𝗧𝘂𝗺 𝗛𝗶 𝗧𝘂𝗺 – [𝐀𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞] - 𝐂𝐇 - 𝟏𝟏 ༊˚

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ओ मेरी हर मनमानी बस तुम तक
बातें बचकानी बस तुम तक
मेरी नज़र दीवानी बस तुम तक
मेरे सुख दु:ख आते जाते सारे
तुम तक तुम तक तुम तक सोनिया
तुम तक तुम तक तुम तक सोनिया
तुम तक तुम तक अर्ज़ी मेरी
फिर आगे जो मर्ज़ी
तुम तक तुम तक अर्ज़ी मेरी

फिर तेरी जो मर्ज़ी मेरी💗

*****************************

The day had grown darker, and the four of them finally stepped out of the school together.

Aditi clutched her bag tightly, her eyes calmer now. The emotional storm from earlier had softened into a drizzle. She turned to her three friends, an uncertain smile on her face.

“Tum log… ghar aao na mere saath? Samaira didi tum logon se milna chahti thi kabse.”

Priya immediately nodded, excited. “Arey haan! Main toh hamesha ready hoon tere ghar chill karne ke liye.”

Shagun smiled warmly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Main toh waise bhi Samaira di ki fan hoon. Let’s go.”

Aditi turned to Vivaan. “Tu bhi chal na.”

But Vivaan dramatically clutched his chest, staggering back a step as if she had mortally offended him.

“Main? Tum ladkiyon ke beech? Tumhare beauty secrets aur pyaar bhare rants ke beech main kya karunga?” He waved a hand dismissively. “Main toh akela ladka hoon is universe ka, itna pressure handle nahi kar sakta. Tum jao. Mera atma vahan adjust nahi kar payegi.”

Priya rolled her eyes. “Drama queen.”

Vivaan sniffed. “Drama king, thank you very much. Ab jao. Aur haan, Samaira di ko bolna ki main unke muffins miss kar raha hoon.”

Aditi couldn’t help but giggle.

Vivaan noticed. He grinned, proud. “Mission accomplished,” he muttered, then turned to leave, tossing a wink over his shoulder. “Take care, Princess. See you tomorrow.”

As the girls walked ahead, chatting and laughing again, Ansh, still standing near the gate’s other side with Prateek and Ruhaan, watched them quietly.

His eyes stayed on Aditi this time, not full of ache or pain, but something softer.

——————————————————————————–

At Mishra’s Residence…

The warm, comforting scent of freshly baked cookies wafted through the household as Samaira carefully pulled a tray out of the oven. The golden-brown cookies sizzled faintly, their buttery aroma mingling with hints of vanilla and chocolate. Dressed in an oversized t-shirt and pajama shorts, her hair bundled up in a messy bun, and a smudge of flour dusting her right cheek, she set the tray down on the counter with a satisfied hum, proud of her spontaneous baking session.

Just then, the quiet hum of the house shifted, The front door creaked open.

laughter and light banter echoed through the hallway as Aditi bounced in with her usual chaotic energy, followed by Priya, smiling shyly, and Shagun, already giggling about something. Their voices mingled with the warmth of home, bringing in the unmistakable feeling of youth, friendship, and a storm of drama yet to unfold.

The moment Priya stepped inside the house, she came to a full stop, inhaling deeply like she had entered heaven itself. Her eyes widened as the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies filled her senses, and a huge grin spread across her face.

“Oh my god, ye kya swarg jaisa mahaul hai?!” she exclaimed dramatically, spinning once like a movie heroine.

Before Aditi could even roll her eyes at the theatrics, a loud, excited voice rang out from the kitchen, “PRIYAAA!!! YOU’RE HERE??!”

Samaira came skidding into the living room, dressed in an oversized T-shirt, her hair tied up in a chaotic bun, and a dusting of flour still smeared on one cheek. She looked every bit like a baking-obsessed tornado and Priya froze for a moment before her smile returned, even wider.

“YES! Aur… aap Samaira di hain?!” she said, almost starstruck.

