~Lightning McQueen ~
Tu te hoya hai sab di misaal sohneya
Tu te chamke bann ankhaan vich star sohneya
Ho tu te lagg bada hi tip-top beliya
Tu te aaye pe dooje full-stop beliya
“We have got a meeting with the investment bank for the IPO in two weeks and I don't want you both to mess anything up.Clear,” Ayush bhai commands.
“Yes Boss,” Vedang replies to him with a mock salute.
Bhai turns towards me, “What about you?”, he questions me, eyeing me spectically.
“Me, When have I done anything that has put you in trouble?”I ask, feigning innocence.
“Ofcourse, you never do anything, you didn't put a dent in Ishani's car right, it just happened?”
Huh, why did he mention her suddenly.
“Well, that was a mistake and what has she got to do with this conversation?”, I asked him with my confusion evident in my tone.
“Nothing, I just wanted to remind you that we will see them tomorrow so you better be on your best behaviour.”
“Okay,” I say to him while rolling my eyes.
“I am leaving to pick Disha for dinner. Bye.”
But before I can reply to him he is already out of the door.
“Your brother is totally whipped bro.” Vedang says while looking at my brother's direction.
“Tell me about it”, I reply to him in a bored tone.
“Well tell me what's up with you and that girl, huh?”, he inquires in a teasing tone.
What's up with everyone today? Why is everyone mentioning her?
“You know, tere bhai ke life mein aur bhi bade masle hai, except for her?”, I asked him.
“Oh someones sore,” he says, amusement laces his tone, but when I don't answer him, he continues, “Okay, fine tell me what happened.”
“Dad, wants me to get married, cause everybody of my age is getting married and shit", my eyes are on him as I speak.
The fucker bursts into a laugh at my expense, “What's the problem, you can't find a girl or you want to get married and leave me single and alone in this crazy world,” he says in a teasing tone.
What's wrong with this man?
“Can you be serious, it's important,” I said with an annoyed expression.
“Oh I am serious, very serious,” but before he can complete his sentence, he bursts into laughter again.
Great, this is the person I call my best friend. I don't have time and patience for him. As I start leaving he sobers up and a serious expression takes on his face.
“What do you think about it?”, he inquired.
“I don't know man never really thought about it, you know what had happened in the past, I never saw myself getting married or settling down, dad really want this for me.” I pause thinking about dad's eyes, the way they held hope, the hope I was not able to crush with a single no.
“I told dad I will keep an open mind about this, but I am not able to think about anything,” I stop speaking and I look at him hoping he has some solution for my despair.
“So, let's keep an open mind, it's not like he is forcing you, so let's just not get into it so much or maybe you can try dating some people, maybe you will actually find someone.”
“Yeah, the last part is never gonna happen, so stop dreaming,” I said to him while getting out of the cabin.
“You never know,” he sing-songs behind my back.
Why the hell is everyone so fucking positive about me falling in love.
As I pull up towards the hotel, I try calling Agastya to check if he has arrived or not. Predictably, no answer. I don’t know why I even bother calling this guy; he never picks up, especially when you need him. Alia informed me that he is also coming, but as always he late.
After handing my keys to the valet, I stand at the bottom step of the hotel entrance, scrolling through my phone and attempting to call Agastya again. But before I can hit dial, a cab pulls up near the entrance, and out steps a familiar figure.
She is dressed in a black formal shirt and cream pants. Her nose scrunches up the moment our eyes meet. She heads toward the entrance, clearly hoping to avoid me, I can't help but ask, “You alone today? Where's your Lightning McQueen?” I inquire with fake concern.
Our little accident took place on Sunday and today is already Friday. Her car should have been repaired till now, right?
“It’s in therapy, thanks to the trauma you put it through,” she shoots back, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
I chuckle, unable to resist pushing her buttons. "Well, I hope it gets the help it needs. I’d hate to think I scarred your precious car for life."
She rolls her eyes and starts to walk away, but I can’t resist one last poke. “Oh! Should have booked one for yourself while you were at it.”
“Oh, I will,” she says with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Once this wedding is over, and I’m finally done dealing with you and everyone, I’m sure I’ll need all the therapy in the world to recover from the trauma.”
