"Thank you, Sid, but please, I don't want you to cut your fun short. I will hail a taxi. Trust me, I will be fine." Meera said, smiling reassuringly at Siddhartha.
The three of them - Meera, Siddhartha, and Ishita - stood outside the hall, the cool night air a welcome respite from the stuffy atmosphere inside.
It was almost 10 pm, and Meera was ready to call it a night.
Siddhartha offered to drop her home, but Meera declined, not wanting to inconvenience him.
"Meera, I promised your father your safety, and I don't think I'm ready to even handle your sister's wrath. I will drop you. The party is not going anywhere." he pressed, his eyes filled with concern.
Ishita nodded in agreement, her voice laced with amusement.
"Besides, it will be a win for me. The party is boring, and a few minutes away will help my sanity."
Meera laughed, feeling a sense of camaraderie with Ishita. Siddhartha glared at Ishita playfully, his eyes sparkling with humor.
"Boring? But you secured three deals already."
Ishita grinned, her dimples deepening.
"Well, that was business, Siddhartha. We're not oldies."
Siddhartha chuckled, shaking his head.
"Haha! Okay, okay, I wi-" Meera was cut off by another voice, one that sent a shiver down her spine.
"I will drop her home."
They turned around to see Arjun stepping down from the mini stairs, his eyes fixed intently on Meera. Ishita frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I said so." Arjun's response was curt, his voice dripping with authority.
Meera felt a surge of unease, her heart pounding in her chest. "No thanks, I'm fine-"
But Arjun cut her off, his voice firm and unyielding. "I was not asking."
Ishita's eyes flashed with anger, her voice rising in protest.
"Well, that's a rude way to talk to a lady."
Arjun's gaze never wavered from Meera's face, his eyes burning with an inner fire. "Siddhartha, keep your dog on a leash."
Ishita's face turned red with rage, her fists clenched at her sides. Siddhartha stepped forward, his voice calm but firm.
"Bhai, please show respect to my woman."
Arjun's response was immediate, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Then tell her to show respect first."
The air was thick with tension as the four of them stood there, the only sound the distant music and laughter from the party.
Meera felt like she was caught in the middle of a powder keg, waiting for the spark that would set everything off.
"I'm dropping her." Arjun said, his voice low and menacing, as he took a step closer to Meera.
Siddhartha's face widened in alarm, his eyes flashing with warning.
"Bhai, you-"
But Arjun was beyond reason. He pulled Meera towards him, the jolt making her collide with his chest with a groan. Meera tried to create some space, but he held her close, his arms like a vice around her waist.
"What is wrong with you? Why the manhandle? She said she doesn't want to go with you!" Ishita shouted, her voice echoing through the night air.
Arjun's response was a growl, his voice low and menacing.
"I DON'T FUCKING CARE."
Ishita and Siddhartha exchanged a startled glance, their faces pale with shock. Meera whined, the pressure Arjun was exerting around her waist getting tighter.
"Well, you have to, you're hurting her. Let her go!" Ishita shouted again, in anger.
Arjun's response was a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury.
"NEVER!"
Siddhartha's face widened in alarm, his eyes fixed on Arjun's face. "Bhai, you-"
But Arjun was beyond reason. He dragged Meera away, his long strides eating up the distance as he headed towards his car.
Ishita and Siddhartha rushed behind him, but he was too fast. He got Meera inside the car and zoomed off, leaving them staring after him in shock and horror.
"Siddhartha?" Ishita called out, her voice laced with concern, as she gazed at Siddhartha's distressed face, his eyes wide with worry.
He turned to her, his face etched with fear. "Ishita, I have to follow him." he said, already taking a step towards his car.
But Ishita stopped him, her hand on his arm. "He will drop her home for sure." she said, her voice calm and reassuring.
Siddhartha's expression was skeptical, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Did you see how anger is consuming him? I promised Mr. Ahuja that-"
Ishita's smile was gentle, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Trust me, he will." she said, her hand still on his face, her palm warm against his skin.
Siddhartha's eyes searched hers, his face still worried.
"How can you be so sure?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt.
Ishita's gaze drifted towards the direction Arjun's car had driven off, the dust still settling on the road. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before turning back to Siddhartha.
"When did Meera begin with the interview?" she asked suddenly, her voice curious.
Siddhartha's brow furrowed, his mind racing to recall the details.
