Mark: "Of course, to pick you..."
Ishana: "But you should have come alone..."
Mark: (shrugs, almost casually) "I didn't want to drive, so I asked Abhi."
(Ishana stands in front of the passenger seat, still hesitant. Mark sits in the back seat. After a moment of hesitation, Ishana gets in and sits next to him.)
Mark: "You should sit in the front. It's not good manners to sit in the back."
Ishana: "No, I don't want to sit in front."
Abhi: (glancing at both of them in the rearview mirror as he starts driving) "It's fine, bro. Anyway, she's already made me her personal driver."
Mark: (laughing a little, teasingly) "It's not like that, bro. Don't think of it that way."
(Abhi continues driving, but there's an awkward silence as Ishana doesn't engage much in conversation.)
Abhi: (trying to break the silence, genuinely complimenting her) "You look so stunning today..."
Ishana: (nonchalantly, without reacting much)
(A long silence follows. Mark looks over at Ishana, then back at Abhi. He can't help but feel frustrated with the tension between them.)
Mark: (trying to nudge Ishana into responding) "Ishana, Abhi just said something to you. I think you should reply to him."
Ishana: (shrugging, with a bit of an edge in her tone) "I know I look stunning. Is that it?"
Mark: (feeling irritated now) "Is this how you talk to him when he's being nice to you?"
Abhi: (calmly, trying to keep the peace) "Bro, it's fine. Relax."
(however, i notices that Ishana's response is partly because of teasing earlier in the morning. I realizes i had to step in and change the mood.)
Mark: (thinking to himself, then to Abhi) "I'm going to make her smile again. We can't keep going like this."
(Mark spots a pani puri stall on the side of the road.)
Mark: (suddenly, out loud) "Abhi, stop the car."
Ishana: (surprised) "Why are we stopping here?"
Abhi: (confused, but obeying Mark's request, he parks the car beside the road and looks back to Mark.) "Okay, we've stopped. Why did you want to stop here?"
Mark: (grinning mischievously) "Let's go eat some pani puri, guys."
Abhi: (raising an eyebrow) "Now? Aren't we getting late?"
Mark: (dismissively) "It's fine. We're just having a quick snack."
Ishana: (crossing her arms stubbornly) "I won't go."
Mark: (teasing her, knowing she won't resist) "I thought you wanted to eat? But if you don't, then let's go."
(Mark smirks, confident that Ishana can't resist the pani puri.)
Abhi: (shrugging) "Okay, fine."
Ishana: (sighing, defeated but smiling despite herself) "No... no... Let's go, then."
(She grins and her earlier pout fades into a smile. Mark looks satisfied, while Abhi smiles quietly at the exchange. They all get out of the car and walk toward the stall.)
Ishana: (ordering pani puri, excitedly) "One plate of pani puri, please!"
(She eats the first one in one go, then offers the second one to Mark, feeding him with her hands.)
Abhi: (watching them, a small smile playing on his lips, but his thoughts are elsewhere) "She looks so happy right now... I wish I could be the one she's feeding, not Mark."
(They finish eating and get back into the car. This time, Mark takes the driver's seat.)
Mark: (after they're all back in the car, he turns to Abhi) "Hey, give me the keys."
Abhi: (handing them over and moving to the passenger seat) "Here you go, bro."
Mark: (noticing Abhi heading to the front seat) "Wait, wait. Where are you sitting?"
Abhi: (confused) "I'm sitting here, in the front."
Mark: (assertively) "No. Go to the back and sit with my sister."
Abhi: (slightly reluctant, but he complies) "Alright."
Ishana: (feeling a little exasperated by the entire situation, she opens the door on the other side to leave the car, but abhi pulls her back gently, holding her hand.)
Abhi: (a little irritated but trying to make the situation light-hearted) "What's wrong with you, Ishana? Just stay still."
(He pulls her back into her seat, closing the door behind her.)
Mark: (smiling faintly, hearing Abhi's words but not responding, he decides to just let them work it out.) "Let's go."
Abhi: (nodding, though there's a sense of frustration in his tone as well) "Yes, let's go."
(There's an uncomfortable silence as they reach the lawn where the engagement is happening. Mark gets out of the car first.)
Mark: "Let's get out, guys."
Abhi: (looking at bro, then at Ishana, then back to bro) "You go first. We'll follow you in a bit."
Mark: (a little confused but nodding) "Okay."
(Mark gets out of the car and heads towards the lawn where the guests are waiting. Ishana hesitates but watches her brother for a moment.)
Ishana: (thinking to herself as Abhi holds her hand again to keep her from getting out on the other side) "What's going on? Why does he keep holding me back like this? It's just a short walk... But if bro gets out first... then I'll be left here alone with him."