Arjun's POV:

"Ta-daaa!" I said holding out a form in front of Ananya.

Ananya curiously leaned forward to read it.

"FIND YOUR FORTUNE - A JACKPOT FOR THE TEENS OF CHENNAI"

We invite candidates in Chennai from ages 13 to 19 to take part in ten competitive rounds which tests various abilities of the participants who need to fight it out against each other and avoid elimination to win the grand prize of 20 lakhs.

You can fill this form and send it to the given address or register online.

"20 Lakhs?" my sister yelled.

"Yep", I said proudly, pleased with the interest I had caused.

"Who's sponsoring that much money for a stupid contest?"

"Some businessman from Dubai. And by the way, it's not a stupid contest."

"So this is what you were doing all day? And we got worried for nothing!"

"Don't say we! I know for a fact that you were not worried about me. And yeah, this is what I was doing. I had to roam so much to get this form".

"Just tell me who told you about this competition?"

"Pooja", I said.

"What? How does she know?"

"Because she's going too".

"And she told you that? She told you but she didn't tell me? No, I'm not jealous or anything of course but why didn't she tell me?"

"You see Ananya, Pooja felt your outrageously long nose should be kept out of this. And she thought I needed this. And she's right."

"Then I'm also coming", my sister said smugly. 

"What? God! No!" I wailed. If being annoying was a sport, my sister would win gold at the Commonwealth games.

"Why not?"

"Please don't!"

"So my brother and my best friend will be off, participating in an elite competition while I should sit here alone, and sad and miserable?"

"Oh God! Not the emotional card now, please! I'm serious An. Just stay out of this! Why do you even want to compete? You're already very busy. You have so much to learn! You definitely don't have the time or energy to compete in a contest".

"Hello? What's with the sudden interest in my education? Besides, I can do what I want! You're not the director of me".

"I am not the director of anybody. I'm just a guy with concern for you".

"No! Please! Don't try to distract me with these movie dialogues. I'm coming and that's it".

"Why? You don't need any money at all!"

"What?" Ananya's eyes sharply narrowed at me , "What does that mean? You need money? Why?"

Now what? I nodded my head.

My sister's eyes widened, "Why?"

Great! "Oh My God! You really want to know why?" I asked.

"Yes I do!"

"Because I want to launch a music career and mom and dad aren't going to help me! So once I get the money after winning the contest, I'll start my own career. That's why I need the money!"

"Arjun do you know what you're saying?" she asked, "This is serious. Plus what will you actually do with the money if you win? What will you tell mom and dad? Have you thought about that?"

I was defiant. "Heard of legal emancipation? That's what I'll do! Hire a lawyer and free myself from mom and dad. And then use the rest of the money to start a career".

I could see that it was all my sister could do to resist slapping me.

"Arjun this is like a really big thing!" she said indignantly.

"What do you mean like a big thing? It is a big thing!"

"You think this will end well?" she asked.

"It might not. But I can't just sit and not do anything. Mom and dad can't force me to attend that wretched NEET exam. I don't want their hospital. I can see they're not going to encourage my dream so I've made my own plans. And I'll be putting them into action while you go and write that damned NEET exam and then run our beloved hospital."

Ananya was totally stumped. She clearly hadn't expected me to go this far.

Seeing the shock on her face, I conceeded a bit and placed my hand on her shoulder."You're worrying about this unnecessarily. I'll manage alright", I said.

"But Arjun..." she began.

"No. Please don't pester me anymore. I don't want to talk about this", I said waving my hand dismissively.

"Okay, I want to tell you something else", she said.

"If it's about a NEET class test, don't", I said.

"No it's not".

"Then, are you going to lecture me about Rubina?"

"God! No!", Ananya snapped, "I almost forgot that she exists".

"That's convenient for me", I said feeling lighter "And you know, that's also one of the reasons I don't want you at the competition. You see, Rubina is coming too. She was the one who actually managed to get me a form. And I know you can't tolerate Rubina, so it's the better for you too, if you stay out of this".

"Are there any more shocks you need to give me? I'm already about to get a heart attack!"

"That'll also be convenient for me", I shrugged "Anyway, what is this thing you wanted to tell me?"

"Kuhu is missing since yesterday. Arav is very upset. The way he's going on about it, you'd think his girlfriend has gone missing".

"Well, do mom and dad know?" I asked.

"Yes, but they didn't react at all".

