"Want to go out for to eat something spicy?" standing in the middle of the room, checking his glimpse on the mirror, setting his hair by his hands, Vansh asked Avni and Shana.

"No"

"Yes"

"What you mean 'No'?" glancing at Shana, Avni asked.

Stretching herself and relaxing her body, Shana stood up from the bed. Going toward the table, she picks up the glass, pour some water on it and said after drinking it" Guys, it's such good weather! Why waste the feeling of it by driving."

"Exactly! It's such good weather and, you are wasting it by sitting in the home" taking out his phone from the back pocket of the pant, Vansh continued" I am going to reserve the seats, Get dressed".

"Vanshu!" stopping him in between his actions, moving toward him, Shana hugged him like a child and, murmured" Let's order something spicy, tasty and, we can enjoy the weather as well as food in the terrace room".

Vansh looked at Avni to hear her opinion when he saw Avni signalling him to go by Shana's wish.

"Thank you, dida" giving Avni a flying Kiss, Shana squealed.

"Do you have an extra pair of eyes behind your head" amused, Avni questioned.

"Hehe, I have some awesome power you are unaware of" giggling, Shana answered.

"Ofcourse, Captain Marvel."

"Nopes, call me Ironwoman."

"You too will die like ironman."

"Hey, do not say anything about him. I literally cried when I saw him dead."

"Yes yes, we know how much you like Ironman, to be precise Junior Robert Downey."

"I like Robert because of his acting as Ironman. I too have read somewhere, Robert was the perfect fit for the role because, in reality, he behaves like Ironman, rich and rude but handsome."

Scoffing, Vansh mocked her "Yes ofcourse. You were the one who selected him, right."

Narrowing her eyes, Shana look at Vansh but turned her attention to Avni when she heard Avni" Stop being childish. I am damn sure you two will continue talking about it and, gone would be the good weather. I am going you guys do what you want" and saw Avni moving out of her room.

"Wait, dee, I am also coming" winking at Shana who was gasping for his betrayal, Vansh joined Avni.

Hurrying toward her wardrobe, Shana picked grey seamless spaghetti top with white cotton pant and informing them"I will be there in just 10 minutes" moved toward the bathroom to brush her teeth and to take a shower before joining them.

........................................................

Musing, Saaransh entered Vihaan's room to saw him sitting on the sofa chair on the rightmost corner of the room, busy on his Ipad.

Ignoring him, Saaransh moved toward the centre of the room, to the left of Vihaan and lay down on the king-size bed with his arms and leg open.

Diverting his attention, Vihaan turns his eyes to Saarnash's to saw him lying on his bed with closed eyes.

Placing his Ipad on the table, he shifts on his chair to sit comfortably and, crossing his right leg on the left one, asked: "What happened?"

Saaransh opened his eyes when he heard Vihaan asking and turn his head to the left to saw Vihaan looking at him carefully with his right index finger supporting his chin.

"Did you know..." but Saaransh stopped in midway and saw Vihaan giving him a curious look.

"Nothing and stop giving me this look" completing, Saaransh moved his head to the original position and closed his eyes once again.

"A minute for you to tell it" ordering, Vihaan remain seated in the same position.

"Else what?" asked Saaransh,

"I won't listen to it when you, will be aching to tell me." arching his brow, Vihaan explained.

Saaransh opened his mouth to speak but shut it off frustratingly.

Vihaan noticed him struggling and wondered what it could be. Saaransh had never hide anything from him, no matter what the issue was.

"Ughhh! I wish to tell you, but I also know I should not" standing up from the bed, Saaransh moved toward the exit door.

"Where are you going?" confused by Saarnash's behaviour, Vihaan enquired.

"To meet dee" answering back, Saaransh moved out, leaving Vihaan baffled.

.................................................

"Dee, no one told me Saarnash is Anubhav jiju's brother" sipping from the chocolate shake, enjoying the cool breeze of the evening, lightning in the cloud, sitting on the couch in the centre of the three glass wall room, Shana asked.

"I must have told you somewhere but, we both know you were hardly interested in any boy and, would hardly pay attention to any picture or news regarding boys" taking a spoonful of Maggie, Avni answered.

Sitting on the couch, three of them were enjoying the snacks. They had ordered two plates of garlic noodles, big size pizza, Maggie and french fries along with two glass of chocolate shakes and a coke.

"But still! If he is jiju's brother I must have somehow met him before" busy in eating, Shana speak.

Placing the shake back on the centre table, Vansh was the one to reply"Oh, he is not his real brother. You know Anubhav jiju is a single child, and in the same way, Saaransh is a single child of Anubhav jiju's paternal aunt. "

"Ohh" exclaiming, Shana was about to speak more when they were interrupted by someone.

That, someone, was none other than Saaransh, who took a seat adjacent to them and picking a piece of french fries, ate it.

