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A return gift chapter as recently you all have made this book reach the level i never expected after everything that happened❤️
Thank you so much lovelies for giving so much love to this book❤️
********
POV AUTHOR
Tara kaha hai?” Tarun asked, his tone gruff but tinged with disappointment.
Manav shrugged dramatically. “Usse permission nahi mili. She’s not coming.”
Tarun’s face fell instantly. “Then what’s the point? The trip’s canceled. I’m not going.”
“Arre, serious ho gaya!” Shivi laughed, but before anyone could tease him further, the door creaked open.
“Oo is it the party cancel then should I go back home?” He heard a voice and instantly his head snapped towards the door and the room buzzed with laughter and chatter as Tara’s surprise arrival turned the air electric. Tarun was frozen for a moment, his grin wider than anyone had ever seen. His friends exchanged knowing glances and barely contained their teasing smirks. Tara, slightly embarrassed, stepped fully inside.
“Waah waah, hero ka mood ekdum 180-degree turn!” Rohan teased, nudging Tarun.
“Tara ne bas darwaza khola aur hero happy.”rahul added with a laugh.
“Arre, pehele yeah toh pucho ki mood sirf badal gaya hai ya dil bhi tara ko dekh kar?” shivi added, earning a round of laughter and making Tara all blushing message.
“Shut up, guys!” Tarun muttered, though the redness creeping up his ears betrayed his embarrassment.
“Bhai, your face looks like you just won the lottery,” Rajveer smirked. “Admit it, you were sulking like a child!”
Before Tarun or tara could retaliate, his parents walked in, carrying the cake. “Chalo, now stop teasing them and let’s cut the cake!”
Everyone cheered, huddling around the table, but Rajveer’s booming voice rose above the chaos.
“Don’t start singing yet, you tone-deaf lot! Let the man blow out the candles first!”
Rahul elbowed Rajveer. “Bro, you’re the loudest one here. Glass todne ka plan hai kya?”
“Shut up!” Rajveer laughed, shoving him lightly.
“Yrr bas bhi karo abb and you tarun cut the cake,fast! Mera patience khatam ho raha hai!” Rohan whined, dramatically clutching his stomach.
“Rohan bhai, you just had three samosas before coming here. Kitna khaoge?” ishita said, rolling her eyes.
“Arre, dessert ke liye alag jagah hoti hai,” Rahul retorted, making everyone laugh.
*******
Soon after the gang started singing the birthday song with dramatic, off-tune enthusiasm. Tarun rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop smiling as he leaned forward to blow out the candles. Just before he did, Tiya called out, “Wait, wait, make a wish!”
“I already have,” Tarun mumbled under his breath, glancing quickly at Tara.
Shivi, standing closest to him, heard and immediately nudged Tara with her elbow. “He’s so whipped,” she whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, and the room burst into laughter again.
Tarun cut the cake, and everyone clapped again. The first piece, of course, went to his mom and dad and after that he moved towards tara and fed her though she was too shy cause of his parents presence and their friends teasing smile she was getting.
“Aww, itni shiddat se romantic cake feeding!”Rohan exclaimed, pretending to dab at imaginary tears. “Main toh emotional ho gaya.”
“Bas bhi karle apni nautanki”Tara shot back, though she couldn’t hide her smile.
After that one by one, he fed the cake to his friends grabbed pieces for themselves instead of waiting their turn.
“Arre! Mere liye toh bacha do!” Tarun protested, watching in disbelief as Manav stuffed half a slice into his mouth.
“Sharing is caring, bhai,”Rahul mumbled, crumbs flying everywhere.
“Ew!” Ishita ducked. “Rahul bhaii, please! Cake kha rahe ho aap ya chhink rahe ho?” rahul rolled his eyes at her statement while everyone chuckled.
Manav took a piece and smeared it on Tarun’s cheek. “Happy birthday, lover boy!”
“Manav! Yeh kya badtameezi hai?” Tarun yelled, while glaring his friend.
“Birthday rituals, bro!” manav winked
“Oo is it then birthday boy’s friends also have to go through this ritual” tarun smirked while grabbing a handful of frosting from the cake throwing it on manav face who dodged, and it hit Rajveer instead.
