The boys sat by the bar of the club after ordering their respective drinks. Ruhaan suddenly remarked,

Ruhaan: You guys , come on! This is a boys night out, not a funeral. Why are you all so quiet?

Daksh: I don't know, man. I am feeling really guilty for lying to Ananya.

Sahil: Same here. Shanu didn't even ask any questions. She agreed as soon as I told her that I was going to hang out at your place.

Ruhaan: Come on guys! It's okay just chill out. I'm sure your girlfriends won't mind you guys having fun.

Daksh: Yeah but they'll hate us for lying to them.

Ruhaan: Chill out. It's not like they're ever gonna know.

Adi: Dude! You underwent serious personality changes in the course of the past few months!

The boys laughed.

Ruhaan snickered and said,

Ruhaan: Oh come on! I was always this cool!

Sahil: Yeah, but you never showed us this version of you. We always saw you as the good guy who could never do anything wrong.

Ruhaan: Okay, now you make me sound like a saint.

Adi: That's because you are one!

Before they could continue their conversation, the waiter arrived with their drinks. They each took one. Ruhaan raised his glass and shouted,

Ruhaan: To life!

The other three joined in and shouted,

' To life!'

After the toast, they finished their drinks in one gulp.

Daksh: This tastes so bad.

Sahil: I so second that.

Ruhaan: First time na isiliye. You'll get used to the after taste in a few minutes.

Sahil and Daksh nodded in unison.

Ruhaan: Anyways, so how's life going on with you guys?

Daksh: Peachy, I guess. I mean I still can't believe that I'm dating Ananya though. It feels surreal. I mean being with her makes me feel so many emotions that I never thought I was capable of feeling.

Sahil: Well you have been rooting for her since a long time so you deserve it . I'm happy for you guys.

Adi smiled sadly.

Daksh: Thanks dude.

Ruhaan: What's up with you Sahil?

Sahil: Never better. I feel so good that I'm finally away from that toxic man. It feels like I've tasted freedom after so long. And having Shanu beside me is like a cherry on the top.

Daksh: What about your mom? Have you talked to her?

Sahil: I have. Shanu made me understand that it was unnecessary to not talk to ma and actually solving our issues. So we had a long talk about everything regarding the whole situation. She  decided to file a divorce after we talked about it. So yeah I guess we're cool.

Ruhaan: Good for you dude. I'm happy that aunty got out of that toxic relationship.

Sahil: Yeah.

Daksh: What about you, Ruhaan? How's everything with your dad and Tapasya?

Ruhaan: Yeah , everything's fine now. Tapasya and her mom have grown closer than ever. Her mom filed for a divorce soon after the fiasco at my house. And me and my dad are on good terms now. He is giving me more of his attention and time, so yeah, I'm grateful for that.

Sahil's gaze landed on Adi, who hd been silent throughout the whole conversation.

Sahil: Adi!

Adi looked up, startled. Like someone had cut off his chain of thoughts.

Adi: Huh?

Sahil: What's going on with you? Is everything okay? You seem quieter than usual.

Adi: Oh.. no. It's.... it's nothing. I just....I was just thinking about.....

Ruhaan raised a brow.

Sahil: About Mitali?

Adi looked at him as though caught in an act.

Adi: Uh...yeah...yeah actually.

Daksh: What's going on with her? Is she okay?

Adi: I wouldn't know, Daksh.

Sahil: Why not?

Adi: Well since the day she has gone to Dehradun, she hasn't called me or texted me once . So yeah, that's why.

Ruhaan: You guys haven't talked it out yet?

Sahil: Talked what out?

Adi merely shrugged. Ruhaan rolled his eyes and answered,

Ruhaan: He and Mitali had a fight before she went to Dehradun.

Sahil: You did? Why?

Adi: Well,.... I found her talking to her dadi about her alliance being proposed to guy who had a crush on her since the first grade.

Sahil furrowed his brows. As much as he knew, Mitali's engagement was fixed in a rush. So did Mitali already know about it from the beginning?

Daksh: Whoa wait wait....she wanted to get married?

Adi: No... apparently she was "just kidding".

