As the gang stood in front of the gate of the Gupta house, Adi nervously shuffled his feet against the cold cemented road. He couldn't even begin to describe the rush if emotions that he was feeling at the moment. Was he ready to face her? Was he going to succeed in making her change her mind? Would she even listen to him?

Lots of thoughts clouded his mind. He inhaled deeply.

Ruhaan: You ready, Adi?

Adi nodded and said,

Adi: As ready as I'll ever be.

Together, the 7 walked up to the front porch. A big mahogany door greeted them. Ruhaan looked at the others, and pressed the bell. Two chimes were heard on the other side.

After a long agonizing minute, the door opened and an unfamiliar face greeted them.

Payal: Yes?

Ruhaan: Um...is this Mitali Gupta's house?

Payal: It is. And you are..?

Shanu: Uh...we are Mitali's friends. From her college in Mumbai.

Payal's eyes widened.

Payal: From Mumbai?! Oh my god, please come in! Come in!

She stepped aside to open the door for the gang.

The gang was greeted by a loud , chirping set of people, moving from here to there, busy in some or the other task. An old lady sat in the couch on the left side of the living room , telling some men to lift the boxes properly.

Payal: Dadi, look, it's Mitali Di's friends from her college!

The old lady stopped talking to the men and looked at her new arrived guests. Getting up, she went up to them.

Dadi: You guys came all the way from Mumbai?

Ruhaan: Uh..yeah. I hope that isn't a problem.

Dadi: Arey kya problem shproblem! You guys are my Mitu's friends! You are welcome here anytime you want. I am just surprised you kids came all the way from Mumbai to attend her engagement.

Ruhaan smiled sheepishly while Adi asked,

Adi: Where is she?

Dadi: Wait I'll send someone to call her. She's probably upstairs in her room with Rishi.

Adi's fist clenched hearing his name.

Dadi: Arey Payal! Go call Mitu and Rishi downstairs!

Payal nodded enthusiastically and ran upstairs. She barged in her room and found Mitali and Rishi playing ludo.

The duo looked up to find a grinning Payal staring at them.

Mitali: What is it Payal? Why are you grinning like a maniac?

Payal chose to ignore her questions and said,

Payal: There's a surprise for you downstairs.

Mitali: What surprise?

Payal: Arey once you see the surprise, you'll be jumping in excitement!

Rishi raised a brow.

Rishi: Why ? What's so interesting downstairs?

Payal: Arey Rishi bhaiya! Once she sees the people downstairs , she'll be jumping with excitement.

Mitali: Wait... Hrithik Roshan and  Ayushman Khurrana are here to attend my engagement?!

Rishi rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Payal: No....

Mitali: Well then trust me, I won't be jumping with excitement.

Rishi: Who is it Payal?

Payal: Uff kitne sawal puchte ho aap dono! Come downstairs and find out for yourself!

Rishi and Mitali exchanged glances before following a sprinting Payal downstairs.

But once, Mitali's gaze landed on the scenario downstairs, her pace slowed down. Her face suddenly went pale whilst her eyes remained hauntingly calm.

The gang looked up at her as she slowly made her way downstairs.

Her heart skipped a thousand beats as she met his gaze for the first time after so long. Time paused for that very moment. Her eyes fluttered, with tears willing to be let out while Adi's lapiz lazuli's felt calm after catching her sight.

Payal and Rishi reached downstairs and stared at the whole situation with confused eyes.

As Mitali stepped on the last step, her dadi chimed,

Dadi: Mitu dekh! tere saare dost aaye hai. And that too all the way from Mumbai.

Rishi's eyes widened with realisation while Mitali struggled to breathe properly. He looked at her with concern.

There was an uncomfortable silence following that. Dadi and Payal were very much still in the
dark so they were a bit confused as to why Mitali didn't react to her friends's arrival.

Dadi: Mitu , what happened? Your friends have come all the way from Mumbai and you're not even gonna greet them?

Mitali inhaled deeply, and putting on a fake smile,she said,

Mitali: Yeah,.... of course. Guys..... welcome!

Her friends looked at her with empathy. Rishi , sensing how overwhelmed Mitali was , went and stood next to her.

Rishi: Arey Mitu. Aise bhi koi apne dosto ko greet karta hai kya? Tu bhi na matlab!

Mitali looked at him as he squeezed her hand softly. Adi watched the duo, with nothing but pain in his eyes. It felt like someone was stabbing him continuously and all he could do was stand and stare.

Mitali: Yeah...sorry. I'm just.., I didn't know you guys were coming so... I guess I'm a little surprised.

Adi scoffed and said,

Adi: Yeah...well we didn't know that you were getting engaged. So I guess.... we're even.

Mitali looked at him as her expression changed from that of apathy to stern.

Sensing the tension, Rishi said,

Rishi: Um... Mitali, won't you introduce your friends to me?

Mitali looked at Rishi again. She understood what he was getting at. He was only trying to calm the situation down. And she was making it difficult by letting Adi get into her head.

