Siara's pov-
The next morning began like a scene from a chaotic sitcom-overcrowded, loud, and absolutely ridiculous. For a group that had been through a literal tomato war the previous day, you'd think there might be some semblance of peace. But no. Peace and the Sehgal clan were as compatible as oil and water.
I walked into the dining hall with my usual cold composure, my expression unreadable, only to be greeted by a scene straight out of a comedy show. Shivay was standing on his chair, holding up a fork like it was a microphone, attempting a terrible impression of an Italian vendor shouting.
"Tomatoes! Fresh tomatoes! Special discount for the legendary Sehgal clan!" Shivay bellowed, pretending to throw invisible tomatoes at everyone.
"Shivay, sit down before you get us banned from our own hotel" Mahi scolded, but her laughter betrayed her disapproval.
"Let him be, Mahi," Kabir said, grinning wickedly. "Yesterdays humiliation wasn't enough for him"
"Good morning, Ice Queen!" Shivay greeted me, his voice dripping with exaggerated cheer.
I raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Still cold as the Arctic," Kabir added, giving me a teasing smirk.
Mahir entered behind me, his sleeves rolled up as usual, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the madness at the table. He placed a gentle hand on my back as if to guide me toward the seat beside him. I don't know why I don't hit him for doing so.
Well, tranquility was never on the menu when it came to this group.
I had barely taken a sip of my coffee when suddenly Shivay shouted, "Mission Miracle: Episode Two begins now!"
Before I could even question what on earth Mission Miracle was this time, Kabir and Mahi simultaneously appeared on either side of the table, smirking like they had just plotted the downfall of an empire.
"What's going on?" I asked suspiciously, glancing at Mahir, who looked equally confused.
"Oh, nothing," Kabir said with a grin so wide it was almost criminal. "Just sit back, relax, and... trust us."
"Trusting you is how we ended up in the middle of a tomato war on that scooter, which was clearly in its last stage of life yesterday," I muttered under my breath, eyeing them warily.
Before I could even think of escaping whatever madness was brewing, Myra piped up, "Shivay, ready with step two?"
"Ready!" Shivay announced like a director calling "Action!"
And then it happened. Out of nowhere, the chairs beneath Mahir and me collapsed-yes, collapsed. One moment we were sitting like civilized human beings, and the next we were falling in what felt like slow motion, crashing into each other in a heap on the floor.
It wasn't just a fall. It was the most dramatic, exaggerated fall in history. The chairs gave way with such perfect timing that it was clear this had been planned, probably down to the last detail. Mahir instinctively reached out, one arm wrapping around my waist to stop me from hitting the ground too hard, while his other hand braced against the floor. I landed against him awkwardly, my hands clutching his shirt for balance as if the entire world had tilted off its axis.
For a moment, we froze. Time seemed to stop as I found myself staring into Mahir's eyes, which, to my utter annoyance, looked far too amused for someone in this predicament. I could feel his heartbeat racing. He should see a doctor, it's not a good sign. His hand was firm around my waist, steadying me against the awkward tilt of the floor, while his other braced against the ground with a quiet strength.
And he was staring at me-not just looking, but staring, as if I were the only thing in the room worth his attention. It was unnerving, infuriating, and... unsettlingly magnetic. There was a weight to his gaze, something unreadable yet intense.
we were jolted back to reality by a loud and dramatic chorus of laughter. I barely had time to process what was happening before something even more absurd happened. Out of nowhere, A slow shuffle of footsteps, followed by a collective rustling. I glanced up to see what looked like an army-no, a battalion-of the hotel staff and our own lunatic clan holding gigantic buckets brimming with rose petals and different types of flowers. The sheer size of those buckets looked more like they were preparing for a war than a celebration, filled to the brim with a floral nightmare.
And then they started throwing the petals on us. The first wave of petals hit us with a force that was anything but romantic. A cascade of red, yellow, and white petals came raining down, not gracefully fluttering but pelting us like a torrential floral storm. It was less of a flower shower and more of a flower attack.
It wasn't the soft, romantic sprinkle you see in movies. No, this was an all-out flower war. They were hurling the petals with such force and accuracy it felt like being pelted with tiny, fragrant missiles.
"What the-?!" I managed to choke out as a particularly large handful of petals smacked me in the face.
"Oh, look, it's raining love!" Shivay shouted dramatically, tossing petals in the air like a crazed florist.
