CHAPTER 12
MISHTI'S POV
I walk into the beautiful gardens of the Singhania mansion. This is one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen. The place is covered with different types of roses and creepers all around. In the middle is a huge circular pond with a bunch of stunning lotuses and a beautiful statue of a woman standing in the center.
I sigh dreamily and walk ahead through the garden thinking about my last few days. It is the last time I will be meeting Naira before she leaves for her college tonight. I will miss her terribly. She has always been there for me whenever I needed support. Three days ago, Kunal left and today, she is leaving to Delhi.
When Kunal left, he pulled a stupid stunt by calling Abir my brother. I was so shocked that I didn't know how to react. And after pulling that stunt, he had the audacity to wink at me!
He freaking winked!
I got so pissed at my stupid elder brother that instant, but I decided to stay quiet. When I got a call from him once he reached Mumbai, I gave him a piece of my mind. And apparently, that monkey found it funny.
Seriously, he needs a check-up with the vet.
I shake my head and clear my thoughts, as I walk through the porch and knock the front door. After a few seconds, the door swung open revealing a very simple and elegant woman in her mid- 40s. On seeing me, a huge smile spread across her face and she immediately engulfed me in a tight hug.
"Mishti! It is so nice to see you here this evening!"
Mrs. Akshara Singhania is a very polite and humble woman, who along with her husband Mr. Naitik Singhania are very famous lawyers of this town. Both of them are very successful and of course, love their daughter so much. They are very affectionate towards me and to be honest, I like their company.
After releasing me from the hug, I reply, "Yes Akshara aunty! It definitely is! So how is Naira holding up?"
She allows me to enter and then locks the front door. "She's upstairs, Mishti. Go and meet her."
With a nod, I run up the stairs to her room. I enter the room and find that she isn't here. Maybe she is in the bathroom. And then, my eyes fall on the mess that she has created. Clothes strewn all over the place, her books here and there, and framed photos on the bed. I take one and look at the photo of a happy Singhania family. It seems to be a recent photo.
With a small smile, I pick the next photo and immediately a huge grin forms on my face. In that picture, Naira and I were around 7 years old and the two boys were around 10. We had a day out at the Kutch and it was taken in the background of the white sands of Kutch. I stood there, with huge rimmed spectacles and looping arms around Naira. The two of us stood in the middle with the boys on either side, and to be specific, Abir by my other side. All 4 of us are grinning in the picture, but the only difference is that me, Naira and Teddy are grinning at the camera while Abir is grinning down, looking at me.
A fuzzy feeling fills my heart as I look at this very old picture of us. The way Abir is looking at me in that picture fills my heart with various feelings that I cannot name at once.
I hear the bathroom door open and Naira came out. Once she notices me, she runs and jumps on me, causing me to stumble onto the bed with her on top. Both of us are laughing madly. We slowly get up and hug each other again.
"That is probably the last time we will be doing that before I leave Rajkot", she said with a distant smile on her face.
Immediately, there is an air of gloominess around us.
I will miss her a lot. She is a very optimistic person. Wherever she goes, she brings positivity with her.
After a few minutes of staring at each other, we decide to finish her packing.
After another half an hour, we both just talk and reminisce our old days together. Talking about all that makes me a bit emotional, but I controlled myself from crying.
Apparently, Abir visited her this morning. Abir everyday comes home for breakfast, we spend time talking and then he roams around the city for some time, comes back home for dinner and then leaves. This has been his daily routine for the past few days. And today, he disappeared after breakfast.
I look at the clock and find the time to be 7.30 PM. After a few tight hugs, 15 minutes of crying and innumerable "Miss you"s and "Take care"s, I leave the Singhania mansion and ride back home on my cycle.
As I ride back, I think about a lot of things. Kunal has joined his company and is doing great. Naira is now leaving Rajkot to study medicine at AIIMS. Abir is supposed to join his office next week and three weeks later, my college will begin.
After Kunal left that day, Abir had been moody and grumpy for reasons unknown. He stayed quiet and left home pretty early. I convinced myself that it was because he missed Kunal but deep down, I had a feeling it was because he didn't like being called my brother. But I am not going to get my hopes high. It will only lead to disappointments.
Sighing, I park my vehicle and slowly walk upto the front door and open it. The entire place is dark and silent. None of them seem to be in the house.
Where are they?
Suddenly, I heard someone shout "AGENT 1" and immediately, I felt something extremely cold splash me and I clenched my eyes shut as a reflex. I gasped slightly as I realized that I was drenched in ice cold water.
Whoa. What just happened?
"AGENT 2", the same voice shouted again and this time something powdery fell all over me. My eyes were still tightly shut. I slowly touched my arms to find that the flour now got stuck to my skin due to the dampness from the cold water.
What the hell is happening?
And before I could react, something soft fell over me and I opened my eyes slowly. There were feathers sticking all over me.
All of these happened in a matter of a few seconds. Suddenly, I heard booming laughter everywhere. Abir, my father and mother came out of their hiding place with all of them laughing loudly. I stared at them incredulously.
I stood there silently, looking at them laughing for around 2 minutes, even though it felt like years. Even after my parents calmed down, Abir was clutching his stomach and laughing.
Great. Just great.
I don't think he would ever stop laughing. Finding my voice, I ask them, "What the hell are you guys doing?"
Abir had a very goofy grin on his face, "Mishtipie, remember? I was supposed to be giving you a punishment? Well, this is your punishment."
I stare at him for a few seconds, "Punishment? This seems more like revenge to me."
He shrugs slightly, still smiling, "But it was super fun."
Fun? He calls this fun?
"I am so not going to leave you for this.", I said walking slowly towards him.
"Ma, tell her. This is supposed to be her punishment for her mistake. She can't start a prank war after this.", he said turning to mom.
"Yes Mishti. This incident is done and dusted. Don't go for revenge."
I gaped at them, "Mom, Dad, are you both on his side?"
They both smiled sheepishly and my father replied, "Well, when he told us what to do, we thought it would be fun to do a prank on you. And you know what? It was really funny.", he laughed again.
"Abir, you stole my parents from me!", I said pointing my finger at him accusingly.
He rolled his eyes, "Get over it Mishtipie. Now go and have bath. You look like a very scary pigeon."
I gasp at him again and he starts laughing.
Again.
I stuck my tongue out at him and as soon as he returned the gesture, I stomp my foot and walk back to my room and immediately go take a bath. My hair was full of gooey flour. It was a mess. I washed my hair twice before coming out and dressing myself up. I go back downstairs to see the three of them huddled together and laughing at their phone. And, I could easily guess what they were watching.
Hearing my footsteps, Abir turned towards me, "Mishtipie, look at your face in this. You look damn funny."
Instead, I rolled my eyes and went into the kitchen and had some water. He is never going to let me forget this happened.
And the worst part is, I am supposedly not allowed to take revenge for this. I groan mentally as I realize how unfair life is.
Throughout dinner, the three of them were in high spirits while I sulked. But to be honest, I was trying my level best to control the smile that was threatening to form on my lips as I thought about the stupid prank again.
Because knowing Abir, I am pretty sure he planned this prank today only to bring me out of my grumpy mood and distract my thoughts.
***
Hey! Chapter 12 is here!
Hope you guys liked it!
Thank you!