Mitali, smilingly, suddenly said,

Mitali: Of course. (Turning to her friends) Guys, this is Rishabh Saxena a.k.a Rishi......my would be fiance.

Adi just kept looking at her, utterly stilled. Those mere words had the capability to tear him apart in a fraction of a second. He felt tears pricking his eyes but he tried his best to contain them.

Mitali: Rishi, these are my friends. Ruhaan and Tapasya....

Ruhaan and Tapasya smiled at him slightly.

Mitali: Shayantani , Sahil, Daksh and Ananya....

Ananya: Hi.

Rishi smiled at each of them.

Mitali looked at her friends before her gaze landed on Adi. Words failed to come out of her yet still trying, she said,

Mitali: And.. this.. is....

Rishi: Adi.

Adi and Mitali both looked at him in surprise.

Rishi: I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you.

Adi looked at him questioningly. He couldn't tell if he was being  sarcastic or not.

Rishi gave him a genuine smile and proceeded to say,

Rishi: Come on, we'll show you guys your room upstairs. You guys must be tired after all the journey.

Mitali smiled a fake smile and said,

Mitali: Yeah... let's go guys.

Adi reluctantly, was the first one to follow the duo upstairs.The gang exchanged anxious glances before doing the same.

After allotting everyone their rooms, only Ruhaan and Adi were left.

Opening the door to the last guestroom, Rishi said,

Rishi: Ruhaan,.... you and Adi can stay in this room. If you need anything, just tell me.

Ruhaan couldn't help but feel guilty. This guy was genuinely nice to them after all.

Ruhaan: Thanks man.

Mitali smiled slightly and looked at Ruhaan.

Rishi: Okay anyways, Mitu... I need to go out for a bit to get some things. So I'll leave you guys to catch up a bit , okay?

He gave her a tight lipped smile and headed downstairs.

Mitali dreaded his words but she knew that he was actually trying to get them to talk. After all if they had to stay in the same house, then she had to talk to them. Him.

Once Rishi left, she faced her friends and said in a soft whisper,

Mitali: So...

Seeing that nobody was going to start the conversation, Ruhaan stepped in,

Ruhaan: You're getting engaged?

Mitali nodded slightly.

Mitali: Yes, Ruhaan.

Ananya: But why? You're 21 for heaven's sake!

Daksh: You have your whole life ahead of you, Mitali. Don't do this just because it's convenient for your dadi.

Sahil: He's right, Mitali. You still haven't completed your education. You have a lot to do before you tie the knot.

Mitali's eyes pricked with tears.

Shanu: Guys, don't come at her like this now. Please.

Mitali: Guys,.... I know that.... I should've told you about this. And I'm sorry but..... please trust me when I say this......no one's forcing me to do this. Not my dadi nor Rishi. I'm doing this because I feel that I am mature enough to finally decide what I want in my life. And I'm just getting engaged....... I'm not going to get married until and unless, both Rishi and I are established in our lives.

Adi chuckled sarcastically and asked,

Adi: That is such bullshit.

Ruhaan: Adi-

Adi: No, let me say, Ruhaan. She thinks she can just tell us any bullshit and we'll believe it. But that's not happening.

Mitali breathed heavily and looked him straight in the eye.

Adi: Yeah...so what you said? Huh..... you want this in your life. This? Getting engaged at the age of 21? Mitali, this is you we're talking about. You....who cringes at the slightest mention of something romantic....and hates anything cheesy.... you're saying that YOU want to get engaged to a guy you barely know?!

Mitali sighed a heavy sigh and said,

Mitali: I've known Rishi my whole life,Adi.

Adi: Well, I've known Tappu since the day I was born! Do you see me getting engaged to her?!

Mitali: That's different! You don't love Tapasya!

Adi: And you love Rishi?!

Mitali looked at him , utterly stilled. Why couldn't she just say it? Why couldn't she just tell him in the face that Yes, she did love Rishi? Why couldn't she just lie to him?

Adi: Why are you quiet now? Tell me.

He grabbed her wrist and asked, his demanding eyes begging her to say the truth.

She sniffled a sob but answered sternly,

Mitali: You have lost the right to ask me anything, Adi. I'm not bound to answer your questions.

Adi staggered back slightly, letting go off her hand. His eyes still remained fixed on her.

Mitali looked at him and then at the others and said,

Mitali: You can stay here and attend my engagement if you want to. I won't force you to do anything. But.....if you guys are planning on doing something wrong to stop this engagement,.....then I suggest you don't waste your time. Cause this engagement is gonna happen. No matter what the odds.

She breathed a sigh and traced her way back downstairs while Adi kept looking at her retreating figure with tears in his eyes.

                  ~~~~~~~~~

5 down! 5 more to gooooo!!!!

I know I know, you're probably pissed at Mitali and me for doing this to your precious Adi. But bear with me, cause I personally think Adi needs to learn a lesson to take care of what's nearest and dearest to him nicely. However this is no way means that I hate him tho. I love my Adi no matter what the odds!

Anyways, make sure to vote and comment down your views about this trainwreck of a chapter💞

Love you loads,
Bosedisha