Chaos erupted as everyone grabbed bits of the cake, turning the party into an impromptu food fight.
Tara tried to escape the madness, but Tiya caught her. “Arre, tumhare liye bhi cake facial ready hai!”
“No, no!” Tara squealed, dodging. But before she could react, Tarun wiped some frosting on her nose.
“Happy now?” he teased.
Tara glared at him but couldn’t help giggling. “You’ll pay for this later.”
“I’ll gladly pay,” he replied, grinning like a fool.
“You all are looking like monkey’s let me click your photos as a memory” tarun’s mom said while taking out her phone and clicking pictures of them in which they were posing in a funny ways.
*******
After the photo session came to an end, Tarun’s parents excused themselves, leaving the group to their antics.
“Okay, gift time!” Ishita announced, pulling Tara towards Tarun.
Tara fidgeted nervously. “Uh… I didn’t get anything fancy.”
“Arre, tension mat lo. What is the gift that doesn’t matter, bas dil se hona chahiye,” Rajveer said and everyone agreed with his statement.
Tara handed the small box to Tarun, her hands shaking slightly. “This is for you.”
Tarun unwrapped it slowly, the teasing from his friends making him scoff. Inside was a leather bracelet with a tiny engraved plate that read *Forever Idiot* in delicate lettering. He laughed, shaking his head.
“Nice touch,” he said, putting it on. “But why ‘idiot’?”
Tara smirked. “Because you sulk like one. And also…” She leaned closer, her voice barely audible. “Because you’re my idiot.”
The room erupted in exaggerated gagging sounds.
“Bas bas!!” Manav waved his hand. “Yeh movie ka love scene bandh karo!”
“Stop getting jealous bhai”tara rolled her eyes at her brother who smacked her head.
“Did you liked it?” Tara said while turning towards tarun
“Anything given to me by you is amazing only” tarun replied while winking at her
The group groaned collectively. “Bhai, tum dono ka private scene alag karte hain. Hum yahan extra kyun bane hain?” Rohan joked.
“You’re all extras in my life,” Tarun shot back, earning playful punches from everyone.
Later the rest of the friends handed over their gifts—a mix of joke items, like a neon-pink sweater from Rahul, and thoughtful ones, like a scrapbook from Ishita filled with photos and notes from everyone.
********
The gang sprawled across the living room,ready to start there movie night.
“So which movie should I play?” Rajveer asked who had the remote of the TV.
“Let’s watch horror!” Shivi suggested, her eyes gleaming.
“No way!” Mahi protested. “I won’t be able to sleep.”
“Exactly the point,” Rajveer grinned. “Horror it is!”
“Wait, wait!! where are the popcorns?” Shivi asked
“I will go and cook it fast” tiya said
“Nooo wayy!!” Everyone shouted in unison
“Don’t forget the last incident the way you burned the popcorns and the dish and we all had to hear scolding of rajveer’s mom”rohan said making her remember the last incident of there night out at rajveer and shivi’s place.
“Huh it’s not like I everytime burn it! isn’t it manav?” Tiya said with a pout while looking at manav who got speechless as what to say
“Y-ya ya you are right” manav said while shuttering he was not able to go against her and everyone gave him the look of ‘Whipped man’ while Shooking their heads.
“I will go and cook the popcorn’s” Tara offered, getting up. Tarun immediately followed. “I’ll help,” he said, earning knowing smirks from the rest.
In the kitchen, Tara set up the popcorn while Tarun leaned against the counter, watching her.
“So because of this you were ignoring me?” Tarun cleared his throat while initiating the conversation
“Hmm” tara hummed meekly
“I am sorry it was not my intentions but everyone forced me to do this so that we can surprise you”she further said while turning towards him
“It’s okay jaan i understand and I am not upset with you” he said with a genuine smile on his face.
“You are not upset?” She asked
“I can never be upset from you” he replied making her blush
“Ahem on the serious note I wanted to ask you something since the last few days” she said while composing herself
“Yaa goo ahead” he replied
“What’s the matter? What is bothering you I am seeing you being distant and you were also ignoring me after that sahil’s incident” tara asked and his body got stiff hearing that
“N-nothing serious jaan it’s just there were some family issues no need to worry” he said totally lying with her as he not wanted to give her tension knowing very well how much overthinking she do.