Ruhaan: Stop exaggerating, Adi. Guys, Mitali was just joking with her dadi because her dadi was constantly pestering her to marry the guy. She didn't actually want to get married and you know that, Adi.

Adi sighed.

Sahil: So you just assumed that she was going to get married to that guy and fought with her?

Adi: I know, alright! I'm a fucking idiot to do that. I regretted it the moment she started crying in front of me. But I didn't know how to control the situation. And then she said, she needed a break from me. So I just......

Ruhaan completed,

Ruhaan: You left her there without actually trying to figure out things together. You let your ego get the best of you.

Adi:(sarcastically) Jeez dude! Thanks for making me feel better!

Daksh: Did you just use sarcasm to reply to a conversation? Wow , Mitali really has had a good influence on you.

Adi rolled his eyes.

Ruhaan: Well that isn't going to change the fact that he was an idiot to let her go without actually trying to explain things.

Sahil: Explain what?

Ruhaan: This idiot , right here was trying to make her jealous throughout your brother's wedding by using your cousin as a pawn. But of course, he didn't know when to stop and took it too far.

Adi groaned.

Sahil: Wait so.... you were actually using Trisha to make Mitali jealous?

Adi: Look dude, I'm sorry if I hurt your cousin's feelings. I never thought this through to be honest. And anyways, I told her everything after my fight with Mitali. And to be honest, she was pretty cool about it.

Sahil raised a brow.

Sahil: When did you and Mitali have that fight?

Adi: During the haldi ceremony, I think.

Sahil: And you told Trisha everything on that day itself?

Adi: Yeah.

Sahil groaned and face palmed himself.

Sahil: Oh My God.

Adi: What ? What's going on?

Sahil : Adi! Do you still have that ring that Mitali gave you?

Adi: Why does it matter? And how do you know about that?

Sahil: Just answer the damn question!

Adi, questioningly , raised his left hand to reveal the silvery piece of jewelry on his ring finger.

Adi: I do.

Sahil: Oh dear lord!

Daksh: Sahil ,why are you freaking out like this? What's going on?

Adi: Yeah dude , you're scaring me now.

Sahil: Oh Trisha! What have you done!

Adi: What? Why is Trisha coming in all of this?

Sahil: Because you dumb cow! She has created a big misunderstanding in Mitali's mind about you!

Adi: What?

Sahil: Yes, oh God! She really is devil's daughter. No doubt she's from Mr. Maheshwari's side of the family.

Ruhaan: Okay, Sahil, you need to calm down. Cause we aren't getting any of the shit that you're speaking.

Adi nodded.

Sahil: Okay, Adi. What I'm about to tell you might break your heart but please understand okay?

Adi: Okay, I'm officially scared. Tell me! Spit it out!

Sahil paused before revealing,

Sahil: Trisha went up to Mitali during bhai's wedding and apparently told her that you were happy with being broken up with her and that you'd rather be with someone like Trisha, who would actually reciprocate your feelings.

Adi furrowed his brows in confusion.

Adi: What? I never said any of those things!

Sahil: I know. She lied.

Adi rolled his eyes in frustration.

Sahil: And she did one more thing.

Ruhaan: What?

Sahil: I don't know how....but I think she somehow got hold of that ring. And....when Mitali enquiried her as to why she was wearing her ring , Trisha lied and said that....

Adi: That I gave it to her?

Sahil nodded.

Adi groaned in frustration. Ruhaan and Daksh exchanged anxious glances.

Adi: So that's why she hasn't been calling or texting me. Cause she thinks I'm better off without her?

Sahil nodded again.

Adi: God! This is so frustrating! No offense to you Sahil, but if I ever meet your cousin again, I'll kill her.

Sahil: Consider my permission granted. But...

Adi: There's a but?!

Sahil:But.... that's... not the worst part.

Daksh: What's the worst part?

Sahil looked at his friends before spilling,

Sahil: Mitali's getting engaged and probably to the same guy that Adi was talking about earlier.

Adi's eyes almost fell out of it's socket. He rose from his seat and asked in a soft murmur,

Adi: What'd you just say?

Sahil looked down and replied,

Sahil: She's getting engaged.

