A/N: It's 1st November... Which means... NaNoWriMo begin today!!!

50k words, here I come!!!

***

The sound of shoes slapping the grey concrete floor resonated throughout the entire stairwell, breaking the peace amidst the hustle and bustle of the morning Mumbai traffic. The receptionist barely had the time to check the CCTV when the main entrance suddenly flung open.

"Sunny sir," the receptionist called out as she caught a silhouette of a person rush by her.

The clock on the wall reception had it's short hand on the 11 and it's long hand on the 7.

11.35. For Sunny Singhania, it meant that he was an hour and 5 minutes late.

Sunny heard the receptionist calling out to him repeatedly but he paid her no heed. All his attention was focused on getting to dance studio 5 where the band was practicing for their upcoming tour.

Just outside the door, he realized that the studio was too quiet for a rehearsal. Sunny pushed open the door and was met with an empty, pitch black dance studio. He heard loud but quicken clicking of high heels against the carpeted floor that came from behind. He turned around to find the receptionist jogging up the walkway towards him.

"Sunny sir," the receptionist choked out. She was panting from the 'high speed chase' she just had with Sunny. "Practice... Cancelled... Kabir sir ne... Choreographer ko... Nikal diya... (Kabir sir fired the choreographer.)"

"What?" Sunny asked in disbelief. "Phir se (Again)?"

As the receptionist tried to catch her breath, Sunny pulled out his hand phone and dialled Kabir's number. It rang a few times before Kabir finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Kabir," Sunny shouted into the phone. "Kahan hai tu (Where are you)? You cancelled the practice aur mujhe bataya bhi nahi (and you didn't tell me)? Agar call nahi sakte toh (If you can't call), at least message me, dude."

"Sorry, I ran out of credit. Wait, you just got to the dance studio? Kya yeh pahunchane ka time hai (Is this the time to arrive)?"

"I overslept," Sunny replied sheepishly. Practice or no practice, he knew he was going to get into trouble for being late. "You still haven't answered my question. Where are you?"

"I'm at my parent's place."

"Kyun (Why)?" Sunny asked.

"I have to drop the bachcha (child) off, na? And I also need to have a quick chat with Ayesha."

"Ayesha?" That was a name Sunny hasn't heard in a long time. "I thought she was still in some boarding school or something?"

"College. She graduated from boarding school two years ago, remember? The same day you decided that watching a cricket match was more important than my sister's graduation."

"Same thing na?" Sunny lied. To be honest, he had completely forgotten about it. To him, Ayesha will always be that annoying brat that wouldn't stop following Kabir and him around. "Why is she back? Doesn't she have classes to attend?"

"She's on her semester break, stupid. Oh yeah, I hope the receptionist told you about why today's practice was cancelled but just in case she didn't, I fired the choreographer. That lady tried to hit on me."

Sunny sighed. This was their 6th choreographer.

"You can't keep doing that," he told Kabir. "No one will ever work with us if you keep firing people. Couldn't you just bear with her until the end of the tour?"

"Err... No, I have a girlfriend."

"Then tell the choreographer about you know who," he answered.

"I can't. What happens if she goes to the press? I promised Tara that I won't turn our relationship into some media obsession."

Sunny grabbed a fist full of hair in frustration. He was going to go crazy. First, Ayesha. Now, Tara. Sunny wondered when will Kabir start acting like a best friend.

"Dude, I just want them to act a little bit more professional, you know?"

"Basically you want Farah Khan," he said sarcastically. "Or Shiamak Davar. Or Remo D'Souza. Or..."

"I don't mind."

Sunny moved the phone slightly away from his ears.

"Could we get any of them?" Sunny asked the receptionist.

"I guess," she replied. "But not on such short notice."

"Then get them for our next tour," he told her.

"Did you hear that?" Sunny asked. "Now, I'm going to call our choreographer and apologize to her. Can you just bear with her until our next tour?"

"No."

"Kabir, there's only one month left before our tour," Sunny pointed out. "If we get a new choreographer, we'll have to start all over again. We have 10 songs from the album of which, 8 need to be choreographed."

"I know. Let me have a chat with Ayesha and I'll see you back at our place tonight. Gussa thook do (Don't be angry), and go back to your beauty sleep. Ok, baby?"

Sunny cringed at Kabir's attempt to sound cutesy.

"Fine," he replied, reluctantly. "But what does Ayesha have to do with our tour?"

"It's a surprise. Ok, ta-ta, bye!"

Sunny heard the phone click as Kabir hung up. It wasn't until he reached his car that Kabir's plan dawned upon him.

Kabir wants Ayesha to choreograph the tour!

He immediately pulled out his phone and called Kabir but instead, it went to his voicemail.

Damn!

Sunny jumped into his car and sped off to Kabir's parent's house. He had to stop him before it was too late.

***

"No!"

Kabir had expected that answer the moment he considered asking Ayesha.

"Why not?" Kabir asked.

"Kabir..." Ayesha said before getting cut off by her mother.

"Bhaiya (brother)," her mom added.