Without wasting a second, Samaira let out a loud cheer and pulled her into a big, warm hug. “Main kab se sun rahi thi tere baare mein! Aaj finally mulakaat ho gayi!”

Priya giggled in her arms. “Aap bilkul waise hi ho jaise Aditi ne bataya tha… ya shayad usse bhi zyada energetic!”

Pulling back with a teasing grin, Samaira said, “Aur tu bilkul meri chhoti behen jaisi! Ab tu meri. Adopted.”

Just then, Shagun, who had been standing behind, let out a dramatic gasp. “HELLO?? Mujhe bhi milna hai! am I invisible here?!”

Samaira laughed loudly, extending her arms with a dramatic bow. “Aaja meri sherni! Tere bina toh mera welcome incomplete hai!”

Shagun rushed in for a tight hug. “Finally!! Video calls se meetup tak ka safar tay ho gyaa”

“Tum dono toh meri official favorites ho gaye ho!” Samaira declared, looking at Priya and Shagun like they were her long-lost sisters.

Meanwhile, Aditi stood in the corner with her arms crossed, a dramatically betrayed expression on her face. “Wow. Matlab main hoon is ghar ki asli wali, aur mujhe hi outsider bana diya gaya hai?”

Priya turned to her, laughing, “dekha…mere ghar main meri izzat nhi aur tere ghar main teri!”

Shagun added mischievously, “Main toh next week se yahin shift ho rahi hoon!”

Aditi scoffed playfully, “Tum logon ki nautanki dekh ke mujhe hassi aa rhi hai”

At that perfect moment, Samaira reappeared from the kitchen with a tray in hand, her cookies freshly baked, golden, and still slightly steaming. “Lo behno, Samaira chef ki taraf se cookies. khao aur mujhe compliment do!”

Priya’s eyes sparkled. She reached out and took one, inhaling deeply again. “Aapne banayi hai?! Waah di, kitni acchi khushboo hai… ek bite ke baad aapko mujhe officially adopt karna padega!”

“adopt Kiya ja chuka hai!” Samaira winked, placing a cookie directly into Priya’s hand.

“Cookie fam, welcome to the madhouse,” Aditi muttered, though her tone was laced with affection.

Samaira, still laughing from their earlier banter, handed over the tray of freshly baked cookies with a proud grin. The warm treats practically melted in their hands, releasing buttery sweetness into the air.

Just as Aditi dramatically pretended to savor the cookie like a judge on a cooking show, a familiar sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway.

She paused mid-bite and turned towards the door, instantly recognizing the silhouette approaching.

Prateek.

Wearing a casual T-shirt, his phone in hand, and an expression that said he was clearly in a rush, he stepped inside, eyes scanning the room briefly.

Priya, who had just taken a small bite of the cookie, froze for a split second. Her jaw stilled mid-chew, but she quickly recovered and composed herself, sitting up a little straighter like nothing had happened.

Prateek, completely unaware of the mild chaos he triggered in her brain, raised an eyebrow and said casually, “Oh, tum log aaye ho?”

Priya nodded with a polite smile, doing her best to sound chill, “Haan… bas aise hi.”

He gave a small nod and then glanced briefly at Aditi, who was now munching on her cookie like it was her life’s mission.

“Main Ansh se milne jaa raha hoon,” he informed, tossing the bike keys up and catching them.

Before Aditi could respond, Shagun, ever the mischief magnet, smirked knowingly and said, “Haan, humein pata hai.”

Prateek narrowed his eyes at her but didn’t comment, though a flicker of suspicion crossed his face. Turning to his sister, he let out a small sigh and said, “Main jaa raha hoon. Bata raha hoon bas.”

Aditi didn’t even look up. She simply raised her cookie in acknowledgment and replied flatly, “Acchi baat hai. Goodbye.”

Prateek placed a hand on his hip and mock sighed. “Thoda toh bheheno wala concern dikha kabhi.”

Aditi finally glanced up, expression pure sarcasm. “Agar tujhe main jaane se mna karu toh kya tu ruk jayega?”

He shrugged. “Nahi.”