Adi: But why? Why?

Sahil: She feels that she deserves the same happiness that you found and wants to move on just like you did.

Adi felt the air sucked out of his lungs. His surroundings spinned like a ballerina in front of his eyes. He couldn't believe it. There was no way in hell that Mitali, his Mitali could do such a thing to him. No, she couldn't. She couldn't get married to someone else. She was his. She belonged to him as much as he belonged to her. How could she ever be someone else's?

Ruhaan: Adi, are you okay?

Adi breathed heavily and responded,

Adi: Okay?! Okay?! How can I be FUCKING OKAY after knowing that the girl whom I love is getting married to someone else? How can I be  OKAY after knowing that I'll never see her smile again?! How can I be okay after knowing that the only girl I've ever loved hates me?! How can I be okay, Ruhaan?! How can I-

He broke down, crying. The people in the club were giving him weird looks but he didn't care anymore.

Ruhaan held his shoulder and pulled him up,

Ruhaan: Adi, you need to control yourself.

Adi cried even more. Ruhaan hugged him tightly in an attempt to calm him down. Sahil and Daksh exchanged glances before hugging the both of them, creating a sheild.

The boys remained this way until Adi's cries died down. They exited the club soon after to get some fresh air.

Adi leaned against the wall adjacent to the club's gate, trying hard to hold himself up and not tearing up again.

Daksh: But this isn't fair to Mitali. Nor is it fair to the guy. She doesn't even love him.

Ruhaan: She's isn't thinking straight, Daksh. She's trying to cope up with her heartbreak and the only possible option that she feels is correct, is by ignoring her feelings for Adi and  moving on with someone else.

Sahil: Yeah, but that's not right.

Ruhaan: I know. But I can understand her feelings right now. I can't believe what she went through the last couple of weeks. I mean, she couldn't even talk to us about this.

Sahil and Daksh experience anxious glances. Adi sighed heavily.

After a long second, Ruhaan suddenly said,

Ruhaan: We are not going to let this engagement happen.

The boys looked at him , startled.

Sahil: But Ruhaan, the engagement is in like 3 days.

Adi looked at him with his red rimmed eyes.

Adi: In 3 days?

Sahil: Yeah, that's what Mitali told Shanu.

Adi sucked a shaky breath.

Ruhaan: There is still time before that. I'm sure we can stop it if we reach there by tommorow.

Daksh: Yes....all we'll have to do is tell Mitali the truth about Trisha and clear the misunderstanding between Adi and her.

Ruhaan: Yes, exactly!

Adi: But Ru,....she doesn't even want to see me? What if she says no? What if she actually wants to get married to that guy?

Ruhaan sighed and put a hand on Adi's shoulder,

Ruhaan: Are you really saying this , Adi? Come on! You're actually giving up on her? Just few minutes ago you said you loved her! You said that she was the only girl you ever had feelings for! So don't you think fighting for that girl is worth it?!

Adi remained silent as Ruhaan continued,

Ruhaan: Hey! Listen to me. When you love someone , it's worth fighting for. No matter what the odds are. Close your eyes and tell me what's the first thing you see.

Adi reluctantly closed his eyes and muttered,

Adi: I see..... her.

Ruhaan: Exactly Adi! You love her! So why are you giving up without a fight?

Adi fluttered his eyes open and looked at Ruhaan.

Adi: I won't.... I won't give up on her.

Ruhaan's lips curved up in a slow smile.

Adi: No matter what the odds, I'm going to stop this engagement. We belong together and nothing can change that. I won't let anything change that.

The boys smiled at each other.

Adi: Book the tickets to Dehradun, Ru. Cause this engagement ain't happening no way!

                  ~~~~~~~~~~

Phew! Three down , 6 more to go!

Looks like Adi and gang is ready to crash Mishi's engagement but do you think they'll be able to stop it? How do you think Mitali's gonna react with the scooby doo gang's arrival ? Most importantly, will the engagement happen or not?

A lot of questions but the answers are gonna be revealed soon! So be tuned!(wow that rhymed). And please please please don't forget to vote and comment your views !

Love you loads,
Bosedisha