Kabir, laughing hysterically, threw his hands up in the air like he was announcing the arrival of a new era. added, "This is for all the romance you two have been ignoring! Let us do the honors of kickstarting it for you!"
The next thing I knew another buckets of petals rained down on us with a ferocity that felt more like being pelted with bricks than flowers. The so-called "soft" petals hit my face, my hair, my clothes-every inch of me was being assaulted. Someone-I suspected Shivay-had managed to fling an entire bucket straight at Mahir's back, drenching him in an avalanche of petals.
Mahir, still partially holding me, was doing his best to shield both of us, but his efforts were futile against the relentless onslaught. "Enough!" he finally barked, his voice calm yet commanding. But, of course, they didn't stop. If anything, they intensified their assault.
"Hey, aim properly! Mahir bhai's shirt is still too clean!" Divya shouted, chucking an entire bucket's worth of White roses in our direction.
"Stop throwing flowers at us like they're garbage!" Mahir roared, trying to sit up, only to be hit square in the face by another overly enthusiastic shower of petals. His indignation was palpable, but the chaos around us made it utterly useless.
"Are they... throwing roses or rocks?" I muttered, coughing as a particularly aggressive handful of petals smacked me square on the nose, making me flinch back into Mahir's chest.
"Stop! Enough! What kind of aggression is this?" Mahir yelled, half-standing while still holding me, only for another wave of petals to blindside him. He stumbled slightly, and somehow, I ended up half-draped across his chest again.
"STOP IT!" I finally snapped, glaring at the wild crowd circling us like gleeful vultures. They didn't even flinch-if anything, the pelting became worse.
In a moment of sheer desperation, I yanked off one of my heels and hurled it at Shivay with all the precision of a gladiator in battle. It struck his shoulder, making him yelp.
"Oh, she's arming herself! Run!" Shivay yelled, ducking behind Kabir, who promptly dodged just as my second heel flew through the air.
"That's it," I hissed, twisting to Mahir, who was now shielding my head with one hand and trying to block the petals with the other. "Take off your shoes. These heathens are done today."
Mahir blinked, torn between amusement and disbelief. "Are you seriously asking me to remove my shoes right now?"
"Yes!" I growled, shoving at his chest to stand, but another tidal wave of petals forced me to crouch back down. "Yesterday those death traps, and today THIS!"
I snapped, yanking at his sleeve. "Stand up and help me fight back!"
"Fight back? With what? My shoes?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, his lips twitching with suppressed laughter.
"Yes, with your shoes! Throw them! Hit someone! What's the point of spending hours in the gym. Do something, Mahir!" I told him
"You're terrifying when you're angry, you know that?" he muttered, finally standing and pulling me up with him, shielding me as yet another basketful of petals exploded into the air like confetti at a bad wedding.
"You think this is bad?" I hissed, pointing at the crowd gleefully throwing flowers as if we were some cursed carnival attraction. "Wait until I start throwing people instead of shoes."
Before Mahir could respond with another one of his infuriatingly calm remarks another full bucket of yellow roses was launched on us. The explosion of petals was so dramatic it felt like a scene out of an overly-budgeted movie.
That was it. My last shred of patience snapped.
Finally, in a last act of desperation, In one swift move, I yanked Mahir's shoe clean off his foot, which sent the mighty CEO of Sehgal Empire stumbling backward and falling onto the floor with an audible thud. .
"Siara! What the-" Mahir started, half-shocked, half-amused, but I was already gone, brandishing his shoe like a gladiator's weapon as I stormed toward Shivay and Kabir.
Kabir's eyes widened in sheer panic, his mouth hanging open as if he'd just seen a ghost. "Oh no. She's gone full psycho mode!" he gasped, pointing at me like I was a wild animal.
"Run! That's not our bhabhi" Shivay yelled, grabbing Kabir by the arm and bolting toward the far end of the hall.
"Run faster next time, you're embarrassing yourselves" I shouted, launching the shoe like it was a heat-seeking missile. It missed Kabir by inches and smacked into the wall with a loud thud, startling a nearby waiter so badly he almost dropped his tray of pastries.
Shivay popped his head out from behind the plant, grinning. "Nice aim, bhabhi! Next time, try cricket!"
I shot one last glare over my shoulder, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Next time, bring roses with thorns! This wasn't hurting us much. Or better yet, bring rocks-at least that would actually do your job!"
Kabir, still laughing uncontrollably, threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, we surrender! You win, bhabhi!"
