FLAMES: Of Revenge And Love

24. RAKSHABANDHAN

Aradhya's POV

I got dressed in a powder blue colored saree mom had selected for me a few days back. It covered my back completely, so I tied my hair in a bun before applying the vermilion and other things. I wore a pair of golden earrings Samaira gave me last night.

It was when I saw him wearing a sky blue kurta that I realized the motive behind his question from last night. He was matching our outfits, and it woke the butterflies in my body.

" Let's go. " I said.
" Uh hm. Just one second. " He replied before going to the closet and bringing out a bag with him.
" Her gift? "
" Yeah. " I didn't ask what it was, I'll know it eventually.

Samaira was wearing a yellow colored suit and rudraksh had a white kurta on.
" You're late bhaiya. I was getting hungry. " She said placing her arms on her waist and glaring at her brother. It wasn't intimidating, rather it was funny.

" It's not even nine you idiot. "
" I eat at eight in my hostel. "
" Then go back. "
" Don't start first thing in the morning, you'll cause adhya to be late. " Mom stopped them from arguing further and forwarded the aarti in samaira's hand.

" Oops, sorry bhabhi. Come give me my gift sooner. " She said to me before taking it and turning to her brother.
" Tie my rakhi first. "
" Yeah yeah. "
Both her brothers sat together and she applied tilak on them one by one.
Tying them their rakhis next and feeding them the sweet, before doing their aarti.

" My gift. " She said forwarding her hand to them just as she was done. Rudraksh brought out a box from his pocket and gave it to her. It was chain of a sort, with an infinity pattern on it. " Good choice bhai. Do the same when you select a bhabhi too. " She said to rudraksh while patting his shoulder.

" You.. " Abhimanyu interrupted him by handing her another box, smaller than the one rudraksh had, a bracelet. She smiled but not too much and then he brought something out from his back, a book, that's what it was. And Samaira squealed so loud that I feared she saw something dangerous.

But it was happiness on her face, at seeing a book. " You got this? " She asked him and he replied while raising an eyebrow, " Is it not here? "

" But it's not available in India. " It was a book on Astrophysics. And knowing the girl's love for stars, her reaction was understandable.

" Your brother can get it for you as long as it's there. "
" I love you bhaiya. Yes.. " She kissed  him and ran with her book. I felt what he did yesterday, the urge to mark him, but I retained it in me.

" You cheated bhai. " Rudraksh glared at him as he said this.
" I didn't. "
" You said you won't get her anything special. "
" A book is fairly an ordinary thing. " No one could find a fault in his words, the book was really not a big deal compared to the jewellery they got her but it was the best for Samaira.

" You, you're getting good at this. Don't worry, I'll have my revenge some day. " He scoffed before getting up and leaving too.

" You'll be having breakfast there? " Mom asked us and he replied, " Yeah mom. "
" You should eat. " I told him but he shook his head, " Nah, I don't want to eat without you. " I still had to wait till I tie rakhi to rajveer before eating, he could've eaten but he was adamant about eating together.

" Leave then, or else you'll get stuck in the traffic. " Mom ushered us out and I picked my bag before following him.

I had already sent three to the Sinha house, tying it or not was their responsibility, not mine. It's not like they cared when I lived with them, so I don't think they would now that I'm not there.