CH 4 || Worst was yet to come

FLASHBACK

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Nikhil

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After landing in my beloved country India I went towards home. Fortunately, dad had sent a car to pick me up. It was 4 in the morning and mom was surely going to scold me for being late. I had managed to prepone my interview and that's why I took the flight after the interview.

The plan was I will reach home and sneak away to my room with Dad' s and Nirvana's help and Mom will not even know. The next morning I will lie that I had reached in the night only, and since mom sleeps very early, it means at 10, so she will not even know when did I even come.

After I reached home, dad was already waiting for me at the door as I had texted him 10 minutes before.

I took out my bags carefully and both of us went inside. Both of us entered and the room was dark and I was enveloped into a hug by none other than my brother Nirvana.

"Idiot, leave him. The mission is not completed yet." Dad whispered to Nirvana as mom might get awake hearing the commotion outside.

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot."Apologizing he pulled away and took one of the bags and all of us tried to tiptoe towards my room.

I was about to step on the stair when the lights turned on. All our heads snap back at the person who was standing near the switchboard glaring at us. We gaped at the person standing there.

"Mom," I said.

"Bhaiya, when did you come? You didn't even inform us." My brother was the first one to stab me in the back and dad joined him too.

"What's happening? Nikhil? Oh My God! When did you come?" Both of them had very smartly ditched me and I had no idea when both of them went towards Mom leaving me alone.

"Mom, uh..Hi." I waved towards her but all I received was a glare. Grandma must be sleeping and she is the only one who can save me from my mom's wrath as my father and brother decided to turn their back on me.

"So, what's the time?" she asked looking at the clock hanging at the wall on my left.

"4:30," I replied looking down.

"And when were you going to come here?"

"9." Initially, I was about to take the earlier flight but then my interview got preponed with some of my efforts and I canceled my ticket.

"Mom, sorry," I said lowering my eyes.

"You are so careless Bhaiya."

"Exactly and did you know how much my honey was tensed about you." Nirvana and Dad were trying to sugarcoat mom to be spared from mom's wrath.

Keeping both of her hands on her waist mom asked them, "You both, do you guys take me for a fool?"

"No, honey. You are the best wife in the world."

"Then prepare tomorrow's breakfast and Nirvan you too," Mom announced leaving all of us shocked.

"But what did I do mom?"

"What did I do? Acting all innocent after troubling my dear son." Mom scolded my brother holding his ear and held dad's ears too.

"Sweetheart what are you doing? Children are watching."

"So? You should have thought before troubling me and ditching my poor soon."

After leaving their ears mom came towards me smiling and I hugged her.

Pulling back I asked, "Aren't you angry at me?"

"Why would I be?"

"I was late and didn't inform you at all," I replied feeling guilty but I didn't want her to be awake till late.

"It wasn't your fault. Besides I know how hard-working my son is unlike others and there must be something urgent for you to be late," she said caressing my hairs and glaring at Dad and Nirvan.

"And you two, don't forget to prepare tomorrow's breakfast and everything should be my son's favourite."

"Nikhil, come I will feed you."

"I am not hungry mom, just a little tired."

"Okay, go and sleep and dare anyone of you to disturb my son's sleep before 12."

"12?" both dad and Nirvan asked. Nirvan and Dad were shocked and I knew they must be feeling jealous as I was getting extra care and they will have to prepare breakfast.

"yes, any problem?" She asked raising her eyebrows.

"No, why would we have any? Right, dad." Nirvana elbowed dad who was still in shock.

After coming out of shock, he agreed."Oh, yes. We don't."

"Good."

Sulking, Nirvana left to his room while dad followed mom. After I went to my room, I took a shower, changed my clothes, and texted Dia that I had reached.

I wanted to tell everyone about her but I thought to wait till I propose her. I am sure everyone will like her a lot. Being tired of the journey I slept as soon as my head came in contact with the pillow.

The next morning I woke up at 9 only and the breakfast was being prepared by the two lazy people of my home, dad and my little brother Nirvana.

"So, what's in the menu?" I asked teasing them entering the kitchen

"Your favourite," Nirvana replied rolling his eyes.

"Don't be so cranky, you were the one who ditched me last night."

"I didn't want to face mom's wrath." He replied making a sad face. Composing himself he added further,

"It was all dad's fault."

"Why so?" dad asked and I knew where this was going. Their blame game will take a lot of time to finish so I had to intervene.

"Guys, guys, calm down. Let me help you both." I helped them as I knew a few more minutes and they will ruin everything. After the food was ready all of us went to the dining hall.

"Nikhil." I heard the sweetest voice ever.

"Grandma." Calling her in excitement I hugged her.

