𝖘𝖆𝖚𝖉𝖆𝖉𝖊 [ON HOLD]

05 || ｆｉｖｅ

28th July
Mumbai, India

Shivani yawned, burying her face into her pillow, as she struggled to return to sleeping with a ridiculous amount of noise taking place a few feet away from her bedroom.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Groaning out loud in annoyance, she sat up, bringing her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She rested her cheek against her knee, closing her eyes as a peaceful silence was given way from the ruckus on the other side of the door.

The momentary reprieve lasted for about a few seconds, until the noise of bangs and whistles made her eyes shoot wide open, and chased away the remaining slumber.

Shivani trudged to the living room near her bedroom, and was met with the sight of an amused Aruna and flabbergasted Kalyani looking at Dhruv and Shivaansh dressed in nutcracker suits and holding guns, while Radhika blew on a whistle.

A banging noise from the speakers nearby, startled Shivani, who leaned against the pillar and glared at her elder brother and older cousins.

With the sound effects of pistols running in the background, with Radhika pretending to referee a shooting match between her two brothers, Shivani's head was ready to explode.

"Shivaansh Singh Oberoi!" Dhruv thundered. "You have betrayed your fellow nutcrackers by refusing to serve our Queen!" Shivani arched an eyebrow, unimpressed, as Dhruv paused. "Err, Queen, erm——" he scratched his head with his index finger.

"Shivani," Shivani piped up.

"Yes, Queen Shivani," Dhruv nodded, before his eyes widened and he whirled around to face Shivani grinning at him and Shivaansh while holding her cellphone inclined at a suspicious angle. "Shivani," Dhruv chuckled nervously, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just filming you and Bhaiya," she grinned. "On live." She watched as Radhika looked from Shivaansh to Dhruv, as the two struggled to get out of their nutcracker suits, in a hurry. "For about two million people and counting."

Radhika placed a fist over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. Aruna chuckled while Kalyani smiled sympathetically.

"Shivani, end it," Shivaansh threw the faux bearskin hat onto the nearby couch, running towards his sister, with his arms stretched out, ready to snatch her cellphone.

"No," his sister stuck out her a tongue and laughed, before squealing as she tried to hide behind Kalyani. "PD! Save me!"

"Shivaanshu," Kalyani placed a hand on her great-grandson's shoulder, faking a disapproving frown, "Don't bother my little girl."

"PD," Shivaansh protested. "Your little girl has cost me my reputation."

"No, I haven't," Shivani rolled her eyes. "People love to see celebrities being relatable and spending time, goofing around, with their family and friends. If anything, your fan following will go up a lot more than the number of people that will unfollow you or ridicule you."

"She's right, Bhaiya," Mohan walked towards them, holding out his iPad towards Shivaansh who took with a confused frown. "People are calling you an 'absolute sweetheart'!"

"Well," Shivaansh shrugged, a smug smirk curving up the corners of his lips. "Woh toh main waise hii hoon."

Shivani snorted, before covering it up with a cough. "You're welcome," she singsonged.

"Radhika," Aruna walked up to the chaotic group, her eyes perusing the screen of her cellphone. "Varun's mother just texted me. Varun has landed in Mumbai, and he's asked to postpone the welcome back party to the 30th instead of tomorrow."