She sciffed in frustration. “Toh phir jaa na.”

That earned a loud chuckle from Shagun, who was enjoying every second of this banter, while Priya bit her lip, trying very hard to keep a straight face. Her eyes involuntarily followed Prateek for a moment before she caught herself and looked away, cheeks warming.

Samaira, meanwhile, leaned against the wall, enjoying the sibling chaos like she was watching live theatre.

Prateek shook his head, clearly used to this treatment by now. With one last amused glance at his sister and a very brief, fleeting glance at Priya that he quickly masked he turned around and headed for the door.

As it clicked shut behind him, Aditi sighed dramatically, “Itna overdramatic banda hai na yeh…”

Samaira grinned, winking. “Tum dono same hi ho. Drama queen aur king.”

Shagun nodded solemnly. “Main toh kehti hoon iss ghar mein camera lagwana chahiye. Pure reality show wali vibes milenge.”

The girls burst into laughter again, the tension slowly dissolving into crumbs of cookie and giggles

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Prateek, Priya let out a slow, silent breath, like she had been holding it in since he walked in. Her cheeks were just the slightest shade of pink, and her hands fidgeted with the edge of the cushion in her lap.

Aditi, still casually munching on her cookie like a movie spectator, didn’t miss a thing. She tilted her head with an evil glint in her eyes and said with fake innocence, “waise…Jab bhaiya ki awaaz aayi thi, uss moment pe Priya ka system restart ho gaya tha na.”

Priya’s eyes widened, and she turned to glare at her, scandalised. “Kuch bhi mat bol!” she hissed, flustered.

Shagun, already grinning, jumped in without missing a beat, “Nahi nahi, sach bol rahi hai! Tere chehre pe clear ‘LOADING…’ likha tha!”

Priya groaned and immediately buried her face into the cushion, “Tum dono dushman ho mere!”

Samaira, sipping her coffee while enjoying the chaos like a true elder sibling, tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at Aditi, “Tujhe hamesha sirf Prateek ka mazak udane mein maza aata hai ya sirf Priya ke liye koi special reason hai?”

Aditi paused mid-bite, considered it for a moment, and then casually shrugged like it was no big deal, “Special treatment.”

Priya lifted her head with a long dramatic sigh, throwing her arms in the air, “WHY ME?!”

Shagun couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into peals of laughter, clapping her hands like a kid who just watched her favorite comedy show.

after some time in aditi’s room. Samaira stirred her coffee a little too slowly, clearly being overdramatic on purpose, a teasing smirk tugging at her lips. She turned her gaze towards Priya with faux seriousness, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Toh Priya madam, officially confirm kar diya jaaye ki aapko Prateek pasand hai?”

Priya’s eyes went wide. She nearly dropped the pillow she was hugging, and her entire face turned a shade of pink no filter could hide.

“Aisa kuch nahi hai!” she shot back, flustered beyond control. Her words tumbled over each other as she tried to explain, “Bas… voh… matlab, woh acche lagte hain… bas!”

Aditi was sprawled comfortably across the bed, a plate of cookies balanced beside her as she munched lazily. Her expression didn’t change one bit as she glanced at Priya, thoroughly unimpressed.

“Dono bhai-behen ko sirf Prateek bhaiya hi pasand aana tha?” she deadpanned mid-bite. “Itna bhi kuch khaas nahi hai usme.”

Priya’s jaw dropped. Without wasting a second, she grabbed a pillow and smacked Aditi right in the face.

“Tu chup reh!” she glared, thoroughly scandalized. “Help nahi kar rahi toh commentbaazi bhi mat kar!”

Aditi simply grinned and stuffed another cookie in her mouth. “Arey, bas keh rahi thi ki isme aisa kya alag hai? Main toh sach bol rahi hoon!” she said, words muffled by her snack.

Shagun, perched at the edge of the bed, shook her head with a laugh. “Aur tu?” she shot back. “Jo yahan love guru bani baithi hai? Tujhe toh koi pasand bhi nahi aaya kabhi!”

Aditi huffed and hugged the pillow defensively. “Kya zaroorat hai kisi ko pasand karne ki? Akele bhi maze mein hain hum!”

