Tomorrow was Maddy's birthday, and she was bubbling with excitement as she headed over to Khushi's house to invite her to the party at her farmhouse that evening. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow across the neighborhood.
As Maddy entered Khushi's living room, she found Khushi and Karishma sitting with their parents, laughter filling the air.
"Maddy! Namaste!" greeted
"Namaste!" parents replied cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Tomorrow is my birthday, and Khushi, I'm throwing a party at my farmhouse tonight! You have to come, and I'll drop you back in the morning."
Khushi's face fell. "No, Maddy. I don't want to go," she said, her voice tinged with regret.
Maddy's heart sank as she saw the disappointment wash over her face. "Why not?" she asked, hoping to coax her friend into changing her mind.
"I didn't feel well, that's all," Khushi said.
Karishma chimed in, "ye kya bat hui khushi? Look how sweetly Maddy is inviting you. You should go!"
"Yeah, Di," Maddy added quickly, "You can also come if you want."
While saying this, Maddy wondered Karishma say no .
"No, no, it's okay. You'll have all your classmates there. I would just make things awkward for everyone," Karishma insisted.
Khushi exchanged glances with her father, who nodded in silent agreement.
"Thank you, Uncle!" Maddy said, her spirits lifting a little.
Later that evening, they drove to the farmhouse, or so Maddy thought. Just as the car stopped, they found themselves outside Arnav's house.
"Why did we stop here?" Khushi asked, puzzled.
" we've reached our location!" Maddy exclaimed.
"But this is Arnav sir's house!" Khushi protested.
"Yeah, we were supposed to come here. C'mon, let's go!"
As Khushi was about to refuse again, Akash appeared. "What's wrong, Khushi? I wants to celebrate her birthday, that's why the party is here!"
"Then why didn't she tell me?" Khushi questioned, feeling betrayed.
"Because if you'd known, you wouldn't have agreed to come," Akash explained, still friendly.
"Even now, I'm not agreeing!" she replied defiantly.
"Because of your stubbornness, you might spoil your best friend's birthday. How selfish can you be, Miss Ahuja?" Arnav's voice rang out, laced with authority.
Khushi turned toward him, ready to defend herself, but Maddy, with a pleading look in her eyes, took her hand and led her inside.
"Maddy, this isn't right and what about Mr. And Mrs. Raizada Aren't theirs mom and dad home?" Khushi asked, concerned.
"Not at the moment! They're in Delhi for a couple of days," Akash chimed in, waving her worries away.
Inside, Aman, Akash, Maddy, Khushi, and Arnav enjoyed the celebration, laughter filling the air. But Khushi and Arnav barely exchanged a word the entire night.
When the clock struck midnight, they all gathered to wish Maddy. As she blew out the candles on her cake, Khushi drank a little too much and lost control, her inhibitions fading away into the music and laughter surrounding her.
Eventually, Aman decided it was time to leave. "Hey guys, I'm off," he said, making his exit.
Akash chimed in, "Bhai, Maddy and I are going for some privacy. What about Khushi?" maddy asked.
"Don't worry; Maddy and Arnav bhai will make sure she's okay. Just keep an eye on her until morning."Akash said.
"But how will I manage her?" Arnav questioned, his brows furrowed.
With that, Maddy and Akash left, intentionally leaving Khushi and Arnav alone.
Khushi, now dancing and swaying, lost her balance, but Arnav was quick to catch her at her waist.
"Are you okay?" he asked, holding her steady.
"No! Please hold me tight, Sir, or I might fall!" Khushi demanded with a pout.
"Alright," Arnav smiled, carrying her in his arms. "jab tak mai tumhare sath hu tum kabhi nhi girogi .
"wada karte hai aappp?" she giggled.
"wada," he replied, his heart warming at her innocence.
"Ek baat puchu mai aapse?" Khushi ventured.
"hmm, pucho," he said, while laughing.
"kaisi lagti hun mai aapko?" she asked, leaning in closer.
"sach btau toh bhaut achi lagti ho tum mujhe ," he confessed.
"Really?" she asked, eyes wide with surprise.
"Yes, really. Or mai tumhe kaisa lagta hun " he asked back.
"Mujhe toh pyaar ho gya hai aapse " she giggled, and they both erupted into laughter.
Before he could say another word, she leaned into him playfully, her lips brushing his cheek with a soft kiss. Arnav felt the warmth creep into his cheeks, and despite himself, he smiled. But there was something about her glassy eyes that told him this was not just a playful moment.
She leaned in closer, planting another kiss on his other cheek, her laughter bursting forth like bubbles in champagne. "You're too serious all the time, Arnav sir per ye aapka college nahi hai !" she declared flamboyantly, her voice ringing out above the music.
"Khushi, you really are not in your senses," he managed to say, trying to keep his tone light even as concern tugged at him.
In that fleeting moment, time stood still. She tilted her head, her intentions clear as she moved towards him, her lips just inches away from his.
His heart raced, and instinct kicked in. He stepped back, breaking the spell. "Khushi, wait!" he said, his voice a mix of urgency and gentleness. He didn't want to hurt her, didn't want to take advantage of her state. "You need to be sober for this, not… like this!"
Her expression faltered, the laughter replaced by a moment of confusion. "But Arnav sir …?" she began, her words slurring together, but he could see the glimmer of realization flicker in her eyes.
Khushi, in an unexpected fit of fatigue, let herself be laid on the sofa, As he started to leave,her eyes fluttering shut in an instant. she held his hand, tugging him back down beside her, Arnav also not wanting to leave her side, settled next to her,and they both drifted into sleep.