Shivay, wiping tears from his eyes, added, "Rocks? You really know how to keep things spicy, bhabhi. We'll write it down for next time."
I glared at them, hands on my hips, while they doubled over in laughter, like I'd just delivered the punchline of a comedy set. My frustration was bubbling over, but before I could think of a witty retort, something completely unexpected happened.
Out of nowhere, Mahir appeared beside me, calm and composed as always. In his hand were my heels-the same ones I had discarded in my rage during the chaotic flower fight. Without a word, he knelt down in front of me, gracefully balancing on one knee.
My breath hitched. The sight caught me so off guard that I froze, unable to process what was happening. Time seemed to slow as he gently took my ankle, his touch firm yet careful, like he was handling something delicate.
His focus was unwavering as he slipped the heel onto my foot, making sure it was secure before moving on to the other. His movements were so natural, so unhurried, that it felt like he did this sort of thing every day-like it was second nature for him to take care of me, even in the most ridiculous situations.
I couldn't find my voice, couldn't even think of a sarcastic remark. All I could do was watch, stunned, as he looked up at me once he was done. His dark eyes met mine for a brief moment.
Why is he doing this? Why does he keep trying to break my walls? I couldn't understand it. It wasn't like anything would change. I would still be who I was-a woman bound by walls I built myself, fortified with pain and betrayal. His gentleness, his care... what was the point? Did he not see the futility? Or was it that he saw too much?
"There," he said softly, standing up and sliding his hands inside his pockets as if this was the most casual thing in the world.
The room was still. Silent. Too silent. For a moment, I thought time had frozen again. But then, out of nowhere, the whispers began.
"Did he just... go on his knees?"
"Wait, is that Mahir Sehgal? The same guy they call the business world's Grim Reaper?"
"Ruthless Sehgal? On his knees for his wife? I'm dreaming, right?"
The staff exchanged wide-eyed looks, their whispers loud enough to carry through the thick silence. Some of them actually gawked, while others nudged each other as if needing confirmation that what they were witnessing wasn't a hallucination.
Even younger clan-the certified clowns of the family-were speechless for once. Shivay's mouth was hanging open so wide he could've caught flies. Kabir's smirk was wiped clean off his face, replaced by an expression of utter disbelief. Myra, avya and divya exchanged glances that practically screamed, Oh my God, did that really just happen?
"Someone pinch me," kabir muttered, rubbing his eyes dramatically. "Did the Mahir Sehgal-the one who could buy an empire just to ruin it-just kneel for our bhabhi"
Mahir threw him a glare,"Your bhabhi is my wife if you missed the detail"
"Forget pinching you. Someone slap me!" Shivay finally recovered, clutching his chest like he was having a mild heart attack. "This isn't real. This can't be real."
Well, Kabir, being Kabir, didn't need any more encouragement. Without missing a beat, he raised his hand and slapped Shivay across the face with enough force to echo through the room.
SMACK!
Shivay stumbled back, clutching his cheek as if Kabir had just declared war on his entire existence. His mouth fell open, eyes wide with outrage. "WHAT THE-, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!"
"You literally asked for it!" Kabir retorted, completely unfazed as he flexed his hand like he'd just performed a public service. "I'm just here fulfilling your wishes, bro."
Shivay gaped at him, his other hand now joining the first to cradle his poor, assaulted cheek. "I meant metaphorically, you psycho! METAPHORICALLY!"
Kabir smirked, leaning casually against the table. "Metaphorically, physically... A slap's a slap, Shivay. You're welcome."
"YOU'RE WELCOME?!" Shivay shrieked, his voice hitting octaves previously unknown to mankind. "I should sue you for this! Emotional damage! Physical damage! Damage to my very existence!"
"Next time, tell me to do the honors," Avi said, deadpan, unable to resist adding fuel to the chaos.
The entire room burst into laughter at that, even the staff trying and failing to stifle their chuckles. I was mortified. Standing there, still reeling from Mahir's unexpected gesture, I couldn't decide if I was more annoyed at the attention or at the ridiculous circus my so called KIDS had turned this into.
Meanwhile, Mahir just stood there, arms crossed, completely unfazed by the chaos around him. His eyes darted to Shivay, then to Kabir, before finally landing back on me with a small, amused smirk.