Samaira, who had been lounging with her coffee, narrowed her eyes playfully. “Bohot attitude hai madam ka,” she said with a knowing smirk. “Dekhna, sabse jyada yahi padegi kisi k pyaar main!”

Aditi rolled her eyes, waved a cookie like a white flag, and muttered, “Agar main padi bhi toh books par padoongi. Bas!”

Priya groaned dramatically. “Is ladki ka kuch nahi ho sakta!”

Samaira leaned forward, eyes twinkling with amusement. “Vaise,” she began curiously, “yeh dono bhai-behen ki pasand Prateek par kaise aa gayi? Koi solid reason hai ya bas aise hi?”

Priya and Shagun exchanged a look that look the kind that promised mischief and mild chaos. Both bit their lips to suppress their laughter.

“Samaira di,” Shagun whispered dramatically, “agar aapko sach pata chalega na, toh aap hamein thanks bolengi!”

Samaira raised an eyebrow, now visibly intrigued. “Matlab?” she asked, sipping her coffee.

Aditi was already giggling. “Matlab… humne Prateek Bhaiya aur priya ke bhaiya ko do baar… kaafi intimidating positions mein dekha hai.”

The coffee nearly flew out of Samaira’s mouth. She coughed violently and set her mug down before yelling, “KYA?! KYA MATLAB INTIMIDATING POSITION?!”

Aditi, unfazed, reached for another cookie and sighed, “Matlab Priya aur Shagun ne jo dekha, uske baad inka dimaag hil gaya tha!”

Priya nodded enthusiastically. “humne dekha tha Prateek aur Ansh bhaiya ek dusre ke boht close the bed pe vo bhi ik ke upar ik aur bedsheet unke upar lipti huii aur unke faces itne close jaise…”

“Bas abhi kiss kar lenge,” Shagun whispered, eyes wide with theatric horror.

Samaira slammed her cup down again, her face frozen in disbelief. “TUM TEENON KO KITNA OVERTHINKING KARNE KA SHAUK HAI?! Ansh aur Prateek toh vaise bhi best friends hain!”

“Haan,” Priya said, crossing her arms. “Best friends jo ek dusre ki shakl dekh kar dialogues maarte hain—’Dekh le, ab zyada mat bol’ aur ‘Tu na hadd cross mat kar!'”

Aditi burst into laughter. “Priya ko toh tabse Prateek pasand hai, bas iss scene ne confirm kar diya!”

Samaira leaned back with mock wisdom in her eyes. “Hmmm… agar Priya ka Prateek fix ho gaya hai… toh Ansh ka kya?”

Priya gave a theatrical sigh, flopping back against the pillows like a heroine in a vintage drama. “Bhaiya toh kisi ladki ko dekhte bhi nahi!” she declared, eyes wide with exaggerated grief. “Unke dimaag mein to sirf army join karna basaa hua hai, padhai, discipline, aur bas! Jaise koi walking-talking army manual ho!”

She sat up suddenly, clutching an imaginary book in her hands. “Wake up at 5:00 AM. Do not look at girls. Maintain top grades. Ignore all human emotions. Smile once a week…maybe.”

Samaira choked on her coffee, laughing, while Shagun clapped like a proud audience.

“Seriously!” Priya continued, now in full storytelling mode. “Bhaiya ki entire vibe hai jaise uske bloodstream mein caffeine ki jagah army training chal rahi ho. Woh toh school ke corridors mein bhi aise chalte hai jaise border patrol pe ho!”

Aditi couldn’t help the tiny smirk tugging at her lips, though she quickly looked away before anyone noticed.

Priya didn’t stop. “Aur unke expressions dekho! Permanent frown. Always focused. Matlab agar ek ladki unke saamne dance bhi kar le, toh bhi unke dimaag mein sirf mission complete chalega. Matlab kya hi insaan hai yeh?!”

Shagun leaned toward Samaira and whispered dramatically, “Robot jaise hai… bas thode zyada handsome version.”