When I pulled back she scowled at me and said, "You remember that you have a grandma too."

"Oh come on, you know I can never forget you and how much I love you."

Grandma was certainly doing her regular drama. I missed her early morning tantrums.

"Huh? Liar."She sat on the head chair of the dining table turning her face away from me.

"Grandma, I am not lying," I said and sat in front of her on the knees.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Then whom I will gift the new lipstick I have bought from London?"

My grandma is unique. Even at the age of 75, she likes to doll her up and that's what we love about her. She is a very spirited, outspoken, smart, and modern person but that doesn't mean she doesn't value our tradition and culture.

"New Lipstick?" she asked as her eyes glittered.

"Yes, but, it's ok. I will throw it away since my pretty grandma doesn't want it." having a dejected look I got up and sat on the chair beside her.

"Oh come on Shanku, give up, otherwise he will really throw it," Dad said to grandma.

My grandmother's name is Shakuntala and she likes it if people call her by either her name or by her nickname, 'Shanku'. That nickname was given to her by my late grandpa only.

"Yes, I agree too, Shanku," Nirvana replied agreeing with me and dad.

"How shameless you guys have become? You are calling your mother from your name and you Nirvana, that's what I have taught you?" Mom scolded dad and Nirvana while she entered the dining hall.

"Here comes the Hitler." whispered dad.

Mom never supported the idea of us calling grandma from her name but for dad and Nirvana, it was quite cool.

"Leave them, Malini, I feel younger than you when they call me by my name," Grandma said proudly.

Mom frowned at the comment while we chuckled.

Huffing, grandpa complained to mom, "Only you and your precious son don't call me by my name."

"But Mom, that's not right."

"Even your dad used to call me Shanku," she replied.

The conversation had taken a different route. Here I was trying to ask for forgiveness from grandma and now it had turned to her name so with the intention of not losing the essence of our initial conversation I said,

"My pretty grandma, please forgive me."

Pretending to think something she replied, "Ok, but on one condition."

"What?" I asked and was wondering what that condition could be?

"Marry someone," she replied making my jaws drop to the ground. Marriage is not on my card for 4 years max.

"What?" My grandma can be sometimes very unpredictable.

"But grandma?"

"What grandma? You haven't even dated till yet. At least have a girlfriend. All my friends talk about their grandson's wife or girlfriend but here both my grandsons are useless."

I do have someone in my life but I am waiting for the right moment to disclose that secret.

"You are right, Mom." Mom too joined grandma in scolding me and Nirvana.

"Mom, not you too."

"What not you too? I dated two guys till your age."

"Yes and I still hate them," Dad replied glaring at mom while she passed a sheepish smile at him.

"Guys enough, I am hungry," I said as I didn't want the conversation to lose it's essence again.

"Mama's boy." dad muttered under his breath while I and Nirvana smiled.

Dad and Nirvana placed the plates of the freshly cooked garlic noodles in front of us.

"Honey you should cook more often."Mom said while she put the first morsel in her mouth. Little did she who, who actually prepared it.

"Nah, you cook much better than me," Dad replied sugarcoating mom, that's what dad is almost perfect at.

"Nirvana, why don't you help mom?" I decided to tease my brother a little as a payback for what he did last night.

His expression changed and was horrified, "Bhaiya, I have to work a lot."

"Oh, yes. You always say that." Mom said to him.

The breakfast table was filled with the gossips that grandma was sharing with us

"By the way, when do we have to go to Adhiraj Bhaiya's house?" I asked as I have no idea about the date of all the functions taking place.

"After breakfast only but that's only for us elders as I have heard there is some party you youngsters have to attend." Mom replied.

"Bachelor's party?" I queried but then I remember Bhaiya had informed that there will be no bachelor's party.

"Not exactly that, because Maasi didn't agree to it. So he is throwing a normal get together at his farmhouse and people from the bride's side are coming too." Nirvana said.

"Fair enough, I don't want to meet those weird relatives of ours."

"Me too," Nirvana replied making faces.

"At least find someone in the party only." Grandma caressed my head and gave me a teasing smile.

"Ok, grandma."

"What? You will really find someone?" her eyes shined hearing me agree to her.

"Yes, soon, but not at the party. How can I say no to my sweetheart?"

"My favourite grandson," he said while Nirvana huffed and all of us laughed.

That's how my days used to be before and I missed it very much.

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FLASHBACK CONTINUES

Anvi

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"I still feel the idea of the party is bad. I think I should bail on all of you." I said straightening my hair.

"Don't you dare Di. We will try to avoid her as much as we can and will soon leave the party, don't worry." Vritti said and took the straightener as I was done.

