quickly handed her some napkins to wipe her face as she indulged in the delicious treat. With the ice cream enjoyed and memories shared, we resumed our journey home. However, our peaceful ride was interrupted by the ringing of Mishti's phone.

"Ji, bhai?" she answered, her voice tinged with concern. "Hnji, my car broke down, so I'm coming with Abir."
I could hear Kartik Bhai's reassuring voice on the other end as Mishti explained the situation. "Okay, princess, come soon," he replied.

"Yes, bhai, we will be there in 15 minutes," Mishti assured him before ending the call.

As we reached the Maheshwari mansion and stepped out of the car, Mishti turned to me and said,

"Thank you, Abir."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her

"Ab tum 'thank you' bologi?"
I teased, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of my lips.

Mishti simply gave me a small smile in response before making her way inside the mansion. Despite her understated reply, I couldn't shake the feeling of warmth that spread through me at her words.

As I made my way inside, I noticed everyone dispersing to their respective rooms. It was a familiar sight—here at the Maheshwari mansion,we all have our own rooms as it was common for both families to spend time together, whether it was late-night movie sessions, dinners, or just catching up.

I chuckled to myself as I passed by the kitchen and saw Maa and Neha aunty engrossed in conversation. Knowing that they would probably be up late tonight, I continued on to my room.

Once inside, I quickly changed into more comfortable clothes and settled into bed.

As I lay in bed, the events of the evening, especially the moments shared with her, flashed before my eyes. I couldn't help but wonder what she would be doing now—was she sleeping, or perhaps lost in her own thoughts like me?

"Abir, tu pagal ho gaya hai," my mind mocked me, reminding me of the absurdity of my musings.

"Soja, Abir, you need sleep,"
I muttered to myself, trying to quiet the whirlwind of thoughts that threatened to keep me awake. Closing my eyes, I focused on my breathing, willing myself to let go of the day's events and drift off into a peaceful slumber .

______________________________
Their outfits -

Abir

Mishti

Hey dear readers , i hope you're doing well.

1696 words

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Author T ,