Ananya's POV :

"What are you doing in my room?" Arjun said as he came in and saw me sitting on his bed.

"It's twelve thirty Arjun!" I bellowed.

He was obstinate "So?"

"Where were you?"

"My music city audition flopped, so I went to register for another audition"

"What about your dinner?"

"Janvi made me noodles before I left"

"Are you serious Arjun? There are limits you know", I burst out, "You can't be roaming around till midnight. You're dead if mom and dad find out".

But as usual, Arjun was unabashed, "They aren't home themselves yet. Besides, I was here till seven thirty".

"Then why didn't you come to NEET class? I asked the staff to call you up".

"Oh please Ananya. I'm really tired. Stop pestering me", he said irritably, "Let me go to sleep", he said pulling me up to my feet pushing me towards the door.

"Whatever. But if you come back so late again, I'll tell mom and dad", I said as I stepped out.

He slammed the door on my face.

But it soon turned out that I didn't have to tell mom and dad. Somebody else did.

For all her kindness, even Rekha mam had a limit for tolerance. She had not said anything to mom or dad at the parent teacher meeting out of pure large heartedness. But she got totally fed up with Arjun when she gave us our revision test answer sheets the next day and he had failed for the third consecutive time. She ended up calling my parents and complaining to them about Arjun.

"Your son is very intelligent. He can score well with little effort", Rekha mam had apparently said, "But he just won't study. This can't continue. We don't have much time. The board exams are getting near. Something has to be done".

That same evening mom and dad totally grilled Arjun. They were in his room for hours, taking turns to lecture him.

And then, mom had stayed with him and made sure that he learnt for the next day's test.The effect of mom and dad's sermon lasted for a few days. Mom supervised Arjun's work for the rest of the week. But she couldn't go on after that.

"Listen Arjun", she told him at breakfast, the next Monday, "I have a lot of work. I can't keep running after you, asking you to learn. You're not in kindergarten. You've done well for the last one week. I hope you'll continue with that. If we find out that you're going back to your old ways, we'll be forced to get you a home tutor. Do you understand?"

Arjun nodded, "Yes mom", he said in a defeated tone. 

The prospect of home tuition did seem to frighten him. And I knew why.If mom got him a home tutor, he would be stuck in the house, all evening. Arjun had not done an inch of homework all term. How could he? He was running up and down the city doing all sorts of things to 'launch' his music career.

Plus there were those tiresome NEET classes. I was surprised that he was still actually bothering to turn up at least once or twice a week.

But why? I found out soon.

On Tuesday evening after school, Pooja and I planned to go and have pizza.

"Will you come with us?" I asked Arjun.

"No. And no pizza for you either", he said "You and Arav are coming with me to Music City".

"What? Come on! Pizza can't wait!" I argued.

"But I really want you and Arav to come", he said.

"Why?" I asked curiously. But he refused to say.

"Listen guys, I have something to show you",  he said finally when we stood inside a very aesthetically pleasing building with contemporary furnishings, nifty settings and stylish looking people all over the place moving around busily.

The people walking up and down diligently reminded me of our own hospital a scene from Office Days but with a humongous dash of glamour.

"What?" I asked as an impish grin came over his face.

"Oh no! No, no, no..I know that look!", I wailed

His grin turned wider.

"New girlfriend? Really?", I asked in disbelief.

"Not exactly. She's just my friend for now", he said as he unlocked his phone and meddled on it for a few seconds before he said, "Got it!" and pushed the phone in front of my face.

It was a selfie of Arjun with a very pretty girl. She was wearing a black salwar, hand on waist and pouting. I recognised her.

"She comes to NEET class right?" I asked, "I can't recall her name though".

Arjun nodded, "Rubina. I took this picture at NEET class. And we've also met her at the interschool talent show last year. She won the singing contest. I'm surprised you don't remember her".

"I meet a lot of people", I muttered "I can't remember them all".

"Yeah okay whatever. But what do you think? Will she make a good girlfriend?"

Arav looked at the picture and nodded approvingly "She looks good", he said unsurprisingly.

"She is here. Guess what? She wants to be a singer too! And if things work out, I feel she might be a good partner for me when I launch my own studio", Arjun said enthusiastically.

"Arjun yar! Give it some time", I chided him "You've only just started hanging out together. Now you don't have to start making plans with her for the next 25 years".

"Oh I've already finished making them", Arjun said off handedly.

Seriously! The guy was going crazier by the minute.

But before I could interrupt him again, he said "Okay you both go around and see if anything interests you. I'll be back", Arjun said.

"Where are you going?" Arav asked.

"I'm going up to the sixth floor. Your sister-in-law's recording", Arjun winked.

"Right", Arav said grinning.

I rolled my eyes.

But before Arjun could go, we saw two people coming down the stairs to the hallway. Rubina was one of them. 

I identified her from the picture.But she was in a completely contrast getup to the one in the picture. But of course, that was NEET class. All girls dress up like Sati Savitri for tuitions. The real demeanour comes out in places like these.She was wearing a bright yellow crop top, neon pink pants and black heels. Her hair was pulled together in a messy bun. Talk about tacky!

There was a guy with her and he didn't look pleased to see us. He said something to Rubina. She nodded at him and he went in the opposite direction while Rubina walked up to us."Hey Arjun!"

"Rubina, meet my siblings", he said "This is Arav and I think you already know Ananya?"Rubina pouted, "I am not sure", she said regarding me with her heavily made up eyes.

Of course! I refused to acknowledge her. She refused to acknowledge me.

I couldn't believe Arjun was hanging around a wacko like her.

"Umm..who was the guy you came with?" I asked deliberately.

"Oh that's Khiran", she said looking slightly flustered "My ex boyfriend".

Nice. Very nice.

"Oh okay", I said looking at Arjun to see what his reaction was. But he did not seem perturbed. On the contrary, he looked thrilled.He and Rubina stood talking about something inconsequential for several minutes as I and Arav hovered awkwardly in the background.

And then finally, "Okay Arjun I'll see you later", Rubina said.She leaned over to hug Arjun running her polished fingernails all over my brother's shoulders and face and then clumsily kissed him on the cheek."This is an A rated scene, Arav", I whispered, "You shouldn't be seeing this". Arav didn't reply.

Finally Rubina walked away to one of sofas in the lobby and lay right down on it as she was in her home. I went and gave a sharp slap on Arjun's shoulder, "Now I know why you still bother to turn up at NEET class. This is the fourth girlfriend you've got there!".

Arjun didn't reply to my comment, instead he asked "How do you like Rubina? You see a prospective sister-in-law in her?"

I mimed vomiting.

"Sister-in-law? For sure?" Arav grinned again.

"I was really worried. I thought our sister-in-law was going to be Selena Gomez. Thank God it won't happen, now that we've got Rubina madam", I said.

"Haha! Very funny", Arjun said.

"Imagine, if mom or dad found out what's going on here", I said.

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Of course not. But if they find out, I wouldn't want to be in your place", I said decidedly.

A/N : Guys, if you liked this chapter please do  vote and comment before you leave.

I will post the next chapter soon❤️

See you until then. Lots of love!