"Enjoying the snack without me, hmmm" eyeing Avni and Vansh, Saarnash's gaze felt over Shana, and, he waved "Hi Shana, nice to meet you again."

" Hey" placing her shake on the table, she responds and looking at Vansh and Avni, she speaks, confusion masking her voice" I was not aware that you are here."

"It's okay. Vihaan asked me to stay here till dee's wedding and, as I am on vacations, I agreed." explaining, Saaransh looked at Shana and, asked with a voice full of concern" Well, Are you okay, now?"

Chewing her lower lip in guilt, Shana spoke within her mouth "Yes, and I am sorry for making all of you worried about me" when suddenly her mind registered something, and she blabbered" But, why will you be staying here? You are from the groom's side, right?"

"Don't you know, he is Vihaan bro's best friend?" Vansh spoke to clear her doubt.

"You are seriously his best friend?? I mean, seriously, like really?" Frowning, Shana looks at each of them and directing her gaze to Saaransh, questioned:" Is there anything else I should know about you?"

Saaransh laughed loud and, spoke, "You are so cute Shana."

Not expecting this, Shana looked at him in disbelief and was distracted when she heard Avni and Vansh clearing their throat.

"She is just cute??" teasing Saaransh, Avni probed.

But she was taken aback along with Shanaya when Saarnash speaks without any shame, his eyes levelling with Shana's" Nopes, she is beautiful and intelligent besides being cute".

"Ahmm Ahmmm, Shana, what about you?" smiling like a crazy and mad girl, Avni arched her brows and looked at Shana and saw her cheeks turning red.

"Dee, stop it" flustered with embarrassment, Shana looked toward Saaransh and continued" Do not mind them, they are crazy people."

"Haha, I know dear, do not worry."

...........................................

Enjoying the night full of stars and the moonlight that was illuminating Shana's face, she turned and tossed, her mind full of many things that were not letting her sleep. She could not digest the information of Saarnash being Vihaan's best friend.

"How can they be the best friend when they are totally opposite?? How can someone so cute, sweet and polite befriend with that angry, rude devil" asking herself in disbelief, Shana turns to find a comfortable spot.

Her gaze fell on the table clock and, her eyes widened to saw it showing one in the morning. She cursed herself" On god's name, why the hell I am even thinking about him".

She continued changing her direction to let sleep overcome her but to no avail.

"Okay, just chant God's name and, you will sleep Shana" consoling herself, she lied on her back, closed her eyes, and, started chanting.

She would often do that when she would not be able to sleep because of her active mind. She had a problem with sleeping in the night as she always found it difficult to sleep.

Away from her, Vihaan switched off his laptop after ending the video conference with his business delegates from the USA and stood from his sofa chair, in the balcony attached to his room, to drink water when he found the jug empty.

Moving inside his room, he saw Saaransh and Vansh deep in sleep.

Murmuring to himself" They are so lazy to empty it and not to fil it again" he descend to reach the kitchen.

He was about to take a turn when he found the light of Shana's room was on.

Checking the time from his wristwatch, he spoke to himself" What is she doing so late?" and thought of checking on her, but chooses not to and went to his original route.

When Shana found her eyes heavy with sleep, she turns to her left and switching off the lights, dozed off.

.............................................

"Fuck, man! I am late" shouting, jumping, running, Shana went inside the bathroom and returned fifteen minutes later with bathroom robes draping her body.

"Shit man, everyone must be already at the breakfast table" cursing, she chooses a red v neck t-shirt to go with grey pants and, within the next five minutes, she was in the hall, with her hair bound up in a pony.

"Good morning aunts" greeting Mrs Shakti and Mrs Chaya, she smiled at them and saw them passing the smile back to her. She had met them once in the back when she had come with Avni and found them so welcoming. They had loved her like their won daughter and had never made her felt like she was living in someone's else home.

Back when she had come to visit India, she was not aware of Vihaan being Avni's younger and had not seen him as he was in the USA for his MBA.

Shanaya had no idea about the existence of Vihaan even when she had been living with Avni who had been doing a PhD in architecture, for Vihaan had not visited them once.

"I am sorry aunts for being late I just slept late" Shana apologized.

"It's Okay beta, and you are not late by much, we too have just gathered now, take your seat" gesturing her to sit, Mrs Shakti spoke.

Shana smiled at her and, move toward her chair but, her smile vanished, the moment she spotted her chair.

Placed in the middle of Vihaan, busy in reading newspaper and Saaransh who smiled when he saw her, her chair was eagerly waiting for her.

Shana narrowed her eyes on Avni and Vansh, for she knew they had done this intentionally and saw them passing a teasing smile to her.

"God, I hate them! How can they be so childish?" questioning herself, she forcefully sat on her assigned chair.