“Thode?” Priya raised an eyebrow. “Okay fine, bohot zyada. But kya faayda uss handsomeness ka, jab unko unki collar ki fold ki symmetry ki zyada chinta hai ladkiyon ke compliments se?”

Everyone cracked up. Aditi tried to stay quiet, but the way Priya was mimicking Ansh’s perfectly combed hair and measured footsteps was too much even she let out a small laugh.

Samaira grinned. “agar itna robotic hai Ansh, toh koi usse pyaar karega bhi kaise?”

Priya shrugged, but there was a strange kind of pride in her voice. “I don’t know… but maybe, just maybe, koi toh hogi jo unke us boring perfection ke peeche ka asli insaan dekh paye. Jo unki smile ka matlab samjhe. Jo unhe force na kare badalne ke liye….nhi to kya pta ruhaan bhaiya ya prateek main se hi kisi se shaadi kar lein vo”

And then, Aditi completely unaware of what her words would trigger smirked in mischive muttered casually, “Yahi toh reason nahi hai ki wo kisi bhi ladki ko nahi dekhte?”

Shagun caught on instantly, a wicked grin forming. “Aur tu? Tu bhi toh kisi ladke ko nahi dekhti! Kya tera bhi kuch aisa hi scene hai?”

Aditi froze. She turned sharply toward Shagun, glaring. “SHAGUN, TU CHUP REHNA SEEKH!”

Samaira suddenly straightened, her eyes sparkling with delight. “What if… hum Aditi ko Ansh ke sath set kar dein?”

Aditi choked so violently on her cookie that Priya had to thump her back. Still coughing, Aditi pointed an accusing finger at them all. “Tum log mujhe maarne ki kasam kha ke aaye ho kya?! Yeh kya bakwas chal rahi hai?!”

Samaira, completely unbothered, leaned forward and smirked. “Aditi soch ek army officer husband. Tere liye bilkul perfect hoga!”

Shagun folded her hands dramatically. “Bhaiiii… ek dum filmy feel aayegi! Tera future husband bulletproof vest pehnega aur tu apni kitaabein lekar uska intezaar karegi!”

Priya jumped in with exaggerated flair, “Aur jab Ansh bhaiya kisi mission pe honge, to tu unke liye dil se dua maangegi ‘Jis officer se mera rishta juda hai, woh safe rahe!'”

With a cry of frustration, Aditi screamed into a pillow and hurled it at Priya. “PRIYAAAA! Bas kar!”

Samaira, now genuinely curious, tilted her head. “Par sach bata, tu itni against kyu hai pyaar-shyaar ke?”

Aditi folded her arms, clearly done with the entire conversation. “Kyunki yeh sab sirf filmon mein hota hai! Real life mein pyaar koi fairytale nahi hoti, sirf distractions aur drama hota hai!”

Shagun rolled her eyes knowingly. “Matlab tu officially accept karti hai ki tu Ansh Bhaiya ki perfect match hai?”

Aditi looked horrified. “TU KYUN MERI BAAT KA GALAT MATLAB NIKAL RAHI HAI?!”

Samaira sighed like a disappointed elder. “Duniya mein sab kuch ho sakta hai UFOs aa sakte hain, aliens hamare saath chai peene aa sakte hain, but Aditi ko pyaar ho… impossible!”

“BILKUL!” Aditi growled. “MAIN BILKUL ISSI LINE SE SAHMAT HOON!”

That was it. Priya and Shagun burst into uncontrollable laughter while Samaira, now looking every bit like a mastermind villain, took a long, victorious sip of her coffee.

“Oooohoo to koi na ham Aditi ki shaadi Ansh bhaiya se karva denge…#arange mairrage!” Priya teased in a sing-song voice.

Aditi screamed again, grabbed the nearest pillow, and launched it with full power. A full-blown pillow war erupted, with Aditi at the center of chaos, cookie crumbs flying everywhere.

After nearly an hour of relentless teasing, laughter, and Aditi threatening to throw everyone out of her room, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the house, halting the chaos like a teacher walking into a noisy classroom.