Shivay, still reeling, turned to Kabir, his voice dripping with disbelief. "You! You just assaulted me in front of everyone! And you," he pointed a trembling finger at me, "you're going to encourage this madness? I'm the victim here"
"Victim?" Kabir snorted, casually inspecting his nails. "If anything, I did him a favor. That slap probably reset his personality."
"RESET MY-" Shivay looked like he was about to combust.
Before he could continue, I cleared my throat loudly, stepping into full Bhabhi mode. "Alright, enough with the theatrics. You've got ten minutes-only ten minutes-to clean up this circus of flowers. Every. Last. Petal."
Kabir blinked, his grin faltering. "Wait, what?"
"And you're helping them," I added, pointing directly at Avi, who was casually sipping his coffee, thinking he'd escaped unnoticed.
"What?" Avi choked, nearly spitting out his coffee. "I wasn't even part of this flower shower!"
"Exactly," I replied with a smirk. "Consider this your punishment for not being part of it. No freeloaders in this family."
"But I didn't do anything!" Avi protested, looking genuinely betrayed.
"Exactly," I repeated, louder this time. "And that's the problem. You just sat there like a statue while they were throwing those flowers at us like they were throwing garbage in the trash. GET UP!"
Shivay and Kabir exchanged smug glances, relieved they weren't the only ones being dragged into this now.
"And let me make one thing clear," I continued, raising a finger for emphasis, "no one from the staff is helping you. This is a DIY project."
The staff, who had been valiantly trying to suppress their laughter, outright guffawed at that. One waiter even muttered, "This family is better than Netflix," which earned him a discreet elbow from his colleague.
Kabir threw his hands up dramatically. "Oh great, now we're the flower-picking crew! Are you happy, Shivay? Your melodrama got us into this."
Shivay scowled, his cheek still faintly red. "Me?! You're the one who slapped me like we're in some indian daily soap"
"Stop whining and start working," I snapped, pointing at the floral battlefield around us. "And don't even think about stuffing the petals under the carpet. I'll check."
Mahir, who had been silently observing the madness with a faint smirk, finally spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the chaos. "You heard her. Better get started before she makes you clean the entire hotel."
Kabir groaned, muttering under his breath, "How did we go from royalty to housekeeping staff in less than five minutes?"
"You're royalty?" Avi shot back with a snort, folding his arms as he leaned casually against the table. "Please. If royalty saw you right now, they'd exile themselves out of sheer shame. You're about as royal as a soggy samosa."
That earned another round of laughter from everyone, including Mahir, who gave a low chuckle, shaking his head. He leaned against the table, his lips twitching with amusement. "If you spent half as much energy cleaning as you do arguing, you'd be done by now."
"That's easy for you to say!" Shivay shot back, pointing at Mahir. "You're not the one crouching on the floor, picking up petals like Cinderella gone rogue!"
As the "flower crew" reluctantly began gathering the petals, shivay mumbled, "I'm adding this to my list of traumatic experiences."
"Right after the slap?" kabir quipped, smirking.
"Right after the slap," Shivay confirmed, shooting Kabir a look of pure venom.
"Alright, that's enough," Mahir said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Clean this up, and next time, find a less... aggressive way to add that romance in our life.'"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes, muttering to myself, "This family is insane." And honestly, I wasn't wrong.
But why am I reacting this way? I never cared about anything before. Why today?...
Just as I thought the madness was winding down and we could finally return to some semblance of normalcy, a loud, earth-shattering THUD echoed through the room, followed by the faint sound of someone groaning dramatically.
All heads whipped around in unison, like synchronized swimmers performing at an Olympic level, to the source of the commotion.
And there she was. Divya. Flat on the floor. Her face buried so deep in a pile of flower petals that she looked like a tragic garden gnome who had given up on life.
For a moment, nobody moved. The scene was too absurd, too surreal to process. Then, with great theatrical effort, one hand slowly emerged from the floral grave, waving feebly like a drowning victim signaling for help.
In a muffled, dramatic tone, Divya declared, "Leave me on my own. I have accepted my fate."
And then, like the perfectly dysfunctional group we were, we did exactly as she asked. One by one, we started walking away, leaving the Flower picking crew and divya at their own.
Even the staff, who by now had clearly started adapting to the chaos we brought with us wherever we went, exchanged glances and shrugged before slowly retreating. One waiter, visibly trying to contain his laughter, muttered under his breath, "This girl... If she stays a few more days here, we'll lose our sanity," before disappearing around the corner, shaking his head like he couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed.
