Siara's pov-
It had been a few days since I was discharged from the hospital. My body had healed, the bruises faded, and the exhaustion of those past few weeks seemed like a distant memory. But I was back to the usual routine - same old Siara, cold and indifferent to everything. The chaos was all the same, and I was still as unaffected as ever.
Mahir had been, as usual, attentive and silent, making sure I rested, ate properly, and did everything I needed. But did I care? Not really. He was just doing his part, like everyone else. But why I do feel like my words are betraying something?
The younger clan was as usual carrying on their antics. But at the end of the day, I wasn't angry or upset. They were who they were, and I was who I was. And nothing was going to change that.
Despite everything, I had to admit, I was slowly getting used to them. To the constant noise. To their care. But did I show it? Not a chance.
Today started out as any typical day with the younger clan being ridiculously chaotic, but no one could have predicted the disaster that was about to unfold.
Tomorrow is Mahir's Birthday and The younger clan, decided that Mahir's birthday needed to be nothing short of extraordinary. A grand, over-the-top surprise for the serious, ever-so-composed Mahir. They want to give him a full blown away surprise when the clock strikes midnight but as far as I know them, I'm pretty sure they are also going to be blown away today.
I was sitting in the living room, scrolling through my phone, while the rest of the clan gathered around, laying out their "Pathetic excuse of a master plan" for Mahir's surprise birthday party. There were no expectations that the plan would actually succeed, but the sheer chaos of it was going to be legendary.
"Okay, here's the plan, guys," Kabir began, ever the enthusiast. "We'll blindfold Mahir bhai, lead him into the living room, and then BAM! We'll shout 'Surprise!' and throw confetti all over him, It'll be like a party explosion! So dramatic, so Mahir."
Party explosion he says, I bet it would be his dignity Explosion.
Shivay, who was way too into the idea, added, "I can already imagine Mahir bhai's face when he's covered in confetti. We'll have the entire living room decked out like a movie set!"
I stared at them, silently judging, as usual. But to be honest, I was waiting to see how far they'd push it.
Mahi, who had somehow been roped into this disaster, stood up. "And I'm getting a cake... but not just any cake. I'll make a life-sized ice sculpture of Mahir bhai's face. It'll be so cool, he won't even know what hit him!"
The entire clan went silent for a second. I stared at Mahi. "You do realize ice melts, right?"
"Yeah, and that's the point," she replied with a grin. "It'll be like the cake is melting in front of him. Super artsy. Mahir bhai will love it."
Good luck mahir, these people are planning your death on your birthday.
Avya nodded vigorously. "Yes! And we'll all wear superhero costumes. You know, something unexpected."
"Exactly! We'll look so ridiculous, he'll love it even more!" Divya said, as if it was the greatest idea ever.
And so, the plan was set. Each person had a "crucial" role to play. Myra and avya were going to organize the decorations. Mahi and kavya were in charge of the cake. Shivay was supposed to get the confetti cannon - though no one really believed he could be trusted with something as important as that.
Divya would be the one making sure Mahir didn't suspect anything before the big reveal and kabir will be the overall incharge.
Now, let's just say that none of these people were particularly good at handling a surprise, let alone a surprise for Mahir, who was about as unpredictable as a brick wall.
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I sat back, arms crossed, watching the madness unfold.
The living room looked like a funeral parlor that had been assaulted by an angry toddler. Black and white streamers were hung in what I can only assume was a desperate attempt at mood lighting, but they ended up looking like the decorations at a memorial service. No color. Just doom and gloom.
The best part, however, was Mahir's picture on the center table. The photo was carefully framed-if you could call it "careful" when it was surrounded by what seemed to be an overzealous attempt at a floral tribute. The flowers, mismatched and wilted, were scattered around the frame like they were trying to escape their own fate. The whole setup looked like the last rites for Mahir's dignity, more than a birthday tribute.
Meanwhile, Mahi, ever optimistic, was decorating the "ice sculpture"-which had now melted halfway. The Mahir face was starting to look like a grotesque blob of ice with a cherry on top.
"This is a masterpiece," Mahi said, grinning from ear to ear.
Shivay, who was in charge of holding the massive confetti cannon and was already making nervous faces as he tried to figure out how to fire it without blowing up the entire living room.
As the chaos continued to unfold in the living room, Avya stood proudly near a massive cluster of black and gold balloons that seemed to cover half the room. "Guys, this is it!" she said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "These balloons are special! See, they're filled with dusty sparkle-when Mahir bhai cuts the cake, the balloons will pop, and all the sparkles will shower down on him. It's going to look amazing!"
