𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 | ✓

𝔰𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫

Annika sat beside a groaning Rudra who was hiding his face behind a pillow. Gauri and Bhavya were breathing in and out heavily, while Omkara massaged his temples. Shivaay's eyes twitched in irritation as he laid back his head on the sofa.

"Oh My Mata!" Annika felt like someone had just screamed in her ear through a loudspeaker. "Yeh kya haal banake rakkha hain?"

"Mom," Shivaay sighed, "Please, speak more quietly."

"But this is my normal voice," Pinky frowned.

"Ye aapka normal humesha itna loud kyun hota hain?" Rudra said snappily.

"Loud hain?" Pinky asked sympathetically, before hitting the back of Rudra's head. "Bhaang piine ko kaun kaha tha? Aaj functions hain, aur tum sab nashe mein chadi ho!" Pinky shook her head, walking away.

"Khanna!" Shivaay shouted. "Bring me a glass and some lime juice."

"Shivaay sabke liye," Annika touched an ice pack to her head.

"For everyone!" Shivaay said loudly.

"Dheere boliye!" Annika squinted her eyes.

Shivaay cracked open the eggs and looked at Bhavya, "Sorry for ruining your breakfast." Bhavya merely shrugged. "Come on!" Shivaay passed the glasses around. Noticing Omkara's nose scrunching in distaste, he rolled his eyes, "Chup chap pii le."

Omkara glared at him but complied nonetheless.

"What I don't get," Omkara said slowly, as he put down the glass, "Is how did we even get so hungover when we didn't even drink bhaang."

Annika, Gauri and Bhavya looked at each other before going back to massaging their heads.

Shivaay frowned.

Annika looked on in fear, hoping his 'calculator brain' wouldn't catch onto them. To her relief he diverted the attention onto another topic, until she realised what he was talking about, "Does anyone remember all of us sitting in a circle? Even Veer and Saumya. They were saying something about their plan."

Annika tried to recall, only to be hit with flashes of all of them babbling incoherently before a blinding pain seated through her mind. "Urgh!" She groaned, "My head feels like it'll explode if I try to remember anything."

Gauri and Rudra nodded in agreement.

Shivaay opened his mouth only to be interrupted by his mother, "Oh My Mata!"

"Choti Maa!" Rudra cried out in frustration.

"Chup!" Pinky frowned. "You guys, last minute checks right now!" She pointed a finger at Gauri and Annika. She turned towards Bhavya and Rudra, "And you guys take some rest until the evening. Agar tab bhi iss halat hain toh," Pinky left the threat unfinished.

Annika and Gauri exchanged a glance, "Chalo." Annika dragged Gauri away, sending a quick text to Bhavya.

<>•<>

Bhavya slipped downstairs with the excuse of resting comfortably within the confines of the guest room she'd been given. Bhavya crept down the stairs, a foreboding feeling creeping up on her as eerie silence greeted her.

Annika and Gauri were worriedly looking around, muttering under their breaths.

"Bhabhis?" Bhavya's voice halted them and they turned around, stances defensive. The relaxed realising it was her. "Kya hua?" That's when she noticed the empty bed. "Where's Payal?"