The manager, who had been lurking nearby, sighed dramatically, adjusted his tie, and said, "I'm going to have to write a memoir about these people someday."
Meanwhile, Divya, still half-buried in flowers, groaned, "I can hear you, you know! You're all terrible! TERRIBLE!"
The staff didn't even flinch; they simply walked away, leaving them with the mess, as if to say, This is your circus, and these are your clowns.
Kabir, of course, couldn't resist one last dig. He crouched down beside her, placed his hand on her flower-covered shoulder, and said with the deepest sincerity, "We'll never forget your sacrifice, Divya. You were too pure for this world. Rest in Flowers." Then, with a dramatic sniff, he started doing his work.
---------------
We were all gathered in the hotel lobby, our luggage neatly stacked by the door as if we were a perfectly organized group of travelers. Spoiler alert: we were not. The air was thick with excitement, not from us, but from the hotel staff. If relief could be bottled, they'd be selling it by the gallon.
The manager, who had been stoic for most of our stay, was practically glowing. His usually tight expression had softened into something resembling sheer bliss. "Thank you for staying with us," he said, his voice trembling slightly, as if holding back tears of joy.
"Thank you for tolerating us and for settling the vendors' losses," Mahir said politely, offering a small nod.
"No, no. Really. Thank YOU," the manager insisted, his eyes glassy. I definitely saw a single tear slide down his cheek when he added, "We'll never forget you. Ever."
Behind him, that bellboy clutched his chest dramatically and whispered to another staff member, "They're leaving. Finally. But I'll miss that falling girl."
Avya caught it and smirked. "Look at them. It's like they're sending us off to exile."
"Exile would've been quieter," Avi muttered, adjusting his sunglasses.
But before we could make our grand exit, Shivay cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone's attention like he was about to make a royal decree.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, holding up his hands like a magician about to reveal his greatest trick. "I have another surprise waiting for us outside."
A collective groan rippled through our group.
"No more surprises!" Devansh snapped, raising an eyebrow. "Your last surprise ended with us being pelted by tomatoes and chased by vendors. And let's not forget you asking Kavya to 'take out our baby.' What's next? A pie-throwing contest?"
"Oh, come on, bhai," Shivay said, grinning like a child. "This one's better. Trust me."
"Shivay, the last time you said 'trust me,' we ended up knee-deep in a construction site," Mahi deadpanned, shooting him a glare.
Ignoring the protests, Shivay gestured toward the door. "Everyone, please, step outside. Prepare to have your minds blown."
I sighed,"If this surprise involves anything edible being thrown at us, I'm going to throw him out of the moving car myself."
As we stepped out into the crisp morning air, we were greeted by something that made us all pause. Parked right in front of the hotel was what can only be described as a vehicular masterpiece. It was a vintage-style travel van, gleaming under the sunlight like it had just rolled out of a retro dream.
The van was painted in elegant shades of cream and gold, with intricate floral designs etched along its sides. The windows were tinted, giving it an air of mystery, and the wheels were polished to perfection. Above the front windshield, in bold, cursive letters, it read: Mission Miracle Express.
"What... is that?" Avya asked slowly, her eyebrows shooting up.
"Our ride!" Shivay announced proudly. "Custom-made for this journey. It has everything-luxury seating, a mini-kitchen, a bathroom, and even a karaoke machine!"
"Karaoke?" Kabir's eyes lit up. "Now we're talking!"
"And this-" Shivay continued, dramatically pulling open the van's door, "-is the pièce de résistance."
Inside, the van was just as impressive. Plush leather seats arranged like a cozy lounge, fairy lights strung along the ceiling, and a small kitchenette stocked with snacks. There was even a fold-out table with board games stacked neatly on top.
Kavya peeked in and gasped. "Is that... a mini-fridge?!"
"Stocked with everything you need," Shivay said smugly.
"And a coffee machine!" Avi added, practically shoving past me to inspect it.
"Yes" Shivay said, rolling his eyes. "It's not a stone age van."
The staff, who had followed us outside to bid farewell, stood frozen, staring at the van with wide eyes. One of them finally muttered, "This group should've come with a warning label."
"pray for the people at their next stop," another whispered.
I glanced at Mahir, who was leaning against the van with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "What do you think of this... circus on wheels?" I asked.
He smirked faintly. "It's ridiculous."
Suddenly Shivay clapped his hands. "Alright, troops! Load up the luggage and let's hit the road!"