To her left, Saarnash was seated with Vansh and Avni. To her right, Vihaan was sitting with Mrs Shakti and Mrs Chaya.

"Good morning beautifool" taking full advantage of the situation where Shana could not do anything, Vansh continued teasing her" I hope you have a good day".

Gritting her teeth close, Shana wished him a good morning but spoke with eyes "Wait and see what I do with you, beautifool's child."

Not able to control his emotions, Vansh laughed aloud, grabbing all the attention.

But, soon, it was turned into a deadly silence.

"What's so funny? Care to tell us?" gritting his teeth, placing the newspaper aside, Vihaan was the one to break the silence.

"Nothing bro, Sorry." apologizing, Vansh hides his head down to control his laugh.

Not ignoring how everyone kept silence afterwards, Shana understood Vihaan was not a conversational man on the dining table.

Despite being on level ten in terms of uncomfortableness, Shanaya extends her arms to grab a piece of bread when she felt his touch.

Shana turned her neck to her right to saw Vihaan's right arm touching her arm, his face close. She saw him turning his gaze in her direction and, the time freezes for Shanaya. She felt the same emotions she had felt two days before, on the eve of the party when Vihaan had pulled her toward him, had touched her body.

Shanaya immediately withdraws her hand to let Vihaan take the slice of bread and roam her eyes to saw other reaction but saw no one looking at their direction except one.

Shana felt the heat travelling from her neck to her cheeks when she saw Vansh smirking in her direction. Chewing her bottom lips to save herself from embarrassment, she averts her gaze from Vansh but could sense Vansh looking and smirking in her direction.

"What?" Shana mouthed, but saw Vansh nodding his head in "nothing".

"God, Why do you always give him a chance to tease me?" pitying herself, Shana looks again in Vansh direction to saw his face revealing the wickedness of the idea his mind might have been thinking.

She narrowed her eyes in an attempt to intimidate Vansh when she was distracted by a whisper" Are you okay?"

Shana turned her head to the left to saw Saarnash leaning closer to her, and notice him arching his brows to catch her attention.

"Oh, yes" smiling politely, Shana answered and, her gaze travels in Vansh direction to saw him eating and, smiling deviously.

"You haven't touch anything, have something to eat." urging her to take something from the table, Saarnash leaned back.

"I will when someone will let me." sarcastically speaking to herself, Shana roams her eyes in all the direction, watching how peacefully everyone was eating.

Busy in eating, Vihaan turned his eyes to his left to saw Shana stealing glances at him, and, the corner of his mouth lift upward in a smile when he saw her withdrawing her eyes with the speed of light.

He was about to return his gaze when his eyes drifted toward her hands that were clutching her abdomen.

It took a moment for him to understand what was happening when he heard Shana excusing herself, giving the reason for the call she was about to expect from her mom, who lives in Australia.

He almost chuckled when he heard his mom asking Shana to eat something and when Shana answered:" Aunt, I am not hungry right now, will eat something, afterwards".

It took him no longer than a second to know Shana was lying.

.................................................

Shanaya was pacing in her room while clutching her abdomen. She might have excused herself, but, she was dying of hunger and, her grumbling abdomen was the proof of it.

She waited for another some minutes, to let others retire to their room. She was well aware she would not be scolded or something but, she did not want to prove herself liar, that too because of someone like Vihaan.

Just the thought, of Vihaan, made her flustered and, her body tingled.

Ignoring the emotions, she stood from the bed and glanced again to saw the hall empty.

"Thank god!" feeling the joy of being granted her wish, she descends. She glanced around the hall, to find someone but, no one came in her sight and, using this opportunity, she hurriedly went toward the dining table.

She had just gripped the apple with her right palm when someone's strong hand came on top of her hand, stopping her action. She needed not to turn to find who it was, for her body, her heart and her mind could sense him easily.

Her heart was too weak and, inexperienced to survive that closeness and, she moved forward to support herself with the dining table.

But, she felt him moving closer, his chest slightly pressed with her back, his apple smelled breath fanning her right ear and exposed neck.

She could not process anything when she saw he put his left hand on the table to the left of her, caging her in. He was so close she could easily hear and feel his heart beating thumping against her back, and she felt a shock passing in her body when his right arm above the elbow brushed her right arm unintentionally.

Smelling her natural body scent, Vihaan remains in the same posture for more than a minute, his body resisting his mind to be away from her, his heart feeling something unique and strange by sharing the space with her.

He noticed her nervousness, her frantically beating heart, her flushed cheeks and neck, her shaking body and her flickered eyes.

Just one word came to his mind and, he whispered" Mine".

..........................................................

Vocabulary:

1. Beta:- son, but some people call their daughter as  'beta' to show their love.

2. Jiju: Brother-in-law

3. dee: elder sister

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