Although Kabir and Ayesha were half siblings, Seema had made sure that the both of them would treat each other like normal siblings. Kabir and her youngest, Arjun, on the other hand... Let's just say she's happy that their band, VKAS was formed.

"Fine," Ayesha huffed. "Kabir BHAIYA (brother), are you crazy?! You're asking me to choreograph your tour, woh bhi (that too), within a month. Don't you think you're being a little bit too ambitious?"

"Exactly," a voice echoed through the house.

Everyone turned around to the source of the voice.

"Arre, Sunny beta (son)?" Seema asked. "Aa gaya (You came)?"

"Sunny," Kabir growled through gritted teeth.

"Haan (Yes) aunty," Sunny said as he touched Seema's feet.

"Jeete raho (Live long)," she said as she blessed him.

"Sunny," Kabir gruffed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk you out of your stupid plan," he replied. "I mean come on, Ayesha's still a..."

His words hitched in his throat as he finally laid his eyes on Ayesha for the first time in years.

"Bachcha (Child)..." Sunny's voice trailed off.

Ayesha looked nothing like the chubby and annoying child he remembered. All he could think of was how grown up and pretty she looked. The ugly duckling, he remembered calling her. Wow, the ugly duckling really turned into a swan.

Ayesha raised an eyebrow at him.

Kabir tapped Sunny's back.

"Oi," Kabir called out to Sunny, snapping him out if his trance. "Stop ogling my sister. Kya kaha tha (What did you say)? Ayesha's still a bachcha (child)?"

"Haa..an," Sunny stammered, he was at a lost for words. When did she grow up? "She still goes to college na? Don't trouble her."

"Then, what about Arjun?" Kabir retorted. "Dude, we set up the band while we were in college. You, me and Vishal. And I clearly remember that we even dragged along a 13 year old Arjun to some of our gigs because we needed an extra guitarist. Heck, Arjun even recorded the album while taking his 12th standard."

"But she's in college," Sunny persisted. He knew he was fighting a losing argument.

"Toh (So)?" Kabir asked. "Arjun is also going to college, should we drop him from the tour as well?"

That shut Sunny up.

"Kabir," Ayesha said before catching Seema's glare. "Bhaiya (brother), Sunny's right. I'm still in college and I don't know how to do choreography."

"Nonsense," Kabir retorted. "You choreographed the dance number for our school annual function."

"That was a school function," Ayesha protested. "This is a freaking month long nationwide tour. Do you know how different they are? And I had help."

"Sameer and Sonia?" Sunny asked.

Ayesha nodded.

Sameer Shah was the head of the student body when Kabir got his first chance to perform in their school function. He was a nice guy who had a crush on one of their friends, Diana Kaur, also affectionately known as Di. He remembered that prior to Ayesha moving to the boarding school, Ayesha, Di and Sameer's sister, Sonia were always hanging out together.

"So?" Kabir asked. "What's the problem? Ask them to join, money's not a problem for Rahul sir."

"Kabir," Seema warned. "You can have all your siblings but don't touch my assistant."

"Di isn't even interested," Kabir replied. He then turned his attention to Ayesha. "Don't even think of telling me that you haven't been keeping in contact with Sonia. Whenever I see Sameer, he complains that you and Sonia text too much. Instead of starting his restaurant, he's paying off his sister's phone bill."

"I wasn't going to say that," Ayesha lied. It's true that ever since Ayesha left, Sonia and Ayesha rarely met up. However, that doesn't mean that they didn't stay in touch. Ayesha would write letters to Sonia when she was in school and gradually, as she entered college, the letters turned into text messages.

"Please Ayesha?" Kabir begged. "And that way, Tara can also come and hang out without causing any suspicion."

"So that's you wanted Ayesha?!" Sunny said, finally getting the bigger picture.

"That's not fair," Ayesha concurred. "Just because you want your girlfriends to hang out, you're asking me to be your choreographer? No way!"

"Ayesha," Kabir tried to explained. However, Ayesha was having none of it. "That's not what I meant. I really need a choreographer. Help me, please?"

"No!" Ayesha told him as she walked away.

Sunny watched in amusement as Kabir tried reasoning with Ayesha while she continuously refused him. It only ended when Sunny heard a loud slam of a room door (probably Ayesha's) and a dejected Kabir reappearing in the living room.

"So?" Sunny asked, taunting Kabir. "Can I call the choreographer now?"

"Shut up," Kabir replied as he pushed past Sunny to get to his car. Sunny snickered and followed Kabir out.

"Bye aunty," Sunny called out.

"Bye," she replied, laughing at their antics.

***

A/N: Day 1 challenge: complete!!! I'm so proud of myself!!! 😂😂😂

*victory dance*

So, what do you think of this part? Feel free to let me know in the comments. And for the readers who have read (or are reading) Love Therapy, what do you think of the younger versions of the characters?

P.s., Gru reminds me Sunny Deol...

And Salman...

And despite spending so much money on classes... That's kinda how I dance too... 😂😂😂

See you tomorrow... Bbbyyyeeeeeee!!!