As we began piling into the van, the manager waved us off with an exaggerated smile. "Safe travels! And... please, don't come back anytime soon! I mean, there are so many places in Italy, destroy them instead!" he murmured under his breath, thinking we couldn't hear him.
Kabir grinned. "Don't worry, we'll send postcards."
The manager paled at the thought. "Please don't," he whispered to himself as he scurried back into the hotel.
I stepped inside the van, bracing myself for whatever madness awaited us next.
The leather was soft, supple, and gleamed with the richness of quality craftsmanship. As I sat down, I half expected someone to hand me a glass of champagne.
It was clear that this wasn't just a means of transportation-it was a mobile palace, and it was the perfect way to travel through Italy, even if our next stop was still a mystery.
---
As we settled into the luxurious van, which Shivay had so proudly unveiled, I found myself questioning how long it would take for this "surprise" to spiral into yet another disaster. There were even velvet cushions inside that Shivay claimed were imported from France, though knowing him, they were probably from a sale in Rome.
Despite the chaos of the past two days, the atmosphere inside was surprisingly calm-at first. Kabir was flipping through a playlist, arguing with Avi about which songs were appropriate for a road trip. Shivay was perched at the driver's seat, wearing sunglasses that screamed "midlife crisis" even though he wasn't even close to thirty. Meanwhile, Mahir was sitting next to me, quietly reading something on his phone, his sleeves rolled up as usual. And me? I was quietly staring out the window, wondering how long it would take before the "miracle Express" turned into another chaotic mess.
The journey started smoothly enough, with everyone bickering in their usual way. Kavya was lecturing Shivay on his "unrealistic optimism," Devansh was checking maps and shaking his head, and Divya was, of course, tripping over absolutely nothing every time she moved. At one point, she managed to knock over an entire bottle of sparkling water, soaking herself and Avi in the process.
As the hours passed, though, it became clear that something was off. The van seemed to be taking endless turns, winding through increasingly narrow roads. The scenery had changed too-we were no longer surrounded by the bustling Italian cities and tourist spots. Instead, rolling hills and quaint countryside began to dominate the view. While it was undeniably beautiful, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were, once again, off course.
By the time evening rolled around, everyone was tired and irritable. Shivay, still behind the wheel, was furiously fiddling with the GPS.
"Shivay," Mahir finally spoke up, his tone calm but with a hint of warning. "Are you sure you know where we're going?"
"Of course I know!" Shivay snapped, though his panicked expression said otherwise. "The GPS just...uh...needs a little recalibration!"
Devansh leaned forward, peering over Shivay's shoulder. "Recalibration? You've been driving in circles, haven't you?"
"Circles?!" Kabir exclaimed, looking out the window. "We're in the middle of nowhere! Are we even in Italy anymore?"
Before Shivay could respond, the van came to an abrupt halt. The sudden jolt made Divya topple forward, landing in a pile of snack wrappers.
"What now?" Myra groaned, rubbing her temples.
Mahir, ever the problem-solver, stepped out to inspect the van. I followed reluctantly, out of boredom. The air outside was crisp and cool, with a faint floral scent that immediately caught my attention. I looked around and was taken aback by what I saw.
We had stopped in what could only be described as a hidden gem-a small village so picturesque it looked like it had been plucked straight from a dream. Stone cottages with flower-covered roofs lined the streets, and a gentle stream ran through the center, reflecting the warm hues of the setting sun. Fields of lavender stretched out as far as the eye could see, their vibrant purple contrasting beautifully against the golden glow of the surrounding hills.
"It's like something out of a dream," Avya muttered, momentarily forgetting the disaster we were in.
"Dream or not, this van isn't going anywhere," Mahir announced, snapping me out of my thoughts. He was crouched by the hood, his hands covered in grease. "We'll need a mechanic."
"Mechanic?" Shivay repeated, finally stepping out of the van. "In this village? Do you see a mechanic's shop here? Because I see goats. Lots of Divya-looking goats."
Sure enough, a small herd of goats was grazing nearby, completely unfazed by our presence.
"This is why I don't trust your plans," Devansh grumbled, crossing his arms. "They always end with us stranded in the middle of nowhere."
"At least the 'nowhere' is pretty," Kavya pointed out, trying to lighten the mood.
Meanwhile, Kabir and Avi were busy trying to coax Divya out of the van, who was dramatically refusing to step into the "wilderness."