“Pakka? Nothing serious?” She asked not getting a good feeling
“Pakka nothing serious,now stop overthinking you already have a little Brain stop pressuring it” tarun said while lighting the mood but before tara could retort back there came the voice from the living room.
“Guys! Popcorn ban gaya kya? Ya wahan love story shoot ho rahi hai?” Manav’s voice echoed from the living room.
“Coming!!” Tara shouted back while filling the bowls with the popcorn’s.
*******
Tara and Tarun entered the living room were everyone were already sprawled across the mats.They passed them their bowls and soon joined them in the movie.
They all settled on a classic ghost film, though half the group was more interested in cracking jokes than watching.
“Bhai, yeh bhoot hai ya makeup tutorial?” Rahul quipped as the ghost appeared.
Rahul added, “Budget low tha, so they borrowed lipstick from Shivi.”
“Excuse me?!” Shivi smacked him with a pillow, which triggered an all-out pillow fight.
Meanwhile, Tara and Tarun sat slightly apart, whispering.
“Enjoying?” Tara asked.
“More now that you’re here,” Tarun replied cheekily.
Tara rolled her eyes but smiled. “You’re impossible.”
A sudden scream from the movie made everyone jump, and Mahi clung to Ishita.
“Turn it off!” Mahi begged, hiding her face.
Rajveer laughed. “Okay, okay. Let’s switch to comedy.”
********
By midnight, the group was in full chaos mode.
“Let’s play truth or dare!” Tiya suggested.
“Arre nahi yaar, tum log sirf embarrassing questions poochte ho,” Rahul groaned.
“Exactly! That’s the fun!” Shivi replied, already spinning an empty bottle.
The game began, and chaos ensued.
“Tara, truth or dare?” Ishita asked when the bottle pointed at her.
“Truth,” she said cautiously.
“Hmm… Okay. What’s the one thing you like the most about Tarun bhai?”
The group erupted in “Oooohs” and teasing whistles, while Tara turned bright red.
“Answer karo!” rohan said, clearly enjoying his partner in crime in discomfort.
Tara glanced at Tarun, who looked equally flustered but curious. Finally, she said, “He’s… kind. And he always listens.”
“Bas? Sirf kind?” Rajveer teased. “Kuch aur nahi hai?”
“Aree bhai samjha karo main answer toh woh tarun bhai ko batayegi na PRIVATE mai” shivi teased her best friend and everyone erupted in cheers while tara glared her but failed miserably as her face was full of blush.
“Okay okay let’s move ahead we should not tease them more” tiya said while saving the couple from teasing and eventually everyone agreed.
Rohan again spinned the bottle and it stopped on Rahul.
“Truth or dare?” Ishita asked.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to… confess your crush!” she deliberately said as everyone in the group knew who is he likes
“Huhh it’s not a big deal I confess my love to her daily what’s the big deal in this” rahul said proudly and mahi glared her friend who deliberately gave this task to him.
“Soo Miss Mahi we are you planning to yes to me?”rahul said with a full blown smile which was showing his dimples and mahi’s heart fluttered seeing it but she didn’t shown her flutterness.
“Never” mahi scoffed and Rahul dramatically touched his heart showing how he is heart broken by her reply.
The game continued with hilarious dares, including Manav dancing like a chicken and Shivi prank calling her economics teacher.
*****
The night stretched on with more banter, jokes, and games. By the time dawn approached, everyone was exhausted but happy.
“Best birthday ever,” Tarun thought, looking around at his friends. His gaze lingered on Tara, who smiled softly at him.
The group piled onto mattresses and cushions, some on the couch, others on the floor. As they drifted off, Tara and Tarun shared one last glance, their unspoken connection stronger than ever.
And in the quiet moments before sleep, surrounded by his closest friends and the girl he cared for most, Tarun couldn’t help but think that this was the perfect way to celebrate his birthday.
********
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Hey, lovelies! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don’t forget to hit that vote button and leave your thoughts in the comments. Till then byy see you soon ❤️
Thank you for your love and support!
Love from,
Miss Sharma ❤️
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