I have the worst feeling about this one the most.
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Their first part of the plan: blindfolding Mahir.
"Okay, everyone, get ready! I'll go get Mahir bhai, and then you all take your positions," Myra said, with far too much excitement in her voice.
"Just make sure he doesn't figure it out," Shivay whispered, adjusting his superhero cape.
Myra went to fetch Mahir from his study where he was working on a project and soon, I could hear the sound of his footsteps approaching. Everyone quickly scrambled into position.
Mahi was holding the 'Ice-sculpture' of Mahir's face in the name of embarrassment.
"Ready?" Myra whispered dramatically.
"Shh!" Kabir hissed, practically bouncing with excitement.
I just rolled my eyes and sighed. I already knew this was going to be a disaster.
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The moment Mahir walked into the living room, Myra removed his blindfold. He was immediately met with the sight of everyone in ridiculous superhero costumes, shouting, "SURPRISE!"
Mahir froze, blinking at the sheer absurdity. His eyes flicked from one ridiculous face to another - Kabir dressed as a half-baked Batman, Shivay as Spiderman with no mask, and Avya as Wonder Woman, looking completely out of place in the overly glittery outfit. Divya and Mahi were over in the corner, nervously holding up the ice sculpture of Mahir's face - which was looking like a puddle of the upcoming chaos. It wasn't a great start.
"Whose funeral is this?" Mahir asked while looking around as if someone transported him into a death cemetery.
"We-uhh, we wanted to do something special for you!" Kabir said, trying to keep the vibe cheerful, despite the situation clearly going downhill.
And that's when it happened.
Shivay, in his enthusiasm, had pulled the trigger on the confetti cannon.
But instead of a glorious explosion of confetti, the cannon misfired. Instead of a light, colorful spray, the cannon released an explosion of confetti that flew everywhere... and hit everyone in the face. Not everyone, it hit mahir in the face.
WHAT THE-" Mahir's voice was lost in the cacophony as confetti again rained down on him. He raised his arms to shield himself, but it was too late. He was already buried under a mountain of confetti, looking like he had been assaulted by a party supply store.
"MY HAIR! MY FACE!" he shouted, frantically brushing the confetti off of himself.
Everyone stood frozen for a moment, staring at the wreckage.
"This birthday is cursed" kavya muttered, unimpressed. "Mahir bhai will never look at us the same way again."
"Mahir bhai cut yourself first.. I mean cut the cake," said mahi while bringing the puddle structure of not so looking mahir on the table.
This... this is supposed to be me?" Mahir asked, his tone teetering between incredulity and defeat.
Kavya grinned, leaning against the table. "Of course, Bhai! Look at the detailing-two eyes, a nose, and that smirk. It's you!"
Shivay chimed in, "We had a vision. It was supposed to be a masterpiece, but... well, let's just say gravity wasn't on our side."
Mahir blinked slowly, struggling to find words. "Gravity? This looks like a crime scene."
And then comes the moment of the day. Mahir was still recovering from the aftershocks of confetti.
And then
POOF!
A loud pop followed by a spray of glittering dust filled the room. The balloons had exploded-and rather than a gentle shower of sparkles, the room was flooded with a thick cloud of dusty sparkle that made Mahir cough violently, choking on the fumes.
"What the hell is this?!" Mahir coughed, frantically swiping at his eyes, trying to clear the glitter from his face. The stuff had gotten everywhere, and I couldn't help but watch in morbid fascination. This was truly a trainwreck in motion.
Avya stood there, her face lit up with excitement and pride. "Look, it's beautiful, right? I told you guys it would look amazing!"
Mahir stood frozen in the middle of it all, a cloud of sparkle surrounding him, looking more like a confused victim of a glitter bomb than the birthday boy. "Yeah, amazing... if your idea of 'amazing' is a glittery disaster."
As Mahir finally managed to brush some of the glitters from his face and shoulders, his eyes fell on the table in the center of the room. His face froze, his already thinning patience hanging by a thread.
"What. Is. That?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
Everyone turned to see what had caught his attention. Right there, in the middle of the table, was a large framed photo of Mahir. Around it were candles that the younger clan had "artfully" arranged, complete with marigold flowers.
He gestured wildly at the table. "This looks like you're preparing for my funeral! I'm still alive, in case you missed the memo!"
Before he could say a single more word, clock struck at 12 and they started singing the birthday song.
