𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐘𝐀

C H A P T E R - 8

Aarav

I left the two love birds on their own and walked towards a near by table when I got a smell of cinnamon. "Happy holi sweetheart" I back hugged her and she pats my cheek lightly "Happy Holi Aarav bete" Dadi unlocks my arm and pulls me to her side. 

"How are you so clean boy" she raises a brow assessing me head to toe.
"Everyone else's too" a sigh leaves her
"Just wait and watch I'll be the one to color every single person here" she muffles her smile when I pass a wink.
"You can't color Mayra though" As if I want to.

I did a quick scanning of the courtyard then looked back at her "Is that a challenge?" she tosses one leg on the other "She's my granddaughter I know her better" I couldn't control the smirk already forming.

"Let's start with you" I grabbed some fistful of dry color from a plate and painted her cheeks and touched her feet for blessings "Wish me luck dadi" I smiled while straightening. "Best of luck Aarav bete".

Shortly after maa and Shorbari maa joins us "Kya baatein chal rhi hai?"(What are you guys talking about?) maa pats my head "Some bet we were talking about" I replied with a laugh "Oh what bet?".

I sneaked my hand towards the plate, grabbed it and threw the colors all over them "Don't be mad ladies!" she clutched my hand "Come here" maa paints my entire face before I could fight or even flee.

"Mujhe to lag rha bhabhi iss saal bhi ye last tak rang se bachna chahta tha"(I'm telling you bhabhi, he planned to stay clean this year too) Shorbari maa pulls at my ear and I feign innocence 

"This while I have different goals" I smile wickedly and dadi laughs behind me "I don't know what you're planning but whatever it is do not cause anyone trouble" maa warns me and I bend over her shoulder to smooch at her side "Of course not, you know your son" with that I left them.

A pop up sounded and I fished out my phone 'Come to the back Garden' it was Adi's and when he's not around and calls you sneakily you know something very terrible is up.

I was intending to leave when a hand crawls from behind and settles on my shoulder "Where to?" I turn to find Manav with a not so pleasing expression.

"Um nowhere" I try to hide any signs of getting caught.
"Good because you need to explain somethings" and there we go. Manav knows, somehow he knows about last night.

"I do?" he eyes as if any more acting and I'd be straight up presented against dad, I huffed a long breath "Okay it wasn't me" he folds both his arms "I'm listening".

Gods above save me. "Alright we were slightly drunk" he takes a deep breath while glaring holes into me "On what scale?" I clicked my tongue "Does it matter?" his reflexes improved or mine dulled.. no idea but in a second he was head-locking me.

"Muku abhi bacchi hai aur tumlog Mayra ko bhi saath le gaye the. Kabhi mature hone ka socha hai?" (Muku is a child and you guys had Mayra too, are you capable of growing up and not cause anymore trouble) I tried hard to even my breathing and smacked him on his arms.

"Got it bhai, maine ek driver bheja hai car fix krwa kr wapas lane" (Got ya brother, I already sent a driver to mend then fetch the car back here) on that he releases me. "Better" he pats my shoulder.

In the meantime Moksha finds us "Here you are, Adi called you several ti--" she was cut in between by Manav. He pulled at her ear "And muku if I hear you drunk driving again, you will be punished and not you brothers" she hisses but dips her head in agreement.

Manav's phone rings and he bade us before receiving the call. "Now shall we?" Moksha plucks a glass full of blue mock-tail on her way.

We found Adi minutes later accompanied by Sharan and Aaksha. A male servant sprawled on the pavement gnashing a herb on a flat stone. 

"Seriously? bhang?" interesting.. another non-sober day. I looked to Sharan who already had a large glass ready on his hand "It wasn't my idea" Adi stands up and hands us our glasses "Bhang and thandai my type of duo".

Sharan had emptied his first glass and his face had me realized he had a normal thandai.

"CHEERS!" Adi swooned then we clanked our glasses before taking a sip simultaneously but a horn blaring in the distance halted all of us.

Daksh came running before we could all hide our glasses the boy shouted "Arhaan bhai's here" you're shitting me.

Moksha and Aaksha spat their drinks in a near by plant and Sharan and I shared a long look before I swiftly emptied my glass back in that pot while Adi had already chugged in half of his glass and still continuing.

Sharan snatched it from him and threw away the rest of the drink "Gadhe Saale, Arhaan bhai yaha pohoch chuke hai agar unhone ye sab dekh liya to mujhe batane ki zaroorat nahi hai kya hoga" (Nut-head, Arhaan bhai's here if he knew about this. WE. ARE.DEAD)the look on Adi's face was a view indeed.

"Arhaan bhai is here!??" Sharan slapped his head to shake him back into reality "Get a grip and don't let him sniff it on you". Adi was still sulking on the fact that we had to throw away all of the bhang. "Itni saari bhang hai isse waste kyu krrhe ho" (We shouldn't be wasting things like that) he earned another smack.

We were about to head back to the courtyard in case anyone finds our absence suspicious, after two steps a loud splash halted us on our way. Moksha and Aaksha held their stomachs while laughing and a soaked Adi blinked back at us. 

I looked up.. Mayra was standing on a balcony with a bucket, her eyes on me. Certainly that water splash was for me. Poor Adi.

I smirked mimicking a salute to her and she looked agitated. I mouthed 'nice try' and she tilted her head a degree and mumbled 'next time. I promise'.

I lingered a second longer to print that image of her standing there burning in her unsatisfactory.
The bet is yet to accomplish.