"We will be there with you," Bhaiya said.

"Yes, now smile everyone," Arpit took out his camera and all of us posed.

After we clicked our pictures, we all went out and Bhaiya drove us to the farmhouse of Ahana's fiance that was big enough to assemble more than 600 people at once.

"Woah! I am sure this Adhiraj is very rich." Vritti said while all of us entered. I was very much impressed with the beauty of the farmhouse and not to mention the arrangements were amazing.

I was very much impressed with the beauty of the farmhouse and not to mention the arrangements were amazing.

"Oh, he is. You know he owns a lot of fashion companies in India." Bhaiya said that made me curious about how actually Ahana trapped him.

"How exactly he met her?" Vritti asked my unasked question as we made our way towards our other cousins.

"At a party where she must have lured him with her charms," Arpit replied.

The party had already started. My cousins of whom I missed the wedding were a little angry with me but anyhow I convinced them.

As my eyes were trying to search for the queen bee I saw someone I wasn't expecting at all and before I could turn away she found me staring at her.

Shit! The start of the party is already bad and I don't know what this night has in store for me.

"Anvi." I didn't want to meet her, at least not now. I wish she would have just ignored me.

"Hi," she said smiling at me.

"Hi, Sara." Sara was my best friend, to be precise my only friend but she broke our friendship. I was already dealing with a lot in my life and she was always the one I had confided in but she broke our friendship as if I never held an ounce of importance in her life.

Vritti, Bhaiya, and Arpit had moved a little further to give me some privacy so that I can talk to my ex-best friend peacefully.

"I didn't know you are coming too," she said. Shouldn't I be the one to ask her that? The last thing I remember about her is, she hated Ahana more than me.

"I was also not aware of it till a few days back."

"What?" she asked perplexed.

"Nothing."

An awkward silence had enveloped us and I wanted to run away from her but before I could excuse myself she broke the silence by asking,

"So, how have you been?"

"Good."

"You have changed," she commented.

"Oh yeah, I have. Someone long back has said to me, change is inevitable." Her last words before breaking our friendship were, 'Change is inevitable. That picture is still clear in my mind just like crystal.

"Anvi, I didn't mean it and I am really sorry..."

"Look, Sara, I am already not in a good mood and I don't want to talk about what happened years ago. Please excuse me."

Excusing myself I went towards the drink section and drank a whole glass of water in one go. Vritti joined me too while Arpit and Bhaiya were talking with someone and it seemed they were quite uninterested in the conversation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we all are thankful to you all to gather here for the party. We both are glad to have you all. Enjoy to your fullest." I heard an announcement and when my eyes fell on the person who held the mike I recognized him. He was Adhiraj Arora as Arpit had already shown his pictures to me.

Arpit and Bhaiya came to us after the announcement and as promised they both and Vritti were sticking like glue to me.

"Hey, sister." I heard that one shrilling sound that was painful to my ears.

Turning around I found Ahana grinning at me and her fiance was standing beside her.

"Adhiraj, she is the one I was talking about. She is my favourite, sweet cousin, Anvi."

"And Anvi, he is Adhiraj Arora my fiance."

"Hi, nice to meet you finally. I have heard a lot about you." Adhiraj said extending his hand towards me.

"Hello, I hope you have heard all good," I replied and shook his hand.

"Trust me, more than good."

Adhiraj seemed an amiable person to me but I can't say enough because after all, he is Ahana's fiance, and also Ahana's affable nature towards me had left all of us stunned. I thought she will certainly insult me in front of her fiance but she didn't.

Ahana introduced Vritti to Adhiraj and since Arpit and Bhaiya had already met him in their engagement they didn't need any introduction.

Was I really being paranoid for nothing, I thought? Ahana was so cordial to me and in fact, no one at the party seemed bad. They all seemed to come from a respectable and well-mannered family. I mingled with some of Adhiraj's friends and cousins and found them really nice. The most likable was Nirvana Arora. He was the youngest and was making people laugh with his jokes.

I was out of my orange juice and feeling really thirsty so I made my way to the drinks section.

Just when I took the glass of the juice I heard that voice, I never thought will listen again, at least not in this lifetime.

"Long time no see, Ms.Shekhar." I froze at my place hearing the deep husky voice that used to excite me once. His voice had captured my attention and when I looked at the source was left stunned.

"Ankit," I whispered.

Ankit Sharma the one I had loved more than myself and the one Ahana stole from me. It was because of Ahana that I and Ankit got separated and here we are again standing in front of each other after 3 whole years.

I had perceived that encountering Sara and Ankit at the party was the worst thing that happened to me, but, the worst was yet to come.