"Um, two weeks ago." he replied, his eyes narrowing in thought.
Ishita's eyes sparkled with interest, her arms folding across her chest.
"And when did Arjun's behavior start malfunctioning?" she asked, her voice dripping with implication.
"Two weeks ago...what are you implying?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ishita's smile was enigmatic, her eyes glinting with secrets.
"I'm implying that Arjun's behavior has nothing to do with his anger issues, Siddhartha. I think it has everything to do with Meera."
Siddhartha's eyes searched hers, his mind racing with questions.
What did Ishita mean?
What connection could there possibly be between Meera and Arjun's behavior?
He felt like he was missing a piece of the puzzle, and Ishita's words had only added to the mystery.
"I think Arjun is having haywire emotions in battle." Ishita said, her voice tinged with amusement, as she giggled.
Siddhartha's expression was one of utter confusion, his eyes scrunched up in bewilderment.
"I mean, Arjun might have taken a likeness in Meera." Ishita continued, her words sending Siddhartha's mind reeling.
Siddhartha's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in shock.
"What? That's not possible!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with incredulity.
But then, like a puzzle piece clicking into place, he began to connect the dots. His eyes grew even wider, his face pale with realization.
"Holy sh*t!"
Ishita's smile was knowing, her eyes sparkling with insight.
"Yeah, and the emotion he's going through is new, though, because he's never had a girlfriend and doesn't know what love is. Anger, jealousy and possessiveness. " she explained, her voice dripping with understanding.
Siddhartha was speechless, his mind reeling with the implications. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Arjun, His Bhai, the stoic, emotionless Arjun, had feelings for Meera?
Ishita's expression turned serious, her brow furrowed in concern.
"Although, something is off, and I fear it's not what I'm thinking." she said, her voice laced with unease.
Siddhartha's curiosity was piqued. "What's that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ishita's gaze drifted off, her eyes clouding over with thought.
"It's nothing...although I hate your brother, I'm glad he's finally found someone he loves." she said, her voice tinged with a hint of sarcasm.
Siddhartha's eyes snapped back to hers, his expression stern.
"Ishita, this is not right though." he said, his voice firm.
Ishita raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Siddhartha's face was grim.
"I mean, Arjun is getting engaged to Suhana, remember?"
Ishita's laughter was low, her eyes glinting with amusement.
"Hehe! With the emotions Arjun just displayed, the dude looks like he's ready to kill. My only pity is on Suhana. I don't like her, but well..." She trailed off, her voice dripping with disdain.
Siddhartha's mind was still trying to wrap around what had just happened and what Ishita had said.
Ishita's voice cut through his thoughts, her tone light and carefree.
"I'm going inside, let's go." she said, pulling Siddhartha along with her back to the hall.
As they walked, Siddhartha's mind was a jumble of emotions, his thoughts racing with questions.
What did the future hold for Arjun and Meera? And what about Suhana?
The engagement was still on, but it seemed like Arjun's heart belonged to someone else entirely. The thought sent a shiver down Siddhartha's spine, and he couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead.
*
*
*
"Arjun, please stop! You're going too fast!" Meera exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear. Arjun's driving was erratic, his hand clenched tightly on the steering wheel as he sped down the road.
"Arjun, please!" Meera begged, her eyes fixed on the speedometer, which was rapidly approaching a hundred miles per hour. But Arjun didn't seem to hear her, his face set in a determined expression.
"ARJUN STOP!" Meera yelled at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing through the car. And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the car jolted to a stop, throwing Meera forward. The seatbelt saved her from hitting her head, but her heart was racing with fear.
As she caught her breath, Meera turned to Arjun, her face twisted in anger.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" she burst out, her voice shaking with rage. "ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US KILLED?"
Arjun's grip on the steering wheel was still tight, his knuckles white with tension. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but Meera could sense the fury simmering beneath the surface.
"Why did you lie?" Arjun asked, his voice low and menacing, but Meera could feel the rage coiled beneath the surface.
Meera's eyes widened in confusion.
"What?" she whispered, her mind racing to understand what Arjun was talking about.
"Why did you lie to me yesterday?" Arjun repeated, his voice dripping with accusation.
Meera's breathing was steady, but her heart was still racing from the near-miss.
"I didn't lie! I was busy." she defended herself, trying to keep her tone calm.