“Everyone?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
She pauses, seemingly regretting her word choice. “Nothing,” she mutters, avoiding eye contact as she steps ahead of me. She was clearly not expecting me here, as she took out her phone and immediately texted someone. I assume Alia, maybe they have decided to come up here together.
Just as she reaches for the door, I quickly slip in front of her.
“Allow me,” I say, holding the door open with a mock bow.
Frustrated by my presence, she finally speaks, “What are you doing here anyway? Wasn't Agastya was coming here to check on the preparations for tomorrow.”
Agastya, she was expecting him. Without waiting for my reply, she just keeps walking straight down the hallway toward the reception. Naturally, I follow behind her,not because I’m intrigued by her or anything, but because that’s the only way into the restaurant. Obviously.
Before we reach the reception desk, a high-pitched voice screams, “Ishani!” We both stop in our tracks. I turn just in time to see my cousin Agastya, barreling toward us like a freight train. He completely ignores me, wraps his arms around Ishani’s neck, and practically tackles her to the ground.
Ishani stumbles slightly, and I instinctively move forward to help her, but she finds her footing and glances at Agastya with a mixture of surprise and amusement before cautiously returning the hug.
Agastya pulls back with a bright smile, completely oblivious to my presence. Then he does something i have never seen him doing, he apologises. “Sorry, yarr I just got stuck in traffic.”
Have I gained some superpower of invisibility or does he have selective blindness and wait a moment, When did my family get so close with this... Minion?
“Come on, let's head in. I also need to be somewhere else as well,” Agastya says, with urgency. Then, as if it just occurred to him that I exist, he glances my way. “Oh, Bhai, you’re here too.”
I raise an eyebrow, annoyed. “Oh, wow, thanks. I was beginning to think that I have become invisible to you, since I have been standing here as long as she has.”
Ishani snickers. “Oh my God, I didn’t know you were such an attention-seeker,” she says, rolling her eyes.
Before I can retort, the receptionist interrupts, “How may I help you?”
“We’re here to check on the arrangements for our event tomorrow ,” Agastya informs her.
“Can i have the name under which the booking has been made?”, she asks.
“Ishani Mehrotra,” she replies.
“Yes, of course. Please follow me; I’ll show you towards the grand hall”
Agastya winks at the receptionist. “Oh, I’ll follow you anywhere, if you allow me to.”
Her cheeks turn red, and she gives him a shy smile before starting to lead the way. I raise an eyebrow at Agastya, smirking. “Didn’t you use that line last week on the car showroom saleswoman?”
The receptionist’s smile instantly fades, and she shoots Agastya a death glare before turning on her heel and walking ahead, clearly unamused. Ishani, on the other hand, is trying and failing to stifle her laughter.
Agastya grumbles under his breath as he falls in line behind me. “Real smooth, bro,” I whisper to him with a chuckle.
Ishani walks ahead of us, as we are going to enter the lift she turns towards the receptionist, “I know the way towards the hall, you can get back to your work.”
The young girl nods in reply and leaves us alone.
Ishani steps in the lift and presses a button with capital “T” on it. We both step after her, and Agastya asks her, “ Have you been here before?”
She slightly turns in our direction before answering him, “Yes, a hundred times. You met my friend Nitin, this place belongs to his family.”
“Oh shit! Yes, he was Nitin Talwar, I completely forgot that.”
The lift door opens to a polished marble floor that reflects the twinkling lights, making it seem as though the stars themselves have descended.
“Wow!” Ishani speaks as her eyes move over the grand hall. But before we could completely step in, Agastya's phone pings and he looks at his phone,before looking at us again, “Sorry guys, something came up, I need to leave.”
He steps inside the lift again and continues, “Sorry again. Good Night guys. Bye.”
I look in bewilderment at the lift, What just happened? Why did he even bother to show up if he was going to leave in 10 minutes.
“You're going to stand there for the whole night, or you're coming,” I hear Ishani's voice and turn to look at her. She has already started to move inside.
Great, now I'm stuck here with someone who won't even bother with my presence.
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