They all were clapping like nursery kids and mahir was looking like a living glitterbomb. His mouth was slightly open and he looked like he was regretting his life decisions.
"LET'S CUT THE CAKE BHAI," Shivay screamed.
They should have said let's drink the cake instead.
Mahir's lips pressed into a thin line as he picked up the knife, resigning himself to his fate. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."
He looked at me silently asking, why didn't I tell him this before.
As he sliced into the "cake," an ominous cracking sound echoed through the room, and the top layer collapsed in on itself, sending a splatter of chocolate flying. A chunk of frosting hit Avya squarely on the cheek.
"Oh great, now it's attacking us," Avya deadpanned, wiping the frosting off her face with a tissue.
Kabir, unable to resist, took a bite of the remains. He immediately gagged. "Oh no. Oh no. This tastes like betrayal and regret."
Mahi gasped, offended. "Excuse me? I worked on this for hours! It's made with love!"
"And an alarming amount of salt," Devansh added, grimacing after taking a cautious bite.
Mahir dropped the knife and sighed deeply, looking skyward as if asking the universe why he had to endure this. "First the confetti disaster, then the funeral photo, and now... this." He gestured to the cake. "This isn't a birthday. This is survival training."
"Happy survival day, Bhai!" Shivay quipped, earning himself a glare from Mahir.
Kabir said, still finding this entire fiasco hilarious. "You look like the star of your own glittery birthday special!"
"Oh, I definitely feel like a star," Mahir muttered, sarcasm dripping from every word. "A star that's about to be buried under a mountain of glitter."
The room had descended into chaos, the younger clan laughing uncontrollably over Mahir's expression and the fiasco. But amidst the commotion, I stood up quietly, my mind focused. I walked into the kitchen, ignoring the confused glances from everyone.
Kabir said,"I guess she is going to bring a scapel,"
I returned with a cupcake in hand.The younger clan collectively gasped, their jaws dropping in synchronized disbelief.
I walked straight up to Mahir, who was still standing and looking as though someone had just replaced his brain with static noise. Without a word, I held out the cupcake to him. "Happy Birthday, Mahir," I said, my voice calm and cold as always, but somehow the words felt... warmer.
Mahir blinked, unable to process the moment. "Wha-"
Before he could say more, I took a small piece of the cupcake and, to everyone's shock, fed it to him.
The room erupted.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Kabir yelled, clutching his head as if it might explode.
"Is this... a fever dream?" Shivay asked, staring wide-eyed.
"Bhai, say something! She just-did she just-WHAT?!" Myra stammered, shaking Mahi's arm.
Mahir, however, was completely frozen, his expression a mix of shock, confusion, and a tinge of disbelief. He barely chewed the cupcake in his mouth.
But the moment of surreal peace was short-lived. When I turned to move back to my seat, my foot stepped squarely onto the puddle of melted cake on the floor. The slippery frosting sent me off balance, and in a split second, Mahir instinctively reached out to steady me-except he slipped, too.
The next thing anyone knew, I and Mahir were both on the floor, surrounded by the remains of the cake and the funeral themed decor. For a moment, everything seemed to pause we stared at each other in stunned silence.
Kabir broke it first. "Well, that escalated quickly."
Shivay was doubled over laughing. "Forget candles! That cake really wanted its revenge."
"Someone get a mop!" Myra yelled through her laughter. "This is turning into a rom-com disaster!"
Rom-com?" Avya added. "More like a slapstick comedy show."
Mahir groaned, trying to sit up but slipping slightly again. I, still on the floor, looked at him, my usual cold expression barely faltering despite the chaos.
"You okay?" Mahir asked, rubbing his wrist.
"Fine,"I replied, as if lying sprawled on a floor covered in frosting was a perfectly normal occurrence.
Kabir leaned over with his phone, snapping a photo. "This is gold. Caption: when Ice couple met ice sculpture, gravity won"
"Kabir, delete that," Mahir growled, trying to glare but failing as Shivay burst into laughter next to him.
"No chance!" Kabir said, holding his phone out of reach. "This pic will be placed in haweli!"
"Kabir," I said
"Yes bhabhi" he said while still saving his phone from mahir.
"There, right there placed is what we call mop. Shivay, that is broom. Divya, that's dustbin. Avya, that's vacuum cleaner. Start your work," I pointed towards the items. They all sulked at my instructions but started doing their parts of work.
"And if you do not want to look like a magician who came straight out of Disney for some more time then go take a bath," I asked mahir who was Still glaring at his photo on the centre table.
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