Arjun's eyes snapped towards her, his gaze piercing.
"WITH SIDDHARTHA!" he spat out, his voice venomous.
Meera's confusion deepened.
"What?" she asked, her brow furrowed in puzzlement.
"Why did you come with him?" Arjun demanded, his voice rising in anger.
Meera's eyes locked onto Arjun's, her mind racing to understand the reason behind his fury.
"Because he requested I come?" she replied, her tone cautious.
Arjun's face twisted in a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury. Meera realized, with a jolt of surprise, that Arjun's anger was directed at her association with Siddhartha.
But why? What had she done wrong?
"You lied to me just to come with Siddhartha." Arjun accused, his voice low and menacing.
Meera's eyes flashed with anger as she turned to face him.
"Okay, first, I didn't lie. I was busy, and that's because I had errands to run and a project I needed to finish up. Siddhartha asked me to come with him to the party, and he asked my dad himself." she explained, her tone calm and collected.
Arjun's eyes narrowed, his face twisted in a scowl. Meera continued, her voice firm.
"Besides, I didn't know you were going to ask me to go with you to the party. You never speak to me, all you do is threaten and command. I am not a puppet, Arjun. Honestly, I wouldn't have even come with you if you had asked directly."
Meera's glare was piercing, her eyes blazing with indignation. Arjun's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Why? Because you like Siddhartha? Ain't you ashamed? He has a girl, have some respect!" he spat out, his voice venomous.
Meera felt a pang of hurt as he accused her, her eyes welling up with tears. She took a deep breath and fired back, her voice steady.
"Well, are you not ashamed yourself? Who got to announce his fiancée an hour ago and now, forcefully taking a girl into his car, against her own will and driving her home? You clearly have a fiancée, Mr. Arjun Madhav. If you don't have a sense of respect for a woman, at least respect your fiancée."
Arjun's face twisted in a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury.
"She is NOT my fiancée." he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Meera almost rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin.
"And I'm done with this conversation, please take me home. My parents are worried sick." she said, turning away from him and looking out the window, trying to hide the tears that were fighting to come out.
She added, her voice barely above a whisper, "And I don't have feelings for Siddhartha, don't mistake friendship vibes as a feeling." She remained still, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window.
The tension in the car was palpable, the silence between them oppressive. Meera heard Arjun sigh, the sound a mixture of frustration and resignation. He started the car, driving away at a normal speed, the sudden change a welcome relief from the earlier erratic driving.
As they drove, Meera's thoughts were a jumble of emotions, her mind reeling with questions.
What was Arjun's problem?
And how dare him call her shameless?
The questions swirled in her head, but she knew she wouldn't get any answers from Arjun. Not now, not ever.
When they stopped at Meera's house, she stepped down from the car without saying a word, her eyes fixed on the front door. She walked towards it, and pressed the doorbell.
As she waited for someone to answer, she turned back to look at Arjun, who was still sitting in the car, his eyes fixed intently on her. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable.
Then, the door swung open, and Veda's bright smile greeted Meera.
"Di!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Meera in a warm hug. But Meera didn't reciprocate, her body stiff and unresponsive. Veda's smile faltered, and she felt a pang of concern. Something was off.
Meera stepped inside, and Veda was about to close the door when she caught sight of Arjun still sitting in the car, his eyes fixed on their house.
Her gaze darted back to Meera, who was now hugging their father, and then back to Arjun. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and she slowly closed the door.
"Are you okay, di?" Veda asked, moving closer to Meera and their father, her voice laced with concern.
Meera forced a smile, trying to reassure her sister. "Yeah, Veda, I'm fine."
Their mother, sensing something was amiss, asked, "You must be tired. Get some rest, beta, or are you hungry?"
Meera shook her head, her eyes avoiding her mother's. "No, Papa, I'm fine. I'll just sleep."
With that, she turned and headed up the stairs to her room, her feet heavy with an unspoken burden.
Veda's gaze followed her, her eyes fixed on Meera's retreating back until she disappeared from sight.
"Veda, you also go and sleep, okay? It's late." their father reminded, his voice gentle.
Veda hummed, hugging and kissing her dad's cheek, and then her mom's, before following Meera up the stairs.
As she climbed, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong, She made a mental note to talk to her sister in the morning, to get to the bottom of what was troubling her.