Shweta and Amit stepped inside, looking pleasantly surprised to see the house buzzing with voices. Shweta’s eyes scanned the room until they landed on Priya, who stood slightly to the side, still catching her breath from all the earlier teasing. Her eyes softened immediately, and a warm smile spread across her face.

“Oh, toh tum ho Ansh ki behen?” Shweta said, her tone filled with fondness as she stepped closer. “Sach mein bohot sundar ho!”

Priya offered a polite, slightly bashful smile, the tips of her ears turning pink. “Thank you, Aunty,” she said softly.

Meanwhile, Aditi leaned toward Shagun with a wicked glint in her eyes. “Saasuma ka approval toh mil gaya,” she whispered under her breath, barely able to hold in her laughter. “Ab bas pati ki ‘haan’ ho jaye!”

Shagun, catching on instantly, grinned like a devil. “Haan! Aur ek baar Prateek bhaiya bhi maan jaye, toh shaadi ki date nikal lein!”

Priya’s eyes widened in sheer horror as she whipped her head toward them. “Tum dono SHUT UP!” she hissed, her whisper-loud enough to draw giggles from both her tormentors.

Trying to compose herself, Priya turned toward Aditi’s parents with folded hands and a genuine smile. “Namaste, Uncle! Namaste, Aunty!” she greeted, her voice now calm and respectful.

Amit gave a nod of approval, but it was Shweta who absolutely lit up at her words. “Bilkul sanskaari bacchi hai,” she said, turning to Amit as if she’d just discovered a national treasure. “Bilkul apne bhai pe gayi hai!”

Shagun smirked, leaning in slightly. “Iska matlab Aunty ko bhi Ansh bhaiya pasand hai.”

Aditi stared at her like she’d just suggested turning the house into a war bunker.

Before they could spiral further, Shweta’s gaze snapped to Shagun. Her expression shifted instantly from warmth to mock-scolding mom mode, complete with hands on hips.

“Aur tu!” she exclaimed. “Na phone uthati hai, na khud call karti hai, na dhang se khaana khaati hai! Kya kar rahi hai tu apni health ke saath, haan?”

Shagun blinked like a deer caught in headlights and tried to laugh her way out of it. “Aunty, main toh bilkul theek hoon—”

“Bilkul theek toh tu tab lagegi,” Shweta cut her off with practiced precision, “jab tujhe dekh ke lagge ki tujhe zyada khilane ki zaroorat nahi hai!”

The whole room burst into laughter. Shagun crossed her arms, pouting dramatically. “Bas bas, aap bhi Aditi ki tarah ho gayi hain! Main nahi baat karti aap logon se!”

Aditi beamed at her. “Welcome to my world, meri dost!” she said, nudging her shoulder.

Shweta rolled her eyes fondly and clapped her hands. “Chalo bacchon, tum log jaldi mat bhaag jaana. Aaj dinner tak yahin raho, haan? Waise bhi, ghar mein naye log aaye hain, toh thodi der aur guftagu ho jaaye!”

Priya smiled politely. “Aunty, waise toh mujhe jaana tha, par aapne bola hai toh ruk jaati hoon.”

Shweta gave her a smirk of approval. “Yeh hui na baat! Ab mujhe sach mein lag raha hai ki mere bacchon ki dost acchi hai!”

Aditi stared at her mother, completely betrayed. “Matlab mujhe chhod ke sabko pasand kar rahi ho aap?”

Amit, not missing the moment to pull her leg, chimed in casually from the side, “Tumhe kaun pasand karega?”

“PAPA!” Aditi shrieked, scandalized, while everyone else exploded into laughter.

As the room filled with warm chaos and playful teasing, Priya and Shagun shared a look relieved, amused, and oddly content. Everything felt oddly perfect for now.

Little did they know, though, that this harmony was just a pause before another storm of family madness.

The Mishra household’s dinner table was a battleground of opinions, laughter, and random food critiques. On most nights, it echoed with Prateek’s dramatic rants, Samaira’s dry sarcasm, Aditi’s unnecessary debates about chutney textures.

But tonight?

It was weirdly quiet. Suspiciously quiet.

