Our Arranged Marriage

I.

"Baba.. kahan ho? Dawai ka time h." She shouted from her kitchen, as she put the bread on the pan. Vaishnavi Salian, a girl in her 20s and a successful Fashion Designer.

"Last plant, Vaishu. One minute." Her dad, Abhimanyu, replied from the balcony garden.

"No Baba. Not everyday. You have to take medicines timely." She came to the balcony with a glass of water and capsule in her hand.

"Bas bas. Itna care mat kar." Abhimanyu said and laughed as he gulped down the medicine.

"Ek aap hi toh ho meri zindagi m." She said pouting. Her father looked at her softly.

"Shreyas is coming today." Abhimanyu said as they went to the dining table.

"Who Shreyas, Baba?" She asked packing her tiffin box.

"Oho. Shreyas Iyer. Our neighbour back at Chennai. Remember?"

"Ya ya. Usse kese pataa chala hum yaha h?" She asked munching a carrot.

"Match h uska. He met me yesterday, coincidentally you know. It was very hard to recognise him even. Glad that he does remember me still now."

"Han okayy.. par match?" She asked.

"Aap apne Fashion k duniya se nikle tab pataa chalega na. TV dekhne se pataa chalega na. And even if you switch on, it'll be always about Designer's interview." He said rolling his eyes, while she was like 'paa😑'
"Cricketer h woh. Indian Cricket Team m h. First 11 permanent players m se ek."

"Woah. That's really cool." Vaishnavi said being shocked, nodding her head. "Here is your oats." She forwarded him a bowl of oats, we'll garnished with delicious fruits, dry fruits and soaked chia seeds.

"I really don't like eating this but your way of adding new flavours each day is wow." He said filling his mouth with a spoon full of oats.

"Better." She laughed sipping her green tea, sidewise packing her bread sandwich in her bag.

"Shaam ko jaldi aana. Shreyas aayega." He said as she wore her shoes.

"Han Baba. Will be back, no worries." She kissed his cheeks and ran out of the flat.

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"Shreyas. Get the Monster drink for me." Virat said as he changed into his PJs.

"Doesn't that taste yuck?" Shreyas made a poker face as he got a glare from Virat.

"You stink bro." They heard Ishan's voice from the door.

"T-shirt utaar k paseena chatega mera?" Shubman mocked him back, entering the room.

"Paagal waagal h kya?" Ishan said. 

"Chi yaar, what do you guys talk about even." Rohit Sharma, the captain made a disgusting face on their topic of discussion.

"Bhai yeh-" Both of them started and immediately kept quiet as they received a glare from Virat.

"Change into your PJs. Fast." He ordered in a stern voice.

"I can't have the evening chill-outs with you people today." Shreyas informed once the ICT team was casually sitting in Virat's room.

"Kyu? Bhabhi se mil rha h?" Ishan teased.

"Shayad." He mumbled.

"Huh?" Shubman asked staring.

"Where are you going? Anything urgent?" Rohit asked munching his protein bar.

"Haan woh.. chhotey apa is here. We were like neighbours, you know, when we were at Chennai. So, after chhoti ama died, he shifted to Chandigarh." Shreyas answered. "I'll go, just get a nap. Talk to you people later." He went out of the room.