"There are bugs out there!" she wailed. "And dirt! I know I'll fall anytime soon. I don't want to fall into that. Mahir bhai please help me"
"Don't worry no one will see you... Except those goats, they might recognise you though" Kabir quipped, earning a laugh from Avi.
Mahir approached me, wiping his hands on a cloth. "Looks like we're stuck here for the night," he said, his tone calm.
"Great," I replied sarcastically. "Another adventure in Shivay's never-ending series of bad decisions."
He chuckled, a rare sound that caught me off guard. "It's not so bad, is it?" he asked, gesturing to the village. "At least we're not being pelted with tomatoes."
As the others argued and bickered, I found myself stealing glances at the village. Maybe being stuck here wasn't the worst thing in the world. But knowing this family, it was only a matter of time before chaos found us again.
Mahir stood with his arms crossed, looking determined. "We need to push the van inside the village for the night. It's either that or risk sleeping in the van," he said, glancing at the hills ahead of them.
Shivay's jaw dropped. "You want us to push this big thing uphill? Are you trying to kill us, bhai?" His eyes were wide with disbelief, clearly picturing himself as the first casualty of the operation.
"Aren't we supposed to be having fun on this trip?" Kabir said, rubbing his temples dramatically. "This isn't fun. This is a torture session with wheels."
Avi, always the optimist piped up. "Maybe we can just ask the van if it wants to go up the hill? You know, have a heart-to-heart. I'm sure the van has feelings."
Avya shot him a look. "And a broken engine."
Divya, who had somehow found her way into the center of the discussion, grinned like a madwoman. "Let's make it a race! Last one to the top is a loser!"
"Wow" Kabir shouted, clapping his hands. "Brilliant, Divya! Just brilliant! Let's do that, and in the process, we'll also take bets on how many seconds it'll take for you to roll down the hill like a goat!"
"Shut up and help pushing this van!" Mahir snapped, already marching towards the van.
The group, with a mixture of groans and fake enthusiasm, surrounded the van. Shivay stood there, pretending to strategize. "I think we should push it from the back... or maybe the front. I'm going to need a few moments to properly analyze this."
Avi, now standing by the side of the van, started to act like he was about to start a motivational speech. "Alright, guys! We're going to do this. Teamwork makes the dream work!" He slapped Kabir on the back, who immediately tripped over his own feet.
Just then shivay pointed at kavya and told her,"kavya bhabhi, come on join us. You're pregnant Right, you have the energy of two people"
Kavya stood frozen, staring at Shivay with eyes that could have pierced through steel."I am carrying a baby not a GENERATOR" she snapped.
Avi, who had been pretending to be interested in the conversation, jumped in, waving his hands dramatically. "Let's not forget that pushing a van up a hill is definitely not on the pregnancy workout plan. If anything, it's the 'What Not To Do' section of the manual."
Shivay, however, seemed undeterred. "Come on, Kavya bhabhi. Think of it as a bonding exercise with the baby!" He clasped his hands together and gave her puppy eyes.
Without a word, Kavya slowly turned, her expression a perfect mix of disbelief and quiet fury. She lifted her heel, took careful aim, and-wham! The shoe sailed through the air, hitting Shivay square in the chest with the precision of a professional pitcher.
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"Boys! Consider this a workout for today," Mahir said, his voice annoyingly calm as he rolled up his sleeves. His forearms flexed with an effortless grace as he grabbed the back of the van. That single motion was enough to halt several women passing by, their steps slowing until they were practically gawking.
Then they all leaned into it, pushing the van with varying degrees of success. Shivay, at the back, was pushing as if the van was an enemy he had personal grudges with. Kabir kept pretending he was in a weightlifting competition, and Avi seemed to be doing more dancing than pushing.
"Why is Mahir bhai making this look like a fitness ad?" Divya whispered to me. "Looks like bhai has some fans," she added with a smirk, nodding toward the women who had stopped to blatantly admire him.
"If they stare any harder, they'll burn a hole through him." I muttered back.
That's when it happened. The van, which had been creaking under the collective effort of the boys, stopped. No one moved. The grunting ceased
In that moment, no one said anything. It was as if my words had momentarily paralyzed them all. Shivay, who was usually the loudest, stood there with his mouth slightly agape, like a fish out of water. Kabir, mid-weightlifting pose, had forgotten to move a single muscle. Even Mahir, seemed to blink twice in surprise, his gaze locked on me as though he'd just seen a ghost.
But the damage was done.