At the far end of the table, Prateek sat with an uncharacteristically serious expression, eyes glued to his phone. He wasn’t even arguing about who had taken the last piece of paneer.

Across from him, Priya sat unusually straight, her eyes fixed on her plate like the round, slightly burnt chapati held the meaning of life. She hadn’t said a word since they sat down, except to mutter a polite “thank you” when Amit passed her the dal.

Aditi, chewing on her roti, raised a brow and subtly elbowed Samaira, who was sipping her water, pretending not to notice.

Samaira blinked once at Priya, then at Prateek. And smirked.

Amit, unaware of the growing storm, frowned at his quiet son. “Phone kaafi interesting lag raha hai, haan Prateek? Usmein kuch khaas hai ya dinner zyada boring ho gaya?”

Shweta, ever the mom on high alert, didn’t miss a beat. “Prateek! Phone rakh. Pehle khaana khaa.”

Startled, Prateek fumbled and quickly kept the phone beside his plate, nodding. “Haan… haan… sorry, Mumma.”

Samaira leaned forward with theatrical drama in her voice. “Kya baat hai aaj? lagta hai Prateek ko khaane se zyada kuch aur pasand aa gaya hai?”

Aditi let out a gasp, dropping her spoon (dramatically, of course). “No! Aaj ka din toh history books mein likha jaayega!”

Shagun tried to stifle her laughter and failed. “Mujhe laga Prateek bhaiya bikul Vivaan ki tarah khana khate honge. Par aaj toh… kuch alag hi chal raha hai.”

Priya, mid-sip of water, suddenly choked and coughed violently.

Shweta, concerned, reached over. “Arey beta, araam se peeyo!”

Priya nodded quickly, trying to recover, cheeks turning pinker than the beetroot salad on her plate.

Aditi leaned toward Samaira and whispered but not quietly enough for Priya to listen “Lagta hai bhabhi ko bhi asar ho gaya hai.”

Samaira smirked wickedly, patting Aditi’s hand like they were the evil masterminds of a rom-com. “Bas ab shaadi ki tareekh fix karni baaki hai.”

Prateek, by now, was glaring at both of them.

“What nonsense are you guys even talking about?” he muttered, stabbing his sabzi like it had personally betrayed him.

Shagun chimed in sweetly, “Hum toh bas keh rahe hain ki aaj Prateek bhaiya ka mood bohot… silent type lag raha hai.”

Aditi added dramatically, “Aur Priya bhi aaj bohot extra elegant lag rahi hai.”

Priya, horrified, looked up. “Main toh hamesha aise hi hoti hoon!” she said quickly, then immediately looked back down again as if she’d just yelled in a temple.

Amit, meanwhile, was halfway through his sabzi, completely missing the chaos under his nose. “Waise, Aditi, school mein kuch special hai kya? Sab kaafi excited dikh rahe ho.”

Aditi shrugged, trying to stifle her grin. “Haan Papa, sports day hone wala hai na … aur kuch personal matches bhi lag rahe hain.”

Prateek groaned and placed his head in his hand, shaking it slightly. “Main seriously dinner shift karwa leta hoon… alag table pe.”

Samaira cackled. “Nahi bhai, aise kaise tu akele khana khana chahta hai, hamara nahii to kam se kam Priya k baare m to soch bichari pehli baar ghar ayii h aise thodi treat karte h apne juniors ko”

Shweta, still blissfully unaware, gave them all a look. “Tum log khana khate waqt thoda shant reh sakte ho? Kitna drama karte ho!”

Aditi nodded with a faux innocent expression. “Haan Mumma, drama toh sabse door hona chahiye… especially jab feelings involved ho.” She bit into her roti with the expression of a villain who just dropped a plot twist.

As the teasing carried on, Priya silently excused herself to the kitchen again, cheeks burning like a microwave had gone off inside her.

Prateek just picked up the glass of water and downed it like it was going to cleanse all the sibling-induced sins of the evening.