"Well then", I bit my lip and looked at Ananya, I could tell she was thinking on the same lines "My guess is that either mom or dad must've found Kuhu dead and cleaned out the cage. And then, let Arav think that she had gone missing. He would moan about her for a few days and then forget her. Why else would they not react?"

"I was thinking the same", I said "But Arav is not that stupid. He'll find out soon and.."

"And he'll be devastated", I completed. Ananya nodded.

"We've got to do something", she said.

"Go to the pet store and get a hamster that's a look alike of Kuhu?" I asked.

"Exactly!" said Ananya, "What? Come on! Don't look at me like that. Let's do it!"

And we did. An hour later, a new hamster that uncannily resembled Kuhu was sitting in Kuhu's cage.

When Arav came home from basketball practice, I and Ananya acted all innocent and went "Look who's back Arav! We found her hiding in the backyard shed!"

Somewhere in my head, I knew Arav was not fooled. I mean, let's face it. He was not a baby.

But I was glad he welcomed the new Kuhu without any objection and a big smile. Sometimes I really love my brother man.

Joys in my life are like Jolly Rancher lollipops. They last for ten minutes but they're the most relishable for those ten minutes. And after that, I have to go back to dealing with the dirt.

The next morning, I told my parents about the competition. Their immediate reaction was as usual, enigmatic and unreadable.

Impatient as I was, deep down, I felt guilty. I was getting their permission to do something without telling them the whole truth.

"What do you think of this?", mom asked dad.

"Well, why the sudden interest in something like this?" asked dad, a little suspiciously but very inquisitively.

"You know, I thought it would be an experience", I said as innocently as I could.

"Why at this point?" asked mom.

"Most of the contestants are of our age. So this is the right point".

"Anybody we know, going?"

"Yeah, Pooja" .

That instantly put them at ease.

But I should've known that my parents loved Ananya too much to let her out of this.

So I decided to take it. I decided that I was ready to do anything for this contest. I had tolerated my sister for seventeen and a half years and add another nine months in our mom's womb. This competition was only for a timespan of less than three months. I could do it.

It took another half an hour of cajoling and convincing before mom and dad signed both mine and Ananya's participant forms and we got ourselves registered. Now we had to wait for a call from team FYF to confirm our selection.

That evening, we were again left with Janvi. I was in the hope of doing some recording for my portfolio and perhaps even order something from Burger King for the night.

But unfortunately Janvi was in no mood to encourage anymore entertainment.

She had apparently had a squabble with her colleague and was in a very bad temper. I heard her talking to Shaheer on the phone, who was desperately trying to pacify her.

Unfortunately, Shaheer failed to change her foul mood and the heat of it now fell on us.

I and Ananya were as usual yelling at each other in my bedroom, as she wouldn't let me do a recording. The BGM was playing on my phone and I had to sing in sync with it. Arav was sitting there watching us fight.

Finally Janvi had to intervene to stop it from turning into a physical fight.

"Are you guys serious?", she snapped at us "God, this house is a circus! Stop fighting for heaven's sake. I'm getting a migraine here. All three of you will go to bed right now!" 

Ananya was still trying to annoy me. "I am eleven minutes older than you Ananya. Get out of my room!", I yelled at her.

"And I'm eleven years older than you!" Janvi stormed at me, "So listen to me!"

"Let me just finish this recording Jan!" I said.

"You and your recording can go to hell!" Janvi snapped.

"Just for ten more minutes", I begged.

"Not even ten more seconds. Go to bed all three of you. No - today you will listen to what I say and that's it. I'll kill you people if you behave like this. Your mom was right! There's just no discipline in this house!"

"Please Janvi! I can't work with the same concentration tomorrow. I have my entire focus right now. I won't miss a beat", I reasoned.

"And you won't miss some beatings either!", Janvi bellowed "Now drop that and go to bed".

And that was that.

After Janvi and Ananya left my room my phone started to ring. It was an unknown number and I instantly got excited. Could it be? I eagerly picked it up.

"Can I speak to Ananya or Arjun Rajesh?"

"This is Arjun speaking".

"We're from team FYF. And we have news for you".

"Yes?"

"You and your sister have been selected for the competition".

After I finished the call and climbed into bed, there was just one thing in my head.

My plan was on!

A/N : So babes, a new track is about to start. I really hope you enjoy it ❤️❤️ Actually the main story starts from here :) *grins* So big thank you for whoever is still with me!

If you liked this chapter, please leave your precious votes and comments. My next update will come very soon! ❤️ See you in the next chapter! *hugs*