The Mishra household was comfortably soaked in the calm of the evening. A gentle breeze drifted in through the open balcony doors, rustling the curtains like whispers. Aditi was stretched across the living room couch, a paperback novel in hand, though her eyes weren’t really following the words. Priya lay nearby with her face buried in her phone, scrolling endlessly, while Samaira sat cross-legged, fidgeting with a cushion, her boredom practically screaming into the silence.And Shagun has already left the place after dinner.

Outside, in the small garden space, their father, Amit, was enthusiastically organizing flower pots his newfound hobby. Prateek, dragged into the mission, looked like he’d rather be doing anything else, but he was helping, albeit with dramatic sighs and exaggerated movements.

Inside, the quiet was suddenly broken by a buzzing sound Prateek’s phone vibrating furiously on the center table, right beside Aditi’s book.

She glanced down, mildly annoyed at the interruption, but her expression quickly shifted when she saw the caller ID.

“BHAIYAAA! HEAD BOY KA CALL AA RAHA HAI!” Aditi called out without hesitation, voice loud enough for half the neighborhood to hear.

Priya’s head snapped up, and she nearly choked on air. Samaira immediately perked up, eyes gleaming with interest. Even their mother, Shweta, passing through with folded laundry, paused mid-step with a faint chuckle.

From outside came a groan. “Tu uthaa le! Dekh kya bol raha hai!” Prateek called back, slightly irritated, still struggling with a heavy pot.

Aditi gave a casual shrug and muttered under her breath, “Theek hai…” as if it was no big deal.

She reached for the phone, swiped to answer, and brought it to her ear with the same casual confidence she used to ask for extra chutney from the street vendor on a busy afternoon.

“Hello?” she said simply.

Silence.Dead silence.

On the other end, Ansh had completely frozen. His thumb had dialed the number on autopilot, assuming Prateek would pick up. But it wasn’t Prateek.

It was her. Aditi.

And she sounded exactly like she always did calm, direct, mildly sarcastic a voice that didn’t ask for attention but somehow always had it.

His brain short-circuited. Panic set in.

aditi got confused upon not hearing any answer and she said again”hello! phone laga ka chod diya kya??”

He opened his mouth, intending to say something useful, but what actually came out was, “Main… uh…vo dhaniya ko bol dena aalo pick karne aayenge usko…”

Aditi blinked.

“Kya??” she asked, eyebrows furrowing.

Ansh immediately realized what he’d said. Dhaniya?! WHAT?! Why Aaloo?! Why vegetables?!

He mentally screamed, What the hell, Ansh?! Dhaniya?! What are you even saying! aloo??

Aditi, now slightly concerned and more than a little confused, asked again, slower this time. “Matlab… aapne kisko call kara hai? Grocery wale ko kya?”

Ansh wanted to throw himself off a metaphorical cliff.

“No! No no,” he said quickly, shaking his head like she could see him, fumbling over words like a kid caught cheating on a test. “Mujhe actually… Priya se baat karni thi… woh… main bas…yeh bolne ke liye call kiya tha ki…” he took a deep breath, tried to compose himself, and finally said, “Priya ko keh dena ki Aman bhaiya use pick karne aa rahe hain.”

There was a pause.

A long, judging pause.

Aditi, still frowning slightly, replied with that same calm indifference, “Haan, theek hai. Main keh dungi.”

Then came the silence again. Not awkward for her not at all. For her, it was normal. She was already looking around for Priya, ready to pass the message like it was just another random task.

But then she added in that maddeningly dry, casually lethal tone that somehow made him feel like he’d been stripped bare and put on display under fluorescent lights “Aur kuch? Ya aur dhaniya bhi chahiye tha aaloo ke saath?”

Ansh’s soul didn’t just leave his body. It packed its bags, booked a one-way ticket to the Himalayas, and whispered, “Live without me.”

He stuttered, now painfully aware that his brain had completely short-circuited. “N-nahi… kuch nahi…”

And before she could say one more syllable, he panic-hung up.

Aditi stared at the screen for a second, brows raised, thumb hovering in mid-air.
Then she blinked. “Yeh kaisi nayi species hai?” she murmured to herself, confused and mildly amused.

*************************************

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